Life source of the Himalayas:
The Yak: If you are fortunate enough to go trekking in the high Himalaya, during your visit in Nepal, you will undoubtedly come across the Yak. This shaggy beast, a short of high-altitude cow, is the animal most often associated with the Himalayas. In mountain mythology Yaks frequently served as messengers of the gods, but far Himalayan villagers are an indispensable part of daily life.
In the high Himalayan valleys, most people have saved means of Live hood, Farming, Trading and herding sheep and yaks. Originally the yaks were a wild beast which roomed the Tibetan plateau. Particularly suited for high altitude living above 3000 meters, the Yak is one of the centuries they have been domesticated and sometimes crosses bred by the local population, but they remain shy creatures wary of strangers and prone to erratic behaviors.
In the high-altitude Himalaya, such as at Mt. Everest Basecamp for expedition groups, male yaks are the main means of transporting goods. They can move up to 100 kg of cargo over treacherous trails and snow-filled passes. Long yak caravans are a common sight in the mountains between Nepal and Tibet. Lead yaks are highly trained animals that follow their owners’ instructions and know the trails well; they can plow through four feet of unbroken snow without stumbling. The lead yaks are respected because they don’t carry loads like the other yaks do and are adorned with bells and vibrant red tassels.
In this caravan, which can have up to fifty yaks or more… the main cargo brought from Tibet is rock salt, dried sheep’s meat, wools, thermos, flashlights, saddle carpet, worked silver, Chinese manufacturing goods, shoes, teacups, and etc. … Often these traders sell their wares in the high Valleys, but if they decide to trade at lower elevation, then the loads are transferred from the yaks to mules and horses. Rice, tea, sugar, kerosene, and clothes are carried on the return trip.
The females Yak called Dri or Nak, are even more productive than the males for they give rich milk, essential to the diets of the mountain people. This milk is especially tasty because of the diet of high mountain herbs, the locals say the higher the Nak, grazes the sweeter the milk. In mountain areas where the variety of foods is limited, the product is derived from Nak milk. Assume great importance the people of this region drink more tea than anywhere else in the world, theory to fifty cups a day. This tea is not what the foreigners would expect, it is made with milk, butter and salt blended in a tall wooden churn. It resembles a soup more than tea, and it fortifies the people against the cold. The milks of nak are also made into cheese and yo- ghurt. The cheese is dried in the sun or over an open fire to preserve it for the winter months, when dairy products are scarce. This is called Churpi a favorite snack for mountain people.
Both Names and Yaks provide high quality wool, rich in lanolin and long of fiber. This creates a whole weaving industry of tents, blankets, ropes, and clothes. The meat of the animals is eaten fresh or more often dried into jerky.
Yak herders are semi- nomadic people. They live in their own village, only during the cold winter months, following the season and the grass they move as often as six times a year. With the warm weather they move up the mountain sides, reaching the heights pastures in the summer. Some go up as high as 6000meters.
The hikers will pass by the Yak herders’ elevated summer settlements and may even set up camp there. These towns are built differently in each location. Some are hearth-equipped solid stone structures similar to those found in the Langtang valley. Shelves and locking doors. Simple bamboo homes that are carried from pasture to pasture with the herd are found in other parts of the Solukhumbu district. From May through September, the cattle and their herders reside in the summer pastures. The females give birth during this time, which increases their ability to produce milk. The herders take care of their personal requirements and save half of the dairy milk for the young.
With the advent of autumn, the herds are slowly moving back down. Spring is a time of festivals for the departure of the herders from their home to the pastures above. Summer is probably the favorite season because the weather is warm, and the grass and milk are plentiful. Fall brings much work, for their winter fodder must be cut, dried and stored.
The number of yaks in a man’s herd represents his wealth. A Yak is a substantial investment for the Himalayan dweller and an important piece of property. Yaks may live thirty years; their age is visible by the length of their horns. They mate and produce milk between the age of thirteen and twenty-five. Young virile yaks often test their prowess in competitive battles over the females. The fights are fierce clashes, sometimes resulting in the loser falling over a cliff or into the gorges.
Yaks that have been crossbred with cows are called Dzo-pa male and Dzo-mo female. They can live at lower altitudes and are easier to handle when carrying loads. The Dzo-mo retains the fine milking. Characteristics of the dris. The visible difference between the two types of animals is very slight. Dzo-pa and Dzo-mo s are smaller and do not have the long Shaggy hair falling from their flanks and sides as yaks do.
Lister for the tinkling of yak bells as you trek through the mountains, along the steep trails and through high pastures. You are hearing the age-old sounds of the messages of the Gods, the sound of a way unique to the Himalaya.
Summary:
The Himalayan valleys in Nepal are home to the Yak, a shy, domesticated, and sometimes cross-bred beast. Male yaks are the main means of transporting goods in the high-altitude Himalaya, including rock salt, dried sheep’s meat, wools, thermos, flashlights, saddle carpet, worked silver, Chinese manufacturing goods, shoes, and teacups. Long yak caravans between Nepal and Tibet are common, carrying up to fifty yaks or more. The female Yak, called Dri or Nak, are more productive than the males, providing rich milk essential to the diets of the mountain people. Their milks are also used in cheese and yoghurt production.
20 years of trekking, tours and peak climbing in Nepal Himalayas. For our catalog with a description for more than 100 different trekking in Nepal… If you are planning about Nepal tour, trekking and peak climbing, please contact us for your dreams adventure destination can be seen on the website at www.ascendhikes.com
In addition to the full itineraries, there are also links at the end of each tour and trekking itinerary to the most recent tour, trekking and climbing. A Small but increasing numbers also have links to Nepal tour/trekking/climbing photography, Namaste!!!