More details about the Ticket2Ride service. Trek around Annapurna in November: report on a trip to Nepal 5 day trek around Annapurna

This trek amazes with the beauty and power of the surrounding mountains. There are also plenty of stupas, temples and other local flavor. The route passes through different climatic zones and allows you to get a very comprehensive impression of the Himalayas. It is no coincidence that this is one of the most popular routes in the world.

There is a lot of talk about the fact that the Annapurna Trek is ruined by the road. This is not entirely true. Yes, without the road it would have been more atmospheric, but it would have taken 3 weeks to walk and there would have been much less comfort in the shelters. And now there is an opportunity to drive through less interesting areas and see the most important things. If you start from Chamzhe, as many do, including us, then the trail soon leaves the road and you don’t have to walk much along the side of the road. And after a couple of walking days you go so deep that transport practically disappears.

As expected, the journey began with a reboot in .

Drop-off day. Kathmandu - Besisahar (1100m) - Chamzhe (1400m)

We take a rented bus from Kathmandu to Besisahar. With a stop for permits and a stop for lunch, this is almost the whole day. Along the way there is a hellish dusty section of the road, variously decorated trucks with the words “King of the road”, and, finally, mountains.

We arrive in Besisahar in the evening. However, this is not the end of today's move. Then the road is such that you need to look for a jeep. And he is there soon, but the driver suggests going tomorrow, since it is already late and driving in the evening is prohibited. We are already going to look for a hotel, when the driver suddenly agrees, apparently the thirst for profit has done its job.

And so we hang out for several more hours in the car, which on this road resembles a raft going through rapids of the highest category of difficulty. At some point, the Chinese jeep can’t stand it and its wheel falls off. We find ourselves alone in the night on an empty road.

The adventures began abruptly.

I figure out how many kilometers we have to walk to the nearest village, and the driver tries to get a connection to get through to his comrades.

Soon he succeeds and half an hour later we are driving in another jeep. But it also breaks down before reaching a few kilometers.

However, this is happening suspiciously next to the hotel, which is run by the driver’s relatives.

Perhaps this was the original plan, and this is the reason why the driver still agreed to go at night - the payment for a large group for overnight accommodation and food is decent money. But the first jeep had a real breakdown.

We are already glad that we at least got here, and agree to stop for the night.

First walking day. Chamzhe (1400m) – Darapani (1850m)

After talking with the jeepers, we decide to start from the hotel. Let's walk a few kilometers more, it's not critical.

The trail goes through a picturesque gorge. We are drawn into the everyday life of trekkers, getting used to walking with backpacks.

If you wish, you can save this day by traveling by car, but walking here is also a good idea.

Second walking day. Darapani (1850m) – Chame (2650m)

On this day, in close proximity, the first views of big mountains, this caused a surge of delight among the entire group.

Annapurna 2 (7525m) is especially beautiful due to its pyramidal shape.

Third walking day. Chame (2650m) – Upper Pisang (3300m)

Not everyone liked walking with a full backpack, so they took two porters for the group.

And the views are becoming more and more picturesque.

And the villages are becoming more and more authentic.

Upper Pisang was remembered not only by its name. Starting with him, on the Annapurna circuit, in every locality, in addition to the local flavor, the harsh and sublime atmosphere of the highlands was added.

We completed the trek to Upper Pisang in half a day. After checking into the lodge and having lunch, we went for a walk around the village and, going into the temple, found ourselves at a Buddhist prayer. One monk beat a suspended drum, producing a powerful bass rhythm. Two more recited a prayer, from time to time picking up long pipes and playing the brass part. It was a whole concert, which, at the end, put you in a state close to trance. The impression is powerful.

Fourth walking day. Upper Pisang (3300m) - Manang (3550m)

Long walking day with very beautiful views. The length of the route is about 20 km.

Rest day in Manang

Fatigue has accumulated, the altitude has gained, and Manang and the surrounding area are beautiful and unique, so we take a day of rest.

We go on a radial walk to Lake Gangnapurna, and the most seasoned even swim in this glacial lake.

We climb a little higher to the ridge, from which excellent views open up.

We examine Old city and spin the prayer wheels.

And we eat yak steak, it’s wonderful here and you should definitely try it.

