TREK REPORTS SPRING 2010
TREK REPORT – Annapurna Circuit, April 2010
Denis arrived early (1 April) so we wandered into
Bouda together in the early evening for a stroll
around the ancient stupa. Joining in this evening
prayer ritual, or ‘Kora’, with the Tibetan community
is really throwing yourself into Kathmandu’s cultural
deep end.
Next day (2 April) Alison and Liz joined us from
Melbourne and Sydney respectively. We repeated
the previous evening’s routine with Robina and
Netra for company. Netra manages the Bright Future
Community Centre where Robina (veteran of
Everest, Jomsom, Kali Gandaki and now Annapurna
Base Camp treks) is volunteering for three months
– and loving it! We never tire of the Garden Café with its excellent Paneer Butter Masala, served with
real tandoor-cooked naan bread.
Saturday 3 April
We hired a minibus and took Dorje (our Kathmandu
guide and veteran of at least a dozen treks with us)
and Robina over to Pathan Durbar Square. It is a
treasure trove of diff erent architectural styles as
it has been added to over many centuries. The
wooden support struts on the 14th, 15th and 16th
century pagodas are extraordinarily suggestive. A
lot of the ancient wooden and stone sculpture in
the Kathmandu Valley has a lively sensuality. Even
the male figures have curved hips and rounded
stomachs and appear ready to dance right off the walls. We lunched in the grounds of the old palace,
now a museum, but power cuts made a tour of the
museum a pretty dismal prospect. We meandered
through the old lanes for a while but it was a really
hot day so by 1pm we headed back to Kopan. After a
much-needed siesta we climbed up to Kopan gomba.
![]() Just some of our fabulous support crew – Subash, Mangal, Lahar, Khaji and Prem |
Their lovely gardens looked great in the late spring
sunshine. As usual the ‘eurobhuddists’ seemed a tad
aloof after the friendliness of the locals.
Back at the Shambala (our home base in Kathmandu)
we ate outside in the garden. No electricity (again)
but candlelight sufficed. The customers were all
housed down at Muna Cottage (formerly known
as ‘the annexe’) so much quieter than my room
overlooking the main road – and right above a speed
bump! Their dog Kale is still a bit too friendly and
has to be reminded that not all the guests like her
lying on their bed!!
Sunday 4 April
The official start day of our holiday saw me out at
the airport for Cam and Faseny from Brisbane and
Russ and Andy from Melbourne. The trio of Alison,
Liz and Denis were sent in a taxi to Kimdol Bazaar –
hopefully to meet Mangal who would take them up
to Swayambhu. Bina, my favourite jewellery maker,
had off ered to look out for their arrival. Of course
she met their taxi and Alison then succumbed to
a gorgeous silver bangle. Perhaps I should have
warned them?
We did Bouda again in the evening. It’s such a treat
and nobody minds a repeat visit to the Garden
Café.

Faseny at the first morning tea stop
onday 5 April
Today was the usual hideous mixture of moneychanging,
gear shopping and final acquisition of
odds and ends for the trek. Th amel is a backpacker’s
ghetto these days but we were glad of the Weizen’s
hospitality. We managed to escape by 3.30 so were
back at the Shambala in time for a couple of hours
of electricity. Yippee! Hair dryers and phone and
camera battery chargers were all put to good use.
New gear was stuff ed into new packs. Somehow it
all fitted.
We did try to cover some of the pre-trek briefing
but were somewhat hampered by the consumption
of Gossips Cabernet-Merlot. Who knew cheap
wine could be this good? In the end we took a good look at the pictures (on this very laptop) of last
year’s Annapurna Circuit trek in November. It did
look good. We were all more than a bit keen to get
cracking next day.
Tuesday 6 April
I am writing this at 9pm in the Mongolian Hotel at
Besi Sahar. It was a bit too hot today. We got away
early after coffee and Danish in my room – 7.15
must be a record. Traffic was light on the ring
road and we cleared the rim of the valley by about
8.30. However the first jam was waiting for us just
a few kilometres over the pass. We tried stopping
for a drink but the traffic was still snaggled just a
bit further on. We decided to walk for a while and
soon came upon an upturned scrap-metal truck. A
bystander indicated that the driver had not survived.
Very sad. The stupidity of other drivers compounded
the situation and we just crawled along for a couple
of hours. After lunch (yes, we only made The
Hamlet for lunch) the traffic was flowing just fine
but it was very hot. Over 30 degrees anyway. After
a quick stop for refreshments near Dumre we were
relieved to turn off the main road. The countryside
had become really green since I’d driven back from
Pokhara three weeks earlier. The rice paddies were
flooded and the crops were high. The rural scenery became even greener as we gained elevation and
passed the Upper Marsyangdi Hydro Project. The
lake is becoming huge and has a milky turquoise
colour. The skies were quite hazy as we approached
Besi Sahar with no view of Manaslu.
Besi Sahar is getting quite large and the businesses
seem to be prospering. After a refreshing shower we
strolled the main street at dusk. Dinner was very
tasty and afterwards we met up with our particular
porters. Mangal, Dorje and Subash had travelled
with us in the minibus from Kathmandu but the
rest of the guys met us at Besi Sahar, having travelled
up from Pokhara where they are based. Cam and
Faseny have Kaji and Suman (our ‘new boy’). Purna
is travelling with Denis. Mangal asked for Alison
so that was an easy decision. Dorje and Prem took
Russ and Andy (our anticipated front-runners). Liz
is with Subash and I always take Lahar. Having risen
well before 6 this morning everyone was ready to hit
the hay by about 8 o’clock. Big day tomorrow – the
real trekking starts!
