LOWER PISANG - Drylands start

Pisang is pronounced 'P-shaang', not 'Pi Sang' because numbers don't sing. Anyways, between the two Pisangs, this is the one at a lower altitude; that's just about 100 metres lower. Many people might even consider these two Pisangs as simply Pisang or as it used to be called, just Pi. This is the region where you will start to see the dry weather and lands of the Upper Manang. Although the Pine and spruce trees will still not have left you entirely you will stop seeing them once you reach Bhraka. From here on, the locals you meet are either Gurungs, Ghales or Tibetan immigrants. The identity of the Gurungs as mentioned in many research papers is quite controversial, however (they are most probably of Tibetan descendants and their language is different from that of the Gurungs in the lower altitudes). At Lower Pisang, you have safe drinking water station and a post office. The two Pisangs separated naturally by the Marshyangdi river are connected via manmade suspension bridges which you will have to opt for if you are about to take the higher route via Gyaru. Lower Pisang is a comparatively new settlement and it previously used to be known as Tonga too. There are two side trips that you can do from Lower Pisang. One is the Nali cave towards the southeast of the village and the other longer one is an uphill hike to Yaktong. Other than these two side trips there isn't much to do here. But we are sure just your arrival here at Pisang will get you excited because of the change in climate and the terrain. You are finally on your way to Upper Manang!