In general, in terms of food, there is... a good choice, there is not only Dal-bat, but for a snack you can always buy pies, bread, etc. Beer is sold everywhere. The local rum is quite good.

Fifth walking day. Manang (3550m) - Tilicho Base Camp (4150m)

We are going on a two-day radial trip to Lake Tilicho, but we have problems. One of the participants was sick, and it was better for her not to go to the heights, but to get medical treatment. We have to leave her in Manang and give her the task of independently acclimatizing in the surrounding area.

In addition, the porters were capricious, trying to beg for more money, but after negotiations we left.

Going to Tilicho is, in all respects, right. You can enjoy new beautiful views and at the same time get acclimatization before the highest pass of the Annapurna Trek.

Sixth walking day. Tilicho base camp (4150m)– Lake Tilicho (4949 m) – Manang (3550 m)

Leaving most of our things at the base camp, we climb lightly to Lake Tilicho. However, the going is not easy at all. The miner is noticeably challenging, especially since this is a new height for all participants. But the majority cope and reach the lake.

Then we all descend to Manang, stopping at the base camp for lunch. You can go down not to Manang, but further along the route, but we had to return to the sick participant. The day turned out to be long and hard. Walked about 25 km.

Seventh walking day. Manang (3550m) - Yak Karka (4020m)

Natalia, who was ill, is feeling better. She went on her own to acclimatize, as agreed, and is ready to move on with us.

But one of the porters must return home for family reasons. We had to urgently look for a replacement, but in the end the issue was resolved.

But the transition on this day is short, which is very useful after yesterday’s load.

Eighth walking day. Yak Karka (4020m) - Thorong Pedi (4450m) - High Kemp (4900m)

We gain altitude again and it begins to cover us, but everyone copes. We make a stop in Thorong Pedi to get used to the altitude and have lunch. We find a guitar and arrange a small concert.

We arrive at High Camp late in the evening and all the places are taken. We are placed on the floor in the dining room. In the evening, to brush your teeth, you need to break the ice on a barrel of water that stands on the street.

But this option is better than going in the morning from Thorong Pedi. With dawn, the wind on the pass gets stronger and gets stronger every hour.

Ninth walking day. High Camp (4900m) - Thorong La pass (5416 m) - descent to Muktinath (3750 m)

We leave after dark headlamps. The frost and wind are quite unpleasant, I walk with thoughts of dawn. It was worth taking tops or warm mittens. Some of their feet were frozen.

At dawn we are already close to the pass. A little more, and here it is, the Thorong-La pass (5416m) - the highest point of the Annapurna trek.

At the pass there is a shack - a tea house, where hot tea of several types is poured - an atmospheric place, a dream of a frozen trekker!

We wait for those who are lagging behind and begin our descent.

We go down to Muktinath, check into a hotel with an excellent view and a Russian bathhouse!

Tenth walking day. Muktinath (3750m) - Jomsom (2700m)

You can leave Muktinath by bus along a good road, but it is worth walking. The trail is beautiful and not difficult, mostly downhill, and goes far from the road.

It was interesting to go into a temple of the pre-Buddhist shamanic faith - the Bon religion, where we were even allowed to beat the prayer drum.

In Jomsom we completed our Annapurna Trek, took plane tickets, and flew to Pokhara the next day.

Pokhara a stark contrast to dusty Kathmadu. This is a neat highland resort.

Then, in a rented minibus, we returned to.

The track took place from November 6 to November 17, 2017. The weather was good all the time, mostly clear. The wind at the pass was not strong - we were lucky with that too.

The group was predominantly female, with little mountain experience. But everyone tried and managed the serious Himalayan trek. Well done!

And the Himalayas are calling to return and are already May holidays We're going there for a new cool track.

After six months of preparation and several years of dreaming, we finally visited Nepal on the Annapurna Trek. Which general impressions? Now, several months after returning, when the emotions have subsided and the body has recovered, I can say that it was unforgettable journey, I will gladly return to Nepal again, but this time to the Everest region.

So, how did it all go….

There were 8 people in our group (this is not a commercial group, but simply 8 friends who love this unusual thing), which helped us rent an inexpensive private transfer and buy out half of the guest houses.

We flew with China Southern Airlines, which we initially regretted more than once. I categorically do not recommend dealing with these guys: constant changes in flight schedules, a website where it is impossible to find out anything, a call-center where you can’t get through, and even if you do get through, you are faced with a problem when the operators practically don’t speak English, etc. d. However, this was all before our trip; the flight itself went without problems.