Wednesday 7 April
We all piled into our Indian-made bus and trundled
along the 7 km road to Bhulbule on an appalling
stretch of dirt track. Pitching and tossing on a trail
with potholes the size of Volkswagens following
the raging Marsyangdi River. This trek starts at
a large, metal suspension bridge but we pulled
up on the other side for our first cuppa. A hazy
glimpse of Lamjung Himal was all the weather
conditions allowed. The trail was very easy at first
and conditions were still and cool. The countryside
was extraordinarily green as there had been a lot of
sunshine this particular April. The flat fields around
Ngadi were mostly full of hip-high corn interspersed
with a great-looking crop of potatoes. Lunch was an
early stop as we’d eaten only a light breakfast. It took
ages to arrive, something we would have to get used
to. Everything is made from scratch here, including
the bread. We were ravenous by the time the food
arrived and devoured our veggie omelettes with
chapattis in a lovely garden, shaded by a thatched
shelter. After lunch the flats gave way to rolling hills
and then the sharpish climb up to Bahun Danda.
We couldn’t quite make it without one more stop.
Icy cold coke never tasted so good. We took over
the entire ground floor at the Superb View lodge. It
is a bit rustic but well-run. Sitting under the huge
mango tree, strung with coloured lights, mulling
over our first day of trekking was very relaxing.
Another group of twelve were staying too. Mostly
young and rather uncommunicative. The French
were friendlier – quelle surprise! Balmy night – no
sleeping bag required.
Th ursday 8 April
6am bed tea. 6.30 breakfast. A theoretical start time
of 7am. Well, it was our first day. By 7.30 we were
off down the far side of Bahun Danda. Hazy again
but quite cool because of it. Easy trekking through
wheat and rice terraces in bright and dark greens. It
took less than an hour to reach our regular morning
tea stop but we decided to keep going. The rustic
‘bhatti’ or teahouse at Baisigaon was well-placed
for a sit down cuppa. The loos were adequate, just
about, and the variety of animals one met on the
way to them was astounding. The original farmyard
outhouse! The trail soon became a bit more upand-
down as we approached Ghermu Phant, the
scene of last year’s accident. (A German woman
had a severely lacerated broken leg and had to be
helicoptered out). Bad memories.
As the morning wore on it became increasingly hot
and muggy. It must have been close to 30 degrees by
the time we reached Syange for lunch. Of course we
had the chips – they were, as usual, excellent. Went
down well with bowls of spicy veggie noodle soup.
Denis was struggling a bit with a ‘dodgy tummy’
but bearing up well in spite of it. He slept through
lunch and didn’t eat. Out of the starting blocks after
lunch the new road was pretty hard going but with
the altitude gain came a cool breeze at our backs.
Higher still the views down into the gorge became
spectacular. At the top of the steepest section we
broke for tea with Jagat clearly visible half an hour up
the road. The trail became easier and Denis seemed
to get a second wind.
Our lodge at Jagat was a three-storey timber
monstrosity called the Eco House. It was painted
as garishly as all the other purple/blue/green/pink
lodges in this once picturesque village. Dinner
outside after a rum and coke entrée was very pleasant
indeed. Having showered off the worst of the day’s
dust surely helped. At this stage I felt the group all
seemed strong enough to make the pass, assuming
the altitude doesn’t become too much of a factor.
Liz keeps everyone entertained with tales of life as a
corporate high flyer. Alison and Mangal are a great
team. Andy seemed completely recovered from his
recent brush with the notorious Kathmandu killer tummy bug. (2 days of plain rice and then a Mars
bar probably did as much to sort him out as the
medications). Perhaps Russ is finding the going a
bit TOO easy after his trekking experiences in New
Guinea. Denis is a delight to see on the trail with
his sun umbrella and polite ways – quite the ‘sahib’.
Faseny and Cam are a gold-mine of information in so
many areas but curious to increase their knowledge
too. Being from Brisbane the heat hasn’t fazed them
at all. I confess I found it a bit hot, dusty and sweaty.
I was hanging out for some fresher air and clearer
views as we gained a bit of altitude. Still, there is a
lot to see down here – farms, villages, waterfalls and
always the roar of the river for company.
Friday 9 April
A rather larger day today. We got up early for
breakfast in the little garden and then off up the
road on a somewhat cooler morning. The road to
Chamje is finished though not in use yet so the going
was pretty easy at first. We arrived in Chamje for a
ridiculously early lunch – 9.30 am! – but managed
some eggs and chapattis and soup as we knew there
would be no ‘proper food’ till a very late lunch at
Tal. I am writing this at 3.45 while the rest of the
crew eat their meal. I had a coffee and a Mars. Must
stop doing that. It was a steep, hot climb up here but luckily there was a breeze at our backs on most of
the ridges. The road construction across the narrow
gorge is awesome. We had just showered and washed
a few clothes when we were drawn outside by a series
of huge explosions. Watching the blasting along
the road under construction was amazing. Huge
boulders were blown into the air and a massive dust
cloud filled the air. Regrettably the dust was blown
up the valley, smothering our nice clean washing so
we quickly ducked inside to avoid the same thing
happening to ourselves.
We had a great dinner – the cook really knows what
she is doing here – then our boys entertained us with
traditional folk songs and dancing. Top points for
Kaji’s singing and guitar playing and Dorje’s madal
(drums). Lahar and Mangal were the stand-outs on
the dance floor but it was great to see the younger,
shyer boys joining in. It was ten o’clock by the time
we turned in and the youngsters were still dancing
to Nepali pop music from someone’s mobile phone
connected to the speakers on the otherwise defunct
ghetto blaster.
![]() Sacked out aft er lunch at Dharapani |
Saturday 10 April
Another huge day. Lots of uphill but great variations
in terrain. The very first section from Tal to the bridge is right beside the raging Marsyangdi River.
The road to Dharapani (Tap Water) is mostly
completed but the steep, dusty climbs to get on
or off the incomplete sections were tedious in the
extreme. There were loads of donkey caravans for
the first hour as they, like us, started out from Tal
this morning. Since the going was mostly steepish
uphill we didn’t mind having to stop repeatedly to let
the donkeys past. It was 2 hours before our first pit
stop and we were trekking on the sunny side of the
valley. A cup of tea was most welcome. Recrossing
the river we trekked into Dharapani for lunch on the
lovely old trail, high above the river with an exotic
collection of plants clinging to the steep-sided valley.
