I walked this route one year after video, February 2023. A couple of comments about the traditional walk-in from Jiri. The main trail starting in Jiri is nice and well developed. A good first day or morning on the longer journey. The trail via Kinja I would consider retired. Too much development due to hydropower projects and now the road connects from Junbesi over Lamjura La. New recommended route from Bhandar is what Stephanie did. Down to the river, up via Likhu, steep climb to Goli Gumba and ridgeline via Ngaur to Pikey Base Camp. Superior views and vibes to Lamjura hill. After descending Pikey in the video, they walked from Jase Bhanjyang down to Loding. Another way is directly down to Taktok for a shorter/easier day, or follow the Panbu ridgeline until you are right south of Junbesi, for a more adventurous trail. The valley above Junbesi has many great daytrip options, so it’s good place for a rest day. Calm forest path up to Phugmoche and down the other side via Thupten Choling. Road construction is soon coming around Salung to Phurteng, so an alternative is to walk from Moping over the hill to Ringmo. Well-trodden trail and nice views towards Numbur. Current roadhead and donkey station is above Bupsa at Tham Danda/Kari La.
Hi Viktor! So cool you got to do this same route last month, and thank you for sharing all the updates, info and suggestions about the trail. How was the weather up at Pikey Peak this last year? Was there a lot of snow up there?
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Zero snow and ice. Perfect dry trails. All of Solukhumbu, including upper Khumbu had a dry winter. Not a single large snowfall. Great for trekkers, less so for farmers and local water supply. Temperature unseasonably warm.
I went through Kinja and stayed in Sete and Jase Bhanjyang in November 23. The ridge walk departing from the main Lamjura La trail, after a very steep ascent is amazing. Hit it just before sunset and the entire panorama was lit. Plus spent a couple of hours watching the planes from Lukla fly in front of Everest the following morning!
Wow this place has changed a lot . Originally I am from eastern part of Nepal,Solukhumbu district where mount Everest lies.. before 10 years ago from our village to Jiri we have to walk almost 8 days and catch a bus from jiri to reach capital city Kathmandu. My father used to walk 7 or 8 days for salts, rice, sugar etc to jiri.. jiri was the hub.. there used to be no way to walk in this route due to over crowded of such peoples..But after opening a new route from ktm to salleri direct bus I can reach my village in a day . But today after watching your video I miss this routes, the nature, singing of birds, hills, people everything.. thank you so much for making this video.. now I am working as a trekking guide in different parts of Nepal.. if you guys wanna walk this way or need guide for everest trek I am confident that I can guide you very well .. thank you mam for your beautiful video
Thank you again for watching and for your message :) Where in Solukhumbu are you from? What a beautiful place to call home. Incredible your father used to walk all the way to Jiri to get supplies. It must have been even more beautiful back then, and amazing to think it was once such a bustling trail with other Nepalis along that route. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but there must have been a nice camaraderie with all those people making the journey from Solu to Jiri. That's great that you are now working as a guide, and as I mentioned before, always good to have more guide contacts in Nepal :)
wow you guys are amazing!!so far one of the best nepal's vlogs made by a foreigner and your nepali speaking is excellent, looks like its going to get viral soon :)
Hello🤗Merci... Thank you so much for your videos... It's so wonderful to see these beautiful pictures... I want to go there another time.... Thanks for these memories 💖💖💖
Thank you so much for your comment, and I'm so happy you enjoyed the video :) I hope you are able to come to Nepal soon to enjoy its beautiful scenery in person!
Beautiful, I had the privilege of walking this route on the way into the Khumbu back in November of 2017 in very different conditions, bluebird all the way. Thubten Choling above Junbesi is probably my favourite place on earth. I am very much in awe of your ability to speak Nepali, I have failed to learn more than a few words, perhaps this winter...
Hi Colin! Must have been spectacular to do this route in the fall! Winter is beautiful of course, but blue skies and warmer temps made it especially lovely I'm sure :) I loved Junbesi as well, and definitely have to return to make it up to Thubten Choling. And I've had a lot of time to learn Nepali, and still a long ways to go - it's not easy! If you need a rec for a Nepali teacher here in Kathmandu, let me know and I can pass along her contact details - she does online classes as well. Do you live in Nepal or returning this winter for another visit?
Hi Steph, love all your videos,very inspiring especially the langtang treks & the jiri to lukla trek,all on my agenda for the new year & spring. Can't wait to be back in Nepal it's been much too long. Keep making movies. Peace & blessings.
Thank you so much for writing, John, and for your support :) So exciting you are planning to come back to Nepal soon to do some more trekking! When was the last time you were in Nepal? If you need any support planning any part of your trip let me know, I’d be happy to help!
