COUNTRIES VISITED: Nepal
TRIP CODE: SBE
DURATION: 25 Days
TRIP TYPE: Mountaineering
TRIP LEADER: International Leader
TRIP GRADE: Challenging
GROUP SIZE: 5 - 12 people
TRIP STYLE: Camping
NEXT DEPARTURE: 09 Oct 2025
REVIEWS: 5 Stars Based On 3 Reviews
TREES PLANTED: 9 Trees Planted for each Booking
This is an expedition to the Nepal Himalaya where we cross Saribung La at an altitude of 6,042m. There is also an option to climb to the summit of Saribung at 6,328m.
Saribung Expedition is an adventurous trek in Nepal through a very remote region. After leaving the Annapurna Circuit at Chame we walk to the isolated village of Phu. From there we hike up into the remote Phu valley. At the head of this valley, we cross the rarely trekked Saribung La pass to enter Upper Mustang. There is an option to climb the Saribung peak (6,328m) which is 300m higher than the pass.
Saribung Peak would be suitable if you have basic mountaineering skills. You should also have previous experience of trekking at high altitudes. The climbing route is a moderate angled snow slope on a glacier with crevasses. For this expedition, we use international leaders working together with Sherpa guides. Having experienced leadership is key for a safe and enjoyable experience. The leaders will provide refresher training for key mountaineering skills during the trip.
We designed our Saribung Pass trek itinerary for gradual acclimatisation to high altitude. This increases your chances of crossing Saribung La and making an ascent of Saribung. This works better by starting from the Phu side where we trek up to Pokharkang Base Camp (5,030m). This trail is rarely visited by other trekkers. It is a beautiful valley with blue sheep often seen grazing near Base Camp.
For many years we organised expeditions to Mera Peak. Over the last 5 years, we found the climbing route on this mountain congested with many other groups. In 2019 we launched Saribung Expedition as a less busy 6,000m expedition in a remote region of Nepal. Another 6,000m expedition you could consider is Dhaulagiri Circuit with Dhampus Peak.
Flying into Kathmandu on a clear day is in itself an unforgettable experience. The Himalayan peaks are only a short distance north of the capital of Nepal as seen from the plane. After customs, you will pass into the passenger pick-up area outside the building. You will see a Mountain Company signboard. Our representative will be waiting to welcome you to Nepal. After transferring to your hotel you have the rest of the day free. You can rest after your long journey or get out to explore Kathmandu. You can also make final preparations for the trek. You will hear the Nepalese word for hello ‘Namaste’, you will never forget that word after this holiday.
This morning your leader will give the trek briefing and check your gear. We will collect your passports from you so that we can apply for the trekking permits. The rest of the day is free to explore Kathmandu and to pack your bags. You can leave a bag at the hotel with items not needed on trek.
We leave Kathmandu early in the morning by private bus. It is a scenic drive with occasional glimpses of mountain peaks. At Dumre we turn off the Pokhara highway. We drive north following Marsyangdi River to Besisahar. We drive beyond this town passing a new hydro-plant built at Bhulbule by the Chinese. We arrive at Ngadi and change vehicles from our bus to local jeeps. We continue the drive to Jagat where we camp in the garden of a lodge.
During the months of April, May and October it will be very hot and humid. The temperatures can be more than 30 Degrees Celsius for the first few days of the trek. We have chosen the months that are likely to have optimal conditions for Saribung. It is important to bring plenty of water, wear a sun hat and apply sun cream.
Shortly after leaving Jagat there are views of the 200m waterfall at Chamje. We descend to the river and cross over a bridge to return to the quieter East side of the valley. There is a new walking trail called NATT around the Annapurna Circuit away from the jeep track. Along the way we see small farms and terraced fields. We follow a path of stone steps climbing up and descending the spurs along the valley. The trail passes through huge boulders fallen from the mountains above. There is a steep ascent on a good trail to the beautiful and colourful village of Tal. After about four hours walking we stop for lunch at Tal.
After lunch there is a section of the trail along the base of a cliff next to the Marsyangdi River. After about a three hours walk we arrive at Dharapani at an altitude of 1,940m. There are several shops and lodges in this village.
From Dharapani we climb up to the village of Bagarchap. Then we walk through the forest following the river to Koto. Today, there are great views of Annapurna II (7,937m) and Lamjung Himal (6,932m) up the valley. If you look back you will be able to see Manaslu (8,154m) and Peak 29 (7,833m). It is a 5 to 6 hours hike to Koto located at 2,600m.
This is a shorter day to allow for acclimatisation now we are close to 4,000m. We contour up the valley passing through some derelict villages until we reach Kyang. Kyang is also an abandoned village but there are now some tea house lodges.
