RHODODENDRONS

Pink is the national colour of Nepal and rhododendrons the national flower, and now I know why.
As we descended and ascended up the Langtang valley and Gosainkund pass, we trekked through numerous rhododendron forests ranging in height from 1.5 metres to tall trees, depending on what altitude we were at. This was one of my favourite parts of the trek. The taller rhododendron forests were cool and shady with their pink and brown knarly twisted trunks, whereas the smaller bushes at a higher altitude were more rounded with dark green shiny leaves. I had never seen so many rhododendrons at one time! At one stage as I looked back at my climb (it pays to every now and then, to see your progress!) the slope was covered with rhododendrons with smaller sandalwood bushes in between. 
Karki, our trekking guide, said that in April the rhododendrons are ablaze with red flowers on the northern slopes, and red and white (mainly white I gather) on the southern, and these can be seen from afar. It would be very tempting to return at that time of year.

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