01/11/2018 - 23/11/2018
Undertaking a trek in Nepal was something that was always on my travel 'to do' list and whenever anybody asked me what place I was looking forward to going to the most before we set off on our whirlwind adventure I always, without hesitation said Nepal. The magnificent snow capped mountains of the Himalayas silently commanding the lands below always captured my imagination and seemed a far cry from the so called 'mountains' we have here in Ireland (Yes, Ireland doesn't have mountains guys, it has hills!). For me, snow covered mountains are the epitome of earths natural beauty so to get the opportunity to be up close to such monumental natural formations in none other than Nepal where the earths tallest mountain, Mount Everest rests was something I could not pass up. Of course, actually climbing the largest mountain in the world was never going to happen not only because our funds would never allow us, we weren't in Nepal for climbing season and because it was hard to comprehend when standing at the foothills of these Nepalese mountain giants that anyone had actually set foot on the top, looking like completely impossible destinations. We were just happy to stand at the foothills and appreciate their beauty. It's funny how in Nepal that even as you hike 3000-4000 meters above sea level you are still having to tilt your head to look up at mountains!
After a lot of research beforehand and speaking to trekking agencies in Kathmandu we decided to undertake the epic Annapurna Circuit Trek, not only because we didn't require a guide or porter like many of the other treks in the region which would save us a lot of money (always a bonus when backpacking!) but because it seemed to offer the most in terms of diverse scenery, accessible trekking routes, decent tea house lodging each night (except for that one night we had to sleep on the dining room floor at Tilicho Lake base camp as all the beds were booked but I consider it character building!) and of course the infamous Thorong La Pass pushing us to an altitude of over 5000m meters. Despite the fact many might roll their eyes at our lack of imagination (and at first I did too) at choosing the Annapurna Circuit as this trek is so well known that its almost cliché but after undertaking the epic journey and with time to reflect on the experience, the circuit really is a delicious full 10 course meal and by no means an easy feat which one might expect with over 40, 000 people trodding through the trails each year.
So after our 3 day shopping spree in Katmandu where we swapped shopping for frilly blouses and well fitted shirts to ugly (especially Paul's sun hat but needs must!) but essential hiking gear like our sleeping bags, hiking poles, gloves, hats and most importantly our supply of toilet paper and snickers bars! We were even extra prepared I feel with bringing a bungee cord as a makeshift clothes line, some pegs to hang our clothes on and candles incase we had no electricity (you proud of my adulting Mam?). After the packing, unpacking and packing again was finished we made our way to the trail head at Besi Sahar on a very long, over packed and bumpy bus ride which was definitely an adventure in itself with people, backpacks and random junk to be dropped off along the way packed in. As buses are the main form of transport in Nepal I feel at least one bus ride is a must activity when in the region but be prepared for a precarious and dusty ride with probably the odd close encounter with an on coming vehicle thrown in for good measure.
So the trek itself??........The circuit was extremely tough at times with the high altitudes draining us of energy with each step, the changing weather of the Annapurna mountain range and most definitely for me the mental challenge of having to walk hours each day from the freezing early mornings where we willed the sun to come out to shade-searching in the afternoon. As one fellow trekker quite accurately put it 'there is more costume changes than Broadway' and this was definitely the case with the ever changing daily weather. Also, often there was only the prospect of having a cold shower or no shower at all, a squat toilet and a bed in which 100's of others had slept in without the pillow cases being changed (yes I know, first world problems!) but thankfully our trusty supply of snicker bars on the trails, the locals and fellow trekkers we met along the way and a hefty serving of dal baht in the evenings pushed us through those tough trekking days.
But of course how could I not mention those views. Words like 'stunning' and 'magnificent' quickly come to mind when I think back on the scenery we witnessed. Undoubtedly it was worth the sweat and me being me...the tears! (like at the top of Thorong La Pass, the highest elevation point of 5416m where I was so utterly exhausted I cried, not over the views as one might expect but out of relief that the toughest part was finally over!).
