Since we booked it, the trek in Nepal was destined to be the highlight of our holiday (obviously discounting the emotional highlight of re-uniting with our sister Lauren, and her partner Tom). It was an incredible experience, heightened by the events engulfing much of Central and Eastern Nepal during our stay. Frankly, the pictures speak for the beauty of the Annapurna Conservation Area than our writing ever could so we’ll try to keep it small.
Day One
After an earthquake related delay of four days, we set off from Pokhara in a taxi with our guide (now a Facebook friend!) and a driver. Within minutes we had some glimpses of snow capped peaks. We were dropped off at a small village called Nayul and walked a short distance to the APAC checkpoint at Birethani, in many ways the official start and end point of our journey.
The path out of Birethani began to wind up through the hills, steadily becoming rockier until the trundling jeeps were replaced by plodding sweaty donkeys. The fallout from April 25th meant a trekking path usually busy with walkers was virtually deserted, aside from the locals threshing wheat and driving the donkeys. We chatted to our guide and listened to the sound of the river running through the valley. It was beautiful.
Then, Ruth got sick. We don’t know how or why but she deteriorated throughout the morning and by lunchtime, she was dizzy, exhausted and incapable of keeping down even some water. We only had an hour to go but Ruth was becoming unable to stand up let alone carry on walking. We decided to stop and stay the night at the next place we could find, and luckily there was a teahouse just a minute or so up the path.
A tranquil spot for our first night
Day Two
I woke up on our second day knowing it was make or break. We were either going ahead as planned (which would mean a 7-8 hour trek after we’d fallen short of our first day target of Hille) or we were going home. It all hung on how Ruth was feeling. The weather was completely clear and sunny, a good omen, and after sleeping about 14 of the last 16 hours, Ruth was feeling better and managed to keep down some rice and water – we were ready to go! The second day was always going to be the big one. We were now facing an 8km trek, gaining 1.7km in altitude.
After an hour or so we started climbing the 3,300 steps up to the village of Ulleri. Now is a good time to mention we’d decided against a porter so I was carrying our large travel bag full of everything we both needed for 5 days. Ruth, who just a few hours earlier had been throwing up, was amazing and lead the way up. If it sounds like I’m asking for your respect, I am – it was really hard work!
We got up to Ulleri and after a quick breather we kept walking up hill towards the other side of the hill we’d just climbed. We stopped for lunch at the last place before heading into the forest for the first time. The last couple of hours to Ghorepani were also very steep, and the rain didn’t help, but as darkness fell we reached a big sign welcoming us to Gorepani. We read it out loud with huge smiles on our faces: knackered and relieved, we were here! Our guide then informed us we had to climb to Upper Ghorepani where we would be staying and though I suffered a mini-breakdown at this point. I did not want to take a step more than necessary but really it didn’t take long. Ruth was a few metres in front of me and I heard her gasp as she rounded the corner and saw the view. It was stunning. Grey, wet, and misty, but stunning.
The view we were greeted with. Only it was a lot wetter when we arrived!
The hot shower at out hotel was the kind you think you’ll never leave, and we had a nice chat with a couple of other trekkers before getting an early night. Not only did we have to be up at 4am, but the temperature had been dropping all day and a sleeping bag was simply the best place to be.
Day Three
This this the day of the ascent to Poon Hill. Up at 4am were ventured out into the darkness armed with a head torch, a couple of mini mars bars and all the warm items of clothing we’d bought with us. It was a tough half hour, but every few minutes we’d get a glimpse of the reward that awaited us at the top of the hill. We could already see it was a completely clear morning – not a cloud in sight – the view was going to be incredible.
And it was. It was just mind blowing. There was only one way to improve it; a cup of tea and a Mars Bar.
Once the sun was fully up, we went back down the hill for breakfast and then left Ghorepani heading to Tadapani. The walk was far “flatter” than the first couple of days. We rambled up and down through charming rhododendron forests, every now and then pausing to look at the incredible mountain ranges still visible in the sunshine. We reached Tadapani by mid afternoon and had a nice evening playing cards and chatting with out guide and a couple of the other trekkers before getting another indulgently early night.
Day Four
The morning of our fourth day felt a little flat. After the high of Poon Hill the previous morning, it now felt like we were heading home. The only upside was the path was now almost exclusively downhill which though still tough on the legs is much easier on the heart and lungs!
We were heading for Ghandruk, a rather large village (by the standards within the Annapurna Conservation Area) and we were there in time to get a late lunch. In all honesty it would’ve been easily possible to finish the trek in four days but it was nice to get a tour around Ghandruk.
We visited the “old town”, which includes some houses that have been standing for more than five hundred years, as well as visiting the Gorkha museum and the local monastery.
Day Five
The final day of our trek took us steadily downhill and eventually off the rocky trekking route back onto a rocky road, which soon became a dirt road, and before long we were being passed by rickety busses packed with locals.
We enjoyed the final glimpses of the snow capped mountains and couldn’t help turning around constantly to get one last look in.
Soon we were back in Borethani, and then Nayapul, and it was all over. A beautiful, sometimes nervy, often overwhelming, but always tranquil five days.
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