Lunch was a slow aff air which suited everyone just
fine. The porters’ daal bhat was ready on arrival so,
having eaten first, they mostly dozed on the lawns in
the sunshine while we had lunch.
It was quite breezy in the afternoon but still warm
and we were soon sweating up the long, gradual
incline to Bagarchap. By the time we got there Faseny
and I were way behind the others with Lahar and
young Suman for company. The completed road has
yet to see any traffic so it makes for relatively easy
trekking. Great to watch the scenery on these easier
trails instead of checking every footfall. This area
is only farmed on the scarce flat land. Most of the
valley is far too steep-sided. By day’s end pine trees
are beginning to dominate the landscape and once or
twice I thought I could smell Daphne but didn’t see
any. The Himalayan Lodge was a very welcome sight
at around 4 pm. Everyone else had settled into their
traditional wooden rooms by the time Faseny and
I arrived. The lodge reminds me of an old wooden
sailing ship with rooms off the poop deck perhaps.
I am writing this at 5.30, no view of Manaslu back
down the valley – pity. The wind has dropped but
it’s still not cold enough to break out any seriously
warm clothes. I did unpack my sleeping bag.
Sunday 11 April
We saw our first really good snow-capped mountains
this morning. At last. As we climbed up to the ridge at
Timang the huge gleaming presence of Manaslu was
taunting us through the haze. I always forget how
enormous it is! This little hidden valley is quite lush
and the cicadas made it feel a bit like bushwalking
in Australia. Scattered rhododendrons in clear red
were still in evidence, though no profusion. The
peris was flowering profusely and the ‘snake corn’
was eagerly photographed by Denis and Faseny.
Morning tea at Timang saw us all collapsing in a
heap. It was a rather long, hot climb. The breeze
kicked in after that and the walking was far easier
– apart from the steep dip down to the bridge just
before Th anchok which, of course, necessitates an
arduous climb up the dusty cliff on the far bank.
Time hasn’t really caught up with Th anchok. Women
bent double hoeing the stony fields; men urging
their oxen to pull their traditional ploughs. I don’t
suppose medieval Europe was much diff erent.
Kamal (our runner) had gone ahead to organise
lunch as the cooking is usually interminably slow up
here. It was daal bhat all round, a particularly good
one. I noticed that nearly everyone took second and
third helpings on the curried veg.

Mani stone just outside Chame
The afternoon’s walk was a delight. A slight ascent
for half an hour and then a couple of hours of
gradual descent through the pine forest to Chame.
We gradually gathered in a shady spot below Koto
and chilled out for half an hour while a couple of
local girls of about 6 or 8 years old entertained us
with their extravagant posing for the camera. Liz
gave Dorje a golf lesson.
In Chame we decided to try the Shangri-La Lodge
this time around – in deference to Frank’s experience
with the rat last season at the Marsyangdi Mandala.
So far, so good. Attached bathrooms (well, toilet
and basin anyway) and wide beds with thick foam
mattresses. This is a much bigger village than
those encountered so far. My phone is on charge in
anticipation of a signal and several new ‘cyber cafes’
have appeared since last season. I am off to explore.
Idiotically I tripped up in the street and appear to
have damaged my hip or thigh muscles (or both).
Lots of lotions and potions from Alison and a hot
water bottle made things feel a lot better by morning
but far from 100%. Bugger!
Cooking was excellent at this lodge – will definitely
stay here again.
Monday 12 April
It was a rather long haul up to Pisang but we were
so encouraged by the clear conditions we set off in
good spirits. With Annapurna II ahead we did the
long gradual climb up to Bharatang in bright clear
sunshine. There were only three chocolate croissants
left at the bakery but we shared them around, added some delicious cream biscuits, and this tided us over
till our late lunch. After morning tea the trail rises
onto a cliff -hanging ledge with the kind of drop
down to the river that makes your knees turn to jelly
if you peep over the edge. After crossing the river on
a very windy suspension bridge it’s a short ‘pig’ of a
climb up to the pine forest’s deep shade. In amongst
the usual dross for sale at the goth Alison found a
great pair of Tibetan felt boots. Living near Paris
and being an art dealer she had a great eye for the
unusual and artistic. After some spirited bargaining
we moved on with both Alison and the vendor
happy with the deal.
![]() Amazing trail just aft er Bhratang on the road to Pisang |
![]() Cosy kitchen at Snowland Lodge, Humde |
The sound of the wind through pines accompanied
us for the next hour. Still uphill but shady now and
rather lovely, especially in the little grove of chortens
and ancient chautaras right in the middle of the
woods where we stopped for a spell.
It was hot on the sundeck at Dukur Pokhari (Bird
Lake) and it was crowded with people from all over
the world – many of them with the same goal as
ourselves – the Thorong La. After lunch, the trail
into Pisang is dead easy, descending through pines
and junipers to a wide open valley floor where a few horses and cows grazed contentedly. The rustic old
stone and timber houses of Pisang soon hove into
view. The tiny cabins at the Eco Lodge were cosy and
it was our first night to have the dining room stove
fired up. It was very snug in the dining room but we
had all had a big day of climbing and were now up at
around 3,000 m. Everyone was in bed by 8 pm. The
late afternoon clouds had been replaced by a canopy
of stars – a good omen!
Tuesday 13 April
It was fairly clear this morning but not the perfectly
clear day we had hoped for. Five of the group opted
for the ‘high trail’ over Gyaru and Ngawal so Cam,
Faseny, Denis, Russell and Andy set off with Dorje
in the role of guide and Suman, Khaji, Purna and
Prem as their support team.