Hands down! The best documentary about Pikey peak. Stephanie, I am going to be in nepal for 2 weeks and would love to go here. Can I do it myself asking locals or I would need a guide to complete this trek. Also, since I only have 2 weeks (very short for Nepal I know), do you recommend any other short and equally surreal trek in Nepal? Thank you and be happy ❤️
Wow, thank you so much! And wonderful to hear that you are coming to Nepal to do a trek - Pikey Peak is definitely a great option :) Unless you're planning to do the trek in winter (like we did - and it was very helpful to have a guide get us over the snowy peak), if you are a confident hiker you could do this trek on your own. There were a few spots along the route that weren't super obvious, but between using an offline map and asking local folks, you would be fine. That being said, I think it's always nice to have a guide as an added security and a way to learn more about the area, but that is up to you! Are you trying to Pikey Peak and then another trek in your 2-week period, or looking for other treks entirely that are about 1-week long? If you want to find another trek after Pikey Peak, you could always explore around Lukla/Solu Khumbu area since this trek ends in Lukla. You wouldn't have time to go all the way to Mera Peak, but the trail into the Hinku Valley (en route to Mera Peak) is beautiful in and of itself and not many people go out that way. If your starting point was back in KTM, you could do the Langtang Valley Trek in around 5-6 days (including travel). Langtang Valley is a little more well-traveled, but such a gorgeous place. In the Langtang National Park area, but not up the well-traveled Langtang Valley is also the Tamang Heritage Trail, which can be done in 3-5 days (I have a video fo this one on my channel as well) If you are looking for completely different shortish trek to do with 2-weeks in Nepal, I might recommend... 1) Nar Phu Trek (in Annapurna region) is a spectacular trek we recently did (my most recent video) and takes 8-10 days including the drive there and back from Kathmandu; 2) Langtang - Gosaikunda - Sundarijal in KTM. You can do Langtang Valley Trek and then connect to Gosaikunda and then hike all the way back to Sundarijal, Kathmandu. This would be a bit longer than Pikey Peak trek, at around 10-12 days. 3) Khopra Danda in the Annapurna Area is a good one as well, and the trail is not too busy compared to other treks in the region 4) If you really want to get off the beaten path I might recommend venturing to western Nepal to do the trek from Jumla to Rara Lake. It does take a little more effort to get out to Jumla (2 flights), but the trek takes you into an area that not many foreign tourists visit at all, which makes for a really memorable, fascinating experience, and Rara Lake itself is a stunning place to visit in Nepal. You would definitely consider a guide for this one! Rara Lake trek would take around 1-week with travel there and back. Hope that gives you a couple of ideas to consider! I'm happy to brainstorm other ideas and answer any other questions you might have. Let me know!
Very kind of you to write this lengthy response. I did the langtang valley trek and went to kyanjin gumba and stayed there for 2 nights. Best days of my life, it was an amazing experience and I am in love with Nepal. Thank you for all the tips and suggestions. Be happy and safe travels.
@@allfungames7271 Aww that's so great to hear you had such an amazing, memorable experience! Thank you so much for reporting back :) Best wishes to you and hope you return to Nepal again soon!
Thank you for watching! And exactly, what will the next chapter be?? Only time will tell! I live here in Nepal, so that has certainly helped with learning the language, but I still have a very long way to go!
Thank you so much and so glad to hear you are planning to to come to Nepal this next February! I did this Pikey Peak trek as shown in the video in mid-February. It was great and very beautiful, the only tricky part was that the trail was entirely covered in snow over Pikey Peak, but luckily we had an amazing guide with us, who showed us the way. I would carry the microspikes/crampons that fit over your hiking boots just in case when trekking this time of year, but otherwise you have the trails to yourself and generally very clear skies! Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. I'm also happy to help you plan/organize your trip and connect you with a great guide if you need - feel free to email me at StephThorntonNepal@gmail.com.
Hello Stephanie. Wonderful travel vlog I must say .As you hiked from Sivalaya to Goli & then to peekey peak, could you let me know where you stayed on the route (homestays etc) Google is mentioning a motorable road to Goli Could it be possible to drive as far up to Goli & halt at Gole or Ngaur monastery & hike early morning to Peekey summit. Your suggestions would be a lot of help for planning my trip this week
Thank you so much for your kind words :) Along the way, we stayed in hotels, in Shivalaya, Bhandar and Goli there were several options in each place it seemed. In Bhandar, I'd highly recommend staying in Pemnuri Sherpa's Bhandar Guest House & Hotel, and Peekey Tungna Baje Lodge & Restaurant in PP Base camp - they were especially kind and welcoming in these places + great food! As far as a motorable road, I don't recall seeing any vehicles (or a road) past the hydropower project down at the river beyond Bhandar. I think you could maybe take a motorcyle as far as Likhu at least, which is still about 2 hours below Goli. Maybe you could call a hotel in the area to check on the roads and if they go all the way to Goli or Ngaur/Nyum?? I know you can do a 3-day trek if you come from the other side of Pikey Peak Base Camp, from Japre (Jhyapre). You can hike Japre to PP Base Camp in a day, and then go to Pikey Peak the following morning, and then hike back down to Japre. That's what these people did: ua-cam.com/video/FoQg7sHORDY/v-deo.html . If you have the time, I always say do less driving and more hiking :) I really enjoyed the route that we did!
Great video. Looked like a great time overall. Given that it was February, how cold did it get and what sort of sleeping bags did you bring with you? Did you see or meet many other trekkers on the way?
