Annapurna Ciruit Trek: Day 10

DAY 10: Thorung Phedi High Camp to Ranipauwa

Apologies for the long delay in posts. I have slacked, and really have no excuse for it. However, today's post has a highlight that goes beyond the goal of crossing the Thorung La pass. Some people may not believe that, but considering who I am trying to raise money for, it ties right in.

After waking at around 6:00 AM, I went for breakfast. First of all? It is extremely cold. At 16,000 feet? There are also dangers from the altitude. I felt a little nauseous, but otherwise was good. After getting ready, I started to look through all of the stickers and business cards that lined the walls that advertised the trekking and tour companies. I asked about leaving one of the cards I made for this blog. Initially they mistakenly thought I worked for World Wildlife Fund. When that was quickly cleared up, I then spoke with the owner of the lodge for about 20 minutes. The story he then told gave me chills.

The day before I had arrived, at around mid-day, a baby yak had fallen from the short cliff face on my left that I walked past as I reached the top. Well, it startled the people that work at the lodge, and they went to check on the animal. It had unfortunately died, but the wounds that were in the yak weren't from the fall. In fact, the wounds were made by another animal. Not from another yak, as yaks are also not too commonly living at such a high altitude. The wounds were from a carnivore, but there is only one large carnivore within that area: a snow leopard.

Taken in Manang

Usually snow leopards are found much farther west at the time of year that I was there. The thought is that a handful of snow leopards followed a food source that moved east. How did this happen, however? Was the snow leopard a cub that was newly out on its own, and simply make a mistake or was unable to carry the weight of the baby yak? Did the baby get away and unfortunately fall? It's strange to see snow leopards at that elevation during a time where it gets colder, so to me, it speaks of desperation, by the animal. When the owner of the lodge told me of this story, and about his own personal reverence for the animal, as well as for most wildlife, it gave me chills and I had a smile broader than probably any during my entire trip.

After putting off leaving for some time, I set off. It was about 7:30 AM, and I had to stop procrastinating. I started off. The year before, it took me approximately three plus hours to make it to the Thorung La. This year, it took just less than two and a half. At a point only maybe twenty minutes before the pass, I passed a sight I saw a couple times the year before, also: someone vomiting. The altitude is something that not everyone takes seriously. The day trip to the ice lake outside of Manang helped me cope, despite the slight symptoms I felt.

Turned around and captured this image of a lone trekker behind me.
I then did it. I reached the Thorung La Pass. 5416 meters up. 17,700 feet high. I have friends that skydive. I admire that. It's something that I want to do, someday. What amazes me is that at an advanced level in skydiving, people jump from around 14,000 feet. What makes me smile and go "wow" is that I have twice stood at an elevation where there is over three miles of solid ground underneath my feet. An elevation that is almost 4,000 feet higher than friends that have jumped out of a plane. When thinking of it in this abstract way, how can one not be proud of what they have done?

You'll never walk alone, indeed!
Now comes the part that could possibly be even harder: going down. After going up about 1,700 feet, that morning, I now had to go down approximately one vertical mile. 1,600 meters down. 1,200 of that would be in the next two hours. This can be absolute hell on ones knees and back. After a pit stop where I had a brief chat with the mountain bikers, again, I kept plugging along. Despite there being fewer trekkers, this year, I knew that getting to Ranipauwa soon was important. Get there too late, and you could be searching in desperation for a room. This holds true even moreso for solo travelers, as many rooms are made as doubles, and one person spends less than two.

I arrived in Ranipauwa at around 2:00 PM, which is rather early. Of all places, I ended up staying at the Bob Marley Hotel. You read that right! After taking a hot shower, which was the only one I would take during the entire 16 days of the trek, I used the time to relax and plot out the remainder of the trek. After meeting again with the mountain bikers as well as the two german gentleman I had run across on two other occasions, I relaxed over a movie on my tablet, and went to sleep. The next day was a big one, as it was second only to the trip to Chame with regard to distance.

