Best Time For This Trek
Autumn
Trekking in the Tsum Valley is considered best during the autumn period – September to November. This time of year, the weather is stable, with clear skies and moderate temps. With beautiful views of surrounding peaks, lush valleys and vibrant autumn foliage, the trekking enthusiasts can enjoy. This season provides a perfect opportunity to photograph and discover the varied landscape of the valley. It is a great place for short hiking enthusiasts as the trails are dry and doable.
Spring
This is also favorable from March to May during spring. At this time, the valley fills with the blooming rhododendrons and alpine flowers that stripe the trails. It’s a comfortable, mild trek, and the temperatures don’t hurt it. The season has clear mornings. Nature lovers and those who love to observe the valley’s special variations of flora and fauna have a special charm in the spring.
Winter
In winter, between December and February, this is a serene, tranquil trek in Tsum Valley. It’s not easy — there’s cold and occasionally even snowfall — but they add a little extra charm to the trek, too. They’re less crowded because you actually get to be somewhere pristine and fresh snow. You can be somewhere all by yourself. Closer to the climb, trekkers should have just the right gear for the cold and icy conditions that they’ll encounter when they reach the summit.
Summer
From June to August, the Tsum Valley has a summer and monsoon season. All the trails are slippery, and continuous rainfall may cause landslides. Still, the lush greenery, along with the waterfalls, are amazing. However, experienced guides who have guided properly through the trials of the season can successfully guide through difficulties in order to ensure a safe and rewarding trekking experience.
Altitude Sickness
Trekking a 19-day Tsum Valley itinerary in under 5 days exponentially heightens the risk of altitude sickness (AMS), which is also known by the term Acute Mountain Sickness. During the ascent, there is not enough time to acclimatize, and there is a higher risk of symptoms like headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
By shortening the timeline, the body does not get enough time to adjust with less quantity of oxygen at higher altitudes.
To be cautious of these risks, it’s essential to climb slowly, drink enough water and take care of your health. If you fall sick due to altitude sicknesses, then it is necessary to descend to a lower altitude pretty fast. Book the trip with well-known trekking agencies and consult about your health issues for this kind of trip, as this is a very challenging and tough itinerary compared to other ones.
Safety and Preventive Measures
Tsum Valley trekking is fast-paced and should be planned and taken with safety as a priority. We have trained our experienced guides specially so you can do what you want to hike at the short hiking pace you set. Such participants should receive a fitness assessment before leaving and carry appropriate medical supplies.
Hydration is key, and trekkers should drink lots of water to avoid becoming dehydrated. As per the season time there should be suitable travel shoes and clothing layers to help tackle varying weather conditions. Our guides will take you safely in winter and monsoon. They can be tricky times, and trails are not always great, so we’ll only go with monitoring of weather and trail changes.
Accommodation
During the trek, you will get to stay in teahouses and homestays. It’s a great opportunity to get a taste of the local lifestyle. Most of these teahouses are family-run, providing basic but comfortable accommodation. The rooms are generally twin-shared with two single beds that come with foam mattresses, pillows and blankets. In some places, particularly in the off-the-beaten-path regions, teahouses might be dormitory-style to accommodate more guests.
The tea houses also have a common dining area where trekkers will eat their meals and often gather for conversation and interaction with other trekkers over meals. Although facilities may be basic at the teahouses, they include shared toilets having either squat or western-style toilet seats; hot showers are usually available, but at an extra fee, especially once you reach higher altitudes, the quality seems to decline as there are just fewer facilities, and hot-water access is restricted.
Despite the simplicity, the teahouses are cozy and provide a very comfortable place to get to know your fellow trekkers and local people. The Tsum Valley people are Tibetan and still speak much the same language. It is a good idea to bring along a good sleeping bag if trekking in colder months as the teahouse’s bedding is not enough.
Meals
Throughout the Valley Trek, you will enjoy meals that help keep your energy levels up, and that also give you a taste of local cuisine.
Teahouses along the trail offer substantial meal options. Breakfast often includes Tibetan bread, pancakes, porridge and eggs, which offers a great start to a day of trekking. At lunchtime or for dinner, items on the menu may include things like dal bhat (a traditional Nepalese dish consisting of rice, lentil soup and vegetables), noodles, pasta, momos (steamed dumplings), or potato-focused foods. Dal bhat is especially popular as its nutritional balance and sustaining energy is reflected in saying along the trail: “Dal Bhat Power 24 Hour”.
