Experience the best multi-day treks without high attitude
They say the best thing in life happen when you don’t really plan them out. A recent unplanned trip to Balthali village fits the saying perfectly. After reaching Khopasi from Panauti, we were told we would have to hike for 45 minutes to reach the village, as only 4WD SUVs could take on the monsoon hit graveled road that link Khopasi to the village. Left with nooption, we decided to hike. We had no clue that this would turn out to be the best unplanned trip ever.
Hike to Balthali
Getting off the bus after a bumpy 15- minutes ride from Panauti to Khopasi, was a huge relief. After a five minute walk from Khopasi Bazaar, we reached Jhulungey Pul, a shaky suspension bridge above the noisy and muddy Roshi Khola and this is where the hiking trail starts. The trail traverses though forest of pine trees, green rice and corn fields and offers rustic sights of live-stock grazing lazily under the afternoon sun. The fresh crisp rural air was filled with the chirping of birds and crickets, the trail included climbing uphill and down hill, time and again revealing beautiful landscapes of distant villages, green terraced fields and rolling green hills, leaving us awestruck. After 45 minutes, we reached Balthali village, where we spent the night at a resort.
Divine Cave
After a good night’s sleep, the next day’s hike was to Ladkeshwor temple, one-and-a-half hour hike from the resort. The trail meanders through villages with curious little kids more than happy to pose for a photograph. The trail winds downhill at the end of the village and pine trees replaces village houses and the muddy Roshi khola raging on our left and the clear pristine Ladku khola on our right surfaces on the trail. When the descend ended, it was time to roll up our pants, take off our shoes and wade cross the Ladku khola. After crossing the river, the trail runs along the river bank all the way to the temple. More than a typical temple, Ladkeshwor temple is small cave with four Shivalingas sitting right beside the river. Even if you are not the religious kind, make this hike just for the sheer beauty the trail offers.
Namo Buddha hike
Since it was an unplanned trip, we didn’t gat the time to hike to Namo Buddha. A hiking guide at the resort informed us this hike is spectacular and the reason Balthali treks got mentioned in Lonely Planet’s, ‘The world’s best multi*day treks without high altitude’. According to him the hike passes through thickly forested areas with an abundance of flora and beautiful rural village settings. The three-hour hike from the resort is definitely on my list when I visit this area again.
Swimming between the hills
No, Balthali doesn’t have swimming pools but it’s got much better options – the clear and pristine Ladku khola that bends and twists through beautiful green hills. The villagers claim that one can even drink the water directly from the river; I am not so sure about that but it sure is fantastic place to swim, the good ol’ way. So when you plan for a trip here, pack a swim suit as well.
Apart from hikes
Located at an altitude of 1,650 metres above sea level, Balthali is blessed with picture perfect landscape. Green terraced fields that stretch as far as eye can see, tiny houses that dot the nearby rolling green hills all make Balthali seem like a place taken right out of a postcard. When the sun sets and the surrounding villages light up, it seems like onje big extension of the starry night sky. The village’s quaint and isolated location also makes it a perfect place for those seeking a quiet retreat to rejuvenate and soak in the peace and calm.
Where to stay in Balthali
Balthali Village Resort (BVR), a tourist standard resort, is the only hospitality property in Balthali village. The tourist standard resort sits atop a hill on a plateau with a commanding view of the surrounding green terraced fields, hills dotted with houses and faint hues of Himalayan peaks to the north, if it is not that cloudy.
Accommodation
There are 25 floor carpeted rooms, each attached with western style toilet and bath with running hot and cold water. Out of the total rooms, 13 are deluxe rooms and 12 are standard. The deluxe rooms are slightly more spacious, with slightly bigger twin beds. The beds are decent and comfortable and as amenities, each room has a small wardrobe and a flask to store hot water.
If you expect clean rooms with comfortable beds, you won’t be disappointed.
Restaurant and food
As for the food, it was surprisingly scrumptious. The alu jeera, Chicken chilly and mutton curry was delicious and relished after all that hiking. The resort’s restaurant serves Nepali, Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes and the bar is well stockedwith local as well as imported liquor.
Dine at the resort’s semi-outdoor dining hall to enjoy a great view of nearby hills and villages. Since the resort is surrounded by farmland, most of the vegetables and fruits are sourced from these farms. So, whatever is served on your plate is naturally quite fresh.
Service
The staff may not be dressed up in formal uniforms, but they sure are friendly and down to earth helpful. Most of the staff at the resort are young lads with not much experience in hospitality but their genuine friendliness and desire to serves make up for all the other small shortcomings. The resort’s hike guides are patient and informative.
Activities
Located right in the middle of Balthali Village, BVR is a perfect place to explore the village. It is an ideal staging point for hikes in the area. A hike to Namo Buddha takes just three hours, while Ladkeshwor temple is one-and-a-half-hour away. Danda Gaun is a four-hour hike from the resort and you can go swimming at the nearby Ladku Khola. There are plenty of other small hikes that you can take to explore the area. The hilltop location is also good for bird and butterfly watching. If you are planning to hold a seminar in a quaint and peaceful ambience, BVR has a seminar hall with a capacity to host 50 people.
Getting there
Take a public bus from the Old Bus park to Khopasi via Panauti. From there it’s a 45-minute to one hour hike to Balthali and if you are taking a vehicle, it is a 25-minute bumpy ride from Khopasi.