Thanks for watching and thanks for your message, WMJ! Are you planning to do this trek? It was a great trek, and it was certainly very cold at the higher altitudes and at the top of Pikey Peak in the early morning, but it was very pleasant temperatures otherwise, perfect for trekking. I would say while we were trekking it must have averaged between 0-10°C depending on our elevation and time of day, and then at Pikey Peak it must have been a ways below freezing at Pikey Peak, especially with the wind chill (you can see in the video it was cold!). We had sleeping bags rated below freezing temps, but the guesthouses always have extra thick blankets (siraks) if you would rather not carry a sleeping bag. I don't think we saw a single other trekker on the entire ways from Shivalaya to Bupsa, and then started to see a few as we made our way to Lukla. It's not a well-traveled route, and we were there in the off-season so had the trail to ourselves!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Thanks for your quick and detailed reply, Stephanie. Great that the temperatures were in the plusses during the daytime for most of your trek. I do have a sleeping bag that is for above freezing temps but it is great to know about the siraks. I am going with a guide anyway so I will not be alone. Yes I am planning to do a good portion of this trek this coming week (not Pikey Peak though - maybe next time) as the first stage of a longer trek to Gokyo and maybe EBC if everything goes relatively well. It is my first time in Nepal, the weather looks good, and I am looking forward to it very much. Videos such as yours have certainly helped.
@@macseinchin Sounds like you will be well-prepared, and what a spectacular journey you will have going all the way from Jiri/Shivalaya up to Gokyo and EBC. And the rhododendrons should be in bloom along the way, which will make it all the more beautiful. And I'd say unless you are short on space in your pack or don't want the extra weight, having your own sleeping bag to sleep in is always nice to ensure you'll be extra warm and comfortable. Have a wonderful visit and trek in Nepal and I would love to hear how it all goes if you get the chance to write back after your trip!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Well I am happy to check back in now and say that it was indeed a spectacular journey of 20 days to and from the Khumbu, from the 11.5 hour bus trip from Kathmandu to Bimti Bhandar on day 1 to flying out from Lukla on day 20 (though we could only get to Ramachap airport and then a 4 hour bus ride awaited). It was nice to see some reminders of the first week of trekking in your video, though we did not go to Pikey Peak (we could see it across from Sete). We went Kinja-Sete-Junbesi-Taksindu-Nunthala-Kharikola-Paiyan-Chaurikharka and then up to Namche-Gokyo-Chola pass-EBC and then back to Namche via Pengboche. Yes, that final ascent to Lukla is no joke at all, but then the climb up to Sete from Kinja on day 1 was a clear indicator of what was in store on future days. I was lucky to have an excellent guide with me who made daily videos and placed them on his own UA-cam channel. I had no issues with my light sleeping bag, the blankets were always good; only one night (in Lobuche) did I feel the cold a bit too much. I used Diamox and had no major acclimatization issues (just a headache from the sunrise trek to Gokyo Ri). But it was a great adventure and I feel I must go back and perhaps try the Annapurna region next time. Though it would be great to visit some other parts of the Khumbu in the future as well.
@@macseinchin Thank you so much for writing back to report on the trip, I am so happy to read this message and know that you had such a great journey in Nepal! Sounds like it was quite the adventure, but that you went with the perfect attitude of flexibility and rolling with the unexpectedly long bus rides and steep climbs along the way :) So glad you had a great guide with you, that really makes all the difference. Awesome to hear that you plan to be back and seems you'll have to come back for even longer next time, so you have time to explore both the Annapurna region and more of Khumbu ;) Please let me know what you decide to come back and do! All the best and thank you again for sharing about your trip!
Hi Em! I don't recall seeing very many (if any) signposts along the way, and there definitely were a lot of opportunities for making wrong turns if you didn't have a guide. That being said, I think it is certainly doable without a guide as long as you're ready to ask a lot of folks for directions along the way! If you do go on your own and its in the wintery season, make sure to check that the trail to Pikey Peak is clear, as it was completely covered in snow when we went, and would have been very difficult (and scary) without an experienced guide to help navigate. Hope that helps and please feel free to send me any other questions you might have!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Thank you for the Info Stephanie! My main goal is to trail run the three passes during fall this year (or spring next year) but I wanted to arrive in Lukla via foot rather than fly... partly due to the cost but mostly because I have the time and would like to slowly acclimatise before reaching higher altitude. I actually live in the Canadian rockies and I am very familiar with snow travel and hiking in the mountains. However I am realistic enough to know that Nepal, despite it's similarities, is a completely different beast. I am currently researching for the trip, iso f you do by chance have any resources, tips or additional info that may be helpful to me, I'd very much appreciate it!
@@emcooke2941 Wow, RUNNING the 3 passes?! That's amazing, you must be quite the badass going for such insane, awesome adventure! I think that's a great idea to walk from Shivalaya to Lukla if you have the time, for money savings and a good slow build to higher altitude. The route I took in this video wasn't the direct route from Shivalaya to Lukla, since we did Pikey Peak too. It's possible the direct route is more straight forward, but again, probably be ready to ask for directions. And as for resources, yes actually! I just so happened to meet one of the directors of Nepal Trail Series. Maybe you've come across them already, but they support Nepali women trail runners (like the incredible North Face sponsored ultrarunner, Sunmaya Budha), and also organize trail running camps and lots of other running related events. I thought you might be interested in checking them out - I'm sure they would be happy to answer of your questions and will have lots of good info and recommendations regarding running the 3 passes and other trails if you needed it. www.nepaltrailseries.org Excited for your adventure and look forward to hopefully hearing about it someday!