Arriving in Kathmandu (1360m above sea level), we stayed at the Dream Nepal hotel. Not a bad place in terms of price, location and service. The hotel owner was very kind and helped us with any question, provided free transfer to/from the airport, helped us book good hotel in Pokhara at a discount, took us to the Nepal Tourism Board several times to obtain permits and even, when we were already on the trek, booked us plane tickets for 8 people from Jomsom to Pokhara without any advance payment, hoping only for our honesty, that After the trek we will return to it and pay for everything.

Coming out of the airport, we were immediately surrounded by a crowd of local “helpers”, annoyingly offering their service. In order to somehow get rid of them, Dima found a very unusual way out of this situation. He was carrying a large envelope with red letters Costco (Costco is a supermarket chain) and showed it to the Nepalese as if it meant something, and, strangely enough, it had a magical effect on the local porters, they nodded their heads in understanding and left behind. This envelope later became our talisman. Throughout the trip, when the locals were too intrusive or didn’t allow us to do something, we joked among ourselves that they needed to show them the Costco envelope.

Day 13: transfer to Kathmandu, which took about 6 hours from Pokhara by private minibus, a short walk around the capital with a stop at the monkey temple, buying souvenirs in the city center.

Day 14: Flight home in the morning from Kathmandu airport.

The government of Nepal has set itself the goal of connecting most of the remote villages in the mountains by roads, many believe that this will be the end of wild hiking in this area, real tourists with big bellies and even bigger cameras will begin to come here en masse, who will be served with comfortable hotels and chic restaurants. As an example, there is a paved road to Manang, which did not exist quite recently. But, having been there, I can say that such tourists will not be there for a long time, just like good roads, unless the government changes in Nepal or something else happens. If the current government builds roads, they will most likely be some kind of primitive ones, driving on which is a real suicide. But even because of such primitive roads, the number of tourists who come to Nepal precisely because of its authenticity, the opportunity to plunge into places untouched by civilization, will certainly decrease, and not everyone will like walking along roads along which jeeps periodically kick up dust. But understand local residents It’s possible - it’s more important for them to get comfort in their lives than to satisfy the whims of tourists. I'm glad that we were able to visit the Nepalese Himalayas before the massive construction.

What impressions did you have from the trip? At first there were no impressions, there was only fatigue, a desire to return to civilization, lie in a hot bath and forget the nightmare seen in Kathmandu. But after a couple of weeks I began to catch myself thinking that I wanted to go back. At first I was afraid of this desire, but then I clearly realized that even now I was ready to pack my backpack again and go to Nepal.

Here the dream of seeing the Himalayas came true, even though we did not climb any peaks, but simply walked along the trails, but there was real Himalayan dust on our boots, and our eyes enjoyed the most beautiful mountain landscapes in the world.

And these mountain villages... If it weren’t for the periodic satellite antennas and wires, it seemed that time had stopped here. Unusual places with stone houses on the slopes and narrow streets from tourist photographs come to life and become a reality. And the people in the mountains of Nepal... They are really very beautiful, there is a sparkle in their eyes, and early wrinkles do not spoil them at all. Stone houses, bright National clothes and knitted hats only confirm that they value their traditions, do not want to change their way of life and are happy with what they have.

The Himalayas... there’s no need to even describe them, what’s the point in saying that I’m delighted with the greatness of the mountains I saw, about climbing which I watched hundreds of films and read dozens of books.

I will never forget the bells on the necks of the yaks, the prayer drums, the faces of the Nepalese women, the feeling of life that you experience there, the gatherings in the canteens in the evenings and the bright stars over Annapurna II.

If we ignore Kathmandu, Pokhara, the road to the start of the trek and back, then it was a very interesting and unforgettable trip. I just want to throw the populated regions of Nepal with their dirt out of my memory. But in general, there was an unpleasant aftertaste in our souls: we arrived there and left 2 weeks later to our comfortable homes, to prosperous areas with lawns and flowers, to the world of cars, highways and civilization, to the world of the Internet, unmanned vehicles and space flights. And these people remained there to live in their small primitive houses with cracks, forced to work physically hard, fighting for their existence every day. Perhaps, looking at them through the prism of European values, I see no reason why they can be happy, they only make me feel sorry. But, despite the fact that for many Nepalese even the basics of Maslow’s pyramid are not fulfilled, they feel quite happy, probably, we really don’t understand a lot of things in this life and we should sometimes take an example from the Nepalese.