The word 'diverse' I feel is the best word to describe the Annapurna circuit trek. The journey begins from 800m's above sea level through lush green forests, crop fields where farmers can be seen plowing their fields with the help of some strong yaks, a huge flowing icy blue coloured river and mountain side villages where life is simple, beautiful but certainly not easy to over 5400m baron wind swept mountain passes and the beautiful deep blue colour of Tilicho lake hidden among the great Himalayan giants. The long gradual ascent through the high sides of the valley gave us the time to savour the ever changing landscape as things slowly began to dry out and cool down. The snow capped mountains that drew me here in the first place didn't actually make themselves known to us until the 5th or 6th day, almost just waiting for the right time to present themselves....and boy when they did!
As people also live along the entire Annapurna circuit route it gives visitors the chance to witness first hand the rich culture of the Nepalese people but unfortunately the same can not be said for the richness of their pockets as these communities are poor, living in stone built shacks, picking crops and chopping wood for the cold winters by hand, carving up blood soaked sheep and yak with their bare hands for food and washing themselves and their clothes in streams. At times I felt like an imposter to these quaint little villages where time has stood still and us being what they would consider rich 'Westeners' trodding through their quiet lives but I feel that us being there has enabled the people to live a somewhat richer life with the money we paid each day for our lodging and food. We also felt the need to 'spread the love' a lot like that night in Tatopani after a glorious few hours resting in the hot springs instead of eating in our tea house which was already full of trekkers we took a trip down to a nearby empty bar that had a cute dog and was selling beer. We were joined by a fellow trekker Jessie from Australia and by the end of the night we were out back having a sing song with a group of men from Sikkim, a Northern India state bordering Nepal. Often its the unexpected days and nights that work out the best except for the morning after when we were slightly hungover but luckily still managed to catch the early bus to Pokara. I also feel I helped a little by purchasing a lovely warm hand made Yak scarf from a woman in the town of Muktinath, a little treat to myself for struggling over the highest point of Thorong La Pass.
The people , although they don't have much in terms of physical possessions truly are the most genuine, smiliest people I have ever had the privilege of meeting and those porters you see along the trails carrying the luggage of trekkers are totally hardcore badasses giving us a new found appreciation for the work they do. We asked one porter, very small in stature who had stopped to take a break on the trail to Tilicho lake about the size of his load as it was evidently huge in relation to his own body size and he told us it weighed 40Kgs, the backpacks of 2 trekkers! Our backpacks weighed about 10kgs each which I found heavy and often at times struggled to carry so to think he was carrying that weight really amazed us both. The children here also are true beauties and for a person like me who has never been big into cooing over snotty babies, in Nepal I just couldn't get enough of them. I think it was because of the severely underprivileged lives they were to be brought up in and the fact that they all wore those adorable beanie hats with ear flaps with only their tiny faces covered in food and dirt on show to keep their heads warm in the harsh winters. The fact that they always had curious smiles and were buttoned up in overly sized grubby clothes just melted my heart! I also remember passing through a Tibetan refugee camp where people had fled their country from the Chinese takeover of Tibet and on hearing children playing in a small school playground we shuffled our heads in to see about 20 children happily running around playing some basketball. They were all wearing lovely navy uniforms which I remember being quite surprised and happy about, obviously a well funded school for the local community which was great to see. They were excited to see us so we invited ourselves in to take shoot a few hoops. It was only a pity the people of the village spoke no English or us no Nepalese for that matter as I'm sure they would have had some fascinating stories to tell of their voyage from Tibet and the families they left behind.
