I have been all over the world and what we consider normal here in the U.S. is not normal other places on earth at all.
In fact maybe the most revealing thing would be to share the type of culture shock of being gone away from the U.S. from December 11th 1985 until April of 1986 when my family and I went to Japan, Thailand, India and Nepal. Most of the time except for 2 weeks in Thailand in Bangkok and Koi Samed Island then snorkeling were spent in Nepal and India (about 2 months in each place including trekking for a week or two deep into the Himlayas up to 10,000 feet in elevation with my family. We even were snowed on back then in Tarkye Ghyang. I was looking for Tarkye Gyan but the spelling they were using is different now than then. I found it now called in English phoenetics Tarkye Ghyang. here is something on it. 46 kilometers equals 28.58 miles. I figure we also packed in with backpacks trekking over many suspension bridges over great heights over rivers and between mountain ranges between 30 and 50 miles doing a somewhat similar trek then in 1986. At one point the pack was too heavy for my youngest son so we hired Bimbahadur (which means strong one of God) in Nepalese who was 15 to carry several packs for our kids since we were carrying a lot of weight on this trek of sleeping bags and clothes and a tent if we needed it and food and camping gear. However, it is better to stay at hotels in the remote country so you don't wake up with people standing around staring at you in the morning. The culture in India and Nepal is very different than here where it is impolite NOT TO STARE in those cultures. This takes some getting used to for Westerners used to privacy which doesn't really exist in Asia that much unless you go into a room and lock it or something like that.
We started this trek on buses towards Helambu which is near Kathmandu if you head towards the Nepal-Tibet Border. Helambu borders Tibet on the ridge of the Himalayan Mountains. Some of the suspension bridges we crossed didn't look very safe but they were the only way to get some places. Also, you didn't want to cross suspension bridges in a high wind because that could be dangerous to fatal. Also, if you broke a toe or ankle or leg you might die trekking because there was no one to come rescue you while trekking either back then. There were no helicopters to come get you then even if you had the money to pay for one because there were no telephones or cell phones or even satellite phones in existence then in the back country in 1985 and 1986. We felt safe because there were 5 of us to help take care of each other from ages 10 to 37 in our family then. We also hired a guide who was about 20 years old and the son of the people we stayed at at the Snow Lion Inn in Bouda which is an area of Kathmandu, Nepal where there is a huge Tibetan Buddhist Stupa at that people walk around outside of praying all day.
Our Trek was from about 4000 or 5000 feet in altitude to around 10,000 feet in altitude trekking then and lasted a week or two along rivers, across suspension bridges and luckily during one snow storm we were staying in a Sherpa home in Tarkye Ghyang that has open living room with a roof above you where the smoke goes out the edges of the ceiling but has no chimney. So, cooking was done on an open fire in the living room where the smoke could exit sideways out of crevices in the ceiling built for that instead of having a chimney. So, this was an interesting cultural nuance to interact with too. This also meant that they didn't heat the inside of their homes even during a snow storm and just dressed warmer. So, if you wanted to warm up by the fire you went there when they were cooking to stay warm. But no fires were built the rest of the time so you just dressed warmer instead.
Climate Trek Helambu
- Duration: 8 days
- Total distance (km): 46 km
- Total change in altitude:
4013 m 
3083 m - Highest point along the route: Thare Pati at 3650 m
- Difficulty level: easy to moderate
Highlights: Rhododendrons (in bloom March-May), Tibetan Buddhism, meditation caves (Melamchi), oldest Buddhist cloister in Nepal Cherughyang near Tarkeghyang. Due to its proximity to Kathmandu, the Helambu trek can be reached quickly without flying.
Route:
Day 1: (Kathmandu -) Patibhanyang – Chipling (3.9 km, 3:00 h*)
You will take the bus for around 3.5 hours to Patibhanyang and begin the delightful hike following some refreshments. The first day allows you to acclimate; thus, the route is relatively short at just around 4km, although it includes some considerable ascending. Your efforts will be rewarded in Chipling with a wonderful view over terraced mountain slopes.
Day 2: Chipling – Kutumsang (9.4 km, 5:10 h*)
You will begin the day with an ascent, but continue leisurely to the next valley through Golfu. Next, you will ascend to nearly 2600 m. During the day, you will repeatedly have the chance to marvel at the snowcapped Himalayas.
Day 3: Kutumsang – Mangengoth (6.1 km, 2:50 h*)
Today you will enter the Langtang National Park. After steadily ascending through beautiful forests, you will reach the mountain hut in Mangengoth.
Day 4: Mangengoth – Thare Pati (5.2 km, 2:50 h*)
This is a relatively short day that leads to the highest point of the trek: Thare Pati at 3600 m with an unbelievably beautiful view of the many mountain chains in the Northeast.
Day 5: Thare Pati – Melamchigaon (4.4 km, 2:50 h*)
You will steeply descend over 1,000 meters in altitude from the highest point along the trek (3650 m) and enjoy a wonderful view of the surrounding mountain ranges all the way to Langtang.
Day 6: Melamchigaon – Tarke Ghyang (6.2 km, 4:10 h*)
You will steeply ascend and descend until you reach Tarke Ghyang, where you will cross the Melamchi Khola river over a long suspension bridge.
Day 7: Tarke Ghyang – Sermathang (10.5 km, 3:15 h*)
The trek ends with an almost entirely flat route from Tarke Gyhang (2600 m) to Sermathang (2590 m) that pass many stupas, prayer flags, and Tibetan characters.
Day 8: Sermathang – Kathmandu (6h)
The descent by bus will take about 6 hours and pass the large Shiva Monument in the Kathmandu Valley. You will have the chance to eat lunch along the way, and you can take a break at a wide variety of attractions.
Thanks to the comfort standards, it is not necessary to bring a tent, sleeping bag, or sleeping mat. Local food and hospitality will be waiting for you every evening at the lodgings.
h* – All hike durations refer only to the time spent hiking (without breaks) and are based on the hiking time calculations from the German Alpine Club (DAV).
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