“You are in the mountains too often to sew. Let’s face the truth,” a friend recently wrote to me. And she's right. For those who think that mountains are not for them, I’ll make a reservation right away. If you had told me 5 years ago that I would voluntarily and enthusiastically go on a two-week trek through the mountains in the cold, I would have thought that at some point in my life I had clearly taken a wrong turn. But we are changing. Our values, priorities, goals, objectives and ways to achieve them change. Moreover, sometimes this happens much more rapidly and along a completely different vector than we could have planned. I'll tell you how these changes happened for me.

Over the past 4 years, there have been many peaks in my life. Of different heights, of different complexity, both emotionally and physically. But my main conclusion is always the same - you never return from the mountain the same person you are when you go there. Hiking in the mountains, climbing volcanoes, walking through high-altitude nature - this is a kind of retreat. Ascents are when you meet your true self, your fears, weaknesses, insecurities. When you find the opportunity to overcome and accept. When you begin to feel where it is subtle and how deep it is buried. When you hear yourself clearly and clearly, because there is silence around.

I climbed small Crimean mountains as a child with my parents, and I even seemed to like it - I’m happy in the photographs. Then there was the “office-career-heels” period, and the mountains did not fit into this picture at all.

Behind him began the period of “giving up everything, going to Asia with a one-way ticket,” which included knee surgery. At the physics level, a lot has changed since then. There was a difficult recovery period. Then I had a mega-trip around South-East Asia in 2013. 14 countries in 3 months. Among these countries was Indonesia. Our acquaintance began with the island of Java, which has an unreal number of volcanoes. I don’t remember how I agreed to the first one. But I remember that the climb up it was only a few hours, but full of physical suffering - my heart was jumping out, my temples were pounding, my breathing was out of breath every 10 steps (this is due to my sports background). But something (or someone) urged me to the top. That feeling when you find yourself above the clouds, when an incredible view opens up, when you hear that special silence around and in your head, it is incomparable. And you also understand that the whole climb is already behind you and you are a little internally triumphant that you managed it. There was no stopping me anymore! In 2 weeks there were a dozen volcanoes and minus 8 kilograms of weight.

The most difficult climb of my life is still a one-day ascent of Mount Agung (3031 m) on the island of Bali in 2014. The one that is currently erupting. Yes, he is not very tall. Yes, the track is not very difficult. But I had my own story there, as often happens in the mountains. We got lost and were on the wrong route. It took us 8 hours to go up, and it took us the same amount of time, if not more, to go down. There was absolutely no place to rest at the top, because we came to the thin wall of the crater and that was it. Therefore, the ascent and descent turned out to be 16 hours of continuous effort. The operated knee then decided that it was “too much” for him, and after 12 hours it refused to work at all. I spent the last 4 hours going down on my hands and butt. I clearly felt at that moment that if hell exists for me, then it is in this path on my hands and butt, which lasts endlessly. But everything ends someday. Everything. Then my first ascent of Agung ended. When the emotions passed, I realized that I would like to go through this path again with a calmer mind. To observe how my body and mind react to such stress, and not to plunge into these states uncontrollably. I succeeded in a year.

And the stupidest thing I ever did was climb the erupting Raung volcano (3332 m) in Java. If you want to know why you shouldn’t do this or find out more heart-wrenching details about sulfur poisoning, you can ask me personally. But experience is experience. Now I know exactly why you shouldn’t do this.

In 2017, I climbed Kilimanjaro (5895 m) alone, and trekked around Annapurna (5416 m) with my dad and friends. The tracks were completely different in mood, atmosphere, complexity, cost, and duration. But most importantly, they were different in the answers to the questions I received. I went to Kilimanjaro on my 30th birthday and, apparently, with the expectation that answers to the then important questions would come. What about family and children? What to do with business? In what direction and how to continue self-development? I didn't receive any answers there.

