Car/Jeep 3
h 30 minutes (60 kms to Shermathang
via Jorpati Melamchi)
Bus 5
hours (100 kms to Shermathang via Dhulikhel)
Located in the northwestern part of Sindhupalchok district, Helambu is a rural
municipality. Five villages namely Mahankal, Ichok, Palchok, Kiul and Helambu were combined to make Helambu rural municipality.
The area of the VDC is
287.26 sq km and the altitude ranges from 900 m to 5000 m.
To the east of the village is Panch Pokhari Thangpal Rural
Municipality, Dupcheshwor Municipality of Nuwakot lies to the west, Panch
Pokhari Thangpal and Gosaikund Municipality to the
north and Melamchi Municipality to the
south.
Some parts of Helambu lies in the Langtang National Park. Here
Tarke Ghyang, Melamchi-ghyang, Sermanthang, Ama Yangri, Milarepa Cave,
Ghoptegyang, Chitre Danda and Guru Rinpoche hill are most
popular among visitors.
Helambu is considered the holy land ‘Beyul’,
which is set aside for yoga and meditation by Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava. There are also
caves where Padmasambhava and Buddhist
Yogi Milarepa meditated. Palanchok Bhagawati, the
center of faith of Hindus, is also located here.
Situated on the lap of Jugal Himal, Helambu is the balcony which
provides breathtaking views of mountain peaks from Langtang to Everest. Helambu is home to Hyolmo people in the upper
region, Tamang in the middle region
and Khas Arya community in the
lower region.
There is a dense jungle in Helambu. Rare red pandas are also found
here. There is paddy cultivation in the lower belt of the Helambu area. There are also
rainbow trout fish farms. To the top
of the lakeside, there are cattle and sheep herds. Helambu is also the source of
Melamchi drinking water. The Helambu area is connected to
the Gosaikund trek, the Helambu trek, the Langtang trek and the Panch
Pokhari trek.
The best time to visit Helambu is from mid-September
to mid-December.
How to reach
By road: Kathmandu’s Jorpati to Sankhu, and further Melamchi to Sermanthang is 60 km. It takes 3.5 hours by Jeep. Another option is from Kathmandu – Dhulikhel – Jirokilo - Melamchi to Sermanthang is 100 km. Just five hours by bus. Similarly, Sundarijal – Chisapani - Kutumsang is 38 km.
हेलम्बु
गाउँपालिकाको पूर्वमा पाँचपोखरी थाङपाल गाउँपालिका, पश्चिममा
नुवाकोटको दुप्चेश्वर गाउँपालिका, उत्तरमा पाँचपोखरी थाङपाल र
गोसाईंकुण्ड गाउँपालिका र दक्षिणमा मेलम्ची नगरपालिका छन् ।
हेलम्बुको केही भाग लाङटाङ राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्जमा पर्छ ।
यहाँका तार्केघ्याङ, मेलम्चीघ्याङ, शेर्माथाङ, काजेघ्याङ, आमा
याङ्ग्री, कुटुमसाङ, मिलारेपा
केभ, घोप्टेघ्याङ, चित्रे
डाँडा, गुरु रिम्पोचे डाँडा आदि चर्चित ठाउँ
हुन् ।
गुरु रिम्पोछे अर्थात् पद्मसम्भवले योग र ध्यानका लागि
छुट्टयाएको पवित्र भूमि ‘बेयुल’ मानिन्छ
हेलम्बु । त्यहाँ पद्मसम्भव ध्यानमा बसेको र बौद्ध योगी मिलारेपाले ध्यान गरेका
गुफा पनि छन् । साथै हिन्दू धर्मावलम्बीको आस्थाको केन्द्र पाल्चोक भगवती पनि छन्
।
जुगल हिमालको काखमा बसेको हेलम्बुबाट लाङटाङ
हिमशृङ्खलादेखि सगरमाथासम्म देखिन्छ । हेलम्बुको माथिल्लो भेकमा ह्योल्मो, बीचमा
तामाङ र तल्लो क्षेत्रमा खस आर्य समुदायको बसोबास छ ।
हेलम्बुमा घना जङ्गल छ । त्यहाँ विभिन्न जीवजन्तुका साथमा
दुर्लभ रेडपाण्डासमेत पाइन्छ । हेलम्बु क्षेत्रको तल्लो भागमा धान खेती हुन्छ ।
त्यहाँ रेन्बो ट्राउट माछाका फार्महरू पनि छन् । माथि लेकतिर चौंरी र भेडा गोठ छन्
।
काठमाडौंवासीको खानेपानी ‘मेलम्ची
खानेपानीको’ मुहान पनि हेलम्बु हो । हेलम्बु
क्षेत्र गोसाईंकुण्ड पदमार्ग, हेलम्बु पदमार्ग, लाङटाङ
पदमार्ग र पाँचपोखरी पदमार्गसँग जोडिएको छ ।
असोजदेखि मंसिरसम्म हेलम्बु घुम्ने उत्तम समय हो ।
कसरी पुग्नेः
काठमाडौंको जोरपाटी (नारायणटार) बाट साँखु, जहरसिंहपौवा
मेलम्ची हुँदै ६० कि.मि. बाटो पार गरेपछि शेर्माथाङ पुगिन्छ । जीपमा ३.५ घण्टा
लाग्छ । अर्को विकल्प काठमाडौंबाट धुलिखेल, जिरोकिलो, मेलम्ची
हुँदै शेर्माथाङ १०० कि.मि., बसमा ५ घण्टा लाग्छ । त्यस्तै
सुन्दरीजल–चिसोपानी–कुटुमसाङ
३८ कि.मि. छ ।