Hi! Love your video! I am planning for a trek to Pikey Peak in coming February 2024. Did you do this trek in early February or mid or late February? Also I found a route on a website from Dhap>Japre>Loding>Junbesi>Taksindu>Phaplu. Has anyone here done that? and is it ok to do it in the first week of February?
Hello and thank you so much for your message :) Great you are planning to do Pikey Peak this coming February! We started the trek in mid-February. I'm sure it wouldn't be too different in early February. There was definitely a lot of snow on Pikey Peak, and I was very happy to have our experienced guide with us, as we likely wouldn't have been able to find the trail without him. I'd just make sure you have some of those small, slip-on crampons on hand just in case the trail is slippery. I've heard of the route starting from Dhap and I think that's a fine one as well, and great that it includes the beautiful village of Junbesi and the Taksindu Monastery as well. Let me know if you have any other questions or you'd like any help organizing your trek or finding you a great guide!
Hi Loving your videos. I am travelling to Nepal in October 2023. Can’t decide which treks to do. I really enjoyed this trek of Pikey Peak. Does your guide work independently or for a trekking company? I am trekking Solo. Are you able to share his contact info?
Hi Ronnie! Thanks so much for watching :) And very cool you're coming to Nepal this October! Pikey Peak is definitely a really good option, especially if you are looking for a trek that is just as rewarding, but a little less busy than some of the really popular routes. Our guide for this trek, Ang Babu Sherpa, is someone I know personally, so he came along with us independently. He is great, and super kind and reliable. He doesn't speak a lot of English, which is not a problem, unless you're looking for someone to chat with along the way. Unless you speak Nepali or Sherpa of course! In any case, I can definitely connect you with him or recommend a guide if you'd like. Feel free to email me at stephthorntonnepal@gmail.com and I can pass along contact information.
Pikey is not a peak it is only a high and best viewpoint hill like Poon Hill in the Annapurna region, the peaks in Nepal are above 5,800 m high and Pikey is only 4,302 m / 14,114 feet high. Where Kalapathar is higher than Pikey and its not counted as Peak which is above 5,545 m high. It's a misleading for viewpoint high hill rather than an actual peak.
![Nar Phu Valley Trek NEPAL | Spectacular, unique landscapes and remote villages! [November 2022]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2wdCj5pLOcE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Nar Phu Valley Trek NEPAL | Spectacular, unique landscapes and remote villages! [November 2022]](/img/tr.png)
I walked this route one year after video, February 2023. A couple of comments about the traditional walk-in from Jiri. The main trail starting in Jiri is nice and well developed. A good first day or morning on the longer journey.
The trail via Kinja I would consider retired. Too much development due to hydropower projects and now the road connects from Junbesi over Lamjura La. New recommended route from Bhandar is what Stephanie did. Down to the river, up via Likhu, steep climb to Goli Gumba and ridgeline via Ngaur to Pikey Base Camp. Superior views and vibes to Lamjura hill.
After descending Pikey in the video, they walked from Jase Bhanjyang down to Loding. Another way is directly down to Taktok for a shorter/easier day, or follow the Panbu ridgeline until you are right south of Junbesi, for a more adventurous trail.
The valley above Junbesi has many great daytrip options, so it’s good place for a rest day. Calm forest path up to Phugmoche and down the other side via Thupten Choling. Road construction is soon coming around Salung to Phurteng, so an alternative is to walk from Moping over the hill to Ringmo. Well-trodden trail and nice views towards Numbur.
Current roadhead and donkey station is above Bupsa at Tham Danda/Kari La.
Hi Viktor! So cool you got to do this same route last month, and thank you for sharing all the updates, info and suggestions about the trail. How was the weather up at Pikey Peak this last year? Was there a lot of snow up there?
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Zero snow and ice. Perfect dry trails. All of Solukhumbu, including upper Khumbu had a dry winter.
Not a single large snowfall. Great for trekkers, less so for farmers and local water supply. Temperature unseasonably warm.
I went through Kinja and stayed in Sete and Jase Bhanjyang in November 23. The ridge walk departing from the main Lamjura La trail, after a very steep ascent is amazing. Hit it just before sunset and the entire panorama was lit. Plus spent a couple of hours watching the planes from Lukla fly in front of Everest the following morning!
I’m loving these!! And your Nepali sounds so good.
Awwww thank you, Prashant :) :)
Oh my god Stephanie! You re an amazing videographer! And i am so impressed by your Nepali! Love the storytelling too.. Impressed! ❤️ Bravo my friend 👏
Awww thank you Maya, you are so sweet and supportive! xoxox
Wow this place has changed a lot . Originally I am from eastern part of Nepal,Solukhumbu district where mount Everest lies.. before 10 years ago from our village to Jiri we have to walk almost 8 days and catch a bus from jiri to reach capital city Kathmandu. My father used to walk 7 or 8 days for salts, rice, sugar etc to jiri.. jiri was the hub.. there used to be no way to walk in this route due to over crowded of such peoples..But after opening a new route from ktm to salleri direct bus I can reach my village in a day . But today after watching your video I miss this routes, the nature, singing of birds, hills, people everything.. thank you so much for making this video.. now I am working as a trekking guide in different parts of Nepal.. if you guys wanna walk this way or need guide for everest trek I am confident that I can guide you very well .. thank you mam for your beautiful video
Thank you again for watching and for your message :) Where in Solukhumbu are you from? What a beautiful place to call home. Incredible your father used to walk all the way to Jiri to get supplies. It must have been even more beautiful back then, and amazing to think it was once such a bustling trail with other Nepalis along that route. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but there must have been a nice camaraderie with all those people making the journey from Solu to Jiri. That's great that you are now working as a guide, and as I mentioned before, always good to have more guide contacts in Nepal :)
wow you guys are amazing!!so far one of the best nepal's vlogs made by a
foreigner and your nepali speaking is excellent, looks like its going to get viral soon :)
Aww thank you so much for your very kind, supportive words! We’ll see about if it will ever go viral haha ;)
Thanks for visiting Nepal 🙏♥️
Brings back such good memories!
