The
Annapurna Circuit is the popular name of a 300 kilometre trek in
Nepal around the Annapurna mountain range in the Himalayas. The trek
starting in Besisahar and ending in Pokhara encircling the Annapurna
massif is popularly regarded as the best of Nepal’s classic mountain
treks. The trail follows Marshyangdi valley to Manang, crosses snow
covered Thorung La pass (5430 m.), passes Muktinath, an important site
of Hindu pilgrimages, and returns to Pokhara via Kali Gandaki river
gorge. Kali Gandaki gorge is considered the world's deepest river gorge,
carved by the Kali Gandaki as it slices its way between the Annapurna
and Dhaulagiri massifs.
The trek follows ancient paths used as trade routes between Nepal and
Tibet.
The
unusually wide range of climatic zones in such a small area as the path
ascends from 900 metres to 5,300 metres provides a chance to see many
different plants and animals and the different ways of life of the many
peoples who live there. Here are contrasts between the green terraced
farmland of the Marshyangdi valley, the semi-arid environs of Lower
Mustang, and the alpine areas of Thorung La.
Annapurna (8091 m) is an enormous
Himalayan massif, the tenth highest mountain in the world. In 1950, it
became the first 8,000 meter mountain to be successfully climbed. It is
located east of a great gorge cut through the Himalaya by the Kali
Gandaki river.
I walked alone
(you don't need a guide to find your way on the Annapurna Circuit), but
a few times along the way I hired a porter to help me for a few days:
for the side trip to the Nar Phu Valleys and from Tatopani to Annapurna
Sanctuary and Pokhara.
Khudi
to Koto
October 26, Kathmandu
– Khudi - Bhulbule, 840 m
Vejret er meget usædvanligt. Det styrtregnede i eftermiddags i bussen,
og Annapurna området har fået utroligt meget sne. 18 bjergbestigere er
netop omkommet i en lavine under bestigningen af Kanguru. Gæstehusene er
fyldte fordi trekkerne har måttet vende tilbage da passet Thorung La er
lukket af sneen. Jeg går selv videre fordi jeg har god tid, tid til at
vente på at passet genåbnes.
Bahundanda
Bahundanda
NB: Klik på billedet for forstørrelse / Click on photo to enlarge
De fem første dage følges jeg med Tanya
Flynn fra Irland/Skotland og hendes nepalesiske guide, Bhola Parajuli.
Syanje
En bærer / A porter
Tal
Karte
Kværn til at male korn /
A grinding mill
Frokost i Bagarchhap med Tanya
og hendes guide,
Bhola Parajuli
Sifting rice / Risen skal renses for småsten
NB: Klik på billedet for forstørrelse / Click on photo to enlarge
Drying
vegetables and pulses / Korn og
grøntsager tørres i solen
Temang. Overalt er der vejarbejder i gang / Road constuction
Thanchok
Her foregår intenst vejarbejde med
henblik på at forbinde Manang og Dharapani. Det spolerer lidt af
atmosfæren når man spadserer ad en bred landevej, og det bliver
ikke sjovt når motorcykler en dag drøner frem og tilbage. Planen
er vistnok at lave en vej mellem Manang og Besisahar. Kom til
Annapurna inden det er for sent!
Thanchok
Fra Danaque går
stien lodret opad til Temang, den direkte rute langs floden til
Koto er blokeret af et jordskred. Undervejs passerer vi en bærer
der slæber 18 plader bølgeblik fra Besisahar til Manang, 110 kg
blik. Det meste af tiden går han sidelæns for at få plads til
pladerne på den samlle sti.
NB: Klik på billedet for forstørrelse / Click on photo to enlarge
Thanchok, a
lovely village between Temang and Koto
Puja (prayer) in Koto
Right:
I believe the board game
is called Carram. It is a national sport in Nepal.
To shoot you have to flick the striker piece with your thumb or
finger
After Nar Phu I continued from Koto along the
Annapurna Circuit to
Page 2 Upper
Pisang & Ghyaru
Notes
Internet You can access the internet
in Manang, Kagbeni, Jomsom and Marpha.
Money
There is an ATM in Jomsom.
Itinerary/Rute
October 26,
Kathmandu – Khudi - Bhulbule, 840 m NB: The bus now goes beyond Besisahar to
Khudi. There is one direct bus a day from Kathmandu to Khudi at 7
o’clock in the morning, arriving at Khudi around 4 pm.
October 27, Bhulbule
- Ghermu, 1200 m October 28, Ghermu -
Tal, 1700 m. October 29, Tal -
Upper Temang, ca. 2580 m
October 30, Temang -
Koto/Kotho, 2600 m
Road
construction: There is fierce road construction in Manang
District. Soon everything will be levelled out. No more ups and downs,
no narrow, winding, vertiginous trails cut out of the rock face.
Tractors and carts will ply the road between Manang and Dharapani, and
why not – the Manangis will be riding motorbikes instead of horses. Do
come here before it is too late!
Nar - Phu Valleys. See report here
October 31,
Koto, 2640 m - Meta, 3560 m.
November 1, Meta – Kyang, 3840 m - Meta November 2, Meta -
Nar,
4150 m November 3,
Nar,
4150 m November 4,
Nar
- Meta - Koto, 2640 m
November 5,
Koto - Upper Pisang, 3300 m Follow
the high route from Upper Pisang to
Manang:
Leaving Upper Pisang: After the big mani wall and the suspension bridge climb the
steep trail up to the Tibetan village of Ghyaru (2 hours) of about 80
inhabitants. You will be rewarded by stunning views across the valley of
Annapurna II and IV. There is an interesting gompa in Ghyaru and a very
friendly and talkative 83-year-old lama who will give you a tour of the
gompa.
Ghyaru and the high route to Manang are highlights of the
Annapurna circuit. Don’t miss them.
November 6, Upper
Pisang - Ghyaru, 3670 m.
November 7, Ghyaru - Ngawal - Braga, 3360 m
November 8, Braga –
Gunsang, 3900 m.
November 9, Gunsang - High Camp, 4800 m Don't stay in High camp unless you are well acclimatized
November 10, High Camp - Thorung La, 5416 m - Jharkot, 3500 m Jharkot is a much more interesting village than touristy
Muktinath.
November 11, Jharkot. Day trip to Jhong/Dzong, Changur/Chungur and
Muktinath This is a relaxing, very beautiful and interesting short day trip
across Jhong Khola.
November 12,
Jharkot – Kagbeni, 2840 m
November 13, Kagbeni. Day trip to Piling, Phalla
and Dagarjong. Cross the Kali Gandaki at Eklobhatti. Dagarjong is a very
interesting Tibetan village with a village pond high above the Kali
Gandaki.
November 14,
Kagbeni - Lupra – Marpha, 2680 m Lupra is situated in a valley east of the Kali Gandaki. This
small Tibetan village has an interesting Bön gompa.
November 15, Marpha –
Kalopani, 2530 m
November 16, Kalopani – Dana, 1450 m
November 17, Dana – Tatopani, 1190 m
November 18, Tatopani
– Ghorepani, 2750 m
November 19, Ghorepani - Poon Hill, 3193 m – Tadapani, 2590 m -
Chomrong, 2170 m November 20, Chomrong
– Deorali, 3140 m
November 21, Deorali – Annapurna Base Camp, 4130 m
November 22, Annapurna Base Camp – Chomrong, 2170 m November 23, Chomrong
– Landruk - Pothana, 1900m
November 24, Pothana
– Dhampus, 1650 m
November 25, Dhamphus
November 26, Dhamphus
– Pokhara
November 27 - December 3, Pokhara
