Pokhora, Rafting and Trekking

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August 1st 2007

Published: August 10th 2007

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neil and rosie

Rafting Koreans

Obviously we couldn't take a picture of us in the boat, as we were in the boat at the time. So you'll just have to imagine this is us.

Left Kathmandu early in the morning to head down to the river where our rafting was to start. The river we were on was usually not that fast or rapiddy, but because its monsoon season it was a bit faster. Got to the site for the rafting and were the only two people there, which wasn't what we expected because rafting's usually done in big groups. Shortly after though, a whole bus load of Koreans arrived so we could get going down the river. Still seemed a bit strange though that it was only us two and the guides in our boat and the other boats were packed like sardines. They all seemed very excited about the whole thing and spent most of the time chanting as they paddled, and jumping out of the boat. Stopped for lunch before we were meant to be getting a bus onwards to Pokhora, but no buses showed up, so we got a lift with the Koreans. They were all very friendly and seemed excited to have us on the bus, they even gave us some packets of biscuits which they seemed to have an endless supply of.

Arrived in Pokhora early afternoon and

Phewa Tal

View of the lake from where we ate dinner on the 1st night in Pokhora.

just had a little wander around the town before settling down to dinner by the lake watching the sun set over the mountains on the far side. Early to bed that night as we had to get up for trekking the next day.

Started trekking with a 2 hour bus ride part of the way up the Annapurna Mountains in the HImalayas, there's no point starting at the bottom really as they're all so big. First day was quite easy, just did about 3 hours and about 500m ascent. Didn't know what to expect of the tea houses in which we were going to be staying, but the first one was very cosy, almost like a log cabin, but more plywood than log. Second day was much harder, climbed about 1200m to around 2800m at the top mostly through cloud with a little bit of rain too. Collapsed in front of a fire with mugs of hot chocolate and Korean biscuits, at the end of the day. Next morning we planned to get up before dawn to walk to the top of poon hill nearby to watch the sun rise over the mountains. Unfortunately it was too cloudy so

Phewa Tal

As the sun set over the lake

we just had to stay in bed a bit longer. When we did get up we managed to get a glimpse of one of the highest mountains in the area at almost 8200m. All downhill that day, which wasn't really as nice as it sounds, finished at a town with hot springs nearby which sounded a lot nicer than it actually was, but still quite nice to relax in after walking all day. Most of the town seemed to use it to wash and bathe in as it was probably the only hot water in the area. Last proper day of walking wasn't difficult, mostly along a river all the way down it, but it was very long and really hot. An American family who had been on the same trail as us gave up half way along this and took a jeep the rest of the way, typical lazy Americans. Next day was mostly spent on a bus again heading back to Pokhora, and much needed laundry services.

Then spent a couple of days relaxing in Pokhora and recovering from the walking. Hired a boat one afternoon and paddled around the lake a bit, but most of the