Exploring Phoksundo

Exploring Phoksundo blog tells the story of Phoksundo National Park. The purpose of visiting Dolpa was purely academic. However, when we reached there, we could not resist the desire to explore the beauty the place beholds that of Phoksundo Lake. The local Phoksundo Lake told us that we could get to the lake by walking for 2 to 3 days. Though we didn’t plan anything for trekking, neither the shoes nor any other preparation, the two of us decided to reach Phoksundo Lake. I had my exam in 1 week, yet leaving Dolpa without getting the place did not seem right. So on 8th June, we started our journey at nine is from Suligadh, accompanied by a local boy working as a Game scout in Phoksundo National Park. Exploring Phoksundo blog tells the story of Phoksundo National Park.

Suligadh to Syangta – 3 hours (had lunch at local restaurant)

Syangtato Chepka- 1 hour 15 minutes

Chepka to ryanchi – 5 hrs (spend the night at a motel in Ryanchi)

Ryanchi to Taporicha Boarding School - 1 hour 30 minutes (had lunch)

Taporicha Boarding School to Phoksundo – 4 hours and 30 minutes

The time, however, depends upon person to person. When the local said that we would reach a place in half-hour, it took us one and half hours, whereas when local tourists said it would take 4 hours to reach our destination, we got in one and a half hours. The most challenging part of the journey was from Chepka to Ryanchi. He local said it would only take 2 hours, but the time passed, and the destination was nowhere near. There was a moment when we just wanted to return. The topography was complicated, utterly different to what we usually see. There was neither phone facility nor human settlement in between. Every part of the body ached with pain and tiredness, regretting the moment when we thought we could make the walk.

Our Experience

When we reached Taporicha School the next day and knew they had phone service, personally, that was the best moment for me. The anticipation and excitement when the phone connected or the happiness when I heard my mother’s voice were indefinable. Indeed these journeys, definitely make you realize the importance of family and what home means. Maybe it was the happiness of hearing the voice of loved ones. The 3-hour trekking at Rigmo at a very steep and straight mountain claimed to be the riskiest and challenging part of our journey, did not frighten me. However, one could not ignore that one slip, and you fall. All the regret that we had on our trip seemed to disappear when we first viewed the waterfall and had a glimpse of Phoksundo Lake. Then the one hour walk passed so fast.

The place answers why the people attempted such an arduous journey. It was so pure, calm and serene. There was a moment of clarity when you sat beside Phoksundo lake and gazed deep lake. So it should be on the list of must-go places. Yes, the journey is challenging, but it is worth it.

Photo by Bibek Raj Shrestha on Unsplash