KVRT Section III: Sanga to Persey Ridge

This is a fantastic two day hike (or one long ass run). We highly recommend this section – it is a unique way to climb and descend Pulchowki and you will probably see no other hikers and very few people. Both sides of this segment are fairly easy to get to from the city, Sanga is on the main highway leading to Dhulikhel and it has a huge stature of Buddha (or Shiva?). It is easy to grab a bus or a taxi to or from. After a good climb there are a series of rolling hills, small communities, and some sections of paved road to traverse.

This might take 3-4 hours before you start to climb in earnest up the main ridges to Pulchowki. This is a very long slog but most of the trail by now is dedicated trekking trail that was once well built – whether it is still being maintained is another question. We camped about three quarters up this ridge at an obvious campsite (see GPS way point) others had used with amazing views – note that you will want to carry plenty of water, or you may be able to get some from some houses about 45 minutes before the campsite. From our campsite is was another hour or so up good trail following the ridge to the the road near the top of Pulchowki. The very top is surrounded by chain link and concertina fence and is fortified with soldiers who appear to be guarding an air traffic control tower that was donated by Japan. So be it – but they are nice soldiers and will allow you through the main entrance where it takes all of 3 minutes to reach the true summit. They also operate a small concession shop and will sell you bottles of water and toothpaste should you be in need. Backtracking a bit and dropping down for 20 minutes or so on the dirt road that most people use to climb Pulchowki, there is a small junction (and also a trail leading to a Helipad) and then some really amazing trail that feels a bit like Indiana Jones territory. It is fairly overgrown but still navigable and super fun. In fact, the next few hours will be like this as you drop down various ridges on trail that includes thousands of stone steps. The amount of work that went into building this must have been immense and it is sad that virtually no one hikes these trails anymore. After a couple hours you reach Posan junction on Persey Ridge.

Approach trail (or exit): Take a bus to Satobato road (there are two, so be careful) then a microbus about 25 minutes to Thaukhel. From here it is a 20 minute walk along dirt jeep tracks (there are a couple options) to the Lion’s Forest sign where trail starts up Persey ridge. This trail is overgrown but fun, beautiful, and as long as you follow the ridge you will be fine. It took us several hours to reach Posan Junction and the KVRT. We had a sweet Kathmandu street dog attach itself to us for 2 days during our scouting trip from Thaukel to Sanga and I nicknamed her ‘Perseverance’, thus ‘Persey Ridge.’