While the variety of food decreases with altitude, the meals are wholesome and prepared from locally sourced fresh ingredients. It is advised to eat vegetarian dishes, as refrigeration is not available and meat may not always be fresh.
Our guides will also coordinate meal timings to avoid group congestion at popular lunch spots. If there are any specific dietary preferences that you have, please let us know and we will try our best to accommodate them. You can carry your supply of energy bars, dry fruits or nuts for a quick munch-on during the trek.
Tsum Valley Trip Grade: Fitness Level, Medical, and Health
The Tsum Valley Trek is graded as moderate to challenging, reaching a high point of around 3,700m at Mu Gompa. On average, trekkers will be walking 6 to 8 hours each day in lower areas and approximately 4 to 5 hours in the higher regions. As you may have guessed, this means that the trek can be physically tough with low levels of oxygen above a certain point.
A good level of physical fitness is important as you will find yourself climbing steep inclines, scrambling over piles of rocks and negotiating many ups and downs on uneven paths. Some form of regular aerobic training, such as jogging, swimming or hiking, is highly recommended for up to a month prior to your trek. The trek itself is manageable for most people who are reasonably fit; however, those suffering from heart, lung or blood diseases would be best advised to consult their doctor before making reservations. Stay hydrated and acclimatize properly during the trek to minimize altitude sickness risks. Trek slowly and steadily based on your own breathing pace.
Electricity and Battery Recharge, Water on Trekking
In this Trek, electricity is available in most tea houses; you can charge your phones, cameras or power bank, but at an extra cost. This is the reason we highly recommend carrying a power bank. With each lodge that you climb further up the trek, charging facilities become less reliable. Therefore, energy consumption and usage must be managed in a good way. For drinking water there are plenty of shops along the trail selling bottled mineral water.
For drinking water, you can buy bottled water at the shops on the trail. Because of restrictions in many areas about plastic bottles, it is very recommended to have a reusable bottle and just fill it with boiled or filtered water from the lodges. In addition, please bring some water purification tablets or your filter system to have plenty of ways to drink. The tablet can be provided by your trekking company in case you’d like to use it.
Don´t drink water from rivers, taps or natural sources, as they are not suitable for drinking because they contain bacteria and viruses. Avoid being dehydrated, mostly at higher altitudes, as dehydration could cause the worst effect of altitude sickness.
Travel Insurance Policy For Manaslu Tsum Valley Hike
This Trek is a high-altitude trek that involves risks of altitude sickness, landslides and variable weather conditions. Travel insurance is compulsory for all participants in the trek. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accidents, medical expenses, emergency air ambulance/helicopter rescue, and repatriation. We also insist that the policy covers activities at the altitude of your chosen trip with us as well as any optional activities you may participate in whilst on holiday with us.
Please check with your insurance company if helicopter rescue at high altitudes (e.g., 3,700M) is included in their list of approved helicopter rescue areas before you sign up and attach a copy of your insurance policy for Ammonite Adventure Treks to keep on record before the trek departure date.
In case of accidents or health issues, your guide should coordinate with local authorities, health providers, and your insurer. We can recommend a few from our previous experience, but we do not sell policies. Good Insurance ensures safer and stress-free trekking.
Money Exchange
The local currency in Nepal is the Nepali Rupee (NPR). You can exchange most of the foreign currencies at licensed money exchange centers, banks or hotels in Kathmandu and Thamel. The Nepal Bank directs the rate exchange for all commercial banks, therefore it does not really matter wherever you get your money converted.
It’s better to have cash rather than Travelers’ cheques since good hotels and banks will charge 2-5% commission plus possible additional fees, which may occur due to the inability to make a direct dial on standard international lines from traveler’s cheque providers. ATMs are easily available in Kathmandu just about anywhere during office hours and noon. Still, they do not always work fluctuating often, so it would be better if you carry enough cash as ATMs possibly won’t be available throughout the trail.
