Annapurna Base Camp

Officially, the group will gather in Nepal (in Kathmandu), but in reality, the participants of the trek begin to unite much earlier - at the stage of purchasing air tickets. Relatively cheap ($500 for a round trip ticket) and quite comfortable flight options to Nepal are offered by AirArabia and FlyDubai from the United Arab Emirates. They fly from Kyiv, Moscow and many other cities. But usually there are daily flights only from the capitals. Flight schedules from other cities are less dense, so it may be convenient for you to fly to Nepal a few days earlier. This is not a problem at all - we will book you a hotel, while you walk around the city, see the sights.

A characteristic feature of the mentioned flights to Nepal is a very long connection in the UAE. You will have to spend from 1 to 13 hours (i.e. all night) at the airport in Sharjah (AirArabia) or Dubai (FlyDubai) waiting for a plane to Kathmandu. If you have a long layover, you can walk around the city, because... Ukrainians do not need a visa for up to 30 days, but usually the wait is at night. Unfortunately, the prices at the airport hotel are not good, so most of the participants in the trip prefer to spend the night together in the airport lounge. For a more comfortable stay, it makes sense to take a sleeping bag and a rug or film to lay on the floor in your hand luggage (i.e., in the airplane cabin). You can eat at fast foods or finish off sandwiches taken from home (they serve food on the plane for an additional fee). 

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you buy a tourist visa right at the airport ($25 for 15 days) and take a taxi to our pre-booked hotel in Thamel (the tourist quarter of Kathmandu). There you will be met by an instructor - he usually arrives a day earlier to issue passes to the Annapurna Conservation Area National Park for the entire group. Once settled at the hotel, it makes sense to show the instructor your equipment and consult about orientation in the city. After this, you can walk around Kathmandu, buy more equipment if necessary, start getting acquainted with Nepalese cuisine and quickly go to bed - get up early tomorrow.

We get up very early, so that we can leave for Pokhara no later than 6 am (by chartered minibus or bus, depending on the size of the group). A significant part Today we will spend on the road (7-8 hours). It's a little tedious, but educational. Outside the window, the slums flash first the outskirts of Kathmandu, then the emerald jungle and endless terraces of rice fields. Over time, more and more often we will get a glimpse of the snow-white Annapurna massif. narrow road meanders right over the abyss, at first it’s a little alarming, but after a couple of hours the serpentine begins to lull you to sleep. To sleep better, we will stop at a roadside restaurant and have breakfast.

Arriving in Pokhara, we quickly dropped our things at the hotel on Lakeside, quickly had lunch and ran to the lake. Pokhara is such a wonderful place where every newcomer is obliged to... ride a boat on Lake Phewa, at the same time visiting a Hindu temple on the lake, and then climb the hill to the Stupa of Peace. From the views from peaks, peace truly comes in the soul. Anxieties and sorrows go away, only majestic snowy peaks remain above the mirror surface lakes, and the amazing taste of a dream coming true.

And again an early rise (get used to it - this is the norm in the mountains). We quickly have breakfast at the hotel and load into the jeeps. We reach Nayapul in one and a half to two hours. Here the asphalt finally disappears and off-roading begins. So far, there are only dusty shopping arcades and children with hammers (they crush stones and make gravel), but somewhere in the distance the snow-white profile of Machapuchare can already be seen. In just 8 days you will return to the same village as experienced trekkers and you will recognize all the peaks yourself, but in the meantime, do not hesitate to ask the instructor.

In Biretanti we mark the passes in the national park and drive another 7 km to the village of Thikhedunga (1520 m). Here we finally put on our backpacks and the trekking begins. We cross the suspension bridge over the waterfall and begin the “climb of a thousand steps” praised in the reports. In fact, the climb is ordinary (as for Nepal) - 500 meters of elevation gain along high stone steps, generously flavored with horse dung. But if you are not used to it, it will seem like a very difficult test. It is important to take your time and give the body the opportunity to adapt to the load.

At the end of the endless climb, a long rest (and lunch!) awaits us in the village of Ulleri (2080 m), overlooking a deep agricultural gorge - endless rice terraces from the bottom to the very clouds. Tomorrow morning these clouds will part and show us the snow-covered Khinchuli Peak (6441 m). In less than a week we will go around this mountain and find ourselves in the Annapurna Sanctuary.