Must haves:
> Sunglasses
> Sun-block cream
> Hat/Cap
> Comfortable walking shoes
> Camera
Money Talk
A one-night and two days’ package with all three meals, including guides for treks around Balthali Village will cost Rs.2,200 per person on twin sharing basis. For details on their packages, contact: 01-4108210
They say the best thing in life happen when you don’t really plan them out. A recent unplanned trip to Balthali village fits the saying perfectly. After reaching Khopasi from Panauti, we were told we would have to hike for 45 minutes to reach the village, as only 4WD SUVs could take on the monsoon hit graveled road that link Khopasi to the village. Left with nooption, we decided to hike. We had no clue that this would turn out to be the best unplanned trip ever.
Hike to Balthali
Getting off the bus after a bumpy 15- minutes ride from Panauti to Khopasi, was a huge relief. After a five minute walk from Khopasi Bazaar, we reached Jhulungey Pul, a shaky suspension bridge above the noisy and muddy Roshi Khola and this is where the hiking trail starts. The trail traverses though forest of pine trees, green rice and corn fields and offers rustic sights of live-stock grazing lazily under the afternoon sun. The fresh crisp rural air was filled with the chirping of birds and crickets, the trail included climbing uphill and down hill, time and again revealing beautiful landscapes of distant villages, green terraced fields and rolling green hills, leaving us awestruck. After 45 minutes, we reached Balthali village, where we spent the night at a resort.
Divine Cave
After a good night’s sleep, the next day’s hike was to Ladkeshwor temple, one-and-a-half hour hike from the resort. The trail meanders through villages with curious little kids more than happy to pose for a photograph. The trail winds downhill at the end of the village and pine trees replaces village houses and the muddy Roshi khola raging on our left and the clear pristine Ladku khola on our right surfaces on the trail. When the descend ended, it was time to roll up our pants, take off our shoes and wade cross the Ladku khola. After crossing the river, the trail runs along the river bank all the way to the temple. More than a typical temple, Ladkeshwor temple is small cave with four Shivalingas sitting right beside the river. Even if you are not the religious kind, make this hike just for the sheer beauty the trail offers.
Namo Buddha hike
Since it was an unplanned trip, we didn’t gat the time to hike to Namo Buddha. A hiking guide at the resort informed us this hike is spectacular and the reason Balthali treks got mentioned in Lonely Planet’s, ‘The world’s best multi*day treks without high altitude’. According to him the hike passes through thickly forested areas with an abundance of flora and beautiful rural village settings. The three-hour hike from the resort is definitely on my list when I visit this area again.
Swimming between the hills
No, Balthali doesn’t have swimming pools but it’s got much better options – the clear and pristine Ladku khola that bends and twists through beautiful green hills. The villagers claim that one can even drink the water directly from the river; I am not so sure about that but it sure is fantastic place to swim, the good ol’ way. So when you plan for a trip here, pack a swim suit as well.
Apart from hikes
Located at an altitude of 1,650 metres above sea level, Balthali is blessed with picture perfect landscape. Green terraced fields that stretch as far as eye can see, tiny houses that dot the nearby rolling green hills all make Balthali seem like a place taken right out of a postcard. When the sun sets and the surrounding villages light up, it seems like onje big extension of the starry night sky. The village’s quaint and isolated location also makes it a perfect place for those seeking a quiet retreat to rejuvenate and soak in the peace and calm.
Where to stay in Balthali
Balthali Village Resort (BVR), a tourist standard resort, is the only hospitality property in Balthali village. The tourist standard resort sits atop a hill on a plateau with a commanding view of the surrounding green terraced fields, hills dotted with houses and faint hues of Himalayan peaks to the north, if it is not that cloudy.
Accommodation
There are 25 floor carpeted rooms, each attached with western style toilet and bath with running hot and cold water. Out of the total rooms, 13 are deluxe rooms and 12 are standard. The deluxe rooms are slightly more spacious, with slightly bigger twin beds. The beds are decent and comfortable and as amenities, each room has a small wardrobe and a flask to store hot water.
If you expect clean rooms with comfortable beds, you won’t be disappointed.
Restaurant and food
As for the food, it was surprisingly scrumptious. The alu jeera, Chicken chilly and mutton curry was delicious and relished after all that hiking. The resort’s restaurant serves Nepali, Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes and the bar is well stockedwith local as well as imported liquor.
Dine at the resort’s semi-outdoor dining hall to enjoy a great view of nearby hills and villages. Since the resort is surrounded by farmland, most of the vegetables and fruits are sourced from these farms. So, whatever is served on your plate is naturally quite fresh.
Service
The staff may not be dressed up in formal uniforms, but they sure are friendly and down to earth helpful. Most of the staff at the resort are young lads with not much experience in hospitality but their genuine friendliness and desire to serves make up for all the other small shortcomings. The resort’s hike guides are patient and informative.
Activities
Located right in the middle of Balthali Village, BVR is a perfect place to explore the village. It is an ideal staging point for hikes in the area. A hike to Namo Buddha takes just three hours, while Ladkeshwor temple is one-and-a-half-hour away. Danda Gaun is a four-hour hike from the resort and you can go swimming at the nearby Ladku Khola. There are plenty of other small hikes that you can take to explore the area. The hilltop location is also good for bird and butterfly watching. If you are planning to hold a seminar in a quaint and peaceful ambience, BVR has a seminar hall with a capacity to host 50 people.
Getting there
Take a public bus from the Old Bus park to Khopasi via Panauti. From there it’s a 45-minute to one hour hike to Balthali and if you are taking a vehicle, it is a 25-minute bumpy ride from Khopasi.
Must haves:
> Sunglasses
> Sun-block cream
> Hat/Cap
> Comfortable walking shoes
> Camera
Money Talk
A one-night and two days’ package with all three meals, including guides for treks around Balthali Village will cost Rs.2,200 per person on twin sharing basis. For details on their packages, contact: 01-4108210