For Indian travelers, only INR 100 and INR 2,000 notes are accepted in Nepal. Always cross-check the prevailing rates at legal money exchanges with a board displaying current rates. Banks and financial institutions charge about 4% for money exchange. So, it is necessary to have enough local currency with you for a smooth trek.
Trekking group/single
Whether you would like to go on a private or group basis for this Valley trek is your choice. If you go as a group, there is a discount for the more trekkers in the group, the more discount. If we set up the group for you, you won’t be able to use the discount.
Whatever the group size is we have the experience to manage well, and with 12 or more trekkers in the group we will also provide you with an extra assistant guide! We will provide you with one porter for every two trekkers and individual baggage is a limit of 9 kg (each trekker).
We have planned group logistics for this trek because of the short nature of the itinerary, but to help maximize your time as much as possible, while allowing for a safe and sustainable pace.
Extra personal expenses on trekking
Aside from a few extra costs all costs are inclusive in the trek itinerary. We don't include your meals and accommodation in Kathmandu, and any accommodation needs you may have in Kathmandu. There are lots of variables for hotels/lodges ( luxury & budget) that can easily be booked via the Internet.
We ask our valued clients to be in possession of their own personal spending money to pay for food and accommodation in Kathmandu, your visa processing, travel insurance policy purchase, snacks & hot (tea/coffee) and cold drinks, tips to our crew members, souvenirs, etc. Clients should bring cash (in major currencies) and exchange it into Nepali Rupees for personal spending money. The areas we trek to only accept paper Nepali flimsy paper currency.
Ammonite Adventure Treks Trekking Crew
The 5-day trek will enjoy the company of our trained and highly qualified guides and Sherpas to help ensure you have an enjoyable and safe trek. All of our guides are well-acquainted with the routes and are licensed to conduct out trek. We will supply porters who will carry your bags at one porter per two trekkers. Each porter can carry a maximum of 18 kg of weight. If you want, we can provide a porter for each individual as well.
There are other arrangements we can make to ensure your comfort. All of our team members are from the high Himalaya, so they have acclimatization to high elevation. Also, we take care to ensure that our climbers and support staff are paid full compensation, are insured, and that their food, equipment, and accommodations are taken care of in advance.
There is medical help available to all in case of emergencies but in any case, we prioritise the health of our staff as we believe that by treating our staff well, they will provide better services for our clients.
Our trek leaders have:
- Completed wilderness first-aid training
- Certified trekking guide recognized by the Nepal government.
- Fluent in English and main regional languages
- Instructor in biodiversity and conservation
- Have some rock climbing experience
- Engaging narrator; able to communicate the many vestiges of local culture and history
- Well organized, scheduled and executing all logistics
- A very fun person who is able to rekindle the group energy
- Considerate, being sensitive to ensuring trekkers requests are accommodated
- Very committed and willing to promote sustainable and responsible tourism.
Booking and Payment Process
Ammonite Adventure Treks is bonded and registered with the government, a member of the Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN) and the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). So you can book holidays with Ammonite Adventure Treks in complete security.
An advance trip cost payment of 10% is required to book the trip. You may pay either by western union, bank transfer, or our website directly. If any remaining trip costs you may pay on arrival to Nepal either cash, credit card, bank transfer, or by Western Union. We will provide you with payment details as well as payment options.
Once the trekking is booked, we request that other documents such as a photocopy of passport, passport photos, policy of travel insurance, and flight arrival/departure be sent within seven days from when it is booked. There are not many flights domestically to Lukla, and Lukla airport is packed in peak trek season.
Last Minute Booking
You can book the this trek with Ammonite Adventure Treks last minute. You need to pay the full amount for the trip at least 24 hours before the meeting of the trek. We will always do our best to allow for treks at any time, but last-minute bookings may sometimes take longer to organize due to issues regarding flights, or any adverse weather claims that we cannot control.
Trip Extension
In case you want to spend more time in Nepal after the trek, we can arrange activities for you. You can either visit Kathmandu again or take jungle safaris, paragliding, rafting, or canoeing.
Feedback
Once the Tsum Valley trek is successfully completed, Ammonite Adventure Treks will host a farewell dinner in Kathmandu. We will give a printed trek achievement certificate, and you can give feedback.