Philosophy of the track and awareness on the way

But the trek around Annapurna turned out to be very transformative. And in completely unexpected directions. Apparently because there were no expectations. The Annapurna Circuit Trek consisted of 12 days of route. Days when all you have to do is get up, eat and go. All. Often you don’t even need to get dressed, because it’s so cold at night that you walk during the day in what you sleep in at night. But this was already towards the end of the trek, when there were almost no clean clothes left, and it was very cold at altitude. But more on that later.

For me personally, this track was the path to answers about balance. About how not to exhaust yourself to the point where you need a total reboot, an Internet detox for several days and 14 hours of sleep. How to hear yourself and your body and why you need it at all. How to get out of the cycle of “run-run-run”, and then “die” a little, stop and rest. How to stop feeling pressure. Or more precisely, how to stop putting pressure on yourself. This track was about the path slowly, measuredly, but without stopping. And this resonates so much with how I want to live now. Accelerating and stopping is inefficient and exhausting, which is very noticeable in the mountains. The first to arrive at camp are usually those who initially take a slower pace. But in life it often seems that we get more done while running. It's an illusion. For me for sure.

We went to Annapurna with my dad and 13 other friends from . Tracking in a group is completely different than tracking on your own. Tracking in a group is more difficult. Because everyone has different speeds, everyone has different tasks and conditions. Everyone feels differently. We had breakfast together and often had dinner together. But they never all walked together, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in threes, sometimes alone. My dad always ran ahead. The only way to persuade him to take his time was by promising cool photos along the way, and even then not always. But he had his own pace, his own rhythm. My task was to accept his rhythm. Once we made an acclimatization trip to an altitude of 4200 from a height of 3500. It was very difficult for Dad. He walked a third of the way and said that he couldn’t go any further: “I realized that I’m not ready for this track at all.” And this was only the 5th day. He lay down and lay there. His tactic was to accelerate and rest every 10-12 meters. I felt that it was clearly not his body that was speaking in dad, but mountain sickness. That the mind focused on the fact that the body was having a hard time, and that there was nothing further. Very comfortable position. Cunning mind. I waited for him to lie down. I suggested that he try to walk very, very slowly and as far as possible with me next to him. So we climbed another 400 meters. And these 400 meters gave us a lot. We talked about a lot of things, asked each other important questions, just as slowly and carefully as we walked. This was beautiful.

When I was planning the trek, I could not find a single sensible article (neither in Russian nor in English) that would clearly provide information on the route, budget, equipment and actions to be taken on the spot. Maybe I'm just bad at Googling. But even friends who had been on the trek a year before were unable to give clear information. Already in the track we jokingly suggested that somewhere after Lake Tilicho the memory is erased. That's why I wrote it down every day so that I could carefully convey the information to you.

So. Where to even start?

Annapurna Circuit Trek Route

There are quite a lot of treks and routes in the Annapurna Nature Reserve. There is one circular route around Annapurna, called Annapurna Circuit. There are two options for passing it - counterclockwise and clockwise. The clockwise option is difficult and has a very high risk of getting altitude sickness. Therefore, for beginners, I recommend immediately concentrating on the counterclockwise option with the start in Besisakhar. Besisahar is a place about 8-10 bus hours from Kathmandu and 4-6 bus hours from Pokhara. This is the town from which you can start your walking trek. This is where the asphalted (oh, it’s hard to call it that, of course, oh well) road ends. I would like to write separately about the roads in Nepal, but I will restrain myself. Or not.

In general, the general recommendation is this: in Nepal, forget about distances and their measurement in kilometers. Don't trust the estimated times on Google or Maps.me. When you get on the roads of Nepal, you find yourself in another dimension! Here the laws of physics seem to cease to apply and for some reason it is impossible to calculate the time given the average speed of the bus and the distance to the end point. There are many reasons for this - numerous stops, burst tires (normal practice, it happened to us twice), loading bags, sheep, people (who were sitting in the aisles, on top of each other, on bags), lack of road in places, stops for food and toilet, checking permits, disembarking passengers who had boarded the wrong bus (that was us, by the way), and so on.

Let's return to the route. The Annapurna Circuit Trek is where you walk for 10-20 days along the Annapurna Circuit. Annapurna has several peaks. Along the way you see mainly the peak of Annapurna 3. But this is not so important. On this route every day there are new pictures, changing landscapes, waterfalls, monasteries, stupas, authentic villages. A very scenic track. The circular trek around Annapurna also includes small deviations from the route - trek to Ice Lake(stunning view along the way), trek to Milarepa Cave and Annapurna Glacier, trek to high mountain lake Tilicho. The trek to Tilicho will take 2-3 additional days, depending on preparation. But it's worth it. See for yourself.

