Trek Nepal
FREN
The sacred Dudh Kunda lake

Jiri (Ramechhap)

Numbur Cheese Circuit

A little-known loop west of Numbur (6,959 m), from the villages around Shivalaya to the sacred Panch Pokhari lakes, via the Gyajo La pass and the Sherpa cheese factories.

  • Walking days 11 days
  • Highest point 4,880 m
  • Level Demanding
  • Permits 5,000 NPR (≈ €29)
  • Start Kathmandu
  • Mandatory guide, checked

At a glance

From Shivalaya, you climb through pastures to the sacred lakes of Panch Pokhari (4,515 m), then cross the Gyajo La pass (4,880 m) facing Numbur before descending through the Sherpa villages of Lhachhewar, Kyama and Gumdel to the cheese factories of Serding and Thodung (founded in 1957).

⚠️ This is not a lodge trek: the high section (about five nights between 3,100 and 4,500 m) is done camping, with an agency; the rest in homestays.

Highlights

  • The Panch Pokhari lakes and the view of Numbur
  • The Gyajo La pass (4,880 m)
  • Yak cheese and the historic cheese factories
  • Almost nobody on the trail

Drawbacks

  • Camping on the high section: an agency is essential to organise it
  • Long: at least 11 days of walking
  • Access road often cut during the monsoon

In pictures

Numbur from Dulalthok
Numbur summit (6,958 m) above the clouds

Route

Loop from Shivalaya to Those via Panch Pokhari, the Gyajo La and the Sherpa villages.

11 daysof walking
4,880 mhighest point
94 kmD+ 5,680 m D− 5,790 m
ShivalayaStart
Those (or Jiri)Finish
ThodungShivalaya — 1,790 mKhahare — 2,175 mPanipakha — 3,105 mMaanedanda — 3,940 mPanch Pokhari — 4,515 mTare — 4,140 mNgeju — 3,690 mLhachhewar — 2,760 mKyama — 2,380 mGumdel — 2,260 mSerding — 3,360 mThose — 1,760 mGyajo La — 4,880 mShivalaya — Start: ShivalayaThose — Finish: Those (or Jiri)ShivalayaThoseGyajo La 4,880 mKhaharePanipakhaMaanedandaPanch PokhariTareNgejuLhachhewarKyamaGumdelSerdingNumbur 6,959ThodungStart : ShivalayaStartFinish : ThoseFinishN
  • Chosen route
  • Other possible trails
  • Possible start or finish

Drag the “Start” and “Finish” labels to another served point, or tap a point. The “+” buttons add a side trip. Zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll wheel), then drag the map to move around.

How do I use it in a hiking app?

The file contains the route you chose on the map (start, finish, side trips), with altitude, and a marker for each night, pass and viewpoint.

  • Organic Maps or Maps.me (free, offline): download the Nepal map before you leave, then open the GPX file from your phone and choose the app.
  • OsmAnd: menu “My places” → “Tracks” → “Import”.
  • Komoot, Gaia GPS, Wikiloc, Garmin: use the app's or website's “Import a GPX file” feature.

With no signal, your phone's GPS still works: you can see your position on the track. The track is indicative: on the ground, waymarks and advice from the lodges come first.

Itinerary
  1. D 0Shivalaya1,790 m
  2. D 1Khahare2,175 m+385 m10 km350 m0 m
  3. D 2Panipakha3,105 m+930 m3 km920 m0 m
  4. D 3Maanedanda3,940 m+835 m4 km840 m0 m
  5. D 4Panch Pokhari4,515 m+575 m5 km620 m90 m
  6. D 5Tare4,140 m−375 m9 km480 m860 m
  7. D 6Ngeju via Gyajo La 4,880 m3,690 m−450 m10 km710 m1,170 m
  8. D 7Lhachhewar2,760 m−930 m10 km70 m950 m
  9. D 8Kyama2,380 m−380 m11 km260 m670 m
  10. D 9Gumdel2,260 m−120 m3 km360 m470 m
  11. D 10Serding3,360 m+1,100 m9 km1,070 m0 m
  12. D 11Those via Thodung1,760 m−1,600 m20 km0 m1,580 m
Distances and elevation gain estimated from OpenStreetMap and a terrain model.
  • Shivalaya — Bus or jeep from Kathmandu, 7 to 9 hrs (600 to 1,500 NPR (≈ €3 to €9) depending on the source).
  • Those (or Jiri) — Via Thodung and its cheese factory; bus to Kathmandu from Those or Jiri (6 to 8 hrs).

Elevation

above 3,000 m: climb slowly1,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000D 0 · Shivalaya — 1,790 mShivalaya 1,790 mD 1 · Khahare — 2,175 mD 2 · Panipakha — 3,105 mD 3 · Maanedanda — 3,940 mD 4 · Panch Pokhari — 4,515 mD 5 · Tare — 4,140 mGyajo La — 4,880 mGyajo La 4,880 mD 6 · Ngeju — 3,690 mD 7 · Lhachhewar — 2,760 mD 8 · Kyama — 2,380 mD 9 · Gumdel — 2,260 mD 10 · Serding — 3,360 mD 11 · Those — 1,760 mThose 1,760 mD 1234567891011
Altitude of each night, with the day's passes and viewpoints (red dots). Green dot: rest day.

