Annapurna circuit trek blog

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Hello all!

So we have just returned from our 12days in the mountains and quite frankly we're pooped! We are now back in Pokhara for a few days rest but it's already only a week before we leave for Australia!

I'll summarise our trek as best as possible to save reading an extensive essay....

SO, we started on the wednesday 26th sept by getting a tourist bus to Besi Sahar which is the first stop on the Annapurna circut. The "express tourist bus" failed both to be express and tourist which Resulted in Dan and Paul giving up their seats on a crammed local bus to allow some old ladies who were easily over 100 to sit down! Even though this was a pain, it was also a godsend as we met a great Deutch couple from Holland who decided to spend their trek with us! A bus and short walk later we were at Ngadi (800m) staying in a lovely guesthouse with a funny; albeit drunk owner. He took us to a Nepali party a few houses down and we were forced to drink the local alcohol (Roxxy) which tastes like very strong vodka water...NOT-GOOD!

Next day we had our first full day of trekking and walked for about 8 hours to our next stop of Jagat (1300m) The scenery here was spectacular with tiered farm land and rolling hills and valleys all around! At our guesthoue, a local boy named Dile sat and had dinner with us; keen to improve his English so in return we asked him for the most essentail Nepali phrases; which has been a great help and surprise to Nepalis along the way! From here we woke up very early and headed to our next stop a further 600m high at Dharapani (1900m). This part of the walkis particularly famous for it's Marijuana fields which are in full abundance along trek...my god it smells amazing! As soon as the sun was in full force, you couldnt get away from the smell, crazy stuff! A load of valley bridges and towering waterfalls later, we arrived at our destination which had an unbelievable view of the valley river below...what was more crazy was having to really crane your neck out of the window just to see the sky as the cliffs were so high!

Saturday was a long walking day as well as a big climb to Chame (2710m) We had a tough, steep uphill 2km climb which took us over an hour but from there, levelled out and became an easier ascent. Today was a particularly sad day for us as even though we were happy to have arrived, Paul had been on the internet to discover that 8 Brits had been klled in a plane crash in Kathmandu heading for Everest basecamp. It resonated with us all evening so it was a rather sad evening. We did see a spectacular full moon light up the mountain which has made for some awesome photos!

Woke up at 6am on sunday to see the sun glinting on the peaks of the mountains which again has made some special photos, has breakfast and headed out for another big climbng day of 600m to Upper Pisang (3300m). We took a wrong turning; heading for lower Pisang so we had to take a detour over a dodgy wooden bridge that was barcaded, one by one we walked across (safely) whch meant we had a more pleasurable climb to upper Pisang than we would have had taking it from lower. Here we had a great view of the mountains and went up to the Stupa for sunset.

Today was a well known long ass day of walking to Manang at 3500m. Even though this is only a 200m climb, it wounded up and down so much that we easilt climbed over 500-600m overall! The first leg up to Ghyaru was especially difficult and the altitude finally hit me, causing me to walk at a snails pace for the steep 1.45 hour climb of 5km! We stopped for lunch at a very small guesthouse and as we all ordered such different things, offered to help the lady who worked there on her own. I made the vegetable soup, Dan made tibetan bread and Di (the deutsch girl) made masala tea. Finally after walking for 8 hours we covered a grand distance of 19.5km and slumped into a hotel in Manang (3500m). We stayed ere for 2 nights as it is recommended by the lonely planet to assist your acclimatisation. So on our "restday" we walked to the icelake (4600m!) over 1000m of steep climbing!! Myself and Dan hit the brick wall of altitude at 4400m and we seriuosly had to consider whether or not we should/could make the final 200m without making ourselves ill. In the end we decided to push through (very slowly) and in the end, made it up to the Stupa at the top of the hill...unfortunately, the icelake was not as expected and turned out to be a pretty small, puddle like lake; however it was more for the accomplishment and acclimatisation than anyting else and we were pretty proud of ourselves for making it so high, so fast!

That evening we really did have a rest and went to the local cinema (a large room with a projector for a dvd) to watch 7years in Tibet with Bradd pitt. Turned out to be a much better film than expected! It was so cute half way through; they paused the film and handed out black tea and a bags of popcorn to everyone as part of the price (200 rupees= under 3 pounds!)

