Annapurna Circuit, Nepal: Part I

We were enjoying our breakfast and tea when we heard a loud rumble. Suddenly, everyone in the dining area ran towards the window. That’s when we heard the guides explaining that it was an avalanche on Annapurna II.

By Shri & Firuza

Intro

It’s been quite some time since our last blog post back in 2020 but we’ve finally decided to do another one! Well, actually, a lot of people have been asking, pestering, and to some degree demanding (you know who you are) that we do one more. So, in the end we finally gave in when people got wind that we were heading into the Himalayas in October 2023 for another epic hike.

So, without further ado, welcome to our latest blog; Trekking The Annapurna Circuit. And bear with us – the pictures with the snow-capped peaks will come, but you’ll need to be patient. Just as we were for the duration of the trip as we dragged our tired bodies all over the Himalayas for your entertainment (and our egos – to some extent).

For the Map-Lovers out there, we’ve included a diagram of the trail below which also happens to be a popular Nepalese T-Shirt!

Day 1: Fly to Kathmandu (The Grand ‘Packathon’)

Trekking in Nepal is no walk in the park (well it is quite similar actually, minus the views and the altitude) and the packing aspect certainly requires a level of preparedness that we hadn’t quite encountered before. But there is much to consider also. We often think of trekking trips based on the ‘cost and reward they offer.’ For example you may be rewarded with the joy of witnessing such breath-taking views or the envy of ones friends as you recount how epic your hike was and how amazing you must therefore be to have made it all the way. But the cost comes in the form of being constantly tired, smelling quite bad and literally having no breath (at high altitude). But more on cost and reward later.

A friend of ours who’d previously hiked to Everest Base Camp had recommended a Nepalese trekking company to us who’d be able to provide a guide and porter for the trip. Their name was ‘Himalayas On Foot.’ From the start, they were extremely helpful and were very flexible with our dates. In the end they created a customized itinerary for us, as we wanted to see Tilicho Lake as well as hike up to Thorong La Pass. A lot of people tend to hike to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) when they take on this region but we opted for the more scenic route (and more strenuous). Anyway, this is what Himalayas On Foot told us to bring with us:

Head:

Sun Hat/Cap
Wool or Synthetic hat that covers the ears
Sunglasses with UV protection
Headlamp (with extra batteries)
Neck Buff/Warmer
Scarf / Balaclava

Clothing:

Full and half sleeve T-shirts (x5)
Lightweight expedition thermal tops (x2)
Fleece jacket or pullover (x2)
Wind / Waterproof shell jacket (x1)
Underwear (Breathable) (x6)
Synthetic sports bras (x5)
Lightweight expedition thermal bottoms/Leggings (x2)
Hiking shorts (Optional)
Trekking pants (x2)
Windproof trousers (x1)
Casual Pants/Jogging Bottoms (Ideal for the evenings (x1-2)
Waterproof Rain Poncho (Optional)

Hands:

Lightweight Inner Gloves (Fleece material)
Water/Windproof Outer Gloves

Footwear:

Hiking Boots
Trekking shoes/ sandals
Hiking socks
Thermal socks
Gaiters (Optional)
Crampons (Optional)

Trekking Gear:

Duffel Bag (The trekking company can provide this if needed)
Down jacket (The trekking company can provide this if needed)
Sleeping bag (The trekking company can provide this if needed)
Backpack
Daypack

Other Accessories:

Trekking Poles
Water Bottle or Hydration Bladder/Pack

Personal Gear and Medication:

Trekking Towel
Pee Bottle or Funnel (Optional)
Ear Plugs (Optional)
Small Locks (Optional)
Water Purification Tablets
Diamox (Altitude Sickness Medication- Check with your doctor if needed)
General Medication (Paracetamol, diarrhoea relief tablets, rehydration sachets, blister plasters)
First Aid Kit
Shoe Spray/Deodorant
Sun cream
Lip Balm
Bar of Soap
Toilet Paper (You can buy this when you land in Kathmandu)
Travel Sized Toiletries (You’ll only really use the deodorant every day)
Hand Sanitizer
Baby wipes
Feminine Hygiene Products
Plug Adapters
Battery Pack (Ideally solar powered)
Book/Playing Cards/Notebook (Optional)
Snacks (Bars, Energy Gels, Nuts, Chocolate Bars, Sweets, etc.)
Hot Water Bottle (Optional)
Hand Warmers (Optional)
Pocket Tissues (Optional)
Travel Money (For Tips and Extra Snacks)
iPod (Optional and Ideal for the early morning hikes in the dark, plus it doesn’t drain your phone battery)
Camera
Packing Cubes (Highly recommended by Firuza)

Firuza, being a ‘Proud Packer’ and keen to impress the guides (as much as they wanted to impress us) went ahead and acquired/found everything on the packing list (with some half-hearted support from Shri at the best of times). Here’s what that looked like:

And then it was off to the airport! Unfortunately, there are still no direct flights from the UK to Nepal and so we had a lay-over in Delhi before finally landing in Kathmandu.

