III - The CaravanSerai Himalayan Trade Roads

A Walkable Journey Along Salt, Pilgrimage, and Mountain

Exchange Routes

This journey is not an expedition. It is a living mountain corridor, following paths used for centuries by traders, pilgrims, monks, and mule caravans carrying salt, wool, grain, metals, and ritual objects between high valleys and lowlands.

These roads were never about speed. They were about breath, balance, and trust.

The route is experienced at walking pace, where distance is measured by altitude gained, loads lightened, and time given to rest.

Overview

Total Duration: 18-24 days (flexible, acclimatisation-based)
Walking: 5-15 km per day, depending on altitude
Transport: Jeep, local bus (valley transitions only)
Focus: Salt trade, wool, ritual objects, pilgrimage, mountain life
Spirit: Non-summit, non-competitive, deeply observant

Best Time to Travel

Spring (March-May) - Rhododendron bloom, active trade paths, clear mornings

Autumn (September-November) - Stable weather, pilgrimage season, post-monsoon clarity

Avoid:

June-August (monsoon, landslides)
December-February (snow, closed passes)

THE ROUTE

Stage I - Kathmandu Valley

The Lowland Gate of the High Roads

Here, goods arrive heavy. They will not leave that way.

Day 1 - Arrival in Kathmandu

Walking: 6-9 km (old city, temple routes)
Historical Note: Kathmandu sat at the crossroads of Indo-Tibetan trade, linking the plains of India with Himalayan salt routes
Short Story: Traders checked loads by sound, listening for hollow stone and cracked resin
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Incense resins, ritual oils, small travel cloths

Day 2 - Kathmandu Valley Exploration

Walking: 8-12 km (temple circuits, markets)
Historical Note: Pilgrimage and trade moved together; markets clustered near sacred sites
Short Story: Bells rang not for time, but for presence
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Prayer-incense blends, beeswax candles

Stage II - Middle Hills: The Ascent Begins

Where Goods Lighten and Breath Slows

Day 3 - Kathmandu → Pokhara

Transport: Tourist bus or short flight
Walking Pokhara: 5-7 km
Historical Note: Pokhara functioned as a rest and redistribution point before mountain crossings
Short Story: Porters repacked loads, removing all but what mattered
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Lightweight textiles, travel oils

Day 4 - Pokhara → Nayapul → Tikhedhunga

Transport: Jeep or bus to Nayapul
Walking: 7-9 km
Historical Note: Mule paths replaced roads; tolls were paid in salt or grain
Short Story: Stone steps measured effort, not distance
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Protective incense, grounding oils

Day 5 - Tikhedhunga → Ghorepani

Walking: 8-10 km (steep ascent)
Historical Note: Ghorepani served as a caravan rest point along ridge routes
Short Story: Fires burned low; conversation did not
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Wool layers, warming oils

Day 6 - Ghorepani → Poon Hill → Tadapani

Walking: 10-12 km
Historical Note: Sunrise rituals aligned with pilgrimage calendars and seasonal movement
Short Story: Silence at dawn replaced trade
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Meditation textiles, ritual incense

Stage III - High Valleys: Salt & Wool Exchange

Where Trade and Prayer Share the Path

Here, hospitality replaces transaction.

Day 7 - Tadapani → Chhomrong

Walking: 7-9 km
Historical Note: Villages specialised in lodging and food rather than goods
Short Story: Hospitality was the currency
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Floor cushions, travel poufs

Day 8 - Chhomrong → Bamboo

Walking: 6-8 km
Historical Note: Forest zones supplied fuel, timber, and medicinal plants
Short Story: Resin scent marked altitude
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Forest incense blends

Day 9 - Bamboo → Deurali

Walking: 7-10 km
Historical Note: Landslide zones required patience and collective trust
Short Story: Waiting preserved life
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Protective ritual oils

Day 10 - Deurali → Annapurna Base Camp

Walking: 8-10 km
Historical Note: High basins functioned as seasonal meeting grounds and offering sites
Short Story: Offerings replaced negotiations
CaravanSerai Product Connection: None - ritual presence only

Stage IV - Descent & Redistribution

What Goes Up Must Be Carried Down

Day 11 - Annapurna Base Camp → Bamboo

Walking: 12-15 km (descent)
Historical Note: Return loads carried news more than goods
Short Story: Stories travelled faster downhill
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Journals, travel cloths

Day 12 - Bamboo → Jhinu Danda

Walking: 7-9 km
Historical Note: Hot springs marked rest points for caravans
Short Story: Heat loosened what cold held tight
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Bath oils, grounding blends

Day 13 - Jhinu Danda → Nayapul → Pokhara

Walking: 5-7 km
Transport: Jeep or bus
Historical Note: Goods re-entered lowland markets here
Short Story: Loads were weighed again, but differently
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Larger textiles, layered pieces

Stage V - Integration & Return

Day 14 - Pokhara Observation Day

Walking: Minimal
Historical Note: Traders paused to account, not rush onward
Short Story: Stillness restored judgment
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Signature incense blends

Day 15 - Pokhara → Kathmandu

Transport: Bus or flight
Walking Kathmandu: Optional
Historical Note: Final redistribution and ritual closure
Short Story: What returned was never identical to what left
CaravanSerai Product Connection: Heirloom-intention objects

Maps & Distances

Walking icons for footpaths and villages
Lines for jeep and bus corridors
Dots for lodges and caravan rest points

Daily walking: 5-15 km

Altitude gain: Gradual, acclimatisation-based

Philosophy of the Route

These mountains taught trade without accumulation. What could not be carried was left behind.

What mattered was remembered.

Walk slowly. Breathe fully. Carry lightly.

The path remains. You are invited to walk it with respect.

CaravanSerai Gypsy