Cost: 2000 Rs
Approx. distance trekked: 11 km
Next up: Ranipauwa to Marpha

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Day 9

DAY 9: Letdar to Thorung Phedi High Camp
Day nine saw me set off at around 8:30am. This seemed to be the norm, save for a day or two where earlier starts seemed more prudent. Letdar is close to 14,000 feet up, so the cold certainly has an affect before the sun's rays hit down on a place so high up. Within an hour of setting off, I was already beginning to peel off a layer to keep from sweating. Sweat mixed with cold and the wrong fabrics can lead to some severe problems. If you're thinking of trying such a high altitude hike, make sure to bring the proper clothing. Moisture wicking works the best, and wearing a series of layers - including your coat - is a big thing.

After a couple of hours hiking and even spotting more vultures, I made a stop to rest and be prepared for the last 'easy' section of the hike. By this point, my shoulder was feeling a lot better, as it essentially had become conditioned to the weight of the pack. The scope of the views can be seen below. A foursome riding mountain bikes and their Nepali guide made for good conversation, that day. One of those riders helped me to take this picture! If you're reading this, thank you!

Left: Annapurna III, Right: Gangapurna
Hiking on, it was only about another hour or so before hitting Thorung Phedi. Typically, people either stay here or make the extra 400 meter climb up to the High Camp. Feeling better acclimated this year, than last, I decided to push on up. The ascent to the high camp is not an easy one. Despite being maybe 1.5 to 2 km worth of a walk, at most, it will take some people as long as two hours to make the 1300 foot plus ascent. Switchback after switchback greets you. Loose rocks can be a problem, and this can hit about a 30-35 degree slope, which is steeper than it sounds. In the picture below, the top left area is where I was headed. You can't see it, but there are trekkers in the middle on the trail!

Believe it or not, there are trekkers in this picture!
Every ten minutes, I would stop for a breather, and then press on. After just 75 minutes, I could see more people - and without gear or packs! I had made it. I spent the remainder of the day relaxing and making sure I was drinking plenty of water too help combat the effects of the altitude. At this point, all of us are at just below 16,000 feet. In other words, over three miles up! The next day, however, would find me at my goal - the Thorung La Pass.

Cost: 2300 Rs.
Approx. distance trekked: 8 km
Next up: Day 10 and the Thorung La Pass!

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Day 8

DAY 8: Manang to Letdar

The 8th day started late, which seemed all too normal, at this point. After breakfast I paid my bill for the previous two days and sat with the owner, Karma Gurung, to have a brief Q&A that I recorded on my camera. Back here in the Boston area, the WGBH building looms pretty large in Allston. A friend of mine works there, and was kind enough to give me a tour and introduce me to a few people that worked to helped produce PRI's "The World". The point of my Q&A was to sit and ask a few pointed questions to potentially use for their "Geography Quiz". I still have yet to put that together, as it also would be accompanied by a photo, but the whole instance was about three to four minutes, and I gained some new insight into how the people in Manang also view the issue of climate change. Despite our view of people in such remote areas, they are also aware of our impact on not really our planet, but our ability to live on it. It gave me a great sense of perspective.

After gathering my things, I left Manang at around 9:00am. The first hour and a half was somewhat of a struggle. The high elevation combined with a steep incline made this part of the day the hardest. I reached the small settlement of Ghusang, where I treated myself to some seabuckthorn tea and a muffin. The owner of this small establishment was originally from France, and she had married a Nepali man, and they now lived far from the lights and extreme pace of our society. I have to admit there were pangs of jealousy, but more of a feeling of respect for someone following through with what they wanted to do in life. Many of us seem to forgo that, and instead shoot for what society expects out of us.

Continuing on, it wasn't too long before reaching Yak Kharka. For many, this would be where they would spend the evening. At around 4,000 meters up, it's not too harsh of a change from Manang, which is important. A slow rise in elevation is needed for those that may not have the experience. The previous day's trip to the Ice Lake was the only reason I continued farther along to Letdar.

Letdar is another 200 meters higher than Yak Kharka, so the day's elevation change was close to 700 meters, which one should be aware of. I had to plan on where I would stay over not just that night, but the next. If staying in Thorung Phedi? Yak Kharka would have been perfect. However, with my previous day's side trip, I figured the next night at the Thorung Phedi High Camp wouldn't present too much of an issue. Staying in Letdar, then, seemed to make the most sense.

