Saribung Peak: Exclusive Peak in West Nepal
With the majestic range of Himalaya sitting atop the mountains in Nepal, ranges from the tallest in the world at 8,848 meters to considerable ones like Yala Peak at 5,700 meters. As glorious are the high mountains of Himalayas, we can put the small ones as the “unsung heroes”, that equally bolsters the unparalleled beauty of Himalayas.
With an elevation of 6,328 meters, Saribung Peak is one of the mountains with smaller heights. Perhaps, due to its location not within the tallest mountains in the world in Nepal, which has made these peaks less obvious.
Saribung trek and peak climb is recently opened destination in 2006 and the tourist venturing for an extreme adventure is continuously increasing. All the same, Saribung Peak provides a remarkable journey through the least-walked trails known to even lesser people. Although its height is at considerable altitude, climbing Saribung Peak is a strenuous journey with challenging high passes.
ABOUT SARIBUNG PEAK
Giving you a break from the typical trekking and mountaineering regions of Nepal, Saribung Peak takes you towards the isolated part of Mustang of Damodar Himal, close to the Tibetan border.
The trails leading to Saribung Peak is established not so long ago and yet, the journey is already enticing climbers, mountaineers and avid adventurers from around the world.
Although a definite mountain, the journey to Saribung Peak is often referred to as Saribung Trek.
Saribung Peak is technically easy 6,000 meters peak to scale-up located in one of the remotest regions of Nepal against the staggering landscape of the desert-like barren area and sandy cliffs.
ABOUT CLIMBING SARIBUNG PEAK
Climbing Saribung Peak is an expedition-style journey that takes place in Western Nepal of Mustang in its north. The journey follows off-the-beaten-trail in rugged topography along with the distinctive traditional settlement. The solitary location of Saribung Peak and trekking through the terrific landscape, while witnessing ages-old culture and lifestyle that has thrived in these highlands for centuries is the exclusiveness of climbing Saribung Peak.
The climb follows the route of Upper Mustang trek towards Lo Manthang, then taking a turn to Namta Khola Valley. Located at 4,440 meters, Namta Khola Valley is wild and barren with no human settlement. Then comes Saribung Base Camp at 5,240 meters, where we acclimatize for a day before heading towards the summit.
The peak of Saribung is climbed from the Saribung La pass, at 6,000 meters, one of the highest and challenging passes in the world. The summit from the pass follows gentle snow slope and an ascend of 300 meters to the top from where you can have a far-reaching view towards Tibet.
Conquering Saribung peak is a challenging trip due to a remote location and altitudinal variance; however, from a technical point of view, it is easy.
SARIBUNG PEAK DIFFICULTY
Despite the fact Saribung is a mountain with only a smaller height, the journey is counted to be a trek. Although the peak lies in a fairly remote region, Saribung Peak is actually climbed regularly.
As already mentioned above, Saribung Peak in itself is a technically straightforward glacier climb. The journey is a long approach trek with high passes that are quite challenging.
It won’t be as strenuous as expedition; however, certainly challenging than base camp treks. You will need previous expedition experience and should be used to trekking over rough terrain where there are no paths.
HIGHLIGHTS OF SARIBUNG PEAK
-Mysterious caves, red cliffs, and windy valleys
Journeying towards Saribung Peak lets you unravel the wild and windy west of Nepal in the least trodden trail. The paths you walk are enigmatic and has remained exclusive with the rest of the world. From thousands of caves astoundingly dug into the side of the valley to an ancient painting depicting the life of Buddha, the surprises in Saribung trek is unlike any other.
Starting the trek from the windy valley of Jomsom, where every day from late morning onwards strong wind blows up, the landscape changes rather drastically to the desert and high, arid mountains of barrenness and cold. As you scale up, in Dhakmar Village in Upper Mustang, you will see exclusively beautiful, heavily eroded red cliff above the green fields.
All the exhilarating encounter en route with the mighty summit to Saribung Peak has made the trek more than appealing.
-Mustang and Mustangi People
Restricted up until 1992 to outsiders, Mustang, even today is permitted to only a small number of tourists. Often known as “Forbidden Kingdom,” Mustang was bestowed with the title for its long-time isolation and low interactions from the rest of the world.
Along with its well-preserved culture, art, and tradition, it also exhibits excellent natural beauty. Mustang is located at the high altitude of 3,840 meters and is surrounded by beautiful high Trans-Himalaya’s of Annapurna and Nilgiri mountain range.
The valley of Mustang is recognized as two different parts; Lower Mustang and Upper Mustang. In Lower Mustang, the area is full of desert vegetation, with some oldest Buddhist Monasteries and isolated settlement draped in the wonderful scenery. Upper Mustang is culturally enticing region which is home to Thakalis or Tibetan culture and tradition.
Mustangi People are referred to as Loba or Lowa as per Tibetan dialect. Loba is a Tibetan ethnic people, who practice a form of Buddhism from Sakya lineage.
-Tibetan Influenced Culture and Tradition
You will encounter culture, tradition, and language, which are Tibetan-influenced and quite similar to them during Saribung Peak climbing. The reason why Mustang is so highly influenced by Tibetan culture and tradition is Mustang was once the Kingdom of Tibet.
Although Mustang is now part of Nepal, the tradition and culture clearly showcase its Tibetan influence. It was during the Yarlung Dynasty in the eighth century, when Buddhism reached Tibet, from where the practice spread further to Mustang.
-Incredible Landscapes
Saribung Trek goes through the traverse of rugged plateaus and incredible landscapes. And, the summit of Saribung peak offers an impressive array of snow-capped mountains including Manaslu (8,156 meters), Annapurna II (7,937 meters), Himlung Himal (7,126 meters) and Nilgiri Himal (7,061 meters).
Not only that, as the peak lies in the vicinity of Tibet, you can also enjoy the view of Tibet that extends over a large area.
