Looking for wilderness and off the beaten trail with fewer crowds and more cultural experiences near Kathmandu. Then, this trek is perfect for you, allowing you to deeply immerse yourself in the Tamang and Gurung cultures and their origins and civilization, leading you to unexplored valleys and sacred lakes of Ruby Valley.
(If you are new to the Ganesh Himal Trek,check our website for multiple trek options to experience the Ruby Valley Trek and Ganesh Himal.
Ruby Valley Kalo Daha Trek, A sacred and isolated lake sits at the very lap of the Ganesh Himal Range, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and folk tales. Located in the central-north of Nepal and northwest of Kathmandu, Kalo Daha is part of the Great Ganesh Himal Trek and Ruby Valley Rural Municipality. This trail can be said to be a forgotten trail of the past since it’s not totally unexplored, but due to unseen circumstances and unavailability of proper facilities to facilitate trekkers, it became a less-known trek. But it’s a perfect place for those who seek adventure, hardships, and an equally rewarding journey, since Ruby Valley still has its untouched beauty and cultural values of the indigenous people living there since ancient times.
There are multiple trekking route options for wilderness adventure, and we offer such treks as well. So, what makes this particular route much different than others, even though it can be categorized under the same level as others.
Kalo Daha, or rather the whole Ganesh Himal Trekking, was known for its camping place, offering a cultural experience of the Gurung and Tamang peoples. What made this trekking route different from others was not only limited to its scenic view of the Ganesh Himal Range and cultures but also the people, groups, communities, and settlements of the century. The villages and villagers, their way of living, the folklore, stories of the people living there, and the spiritual presence of everything they have built since their ancestry are what make this place unique. Some treks might only be about reaching the destination, the place, and enjoying the view. But Ruby Valley isn’t beautiful only by the surrounding scenery but also because of the people who truly make it special on their way. While landscapes may impress someone at first glance, it’s the warmth and kindness of a stranger in the local community that leaves a lasting impact. And Kalo Daha being part of the greater Ruby Valley is what makes this trek a unique experience for those who don’t only seek mesmerizing views of the Himalayas and unseen natural beauty but also want to know about the locality.
Kalo Daha is rather a secluded place due to the trail being only known to the shepherds of the Himalayas, a few locals, and people who have paid a visit, making it free of crowds even during peak seasonal time. So, it’s a perfect place for those who seek a peaceful environment with a local cultural touch. Kalo and Seto Daha are not only a regular lake that’s located at a high altitude but is believed to be a sacred lake where deities reside. So, on a sacred day, villagers with a shaman pay a visit to both deities and worship them. Which makes it perfect for those trekkers who not only seek scenery but also want to experience the culture of the Himalayan people, who want to know how they live, what beliefs they have, and how the beliefs came to be.
Since Kalo Daha is not your regular trek, which has tea houses, lodges, or homestays available throughout the trek, but is a part camping trip, the best time would be to choose from one of the two peak seasonal times of trekking from March to April or from September to November. Doing a camping trip during the monsoon can be hard due to the unpredictability of the weather, making it hard to set up camps in open fields on time. Let’s break down what kind of experience you may gain from trekking in different seasons.
Trek difficulty in Nepal varies depending on the type of route you choose. Different factors like max altitude, walking hours per day, total trek days, accommodation, terrain, and other such things determine how hard the trek can be.
Looking at these factors, Kalo Daha Trek can be considered a strenuous trek since walking per day can be 7-8 hours on average, even though the trek is short, the trail leading to Kalo Daha is unmanaged, or rather not made for regular travelers, but made by the shepherds or used by the shepherds of the Himalayas when moving their herds. The first part of the trek is short for proper acclimatization, but the rest of the trek till reaching Kalo Daha can be knee-breaking as the trail is mostly uphill for days.
So, this trek is recommended to those who already have trek experience or for those who are physically fit and can handle any kind of obstacles or unexpected encounters.
Since Kalo Daha is a part camping trip, accommodation is mostly tents, but during your stay in villages like Sertung, homestays can be arranged, though the facility may not be comparable to hotels; however, rooms are compact and clean for a few days of stay.
Food items are different when you are camping or while staying in villages. Village Homestay in Ruby Valley provides a basic meal course, not a full course item with different options like in other treks, but can be arranged as per your request if made before time. But when you are on camps, most of the food items are fixed to make it easier for traveling and cooking. Coffee can be provided in the morning with a light breakfast, quick lunch breaks during the trek, and a fulfilling dinner at the camping place.
So, to sum up, you are provided with basic lodging and food when you are at villages and fixed food items when camping.
Kalo Daha is known for its isolated sacred beauty of the Himalayas and the twin lake at the lap of the Ganesh Himal Range. The place is not only known for the Kalo Daha (Black Lake) but also for its twin, Seto Daha (White Lake). The lakes don’t exactly connect with each other but exist at the same location, a km apart. Geographically, Seto Daha is a bit higher than Kalo Daha, and like the name suggests, it may not be pure white, but the depth is transparent to the naked eye. While Kalo Daha is as dark as a deep lake from the edges, even though it may not be deep at the side of the lake, the color or the vision is as same as that of deep lakes. Some key highlights of the Kalo Daha are: -
Our journey begins with a long drive to Sertung from Kathmandu on a local shared jeep. Our ride may have a brief stop at Lhabang for a quick lunch break. Overnight in Sertung.