We were picked by Deepak who we learned would be our guide on the trek. He took as to our hotel for the night: The Maya Boutique Hotel which is affiliated with Himalayas On Foot. There he thoroughly checked through all of our gear to make sure we hadn’t missed anything off the list (which made Firuza extremely smug afterwards). He also exchanged our cash on our behalf which was quite convenient. We’d taken USD with us which he got changed into Nepalese Rupees. It turns out, they accept and will exchange any currency in Nepal except (and he was very specific about this) Indonesian currency for some reason…

The hotel was situated in the heart of Kathmandu (in an area called Thamel) and the owner (Mukti) ended up taking us to a local restaurant called Gaia for dinner, which was excellent. We also met a 72-year-old American who had just finished a trek to Everest Base Camp. Meeting him served as our initial inspiration as we prepared to begin our journey.

Day 2: Drive to Dharapani (Wrath of the Roads)

After a long flight, the last thing you want is to wake up the next day at the crack of dawn to go on another long journey. But, as you’ll undoubtedly find from this blog, what one wants is not exactly what one gets when they decide to do a trek in the high mountains. Especially if one wants a hot shower!

Anyway, we got on the road early, heading for the Kathmandu exit. Along the way, we passed a myriad of waterfalls, rice paddy fields, butterflies and funnily enough, other people trying to leave Kathmandu. For lunch we stopped in Besisahar, where Shri had his first ever Dhal Bhat (we’ll discuss Dhal Bhat in more detail later). Up until this point, we’d travelled in a private car arranged by the trekking company, but after lunch, that all changed.

We switched to a jeep in order to manage the off-road portion of the trip heading higher into the hills. Shri, Firuza and Deepak took the back seats while Saila (who we met then – our porter for the trek) joined us, taking a seat in the front along with the driver and his ‘helper’ as he called him. And so we drove, heading deeper into the hills as we bumped, jostled and hung on for our lives as the road battered us from within the car with its treacherously potholes and abundance of rocks that have setup camp along its path.

We eventually stopped to pick up a woman who turned out to be the driver’s wife. His ‘helper’ in turn got out of the car and we presumed that this was a planned switch and he was leaving us. But we were very wrong. He walked in front of the car and within a few seconds, had climbed onto the roof of the jeep. And we took off again.

The roads did their worst as we ascended further towards our destination, rocking us, swaying us, doing everything they could to prevent two jet-lagged passengers from sneaking a single moment of sleep during the journey. We were that tired and sleep-deprived that we almost didn’t spare a thought for the poor man sitting on the roof while the road did its best to sabotage the jeep. But we got there in the end and even managed to stop for a few waterfall shots along the way.

It was dark by the time we arrived in Dharapani but we were assured we’d get some nice views in the morning. The first tea house where we stayed was quite nice (when you compare it to some of the tea houses at the higher camps).

And now a quick note on how things worked with the tea houses:

All of our food was included as part of the package (3 meals a day)
Tea was included 3 times a day too for each of us (though you may want to check this if you use a different trekking company)
If we wanted anything extra like a bottle of water or
Deepak warned us against eating meat or dairy products the higher up we went as they cannot be kept fresh and could cause stomach problems (though this wasn’t a problem for us as we’re both vegan and Firuza didn’t have any problems being gluten-free too)
If you order Dhal Bhat (a vegan curry), the tea house will always offer you extra helpings of rice, curry or dhal. This seemed to be the case at every single tea house we visited. But you won’t get seconds if you order any other meal!
The only heat source in the tea houses is a single stove/log burner in the dining room there’s no heating in the rooms, so it can get very cold as you ascend the mountain, so a hot water bottle or a thermos can come in handy during the cold nights.
On our trek there were power sockets in the rooms up until the last 2 tea houses, where there was just a shared extension cable in the dining room, but it was difficult to find an empty socket with everyone needing to charge their phones, so it’s handy to carry a solar powered battery pack.
There were mainly western toilets in the earlier tea houses, but along the way at some of the smaller villages where you stop for lunch you’ll only find squatting toilets, likewise at the higher camps.

