05-06 Parbati-Kunda, Gatlang
A 15-day Trek - Tamang Heritage & Ruby Valley in Nepal
Daily Trek Diary - Days 05 to 06
Bremdang ahead with a lookout viewpoint on a ridge jutting out over the valley with prayer flags
Daily Trek Diaries:
Day-5 > 08 Nov 2018 - Trek Nagthali to Tatopani, Chilime, Goljung, Bahundanda, Parbati-Kunda
When we left Nagthali at 7:40AM our plan was to go to Chilime via Tatopani and stay a night there. But it turned out very different. After going down Nagthali via several levels of ridges we reached Bremdang which had a small ridge jutting out over the valley with prayer flags. Nice views from this ridge jutting out over the valley below. At Bremdang we stopped for tea where Nima's niece was mighty happy to see him and plied him with a Pepsi can as a parting gift.
We left Bremdang at 8:45AM and going down for another 1 hour reached Tatopani at 10:15. The hot water baths there was running dry; the hot spring had moved further downhill elsewhere.
Tataponi ahead ... as we come down from Nagthali via Bremdang
We started going down to Chilime without stopping here. Many terraced fields and homes on way down to Chilme and the ziz-zag trails were visible on the opposite valley hillside.
As we climb down from Tatopani ... we could see Chilime way down there
At 12:35pm we reached the river level and crossed a bridge to other side. Huge construction for the Dam and Powerhouse had destroyed the appeal of Chilime; so we walked past several narrow lanes of village and stopped at a Teahouse for lunch at 13:15.
After dal-bhat decided to carry on to Bahundanda as suggested by Nima rather than stay at this 'run-down' place. Staying at Bahundanda would take Nima closer to his village "Ger" that he could visit his home overnight for his Diwali 'Tihar' Tika. But it was a long way still as we had to pass Goljung (15:30) and climb up to Ronga Bhanjyang where the road comes from Syafrubesi and goes on to Gatlang. [See Note **** at bottom of this page opposite column]
Bremdang homes ... with prayer flags on higher viewing platform
The hot-water bath at Tataponi ... all streams are running dry here
Going down from Tatopani to Chilime; Nima poses in one of the many mustard fields
Climbing up from Goljung ..we are about to reach the road above seen with sign-posts
The Chilime Teahouse where we had Dal-bhat lunch
We reached the teahouse at Bahundanda (Rongaa Bhanjyang) at 5:00PM and it didn't look like a nice teahouse to stay the night. It was getting dark and we were wondering if we could move on to Gatlang or Parbati Kunda, a further 2 hours away.
Nima called his friend running a teahouse at PB-Kunda to see if he could pick us up. He agreed and sent his son, just 17 years old, on a motor-bike who came at 5:30PM. I sat on the pillion and had the most hellish ride on a very bad and rough road. I was going up and down on a cold,dark and scary ride. Many stretches were so bad that the boy asked me to get down and walk a bit to cross very bad stretches. Some how survived and reached the "Ruvy Valley GH" at around 6:00PM. The father left to pickup Nima and my bag on a 2nd trip. When Nima arrived we had a Beer and Dinner.
Today was a long and hard day for me. I had decided to stay here as rest day for tomorrow too and see Gatlang and PB Kunda lake ... while Nima went home late that night for Diwali Tika. He would be back after 1 day and we would then start the Ruby Valley trek.
The view going down from PB Kunda ... down towards Gatlang Village
Day-6 > 09 Nov 2018 - Day Trek to Parbati-Kunda & Gatlang
Today was rest-day for me at PB-Kunda.and so after breakfast at 8:15AM, I left the Teahouse to go and see the Parbati Kunda Lake which was nearby just below my GH and then go further down about 150M to look at Gatlang Village. The Lake was an awesome peaceful spot with huge banners of Prayer Flags strung all around the lake. When I went there in the morning nobody was around except for a mother and small girl playing around the grassy lawns surrounding the Lake.
Gatlang was a big Tamang Village with lots of shops and commercial activity. There was this rough dirt road coming up all the way here from Sybrubesi and so I think it is an important village here in Tamang area. The nearby Parbati Kunda must be also attracting lots of local pilgrim traffic from nearby villages.
I roamed around the village main streets for a while and then around 11:30 climbed back up the ridge to my Teahouse along the way revisting PB Kunda temple near the top.
Back at the teahouse I had a Dal-bhat lunch and had a nice afternoon Nap. Nima came back by 5:30pm with his Tikaa. That evening I had Beer with Nima and the GH owner and a Dal-bhat for dinner. Slept early for the night and planned to start the Ruby Valley part of the trek tomorrow.
The teahouse at Rongaa Bhanjyang; we decided not to stay here but move on to PB-Kunda
Nearing the temple on bank of Lake Parbati-Kunda -- Snow peaks of Ganesh Himal
Parbati Kunda lake .. there were many fluttering prayer flags all around the lake!
The "Ruvy Valley GH" owner and his two sons .. the teenager boy on left (in Red) is the one who picked me up on the motorbike and brought me here yesterday
The little girl at the Shiv-Parvati temple ... next to the PB Kunda lake
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Note: Only after the trek got over and I was back home did I realize, that there was actually a direct trail from Chilime to Gatlang & PB-Kunda. I don't know why Nima took me via Bahundanda (Rongga Bhanjyang).
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