![]() Scene-stealer at Braga! |
Myself, Liz and Alison took the lower trail which,
though easier, was still a 15k hike with a 300 metre
climb to start the day. We lunched at the gorgeous
little Snowland Lodge, a real favourite of mine. A
top daal bhat lunch and a real treat afterwards as the wind picked up and blew the clouds away. As
the mountains became clearer we headed off rather
quickly as the best possible views of Annapurna IV
and II were just around the corner from Humde
and there was no way I wanted to miss out. We were
very lucky. The weather held clear for about 2 hours
while we walked past the absolute pick of views, only
clouding up again as we neared Braga. An encounter
with a travelling Sadhu at Mungi was fun and, with a
strong wind at our backs, we used up the last of our
energy to climb up to Manang. All pretty exhausted
but otherwise fine.
The A Team stayed overnight at Braga, Manang
being just that bit too far after such an arduous climb
over the high trail. We heard that they were all safe
and well – good mobile phone signal up here – and
looked forward to hearing how it went for them the
next day. They were expected mid-morning.
As I write this the afternoon’s stormy weather has
passed. The skies are clear and there is no wind at
all. Roll on tomorrow!
P.S. we heard today that Lisa will not be joining us
at Muktinath due to her father’s declining health
– sorry to hear that. Hope you make it next time!
Wednesday 14 April
Rest day in Manang. After a good lie-in we couldn’t
but help get outside for a look at the day. It was
absolutely perfect. The A Team had a look around
Braga and then walked the 45 minutes up to Manang
in brilliant sunshine. I’d never before experienced
Manang so warm. Had never been here so late in the
spring season. Alison opted for the gruelling climb
up to the gomba for a blessing from the famous
lama there. I think it was a fair bit harder than she
expected. (I checked later – it looks like 800 metres
plus.) I took Liz, Russell and Andy over to the lake at
the bottom of the Gangapurna Glacier. All four of us
made it to the tea house above the lake – an arduous
climb but such amazing views of the glacier. After a
long time spent gazing at the stupendous view (or
recovering??) Andy and Russ opted for the further
climb to the top of the trail. Can’t wait to see Andy’s
photos. ‘Well worth the eff ort’ said both afterwards.
I think young Andy was starting to get the hang of the ‘joy function’. Sometimes ‘Yeah, it was all right’
just wasn’t enough and this place really redefines
‘Awesome’.
We spent the afternoon on domestic stuff like hot
showers, hair washing and laundry. After an early
dinner Faseny, Cam, Russ and Andy visited the
movie theatre to see ‘7 Years in Tibet’ – what else?
Th ursday 15 April
Not needing an early start today we did a little
‘faffing around’ prior to take off . The internet was on
in the café below the lodge but at 10 rupees (15c) per
minute I didn’t hang around.
![]() Really steep hanging glacier on Gangapurna |
![]() Andy above the Gangapurna Glacier lake near Manang |
![]() View down the Marsyangdi River valley from Tengi Manang |
![]() Gunsang |
![]() We put these flags up on the way to Thorong Phedi |
![]() The long, winding road to the Thorong La Pass – near Thorong Phedi |
The day was perfectly clear – again – so we really
dawdled in the warm, sunny conditions stopping at
every opportunity. Consequently it took nearly three
hours to reach Gunsang for lunch. We ordered stacks
of chapattis and made some cheese sandwiches with
Yak cheese I bought in Manang – it made a change
anyway. The wooden dining deck was pretty rustic
but with million dollar views.
The going was much easier after lunch but still a long
haul. The view behind us was beautiful as we walked
away from the main Annapurna range and we had
to keep turning around for ‘one last look’. Actually
the range turned out to be visible from the upstairs
dining room of the lodge. My room is a cute little
cabin painted completely pink inside. Very cosy if a
little womb-like.
Friday 16 April
Today was hard. Damned hard! We gained almost
450 metres between Yak Kharka and Thorong Phedi.
Even slight uphill walking is rendered difficult by
the lack of oxygen resulting from lower air pressure
up here. However, we all made it by lunchtime and
in pretty good shape. A bit worn out but no serious
‘altitude issues’ so far. It was another blazing sun,
clear air kind of day and we walked in t-shirts most
of the time. The landscape had become bleaker and
bleaker as we ascended. At first there were half-metre
high stunted pines and junipers interspersed with
wild briar roses which seemed to produce mostly
thorns. There were a couple of stands of Himalayan
birch in the more sheltered gullies. Yaks abounded
with lots of young ones in evidence.
![]() At the Thorong La summit. Hard to recognise everybody... I can’t tell who is missing (i.e. taking the photo). |
We took tea at Ladar and then continued climbing
till a steep descent took us down to a plank bridge
across the Jharsang Khola (river). The river runs
clear and fast here as the trail climbs high above it.
The climb out of the gully was a pig (well, more than
one actually) and everyone needed a good sit-down
at the top where the teahouse used to be. The bhatti
was burned down by robbers last season and the
owners were lucky to escape with their lives.
The long slight incline to Thorong Phedi seemed
to last forever. Luckily Alison had a jam chapatti
which we shared to keep us going. We arrived before
midday which I thought was a good eff ort. Took a
much-needed rest this afternoon. However, some
of us braved the dreaded 1-kilometre track to High
Camp as an acclimatisation exercise. It is one of
the hardest sections on the trek (another ‘pig’) and
takes at least an hour to cover the 1 km. Cam and I
only made it about half way but it was better than
nothing. Andy, Russ and Denis went right up to and
above the High Camp. Theoretically, all this eff ort
will help us sleep at altitude tonight. Our lodge is
nestled at 4,500 metres and you can really feel it.