Additionally, I would like to emphasize that along the entire route there are hot showers (gas heaters) and Wi-Fi almost everywhere (it works intermittently, but it works). Closer to the pass, both are for an additional fee, approximately 100 rupees ($1).

TIMS card and track permit (permit)

There are other routes, but I haven’t walked them, so I won’t write about them. You will need to decide on the route at the stage of obtaining a TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management Systems) card and a trek permit (Permit). Without a TIMS card, you simply will not be allowed into the reserve, and you will not be able to start the trek. Plus, you use it to check in at control points, so that if something happens, it’s easier to find you. You can get TIMS and a track permit in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Besisakhara. The official cost is the same everywhere - 4000 rupees ($40). Registration will take approximately 1 hour.

But if time is limited, I recommend doing this in Kathmandu. I'll explain why. Firstly, there is perfectly organized chaos - everything is quite simple, the queues are small and move quickly. If there is no photo, they will take it right there and for free! The place where I made the TIMS card and the permit is here: https://goo.gl/maps/jk1kzUAMRkJ2. They work to issue permits from 8 a.m. strictly until 3 p.m. on weekdays.
To get a permit you need to have with you:

Passport or its scan/photo (data required).
4 photographs of any size and color (if not, you can take them on the spot).
2 forms filled out on English language(you can translate using google translate, if necessary).
4000 Nepalese rupees (about $40), it is more profitable to pay in rupees.
Insurance details. I saw that someone did not enter and still received permission. But my personal recommendation is to always get insurance out of respect for your family, friends and loved ones. Don't put them at risk of financially sorting out the situation from afar if something happens to you.
Emergency contact details.
I did not fill in the details of the contact person in Nepal.

The whole process took us about 40-50 minutes for three of us.

If you go to Pokhara, then the earliest morning bus may arrive in Pokhara after the office for issuing permits closes, and you will have to pay a little extra at the agency. In this case, you may lose the morning.

When the permits are ready, you need to check whether you have everything from the equipment. Again, it’s better to check this in Kathmandu. Because that’s where you can buy/rent equipment cheaper than in Pokhara. And in Besisakhara there is nothing sensible at all. Therefore, it is optimal to get a permit in the morning, resolve the issue with equipment in the afternoon, and the next morning you can go to Besisahar.

What to take with you on the trek? Equipment, gear

We went trekking in early November. The days are warm, but the nights are cold. But whether it’s cold or not depends on the equipment. It is better to buy or rent it in Kathmandu, in the Thamel region, here is the mark on the map: https://goo.gl/maps/fe2nFpD1zpR2. There is a large selection there, you can haggle a little if you take a lot of things at once. In Pokhara, the choice is much poorer and prices are 1.5 times higher. It’s generally difficult to find anything in Besisakhar and the prices are 2-3 times higher. Along the track - the higher, the more expensive, of course. I’m telling you how we dressed so as not to freeze.

Absolutely necessary things:

Sleeping bag for temperature -20. It weighs only 1.2 kg, but it is really warm to sleep in, especially in rooms where at night negative temperature. Some guys from our group went with sleeping bags at -10 and they had to sleep in down jackets - this is not very comfortable. Renting a used sleeping bag costs 100 rupees per day ($1) in Kathmandu.

Good trekking boots. The first word here is more important than the other two. I bought boots in Kathmandu and they were Nepalese The North Face. I rubbed my legs and they stretched out. I could go. But by paying $50-100 more, you could avoid all these consequences. If you can afford it, don't skimp on trekking shoes.

Trekking poles. If on the climbs questions may still arise about why they are there, then on the descents all questions immediately disappear.

Fleece with a zipper and a hood. And another fleece for sleeping.

Thermal underwear- jacket and pants. Preferably 2 sets. There are a lot of variations now. There are more and less low temperatures. There are two-sided ones (you choose a side depending on the situation). Some are made from merino wool - absorbs less sweat, but is much more expensive. In general, choose according to the level of comfort and budget available to you. It’s great to sleep in thermal underwear and go (wearing it as a bottom layer) in low temperatures and in the morning before sunrise - the Tilicho pass and Lake.