Hello🤗Merci... Thank you so much for your videos... It's so wonderful to see these beautiful pictures... I want to go there another time.... Thanks for these memories 💖💖💖
Thank you so much for your comment, and I'm so happy you enjoyed the video :) I hope you are able to come to Nepal soon to enjoy its beautiful scenery in person!
Happy to see BAMTI BHANDER. my home. 😊🇳🇵✌️💕💕💕💕
Wow, you are so lucky to call Bhander your home. I really loved it there, it was such a beautiful, peaceful place :)
beautyful pikay peak beautiful Nepal. beautiful lady DD
Well at least beautiful Pikey Peak and Nepal, that's for sure ;)
Beautiful, I had the privilege of walking this route on the way into the Khumbu back in November of 2017 in very different conditions, bluebird all the way. Thubten Choling above Junbesi is probably my favourite place on earth. I am very much in awe of your ability to speak Nepali, I have failed to learn more than a few words, perhaps this winter...
Hi Colin! Must have been spectacular to do this route in the fall! Winter is beautiful of course, but blue skies and warmer temps made it especially lovely I'm sure :) I loved Junbesi as well, and definitely have to return to make it up to Thubten Choling. And I've had a lot of time to learn Nepali, and still a long ways to go - it's not easy! If you need a rec for a Nepali teacher here in Kathmandu, let me know and I can pass along her contact details - she does online classes as well. Do you live in Nepal or returning this winter for another visit?
I am watching your channel for the first time. Really surprised by your love and affection for Nepal. Keep making beautiful videos!
Thank you so much for your kind and supportive comment! It’s impossible not to love Nepal, in my opinion :)
One of the best vlog I have watched so far...love it.☺️☺️☺️☺️
Awww you are too kind, thank you Navaraj :)
Wow this is my place love to see pikey u traveled and thx for that wow ow no words I’m thrilled I’m living in vt but I love my country
That’s awesome! What village are you from? Vermont is a beautiful place as well, do you enjoy living there?
you guys are doing great , i love your videos so pls make more videos supporting you guys from NEPAL.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your support :)
Woww So beautiful your blog 🥰🥰🥰🙏
Thank you so much Mane 🙃🙏
The scenes !! Your camera work is spot on & the way you interact with the locals… so endearing! 😍
You really are the sweetest, thank you so much for always writing such kind, thoughtful comments!
wow amaziing video.nice speak nepali language thank you🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️🇳🇵🇳🇵🇳🇵
Thank you so much :) :) :)
@@StephThorntonNEPAL 🇳🇵🇳🇵❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏welcome
An amazing place, have always wanted to go to the himalayans. Such a friendly video to watch
Thank you so much for watching, and I'm sure you will have your chance to come to the himalayas some day :)
Well Done Ladies! Thanks for enjoyin a trip in our District .... n makin it a part of ur life Journey. DHERAI DHERAI DHANYABAAD
Thank you so much for watching and for your comment! What district in Nepal are you from??
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Solukhumbu District. PHAPLU AIRSTRIP AREA. ANYWAYS NJOY! & hv A sAfe trip.
what a beautiful Nepali.. Tone..
Lovely video . Enjoyed and your nepali language so cute.
Thank you Anil :) Haha yes, I still have a LOT to learn!
You talk nepali so well!! Please keep visiting nepal namaste🙏🏻
Thank you so much, I still have a lot to learn! And I live in Nepal so luckily I am there most of the time :) Do you live in Nepal?
Hi Steph, love all your videos,very inspiring especially the langtang treks & the jiri to lukla trek,all on my agenda for the new year & spring.
Can't wait to be back in Nepal it's been much too long.
Keep making movies.
Peace & blessings.
Thank you so much for writing, John, and for your support :) So exciting you are planning to come back to Nepal soon to do some more trekking! When was the last time you were in Nepal? If you need any support planning any part of your trip let me know, I’d be happy to help!
Fluent Nepali language ☺️ Happy to watch your video.
Haha definitely not fluent (I wish!!). Thank you for watching :)
wow!!! just wow!!
Woow 🌞🌞
Beautiful I love your friend 😍😍😍😍
I'll let her know you said so! And you're right, she is a very lovely person :)
Wow Very nice Thank you 🙏🏻with ❤from Taiwan 🇹🇼🇳🇵
Namaste to you in Taiwan, Ang! Thank you so much for watching
Nice 👍 and thanks for the video.
Thank you Karma :)
Great travel vlog! Your Nepali language skill is amazing!
