Trekking the Annapurna Trail - Nepal, Nov 2009

In November of 2009, the GF and I set off to meet my mother in Kathmandu.  The idea was to spend the next month trekking around the Annapurna mountain range.  We had booked the first two night's accommodation in Kathmandu but the rest of the trip was a blank slate.  I had exchanged emails with a guide who had agreed to take us on the trip.  What was incredible about this itinerary was that besides knowing where we were starting and where we planned to end, we didn't really know what lay in between.  As it turned out, the next 3 weeks of trekking will likely be the best of my life.

We did have a few days to spend in Kathmandu to secure permits, find enough cash to pay for the trip and take in the local sites.  Kathmandu is an enchanting place!  The streets are alive with constant activity, clogged with every possible mode of transportation and infused with scents and sounds (sometimes rather unpleasant).  We visited all of the traveller recommended sites: Monkey Temple, Bodhnath Supa, Durbar Square and Pashupatinath.  We took taxis everywhere because by bargaining ruthlessly its is actually quite an inexpensive means of travel.

This photo is taken from Monkey Temple overviewing the Kathmandu valley

Bodhnath is on the largest Supas in Nepal.  We watch men stand at the top and pour buckets of water and Saffron around the dome making the yellow curves that you see here

The streets of Kathmandu are amazing.  I was astonished with how efficiently people were able to move about when on the surface it looks like absolute chaos.  

After a few days in the city, it was time to hit the trail.  It is impossible to summarize the entire trip with a few photos and some accompanying commentary.  What is fair to say is that the trek around the Annapurna mountain range offers you a glimpse into the many cultures, climates, geography and mountain scenery that allured me to Nepal in the first place.  We did discuss whether securing a guide was necessary.  The answer is "no".  The Annapurna trail is well marked and well travelled so it's easy to navigate your way around.  That said, the guide did provide tremendous value by educating us about the fauna, flora, politics, school system, and provided an insight into Nepalese life.  He also had a number of friendships established along the route which offered us experiences that we wouldn't have otherwise had.  We learned how to make momos in a tea house kitchen, sampled butter tea in a private residence, toured a monastery and hiked sections of the trail that otherwise we would have avoided but he insisted we would be fine.  His service was invaluable in ways far more enriching then just simply "guiding" us along the trail.

The beginning of the trail was so green and lush.  It was completely different from what I had expected.  There wasn't a snowy mountain peak to be seen.

As you begin the trip, the first few days are spent walking up (and up, and up!)  Without question, they were the hardest of the trip largely because we were walking ourselves into shape, adjusting to the routine and the upward climb was quite relentless.  At the beginning I was amazed that there were no mountain peaks in view?  The landscape was instead dominated by rice patties and terraced mountainsides.  The weather was HOT.  We stopped each evening at the next tea house for warm dinner and a bed (i won't describe these any further because they varied widely).

Along the way we faced our fair share of uncomfortable situations.  This one resulted from some blasting that was being done for the new road.  Crossing this make shift bridge was pretty intense especially as we all watched one of our porters lose his footing and almost fall through

For the first 12 days of the trip, we were walking up a river valley that eventually ended at the Thorung La pass.  Psychologically, this is the actual destination of the trip because once through the pass, we were essentially walking downhill for the rest of the journey (not actually true but that's how it felt).  On the journey to Thorung La, I had more breath taking views and memorable experiences to last a lifetime.  I will say, if anybody is reading this before traveling, you MUST take the high route to Menang.  It's an extra 1 hour up hill but it offers some of the best mountain views on the entire trip!

One of the awesome views of the Annapurna 1 the 8th highest of the mountain in the word.  Remember, when this photo was taken we were already at approx 3200 meters above sea level.  There's still along way up to go before standing on that summit.

This photo is taken from the high route to Menang.  We have been walking up this valley for the last few days

This was one of the many breath taking views that we had along the high route into Menang.  In my opinion it is a simply must do.

Along the way we did two extra side treks to help with acclimatization.  The first was to lake Gangapurna from Menang.  The second was to Tilicho Lake from Menang.  The trek to Tilicho Lake is spectacular.  The guidebooks say it is very dangerous etc...that was not our experience and although my ascent to the lake was useless because the weather came in an I couldn't see squat, I'd do it all again because of the trek in and out of base camp.