Saturday 17 April
The ‘big push’. Man, it was hard. We had planned
to rise at 3.15am, breakfast at 3.30 and hit the road
at 4 am. Everything went according to plan. The
first torchlight procession up to High Camp was
strenuous in the extreme but we made it in just over
an hour. Big mugs of tea all round and then more
serious uphill trekking. At times like this there is a
bit of muttering amongst the members about Bali or
Phuket for next year’s holiday. The trail does get a
bit easier as it gets higher but this factor is cancelled
out by the decrease in oxygen available. It is all
quite hard work over 5,000 metres. Andy seemed to
handle it better than most and took line honours at
the pass. Denis was also quite strong uphill and not
too phased by the altitude.
Prem hiked back from the summit with a thermos
of tea – he even brought cups and a sugar bowl
and spoon. Alison, Liz and myself eagerly slumped
down for a break, sharing our treat with two young
Israeli girls and their porter who were just as slow as
us. Lahar assured us we had 2 hours to go but with
Prem taking our day-packs we made it an hour later
at 10am. Whew!
It was a beautiful, clear sunny day. I can’t find words
to describe just how beautiful it was up there. Mindblowing views in every direction, glaciers just above
us. Wonderful stuff .
The pass itself was great. Enraptured hugs and
congrats all round. Lots of photos and then the
ritual hanging of prayer flags. Alison had brought
one string each for her three children which had
been blessed by the monks at Bouda. Well done
everyone!
The descent was long. Long and steeply descending
with a lot of loose material on the trail. We collapsed
in a heap several times, beyond caring about dirty,
dusty conditions. Alison was first into Muktinath
Phedi on her ‘skier’s legs’. The rest of us hobbled into
Phedi around 2.30, ate some food (no idea what)
and then limped the last dusty hour into Muktinath.
Tired but otherwise fine. Most of us slept till dinner.
I was almost too tired to eat – now that was a BIG
DAY OUT!
Sunday 18 April
Faseny, Denis, Alison, Russ and Andy went up to
the temple while Cam, myself and Liz enjoyed
some very welcome down time. I sat on the little
sun-trap of a deck drinking tea with Dhaulagiri
glistening furtively in the distance and the buzz of
village life carrying on below me. Noisy motor-bikes disturbed the tranquillity a bit as they ferried fat
Indian tourists in brilliant saris up to the temple – is
it really a pilgrimage if you don’t even walk the last
twenty minutes?
![]() Kagbeni as green as I’ve ever seen it |
Within a couple of hours the group were back having
thoroughly enjoyed their visit to this ‘holy of holies’
especially our porters for whom a trip to Muktinath
is very special indeed. We set off down the hill to
Kagbeni in warm sunshine – no jacket required. By
the time we had had a bit of a look around Jharkot
it was closing in on lunchtime so we took advantage
of the excellent cooking at the New Plaza. Best fried
rice of the trip, bar none. ‘Best daal bhat of the trip’
was the comment from the Porters. Must have been
the fresh veggies from the little hot-house in the
garden.
Liz and myself were the last ones in today as we
took a long break at the Blue Sheep for a lemonade.
Descending on Kagbeni was wonderful. An emerald
sea of millet and barley swirling in the wind made a
stark contrast with the dun-coloured hills all around
us. An oasis.
The Asia Lodge at Kagbeni is always a treat and
this time we had planned a two-night stopover. The
comforts of attached bathrooms with western loos
and the hottest of solar hot water were very welcome.
A pleasure to leave our constrictive sleeping-bags in
our packs and use the clean quilts and soft pillows
provided. Heaven.
By 7pm Khaji was tuning his guitar. A madal was
found for Dorje and the younger boys started the
dancing and everyone soon joined in. Another great
night in Kagbeni.
Monday 19 April
A late (7 am) bed tea and a slow breakfast marked
the start of our rest day in Kagbeni. With masses
of washing hung out to dry Lahar and Mangal took
the group out to Thiri in Upper Mustang. A $700
US permit is still required for a 10-day visit to this
previously forbidden kingdom so it is lovely to be
allowed to visit, if just for a couple of hours. The tiny
village of Thiri gives a fascinating glimpse of life in
the Kingdom of Lo Mantang.
![]() Desert roses in bloom |

A little ‘sit-down’ near Jomsom
Conditions are ideal as I write this journal. Bright
sunshine, breezy but warm. Every window in the
lodge is open and most of the porters are basking
in the sun on the grass out front. By and large the
clients are in very good shape and we are quietly
smug at having made the pass without casualties.
Well done us!
The trip to Thiri was a success with access along the
rather dodgy west bank of the Kali Gandaki River.
Pema was a gracious hostess, as ever, and some of the
group climbed up to the gomba which I thought was
an impressive eff ort. The lodge is much quieter today.
All the youngsters have left and only a smattering of
new people has arrived. There is the sound of monks
chanting coming from the puja (prayer) room and
the smell of heavenly incense waft ing through the
corridors.
This afternoon the group visited the 500-year-old
gomba. It is almost totally unrestored which appeals
to my sensibilities. A quieter night has been planned
for this evening as we hope to get away really early
tomorrow to avoid the worst of the afternoon winds
in the wide, open Kali Gandaki valley.
Tuesday 20 April
We got away to a flying start this morning. It was a
little bit overcast although Nilgiri was looming large
as we approached Jomsom just after 10 am. I had
oft en walked this trail with low, thorny scrub along
the trail. In mid-April it was in full bloom. Bright
yellow gorse-like shrubs and masses of creamycoloured
desert roses, faintly yellow in their centres
with a sweet perfume. Little villages or patches of
cultivated land were emerald green. A first-class
coffee (made in a cafeteria) was a welcome brew at
the Marco Polo.
It was very windy indeed (what else, this is Jomsom)
as we walked around to Mangal’s home village of
Shyang. Since it was fairly early we opted to go via
the upper village where Mangal’s family were having
a get-together. We were brought tea on the rooftop
and then the entire family gathered to pose for a
group photo. There must have been at least thirty
people in that house, mainly women. Everyone
seemed to be Mangal’s aunty. Cheering them all
goodbye it was a long, dusty 40 minutes to Marpha.
