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Tsum Valley, Nepal: Named “Best Himalaya Trip” of Outside Magazine
In case you haven’t heard the great news yet, the Mountain Madness Tsum Valley Trek was awarded “Best Himalaya Trip” by Outside Magazine! Trekkers can join us in the fall for a great glimpse into this recently opened spectacular region. If you didn’t get a chance to check out our Tsum Valley blog several months ago, take a look at what the Hidden Valley of Happiness can provide for your adventure.
This month, the action in the Himalayas starts with our first Everest Base Camp Trek. For those of you who have not yet joined us on this classic adventure, we have three Spring dates starting March 26, April 17 and May 8. Client favorites Deana Zabaldo and Shayan Rohani will lead these treks to the base of the top of the world. We will return again in the Fall, along with our first trip to Tsum Valley!
*NEW ADDITION* to this already intriguing trip: take a walk with a Buddhist lama. The lama will teach us about the basics of Buddhism, help coordinate a special blessing ceremony at one of the area monasteries, lead optional brief meditation sessions for interested clients, and generally provide a deeper level of entrée to Tsum Valley’s rich cultural heritage. For those of you who have already become enamored with the stunning landscapes of Nepal or who want something a little different than the standard Everest Base Camp Trek, call us to schedule your Tsum Valley Trek now.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=8830e7d5205a8c9556e838b63cb50869 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=3e7e8209449da47f14ba8df2b1f47c7b 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=28029eb6eaf08265c721e26a0ea1836f 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=55b96b7ca7dc6721e62cac24090e1ede 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f0aa228a69c0895c71e1a9b6752f2777 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=287f5df3506f32907b263610c67372dc 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=9e9915d17fcdda6846715139ec254e71 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2Fyoung_monk_with_teacher.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=1328e7b781e7f837d0c3036951e97c0b 1024w)
Young monk and his teacher. Mark Gunlogson photo
Tsum Valley: Nepal’s Hidden Valley of Happiness
Mountain Madness guide Deana Zabaldo recently explored the Tsum Valley in Nepal. We’re happy to announce that she will be leading a trip there in the fall of 2012. Below is her report- take a look and lets us know what you think- we hope you can join!
All photos by Dena Zabaldo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=109cbff08ac74ef1bdf09cc0a504a6cc 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=114c5f9f019bc4d5feb128d446491ca6 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=edd401830953425ef442f2c4590403ee 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=d58b6a8cfaa9c034006c94ebf78f4558 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=01406b59977d6f8c5b292efc298d96bf 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=a626f427b838a74cc3f19ea7ac28515d 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=fa507e31709d7b6cf05bbdb660de25bb 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305970380_103a963089_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=44fc5508fe35e91603da2066815b9b5f 1024w)
I’m not sure I want to tell you about the Hidden Valley of Happiness. You might decide to go there. Buddhist prayers carved into stone tablets line the trails of Tsum Valley, while snow-capped 6000m peaks appear beyond and between the vertiginous brown “hillsides”. Traditional culture pervades the area, with women spinning wool into thread by hand and friendly faces inviting you in for tea…or homemade alcohol.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=4ee74c5ff2875b91d3b955d22a700779 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=963b85037d22c47f861fd30012478f30 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=e574789bd2bc6c4ef91860b4623ad950 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=f1a31a2e9a506b718305a43fb71785ac 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=38cd3f7c94bab5bda93b40ae307a216e 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=4cef45f1460f1d73113f62be632c90e1 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=14affae3f42956c0c3a006f5540c3854 768w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5306062032_2fd27eaed9_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=0fe68f20535360e553d712ba3b72110c 768w)
Tsum Valley, known in sacred Buddhist texts as the Hidden Valley of Happiness, was opened only 3 years ago for tourism. Barely a lodge exists, and tourists are still welcomed as respected guests. Beginning on the main route into the Manaslu Conservation Area, you curve for days through a steep-sided gorge where the sun arrives mid-morning and departs well before sunset. Waterfalls abound, monkeys appear, and slate roofs top mud houses as you gradually climb 4000ft (1200m).
After 4 – 5 days, you will reach a narrow canyon sided by sheer boulders. This is the entry to Tsum, painted with the ubiquitous Buddhist blessing and mantra Om Mani Padme Hung in 3‑foot Tibetan letters. One side has been blasted out to create a trail, but it’s clear the earlier route which skirted the high edge of the boulder on a few pieces of precariously placed wood is part of what kept this valley hidden. Beyond the gateway you will find the villages of Tsum at 8,000 – 12,000ft (2400 – 3700m). Trade with Kathmandu was so difficult that most goods came on yak caravans over the mountains from Tibet, rather than up from the hills of Nepal.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=20110a37d17f1be5900c90b9debf56f8 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=126056a0373f84205e8a1bbffc8ea650 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c9579b2cae8b5f0b7b1e8bd03052b666 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=2a7b555f5f0ad3aee714c08b209fc302 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f81ed856df72d9f7754b85f516b0a29f 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=3e78003cda02ccfa5b6ac1eeb04f2856 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=3ce2b31d4d98c7906d66e8bcd3f1bcff 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305334065_d89d659113_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=e25aac0393240b07f80e3bf5bf07b7e5 1024w)
Begin your trek in steep-sided gorges…
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=c9871ff39dc58250f65c1e7b8f2f6280 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=9c9c76a226b65b3dd243ebf3235b9fe6 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=4c17314632ed0c5bdfa724d322c375c3 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=cbbde684898ae978d440ffa87cf8e10f 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=a77ca490abf9cde483cdc1312059722e 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=29019288df34ae8b47f55a478019128b 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=936e8ba05fbc5f17358388f0336b0c54 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305413617_7c72a48b50_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=4a2c3de0a0e0afd7835decefa2c4efeb 1024w)
…and climb to the high alpine valley of Tsum
Splitting from the main route, the trail becomes rougher, the villages are cleaner, the houses and culture are more Tibetan, and people are still guileless and genuine. Young girls are shy to have their photo taken but then become fascinated with seeing themselves displayed on the screen. Old women have yet to understand that you can’t take the picture from the camera immediately and give it to them. Men wear fur-lined hats brought over from Tibet and ride horses that jingle with strings of bells. Yak caravans loaded with rice, salt, and tea command the trail as they pass. People greet you with easy smiles and common questions, “Where are you from?…Where are you going?”.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=8a91f0d514e506779fa6dc6ed09217b1 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2fd9affb438d8106be37ae5098f3be4d 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=b288ce783019810e00eea82905753e0a 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=165ffbbfc512a8402df426dfb83a606d 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f3d0ac63e6bf6c7093e2a05d25457e4b 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=aefc322d34050198bb1ccbfe42810882 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=ab10a357307fc46cf3ea257417c03d6b 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fnewswire%2F5305999408_7bb8e952bf_b.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=edc0775194f78d54b1e74db99e358478 1024w)
Trails are lined with painted stupas, prayers carved into stone tablets, and sacred gateways.