After lunch, you will have to walk literally a kilometer to spend the night in the village of Ban Tanti (2210 m).

The rise continues, but much smoother than yesterday. To replace forest came to open spaces and rice fields. And not ordinary, but rhododendron. Rhododendron is a very exotic tree with large leaves, large flowers and, thank God, no watermelons on the branches. Instead of watermelons, there may be monkeys hanging out in the trees - keep your eyes peeled!

Having emerged from the forest, we find ourselves in a fairly large village - Ghorepani (2860 m), with heartbreaking view of Dhaulagiri (8167 m) and delicious apple pies :)

We have planned an overnight stay in Ghorepani, but there is still a lot of time before sunset, so leaving our backpacks at the lodge, we will go to the radial acclimatization climb to the neighboring mountain - Poon Hill (3193 m). Most likely, we will be walking in a cloud and won’t see anything, but the point here is precisely to gain altitude - we’ll come back to admire the views tomorrow morning.

If there is a gap in the clouds, then in the evening you should not miss another show - to see how the rays of the setting sun color Annapurna in red. This colorful picture can be seen right from the windows of our lodge... By the way, it’s not hot at all outside the windows, for the first time we take out warm clothes and warm ourselves by the potbelly stove.

We get up before dawn and join the stream of tourists heading along the already familiar path to Poon Hill. In such a crowd it is difficult to coordinate the actions of the group, so everyone goes at their own pace, we meet at the top, near the tower. We stand there for about 30 minutes with slack jaws, inhaling with our mouths the beauty of the Himalayas (Machchapuchare, Annapurna South, Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri are visible). Then we go down, have breakfast, collect our backpacks, and move on along the forest path.

From time to time the dense rhodendron forest will part, revealing to us views of snow caps of the mountains (this is on the left side), then onto the endless green hills drowning in tropical haze (this is on the right). The first half of the day we We will devote ourselves to the ascent to the Deurali pass (3100 m). About his approach we we recognize it by the change in vegetation; Himalayan species are increasingly appearing around pine trees

After the pass the trail will “fall” several times into relatively shallow valleys of forest rivers that compensate us for the loss of height with picturesque cascades and waterfalls. Before lunch, as it should be, for appetite, ascent along stone steps to the village of Tadapani (2630 m). Terraces, on where the lodges are located, an excellent place for “meditation on the tail.” I I'm talking about admiring the memorable silhouette of Mount Machapuchare (Fishtail, 6997m).

After lunch we will only have to make a relatively short dash through the tropical forest with absolutely like unflappable wild monkeys. Overnight in the mini-village of Chiule (2200 m), it is warm again and Machapuchare is visible again. 

Today is a major test of the strength of your spirit. How and yesterday, the path then descends hundreds of meters down to the river itself, then crawls up the endless stone steps again. And it repeats itself over and over again all day. To make the steps more fun for you, I recommend get a player with your favorite music or audiobooks. Reading time It will fly by faster, we won’t even notice how we will pass the village of Chomrong.

In Chomrong (2170 m) we will again be tempted by pies, buns and cakes. And, you know, we'll give in - we'll stay here for lunch. On the other side of the gorge you can already see the roofs of Sinuva (2340 m) - the village where we will spend the night. Just a stone's throw...

It is clear that in order to find yourself on this very “other side of the gorge”, you will first have to go down to the bottom (to the 1900 m mark), then gain altitude again. Hang in there. But in Sinuwa you will have a chance to take advantage of the last hot shower (on the way up). Let's enjoy the warmth, since tomorrow is our overnight stay will be in very cool highlands.

Immediately after Sinuva, the trail turns north and the heart skips a beat in anticipation of a miracle - we enter the deepest gorge separating Machchapuchare and Annapurna. The trail goes through a real jungle (no, you won't need a machete), continuing through endless waves. Soon we will visit the village of Bambu (2310 m) - 3 lonely lodges among thickets of bamboo and hemp :)

We continue climbing the gorge. The Modi River is rushing towards us Khola, originating from the South Annapurna Glacier. Moreover, these same waters They run not only along the bottom of the gorge. They flow from everywhere. Countless streams roll down from somewhere beyond the clouds, significantly reviving a landscape that becomes more severe with every step upward (and more majestic).