The trail was easy but the grit in our eyes and teeth
was no fun. Marpha was delightful as usual. Quaint,
whitewashed houses facing narrow lanes to avoid
the wind – this looks more like the Greek islands.
After some excellent veggie soup it was back out into
the wind. Happily, we crossed the wobbly old bridge
to Chairo and walked behind the belt of pines and
junipers on the east bank of the river. It was spitting
rain for the last hour or so which was rather pleasant
as it was quite warm. Verdant fields of barley swirled
in the shift ing winds and ever-changing light as the
sun played hide-and-seek. By Frank Jones’ reckoning
this is a 23km day – it felt like more. The water in the
showers was hot on arrival at Tukuche and we soon
had a rum-and-coke set up on the rooftop dining
area. A satisfying day out.
Wednesday 21 April
With 6.30 bed tea for an early start and breakfast over
by 7.30 the group took a ‘cook’s tour’ of Tukuche;
the mani wall, old houses, distillery, old gombas.
On the road by 9 and out onto the broad river bed ten minutes later. This maze of interconnected log
bridges is not the easiest to navigate but, somehow,
about an hour later, we found ourselves on the far
side of the Kali Gandaki. We took a cup of tea from
the kindly old lady in what looked like a humpy on
the riverbank. It was very good tea, prepared over
an open fire in her primitive little home which
was extremely well-kept inside. We stayed hard up
against the east bank as we headed south. It was a
long, looping route which took us into a previously
unknown (to me) village of small farms. Before too
long we were ambling through pine forest with an
abundance of spring flowers (azaleas, violets, tiny
wild strawberries) ferns, nettles, thistles and many
varied pines and chestnut trees.
![]() Some of Mangal’s huge family gathering |
![]() Looking over the Kali Gandaki valley from Upper Shyang, with Faseny |
![]() This picture is a personal favourite |
At Kokethanti we needed a break even though we
only had less than an hour to go. Liz, Andy and Russ
were way ahead of us (apparently eating lunch at
the lodge already). When the spitting rain turned
to hail we decided to stay for lunch at the aptly
named Ice Fall Lodge. By the time the rain eased
and we headed into Kalopani it was after 3 pm so we decided to make a short camp at the beautiful See
You Lodge instead of going on to Ghasa. So glad we
did. As the skies cleared the sun on Bara Shikar and
Annapurna I was stunning. We set up drinks on the
‘upistairs’ balcony and watched nature’s light show
till sundown.
We have a few more girls to dance with. A group of
fellow trekkers had a guide and several porters from
Chetri sisters who specialise in all female staff . Hard
to believe these diminutive, pretty girls carry packs
all day and still have the energy to dance. A totally
fab day. ‘Danyamate’ – a hybrid of Dhanyabad (thank
you) and Good-on-ya-mate. Thanks Liz.
Th ursday 22 April
This turned out to be a really huge day. Having stayed
at Kalopani last night I decided to make up the extra
three hours today. Perhaps not the best decision I
made on this trek. The walk down to Ghasa was
delightful, even on the road. The garden at the Eagle
Nest in Ghasa, where we took lunch, was ablaze with
Sweet William, Marigold and Poppies with hundreds of small butterflies flitting amongst them. Shiva
made a great dish of veg macaroni while we sackedout
in the cool of the dining room. It had become
quite warm. After lunch we crossed the huge bridge
below Ghasa while the boys took all the heavy bags
on the bus down to Tatopani. It was a long, steep
descent so we were pretty tired by afternoon tea
beside the waterfall at Rupse Chhahara. Some of the
group went to view the gorge – ‘World’s deepest’, I
don’t think so! The road down to Tatopani seemed
endless on tired legs and we staggered into Tatopani
at around 5 pm totally exhausted – we had walked
another 23 kilometres. Unfortunately I got bitten by
a large ant and immediately broke out into a lumpy
red allergic rash and had to take antihistamines.
Probably one tablet would have been enough but
I took two, to be sure, and paid the price the next
day.
![]() Th is lady made us a lovely cup of tea |
![]() A few drinks while we watched nature’s amazing light show... |
![]() ...with friends |
![]() The peaks played hide-and-seek with the clouds |
![]() ...and such beautiful clouds |
Friday 23 April
This was a difficult day for most of us although
Russ and Andy were in the lodge by 11 am! It was
very hot and very steep uphill – an unpleasant combination at the best of times. I battled through
an antihistamine ‘hangover’ and dragged myself
into the lodge with Lahar at 4 pm. My worst day.
The Queenslanders, Cam, Faseny and Liz seemed
to cope with the conditions better than me and
the walking was certainly picturesque. Harvesting
of crops, ploughing for summer crops and lots of
small domestic chores being done outside kept us
interested along the trail. Sikha is a charming old
village with marble slab steps climbing up and down
between old stone houses. The Norwegians were at
the Moonlight Lodge with us. Our boys made great
use of their new-found (quite literally) badminton
rackets.
Saturday 24 April
The climb up to Ghorepani was a tough one – 900
metres – however, there was a cooling breeze as
we ascended to 2880 metres. Along with shady
rhododendron forest and increasing cloud it was
almost pleasant. It was too cloudy for peak viewing
although Dhaulagiri was looming mistily in the
distance when we woke up this morning. Morning tea at Chitre was very pleasant on the big lawn. The
boys took advantage of the space to play badminton,
again. We arrived at Ghorepani in time for lunch
and a well-earned rest after our two big climbing
days. It is almost beyond belief that people make the
climb from Tatopani to Ghorepani in one day. I am
off to see if the internet is running and then perhaps
a serious snooze.
![]() The ‘weeds’ are taking over the back garden!! |
We sat in the sun in the village square, such as it
is, waiting for the power to come on. Even when
it did the internet was profoundly slow. We had a
bit of dancing in the evening though the lodge was
hushed by 9 am.
