The Trek for Freedom is no longer accepting applications for 2008, but please contact us for information about next year’s trek, or for any information you might like on trekking in Nepal.
Nepal Orphans Home, Inc., SWAN (Society Welfare Action Nepal), and Alps in Nepal Trekking PVT, are proud to offer an incredible opportunity for self discovery, breathtaking beauty, and a chance to help support the rescuing of young girls from indentured servitude.
This October 2008, we will conduct the inaugural Trek for Freedom. Alps in Nepal Trekking will lead a 15-day base camp trek in which one half of the fees will be used for the rescue of 10 more Kamlari girls and bring them home to Lawajuni, the Nepal Orphans Home-run shelter whose name means “new beginnings.”
Arrival in Kathmandu, where your plane will be met by staff of Alps in Nepal Trekking and taken to the Kathmandu Prince Hotel in the heart of Thamel, the international center of Kathmandu. You will have time to get settled and greet one another as different planes arrive, and walk about Thamel and its own unique introduction to Nepal.
Thursday, October 2nd
Alps in Nepal’s private 30-seat bus will collect everyone in the lobby of the Prince Hotel at 10:00am for a day of sightseeing. We will first go to Pashupati Nath Temple, the large Hindu Ghat which is a pilgrimage site for Sadus and common Hindus alike.
We will leave the Ghat in time to arrive in Dhapasi, and have “tiffin” with the children and staff of Nepal Orphans Home. After tiffin we will walk the children the short distance to Skylark, the English medium school the 59 children of Papa’s House attend.
Following a brief tour of Papa’s House 1, where 44 girls age 5 to 18 live, and Papa’s House 2, where 15 boys live in a house shared with Volunteer Nepal Inc., we will proceed to Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist Stupa in Nepal. You will be brought back to the Prince Hotel in late afternoon for free time to relax and prepare for the following day.
Friday, October 3rd
You will need to rise and eat early as the bus will collect you at 7:30am for the long but beautiful drive to Narti, Dang Nepal. We should arrive by 6pm where we will camp out on the grounds of “Lawajuni,” Papa’s House 3, for Kamlari girls. We will be greeted by the staff of SWAN International and the 26 girls living in Lawajuni. The large grounds will afford some room to exercise and rid the body of the road while getting to know the girls. The evening meal will be shared with the girls and the SWAN staff, affording us the opportunity to discover a little about the lives, hopes and dreams, of a Kamlari.
Saturday, October 4th
Along with some of the girls from Papa’s House and guided by SWAN staff we will explore the Dang region and visit some of the villages from which Kamlari girls are bought. This is a beautiful region that has changed little in hundreds of years in the housing and lifestyle of the Tharu and other indigenous people. This will be a day you will never forget. We will return to Narti in the late afternoon for a talk about the Kamlari system by SWAN staff, and have a question and answer period with former Kamlari. Explanations about the girls we will rescue over the next 15 days will be offered. This will be followed by a performance of local dance in Tharu dress. Early evening will be free to explore the local area with the girls, drink tea on the open grounds, and share your night meal.
Sunday, October 5th
The girls are up at 5:00am, exercising and doing yoga; they would welcome your participation. We will rise, drink tea, and enjoy the serenity of the hardwood shaded grounds as the kids prepare for school. The children walk across the grounds to the school a little after 6:00, when we will say our good-byes before boarding the bus back to Kathmandu and your hotel.
EVEREST BASE CAMP The very Holy Everest Region is also known for its Sherpa villages and monasteries. Known in Tibetan as Chomolungma, “Mother Goddess of the World” and Nepali as Sagarmatha, “Head Touching the Sky,” Everest is a mountain of superlatives and an irresistible lure to adventurers the world over. The Everest massif seen from Thyangboche and Kala Pattar is a sight you will never forget, and the hospitality of these tough mountain people will always remain with you. A memorable flight from Kathmandu to the airstrip at Lukla takes us into an alpine world where the air is crystal clear and colorful prayer flags flutter from the rooftops.
Monday, October 6th (Trekking Day 1)
Early morning we board the bus to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport for the 40-minute flight to Lukla. As we land you will become struck by the scale of huge peaks that surround the village, and this is only a taste of what is to come. We will explore the village while the Sherpa crew sort and load the trekking equipment. To assist with acclimatization, we allow three days for the walk up to Namche Bazaar. The first day’s walk will be a brief 2½ hours to Phakding.