After dinner we headed straight for bed. For the next day, the real trek began…

Day 3: Trek from Dharapani to Chame (The First Glimpse)

Start point: Dharpani (1920m)

End point: Chame (2650m)

Time Hiking: 6hs hiking (4hrs in the morning and 2hrs in the afternoon)

After a quick breakfast, we set off early around 8am while the weather was still chilly enough to warrant wearing our hoodies and zipping up. Deepak explained all we needed to know about the flora and fauna that we could expect to see that day along with the rest of the trip. Ironically, this was the same day he managed to get stung by a nettle halfway into the hike, specifically after telling us we need to be careful on the trek and not push ourselves.

You’ll see a few pictures of us turning Prayer wheels along our trek. These Prayer wheels are decorated with a mantra on the outside and should be turned clockwise with your right hand when you pass them to accumulate merit (good karma).

In total we hiked over 6 hours (4 hours before our lunch stop and 2 hours after). We noticed a number of local maps along the way showing nearby local hikes to other lakes and viewpoints. Shri even decided he had enough energy to try being a porter. Which lasted all of 10 seconds…

A quick note on Porters:

With our company, each person was able to bring up to 20kg worth of weight which would be carried by the porter and the remainder would go in their day pack. Because there were 2 of us, that meant 40kg for Saila to carry plus his own bag. The company is quite clear that 20kg per person is the limit and that their porters should not be expected to carry more
In the high mountains, some porters carry even more than that and can earn significantly more than the porters who come from the city
In the Everest region, some porters carry weights of over 100kg
On a side note, we did see some solo trekkers either without a porter, without a guide or without both. This is definitely a viable option, however, we found that it was safer and a lot more fun to have them with us. It also helps the local economy if you do hire them.

You’ve probably had quite enough of our rambling for now so we’ll let you indulge in some pictures for a while. Keep a look out for Manaslau – the first 8000m peak we glimpsed on the trek.

We arrived in Chame exhausted, but grateful to have been able to walk at our own pace and not being squashed into a bumpy jeep on a road that hated jeeps and anyone in them. It’s worth noting that Deepak gave us a quota of how much water needed to be drunk every day. That’s right, he monitored our water intake daily. It turns out, the higher you go, the more oxygen you need to try and get from water as the air thins. So, bringing a 1L water bottle with you in your day pack is advisable. Oh, and tea also counts towards this quota for those anti-water folk out there (we know you exist).

After checking into the Eagle Eye Hotel tea house Deepak taught us a card game (called: Less Than 5) and gave us a quick overview of the itinerary for the next day. We also managed to pre-order breakfast for the next day so we could get out quickly. And before we forget, the drink of the trip quickly became; Ginger Honey and Lemon. It was essentially these ingredients plus hot water (wasn’t really a tea) but it prevented us from getting any colds or scratchy throats as we ascended to higher altitudes (at least Deepak told us this was the reason).

And so, we settled into our new little routine of getting up early and hiking. Everyday. For 10 days…

Day 4: Trek from Chame to Upper Pisang (Majesty)

Start point: Chame (2650m)

End point: Upper Pisang (3240m)

Time Hiking: 5hrs hiking (4hrs in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon)

It was a sleepless night. Not because of the altitude. Not because we were exhausted from walking (well, not yet). It was because our room was right next to the stairs which people kept charging up to get to their rooms. Note to anyone who does this hike I the future and stays at the Eagle Eye Hotel: don’t accept the room right next to the stairs!

On a positive note, if you’re into look-a-likes, the owner of the tea house definitely looks like the Nepalese version of Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr. And there’s also the small matter of the views. Yes, this is the view we woke up to when we stepped outside:

That’s right, only a couple of days into the trek and we were already blessed with views of the mighty Annapurna II. We set off early at 7am (I’m going to stop noting this as we set off early every day – lie-ins in Nepal are non-existent) walking along the river. Deepak had arranged for a jeep to take the heavy duffel bags that Saila normally carried up part of the way. So Firuza conveniently had her day pack carried up that morning by Saila – the poor guy wasn’t getting a rest.

Enroute, we stopped at an apple farm to have a break (which incidentally involved eating apples- though they did also sell apple juice and apple doughnuts) and passed a lot more tourists on this path than the previous day. And many of them passed us too, much to Firuza’s annoyance as she set a more moderate pace, preferring to take her time, ask questions and enjoy the scenery along the way. Which resulted in these photos (she brought a Nikon D3300 DSLR Camera, although it turns out a Google Pixel Phone can probably take even better shots):

At lunch we stopped at a place called Kamala’s tea house which had a rooftop terrace where you could enjoy the views. While the sun was nice, the wind was icy and so we were quite thankful to have been served food quickly today, and get down to continue the hike and allow ourselves to warm up.

