Nupchu Pokhari and Ghumante Pokhari, Taplejung

This story takes place after we returned from Pangpema Base Camp. Another, our long Kanchenjunga trip. About a gem of a lake probably not seen anywhere in photos, videos, newspaper, television or any other media outlets till now which is easily one of the most stunning lakes in Nepal. Nupchu Pokhari (lake). Khambachen is the gateway to Northern Base Camp of Kanchenjunga in Pangpema. After returning from Pangpema, we stayed a little longer in Khambachenas we had our friend Nupu here and also hoping that the weather might get a bit better. We spent an extra 4 days in Khambachen. Don’t use all the oil, save some for me. It was potato harvest season and everyone was busy in the fields. Nupu and mother and sister had also come from Ghunsa to help in the harvest. All that potato there is just from this freshly dug section of the field. So much potatoes from such a little area. Wow Since peak tourist season was just around the corner, construction work was also in frenzy. The work on new cottages at Nupu had finished. That peak over there, the highest one we call it Mera Peak. 

The hills in front of it, as you can see it is all black there was a huge wildfire on it. Me; in our language is fire. Ra; means on the other side so the mountain got its name as it is on the other side of this huge cliff and hill which was engulfed by a massive fire once upon a time. On this side, now that peak is part of the Kanchanjunga range. Kanchanjunga proper is just behind this central black hill. This range consists of big mountains like Kanchanjunga, Yalung Kham, Khambachen and others. But from here, we cannot see them except Kumbhakarna. Kumbhakarna actually has 3 names. In Nepali, Kumbhakarna of course. Another is Jyanu and then Phaktanglung. Kirat people call it Phaktanglung while us Bhot Tibetans call it Khangejyunaa. That one is Sobitonge. The last is Khaburkhangje or just Khabur. There is another mountain behind it called Fulesobi. But we cannot see it from here. We have to go a little way off to see it. These here, this one Sarphu 1. That one is Sarphu 2. Sarphu 4 here. The last one we cannot see. There is a valley called Nuphchu valley. Just beyond the valley is a lake called Nuphchu and the Nuphchu Peak. Behind this hills are Mt. Sarphu 5, 6 and 3. That house over there this is the original house of our ancestors. It is said that our community today all are descendants from this one house. Our great grandparents all were born here apparently. And then the sons started their own families and separated from the main home. And we spread all over. Who lives there now? It is vacant now. Nobody lives there. A grandma used to live there but she is in Ghunsa now. I use it sometimes. The workers constructing my house are actually residing there at the moment. There was no phone signal in Khambachen. 

But we were told that a faint signal can be received on a hill across the river. So, visited that hill as well to both take a stroll and update our family and friends. There was no good trail to climb that hill. When we somehow navigated to the top, we were taken by surprise. Just below the foot of the hill on the other side was a small pretty lake. When we asked around, nobody knew what this lake was called. Or more precisely that this lake doesn’t have a name yet. So we are in love with this lake and this view. So, for now, for those of you watching this, we are going to call it Ghumante (traveller) lake. If you also ever come to Khambachen and spend a rest of day here which we highly recommend doing. Please visit this lake the Ghumante Pokhari. A very nice view from here of Mt. Kumbhakarnu or Jannu. And these two mountains, stunning view. Just make sure to wear warm clothes. The wind here is freezing. The reflections of mighty Kumbhakarna, Sobitonge and Khaburkhangje in the lake made it seem surreal. We had seen some clouds coming from the direction of Ghunsa. The moment the clouds came upto where we were, it covered everything so rapidly. Everything changed drastically. It is said the weather and temperature of mountains in unpredictable. 

Things can change so drastically within a second. The cold has also increased so much. When the lake was covered by fog, we descended down. There was a yak shed just at the bottom of the hill. We spent some time there. When we reached Khambchen, we found that the Limbu construction workers were playing shot put. We learned that in the mountain areas of Taplejung, Limbu community people were famous for their skills as carpenters, masons and artisans. Be careful. You might slip and fall. This river that you see flowing past our Khambachen valley, if you follow it to the mountains there is a big valley, so much bigger than Khambachen. At the end of that valley where even the trail ends, if somehow we can cross that over, we reach a place called Yangma. If you reach Yangma, you step into Tibet of course. Even though there is no trail, at the end of that valley there are two big lakes. This river also actually originates from those lakes. Since the lake is named Nupchu, we call this river Nupchu river. Nup means west as in direction and chu means water in our language. So, Nupchu means a water body on the west side. And that is how the lake got its name. After Nupu told us about Nupchu Lake, we planned on going to see it the next day.

Ghumante