Nepal and the Annapurna Sanctuary

The trip began in Kathmandu exploring the in’s and out’s of the kingdom’s capital city. Local sites included Pashupatinath, Durbar Square, the markets of Chhetrapati, Swayambhunath Temple, and many more. Only a few days are needed to experience the city as most sites are near each other.  Every morning the city awakens to a busy metropolis with markets and vendors left and right, there is no fear of having nothing to do.

West of Kathmandu is a town called Pokhara. Being situated in rolling hills and the adjacent Phewa lake, it can be viewed as a get-away location filled with hillside retreats and spa resorts.  Though the town’s beauty is undeniable, people who visit are either preparing to trek the Annapurna mountains or returning from their expedition. This town is known as the gateway to the Annapurna circuit.

The trek began at Nayapul just West of Pokhara. As you walk through the small town, the road gradually tapers into a commuting trail that connects towns across the foothills of the Himalayas.  The trail progressed North West towards GhodePani (GhorePani) while along the way resting at small villages for the overnight portion, then Eastward towards Chhomrong and North until Annapurna Base Camp (ABC).  Onwards from Chhomrong, eating meat was forbidden, but not for reasons of sanitation. All of the high peaks of the Himalayas, especially in the Annapurna Conservation Area, are holy locations where Hindu deities could be found.  In such areas, no meat is found.

The wet season had just started and we were fast enough to reach our overnight location before the rain would drench the landscape.  As we climbed higher in elevation, the rain would begin earlier in the day as temperature would drop closer to dew point. Once we reached ABC (4310m), it began snowing, which is a huge temperature difference from hiking in 30⁰C at lower elevations. Our trek group stayed overnight at Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC) due to an Avalanche that destroyed multiple guest houses at ABC a few weeks before arrival.  Finally we headed south and towards Pothana and finished the trek at Pokhara.

The trek itself was 10 days which was a comfortable duration.  The climate and uphill terrain were inevitable stressors, but the experience of wandering from the tropical rainforest to the raw landscape of the Himalayas were irreplaceable moments.  I would like to give thanks to my guides Asis and Santosh for educating our group on Nepali culture and history, as well as showing us how to have a good time in the mountains (the Nepali way!).  This experience was booked with G adventures called “Annapurna Sanctuary”! Be sure to check them out 🙂

Click to watch the accompanying video!