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Difficulty level : challenging
Duration : approximately 7-8 hours
Private tour price : US$150 per person (1 person); US$ 250 (2 persons); US$ 80 (per extra person)
The most natural path is that of water running its course. Following this ancient wisdom, the Shu Du Gang River Trek traces the meandering course of Ringha’s holy river away from the vast plain of the valley into the mountains. The trail winds through a mixture of pine forest and cherry trees that are much loved for their blossoms in spring.
Walking along the edge of the mountain high above the river, you will be mesmerized by the inspiring sound of water rushing beneath you. A picnic lunch is prepared in the comfort of a shady birch tree grove by the river, right between two rock cliffs, where hidden behind the foliage it is possible to spot flighty wildlife and listen to the distant sounds of the forest. Bears and wolves are known to have roamed these parts of the woods in the past, but you would have to be extremely lucky to encounter one these days.
The short rest stop fortifies you for the ascent to the peak. After an hour-long climb through tall pine forest past swaying bamboo bushes draped with soft lichen you reach the top. The path continues along a 700-year-old hunting route that moves discreetly in and out of the forest and opens up to the expanse of the blue sky and rolling mountain ranges: the “Roof of the World” lies before you.
Strolling down the soft mountain path reveals Ringha Valley and Shu Du Gang River in all their beauty. With each step the picturesque vista becomes clearer until you finally reach Nari Meadow, a hilltop pasture that offers an unsurpassed view of Ringha’s six villages and the surrounding mountaintops.
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