Letdar was an hour past Yak Kharka. With so few choices of where to stay, I simply hoped that there was available room, since I arrived late relative to many others. Thankfully, the Churri Lettar had room. Since I was solo, I would end up staying in their dorm setting. At only 100 Rs, it was a steal. Soon after putting my things away, I noticed a youngster and decided to give out another set of crayons and a memo pad. The mother explained to me that she was teaching her how to write and speak English. Our culture really is having an impact around the globe. What mattered more, to me, was that it again seemed to make the parent happy. It doesn't take much to make a change, so perhaps that little girl will someday become interested in art or become a voice for people to empowere themselves.

I enjoyed a late lunch and had an early dinner of Daal Bhat. Two plates of this meal filled me up nicely. I would then retire to the dorm, where I was the only person. I was guilty of enjoying a little bit of home before falling asleep. I downloaded several movies onto my tablet, and the one I watched, that night, was Wall-E. The message of the film seems fitting, in retrospect. With the day starting off with the brief discussion about the people revering the mountains as gods and being aware of climate change, ending it with a movie that had such a strong message about how we treat the world just hammered home my feelings of remorse for what we've done. Despite this, it strengthened my willingness to at least try to help fix the ills, instead of just feel sorry for our future.

Cost: 2200 Rs
Approx. distance trekked: 9km
Next up: Day nine brings me to the Thorung Phedi High Camp!

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Days 6 and 7

DAY 6: Pisang to Manang

The sixth day would actually be one of the shortest, time-wise. After waking to grab my clothes and seeing the beautiful shimmer of the snow that had fallen the night before was a great start. After breakfast, I made my way out of Pisang at around 8:30am.

The day was rather uneventful, with the high point being the unbelievable views of Annapurna II, III, and IV after Hongde, where I checked into the police checkpost. Once I arrived in Manang, I looked through the potential spots to stay at. The choice ended up being the Tilicho Hotel, where I would stay for the following two nights. However, on this day, I would make my way up near the Chongarr viewpoint and get a close-up view of the glacial lake called Gangapurna Tal. The meltwater from the glacier below Gangapurna is responsible for this beautiful milky blue water.

Gangapurna Tal
Later in the evening, I attempted to upload a picture online - which did not work - and checked emails. Around 6:00pm, I checked through my pictures on the camera to find that mysteriously none would come up. Thankfully, they had not been lost, but the memory card was useless until I could format it, later. Manang, being the village with practically everything you would need, was where I purchased an 8gb SD card. This would have to do, for now.


DAY 7: Acclimatization Day in Manang

This day was meant to help one acclimate to the elevation. After looking through how much time I possibly had, I chose to not go to Tilicho Tal the next day, but instead head to Kicho Tso - the Ice Lake. The easiest route there is to return south to Bragha, and then follow the markings up to the lake. This was no easy feat, as one will end up hiking around 8 km or so there, not to mention be hit with an altitude change of over 1 km in just three to four hours. The difference between 3520 meters and 4600 meters may not seem like much, but to do so in one day without going back down can lead to significant health problems.

The views about halfway up were possibly some of the most stunning of the entire trek. Seeing The three Annapurnas, Gangapurna, Manaslu, Tilicho Peak, Langtang, and many more was something you just can't forget.

View from about 4100m up on the way to Kicho Tso
About two hours later, I finally reached the Ice Lake, but also now had an absolutely splitting headache, as well as a bad cough. Knowing that getting back down would be the best medicine, I took a handful of pictures and bounded back down. The return trip down was easily just over half the time it took to get up. Once I reached the beginning of Bragha, I was greeted by a little girl of maybe three yelling "Namaste!" quite happily! As exhausted as I was, that certainly helped lift my spirits, quite a bit. An hour later, at around 3:00pm, I was back in Manang, where I took it easy for the remainder of the day. The next three days I would now be far away from anything that would remind me of civilization.

Cost: 4200Rs (for both days)
Approx. distance trekked: 29 km (for both days)

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Day 5

DAY 5: Chame to Pisang

The start of day 5 was another late one. Are you noticing a trend, here? Unfortunately, I have a habit of being late, quite often. The day was "short" relative to the day before, at only around 14 to 15 kilometers. Before I left the Manaslu View, I gave another set of crayons and a memo pad to the owners' little one. My right shoulder was, by this point, blistered and very sore. Trying to find a good way to carry my pack without it really digging into my shoulder became pretty hard. This would eventually not be a bother, but at the moment? It was not fun!

