Gosai Kund Trek (Nepal)
Text and Photographs by Mr. Sachin Vaidya
Gosai Kund is a lake in Nepal's Langtang National Park, located at an elevation of 14,370 feet in the Rasuwa District with a surface area of 34 acres. Together with associated lakes, the Gosai Kund lake complex is 2,500 acres in size and was designated a Ramsar site in 2007. Gosai Kund feeds the Trishuli River. It is said that there are in total 108 lakes.
According to legend, Lord Shiva pierced his trident into the ground to tap water to soothe his stinging throat after समुद्र मंथन (churning of sea) when he swallowed poison.
Annual pilgrimage is conducted at Gosai Kund on Janai Purnima (as per Nepali calendar), approximately during August (as per Western calendar).
Newar community calls Gosai Kund 'Silu'. Silu was the first movie to be made in the Newar language.
To the best of my knowledge, no tour company from India organizes fixed departures to Gosai Kund. I did the trek in association with Travel Destinations (9867045068), Mumbai. It was neither a fixed departure programme nor any other trekker accompanied me. I did the trek from 27th October to 3rd November 2024 (eight days from Mumbai to Mumbai).
Day 1
Day 1 was aeroplane journey from Mumbai to Kathmandu (4,593 feet above sea level). I was received by a tour company representative at the airport by putting a silk cloth around my neck.
The night halt was at Hotel Arts in the Thamel area of Kathmandu.
Day 2
I left the hotel around 7 am and by taxi, went to the shared jeep stand. In the photograph, I am with my guide, Chiranjeevi.
The next photograph is with my porter, Veeru.
En route, around 10 am, I had a coffee break, and my staff had lunch.
En route, I had a sight of Ganesh Himal.
Around 12-30, we reached Dhunche (6,560 feet). The total jeep journey was around 116 km. We stayed at a guest house.
Dhunche was an entry point to Langtang National Park.
After 4 in the evening, it started getting dark and cold.
The night halt was at Dhunche.
Day 3
I left Dhunche around 7 am.
A twenty-seven-foot-high statue of Guru (teacher) Rimpoche was at Dhunche.
As in the case of other Nepali treks, signboards were put on the trekking route.
The day's trek started from a low altitude and ended at a high altitude.
The Nepalese army had put up boards to conserve wildlife.
Prayer flags were an indication of the Buddhist population.
Suspension bridges were unique to Nepalese treks.
There was a tiny temple near the trek route.
Hotels and lodges had placed their advertisements along the trek route.
There was a stream, a bridge, a Buddha statue, and a resting place.
The Red Panda was a protected animal in Nepal.
The trek route passed through dense forest.
There was a stream and a wooden bridge upon it.
Around 9 am, I was at a place called Bethang Khor.
Electricity poles were visible throughout. I was surprised to note that electricity was everywhere up to Gosai Kund. If I had known this, I would have carried an electric kettle to heat water for drinking and making tea. Normally in Nepal, guest houses located on trekking route have solar power, and hence, electric kettles cannot be used.
October end was the beginning of winter. however, a few wildflowers were visible in the jungle.
I had a tea break en route at Khendi [7,545 feet].
Signboards were everywhere; there was no chance of missing the way.
I was nearing Dhimsa at 12-22 in the afternoon.
My next destination was Chandan Bari.
En route, I spotted a horse that might have been used for carrying trekkers/pilgrims.
During the annual fair, pilgrims use temporary shelters.
I went ahead towards the final destination for the day, i.e., Sing Gompa.
Around 02-30 pm, I reached Sing Gompa [10,872 feet].
Evening tea was refreshing in cold weather.
The night halt was at Sing Gompa.
Day 4
I left Sing Gompa at 07-30 am.
As the village Buddhist temple was closed, I left after taking a photograph.
Chortens [Buddhist monuments] were visible in the vicinity.
Our destination for the day was Lauribina [12,795 feet].
Even though I was gaining altitude, snow was nowhere visible on the mountains.
During the last week of October, trees were getting ready for winter.
Signboards by the Nepalese army accompanied trekkers/pilgrims throughout.
At 08-40 am, I reached a place called Dharmadwar [11,506 feet].
The path was comfortable to walk on with no ups and downs.
Cholangpati [11,759 feet] was an entry point to Langtang National Park.
Cholangpati was a Buddhist religious site.
The colour of leaves and flowers was red.
Surprisingly, the whole trek route had electricity.
Do's and don'ts were put up by the park authorities at many places.
En route, there was another Buddha painting.
Beautiful wild flowers were aplenty.
Only shrubs were visible at high altitude.