Thank you so much Chris! Haha I don’t know about amazing Nepali skills though, still very much a work in progress ;)
your Nepali pushed me to be a Subscriber.😍
haha well thank you for subscribing :) I still have a lot of Nepali practicing to do!
So pleasant. Subscribed ☺️
Thank you so much Krishna 🙂
I saw my house and village I fell so happy after watching this video thank a lot sista🤝keep it up 😍😍😍
Thanks Steven, and that's so cool! Which was your house and village??
Beautiful video 😍😍😍
Thank you for watching, Som :)
Omg, your nepali is so good 😊❤️ Loved this video ❣️
Thank you so much Oseamiya, Nepal is indeed a lovely place! Where are you writing from?
@@StephThorntonNEPAL From Bhaktapur, Nepal 🇳🇵
@@oseamiya3663 Niiiice :)
Damn you are speaking 🗣️ nepali just i hit one more subscription from nepal love to see you if its possible hope to see you in taplejung
Aww thank you so much for your support! I would love to visit Taplejung and explore more of eastern Nepal someday :)
Very nice video sister keep it up, i seen my village also ❤ फेरि फेरी पनि एस्तै भिडियो हेर्नु पाऊँ धन्यवाद 🙏
I’m so glad you liked the video, thanks so much for your message :) Which is your village??
Hands down! The best documentary about Pikey peak. Stephanie, I am going to be in nepal for 2 weeks and would love to go here. Can I do it myself asking locals or I would need a guide to complete this trek. Also, since I only have 2 weeks (very short for Nepal I know), do you recommend any other short and equally surreal trek in Nepal? Thank you and be happy ❤️
Wow, thank you so much! And wonderful to hear that you are coming to Nepal to do a trek - Pikey Peak is definitely a great option :) Unless you're planning to do the trek in winter (like we did - and it was very helpful to have a guide get us over the snowy peak), if you are a confident hiker you could do this trek on your own. There were a few spots along the route that weren't super obvious, but between using an offline map and asking local folks, you would be fine. That being said, I think it's always nice to have a guide as an added security and a way to learn more about the area, but that is up to you!
Are you trying to Pikey Peak and then another trek in your 2-week period, or looking for other treks entirely that are about 1-week long? If you want to find another trek after Pikey Peak, you could always explore around Lukla/Solu Khumbu area since this trek ends in Lukla. You wouldn't have time to go all the way to Mera Peak, but the trail into the Hinku Valley (en route to Mera Peak) is beautiful in and of itself and not many people go out that way. If your starting point was back in KTM, you could do the Langtang Valley Trek in around 5-6 days (including travel). Langtang Valley is a little more well-traveled, but such a gorgeous place. In the Langtang National Park area, but not up the well-traveled Langtang Valley is also the Tamang Heritage Trail, which can be done in 3-5 days (I have a video fo this one on my channel as well)
If you are looking for completely different shortish trek to do with 2-weeks in Nepal, I might recommend... 1) Nar Phu Trek (in Annapurna region) is a spectacular trek we recently did (my most recent video) and takes 8-10 days including the drive there and back from Kathmandu; 2) Langtang - Gosaikunda - Sundarijal in KTM. You can do Langtang Valley Trek and then connect to Gosaikunda and then hike all the way back to Sundarijal, Kathmandu. This would be a bit longer than Pikey Peak trek, at around 10-12 days. 3) Khopra Danda in the Annapurna Area is a good one as well, and the trail is not too busy compared to other treks in the region 4) If you really want to get off the beaten path I might recommend venturing to western Nepal to do the trek from Jumla to Rara Lake. It does take a little more effort to get out to Jumla (2 flights), but the trek takes you into an area that not many foreign tourists visit at all, which makes for a really memorable, fascinating experience, and Rara Lake itself is a stunning place to visit in Nepal. You would definitely consider a guide for this one! Rara Lake trek would take around 1-week with travel there and back.
Hope that gives you a couple of ideas to consider! I'm happy to brainstorm other ideas and answer any other questions you might have. Let me know!
Very kind of you to write this lengthy response. I did the langtang valley trek and went to kyanjin gumba and stayed there for 2 nights. Best days of my life, it was an amazing experience and I am in love with Nepal. Thank you for all the tips and suggestions. Be happy and safe travels.
@@allfungames7271 Aww that's so great to hear you had such an amazing, memorable experience! Thank you so much for reporting back :) Best wishes to you and hope you return to Nepal again soon!
What a great adventure and girl where did you learn to speak their language soooo well? Life is like a book.. what’s your next chapter going to be….
Thank you for watching! And exactly, what will the next chapter be?? Only time will tell! I live here in Nepal, so that has certainly helped with learning the language, but I still have a very long way to go!
Excellent Video...I am planning to travel on 01-02-2024 - 12-02-2024. Is this a good time ? Once again simply loving it.
Thank you so much and so glad to hear you are planning to to come to Nepal this next February! I did this Pikey Peak trek as shown in the video in mid-February. It was great and very beautiful, the only tricky part was that the trail was entirely covered in snow over Pikey Peak, but luckily we had an amazing guide with us, who showed us the way. I would carry the microspikes/crampons that fit over your hiking boots just in case when trekking this time of year, but otherwise you have the trails to yourself and generally very clear skies! Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. I'm also happy to help you plan/organize your trip and connect you with a great guide if you need - feel free to email me at StephThorntonNepal@gmail.com.
