06/06/2015
SUMMER 2015 NEWSLETTER
Hi Friends,
Nepal was hit by a large earthquake on April 25, but we are all well - staff, families, and friends. Thanks to many of you for your concern and support.
Nepal is by no means the devastated country the media has shown you. We know well that the business of news is sensationalism. There certainly are places that have suffered seriously, but most of the country wasn't really affected.
The attached map shows the main quake (far left, in pink) and the cluster of aftershocks that followed. Only one part of the country was involved. Even within this area the extent of the damage is very uneven.
Kathmandu is operating normally now. Modern buildings here stood up well to the quake, with only a few-percent damaged. (Many of those violated the building code.) Old buildings didn't do as well: Many fell or were cracked, and a lot of heritage was damaged. The three old-city squares each lost temples, and the Tibetan monastery at Swayambhunath was damaged. The tall white tower in the center of town that you may remember fell down. All of the sightseeing spots though have been cleaned up and will reopen for visitors by mid-June.
In the countryside east and west of Kathmandu towns that suffered damaged lost most or all of the houses in the town. These, like the old buildings in Kathmandu, were built with clay mortar rather than cement. The need for shelter and food in those areas remains urgent. We have sent trucks of rice, tents, and supplies to those places, aided by generous donations from a few of our "alumni." The educational charity we work with, Empower Nepali Girls, is supporting communities where they have scholarship students.
All roads and airports are open throughout the country. National parks are open except Langtang. Schools are getting back to regular classes this week. Hotels, restaurants, businesses, and offices are all operating normally. Communications and internet are up and normal.
FALL TRAVEL?
One of the best things you can do for Nepal's recovery is to visit. Spending your travel dollars here provides jobs, always better than aid. Nepalis are amazingly resilient and unfailingly hospitable, and they welcome you.
Pokhara and the Annapurna are essentially untouched. That includes the Mustang area and the circuit route. Dolpo to the west is amazing in early fall (camping treks only).
The Everest region had a lot of structural damage along the first two days of the trail, but very few casualties or injuries. That damage will certainly be cleaned up enough by fall to support trekkers. Kanchenjunga to the east is a great, tough route (camping treks only).
All national parks are open, and Pokhara's attractions like hang-gliding, ultralight flights, a zip-line, and sunrise walks are in full swing.
In the Langtang region north of Kathmandu the quake triggered severe landslides. The northern route to Kyangjin Gompa will not be ready for the fall season, but the trek to Gosainkund may be. The epicenter of the main quake was close to the trail to Tsum Valley and the Manaslu circuit routes. That area was heavily affected. I expect that there will be no trekking permits issued for Manaslu this fall.
Sightseeing in Kathmandu will be a bit different now. Some buildings will have to be imagined until they are rebuilt, but there's a new layer now to the rich stories of the places they stood and will stand again.
The Region
Bhutan, Lhasa, and India are out of the earthquake zone and ready for you. Bhutan remains a different world. Tibet is one of the most amazing travel experiences in the world, and India is incredible - a continent of astonishing variety.
Networking News
We have a page: Search for "Friends In High Places Trekking" and come look, Like us, and post comments and photos.
If you haven't visited our website, www.fihp.com, in a while, come see. There's a new look, easier navigation, and tons of content to dig into.
Travel forums are now a common way for prospective visitors to learn about destinations and agencies like ours, who arrange holidays. We would appreciate past guests writing a one or two paragraph review of your visit. The best posts are not endorsements: Say something about your trek or tour, offer advice to other travelers, highlight something great that happened during your visit, and mention us once by name - "Friends in High Places Trekking".
TripAdvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g293889-i9243-Nepal.html
Click the orange Ask a Question button
Choose Nepal from the pop-up menu that says Select Forum
Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=16&keywordid=68
Click the blue Post New Topic button
Namaste from the gang,
AD and John, Dubby, Pasang, Kalden and all of us at Friends in High Places.
