Humla lies in the far west of Nepal, on the border between Nepal and China, and is used as the starting point for trekking and mountaineering, accessible from
Simikot Airport. The trekking route to Tibet also starts from Simikot.
Trekking ,
Nepal to the border of
Tibet at Hilsa on the bank of
Karnali River. The road is connected from
Lake Manasarovar close by
Mount Kailash in
Tibet. The Nepal section of
The Great Himalaya Trail ends in Humla at Hilsa at the border with Tibet. The Humla district is a historic part of the
Tibetan Buddhist religious tradition, with several points of interest for the history, culture and values of a typical Buddhist life. It has eleven small villages of Tibetan origin. The Nyin Community and the Limi Valley are inhabited by Buddhist communities.
Mt Kailash pilgrimage In recent years, Humla has grown in significance as a preferred route for the pilgrimage to
Mount Kailash in
Tibet. The route through Humla has historically involved taking an ancient foot trail from
Simikot to
Hilsa, that goes along the mountain slopes on the left side of the Humla Karnali river. Both historically and in the present times, this route has been used by locals for trading at the nearby old trade mart of
Taklakot in Tibet, and for undertaking the pilgrimage to the nearby holy sites of
Lake Manasarovar and
Mount Kailash in Tibet. This route involves a 4-5 day walk from
Simikot to Hilsa, with overnight stops at a few villages on the way. One needs to cross the 4,530m high Nara La pass on this route. However, with the surge in the popularity of this route for the Kailash pilgrimage, travel companies offer helicopter flights to cover the distance from Simikot from Hilsa, which takes about 20 minutes. Furthermore, a motorable road is in the process of being built from Hilsa to Simikot. Nonetheless, if one wishes to fully experience the physically and spiritually elevating effects of a mountain pilgrimage, then the slower, physically more engaged way of walking this route is the better way of doing this pilgrimage. For an even greater immersive experience into the mountain cultures and ecology of this remote part of the Nepal Himalayas, one can take a detour at the confluence of the Humla Karnali and Salli Khola rivers, and thereby go to Hilsa via the
Nyalu La pass and the
Limi valley. On this second route, one can take another detour to visit the Lapcha La pass, very close to the border with China, from where, on a clear day, one can get majestic open views of
Lake Manasarovar and
Mount Kailash. Currently, Humla can only be reached by air or on foot. Road transport is still under construction and may take several years to be fully accessible.
Sarki Temple The Sarki Temple, in Sirkigad Rural Municipality, is dedicated to the ancestral deity of the Sarki community. It is believed that if someone seeks justice after being wronged or committing a crime, they will receive fair and strict judgment upon visiting this temple. Just like the wind deity, the Sarki deity is considered a powerful god who has the ability to dominate and control other deities. ==See also==