Hello Stephanie. Wonderful travel vlog I must say .As you hiked from Sivalaya to Goli & then to peekey peak, could you let me know where you stayed on the route (homestays etc) Google is mentioning a motorable road to Goli Could it be possible to drive as far up to Goli & halt at Gole or Ngaur monastery & hike early morning to Peekey summit. Your suggestions would be a lot of help for planning my trip this week
Thank you so much for your kind words :) Along the way, we stayed in hotels, in Shivalaya, Bhandar and Goli there were several options in each place it seemed. In Bhandar, I'd highly recommend staying in Pemnuri Sherpa's Bhandar Guest House & Hotel, and Peekey Tungna Baje Lodge & Restaurant in PP Base camp - they were especially kind and welcoming in these places + great food!
As far as a motorable road, I don't recall seeing any vehicles (or a road) past the hydropower project down at the river beyond Bhandar. I think you could maybe take a motorcyle as far as Likhu at least, which is still about 2 hours below Goli. Maybe you could call a hotel in the area to check on the roads and if they go all the way to Goli or Ngaur/Nyum?? I know you can do a 3-day trek if you come from the other side of Pikey Peak Base Camp, from Japre (Jhyapre). You can hike Japre to PP Base Camp in a day, and then go to Pikey Peak the following morning, and then hike back down to Japre. That's what these people did: ua-cam.com/video/FoQg7sHORDY/v-deo.html .
If you have the time, I always say do less driving and more hiking :) I really enjoyed the route that we did!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL You did not see the road you were walking on at 8:23?
Goli has had a road access for a decade.
❤❤ U
In ur blog my house spotted 😢😅 thanks for video sista ❤❤
Really?? That is so cool! Where is your home along this trail?
Great video. Looked like a great time overall. Given that it was February, how cold did it get and what sort of sleeping bags did you bring with you? Did you see or meet many other trekkers on the way?
Thanks for watching and thanks for your message, WMJ! Are you planning to do this trek?
It was a great trek, and it was certainly very cold at the higher altitudes and at the top of Pikey Peak in the early morning, but it was very pleasant temperatures otherwise, perfect for trekking. I would say while we were trekking it must have averaged between 0-10°C depending on our elevation and time of day, and then at Pikey Peak it must have been a ways below freezing at Pikey Peak, especially with the wind chill (you can see in the video it was cold!). We had sleeping bags rated below freezing temps, but the guesthouses always have extra thick blankets (siraks) if you would rather not carry a sleeping bag.
I don't think we saw a single other trekker on the entire ways from Shivalaya to Bupsa, and then started to see a few as we made our way to Lukla. It's not a well-traveled route, and we were there in the off-season so had the trail to ourselves!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Thanks for your quick and detailed reply, Stephanie. Great that the temperatures were in the plusses during the daytime for most of your trek. I do have a sleeping bag that is for above freezing temps but it is great to know about the siraks. I am going with a guide anyway so I will not be alone. Yes I am planning to do a good portion of this trek this coming week (not Pikey Peak though - maybe next time) as the first stage of a longer trek to Gokyo and maybe EBC if everything goes relatively well. It is my first time in Nepal, the weather looks good, and I am looking forward to it very much. Videos such as yours have certainly helped.
@@macseinchin Sounds like you will be well-prepared, and what a spectacular journey you will have going all the way from Jiri/Shivalaya up to Gokyo and EBC. And the rhododendrons should be in bloom along the way, which will make it all the more beautiful. And I'd say unless you are short on space in your pack or don't want the extra weight, having your own sleeping bag to sleep in is always nice to ensure you'll be extra warm and comfortable.
Have a wonderful visit and trek in Nepal and I would love to hear how it all goes if you get the chance to write back after your trip!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Well I am happy to check back in now and say that it was indeed a spectacular journey of 20 days to and from the Khumbu, from the 11.5 hour bus trip from Kathmandu to Bimti Bhandar on day 1 to flying out from Lukla on day 20 (though we could only get to Ramachap airport and then a 4 hour bus ride awaited). It was nice to see some reminders of the first week of trekking in your video, though we did not go to Pikey Peak (we could see it across from Sete). We went Kinja-Sete-Junbesi-Taksindu-Nunthala-Kharikola-Paiyan-Chaurikharka and then up to Namche-Gokyo-Chola pass-EBC and then back to Namche via Pengboche. Yes, that final ascent to Lukla is no joke at all, but then the climb up to Sete from Kinja on day 1 was a clear indicator of what was in store on future days. I was lucky to have an excellent guide with me who made daily videos and placed them on his own UA-cam channel. I had no issues with my light sleeping bag, the blankets were always good; only one night (in Lobuche) did I feel the cold a bit too much. I used Diamox and had no major acclimatization issues (just a headache from the sunrise trek to Gokyo Ri). But it was a great adventure and I feel I must go back and perhaps try the Annapurna region next time. Though it would be great to visit some other parts of the Khumbu in the future as well.
@@macseinchin Thank you so much for writing back to report on the trip, I am so happy to read this message and know that you had such a great journey in Nepal! Sounds like it was quite the adventure, but that you went with the perfect attitude of flexibility and rolling with the unexpectedly long bus rides and steep climbs along the way :) So glad you had a great guide with you, that really makes all the difference. Awesome to hear that you plan to be back and seems you'll have to come back for even longer next time, so you have time to explore both the Annapurna region and more of Khumbu ;) Please let me know what you decide to come back and do! All the best and thank you again for sharing about your trip!
