Annapurna Base Camp

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After three weeks on Annapurna Circuit we continued straight towards Annapurna Base Camp. We took the route Ghorepani-Tadapani-Chomrong-Himalaya-ABC-Bamboo-Chomrong-Dhampus-Phedi. After getting off the circuit the trail got smaller and there were no more road works. Also there were no donkey caravans and less people walking on the trails. This felt more like trekking again. After walking 11 days up the Marsyangdi river and 8 days down the Kali Gandaki, the trail now went up and down over rivers and ridges daily. There were also much more stairs, the longest we walked had about 2600 stairs near Chomrong, that was a tough bit. From Chomrong to ABC the same trail has to be walked in both directions, coming down was a bit boring since there was not much to see anymore and with 25 days of trekking behind, we were looking forward to get to a hotel and a steak dinner in Pokhara.

In Ghorepani we had a rest day and Kirsi joined locals for shooting basketball. After a while they asked her to join for a game. Playing at 2800 meters turned out to be a bit more exhaustive than at sea level 😉 Still, it was a good game and the locals were skilled players. Something else than just reading and playing cards on a rest day.

Considering the mountain views, it doesn't get much better than ABC. At 4100 meters, we were surrounded by snow capped mountains ranging from about 6000 to 8100 meters. Unobstructed views of Annapurna I, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre were amazing. We got to ABC at around 1pm when it was all cloudy and no sign of mountains anywhere, the landscape looked the same as in Lapland, northern Finland, with just rocks and grass everywhere. After a cold night (well not that cold though, just a bit under zero degrees) we woke up before sunrise at 5.30 and saw the mountains all around us. After 8am the clouds surrounded ABC again and we headed down. During the last few days we walked long hours to get to Pokhara as quick as possible.

At Himalaya Hotel we met Sam, Steve and Carl from New Zealand. We spent some really good time with them up there and agreed to meet later in Pokhara. Boys are playing in a band called
Uncle Monkey and they were hoping to get to play in a bar in Pokhara.

Comparing the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp treks is difficult. They both have their good and bad sides. The circuit is long and thus strenuous, the base camp on the other hand has more steep ups and downs all the time. The mountain views were best from ABC and Ghorepani, but because of cloudy weather we completely missed the mountains in Manang. After the three weeks on circuit we were doubting whether the last week would be too much, but it wasn't. We're glad that we did both the treks.

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Photos

Breakfast in Tadapani
Breakfast at sunrise in Tadapani

Chomrong
Walking down the 2600 stairs from Chomrong, and thinking we have to climb the stairs up after a couple of days...

Walking towards ABC
Having a rest by a stream, the Fish Tail on the background

Annapurna South
Sunrise at Annapurna Base Camp

Sami in thoughts
Annapurna I on the background

Comments

[Anna-Sofia]

Konttorihaaveilua
Hei Kirsi ja Sami, maisemat näyttävät juuri siltä, millaiseksi alueen kuvittelee. Upeaa ! Mukava on lukea teidän kuulumisia ja haaveilla vastaavasta reissusta. Muistakaa kirjoitella kuulumisia jatkossakin ja pysykäähän terveinä !! Terkuin, Anna-Sofia