Today we continue climbing up the valley following the Layiju Khola. We cross several ridges in and out to reach the gates of Phu village. We continue along the river side and finally cross onto the far bank to reach the village. We have time in the afternoon to explore this beautiful village perched on the hillside.
This is an essential day for acclimatisation. We go for a short walk in the morning to gain altitude and help us acclimatise. We have the option to walk towards Himlung Base Camp or in the other direction towards the Naar Phu pass. We visit the Tibetan influenced hilltop monastery outside the village.
We make our way up the valley and cross back over the river. We climb a steep trail to 4,450m. As we move above Phu, the trekkers disappear and the trail becomes more remote. We contour the hillside and walk past several stupas. From here we descend into the last abandoned village of the valley called Nagarou. Blue sheep are often seen around the village along the valley sides, as well as many domestic yaks. Look out for the cave above the village. Below the village of Nagarou, there is a bridge where we will cross to the other side of the river. We follow the trail which steepens then contours to a yak herders' camp.
From camp we continue following Layju khola up valley. Shortly we turn into a small remote valley to the North West. It is a 300m climb up to our camp. Very few groups trek to Pokharkang Base Camp as most follow the main valley to and from Saribung. The area around Pokharkang Base Camp is a beautiful place to stay two nights.
This is an exploration day to help our acclimatisation around Pokharkang Base Camp. As this valley is rarely visited, blue sheep are often seen grazing here. We will go on an acclimatisation walk toward the lake above camp.
Today we go a short walk to a pass at 5,190m. After walking up for about 1 1/2 hours we reach the pass and will be able to see the glacier and Bhrikuti Base Camp. The descent is on an ill defined trail until we reach the river and cross to rejoin the main trail. From here we will spend 3 nights on the glacier as we make our way up to the Saribung La.
Today we will be walking along glacial moraine for the whole day. It will be rocky and uneven with lots of up and down. There are some icy sections of trail. We will camp part way up the glacier at Saribung Base Camp to help acclimatisation before moving to Saribung High Camp tomorrow.
We continue our walk up the glacier on similar terrain as yesterday. The views get better as we ascend towards High Camp and our first glimpse of Saribung Peak. This final climb will put us in a good position to cross that pass tomorrow.
We have an early start and we make our way for about an hour over the final section of moraine. At 5,910m we reach glacial ice where we stop to put on our mountaineering gear. From here we rope together and navigate our way for about 2 hours around the crevasses to the top of Saribung La. From the pass, we climb 300m to the summit of Mount Saribung. After celebrations and enjoying the view we return to the pass. We descend on the other side into Upper Mustang. After a short section on glacial moraine we cross the Khumjungar Glacier and reach the far side. It takes about 3 hours to reach Japanese Base Camp.
From Japanese Base Camp we walk down to Damodar Kunda. This is an important Hindu religious site. The local belief is that if you swim underwater in the lake then you will be freed of all sin. We camp at Damodar Kunda for the night.
Moving further down the valley we reach French camp. After we climb over our first pass of the Upper Mustang region. We ascend on small trails through some landslide areas for about 3 hours to reach 5,450m on the Batsyak Pass. We see good views of Upper Mustang before us from the pass. We traverse down to start with then there is a final steep descent into the Paisye khola. We spend the night at Bacha Khola Camp. This camp, along with Ghuma Thati are camps used by the pilgrimages to Damodar Kunda. There are several tin roofed buildings for shelter. We will camp next to these.
This morning we will climb a steep trail out of camp. We contour round and up towards Kyumu La for about 3 hours. From here you can see a great view of Mount Dhaulagiri. It is then a steep descent into the Kyumupanin Khola and a final hour walking down the river to the camp at Ghuma Thati. From this campsite there are breathtaking views looking towards Upper Mustang.
Today we will trek to Yara and this is the first village we have seen in over a week. After a climb of 1 1/2 hour we reach a high point (4,930m). We traverse around the edge of the mountain until we reach a ridge line. We begin our descent towards Luri Gompa. When we reach the Puyung Khola, we will follow it down to the village of Yara.
We have a pleasant walk down the river valley as we leave Yara. We cross Kali Gandaki over to Charang village. This is the end of the trek as tomorrow we take jeeps down to Jomsom.
Today we travel by jeep as from Yara the new road has taken over from the trekking route. We drive through Chele and then change jeeps at Chusang. We continue through Tangbe to Jomsom. We stay in a lodge near the airport and then in the evening we will have a party with our amazing crew. We will also hand out tips to our crew as a thank you for all their hard work throughout the trek.
We take an early morning flight to Pokhara and then connect onto another flight to Kathmandu.