Is the trail from Shivalaya to Lukla easy to follow? Is it well signposted or do you need a guide?
Hi Em! I don't recall seeing very many (if any) signposts along the way, and there definitely were a lot of opportunities for making wrong turns if you didn't have a guide. That being said, I think it is certainly doable without a guide as long as you're ready to ask a lot of folks for directions along the way! If you do go on your own and its in the wintery season, make sure to check that the trail to Pikey Peak is clear, as it was completely covered in snow when we went, and would have been very difficult (and scary) without an experienced guide to help navigate. Hope that helps and please feel free to send me any other questions you might have!
@@StephThorntonNEPAL Thank you for the Info Stephanie! My main goal is to trail run the three passes during fall this year (or spring next year) but I wanted to arrive in Lukla via foot rather than fly... partly due to the cost but mostly because I have the time and would like to slowly acclimatise before reaching higher altitude. I actually live in the Canadian rockies and I am very familiar with snow travel and hiking in the mountains. However I am realistic enough to know that Nepal, despite it's similarities, is a completely different beast. I am currently researching for the trip, iso f you do by chance have any resources, tips or additional info that may be helpful to me, I'd very much appreciate it!
@@emcooke2941 Wow, RUNNING the 3 passes?! That's amazing, you must be quite the badass going for such insane, awesome adventure! I think that's a great idea to walk from Shivalaya to Lukla if you have the time, for money savings and a good slow build to higher altitude. The route I took in this video wasn't the direct route from Shivalaya to Lukla, since we did Pikey Peak too. It's possible the direct route is more straight forward, but again, probably be ready to ask for directions.
And as for resources, yes actually! I just so happened to meet one of the directors of Nepal Trail Series. Maybe you've come across them already, but they support Nepali women trail runners (like the incredible North Face sponsored ultrarunner, Sunmaya Budha), and also organize trail running camps and lots of other running related events. I thought you might be interested in checking them out - I'm sure they would be happy to answer of your questions and will have lots of good info and recommendations regarding running the 3 passes and other trails if you needed it. www.nepaltrailseries.org
Excited for your adventure and look forward to hopefully hearing about it someday!
Tapaiko desh kaha ho?
Tapai kati ramri❤
Mero desh America ho, tara nepal ma baschuu, mero shriman nepali ho :)
@@StephThorntonNEPAL dherai ramro👍
Ha.khem
Hi! Love your video! I am planning for a trek to Pikey Peak in coming February 2024. Did you do this trek in early February or mid or late February? Also I found a route on a website from Dhap>Japre>Loding>Junbesi>Taksindu>Phaplu. Has anyone here done that? and is it ok to do it in the first week of February?
Hello and thank you so much for your message :) Great you are planning to do Pikey Peak this coming February! We started the trek in mid-February. I'm sure it wouldn't be too different in early February. There was definitely a lot of snow on Pikey Peak, and I was very happy to have our experienced guide with us, as we likely wouldn't have been able to find the trail without him. I'd just make sure you have some of those small, slip-on crampons on hand just in case the trail is slippery.
I've heard of the route starting from Dhap and I think that's a fine one as well, and great that it includes the beautiful village of Junbesi and the Taksindu Monastery as well.
Let me know if you have any other questions or you'd like any help organizing your trek or finding you a great guide!
You are soo preety miss💗
Hi
Loving your videos. I am travelling to Nepal in October 2023. Can’t decide which treks to do. I really enjoyed this trek of Pikey Peak.
Does your guide work independently or for a trekking company? I am trekking Solo.
Are you able to share his contact info?
Hi Ronnie! Thanks so much for watching :) And very cool you're coming to Nepal this October! Pikey Peak is definitely a really good option, especially if you are looking for a trek that is just as rewarding, but a little less busy than some of the really popular routes. Our guide for this trek, Ang Babu Sherpa, is someone I know personally, so he came along with us independently. He is great, and super kind and reliable. He doesn't speak a lot of English, which is not a problem, unless you're looking for someone to chat with along the way. Unless you speak Nepali or Sherpa of course! In any case, I can definitely connect you with him or recommend a guide if you'd like. Feel free to email me at stephthorntonnepal@gmail.com and I can pass along contact information.
@@StephThorntonNEPAL that's great. Really appreciate the offer.
You might hear from me between now and then.
@@ronniekuhn2026 Of course! Looking forward to hearing from you :)
Pikey is not a peak it is only a high and best viewpoint hill like Poon Hill in the Annapurna region, the peaks in Nepal are above 5,800 m high and Pikey is only 4,302 m / 14,114 feet high.
Where Kalapathar is higher than Pikey and its not counted as Peak which is above 5,545 m high. It's a misleading for viewpoint high hill rather than an actual peak.
What is the definition of a peak?
Nepali kasari siknu vayo?
Ajhai ma sikdai chhu, ajhai kati dherai siknu parchha 🤪 Ma Nepal basdaa sikeko chhu, ani mero nepali teacher pani thiyo
@@StephThorntonNEPAL ramro👏
Nepali mitho bona sakdo raichha