Nepal

ACT Day 05 - Thanchok to Dhikur Pokhari

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Blue Skies

The mist that had shrouded the views the day before had lifted and had left the skies bright and clear that morning. Low clouds still lingered over the lower slopes however, and the added contrast brought out the silhouettes of pine trees (Pinus sp.) way off in the distance. We peered at the distant trees from out of the windows as we ate a pancake with honey (NPR180/2) for breakfast. Before we climbed back onto the road and left Thanchok (elevation : 2660m), we cut up some tibetan bread (NPR220/2) into strips and packed it away for lunch later on. Read more

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ACT Day 04 - Danakyu to Thanchok

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Mossy Forest

The hamlet of Danakyu (elevation : 2250m) was completely blanketed in mist that morning, so much so that we could barely see the building that was across the road from us. So once again, we had our breakfast of pancake and honey (NPR280/2) with tibetan bread (NPR220/2) to take-away, whilst waiting for the mist to clear. Read more

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ACT Day 03 - Tal to Danakyu

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The Valley

It was drizzling incessantly that morning, so we attempted to wait it out by taking our time over breakfast (which was Tibetan bread with honey, NPR260/2). By 09:00, the rain had yet to let up, and we knew that we could not really wait any longer. We began by walking up the 'alley' that was basically the entire hamlet of Tal (elevation : 1700m) and noticed then that most of the guesthouses that flanked us advertised attached bathrooms, which was quite a luxury in this region. The mist had descended and had completely engulfed the hamlet, and once again left everything blanketed in a whiteout. Read more

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ACT Day 02 - Srichaur to Tal

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Waterfalls

The day was overcast, and not only were the mountain views of Himlung (elevation : 7126m) and Manaslu (elevation : 8163m, the 8th highest mountain in the world), completely obscured, but so were the cliffs that lay just in front of Srichaur (elevation : 1100m). The intermittent drizzle also made everything grey and bleak, but the mist that came with it left everything quite enchanting and reminded me of the Western Arthurs in Australia. Read more

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ACT Day 01 - Ngadi to Srichaur

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Setting Off

Rupesh, the owner of the homestay, had been such a delightful host the previous day that we decided to purchase breakfast from him that morning instead of eating our own. We ended up chatting with him for quite a while, whilst eating our breakfast of tibetan bread with honey (NPR280), and so began the first day of our trek a little later than we had originally planned. Rupesh had told us about a mandir up on the hill nearby the local school, and had then proceeded to walk with us to both show us the turnoff that lay up the road from his homestay , as well as the bridge that we then had to cross. Read more

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Annapurna Circuit

The Annapurna Circuit

The Annapurna Circuit is a classic trek that used to be considered one of the most beautiful hikes in Nepal. The circuit goes through incredibly varied terrain; taking you first through paddy fields and dense forests, before passing steep cliffs and gorgeous mountainscapes as it traces the Marsyangdi valley ever upwards. The trek can last for between one to three weeks and can cover between 150 to 300 kilometres depending on where one begins and ends the trek, as well as how extensively the side trails are explored. The circuit itself encircles the Annapurna massif, with the two side trails of the glacial tarn of Tilicho Lake (elevation : 4920m) and the glacial basin of Annapurna Sanctuary (elevation : 4130m) straddling the north and south of Annapurna I (elevation : 8091m), the 10th highest mountain in the world. Read more