Machhapuchhre Trekking - A Thrilling Experience of wildernessPokhara has been a popular destination for the tourists and trekkers since the decade of 1960. It has still remained as a gateway to Annapurna trekking routes. RoundAnnapurna trek is one of the interesting trekking routes out of ten in the world.Annapurna sanctuary or the base camp of Mount Annapurna and Annapurna circuit both are the popular destinations and trekking routes among the trekkers. Like Annapurna area there is another interesting & joyful trekking area around the southern base of Mount Fishtail also called ‘Maachhapuchhre’. There are various Seti River side or the Mardi River side. These river Valleys have been the areas rich in traditional and cultural heritage of indigenous ethnic communities. Ghachok, Dhiprang, Mirsha are some of major human settlements along the Seti River Valley. Agro-based far Ming system, traditional cultural activities, festivals and celebrations of rural community are the major attractions for the new visitors. At the same time hot spring ponds at the bank of Seti River, water-falls and honey hunting spots of Dhiprang have added further attraction to the tourists. Likewise, Lahachok, Rivan, Lwang- Ghalel are the rural settlements along Mardi River Valley. Besides their traditional cultural activities, Lwang is popular for Buddha monastery, tea garden and for a model of Gurung village. The Mardi-river Valley in Rivan & Lahachok area is an appropriate place for swimming, fishing and watching migrant birds. A natural Cave formed by rock and limestone at Patikhola and Tea garden of Lahachok Deurali are the other attractions of the areas.After half an hour drive by Jeep from Pokhara, trekking can be started immediately crossing the Mardi River, if the trekkers want to get immediately close mammals. So the trekkers can experience the perfect natural sites.Some of the trekking routes are not so easy to pass through especially after the height of 3000 m. There is not any big plant or tree at this height. We can see only bush-like grass called “SHALIM” and sloppy meadow as a grazing field for wild animals and the bulk of goats & sheep as well. The trekking route passes through the rocky hills and sometimes requires stair climbing and is too adventurous at the place of complete peace and silence. After the vigorous journey through the dense forest and rocky way for 2 to 3 days, we can reach the top of another hill called Khumai (3140m). The Khumai is a perfect viewpoint of lush green forest, wild flowers towards the East West and South.It looks like a natural playground somewhere too far from the horizon. It seems to be the most pleasurable resting place on the lap of Nature. It is here that one can enjoy perfect peace and silence; while resting one feels like meditating. No trekking routes to the base area of Mount Fistail. One can have a thrilling sensation while passing through a route of Machhapuchhre mainly because of its wilderness. Trekkers may encounter deer, tigers, bears, monkeys and other wild animals while passing the way of trekking routes. This area is rich in wildlife and natural vegetation like wild flowers and herbal plans.Multi-coloured rhododendrons, Orchids, grass berries and many other wild flowers are some of the natural products which have contributed to the beauty of these trekking routes. In short, trekking routes on the with natural wilderness, however it would be better if they stay one or two days to observe in the rural settlements of the villages on these river valleys. These trekking can be done for 5 to 10 days as per the trekkers’ interest and it could be extended to 10 to 12 days for the sake of the adventure seekers, trekkers can spend 3 to 5 days visiting natural hot springs pond, waterfalls, Cave and village of rural settlement with traditional cultural activities and innocent life style. However, the real experience of trekking with nature can be obtained by climbing a hill called “Odane Danda” (2500m) where one can find complete peace, silence and perfect natural environment. One can reach this beautiful hill after one to two days’ trekking from the Seti & Mardi river Valleys.Lahachok Deurali is the center for organic farming and tea garden. It is on the way to the southern top of Odane hill. It is an exact place to observe the snaky view of Seti & Mardi River & bird’s eye view of Pokhara Valley. The hill is covered with lush green forest. It looks colorful in spring with the blooming wild flowers like rhododendron and Orchids. The sound and movement of wild animals like deer, tiger, bear, monkey can be experienced at noise and no pollution but perfect view of sunrise & sun set! The final destination point for the general trekkers of this route is Korchan hill (3682m) and it takes about 3 to 4 hours climbing towards north from Khumai.Here some part of the trekking way is covered with snow. While you are on the top of Korchan hill you feel a sense of victory over Nature. As it is fully covered with snow trekkers can enjoy playing with the snow to each other and forget the trouble of coming up there. Mt. Machhapuchhre and Mardi Himal are very close. They appear just in front of trekker’s eyes. As the sloppy surface on the top of Korchan hill is fully covered with the snow, it is not easy to head to Mardi Himal & Mt. Machhapuchhre. One has to think cautiously before moving a head as the trekking will be more adventurous and risky and need to be fully equipped against snow. Trekkers need to keep necessary precaution for altitude sickness. Machhapuchhre area have remained as an open zoological and botanical garden because of their rich biodiversity with many species of flora and fauna.Machhapuchhre trekking routes start from the northern point of Pokhara Valley. It takes an hour’s Jeep drive to reach the point. The trek can be amazing on foot as the trekkers can observe some of the rural settlements with all their cultural heritages. This location has remained as a base area of the beautiful Mountain Machhapuchhre and in between the corridor of Seti and Mardi River. These trekking can be done either through the camping site. This trekking route seems like a ridge-line trekking because most of the route passes through the ridge-line of Odane hill. This hill lies north to south and spreads up to the Mt. Machhapuchhre to the north. The east & west sides of the hill are the watershed areas of Seti & Mardi river respectively. The whole surrounding is being such a wildernesses, even the trekking route is not sometimes very clear. The trekkers, then, have to pass through the dense forest of rhododendron. At some distance visitors can see some domestic animals like buffalo, goats and sheep on their grazing sides. But the place, being far from human settlement, iis saved from their encroachment. Samsur Deurali (2600m) and Simlekharka (2900m) are some of the points on the way to trekking route with multi-colored rhododendrons, Orchids, and other wild flowers. While approaching Mt. Machhapuchhre to the north, trekking route is very close to Bird conservation area with 43 km2 known as Piper Pheasants Reserve. It has been conserved in the initiation of World Pheasants Association. It is a perfect natural habitat of 480 species of birds, 40 species of migrant birds and 80 species of While coming back to Pokhara from Korchan, we may come down to the Basin of Seti River on Dhiprang or the Basin of Mardi River on Sainti Ghatta. On the way to Mardi, trekkers have to come down through a hill “Meshram”. The hill is covered with dense forest. Here one can feel complete loneliness besides enjoying the chirping & guttering sound of birds. The “Naudhoke” means nine doors which have remained as a monument of old palace but naturally made by rocks is an interesting product to observe by the trekkers. At last but not least, trekking routes in Machhapuchhre area are almost virgin and really deserve a perfect wilderness at the close distance from Pokhara. At the same time we find the traditional culture nd hospitality in the rural settlement of the villages on these River valleys or the base area of Mt. Fishtails. So it is really a unique and amazing trekking area with a fusion of typical natural & cultural tourism Products.