The route for us boasted endless highlights like some of those mentioned above but I feel it would be impossible to relay them all here. However there are a few more maybe worth mentioning like THAT hike to Tilicho Lake. This day of hiking was probably my worst but definitely the best. Tilicho lake is a lake situated at an altitude of 4,919m above sea level and is often cited as the highest and biggest lake in the world. To get there you must triumph the high altitude and adventurous trail to get there and for me it was not an easy task! Not only did I have to deal with the notable thinning of the air as we hiked up the steep zig zagging trail which seemed to never end but I also had to make it across, in my opinion, an extremely dangerous path with a near 90 degree sheer drop to one side. As I started to walk across this landslide prone area at first I didn't think anything of it and walked on my merry way enjoying the views but then all of a sudden I took note of where I was actually standing and said to myself 'oh shite, this is actually really dangerous'. At that stage my heart began to race and my feet with every step felt like they were slipping (The brain does weird things when you panic). I'm prone to slip when I hike and trip over things that aren't there when walking on a normal sidewalk so this trail was really not ideal for my wonky way of walking. I looked around at everyone passing by me with ease and felt like shouting 'can't you see the huge massive drop right down there'. How everyone could walk that path with ease really amazed me as I seemed to be the only one having a mental breakdown at the thought of sliding into the Himalayan abyss.
I probably sound dramatic and Paul would probably tell you that I was but trust me when I say that that trail was scary! But alas, I'm here writing this blog post so I survived to tell the tale and it gave me comfort to know that I wasn't the only one who found it difficult when a man we met at the base camp tea house (that one that we had to sleep on the dining room floor as there was no beds left) that a woman had to turn back as she was having a panic attack......SEE!!! But to say the views at the top were stunning would be an understatement. Crisps blue water surrounded by a glorious skyline of both distant baron mountains and up close peaks that glistened in the sunshine. We didn't linger too long however at the top as although beautifully scenic it was also bitterly cold. After getting a few mandatory insta worthy snaps we quickly made the long arduous hike back down.
Hiking in Nepal really is more a test of ones mental than physical strength I feel and crossing Thorong La Pass is a good test of ones character. The day started cold and early as we made our way up a very steep climb from Thorong Pedi to upper base camp and then eventually up over the pass. At this altitude there is only half of the oxygen available at sea level which basically means that every step you take feels like you have just run a marathon but as my Dad inquired, no we didn't need to wear oxygen masks! With the Himalayan air swirling around our rickety cabin and as our icy breath emerged from under our sleeping bags we began the long climb upwards as day broke. We met one girl at Thorong Pedi who needed a helicopter to bring her back down as she was suffering from altitude sickness so I was hopeful that neither of us would need such an intervention. The way up was slow. Unlike before when on lower ground we were making good pace, passing trekkers on the way but this time was different. Paul moved faster than me and so a lot of the time it was just each of us in our own private world breathing hard, willing ourselves forward. We continued upwards for what seemed like hours resting on rocks after only a couple of meters. As I walked I dared not look up too much as the end would seem like an impossible task to reach but finally as we crossed another narrow trail that snaked upwards, the faint sight of Tibetan prayer flags could be seen blowing in the wind. We pushed our tired bodies a few meters more until we had FINALLY made it to the top and at that I embraced Paul and let out tears of pure relief! My body was full of pure adrenaline, I was exhausted but completely enthralled. We had succeeded and I was proud! Up on the top of the highest mountain pass in the world the mountains rested away from us on all sides and twinkled in the early morning sun. A tiny shack owned by a Nepalese man offered a moments rest from the howling wind and freezing air where we enjoyed our snicker bars which never tasted so good as they did that day. That hike was the most difficult thing I have ever done as I pushed myself further than I ever knew possible and for that I feel forever grateful.
Other than the mountain views and tough hikes, the old villages really stick out in my mind for their sheer character as they twist and turn through narrow streets, not only boasting old stone houses like those of a medieval fortress but many displaying colorful prayer flags and walls of prayer wheels inscribed with the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. With each turn of a wheel a prayer is sent skyward for you. No fussing about with an hour long mass in these parts! Some villages like Upper Pasang also contain beautiful Gompa's (a monastery) where we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to witness monks carrying out their prayer rituals of chanting and drum beating. It's a fascinating life they lead, one of solitude and simple living amongst the foothills of the mountain greats.