Tuesday, October 7th (Day 2)
Only a week has passed but you have been in a different world, your past life seems but a memory, and yet to come are breathtaking scenes that will leave you embracing life like in a way you never felt possible.
Phakding to Monjo
We will trek along the banks of the Dudh Kosi (river), crossing this majestic river many times on exciting suspension bridges laden with prayer flags. We meet many porters from the south, ferrying supplies to Namche Bazaar. The trail stays close to the river valley and is lined with beautiful blue pine and rhododendron filled forest. We cross the Dudh Kosi at Benkar, where there are tantalizing glimpses of the snow-covered Kusum Kangaru and Thamserku peaks. From here it is a short walk to Monjo in time for lunch. In the afternoon your group leader will organize a village tour. The day has been deliberately kept short for proper acclimatization.
Wednesday, October 8th (Day 3)
Monjo to Namche
This morning we cross the sea green water of the Dudh Kosi and pass through the gates of Sagarmatha National Park. We will then cross the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Bhote Kosi on a high suspension bridge and then climb steeply for about two hours to reach Namche Bazaar. This is a prosperous trading town and the capital of the Khumbu region. Many Tibetans cross the nearby border to trade their wares and the local market is a fascinating spectacle and a good place to buy genuine Tibetan artifacts. Just across the valley to the east stand the impressive peaks of Thamserku and Kangtega.
Thursday, October 9th (Day 4)
Rest Day at Namche
We will spend the day in Namche Bazaar, resting and allowing our bodies to become acclimatized to the altitude of 3450m. Namche is a colorful village with many wonderful shops and vendors, fabulous food, and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. An early hike above town, before the clouds move in, will reward climbers with a spectacular Himalayan sunrise and views of Mount Everest, Lhotse (the fourth highest peak in the world) and the beautiful Ama Dablam. On the way down we can visit the Sherpa Museum showcasing traditional Sherpa lifestyle and a photography display by a Nepalese naturalist.
Friday, October 10th (Day 5)
Namche to Thyangboche
From Namche, the well-worn Everest trail contours around the side of the valley high above the Dudh Kosi. As we follow the path we get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops we will cross the Dudh Kosi once again and make a steep climb to the Thyangboche monastery. Thyangboche is the spiritual center for the khumbu, a training center for new monks. The Rimpoche (incarnate Lama) of Thyangboche resides here and the area is considered holy. Nothing may be hunted or killed. With the treasures of Ama Dablam and Mount Everest in the background, the spirituality and scenic value will assuredly move you. October is the season’s height and so this might be a busy place; if so, we will descend to the forest of birch, fir, juniper, and rhododendron, to the nunnery at Debuche, where we will stay in a relaxing lodge.
Saturday, October 11th (Day 6)
Thyangboche to Dingboche
Shaded by rhododendron trees, the trail crosses an airy suspension bridge just beyond Deboche. An hour’s walk from here will bring us to Pangboche, an excellent viewpoint for Ama Dablam. We may take a slight detour to visit Pangboche Gompa, the oldest monastery in the Khumbu, said to be over 300 years old. There we will have lunch, and then in the afternoon our route ascends gradually, high above the Imja Khola. Contouring up the valley side we will again cross the river and turn up the Imja Valley to reach the picturesque farming village of Dingboche.
Sunday, October 12th (Day 7)
Rest day at Dingboche
In accordance with our program of careful acclimatization, we spend the day at Dingboche. Your leader will advise on optional activities, like a light acclimatization hike up the valley for a wider variety of photo’s of the Khumbu region.
Monday, October 13th (Day 8)
Dingboche to Lobuche
As we gain altitude it is important to move at a slow and steady pace. From Dingboche the trail traverses through farmlands and meadows before continuing along the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. Views of different peaks, such as Cholatse and Lobuche, unfold before us in this contrasting and spectacular landscape. We eventually reach Thugla situated below the snout of the Khumbu Glacier. The trail from Thugla starts to climb steeply to the moraine’s top. On the crest you will pass a line of memorial cairns, built in memory of the Sherpas and climbers who have died on various Everest expeditions over the past 50 years. From here the views of Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Lobuche are vivid. A few hours more brings us to a cluster of tea houses pleasantly situated at Lobuche.