Tsum Valley is believed to be a place where obstacles – spiritual and otherwise – have been removed. As such, it has long been an important religious area. The Buddhist saint Milarepa meditated in a secret cave here in the 11th century, and the valley remains home to over 200 nuns and monks today. You enter each village through a sacred gate, painted with faded pictures of protective deities to cleanse you of any evil spirits before you proceed. Most villages have a large community prayer wheel where women gather every month to fast and chant mantras. Esoteric rituals and mask dances are performed by lamas to purify the area.
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Black-hat dancers purify the area of obstacles and evil spirits.
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Mask dancers enact a Buddhist parable about a hunter and his wife.
The valley is also a protected area where killing is not allowed, and wildlife remains abundant compared to other areas of Nepal. You can hike all the way to the Tibetan border for staggering mountain views, easily spotting herds of Himalayan blue sheep and wild mountain goats along the way. The area monks at one point petitioned the government not to allow employees stationed at regional offices to kill animals for Hindu sacrifices or for meat. The government complied, respecting the local traditions and issuing a ban on killing in the area. Any meat must be killed below the gateway and then carried up higher. The peace and protection extends to all beings: as clients joked about yeti attacks, a lama assured us quite seriously that we didn’t need to worry, “Tsum is a protected area, and a yeti will not attack anyone here.”
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A yak caravan returns home after delivering goods.
Daily life in the region is shaped by traditional skills and modern demands. The people of Tsum still have yak herds and carry on trade with Tibet, but they are importing electronics and crackers rather than salt and leather. They harvest Cordyceps, a high-altitude fungus that is prized in Chinese medicine and earns everyone much-needed cash. Children now go to Kathmandu for better education if they can afford it, but people continue to live in simple homes centered around a iron stove, eating barley porridge, pressing mustard seeds for oil, and brewing local wheat beer. We found ourselves repeatedly invited into the warmth of kitchens, where we were offered tea…or teacups filled with a smooth moonshine known as raaksi. We were fed barley soup and entertained by local women singing traditional songs in dark and cozy spaces.
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Local hospitality: bottomless teacups of raaksi poured with a smile.
The allure of Tsum Valley is the unique blend of Nepal’s best offerings – big mountain views, numerous monasteries and nunneries, traditional culture, and friendly people – which will no doubt rapidly increase tourism in the area. Locals want the benefits that tourism can yield, and in a place with so few resources, tourism could bring immense economic benefit to the area. The challenge for Tsum is that everything which draws visitors is at risk as tourism expands. The the impact of tourism in nearby lower Manaslu is readily apparent. Campsites are littered with wrappers and garbage. Children accost you with pleas of, “Namaste pen!” and “Namaste balloon!”, having learned to beg for foreign delights. Adults watch you pass with bland disinterest.
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To discourage begging, play games with children instead of handing out sweets or pens.
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Campsite litter cleanups demonstrate that we value clean spaces.
In Tsum, 2010 saw triple the number of visitors as 2009, but the total was still less than 500 people. This is a critical time to implement socially and environmentally responsible tourism, which is the duty of the Tsum Welfare Committee, the Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP), and the tourists who visit. How can you help? Here are a few ideas:
- We organized campsite cleanups, paying $1/porter for people collecting litter. They filled large bags quickly!
- We wanted to see our money going into local hands, so we employed at least 50% local porters. For all of them, it was their first time working with a tourist group. They were excited about the income, and we were able to learn more about their lives and culture.
- When we checked in to the conservation area, we asked MCAP staff to facilitate the hiring of local porters and placement of appropriate garbage facilities.
- Instead of offering candy and handouts to children on the trail, we offered them “tickles”, chasing after them, playing with them, and trying to find a positive way to interact without encouraging begging.
- To delve into the religion and culture, we invited a lama to accompany us as a dharma teacher on our trek. He gave us explanations of Buddhist beliefs and heritage, guided morning meditations, arranged a special blessing ceremony, and opened doors to the homes of family and friends.
- We made regular donations at each monastery we visited to help with preservation, restoration, and daily care.
- We included at least one trek staff member who was from Tsum and had local connections to people along the way. He arranged local porters and also had our whole group to his house for tea.
The key to enjoying Tsum’s local culture and heritage is to travel with local staff. It is their friends and family who will welcome you into homes and honor you as a guest. As tourism grows, this sort of personal welcome and connection will be hard to maintain. The coming few years will be the best time to explore Tsum, while the trails remain quiet and tourists continue to be unusual guests.
(exceprted from parahamsa.com)