The day ended up quite good, as I was able to take in some excellent views of Lamjung, Annapurna II, and Pisang Peak. A little ways into the day, trekkers are treated to their first views of the Paungda Danda, which is a 1500 meter high curved cliff face that you see for what seems like forever. Below you will see what is just before this area. To give it perspective, if you look very closely, you can even see people that chose to hike along the road that they've built along this intimidating structure!

At the very bottom, there are actually people, there!
The next area was a steep ascent, with a brief stop at an area porters typically use, also. After going up the remaining steep ascent through some of the most beautiful forestry, I emerged onto the crude road, which would lead me through the following day, also. The roads being built do help in some ways, but I never lost the sense that it was also damaging to the environment, too. There is always a give and take with our decisions, and this was one example.

After stopping in Dhukur Pokhari for a little snack, it was only another hour until I reached Lower Pisang, which I chose to stay in. There is another route to take to Upper Pisang, but in my opinion, people should really only stay up there if you're either wanting the much better views of the peaks, or you're taking the route to Manang via Ngawal the following day. I chose to stay in Lower Pisang, and wasn't disappointed!

I wandered the road through Lower Pisang, trying to decide where to stay. Finally, I saw what looked to be a new guesthouse - the Hotel Bajra. When I asked how much for a room, I was shocked to be asked for only 50 Rs! That's about 68 cents! Now three meals and gratuity will add onto that, but it was still a bargain! I was given the choice of rooms, and opted for one with a shared balcony. The view outside of it was amazing. The aforementioned Paungda Danda was clearly within view, and you can see why it is such a revered structure! The picture below was taken the following morning, as it had snowed in the upper reaches. None of the snow reached our elevation. After a filling Dal Bhat dinner, it was off to bed!

A gorgeous view to start my morning!
Cost: 2180Rs
Approx. distance trekked: 14-15 km

Next up: Day 6 to Manang and day 7 as the acclimatization day!

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Day 4

DAY 4: Tal to Chame

The fourth day of the trek from Tal to Chame was the longest, at approximately 22-23 km, but was well worth it. After having breakfast, I gave another set of crayons and a notepad to the children at the Dragon Guesthouse. The mother beamed and seemed genuinely happy, as did the kids. Again, if it helps push a sense of creativity? I consider it as a win. I won't ever say that people in that situation have "nothing" and need a sense of "hope". I think I could give the same small gift to the child of wealthy parents here, and if the parents allow the child to express creativity, then the background becomes a very minor point, if even one at all.

Setting out at about 8:20 AM, I instantly began to understand the wonder of the environment around me. A number of small birds that looked like the one below were all around just after Tal. If anyone can help me ID what species? Please leave a comment below!

One of many birds seen of this subspecies around Tal
Continuing on, I was rewarded after a couple of hours of some more avian wildlife seen in Dharapani. Originally, I assumed that perhaps it was the famed golden eagle, but after arriving home, and cropping the picture you see below, I'm almost certain that I saw a large number of Himalayan griffon vultures that live in the area. The photos have been cropped to give a closer look, and I feel lucky to have been able to get these shots while they were airborne!

Himalayan griffon vulture just outside of Dharapani

Another vulture (maybe the same?), in the same area as the above
Although I was amazed to see this wildlife, the locals seemed annoyed by them, as they would try to shoo them away if they got too close. They seemed puzzled as to why I took such an interest in them, but I completely understand. Once you become used to seeing something, you sometimes lose sight of how that 'something' may seem to be wonderful to others.

After spending close to 20 minutes trying to snap pictures of these amazing birds, I continued on. About an hour or so later, I arrived in Bagarchap, where I had a light lunch. Here I ran into a younger Belgian couple and made some small talk with a young Israeli man. Earlier on, as I entered the village, one of my first summit sights since the second day came into view. Below you will see Annapurna II and the kani (or chorten) as I entered Bagarchap. These are stupa shaped arches that typically are at the entrances of villages. Many have elaborate paintings, as well as sets of Buddhist prayer wheels built on the inside walls. As with everything else in the region, it is an amazing thing to see to understand and envelop yourself in the culture.