Important note: there is a significant safety risk when flying on airlines in Nepal. If you would like to avoid the STOL flight from Jomsom to Pokhara there is an option to extend your trek by walking out. The hike to Beni takes three days followed by a 4 hour's drive to Pokhara. A public bus from Jomsom to Pokhara takes one day if there are no delays along the way. If you would like to avoid the flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu there is an option to drive and this takes about 6 to 7 hours (depending on the traffic). There are also safety considerations with driving in Nepal and road traffic accidents happened from time to time. For information about the flight risk in Nepal read our Trip Dossier. The relevant sections are “Threat and Risk Assessment” and “Jomsom STOL flight”. Please get in touch with us if you would like to discuss this further.
This is a one day guided sightseeing tour of the Kathmandu Valley. We visit three out of the seven World Heritage Sites. You start off by visiting Patan Durbar Square. Afterwards you drive to the Buddhist stupa at Boudhanath. The last stop of the day at the Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath. The tour is likely to finish around 4pm and the rest of the day is free to further explore Kathmandu.
Three major towns in the valley, Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Each place has great artistic and architectural traditions. Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city in the country. Patan, the second largest separated from Kathmandu by Bagmati river. Bhaktapur, the third largest, is towards the eastern end of the valley. Its relative isolation reflected in its slower pace and more medieval atmosphere. In Kathmandu there is a bustle of activity especially in the bazaars and markets. While the city has expanded over the last 10 years it is still possible to see traditional buildings and temples.
Transfer to Kathmandu airport for the flight back home. End of trip.
We provide an early bird discount for the first people paying their deposits to make up our minimum group size
| Dates | Trip Leader | Price | Single Supplement: Room/Tent | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Oct 2025 to 02 Nov 2025 | Cory Jones | US$6,295pp US$6,095pp | Room: US$240pp Tent: US$520pp | 2 Left to Guarantee Early Bird Discount |
| Dates | Trip Leader | Price | Single Supplement: Room/Tent | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2026 to 24 May 2026 | International Leader | US$6,395pp US$6,195pp | Room: US$250pp Tent: US$550pp | 5 Left to Guarantee Early Bird Discount |
| 08 Oct 2026 to 01 Nov 2026 | International Leader | US$6,395pp US$6,195pp | Room: US$250pp Tent: US$550pp | 5 Left to Guarantee Early Bird Discount |
| Dates | Trip Leader | Price | Single Supplement: Room/Tent | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Apr 2027 to 23 May 2027 | International Leader | US$6,450pp US$6,250pp | Room: US$275pp Tent: US$550pp | 5 Left to Guarantee Early Bird Discount |
We use both Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1s and Quechua tents for our camping treks in Nepal.
We have used Hotel Ambassador in Kathmandu for our groups since it was rebuilt in 2017. Since then we have received positive feedback on their service and location. This is our first choice hotel for trekking groups in Kathmandu. Rooms are well appointed with a reliable supply of hot water for use in the shower. The windows have double glazing so it keeps the rooms very quiet. They serve an excellent breakfast buffet from 7am to 10am. A sundowner on their rooftop bar and restaurant called Foreign Affairs is a must do!
We provide a comfortable experience on our camping style treks. Our team works hard to support you so that you can relax and enjoy trekking in Nepal. We provide personal tents, mess tent, kitchen tent and toilet tent(s). The camp will be set up and dismantled by the trek crew. We bring along a cook and kitchen helpers to provide the meals.
The day starts with an early morning mug of tea brought to your tent by one of the trek crew. Before heading for breakfast you pack your overnight gear into your duffel bag. During breakfast the trek crew pack away the tents. The porters arrange their loads and set off on the trail in the cool of the morning. After breakfast, between 7am and 8am, we start walking.
The pace of the trek is moderate as there is plenty of time in the itinerary to reach the camp for tonight. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, take photos and explore the local villages. Lunch will be around midday at a spot by the side of the trail. Our cooks prepare lunch for us and the food is usually ready by the time the group arrives.
After lunch we continue the walk and on most days we arrive to camp by mid afternoon. Some of the trek crew would have gone ahead of the group to set up camp and to put up the tents. On arrival to camp you will get a hot drink and biscuits. In the evening our cook will provide a three course meal in the mess tent around 6pm.
After supper the leaders will discuss the plan for the next day. Afterwards people might stay in the mess tent chatting about the day’s events or playing cards. After a tiring day most people head to their tent quite early for the night. Tomorrow is likely to be very similar as today! The only difference is that if we are crossing a high pass or climbing to a summit we leave camp earlier in the morning.
You can read more about our Camping Treks in Nepal on our Blog. This article explains the advantages of camping versus teahouse lodge treks. It also describes what the campsite set up is like and more about the food provided by our cooks.