Tuesday, October 14th (Day 9)
Lobuche to Gorekshep
A three-hour walk along the bolder fields and glacier debris to the edge of the Khumbu Glacier, where we continue up to Gorekshep nestled under the corn-snowed summit of Pumori and the sheer west face of Nuptse. Sunsets here are stunning. The afternoon can be spent exploring or simply gazing at the peaks, with the option of visiting Everest base camp if we are all feeling fine and the weather is good. The trail to base camp leads on to the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and becomes quite vague, weaving between mounds of rubble. It is important to keep a sharp eye on your Sherpa guides and fellow trekkers on this section. The trek to the base camp can be done in five hours back and forth. From base camp you will not get views of Everest, but we will be able to see the notorious Everest Ice Fall that flows from the Western Cwm, which is regarded as technically the hardest and most dangerous section of the mountain. We will return to Gorekshep in time for tea.
Wednesday, October 15th (Day 10) (Hallowed grounds)
Kalapathar to Lobuche
An early start is necessary to avoid season crowds that might converge on Kalapathar and allow us the clearest views. Kalapathar is the rocky hilltop below Pumori; it is a tough walk but the view from the top surpasses the wildest imagination. It will take a minimum of an hour and a half to reach the summit from Gorakshep. You are now surrounded by the giants of the mountain world: Everest, Pumori, Changtse, Nuptse, and Lhotse. The Khumbu icefall can easily be seen as even the tents of Everest Base Camp can be picked out.
After returning to Gorekshep we will have a hot lunch and a final look at Kalapathar and the surrounding mountains before we begin our descent to Lobuche and our lodge.
Thursday, October 16th (Day 11)
Lobuche to Debuche
Our path will be along the old valley floor through the village of Pheriche. From there we cross the Khumbu Khola. We then descend to the small settlements of Orsho and Shomare, where we take our lunch. After lunch we pass through lower Pangboche to reach the suspension bridge over the Imja Khola River and retrace our steps to Debuche.
Friday, October 17th (Day 12)
Debuche to Khumjung
From Debuche it is just a thirty-minute climb through birch, silver fir, and rhododendron to the ridge where Thyangboche monastery is located. We will relax here with Everest and Ama Dablam in the background before descending through the forest to the bridge over the Dudh Koshi at Phunki Tanga where there are water driven prayer wheels. We then climb and contour around the hillside to Sanasa where we have lunch. After lunch we enter a small trail ascending to the village of Khumjung and Khunde. It is a comfortable day’s walk with time to explore these unique villages. As we near them we pass through terraced fields that are home to the Daphe Pheasant, the national bird of Nepal. The monastery at Khumjung is well known for possessing the legendary Yeti Scull.
Saturday, October 18th (Day 13)
Khumjung to Phakding
Nearby on a hill top, with views of the mountains, is Everest View Hotel, a joint Nepali-Japanese project where we will stop for refreshments before passing through the Yak breeding farm and descending to Namche Bazaar. This is a lovely day’s walk; the descent is easy and relaxed with the hard work behind us. Our return journey provides different views of mountains and villages that we passed by on our ascent. We continue through Namche to the Dudh Koshi Valley and our lodge at Phakding.
Sunday, October 19th (Day 14)
Phakding to Lukla
Our last day of trekking. It is a short walk along the valley before we make the final climb up to the airstrip at Lukla. We will take lunch at our lodge and the afternoon is free for you to wander around, relax, or perhaps take a long hot shower. In the evening a farewell dinner may be followed by a few celebratory drinks with our Sherpa friends and crew.
Monday, October 20th (Day 15)
We rise early in the morning to be ready for the arrival of your aircraft for the flight back to Katmandu. We will be met at the airport and transferred back to the Hotel Kathmandu Prince. From here your personal plans would kick in.
The trekking day typically starts at 6:30am with the appearance of smiling Sherpas at the door of your room bearing a mug of steaming tea or coffee. This is followed shortly by a steaming bowl of water for washing. During breakfast the porters set off. We start walking after breakfast between 7:30 and 8:30am. Everyone is free to walk at their own pace, stopping along the way to explore villages and take photographs. Lunch will be around 11:00am and usually takes 1-2 hours. The camping place or lodge is usually reached around 4:00pm. Tea and biscuits are served, and at around 6:30-7:00pm dinner is served.
Fitness level
We recommend that you begin a fitness program as soon as you have decided to join our trek. Hill walking, cycling, running and swimming are all good programs. It is also advisable to see your physician before beginning any arduous fitness programs. Although we carry a very comprehensive medical kit we recommend that clients inform us of any medical condition so that we might carry their personal first aid kit to cover the basics of their needs.
