Ghap to Shyo: Life and Rituals in the Must-Visit Manaslu Village Trek
11 Sep 2024 Chandra Gurung
Ghap village and Shyo village are two of the most underrated stopovers during the popular Manaslu Trek. The small villages settled between the towering Manaslu range live a peaceful life with a small population deeply influenced by Buddhist culture and tradition. The lifestyle of Ghap and Shyo is nothing like city life and these little explored villages are still preserving their natural beauty and traditional values.
During the 13-15 days trek to Manaslu, you will come across many stops that are unique and beautiful in their ways. Today we will shed some light on the life and rituals of people from Ghap to Shyo, who prefer living a simple life, far from what city people could imagine.
To reach Ghap, you will have to cross many popular stops like Tsum Valley, Nyak, and Serang Monastery which require long and strenuous travelling. After more than a week of travelling from Kathmandu and crossing some of the most daunting yet beautiful trails of Nepal, you will reach Ghap village. Before reaching that village, you will travel through Serang Village which is also popular for a monastery called Serang Gompa.
Where is Ghap Village?
Ghap Village is a pleasantly old-fashioned village that sits proudly in the Manaslu Conservation Area. It is a part of the Manaslu Circuit Trek, which is slowly gaining popularity for its nature, simple lifestyle, and cultural preservation. You will travel through the calm monastery, Sereng Gompa and walk through trails featuring rocky ridges.
Despite the tough walk, as you go up, you will get some amazing views of snowy mountains, and deep valleys, making you wonder how creative nature can be.
This northern village in the Gorkha district of Nepal lies at a height of 2,080 meters above sea level which makes it look like a small valley snuggled between towering mountains and rusty terraced fields.
Trekkers have to walk through Ghap village while trekking from the lower region of the Budhi Gandaki River to the higher altitudes of Lho and Samagaun.
Natural Beauty of Ghap Village
As isolated as it is, Ghap is one of the most beautiful places in the Manaslu Circuit Trek. If you think this village offers only mountain views and dry landscapes, think again. Ghap is located along the banks of the famous Budhi Gandaki river and is surrounded by flourishing hills and you will adore the sound of the waterfalls from the mountains.
The whole scenery makes Ghap a relaxing place for trekkers and nature fanatics.
Cultural Heritage, Community, Rituals, and Lifestyle of Ghap
Ghap village is mostly a Gurung-inhabited village. This community is an indigenous ethnic group of Nepal who follow Buddhism. The people of Ghap have maintained a strong cultural heritage and traditional way of life, just like their ancestors.
The houses in this village are built with traditionally stoned designs and detailed woodwork. Travelers can get a warm welcome from the Grurung community, witness their daily life, try their local cuisines, and participate in their local rituals and festivals.
Like most of the mountain villages, Ghap also primarily relies on agriculture and animal rearing for their livelihoods. Due to cold climates, certain crops like potatoes, millet, barley, and corn can only be grown in the terraced fields that make the hillsides look stunning. During the season, apples are grown in massive quantities which are often exported or used to make local wine.
People mostly eat local breads, dumplings, and local vegetable soup. Meat is another staple part of their diet.
Accommodation Facilities for Trekkers
Ghap Village provides comfortable and basic accommodation facilities for trekkers. There are some teahouses and small lodges that offer local meals prepared using fresh vegetables from their garden, clean beds, and hot showers for the guests.
This village has an electricity facility, so you’re recommended to charge your phones, power banks, and other electronic items since electricity is not provided as you as higher.
Not only that, but staying in Ghap will also allow trekkers to experience the culture and lifestyle of the local Gurung community.
Wildlife around Ghap Village
This conservation area is popular for protecting its rich biodiversity and is home to many endangered animals like snow leopards, Himalayan black bears, red pandas, and many medicinal plants.
The main goal of this conservation area is to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the region and promote sustainable tourism.
Ghyap to Shyo Trek
After Ghyap village, trekkers proceed toward Shyo village, which is another beautiful part of the Manaslu Circuit Trek. You will have to trek through the bumpy trails. You will witness numerous Buddhist stone inscriptions, mainly a prayer or a historical record in Tibetan text along the way.
At some distances, you will also see some ancient Tibetan-style temples with a colorful roof and prayer flags, giving you a spiritual vibe. As you ascend the height of 2,971 meters above sea level, the trails are going to be tougher, and the oxygen level also decreases.
As you move up the stony stairs, you can rest underneath tree shades and enjoy the cool breeze and the amazing green view from above. Some ways are straight and easy and you can trek watching the views of lush green fields and chatting with locals on the way.
As you go higher, you can see a small human settlement on the other side of the hill which is your destination, Shyo village. You will notice lots of apple trees in this village. The display of sal and oak forests will be worth watching. This trek will take at least 5-6 hours, depending on your speed.