Lake Gangapurna was one of the side treks that I took from Menang to help acclimatize.  Unlike most people, because we were trekking to Lake Tilicho we didn't need to spend an extra night in Menang.  I also have a photo of me standing on the top of clift to the left of this photo.  Awesome! 

This is a photo of Menang taken from Lake Gangapurna.  The landscape is so barren and desolate.  Gone are the rice patties, lush terracing and trees!

Our journey through Thorong La pass started at 2 am.  We woke up and had a quick bowl of hearty soup, turned on our head lamps, bundled up and set out (up).  It was a surreal moment to be standing outside the lower base camp, looking up into blackness and watching little lights snaking their way of the mountain ahead of us.  We were to climb from 4300m to 4900m before sun up.  We then needed to make the remaining ascent to 5416m before noon or else the weather would likely come in forcing us back (not our preferred option).

Taking some time to take in the scenery after sun rise.  It's incredible the difference in temperature at this altitude when the sun is out and hiding between clouds.  I cursed the clouds on a number of occasions.  This photo was taken approx 100 vertical meters below the pass.  

Two things happened to me that day.  The first was an incredible feeling of being alive.  Out there, on your own, with only the sound of crunching snow under your boots and your labour breathing, I was overcome with a sense of profound meaning and happiness that I've not experienced any other time in my life.  It was a feeling I hope to have again but will certainly never forget.  The second was equally as powerful.  They say that the journey is more important than the destination.  I have to agree but reaching the destination brought a flood of emotions that I could never have anticipated.  I was overcome with joy, with the sense of accomplishing something so few would ever have the ambition to try and I'd done it by carrying everything I needed on my back!  The tears were streaming from my eyes!

I had carried a pray flag all of the way from Kathmandu to the top of Thorung La pass which I attached to the others.  That is the most genuine smile I've every seen on myself

You can't have a posting about Nepal without a few prayer flags.  This was taken at the pass 5416 meters above sea level.  (as a point of reference, Mt. Blanc the highest western Alp is only 4800 meters above sea level.

We only spent around 15 mins at the top before quickly setting off to climb down over 2000 vertical meters into the next valley below.  The change in scenery from the morning to the evening was possibly the most radical I have ever experienced.

The remaining 9 days were equally as dramatic but a little anti-climatic knowing that the pass was behind us.  We travelled from town to town and actually had the time (and energy) to relax and meet other trekkers.  This part of the trail had a much more party attitude with each day that we got closer to the end.  We ate fresh apple pie in Marpha, we soaked and drank beer (the first of the trip) in natural hot springs in Tatopani, we climbed to Poon Hill (Gorepani) to watch the sun rise over Dhaulagiri (the 7th highest mountain in the world), we dressed up in Nepalese traditional clothing, we had an impromptu dance party with DJ Bollywood, we descended through rain forest and eventually we arrived at the end and boarded a bus for Pokhara.  The last 2 days of the trip offered some of the most beautiful scenery as we descended through fruit plantations and terraced mountain sides and this was a last minute addition.

One of the Annapurna moutains in the background.  We followed this river down from  Kegbeni (an absolutely MUST do) towards the hot springs in Tatopani

We watched in the darkness as the sun gradually exposed Dhaulagiri.  Another very early ascent to climb Poon hill but well worth it

Our first night off the trail was spent in the lake side town of Pokhara.  It was nice to have a hot shower and sleep in fresh sheets instead of a sleeping bag.  We sat by the lake and enjoyed what will likely be my most memorable Coca Cola and  ice cream cone.  Magic!

The 21 days we spent on the trail experiencing this part of Nepal will be cherished forever.  With each step that we took closer to the final destination, I was acutely aware that it was one step less that we had left to experience.  Arriving at the end was bitter sweet.  It meant that we had walked further than I ever dreamed would be possible, it meant we had climbed to heights I never thought possible and it meant we were forever changed by the experience.  It also meant that we were close to returning back to "reality" a prospect that, at the time, wasn't really that attractive.  I had always dreamed of visiting Nepal and based on this trip I have no doubt that I will be going back.  After all, I still haven't touched mount Everest...Stay tuned!