At 10-20 am, I reached the destination of the day: Lauribina [12,795 feet]. Chiranjivi and I discussed the possibility of walking to Gosai Kund and staying there overnight. However, I decided to stay at Lauribina as the night temperature at Gosai Kund would have reached below zero degrees at night.
It was cold and windy even in the morning.
I did not venture out of the lodge for the rest of the day and night. The following photographs were shot by me before 5 pm.
It was a very cold night at Lauribina; however, the temperature was unknown.
Day 5
I left Lauribina around 05-45 am.
It was biting cold.
Even at high altitude, remote places were enjoying electricity and internet connectivity!
The distance from Lauribina to Gosai Kund [14,370 feet] was 4 km.
Even though Gosai Kund was a Hindu pilgrimage site, the population was largely Buddhist.
As it was freezing cold, Veeru - the porter - lent me his hand gloves. I did not put on my thick hand gloves as I could not do photography while wearing them. I requested Veeru to shoot some photographs with my camera, and he obliged.
Chiranjeevi had a selfie of three of us (including Veeru).
The Nepalese army had put up a plaque listing development work carried out by it, including railings on the trekking/pilgrimage route, shade for the Buddha statue, and rest shelters for pilgrims/trekkers.
The snow-capped mountains were appearing near.
Snow particles were visible on the rocks in the early morning.
On the way towards Gosai Kund, there was a relatively small lake [possibly Bhairav Kund].
Around 8-00 am, I had my first glimpse of Gosai Kund.
Gosai Kund had lodges with electricity and internet connectivity! I did not stay there as the temperature would have dropped below zero degrees Celsius!
After a refreshing cup of coffee, I started to explore the high-altitude lake.
The following map depicts Gosai Kund and its associated lakes.
I visited the Lord Shiva temple on the banks of Gosai Kund.
From the Lord Shiva temple, there were steps to go to Gosai Kund.
I proceeded to the place where Lord Shiva is believed to have pierced his trident to create a body of water.
I did not perform circumambulation and retraced my steps on the same route.
Some other people were also found approaching the place. They misunderstood that I was a Nepali citizen and spoke to me in the Nepali language!
By the time I returned, Chiranjeevi - my guide - had finished his holy dip in the lake and was ready for departure.
After the photoshoot, we started our return journey.
I reached Lauribina at 11-10 am.
I reached Rasuva [10,663 feet] at 01-45 pm. The village had a cheese factory.
I reached Dhimsa [9,514 feet] at 02-26 pm.
I reached Deurali [8,202 feet] at 03-45 pm.
Day 6
I left Deurali around 6 am.
It was the last day of the trek.
I was retracing the same way.
It was a misty morning.
Around 06-40 am, we reached Khendi.
I was eager to catch a bus at Dhunche, which was the end of the trek.
At 08-43 am, I reached Ghattekhola.
I crossed the last suspension bridge of the trek.
Around a five-minute walk from the suspension bridge, there was another metal bridge.
At 09-13 am, I reached Sapche [6,662 feet].
At 09-30 am, I reached Dhunche.
We all three partly walked towards the bus, and partly the bus staff gave three of us [each one separately] a lift on a two-wheeler up to the standing bus. The bus started around 10-15 am and reached Kathmandu around 03-15 pm. From the bus stop, we went to the Thamel area, and I stayed in a budget hotel. The night halt was at Kathmandu.
Day 7
As I completed the trek a day in advance, I arrived in Kathmandu a day early. I visited Patan Durbar Square in Lalitpur at my own expense on the second last day of my Nepal visit. Patan Durbar Square is one of the three Durbar Squares in Nepal; the others are located in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. During my previous visit to Nepal, I visited Kathmandu Durbar Square, also known as Basantapur Durbar Square. I wish to visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square during my next visit.
Lalitpur city is adjacent to Kathmandu city. The Patan Durbar Square complex is divided into two parts: the open area and the museum area. The open area appeared to be ticket-free for Nepalese citizens; however, a ticket was compulsory for non-Nepalese citizens. As in the case of Kathmandu Durbar Square, there were no entry and exit gates for Patan Durbar Square. Both Durbar Squares were open areas separated from the other areas by public transport roads.
Patan Durbar Square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It abounds with courtyards, temples, and palace buildings. It is a spectacular example of Newar architecture. Most of the temples' sanctum sanctorum were closed to the public. I was surprised to note that for entry into a temple, where the sanctum sanctorum was open, tourists were allowed to retain their footwear!
Photographs shot by me are available at the following link:
The night halt was [again] at Hotel Arts in the Thamel area of Kathmandu.
Day 8
The last day was an aeroplane journey from Kathmandu to Mumbai. I appeal to trekkers/pilgrims to undertake the Gosai Kund trek in association with a Nepalese tour company, as no Indian tour company offers a fixed departure there.
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