To one of the highest villages of Nepal and beyond

We couldn’t imagine at all what life looks like for the people of Naar, living the whole year on 4’200m. What we discovered is a phenomenal place in the world where people and animals live an intense symbiosis. Neither could live in the highest village of Nepal without the other, because yaks, horses, goats, sheep and dogs provide not only food, income and  security, they also transport heavy goods and provide warmth during the cold winter months, as the barns are kind of part of the living houses.

View of the village of Naar

The daily life of the villagers is totally dependent on the weather and the season as farming is their main occupation. We didn’t see one single tractor or agricultural machine. Everything is done by hand or with the help of the yaks. When one family has finished harvesting for example the buckwheat, they help their neighbours.

Grain is dried on rooftops for the winter

We were really impressed how they calmly und patiently manage to get along with the raw climate and surviving with a path only suitable for horses and more than 3m of snow in winter.

Without a road, everything needs to be transported by people or by horses

To get to one of the highest villages in Nepal, we drove two days from Kathmandu and then hiked from Koto via Meta to Naar. The scenery was very green, as we followed the path along the river Naar first through forest and later on bushes.

Goats crossing a bridge in the Naar Valley
The narrow gorge leading up to Meta

After Naar there was only stone left. Sounds boring but it wasn’t at all! As there were many steps to take until we reached the Teri La pass, we had lots of time to discover the many different shapes, colours and density of stone there is.

The path leading up further in the Naar Valley
Barren landscapes below Teri La Pass

On the 8th of October, the day we were crossing the pass, snow was covering our tent and the raw landscape around us looked very calm and smooth.

Waking up to snow and sunshine at High Camp
Teri La Pass

We were very proud and happy to reach the pass on 5540m but we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without our magnificent team. It takes ten people to accompany two guests on such a demanding trekking, mainly because of all the gear that is needed for the camping. During five days there was just us – no village, no other people, no phone signal. That is why a guide, an assistant guide, a chef and seven porters carried all the equipment needed to provide us so much comfort and safety in this beautiful, breath-taking and remote part of Nepal.

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