While on a camping style trek in Nepal we provide tasty and nutritional food. We make sure there is more than enough quantity to go around as trekkers will be hungry after a long day on the trail. Over the years we have worked on increasing the variety of the menus. We have expanded the list of ingredients provided to the cooks so they have more to work with. Also in 2015 we purchased two food dehydrators with a vacuum sealing machine. We dehydrate a large number of different vegetables in Kathmandu before departure. This has transformed the quality of food especially on longer treks to remote areas.
For breakfast we provide porridge or cereal, toast or chapatis and eggs. There will be hot drinks including tea, herbal teas, hot chocolate and coffee. We provide fresh coffee from our Bialetti Moka coffee machine.
For lunch we stop at a convenient spot with water at the side of the trail. The cook and kitchen walk ahead of the group in the morning and lunch should be ready shortly after our arrival. After lunch we have time to relax before starting to walk again in the afternoon.
On arrival at camp in the afternoon you have biscuits and a hot drink such as tea or coffee. Around 6pm we serve a three course meal in the mess tent. The starter is often soup with popcorn or poppadoms. We have a range of main dishes and carbohydrates including rice, potatoes or pasta.
We cater for a variety of dietary requirements. Our meals are suitable for vegetarians. If there is a meat dish then we also provide vegetarian options as standard. During booking we find out if you have any dietary needs and agree upon meal plans before departure. If you have any questions about the food provided please get in touch with us to discuss further.
We bring a Thuraya satellite phone for logistical, safety and personal use. Personal calls charged at £4 (US$5 or €4.50) per minute and £2 (US$3 €4.50) to send and receive SMS text.
You should be aware trekking in a developing country involves a risk of personal injury or death. You must accept these risks and be responsible for your own actions and involvement. Adventure travel requires an open and flexible attitude. You may experience extreme conditions and unpredictable weather. There could be last-minute changes to the itinerary beyond our control. The ability to work in a team is an important aspect of our trips.
We have performed a threat and risk assessment for our Saribung trek. Our trips have a degree of risk. This is part of the attraction of adventure travel and why so many people choose to join this type of holiday. By identifying the hazards we assess the level of risk. We have control measures in place to reduce this happening or to reduce the impact.
Our risk assessment is available to clients on request. We have listed below a summary of the significant risks and hazards identified by us:
This trip visits a remote area. You are away from the usual emergency services and medical facilities. Evacuation for a serious injury requiring hospitalisation could take up to several days. This delay could impede your ensuing recovery. Helicopters are the usual means of evacuation. They are not always available or hindered by poor weather and flying conditions.
Flights from Nepal’s Short Take-Off & Landing (“STOL”) airstrips are dependent on weather. Delays often happen if there is poor visibility or high winds. For our itineraries with flights to or from STOL, we include one extra day in Kathmandu at the end of the trip. This is in case of delays flying back. If the delays are longer we will help reschedule your international flights. There is likely to be a fee charged by the airline for this. You also have to pay for costs incurred in Kathmandu as a result of the delay such as accommodation and meals.
You should read the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (“FCDO”) travel advice for Nepal. For their latest advice take a look at their Safety & Security section under Air Travel. There have been some recent air accidents in Nepal. The European Union has banned Nepalese airlines from flying to Europe. For more information on Nepal’s air safety profile take a look at Aviation Safety Network.
We have chosen the dates for optimal conditions on the high pass and the summit of Saribung. By April and May in the Spring season the weather is warmer and the snowline is higher than March. This decreases the chance of deep snow blocking the pass. In the Autumn season we organise the trek during October also because the weather is warmer. Later into November the temperatures cool off and there is a higher chance of snow above 5,000m altitude.
Saribung La trek has a wide range of temperatures. This depends on the season, altitude and time of day. In the mountains between 1,000m and 3,500m the nights will be cool around 5 Celsius. During the day temperatures sometimes rise to 25 Celsius. At higher altitudes temperatures range from about 15 Celsius to -18 Celsius.
We have written a blog article When is the best time to go trekking in Nepal Himalaya? This has information about the weather and conditions in Spring and Autumn seasons. It also explains the differences between the trekking regions of Nepal.
Maps
Climbing: Damodar Hinal by Himalayan Map House Scale: 1:50,000
Upper Mustang The Last Forbidden Kingdom High Route by Nepa Maps Scale: 1:80,000 This map will be included in your welcome pack when you arrive in Nepal.
Books
East of Lo Manthang: In the land of Mustang by Peter Matthiessen and Thomas Laird.
Mustang, a Lost Tibetan Kingdom by Michel Peissel.