There was also one day when we were trekking on a high trail of the lower valley when we came across a soccer pitch in the most unlikely of places perched on the side of a mountain behind a beautiful scenic backdrop. To his delight Paul has always managed to find a bit of soccer on this trip as he misses playing it back home. Although we can never speak the language in the countries we have visited, once soccer is thrown into conversation or the kick of a ball is started it seems to be the one common denominator between us and them. In Nepal, this was no exception as they seem to cherish soccer in these parts with pitches to be found in the most unlikely of places. At the pitch we passed that day there was lots of activity going on with teenagers dressed in soccer gear and what looked liked the whole village out in full force. Paul asked what was going on and through broken English they managed to explain to us that it was a soccer tournament between all the teams in the valley and the day we were there was the quarter final. While towering over them in height as the Nepalese aren't blessed in that department Paul excitedly asked could he play a match but got a quick 'no' as only after did they explain that the winning team would take home about 300 euro for their club. A lot of money for Nepal and nothing to be sniffed at so a tournament that was obviously taken extremely serious. He got to have a quick kick around with some of the players before kick off however which kept him happy and seemed to entertain them as he showed off a few of his ball skills. We stayed to watch the first half of the match and humorously wondered how they retrieve the footballs that flew over the railings down into the valley below. Time was not on our side so in order to make it to our next stop at a reasonable hour we left at half time with wide smiles on our faces having felt privileged to watch something that was obviously so important to them. We met a few more of the teams walking on the trail heading to play a match in the tournament as we struggled up the steep inclined steps with the sun beating down on us, something they must do a lot living in these remote parts.
I can only sit and smile silently to myself at the fact that the Nepalese people must look at us Westeners coming over with all of our expensive hiking gear, walking poles and backpacks all the while they walk these trails every day carrying heavy loads in nothing more than a pair of shoddy sandals and using makeshift baskets to carry heavy loads. A true testament I feel to their character!
Trekking the Annapurna circuit really was the full package and earns its seat as one of the most beautiful treks in the world. It was an immensely satisfying yet physically and mentally painful journey but one I can only look back on with fond memories and be proud of being apart of the elite group of people that have completed the trek. Not only were the mountain giants spectacular but the villages and local people we met along the way were just as immense. The memories will stay with us forever and long after we have attempted to get off all that road dust from our clothes and shoes!
Our Stages of the Annapurna Circuit Trek:
Day 1: Bus from Katmandu to start the trek from Besi sahar to Ngadi, 12km, 810m elevation
Day 2: Ngadi to Ghermu, 8km, 1310m elevation
Day 3: Ghermu to Chyamje via Tallo Chipla and Mathilo, 10km, 1430m elevation
Day 4: Chyamje to Danakyu, 17.5km, 2180m elevation
Day 5: Danakyu to Chame, 10.7km, 2670m elevation
Day 6: Chame to Upper Pisang, 12.3km, 3300m elevation
Day 7: Upper Pisang to Braka, 17km, 3470m elevation
Day 8: Braka to Tilicho lake base camp, 15km, 4150m elevation
Day 9: Tilicho lake base camp to Tilicho lake, 12km, 5014m elevation
Day 10: Tilicho base camp to Yak Kharka, 15km, 4035m elevation
Day 11: Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi base camp, 7km, 4520m elevation
Day 12: Thorong Phedi to Muktinath over the Thorong La Pass, 17km, 5416m elevation
Day 13: Rest day in Muktinath
Day 14: Muktinath to Kagbeni, 15km, 2800 elevation
Day 15: Kagbeni to Marpha, 18km, 2670m elevation
Day 16: Marpha to Larjung, 13km, 2550m elevation
Day 17: Larjung to Tatopani for the hot springs via a bumpy bus ride for 5 hours.
Day 18: Tatopani to Pokhara via another bumpy bus ride for 8 hours.
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