Martin

This was a truly fantastic trip. I would recommend a trek in Nepal to anyone – you’ll come back feeling invigorated and you’ll be helping the Nepali people who have gone through a shitty few years and who deserve some help.

In particular:

1. Don’t worry too much about the Maoist “threat“. There was no threat and we were dealt with politely when we came across them on the trek. Just be sensible.

2. Don’t worry about fitness. Provided you’re basically healthy and you take sensible precautions, you’ll come back from this kind of trip 10 – 15 pounds lighter, as fit and strong as you’ve been for a long time and maybe, like me, with a slightly changed view of the world. Have a look at the range of treks available with the UK firm I used (www.himalayankingdoms.com). 

3. In Pokhara I’d recommend the Snowland hotel, a full-body massage, and the Boomerang restaurant on Lakeside.

4. In Kathmandu you have got to go to the Thamel House Restaurant (pictured below) and order the 10-course set meal. It is wonderful. We also ate out at the more famous Rum Doodle and at Tom & Jerry’s, but both of these I could take or leave.

5. I’ll be back at some point and next time I’ll get across Thorung La. The trip on an organised trek is quite expensive at around GBP 2000 incl insurance etc, but I reckon it would be easily possible to do a month-long trek for half that price by going straight to Kathmandu and booking everything there. Next time I think I’ll do it that way, although for some reason the brochure price for next year has dropped from £1850 to £1650.

Poon Hill is a famous viewpoint on the Western side of the Annapurna Circuit, located just to the east of Ghorepani, and 2 days walk up the trail. I took this picture as a series of shots which my mate Jason pasted into a panorama.

Our minibus dropped us off at Naya Pul after an 8 hour drive from Besi Shahar, I had a window seat to enjoy the hot sunshine and wave back at all the kids who waved at the bus. From Naya Pul we gained 1000m altitude in 2 hours to the town of Hille, then on the second day we made another 1200m or so from Hille to Ghorepani. These 2 days had some of the toughest ascents of the whole trip – it’s very different to the eastern side of the circuit cos you’re walking on stone steps rather than rocky paths. North of Hille there’s a famous stretch with over 3700 steep stone steps. By now though I’m feeling fit and strong and a steady pace gets me to Ghorepani, to the best teahouse of the whole trip.

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