Tsum valley and around Manaslu Trek

Tsum Valley was a restricted area until it was opened for trekking in 2008 and there is a little information available on the area.

The Tsum Valley is a sacred Himalayan pilgrimage valley situated in northern Gorkha, Nepal. Literally “Tsum” means vivid. Against the majestic backdrop of the Ganesh Himal and Sringi Himal, and Boudha ranges, this serene Himalayan valley is rich in ancient art, culture and religion. The local people are mostly of Tibetan origin and speak unique dialect. Trails are strewn with artistic chortens and lined with mani walls made of thousands of stone slabs carved with drawings of deities and inscribed with prayers. The famous Kyimu Lung, a pilgrimage circuit in the central Trans-Himalaya, is well known for its center of learning and meditation. This circuit traverses the Tsum Valley the Manaslu area in Nepal, and southern parts of Tibet.

The Tsum Valley has long history of Buddhism. The Buddhist saint Milarewa is believed to be meditated in the caves of these mountains. Traditionally, the valley was a culturally distinct geographical called “Tsum Tso Chuksum”, which means thirteen provinces ruled as a single territory. The ancient remains of the Tsum Kingdom are still visible today. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, this sacred valley and its people have been bypassed by mainstream development for centuries. As a result, the unique culture of this valley has remained intact.

The valley is drained by the Shear Khola, which originates from the western glacier of Ganesh Himal and east and southern glaciers of Sringi Himal and meets the Budhi Gandaki at Nyak.
The valley is uniquely rich in wildlife, especially the Himalayan Thar and Blue Sheep which congregates in herds of 50 to 200. Hunting, fishing is not permitted in the Tsum Valley. The valley also boasts some unique and historic monasteries, including Rachen Gumba and Mu Gumba, which lie on a pretty plateau nestled in the lap of the valley, and Gumba Lungdang, situated at the base of a conical hill against the main.

Manasulu circuit
The Manasulu circuit is one of the best remote trekking area in Nepal. The most prominent of the peaks are Baudha himal, Gorkha Himal and Himal Chuli. the area is bordered by two major river systems .to the east Budhi Gandaki and to the west Marshandi Khola . most attraction of this treks are the views of the Manaslu range and the Annapuna ranges and the forest and bird life along the ridge. The course starts from Gorkha. The ancestral seat of the reigning Shah dynasty, and the temple of Manakamana, one of the most popular pilgrimage sites for Hindu devotees. The route follows the rugged gorge of the Budhi Gandaki river through wild Gurung country. As the land rises the people change to more Tibetan-influenced Bhotia, and the first of many extensive mani walls appears before crossing the Larkya pass. It is one of the easier high passes in Nepal. But heavy snow can make the route difficult especially on the western side where deep snow drifts are likely to be found.

Flora and fauna
The range of geographical and climatic regions has led to a diverse variety of flora and fauna with in this region. these parts of area are heavily cultivated and the landscape is terraced paddy fields for most of the year.the higher up in the hills the natural vegetation changes from the tropical species to more temperate stands of forest trees including oak, beech and rhododendron. There is not a large variety of animals will be spotted although barking deer and Himalayan marmots may be spotted above the tree line. Pheasants may be seen in the jungles just below the tree line and all of the usual alpine birds including ravens, coughs and various birds of prey.

People and culture
The most prominent ethnic groups in this region are the Gurung, Braman, chetri, Manangba, Tamang and Tibetan. Above the tree line near Larke Pass, people of Tibetan origin inhabit several villages. A number of large Buddhist monasteries are to be seen in the upper reaches of the Budhi Gandaki. slope of Ganesh Himal.