We posted recently about the Manaslu trekking circuit becoming a tea-house trek. Almost! There is tea-house accommodation all the way from Arughat now. Two entrepreneurs built a basic lodge at Larkya Phedi, just below the long stretch up to the Larkya La pass. Before, a cold night of camping was essential here. But it remains “almost” because some of the tea-houses on lower section of the trek are still a little too basic for some trekkers.

The entrepreneurs, Chandra and Dhir, decided that to make their lodging successful, they’d have to improve the standards in the existing lodges too. So they advertised and held a three-day training course. It was extremely popular. 56 people in total attended and people even in Tsum Valley were reportedly angry that they had not been informed!

Did the course achieve its goals? “We tried to focus on simple things,” says Dhir, “so we’ll have to see. We’ll definitely try to hold another course again.”

Dhir and Chandra involved the Nubri Cultural and Youth Development Society in the course and they have recently been chosen to manage the GHT Development Programme in Gorkha district. You can find the course materials they they used here.

“Manaslu bread” – a fun twist on morning Tibetan bread

The course participants

Learning how a professional cook does it

And enjoying practising!

Recently