Lunch at the Himalaya shelter, at an altitude of about 2920 m. Rhododendron jungle gives way to low thickets of dwarf bamboo. We find ourselves in the land of eternal autumn. While we are waiting for lunch, it often starts to rain and gets cold.

On the way we will go to the so-called Hunku cave - a small rock a canopy under which, according to legend, the holy wanderer lived for many years. Considering that in winter and spring the slopes of the gorge regularly slide down avalanches, the cave seems to be a completely logical and even cozy habitat.
In the spring, it is in this section that we usually encounter the first “big” snow on the route - we cross the avalanche runoff just beyond the Khinku Cave. Soon after this we settle in for the night at Deorali Lodge (3200 m).

As soon as the sun hides behind Annapurna, it will become very chilly in the gorge. Don't even think about having an evening swim. This is our first overnight stay above 3000 meters - be attentive to your body, listen to yourself, dress warmly, do not make sudden movements. If you feel sick in the middle of the night, wake up the instructor immediately.

To give us more time to get used to the altitude, we will extend today’s climb as much as possible. For this We get up in the dark, leave without breakfast, the sky barely turns gray. The temperature is around zero, but the backpacks on our backs will keep us from freezing.
Having reached Machapuchare Base Camp (3720 m), we stop here for breakfast. While the food is being prepared, we sit and acclimatize. You can also slide onto the moraine ridge - behind it is an unreal panorama of the canyon.

After breakfast we rest a little more and move on to the glacier and the breathtaking the amphitheater of the dazzling Annapurna sisters. Now we're not near the mountains, we are inside them. Shining peaks surrounded us on all sides, we are in the very the heart of Annapurna, in her sanctuary (this is the official name).

After 2 hours we arrive at ABC (Annapurna Base Camp), drop our things at the lodge and go on a radial path to the glacier. The mountains at this time are already covered with clouds, but there is still something to see. We'll spend the rest of the day exploring the glacier, smelling space, and trying to imagine what it's like for someone else. the place is not the end of the journey, but only its beginning (we are talking about climbers storming Annapurna). However, numerous memorial plaques around ABC say otherwise.
In the evening, with the onset of arctic cold, we go down to the lodge.

Tonight will be even harder - many will feel weakness, shortness of breath, crazy pulse, headache, nausea, insomnia and other attributes of a “miner”. It makes sense to take Diacarb in advance. Keep the instructor informed of your condition at all times.

Even at night, the clouds cleared, and the Annapurnas appeared in all their glory. The rays of the Sun rising from behind the mountains paint the ice wall with warm crimson colors, the peaks seem to be on fire. You don't think of sleeping through such beauty, do you?

When the Sun illuminates at least a little not only the peaks, but also our valley, those who wish will be able, together with an instructor, to climb a hundred or two meters up the slope. New angle, new height, new photos... After a long photo shoot, we descend to Annapurna Base Camp, have breakfast, and get ready for the return trip.

If on the way up we deliberately “slowed down” our progress for better acclimatization, then on the contrary, you should go down quickly (otherwise you won’t There will be time for a cultural program after the trek). For today we must pass the Machapuchare base camp and the avalanche danger zone, have lunch in the already familiar Himalaya shelter, descend into the tropical zone, and spend the night in the village of Bambu (2335 m).

We continue to run down. Naturally, you constantly have to go up. The climb through the pie and bakery Chomrong alone is worth a lot. Immediately after Chomrong, the trail plunges sharply into another stone staircase, and dives so quickly that your knees will inevitably beg for mercy. But there will be a pleasant moment - the tense faces of tourists crawling towards us at a snail's pace. They are sweating, breathing heavily, they still have everything ahead - both the shining Annapurna and the splitting head.

And we have a well-deserved rest ahead of us. We will stop in the village of Jinu Danda - here we will have lunch, dinner, overnight and, most importantly, bath procedures. Jinu Danda is famous for its hot springs. We take swimming trunks, swimsuits and towels and stomp down to the river (20 minutes walk). There are comfortable swimming pools with hot water, and if you want to freshen up, you can carefully plunge into the raging river (be careful - strong currents).