Sunday 25 April
During the night I had awoken to see Annapurna
South glowing in the moonlight but it was not
perfectly clear this morning. Dhaulagiri looked
enormous looming out of the mist. We set off
early enough to get a few good views on the way
up to Deorali. This ridge, on the opposite side of
Ghorepani from Pun Hill, is just as good a viewing
platform as the famous hill but without all the
tourists – and it is on the way to Tadapani. The walk
was wonderful. The last few rhododendrons had
hung on for us and the undergrowth was lush and
dotted with spring flowers. Mainly white violets and
wild strawberries though we did see white clematis
snaggling through some birch trees here and there.
The trail wound across the ridge through a labyrinth
of rhododendron branches and roots. The older trees
played host to a wide variety of epiphytes. We had
only had a light breakfast so at Deorali we got stuck
into really juicy veggie omelettes in chapattis. The
lodge nestled in a gully full of deep pink rhodis.
Another pit stop at Banthanti was just as picturesque
and a much-needed rest after a torturous descent on
what appeared to be a spiral stone staircase. We took
the last hour very slowly, especially the climb at the
end (2 pigs). We saw a family of langur monkeys
with their distinctive black faces and white manes. It
was pretty cloudy on the mountains as we arrived in
the little village of Tadapani (far water) but the sun
spilled down on the lodge all afternoon. I thought
my rather simple room a bit gloomy till I opened
the shutters on the back window and the room filled
with sunshine and birdsong. Charming.
The Mothers Committee of the village had asked
if they could dance for us in the evening after dinner and it turned into another magical night of
singing and dancing under the almost full moon.
The Norwegians were there too. Kaji and our boys
reciprocated with a few songs of their own which
sounded great with the female voices blended in.
Another great day.
Monday 26 April
We had only about 4 hours of walking to do today,
all of it downhill, so we lingered on the sunny
terrace over breakfast even though we got up very
early to see the sun rise over the mountains. It wasn’t
the best but clear enough to see Annapurna South
and Machhapuchhre right in front of us. Denis,
Faseny and Cam headed off around 8 am, champing
at the bit for more jungle bashing. The rest of us
lollygagged till 9 and then it was down, down and
more down to Ghandruk. A much gentler descent
that yesterday made the going fairly easy. The forest
even more lush than ever in the warmer conditions.
A truly beautiful walk. It got a lot hotter as we
descended but just as it got ‘too hot’ a breeze sprang
up and conditions clouded over. Once in the lodge
a drizzling rain persisted though it was fine enough
for a walk around the village, one of the loveliest in
the region, in the late afternoon. Great to see such a
clean crew at dinner this evening.
Sadly for us Subash had to leave us today. He figured
that if he set off straight after lunch he would just
make it back to his home village to sit his English
exams. Of course we didn’t mind but it was a shame
to suddenly be reminded that it was all coming to an
end. He had been Liz’ porter and she gave him the
perfect parting gift – a mirror. Nobody checks their
hair (or rings their Mum??) more than Subash. We
miss him already.
Tuesday 27 April
It was a long but easy walk from Ghandruk to
Birethanti. We rose early to see the mountains but
it was a bit hazy. We took advantage of our early
start and headed off down the stone stairs by 7 am.
A couple of times we needed a reminder (thanks
Faseny) to look back over our shoulder as Annapurna
South seemed to loom larger and larger the further
we descended. Just when our knees were screaming
‘enough!’ we reached the river, the Madi Khola at
Syauli Bazaar where a long, well-made dirt road
led us into town. A connection to the main road at
NyaPul has yet to be established so the only traffic
was mule trains and people on foot. We passed quite a few fresh trekkers setting off on their first day and,
sad to say, quite a lot of overloaded porters. It was
steaming hot by the time we reached Birethanti at
midday. The boys were soon down to their jocks,
swimming in the river below the Green View Lodge.
Chilled banana lassis were wonderful.
We heard that our bus was waiting and half an hour
later, by various routes, we re-assembled on the
roadside where our ugly pink bus awaited. In just
over an hour we were being shown into the 2-star
‘luxury’ of the Lake Diamond Hotel. Little things like
sheets and soft pillows, clean towels and toilet paper,
mango juice and fresh-brewed coffee were enough
to raise our comfort levels to ‘ecstatic’. Single rooms
alone felt like luxury. Some of us had to shop for a
clean shirt but we took our dinner at home. Sanu’s
special daal bhat with chicken curry went down a
treat. The power came on around 7 pm and we soon
had the fans in the bedrooms whirring overhead. The
storm clouds which had been rumbling morosely
for hours finally let go and the pouring rain soon
cooled the atmosphere. I hope everyone else slept as
soundly as I did with the backdrop of tropical night
sounds – rain, insects, fans and geckos. Loved it.
Wednesday 28 April
Denis left early this morning for his side trip to
Chitwan. He plans to rejoin us on May 1st. Since it
was not clear and last night’s rain was still lingering
we opted for a lazy, do-nothing start to the day. I
smelt the roving pastry vendor before I saw him.
Perfect accompaniment to fresh coffee and loads of
fresh fruit. Tiny, sweet bananas, ripe mangos and
juicy mandarins. As I write this, some of the crew
have gone out on the lake in boats with Dorje and
Lahar. Mangal departed this morning with his new
Swiss clients – off to Muktinath again. (I’ve since
heard that they had a great trek.)
No plans for this afternoon – heaven! Most of
the group lingered at the shops and restaurants
of Lakeside after their boat trip. We got together
with the porters for a decent dinner this evening
at the Mira. Most of us kicked on at the Busy Bee
afterwards. The music was not very good really but it
was live and rocking and, after a couple of drinks, we
didn’t mind too much as we hit the dance floor. The
band’s version of Rishan Phiri Ri really rocked. We
tried to catch a glimpse of the ‘stairway to heaven’ as
the locals call the moonlight on the lake. It was too
early in the evening but the moon was luminous and full. We got lucky a bit later from the terrace of the
Lake Diamond when we saw the major peaks of the
Annapurnas glimmering faintly in the moonlight.
