Trekking in Annapurna

 

April 13, 2012.

Back from Pokhara via a short flight on Agni Air, a small 29 seat plane , just a 25 minute flight to Kathmandu. The air quality is quite good today as it has been raining in the afternoon for the past five days.

Have just downloaded my photos so will bring you up to date on the last 6 days since I flew to Pokhara.

April 7, 2012

Flew to Pokhara early, Yeti Air, 25 minute flight, car waiting to take me to the Hotel Middleway. Very nice hotel, good room,can see the mountains and the lake from there. Pokhara air quality is very good, the streets are wider and there is walkable sidewalks, and it is very clean. Had breakfast and was off to explore the area as I have the afternoon and evening, the trek does not start until tomorrow morning, Went to David ( Davi,s) Falls a bit of a let down from the photos on the tourist brochours , interesting but not at all worth the price to see. Went for a walk down to the lake and then got postage and posted some cards. In the afternoon it started to rain and hail and so have gone back to the hotel for the evening.

Street in  Pokhara

market

View of Pokhara from hotel

David Falls

Colorful market

Sun rise Pokhara

Mountain view from hotel in Pokhara

Lake at Pokhara

water buffalo

Para Gliders look like a flock of multicolored birds

April 8, 2012.

Off at 7:30 after breakfast by car from Pokhara to Nayapul arriving at 8:45 to start trek, walked for 2.5 hrs on gradual incline to Syauli Bazaar where I had lunch. I have a guide and a porter but do carry one small backpack. Lunch at 11:00 and then off again this time it is mostly uphill on rock steps ( feels like there are 10,000 but apparently there are only about 3000, the last part of the trek today is very good walking but about ½ hour before the final destination it stared to rain and my jacket being with the porter I got slightly wet. Staying at Ghabdruk this evening in a lodge, basic accommodations, good thing I have a sleeping bag as it is cool in the evening and the quilt is not enough to keep you warm. Food is basic but good, and there is always lemon tea. Went from 1070 m to 1940 m today. Trekking for 5.5 hours.

photos from 1st day tekking

Donkeys and horses used to haul supplies up the mountain

April 9, 2012.

7:30 AM begin trekking at Ghandruk going up 900 m today to Tadapani going through the Rhododendron forest today, but last nights hail storm has knocked a lot of the flowers off the trees and the ground is covered with blossoms. Very beautiful up here the scenery is amazing. And different around every corner. Arrived at Bhaisi Kgaruca for tea and then continued up to Tadapani arriving at 12:30 where i stay for the night. Have had a problem finding a lodge for the evening because this is a start or end area for three different treks hence if you do not arrive early you have to search for a lodge. Having found one , this one is really basic but the food is good and there is some great company and have spent the evening playing cards with other trekkers. Up 900m today. 

view from lodge in morning

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for every up there is a down usually

start of rhododendron forest

going down - this was good walking

 

April 10, 2012.

To day the first part of the trek is very steep both up and down so I have acquired a horse for the first part of the trek as my knee is very sore this morning. The horse ride in itself is an adventure, riding both up and down steep inclines, but there were some areas that are too steep for riding so one has to get off and walk. Started at 8:30 and arrived at Deurali a t 11;00 and had lunch , leave the horse here. Now at 3120 m and will be waking along a ridge between two valleys, the mist has came in and you can not see down into the valleys at all, When you do get a glimpse in to the alley you can see the rhododendrons have completely covered the hill sides in a blaze of color. This last section is a very nice walk , mostly flat with very easy walking. Arrived at 1:30 at Chorepani and will stay here this evening. Very good view of the mountains from here and in the morning will go out to Poon Hill to see the sun rise, that is if there is no cloud cover. Very sad incident this evening a young man that is staying at the lodge and to whom I was talking this afternoon had died. Has put a damper on the end of a very good day.

View from lodge in early morning

Ready to leave

This was my horse for the morning ride

Villagers

this chicken does not know he is about to become dinner

Valley of Rhododendrons

snow at 3120 m.

Mist just cleared

 

April 11, 2012

No Poon hill it rained in the early morning and there is cloud cover so it is impossible to see the mountains. So have decided to continue on down the mountain today and go back to Pokhara. This will be a long day, have all the steps to do and then a three hour walk back to Birethanti where I get a taxi back to Pokhara. Had lunch along the way and stopped for tea several times, trekked for 9.5 hour today and must say that I would not do this again all in one day. Very sore by the time I got all the way down, and of course would have to slip and fall during the last 20 minutes of the trek hitting my head and I now have a slight black eye, but all in all it was a good experience, my muscles may not think so but my brain did.

April 11, 12, 13, 2012.

Have been staying at the hotel Bougainvillea for the last two days, three nights, a very nice hotel, best hot shower I have had in south East Asia, and the room are superb for the cost, $25 a night and the food is also very good and inexpensive.. so I have spent the time relaxing , walking around the town and the lake and just sitting watching the pars gliders launch off the hill side above the town . They look life a flock of colorful birds just circling around waiting for prey. , The morning of the 13^th will go to Kathmandu.

photos from the last day done the mountain

These were some of the last rhododendrons near the start of the trek today - they got less and less as you went further down the mountain.