Rural Lifestyle of Shyo Village
Shyo is just another remote village on the way to the Manaslu Trek. The community of this village has protected its culture and tradition and remains faithful to its ancestral way of life.
Trekking through the village, you will witness, flags and traditional cloth pieces hung outside, symbolizing religious prayers. Each house has loads of logs, which they use for firewood since they don’t have modern gas stoves available for cooking.
There are some portions of lush green fields so agriculture is a way of life for Shyo village. Since the climate can get extremely cold and windy, some particular crops can only be grown like wheat, maize, barley, potatoes, and apples, to name a few.
There is no proper means of transportation and people use donkeys to carry heavy loads. They also use oxen to plow the fields. So, animals play a huge role in the everyday life of the people of these villages.
Cultural Significance of Shyo Village
The people of Shyo village follow Buddhism, and many of their traditional cultural practices can be seen in the numerous monasteries and religious structures scattered throughout the village.
These monasteries carry an important religious significance and are where people carry out religious ceremonies, meditation and different festivals.
Festivals and Traditions
Shyo Village celebrates various festivals throughout the year, providing an insight into their rich culture. People celebrate festivals like Lhosar, Dumje, and Saga Dawa with happiness. These festivals are commemorated with traditional music and dance, colorful ceremonies, and religious rituals.
Visitors often get a glimpse of these unique cultural experiences during their trek.
How do I get to Ghap village and Shyo village?
Most trekking journeys start from Kathmandu Valley. Your journey will be exciting as you will travel through the noisy city to the calm mountains in a few days. But it is the journey along the way that will give you the memory of a lifetime.
1. Kathmandu to Soti Khola
The first day of your trek will have the maximum number of ridings. You have to travel from the capital city to Arughat bazaar for at least 7 hours where your journey will mostly be through the lower Ruby valley.
You will spend the night at Soti Khola, which is 700 meters above sea level.
2. Sotikhola to Machhakhola
This is the day your trekking starts as the route goes through the Budhi Gandaki River. Your trail goes up as the river. If the day is clear, you will get a glimpse of Manaslu as well.
You will pass through the natural hot springs at Tatopani so you can spend some time there that will take your tiredness away. Machhakhola is a popular Gurung village and there are lots of nice guest houses and food. Your total walk hours for this day can be 6-7 hours.
3. Machhakhola to Jagat
Your next day starts trekking from Machhakhola to Jagat, a small yet beautiful village on the west part of the Budhi Gandaki river. The trails have paved stone streets. You can witness Chortens and Mani walls, which are a symbol of Tibetan Buddhism.
The trail will take you along many beautiful villages and you will trek for at least 7-8 hours on this day.
4. Jagat to Deng
You will cross a long suspension bridge above the Budhi Gandaki and then move upward to the Philim village. The river will narrow until it finally meets Siyar Khola from Tsum Valley and Budhi Gandaki from Nubri.
You will walk for 6-7 hours until you reach Deng. There, you will get good facilities of food and lodging.
5. Deng to Gap
You will have a shorter trek on this day. As we move forward, there is no lodge in Kwak village, so it is essential to reach Gap by the evening.
After crossing the suspension bridge to get to Rana, you reach Bihiphedi, from where you can reach Serang Gumba but the trails are risky due to rock falls. Therefore, it is recommended to go through Kwak village even if the trail is longer, it is safer.
6. Kwak to Serang Gonpa
This is going to be the toughest trek day so far. It is recommended to have a heavy breakfast and pack some for later as well. It is because there are no settlements between Kwak and Serang Gumba.
Keeping dry fruits, carrying water bottles and light snacks will be helpful since there will be a lot of ups and downs this day. Your tough trek will be made easier by the views of rock caves and retreat caves, amazing Sringi Himal. On the lap of this amazing mountain, sits Serang Gompa.
7. A Chill Day at Serang Gompa
There will be no walking on this day. You can dedicate this day entirely for special purposes. You wake up in the morning and participate in the morning prayers at the monastery. You can also chant and meditate in the main hall with the nuns and monks. Then take a walk around the monastery and learn about the history of this religious place.
After lunch, you can also chat and help the students of Serang School which is run by the monastery. When evening comes, join the evening prayer by reciting prayers.
8. Serang Gompa to Ghap to Shyo
After praying at the monastery and having breakfast, we leave for Ghap village. You will be given Khataks, which are sacred scarfs as a token of respect by the kids. We walk through the Banrung Village and the trek will be about 7-8 hours.
Next morning, you will trek to Sho village which will take approximately 5-6 hours.
Conclusion
Ghyap and Shyo villages are major parts of Manaslu Trek, which are rather unnoticed by many people. Your travel to these small places will promote their local culture and rituals and also encourage others to visit these amazing places. You can contact the Himalaya Guide Nepal for further convenience during the Manaslu Circuit Trek.
