Tsum Valley

Tsum branches north from the Budhi Gandaki toward the Tibetan border, a valley that was closed to outsiders until 2008 and whose people, the Tsumba, have their own dialect and a distinct history of settlement from Tibet. Its defining feature is the vow: the valley was declared a shyagya, a non-violence zone, in the twentieth century under the influence of the lama Drukpa Rinpoche, and hunting and the slaughter of animals are prohibited throughout, which has been kept and which shows in unusually tame wildlife. Mu Gompa and Rachen Gompa sit at the head of the valley, and the Milarepa cave is associated with the poet-saint. Chortens, mani walls and prayer flags line the paths, and the culture is essentially Tibetan.

History

The valley has been described as a beyul, a hidden valley of spiritual refuge in Tibetan Buddhism. It lay on trade routes between Nepal and Tibet, its people, the Tsumba, speak a dialect of Tibetan origin, and the saint Milarepa is believed to have meditated in its caves, which has made it a place of pilgrimage for centuries (Wikipedia, Tsum Valley).

The main sights

• Mu and Rachen gompas - the monastery and nunnery at the valley head.
• Mani walls and chortens - continuous Buddhist markers along the paths.
• The non-violence vow - the shyagya prohibition and its effect on wildlife.
• Milarepa's cave - the site associated with the Tibetan poet-saint.

When to go

March to May and October to November, as for Manaslu. Winter closes the upper valley. Monsoon brings leeches and landslides on the approach gorge.

Good to know

Restricted-area permits, a licensed guide and a minimum group size are required and add cost. Meat is not available in the valley and should not be brought in. Lodges are basic homestays and monastery guesthouses. The approach through the Budhi Gandaki gorge is long and exposed to landslides.

Nearby

The Manaslu circuit continues north from the junction at Lokpa.

Key facts