Permits

The Gaurishankar Conservation Area entry fee and the TIMS card (through the agency).

Conservation area

Gaurishankar Conservation Area

3,000 NPR (≈ €17)

At the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, or through the agency.

Trekker card

TIMS card

2,000 NPR (≈ €12)

Issued only by a licensed agency since April 2023: it goes hand in hand with hiring a guide. See the Guide and porter page.

See Permits.

Guide

Mandatory guide, checked

Camping trek with few waymarks: in practice a guide and an agency are essential.

See Guide and porter.

A guide for this trek? The Guides Nepal directory lists guides, porters and agencies who know this trek, with their licence checked, the languages they speak and traveller reviews.

See guides for this trek

Transport

Getting to the start

Kathmandu → Shivalaya

Duration 7 to 9 hrs

Bus or jeep via Jiri.

Getting back

Those or Jiri → Kathmandu

Duration 6 to 8 hrs

Bus or jeep.

When to go

J: Not advisedF: Not advisedM: PossibleA: IdealM: PossibleJ: Not advisedJ: Not advisedA: Not advisedS: PossibleO: IdealN: IdealD: Not advised

IdealPossibleNot advised

October–November and April–May. Cheese sold from June to October in the kharkas.

Winter: snow on the Gyajo La; monsoon: muddy road and trails.

On the trail

AccommodationTents on the high section (Panipakha to Ngeju), homestays in the villages.
BudgetOrganised trek: expect an agency package price.
MoneyNo ATM: withdraw cash in Kathmandu.
Mobile signalVery patchy.

Good to know before you go

Altitude: you sleep at 4,515 m at the lakes and cross a pass at 4,880 m. See Altitude and safety.

What about the visa? A two-week trek plus a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara quickly adds up to more than 15 days: get the 30-day visa. The calculator on our sister site Visa Nepal shows the cheapest length.

Which visa length?

Comments

A question, recent news from the trail, your own experience? Share it here.

Loading comments…

Other treks

AnnapurnaAnnapurna CircuitThe great classic, over the Thorong La pass9–20 days5,416 m maxDemandingMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekKhumbuEverest Base CampAt the foot of the roof of the world, via Namche and Kala Patthar11 days5,645 m maxDemandingGuide not requiredSee the trekEverest (Khumbu)Gokyo LakesTurquoise lakes and the finest view of Everest10–14 days5,645 m maxDemandingGuide not requiredSee the trekEverest (Khumbu)Three Passes TrekThe grand Khumbu loop over three passes above 5,300 m17 days5,645 m maxVery demandingGuide not requiredSee the trekAnnapurnaAnnapurna Base CampAn amphitheatre of ice at 4,130 m5–11 days4,130 m maxChallengingMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekAnnapurnaPoon HillSunrise over the Annapurnas in three days3–5 days3,210 m maxModerateMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekAnnapurnaKhopra DandaPoon Hill without the crowds, and a ridge facing Dhaulagiri6–7 days4,660 m maxChallengingMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekAnnapurnaMardi HimalA ridge facing Machapuchare, an hour from Pokhara5–6 days4,500 m maxChallengingMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekAnnapurna (Mustang)Upper MustangThe old kingdom of Lo, Tibet on foot, doable even in the monsoon5–13 days4,280 m maxChallengingAgency and guide mandatorySee the trekAnnapurnaNar Phu ValleyTwo timeless villages just off the Annapurna Circuit8–9 days5,320 m maxDemandingAgency and guide mandatorySee the trekLangtangLangtang ValleyGlaciers and Tamang villages, a day from Kathmandu6–10 days4,984 m maxModerateMandatory guide, checkedSee the trekLangtangGosainkunda LakeThe Hindus' sacred lake, four days from Kathmandu4–8 days4,610 m maxChallengingMandatory guide, checkedSee the trekEastern NepalMakalu Base CampAt the foot of the world's 5th-highest mountain, far from the crowds12–16 days4,830 m maxDemandingMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekWestern NepalRara LakeNepal's largest lake, at the far end of the west2–6 days3,680 m maxModerateMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekManasluTsum ValleyA Buddhist valley left apart, at the foot of Ganesh Himal9–17 days5,106 m maxChallengingAgency and guide mandatorySee the trekEastern NepalKanchenjungaAt the foot of the world's 3rd-highest peak, at the country's far eastern edge10–14 days5,140 m maxVery demandingAgency and guide mandatorySee the trekSolukhumbuPikey PeakSunrise over Everest, without a flight to Lukla5 days4,065 m maxModerateGuide not requiredSee the trekWestern Nepal (Dolpo)Phoksundo LakeDolpo's turquoise lake, at the far end of the west7 days3,680 m maxChallengingMandatory guide, checks varySee the trekManasluManaslu CircuitThe wild circuit, over the Larkya La11–13 days5,106 m maxDemandingAgency and guide mandatorySee the trek

Preparing your trek

PermitsPrices, where to buy, documents needed, trek by trek.Guide and porterMandatory or not, region by region, and what it costs.TransportBuses, jeeps and flights to the start of each trek.Altitude and safetyAcclimatisation, altitude sickness, rescue, insurance.BudgetDaily costs, cash to bring, ATMs.FAQThe questions people ask before they go.