Th ursday 29 April
We were up early for the Greenline bus as I had
forgotten that the new departure time is now 8am
and not 7.30. The peaks were not perfectly clear as we
left Pokhara but plainly visible – at least for those of
us who were awake. For the first time in ages we had
a clear run with the bus and arrived more or less on
time. The buff et at the Riverside Lodge was the usual
daal bhat (which I like). Although our minibus was
waiting for us at Greenline in Kathmandu we had to
wait out a huge downpour to retrieve our luggage
from the coach. We then had to stuff all the bags
inside the minibus with us which was a bit squeezy
– too wet on the roof.
Dinner at the Shambala washed down with a little
bit too much Gossips Cabernet Merlot while we
regaled Robina and Netra with tall tales and true of
how we conquered Thorong La.
Friday 30 April
We got our own minibus into Th amel today. Cam
and Faseny (Cameny??) set off with Liz’ Lonely
Planet and guided themselves around the old part
of Kathmandu. They were pretty disappointed and
discovered why I sometimes don’t want to do Durbar
Square. The whole area has degenerated into a bit of
a tourist circus. If you don’t get hassled to death by
tour guides or street vendors you will probably get
run over by taxis.
Russ and Andy tried to organise their Chitwan trip
but with May Day mass rallies planned for next
day and a full-blown strike (strictly enforced) for
May 2nd, they found it hard to get a commitment.
Meanwhile, I took Liz, Alison and Robina to my
favourite ‘girlie shops’ for an up-market Nepali
fashionista experience. Alison bought a fabulous
outfit with jingling bells dangling from the scarf
and Robina and I bought really cool tops in Indian
cottons.
By 3.30 we had had enough of Th amel which has
become a rather oppressive backpacker’s ghetto
these days. Instead we got our minibus home to
the haven of Kopan and regrouped around 5pm to
revisit Bouda. This is always a pleasure and the food
at the Garden Café never disappoints. Dorje joined us having spent all afternoon at the domestic arrivals
terminal (I had already ordered his chicken sizzler).
I am using the word ‘terminal’ very loosely here.
However, Denis had survived his interminable wait
for a flight and we heard he was recovering nicely
back at the ranch. The city really wears me out and
we were all glad of an early night.
Saturday 1 May
We heard that upwards of half a million people had
gathered in the city and we were ‘strongly advised’
to stick to our own neighbourhood. Despite the socalled
holiday our hotel did a good breakfast before
closing up for the day. With options severely limited,
I organised some young guides – actually Netra’s
niece and sister Rangita and Susma – to take Cam,
Faseny, Denis and Russ up to Kopan. I figured that at
least their restaurant was likely to be operational – it
was. I took Liz, Alison and Andy to the Tranquillity
Spa for a serious massage. It was a real treat. Andy’s
first massage. Liz and I had manicure and pedicure
but as poor Liz was a bit under-the weather I think
she just ‘survived’ hers rather than enjoying it. In
a further ‘comedy of errors’ Liz somehow found
herself stranded at the spa. Luckily, she found her
way back to the Hyatt (a fairly large landmark in
these parts).
Liz and Alison had moved to the Hyatt for their last
night. Mainly out of a desire for a bit of serious luxury
on their last night but it was also a good bet that the
government’s airport shuttle would call there. It was
the only vehicle which could legitimately break the
strike. The swimming pool was a definite attraction,
especially as they invited Dorje, with his wife and
two sons, to come and visit in the afternoon.
With this evening’s planned trip to Swayambhunath
a definite scratching Cam, Faseny and Denis had
a home-made daal bhat from Muna – the best in
Nepal I hear. Liz and Alison invited Andy, Russ and
myself to eat at the Hyatt. I think it was possibly the
best meal I have ever eaten. Because of the political
turmoil the dinner was ‘buff et only’. But what a buff et!
We waddled home around 9 pm, our stomachs full
to bursting. Hey, it was ‘all you can eat!’.
Sunday 2 May
Even though a few little grocery shops were open this
morning the strike was widespread with no transport
whatsoever. I had heard that the Bureau of Tourism
was laying on an emergency bus service from the Hyatt to the airport so we took Netra and a couple of
his friends as porters and walked the 20 minutes over
there. We had an hour or so to kill so we took a very
posh coffee on the poolside terrace. The overnight
heavy rain had left the air cleaner than it had been
for months and the second day of transport bans had
a positive eff ect on pollution levels. As promised, a
battered blue and white government bus trundled
into the beautiful forecourt of the Hyatt exactly at
11 am. It looked a little out of place. Our little band
of departing customers was soon on board (minus
Russ and Andy who were still trying to get down to
Chitwan). Sad to see you all go but I am sure some
of you will be back. Hope the joy of Nepal stays with
you for a while.
Postscript:
Russ and Andy never did get to Chitwan. The
political situation became even more tense during
the last days we were there. We amused ourselves
hanging around Kopan and Bouda, eating Muna’s
lovely home-cooked meals, visiting Dorje at home
and walking up to Kopan Gomba (again). The guys
moved to the Hyatt for their last days but my last
goodbye to them was cut short by the arrival of the
airport bus – rumoured to be the only one for the day.
I took the bus. It took two hours to go to the airport,
via the city. It was an extremely interesting tour
through the heart of the demonstrating crowds. The
rowdy but good-natured protesters looked amazing
in an ocean of red flags. I’ve since heard that the boys
got out next day without incident. The situation has
since returned to normal in Kathmandu although a
deadline has been set for May 28 to agree to a new
constitution. Here’s hoping!
Cheers from Germany,
Teresa
Thanks to Frank Jones, Desktop Dynamics, Geelong for editing & layout.