The kani entering Bagarchap. In the back: Annapurna II
Understanding that I still had a few hours to go, I continued on. After Danaque, I ran into what was almost a bad problem, last year. When I did this same trek a year ago, I took what would now be considered a wrong turn. I arrived at a small river, and on a huge rock, spotted a handpainted "Manang", with an arrow pointing across the river. It wasn't uncommon to see this along the trails. The problem? No bridge in sight. It took me a half an hour to figure out a way to get across, but not before almost falling into the water. Had I fallen in - and one of my legs did nearly to my right knee! - I would have been in serious trouble. This year?

I took the road, and eventually crossed a bridge. As I was crossing, last year, I even spotted said bridge, but was already 15 minutes into this, and turning back would have been just as hard as what laid ahead. Once across, I stopped to prep for a serious climb that went up approximately 500 meters (approx. 1600+ feet). When I reached the top, I ran into the same Belgian couple. What amazed me is that they had left Bagarchap about 15 to 20 minutes before I had. It turns out that they unfortunately made the same mistake I had made last year, and crossed the river. Thankfully, without getting wet, like I did!

I pressed on, and spotted the continuing building of roads, in the region. I find this to be a bit unfortunate, as it takes away from the trekking trails, but understand it's needed for some. It comes as a blessing is disguise. While it helps the villages that have remained so remote and allows easier access to supplies, it potentially hurts the tourism appeal of villages farther south, as some may opt to skip this. To understand the sort of environment these roads are being built in, just check out the picture below, which was taken the day before, before reaching Tal.

Yes, they built a road, here! On the lower left, there's a construction vehicle!
The remainder of the day, I tagged along with the Belgian couple. It turns out, they lived a pretty simple life. They worked as fruit pickers in France, and lived out of a caravan during this time. They had no real bills, to speak of, so they spent three months working, with the remainder of the year trying to travel. That sounds like a good life, to me! This couple ended up being my hiking companions, for the day, and this is one of the best parts of trekking - meeting people from around the globe.

After reaching Timang, we ended up going back down a couple hundred meters and had to cross one of the many suspension bridges. These are seen throughout the region, and the Swiss are actually responsible for helping to build these. I guess they're good at making watches, as well as bridges! These bridges can be a bit much for some, and that was the case for the young Belgian woman. After crossing, we went back up that two hundred meters, and for the rest of the day, smooth sailing.

Don't look down!
Just over an hour later, we would arrive in Chame. Beforehand, minutes before the previous village of Koto, we ran into a vendor that was selling samosas. Big ones, at that! For only 25 rupees, I couldn't pass it up. 30 cents US gave me an awesome little snack to help give me that little bit of energy. Entering Chame, I decided to stay at the Manaslu View, where I stayed, last year. After a hearty dinner - and checking e-mail for the first time in four days! - it was time for bed.


Cost: 2125Rs (four day cost - approx. $98 US!)
Approx. distance trekked: 23 km

Next up: Day 5 to Pisang.

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Day 3

DAY 3: Ghermu to Tal

The third day saw me leave at around 8am to end up at the village of Tal. After a hearty breakfast of a simple omelet and some oatmeal with fresh apples and black tea, I began. It was another very warm day, but this would be the last one for quite a while, as the altitude would go up a lot over the next few days.

The day remained a bit uneventful, with very little in the way of wildlife seen, save for many lizards and a few smaller birds. In Jagat, I stopped for a much needed cold beverage, and continued. While in Jagat, saw a school that was working to raise the money to buy a computer, and donated 100Rs (approx. $1.25), and continued on.

The way from Jagat to Tal is only just over one-third of the day's travels, but it's quite easily the hardest stretch. After plunging down a good 70-80 meters to get to a very shaky suspension bridge, there was a series of switchbacks that went back up twice that. After getting through this rise, there would be two more major climbs left. Upon reaching the top of the first, I could see the second climb - and the last obstacle of the day! In the picture below, you can see the trail. From the point where I took this picture, it took me around one hour and fifteen minutes to reach the top.

It seems so close!
Once I reached the top, it was about another fifteen to twenty minutes to actually reach Tal. Good thing, too, as during that final climb, the weather started to turn and it sprinkled lightly. Thankfully, it held off, and I arrived at my day's destination dry. I stayed at the Dragon Guesthouse, that evening, and do recommend staying there, if you do go. It is one of the first guesthouses you will pass, and has very good food and is extremely hospitable.

Cost: 1,950Rs
Approx. distance trekked: 13 km

Next up: Day 4 and the longest trek of the trip!