Headed to Yak Kharka the next day (4050m) eventhough it was slightly steep and at altitude, the previous days' climb meant that it was easier and more comfortable. Stayed in this old mans guesthouse as we felt sorry for him A) being all alone and B) everyone walking the 100m further to the main part of Yak Kharaka meaning he loses business! It was very...humble and basic but we were rewarded with the best dal bhat for the whole trek and promptest service for both dinner and breakfast the next morning! On the thursday we knew we were gettng close to the pass and the walk up to Throng Phedi (4540m) was tough trhough altitude but we got there in great time! However, we had been advised by the guy in Manang to drop off our bags and walk the gruelling 2km STEEEEEEP uphill to High camp. Oh-my-god is this a difficult walk and after an hour of climbing up, we finally made it to the cafe for a tea and an hour of acclimatising. Paul was feeling the altitude pretty badly and was off balance and pretty ill for the first 40minutes of being up there; we did think we were going to have to run back down with him to get to a lower altitude to recover. in the end he felt pretty ok and walked back down in the cold and snow. At this point; due to mine and Dans colds, got severe chest pains and we spent the rest of the night worryng that we would not make it over the past the next day!

THE BIG DAY finally arrived and we woke up at 5am, had a granola bar for a qick breakfast and started the walk back up to high camp where we decided to have a more substantial brerakfast beforer walking the 3 hours to the pass. When we finally set off from high camp, we noticed a guy carrying someone back down the mountain, he waved for help so the boys ran to assist carrying back to high camp, turned out to be an Indian guy who had clearly spent a few days out in the mountains and as a result had lost his toes to frost bite! Di rushed to his aid (she's a doctor) and after an hour of cleaning him up and giving him fresh socks, we begged the hotel owners to get him to a hospital. There were very unresponsive and had litle sympathy for the man...Paul gave them some moneyand pleaded that they arrange for a donkey to take him to a hospital in manang. We ahve no idea if he made it or not! 😞

As bad as this hold up was for our timings, it clearly worked wonders for Paul as his altitude survival saw him though with no real issues other than a headache! It took us about 3 hours of stopping and starting to get our breath back to reach the pass! About 200m from it, Dan, Di and Wes got really bad headaches so we pushed throughas quickly as possible to get there and over the other side to feel better. At around midday we finally reached the pass and we were all so emotionally overjoyed at making it there. We had plenty of photos, congratualted each other and then had to race down the other side to fix the headaches. A 79 year japanese guy was suffering altitude sickness 20minutes down from the pass so paul and some Polish friends we met along the way carried him the remaining 2 and a half hours down to the tea shops. Apparently he had felt the sickness as low as Manang (3500m) but stubbornly carried on regardless!!

Arrived in Muktinath (3800m) at around 4pm, completely shattered but elated that we had done it! Celebrated with plenty of Beer with all our walkng buddies (From Poland, Czech reopubllic, France, Holland, UK, Canada, Germany) at an awesome traveller hostel by the name of Bob Marley! The next day was another big downhill slog to Jomsom (our least favourite destination of the entire trip! After walking though gale force winds and sandstorms, we arrived in the ghost town that is Jomsom, not only did this place seem deserted of travellers, it was also home to some of the rudest people we have met so far, half of the people we asked directions, room prices etc completely ignored us! After walking for that long in the battering winds we were not in the mood to be ignored! We settled on an overpriced guesthouse out of tiredness and we were very pleased to be getting out of there the next day to Tatopani. The bus journey that day was HORRENDOUS! We coiuld only get a bus as far as a landslide, to then walk over it to another bus driven by a boy no older than 16 down the deadly narrow, steep and windy roads to tatopani. I have never felt so physically sick through terror and soon Dan was as scared as I was...The final straw was when we saw; what looked like a recent bus wreckage, at the side of the river a good 30-40m below. I asked the bus driver to stop and let me out but he told us that no one gets off his bus and carried on regardless! Thankfully we wre only 10minutes from the town and Dan had a go at hime once we'd stopped for being such a knob! (We didnt pay for the bus ride!)Once here we had a very relaxing time and spent a good few hours at the hot springs with Beers and popcorn!

The next day was much smoother, jeep then walked then mini bus all the way back to Pokhara where we are now! So relieved to be back! Been pretty lazy and relaxed and even splashed out 8pounds for a blissful full body massage yesterday!

We hope all is well wherever you all are. We are missing you all a great deal! The next leg of our adventure is fast approaching!

Lots of love to all, Carla and Dan x x x

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