Weather
October is the clearest and best month to be in Nepal. The air crisp and the scenery sharp and well defined. It will be getting pretty cold, but with your trekking you will be very comfortable.
AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness)
As we ascend above 2500m, our bodies have to acclimatize to the decreasing levels of oxygen available. Failure to acclimatize will result in AMS. The onset of AMS is signaled by one or more of the following: dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, tiredness or fatigue, irritability, and disturbed sleep. If these symptoms are ignored then a possibility of HACE (high altitude cerebral edema, which is the accumulation of water in the brain) and HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema or the accumulation of water in the lungs) could develop. But, do not worry. All of our expedition leaders are highly trained to monitor and treat AMS. And we carry a portable altitude chamber as an extra safety precaution. Please always follow your team leader’s instructions, and if he advises you to descend then you should do so. In case of emergencies we can organize helicopter evacuations.
We are a 501(c)(3) charity based in Davidson, North Carolina. We currently have three children’s homes in Nepal; two in Dhapasi and one in Lamahi, Dang. Eighty-five children are living in the homes and all their needs and a top education are provided each. These children will be a part of the Papa’s House family forever as we are committed to caring for them as parents care for their children, always.
We have worked with SWAN in Lamahi to secure the release from bondage a total of 34 girls thus far in 2008. Twenty-six of these girls currently live in Papa’s House Lawajuni. Eight are currently living in Papa’s House in Dhapasi, where they have entered Skylark, an intensive English Medium School along with the other children of Papa’s House 1 for girls and Papa’s House 2 for boys.
We have found that hundreds more girls need to be rescued. On this trip you will learn first hand by visiting the villages and listening to the SWAN staff and former Kamlaris what needs to be done. You will also spend time with the girls of Lawajuni.
Nepal Orphans Home, Inc. relies upon the volunteer fees of our Volunteer Nepal organization, and the support of small donors, to operate our Homes. At this point we are not able to rescue more girls without the proceeds of this adventure trek. By participating you will be offering freedom to 10 additional girls. You will have the opportunity to revisit Lawajuni after your trek to meet them. In all cases Papa’s House will provide you with bio data and pictures of the girls as they adjust into our Papa’s House family.
From your arrival in Kathmandu on October 1st to the return to the Prince Hotel on October 20th, all your lodging and transportation is paid for. While at the Prince Hotel you will need to pay for your own meals. All other meals are provided. Please note that after your trek it would be appropriate to tip your porter, sherpa guide, and group leader. Figure a total of 300rs per trekking day for this.
The complete package is $3,200.00.
The money to be paid by Nepal Orphans Home, Inc. to Alps in Nepal reflects a generous discount by this very professional outfit with 15 years of serving the very best clients. We appreciate this immensely.
Nepal Orphans Home will be donating a good portion of this offering to SWAN for their Vocational Training program, their awareness campaign, their legal efforts to pass laws to eradicate this practice, and their expense in the actual rescue of the girls. We are very proud of our relationship with SWAN and hope that together we can bring an eventual end to the Kamlari system.
The money donated to Nepal Orphans Home, Inc. through this offer will be used to rescue 10 additional Kamlari girls from indentured servitude. It will be sufficient to cover all the expenses in caring for them for one year. We also hope to have some funds to place towards our general operating cost for our three homes, and two remote village schools. No member of Nepal Orphans Home, Inc. receives salary. 100% of donations go towards the projects described.
Out of your package cost of $3,200, about half should be tax deductable, for an unforgettable 20 days in Nepal, hiking to the Mount Everest Base Camp; and rescuing a girl from a life of indentured servitude.
Space is limited to the first 20 who sign up. A $500.00 deposit must be received no later than September 1st, 2008. The balance of $2,700.00 must be paid on or before your arrival. Payments may be made via PayPal or by other arrangements made well in advance.
For transparency information on Nepal Orphans Home, Inc. or SWAN, please e-mail your request.
Sincerely, and Namaste,
Michael John Hess
Field Operations
Nepal Orphans Home
Dhapasi, Nepal
Reserve Your Space
Reserve your space now by clicking the “Pay Now” button. You will be taken to a secure PayPal payment page to make your $500 deposit. We look forward to trekking with you!
