Index to Nepal treks 2012

Summary

A trek of great variety starting with the Manaslu trek from the fertile valley at Arughat Bazar, working up to the 5300m pass at Larke La before joining the Annapurna trek at Dharapani.

 

Only for a short time though, as I duck out to the special zone of Nar and Phu, a spectacular very dry and time forgotten world. 

 

I rejoin the Annapurna trek, taking a side trip to the high elevated  Lake Tilicho with high mountains as a backdrop, then I  finally clamber over Thorung la pass to fly out of Jomsom. 

 

As a finishing treat, I take a paragliding trip in Pokhara.

Preparation and Photos

• Preparation for trekking Nepal 

Kathmandu

• Oct 3. I'm off on a new adventure - Melbourne to Kathmandu.
  Kathmandu is rambling bustling city with a mix of bitumen and dirt roads, narrow and wide. People, rickshaws, motorbikes, cars pouring out of its seams.  It was quite overwhelming at first coming from a comparatively quiet and staid manicured suburb of Melbourne.
• Oct 4. Kathmandu to Boudhha, a day on my own.
  I went for a walk around town. This is the older part of Kathmandu and has been kept this way for historical reasons. There is a sense of life here with numerous shops, open air markets and stalls, narrow streets and a lot of things going on.
• Oct 5. Boudhha , another day whiling the time.
  As I was walking back I thought I would do a bit of an explore in the back streets. I happened across a bit of a slum area with people living in buildings composed of scrap materials. They are apparently from Bangladesh.
• Oct 6. A day trip around Kathmandu.
  Our breakfast was in another restaurant with a grandstand position looking onto the Bhoudhanath stupa. The restaurant was closed, but the vendor soon opened it for us. ...The attractions on offer were the monkey temple, King's palace, Paton and Hindu crematorium....
• Oct 7. Kathmandu to Arughat Bazar.
  The journey to Arughat Bazar was a long one as expected, but quite scenic going through mountainous terrain. As the crow flies it is around 65km, but wending through towns and over mountains it is a lot longer.The area is hot and humid, with a lower altitude of 570m compared to 1350m at Kathmandu.

Manaslu trek

• Oct 8. Arughat Bazar to Lapu Besi.
  Sweeping views of the valley as we walk up it, many waterfalls and rural scene. This will be the theme of the trek until we get closer to Manaslu. Today we ascend from 550m in Arughat Bazar to 750m in Lapu  Besi. This over the days this section of the trek will be a long continuous ascent rising to 5000m at the Larke La pass. We will have  few days to acclimatize before reaching high altitude which is a good thing.
• Oct 9. Lapubesi to Dobhan (Tatopani).
  We shorten our trip leg to Lapubesi because one of the party was suffering from the heat. The valley narrows and in places is very steep. Hot water at Tatopani.
• Oct 10. Tatopani to Philim.
  The real mountains are starting to peek out on the skyline. The water thunders down the very steep river valley of the Buri Gandaki. The gorges are impressive and at times a bit unnerving. We see some marijuana growing lie a weed in places. I taste the local brew.
• Oct 11 Philim to Ghap.
  Grand river valley, beautiful flowers. A long day of walking.
• Oct 12. Ghap to Lho.
  Conversation with the locals, annoying but also fun kids.  Getting up high at altitudes of 3000m. The food is good, the nights are cold.
  
• Oct 13. Lho to Sama Gaon.
  At night it is bitterly cold. The village of Sama Gaon is nestled in a natural ampitheatre of snow clad mountains all round. My head is aching with a throbbing tightness over the scalp and neck, altitude is affecting me.
• Oct 14 Sama Gaon rest day excursion to Manaslu lookout.
  A rest day in Sama Goan, by no means a day wasted as we explore Birenda Tal and get grandstand views of Manaslu.
• Oct 15 Samdo, It's my birthday, the big 50.
  It's my birthday, a milestone event - I turn 50, and what a fitting place to do it, high up in the Himalaya at 3800m in Samdo.
• Oct 16 Samdo to Dharamsala.
  It will be a big climb out of the valley where we ascend from Samdo at 3870m to 4460m at Dharamsala.
• Oct 17 Dharamsala via Larke La to Bimtang
  My first pass over 5000m. An early start, it is very cold and a very beautiful scene.  Exhilaration  when the apex is crested at 5135m, Larke La Yak. As I go down,  yak caravans labour up. We stop for pizza and an overnight stay with the creature comforts provided in Bimtang.
• Oct 18 Bimtang to Dharapani.
  No wonder athletes train at high altitude. Coming down from 3700m is like adding a supercharger to your body. Sunny day, more great scenery. This is my last day on the Manaslu circuit, and it's time to take on a new guide and say goodbye to Walter and Elena.

Phu and Nar trek

• Oct 19. Dharapani to Kota.
  We join the Annapurna circuit trek briefly to get to the next leg of the trip - Phu and Nar in the forbidden restricted area. It is a jolt as we see a lot more people and trappings associated with vehicular access. Nothing will take away the beauty of the highest mountains of the Himalaya.
  
• Oct 20 Kota to Meta.
  A grand entrance: a chasm is the beginning of our walk into the restricted area of the Nar-Phu valley.  I am looking forward to these next few days of visiting an area where few venture.
• Oct 21 Meta to Phu Gaon.
  The walk from Meta to Phu is a walk in another world. Manaslu and Annapurna are quite lush whereas this is a very desolate one. The buildings seem like they are thousands of years old, and are empty in a lot of places. The mountains and valleys scale us into insignificance.
• Oct 22 Phu to Nar.
  I thought the lead up to Phu was spectacular. There are not many words to say, except that this part of the trek continues to blow me away. We are walking to the village of Nar, where the people are actively processing the season's grain harvest.
• Oct 23 Phu to Ngawal.
  Up early to beat the wind, as we are crossing a high pass over 5000m to reenter the Annapurna circuit trek. Grand open valleys with high mountain backdrops.  Yaks, horses and porters traipse up the pass providing services to Nar.

Annapurna trek, Lake Tilicho to Jomsom.

• Oct 24. Ngawal to Khangsar
  Phase 3 of the trek - on the way to Lake Tilicho. We visit the Braga Gompa, a monastery over 500 years old, which is perched high over Bhraka village and has many fascinating artifacts. I meet up with another traveller, Christoff who accompanies us for the rest of the trip.  Lovely walk up a gorge to the village of Khangsar.
• Oct 25. Khangsar to Tilicho base camp
  The views just get better. We see the rare blue sheep, walk across huge land slips and gape in awe at the massive snowclad mountain backdrop.
• Oct 26. Lake Tilicho
  Lake Tilicho, perched high in the sky, a glorious complement to the Annapurna circuit.
• Oct 27. Yak Kharta to Thorong Phedi
  It is a relatively short day hike to Thorong Phedi (4450m).  The scenery is spectacular, and there is quite a few people staying here and at the previous village readying for the big ascent over Thorung La tomorrow. It's time to read, chat and generally chill out.
• Oct 28. Thorong Phedi to Jomsom
  Massive day of walking starting early to hike over the Thorong La Pass peaking at 5416m. A long descent to Muktinath where I buy a souvenir or two have a nice lunch. And, as we could not secure a jeep, and being early in the day, so we chose to walk to Jomsom.
• Oct 29. Jomsom to Marpha day trip
  My flight was cancelled, so I had a pleasing day trip to Marpha.
• Oct 30. Jomsom to Pokhara
  A spectacular flight into Pokhara. A nice sunny day to spend in the city, walking around the lake and enjoying the city.
• Oct 31. Paragliding fun in Pokhara

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