Mt. Putha Huichuli 7246m Expedition
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 Nepal is a small independent kingdom, located on the southern slopes of the Central Himalaya. Only slightly larger than Arkansas, Nepal has an unparalleled concentration of the world's highest mountains, including eight of the world's fourteen 8,000 meter peaks. A ninth such peak, Shisha Pangma, is just over the border into Tibet. Nepal's population, comprised of many distinct ethnic groups, is a proud, kind people. Perhaps most famous among them are the Sherpas, originally from Tibet, who live in mountain villages not far south from the border to their homeland. Here the Sherpas' Buddhist culture, suppressed by China in Tibet, is very much alive. The sacred words Om Mani Padme Hum are seen everywhere and prayer flags flap in the mountain winds. Although Hinduism is actually the primary religion in Nepal, Buddhism and Hinduism are practiced harmoniously throughout the country. The Sherpas live as high as 11,000 feet in winter, and in spring they relocate with yaks and sheep to elevations over 16,000 feet. Sherpas have for decades served as porters for Himalayan expeditions, and many have become excellent mountaineers. Mustang, a small isolated kingdom in Northern Nepal, has received much recent interest from adventure travelers. Mustang is an ancient kingdom, whose unique population, language, architecture and traditions reflect its many centuries of isolation. It was first opened to foreign travelers in 1991, and visitation today is still tightly regulated, though a few commercial tour companies now offer treks there. See the article A 12 Day Trip to Mustang for more details about this magnificent region. Climbing in Nepal as a whole is encouraged but tightly regulated. Access is only allowed on government-approved peaks, and many of these peaks have such lengthy waiting lists that a trip must be planned years in advance. Mountain treks (without major summits) are possible, and offer an alternative means of experiencing the majesty and the people of the Nepal Himalaya. The weather is cool in the mountains year round, with winters being especially severe, and monsoon season creating impossible traveling conditions as the heavy rains bring torrents and mudslides. The best time for climbing or trekking in Nepal is during the pre-monsoon April, May, September, October seasons. |
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