Our trek officially begins from Sertung as we trek down to Chalisgaon, cross Menchet Khola, and head towards Pentise. Afterwards, we trek uphill to Hindung Village and set up a camp there. Overnight in Hindung.
Continuing the ascent, our trip for today may consist of constant uphill and occasional straight trails till we reach Thulodhunga. Set up a camp at the Kharka for an overnight.
We continue our ascent through kharkas and the lush forest of rhododendrons till we reach our planned campsite.
For today, we will hike to Kalo Daha after breakfast in the early morning and pack lunch for the hike or carry some snacks for the way. After reaching Kalo and Seto Daha, hike back to Nojet Kharka.
We retrace our way back to Thulodhunga after breakfast from Nojet, and if possible, head to Hindung Village for better facilities.
As our journey nears its end, we trek back to Sertung, and if you have time, you may ask your guide to take a break in Tatopani near Pentise or the Tatopani River.
With the return to Kathmandu, your trip comes to an end officially. We drop you off at your designated hotel or residence and wish you well.
Wilderness Excursion has 13 years of excellent operation backed by decades of expertise in leading treks in Nepal. To further enhance your Kalo Daha Trek, we’re pleased to introduce exclusive add-ons for an even more exceptional adventure.
When traveling to places like Kalo Daha, which is a part camping trip, packing your luggage smartly can help you in many ways than you think. The heavier your backpack gets, the harder it will be to walk, especially at high altitudes, as it keeps dragging you down.
(These are only a few of the preparation tips. But it is useful in many ways. If you still have further queries regarding how to prepare for camping trips, you may contact us or visit our website www.wildernessexcursion.com.)
Traveling to countries like Nepal can be a hassle when it is culturally rich and have different values and beliefs. Since Nepal is diverse with different castes and communities co-existing together, their cultural values and beliefs may also differ from place to place. In such cases, what you can do is ask your tour or trek guide about the place, and whether doing some activities like taking photos is possible or not. In the case of being a solo trekker, do remember these points:
(These points are useful for both solo trekkers and those traveling through an agency with staff (guides and porters).
With the return to Kathmandu, your trek officially ends, but if you like, we suggest spending some days in Sertung, visiting monasteries, natural hot springs, or researching how people in rural villages make a day. If you are in Kathmandu and still have some days left on your visa, then you can check our site for Hikes near Kathmanduor a day trip in Nepal.
There are many local stories and folklore about the lake. And every rumor or story connects to one saying, “There is a deity in both lakes.” Some believe it is Nagraj who went away from Sachet (a holy ground of Sertung), or some connect it to Nagraj of Gosaikunda, who left the lake after it became crowded and searched for a secluded lake, which later came to Kalo Daha. According to the locals, it is believed that two deities residing in the lake are a couple: the husband in Seto Daha and the wife in Kalo Daha. During winter or drought, when the water level in Seto Daha dries up, the deity from Seto Daha migrates to his wife and resides there, as the water level in Kalo Daha remains constant. One of the reasons is the small waterfall or stream that flows towards Kalo Daha from the peaks after the snow or ice melts. One of the reasons Kalo Daha is a secluded place is locals believe the deity in Kalo Daha is a light-tempered god, and unwanted noises or disturbances may anger the god, leading to different kinds of accidents on the journey. According to the locals, when visiting the lake, if you have ill intent or malice towards the lake or do any stunts to disturb the lake, including bringing buffalo meat with you, then the deity from Kalo Daha will send a mist from the middle of the lake, dragging you to the bottom of the lake. Most of these are the stories shared by the shepherds, which instilled fear in villagers, making it a rarely visited place. Stories like these don’t have any factual sources to back them up, including the story of three shepherds who were moving their herds whose path crossed Kalo Daha, and coincidentally one of the shepherds had a buffalo part in his pocket, which angered the god, leading to heavy rain and a wave from the lake, which tried to drag them inside the lake. But these stories along the journey are what make it more memorable.
For other majorly known routes and trekking places, it may be possible to do the trek without a guide with proper preparations and precautions, but Kalo Daha is not well-known to the public, and its route is only used by shepherds, which makes it hard to keep track of where you are headed, as there are no proper signboards to lead you properly. Even though you have confidence in doing the trek alone, we recommend doing the trek through a registered agency so someone can keep track of where you are headed and know you are safe.
Yes, it is possible to do the Kalo Daha Trek as part of other trekking routes within the Ganesh Himal Trekking route. Kalo Daha can be added with singla pass or the other part of the Ruby Valley Trekking trail. Consult your agency and pre-inform them if you want to add other trekking routes to the itinerary as well.
We suggest hiring at least 3 porters for 2 trekkers to be on the safe side, as the Kalo Daha trek is categorized as a strenuous trek. One porter to carry your belongings and two to carry the trekking gear needed.
Kalo Daha is approximately 4130 m above sea level, so we suggest doing the trek slowly and acclimatizing properly. Just to be safe, carry some altitude sickness medicine, and if you feel out of the weather, inform your guide immediately.
There are locally used banks in Sertung, and some stores may support online banking as well, but we suggest you carry locally accepted cash, which is the Nepali rupee, as most of the stores and lodges may not support international transactions or any form of card payment.
You may get an unstable network in villages when the weather is not clear, but lodges might probably have a Wi-Fi connection, but during trekking or camping, there is no Wi-Fi, networks, nor any electricity. So bring backup (power bank / portable solar backup) with you for your mobile and camera.
