During the first two days the route of the trekking went along at a relatively low altitude. The rainy season had just finished and the predominant colour was green. The steep slopes of the Marsyandi Valley were covered with rice terraces or lush tropical vegetation.
The trail was incredibly picturesque. Many times we had to cross spectacular, but solid, hanging bridges spanning the banks of the Marsyandi River. Just past the village of Chamje, the valley, which had been wide so far, began to narrow. We followed a stony trail cut into a very steep slope several hundred meters above the raging river.
Bridges in Marsyangdi Valley are quite solid and some - like this in Syangye village - very picturesque. I was lucky to catch a morning mist, smoke and incredible light
Humans and animals are the only means of transport in the Himalayas. Everything must be carried on their backs. Many times we had to overtake long caravans of mules carrying supplies for villages located above. Porters often perform the same hard work and we could really admire their endurance. Their load can sometimes exceed 100 kg!
Suddenly our steep climb ended, the valley widened and we stared out stunned by the spectacular view of the village of Tal, surrounded by a stony wall. The valley of Tal is quite an extraordinary place. This is not only an administrative border between the two districts of Lamjung and Manang but also a cultural, architectonic and climatic border. People living up the valley are Buddhists of Tibetan origin; earthen houses give way to wooden houses with flat roofs; much less precipitation in the northern region causes the tropical vegetation to give way to firs and pines, a more typical covering for high-elevation areas.
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