Another hour of hiking took us to our next accommodation: Hotel Nirvana Tea House. Now from the outside these looked like little beach houses that we’d sleep be sleeping in. But what we hadn’t expected was the epic views that came with these little houses. For we were lodged right underneath the gargantuan giants of Annapurna II and Annapurna IV which rose up into the clouds as we ogled the peaks from our bedroom.

Firuza even managed to capture this time lapse which involved her Google Phone, a mini tripod and a great deal of patience (which she normally doesn’t have for Shri, but then again, photos are something different altogether) …

We took a brief hike from Hotel Nirvana up through the village of Upper Pisang to a monastery after we settled in. This was the first time we had to wear our down jackets as the cold was slowly creeping into our trip the higher, we went.

After each day, it’s advisable to let your hiking boots air out outside your room and to bring a pair of trainers to wear in the evenings. Firuza also cleverly remembered to bring some deodorizing shoe spray, to keep our boots nice and fresh (for some reason she always applied more to Shri’s boots).

The next day we were to heading to Manang where we’d been allocated a rest day. We were also told a hot shower awaited us there and you wouldn’t believe how much we were looking forward to a shower at this point!

Day 5: Trek from Upper Pisang to Manang (The Avalanche)

Start point: Upper Pisang (3240m)

End point: Manang (3519m)

Time Hiking: 6.5hrs hiking (4hrs hiking in the morning and 2.5hrs hiking in the afternoon)

Diarrhoea. Not a pleasant word (sounds bad and is difficult to spell) and an even less pleasant concept. Especially when one is on a multi-day trek heading into the high mountains. But what can you do when shit happens? Shri unfortunately suffered from diarrhoea that night in the Nirvana Tea House and the Imodium he took didn’t seem to be halting any of the symptoms.

We went to breakfast and met Deepak in the dining area which had some spectacular views of Annapurna II and IV. Shri told Deepak about his ordeal last night as Deepak had asked us to tell him about any changes to our health as we ascended, diarrhoea being a relatively common occurrence.

It felt as if Deepak waited for the moment the rest of the room had gone quiet before repeating what had just literally been told to him in confidence.

“So, you have the diarrhoea” he proudly exclaimed, leading to some sniggers from the Aussie group in the corner. “Don’t worry, this is normal. We are all humans after all.”

Having had a similar experience while climbing Kilimanjaro, we know that guides seem to be enthusiastic about sharing such episodes with larger groups whereas us Brits prefer to keep them hushed up and pretend as if it never happens. Whether that’s to get us feeling comfortable being embarrassed or for the rest of the foreign trekkers to hear that it’s happening to someone else and make them more likely to tell their guides – who knows! Nevertheless, Deepak provided a rehydration powder which we dissolved in water and Shri managed to replenish his lost fluids and salts. He then vowed to only drink bottle water for the remainder of the trek (we had both been dissolving purification/chlorinating tablets in our water flasks but for those with more sensitive stomachs, bottled water all the way is the recommendation, though you will need to pay for the bottle water).

Shri opted for the safe option of apple pancakes for breakfast and Firuza had fried potatoes with vegetables. We were enjoying our breakfast and tea when we heard a loud rumble. Suddenly, everyone in the dining area ran towards the window. That’s when we heard the guides explaining that it was an avalanche on Annapurna II. Firuza managed to get a shot of the aftermath which basically looks like a rising cloud of white fog above a small section of the mountain:

On this day, Saila took a separate route from us – known as the ‘Porter Route.’ This is because today was one of the steeper trekking days up winding hills and considering Saila was carrying about 10 times more than any of the rest of us, it only seemed fair. Deepak also suggested we give Saila our trekking poles to reduce the weight from our day packs for this journey which we did (although they may have been handy at certain parts).

The beginning of the journey was pleasant as we hiked through the forest, the smell of fresh pine cones abundant as we bent around Annapurna II, taking as many photos of it as possible from what we thought were varying angles. The mornings always offered clearer skies than the afternoons and so this was the prime time to capture the best snaps.

After reaching the top of the steep and winding path, eventually getting up to 3700m, we reached a monastery and had a break. This is where it helps to have snacks like trek bars for extra energy, particularly as Firuza hadn’t had much for breakfast (this was likely due to the effect of Diamox which one takes to combat altitude sickness. We were each taking half of a 250mg tablet per day. However, for future treks, we will try without as Deepak advised our oxygen levels were good enough and that we likely won’t need it in future. However, consult your doctor on these decisions before trekking).