Once again we get up in the dark - in order to be in Kathmandu in the evening we need to run to the jeep stop by 11 am. Moving along the right bank of the Modi Khola River (now we know where you are flowing!) we will pass through several villages of the Gurung tribe, few similar to already familiar villages with colorful lodges. This is a piece of the former pre-tourist Nepal. Archaic buildings are just as ancient, as are the methods of cultivating the land used here. Peasants they are working in the field, the kids are playing, and we are running and running downstairs.

But it’s unknown where the dirt road comes from (it was built quite recently). We hire jeeps, they take us to Pokhara (about 2 hours). Along the way, we check in again at the national park checkpoint. The instructor distributes stamped passes to all participants (as a souvenir) - now you have an official document of a real Annapurnovite with a wet stamp :)

In Pokhara - we have a quick lunch, stretch our legs, buy fruit for the road.

Although it is only 200 kilometers from Pokhara to the capital, the road is so difficult (narrow mountain serpentines) that our bus will need 7-8 hours to cover this distance. On the way We watch rafters sailing along the river below us (Trisuli River). We are thinking about joining water tourism because bus sports I'm already pretty tired of it :).
We arrive in Kathmandu late in the evening and check into a familiar hotel. Most of the restaurants are already closed, but after the exhausting serpentines, only a few will want to eat.

Even in Kathmandu we will not give you rest - we get up early again, we go to a cultural program for the whole day on a customized minibus. We usually start with a visit to the Pashupatinath complex. This place is on the shore of the sacred the Bagmati River, where Hindus (the two main religions in Nepal) produce ritual cremations of their dead. A very unusual sight. If you decide that this is not for your eyes, you can safely turn away - from behind too there is something to see. It's where wandering saints usually rest on the steps. (sadhu). Damn beautiful guys.

After Pashupatinath we go to a shrine with a completely different atmosphere - the huge Buddhist stupa Boudhanath, which for her impressive appearance, she was warmly loved by filmmakers and photographers glossy travel magazines. There are numerous Buddhist monasteries around the stupa. You can go inside and wander among the monks reading sacred texts.

Then we go to the famous Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath). This Buddhist stupa is located on a high hill, offering an unforgettable view of the whole the Kathmandu Valley and the distant snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The impudent monkeys living on the hill will demand handouts from you. Under no circumstances show them food (they will take it away) or try to pet them (they will bite you).

Finally, let's take a look at one of the suburbs of Kathmandu - Patan. The historical center of Patan thanks to its unique tribal architecture Newari has the status of a museum (they sell tickets there). A tour of this museum open sky is like a computer game: if you want to go to the next level, you will have to wind your way through narrow medieval streets, dive into unnoticeable passages to suddenly jump out to a magnificent a golden temple or a sacred reservoir. At the end a super prize awaits us - Royal Square of Patan, where such things are concentrated in a small area number of exotic palaces, temples and monuments that fill your neck roll up briefly.

We return to the hotel in Thamel.

Today we are flying home. Everyone's flights are different, it is advisable to choose those that are later. We collect our things in advance, vacate the rooms, and put our backpacks in the storage room. Now we can take a walk through the ancient quarters of the capital from Thamel to Durbar Square, where among other architectural monuments we will see the house in which he lives Goddess Kumari (real Nepalese girl).

We must not forget about shopping. You need to make a couple of circles around Thamel to choose souvenirs (things made of yak wool, cashmere scarves, kukri knives, singing bowls or just magnets with a panorama of Annapurna), a good bargain, feel like part of an international trekking crowd.

We pick up our things from the hotel, have dinner (they don’t serve food on the plane), and go to the airport. Goodbye Nepal (for some reason I'm sure you'll want to come back here again). Hello Sharjah (Dubai). We'll spend the night in airport.

The night of waiting will fly by unnoticed - after all the adventures, you can sleep well even on the airport floor. One more flight (4-6 hours) and we are already home. There are unusually many “pale-faced” people around, they are in a hurry somewhere, passing by and they don’t know that we were in the Himalayas.