Due to the mistreatment of Nepali Merchants by Tibetan authorities, a dispute broke out in 1854. Thus, the Dugunagadi Fortress was strategically built by the Nepali Army to attack the Bhot, a Tibetan region behind the Himalaya. During this time, many border skirmishes occurred and in March 1856, a truce was finally reached.
Day 1: The Dugunagadi Fortress (2400m, 3 hours) Start from Kathmandu early in the morning (06 am) and drive to The Borderland for approx. 4 hours. After bruch at the resort, you will take a 25 inutes bus ride to the Lracha suspension bridge, located just below the village of Emashing. The trail winds through a number of small, interesting Buddhist villages, past chortens and Sherpa houses. This historic trail was once the old trade route between Nepal and Tibet. The Dugunagadi Fortress is a maze of crumbling walls strategically situated on a plateau. The views are stunning, by day one gazes at Tibetan snowcapped peaks and by night, the lights of Khasa, the first town north of the Friendship Bridge, glisten throughout the dark evening sky. We will spend our first night under the stars here.
Day 2: Chagam (2200m, 4/5 hours) From the fortress, follow the path through the gate. The gateway is adorned with religious paintings and a colorful Mandala on the roof. The trails ascends to the ‘way of the dead’, a route used for carrying bodies to the religious funeral ceremony. The path slowly ascends to Tashitham a quaint village adorned with fluttering prayer flags. The trail turns and splits; take the lower path and continue on until you reach Chagam. Our evening’s campsite is situated in a schoolyard, a central meeting place for smiling children and villagers alike.
Day 3: Listi (2180m, 4/5 hours) In the morning we visit a renowned nunnery housing 300 nuns. Some travel as far away as Lhadakh in order to spend time learning and mediating here. The layout of the village is unusual, in that each nun has her own house, thus creating a colorful spattering of red, yellow, green and white homes throughout the countryside. Much of the day’s walk is along carefully sculpted, steep terraces. The evening’s site is perched on a mountain ridge at the entrance to Listi. There are several mani walls, which are constructed from Om Mani Padme Hum rock carvings, as well as beautiful views overlooking the Bhote Koshi. It’s long way down, but from here you can see The Borderland in the background alongside a sharp bend of the river.