Let’s take a brief break from the story to discuss Firuza’s favourite topic. Snacks! We ended up taking the following with us:

Trek Bars (ideal for all trek days)
Vegan Jerky (not ideal for eating while moving or if you don’t like messy hands)
Biscuits
Energy gels (for summit days when you really need energy)
Jelly beans (for sugar cravings)

Any kind of bar/chocolate bar is recommended to bring. Firuza even plans to make her own vegan Snickers Bars for future hikes. Yes, you heard that correctly. Now, back to the story…

The downhill descent from the monastery can be a little tough on the knees but we managed ok (without poles) before stopping for lunch at Ngawal. After this, we encountered a large eagle, a number of Yaks and their calves along the way until we eventually reached the Manang Hotel & Lodge. Deepak and Shri also managed to squeeze in a game of chess (we took a travel sized mini chess set with us) while Firuza journaled. Lots of people we saw also seemed to take packs of cards, books and kindles with them for evening entertainment.

We also discussed our itinerary with Deepak in detail, eventually deciding to boycott the rest day we had been planning for the next day in favour of doing a small trek to Khangsar in order to reduce the number of hours hiking the day after that.

Also, the next day was to be our shower day!

Day 6: Trek from Manang to Khangsar (The Slightly Public Shower)

Start point: Manang (3519m)

End point: Khangsar (3756m)

Time Hiking: 2hrs hiking (2hrs hiking in the afternoon)

This was probably the only day we managed to have a lie in. By ‘lie in,’ we mean that we stayed in bed until around 8am or shortly after. When we emerged, another guide (who we hadn’t met before) came up to us as we emerged from our room, looked us over and asked:

“What happened?”

We didn’t know what he meant but assumed it had something to do with the fact that we weren’t up and about at the break of dawn (at least in the high mountains the Nepalese seem to always be up early). Shri responded in the end, explaining that we were tired although we’re not sure if that was a satisfactory answer for him.

Anyway, after breakfast, we managed to get the keys to the shower room. To clarify, we did indeed have a bathroom within our bedroom (at this camp at least), but in order to have a hot shower, you must be prepared to go outside and find the shower room that has the gas shower. And so, we took it in turns, Firuza first, then Shri and lastly Deepak.

It took a while to get the shower going and to the right temperature which involved the owner and Deepak playing around with it. Once the ideal temperature was achieved, Firuza went in. But what we each found, was that while the shower was amazing, the feeling of hot water on your skin after however many days sweating in the sun under a number of layers without the chance to cleanse yourself akin to paradise at that point. But what’s the cost of paradise?

Well, in this case, that cost was your privacy (and about 200 rupees each, so about $1.5 USD at the time of writing this blog). Because the heated shower room came with a window. A rather large window that in actual fact was less of a window and more of a hole in the brickwork of the room. Now, while it was high enough that nobody directly outside in the courtyard could see us (which we were grateful for), the balconies and levels above, on the opposite side of the building were high enough for people to peek in, should they so wish to.

But at this altitude, and after so long hiking without a wash, we decided we didn’t care and just showered, making a conscious effort to not look up! When we asked Deepak later why there was such a large hole for a window, he simply replied that it was to make sure there was enough oxygen in the room… We’ve talked about cost and reward on these types of trips already. And here you have it for this particular scenario. The reward being a hot shower, the cost being your dignity/privacy.

After the shower (note that it was very cold when stepping out of the hot running water so we took a bit longer than usual, as well as getting changed very quickly after) and a warm lunch, we headed for Khangsar. This was the shortest trek day of all, lasting barely over 2 hours. It was a cloudy day, as it often was in the afternoon and the heavens did spit down at us a little bit, forcing us to pull the hoods up. There were virtually no other trekkers on our route on this particular day and the snowy mountain peaks were hidden from view.

But we did get to see some incredible valley views and with the trees shifting their hues from green to orange and then yellow as we ascended. We could also see where the tree line ended, taken over by the barren rocks and eventually snow after the 4000m mark.

The route also took us across suspension bridges which quickly became Firuza’s biggest fear of the trip. Indeed, she had to be hand-led across every bridge by Deepak as Shri tried to capture photos of her terrified face while mid-way across. Unfortunately for Firuza, these bridges were abundant throughout the trek, some being much higher and scarier than others.

Our stop for the night was Pitala guest house which was very cosy in the dining area where a large heater awaited us for dinner. We braced ourselves for a cold night back in the bedroom, knowing we needed a good night’s sleep. For the next day, we’d be heading to Tilicho Base Camp which was over 4000m.