Trekking socks. Yes, they are different from the usual ones. Yes, this difference is noticeable. Feet sweat less in them. Less chance of rubbing them. They do not have a very dense elastic band that does not pinch. Take 2-3 pairs of thinner and 2 pairs of thick (including for sleeping) trekking socks.

Small weightless backpack. It turned out to be very useful when going to Tilicho - water, a thermos, warm gloves and snacks fit perfectly there.

Tiny shampoos, soap and toothpaste. Every gram counts when you're carrying your own backpack. Don't take big tubes.

Down jacket or sleeveless vest. They now weigh very little and heat well. At extremely low temperatures, it is good to wear it under a windproof jacket. It turns out very warm and cozy, even at -10/-15 with wind. Renting a used down jacket costs 100 rupees per day ($1) in Kathmandu.

Trekking pants. I had 2 pairs. Some are daytime - light and thin, which transform into shorts. And the second ones are based on fleece, I wore them only a few times - on Lake Tilicho, on the pass (still wearing thermal pants down) and in the early morning, when the sun had not yet come out and the temperature was below zero. You might be able to get by with thermal pants plus thin trekking pants. But on Lake Tilicho it will be cool in this. True, everything here is individual and depends on your temperature conditions- I'm freezing.

Gloves. Two pairs. Basic fabric ones, in which you can use your phone without taking it off. Plus insulated fleece ones for Tilicho, mountain passes and early mornings. Otherwise, your hands get very cold, especially if you walk with poles. Important point- take gloves whose inner layer does not turn outward when removed. In the cold it is not very pleasant to return them back with bare hands.

Sunscreen. In November on our trek, all but one day were absolutely clear and very sunny. At an altitude of over 3500 meters the sun is very active. We spent about 8 days of the trek in very active sun. Be sure to smear yourself. Protection factor - minimum 50 SPF. Let me also remind you that you need to smear yourself approximately every hour. Well, or then wonder: “I smeared myself in the morning, why did I burn?”

Sunglasses. Those that are mountainous also block access to the sun from the side. Yes, they are expensive if they are high quality. But it’s like boots, only even more important. It's about your eyes. If you don't plan on going to the mountains all the time, consider renting one from a friend back home. You won’t find good glasses for rent in Nepal; it’s not easy to even buy them there.

Flip flops. They are needed in the soul. The water in the gas shower is hot. But the floor is icy. It's very cold to stand without flip-flops. I didn’t have flip-flops, and every time I borrowed them from my dad or friends. Choose the lightest and most compact ones.

Silicone patches. If you rub calluses, then with daily 17-20 kilometers of travel, ordinary patches will not help. You need silicone ones. They can really save you. Or your friends.

Chapstick with sun protection factor. Needed. Otherwise, your lips will burn, dry out and crack.

Trekking backpack. With a good back. Preferably one with a special distance between your back and the back of the backpack. Then your back doesn’t sweat, and you don’t freeze from the cool wind at stops (you’ll freeze with a wet back).

All this fit into my trekking backpack and weighed 8 kilograms.

A few more useful things in the track

There are a few more “bells and whistles” that can make your trek even more comfortable, but they are not required. Here's what these gadgets are:

Thermos. Warm water when you wake up in the morning. Hot herbal tea in the coldest parts of the trek. Possibility to brew your own tea. I had it and I carried it without regrets. And I used it all the time. If you don’t have a thermos yet, then buy one with a screw-on lid and no button - it holds heat better and doesn’t leak.

Book or e-book. If you go through the track slowly, you will have a lot of free time. It’s nice to spend it with a book and tea overlooking the mountains. Especially if you are trekking alone.

Power bank for telephone and equipment. Each guesthouse has chargers. Only on the approach to the base camp before the pass they ask for money for charging, 100 rupees ($1). The phone can easily survive all day in airplane mode, and in the evening you can charge it at camp.

Fleece buff. It's a collar type thing. It will be very useful if your fleece does not have a collar or hood. I slept in it, pulled it over my nose in the mornings on the road, it protected me from the wind.

Tablets for water purification. Firstly, you can buy water at any point along the way. Secondly, there are drinking water replenishment stations, where it is 1.5-3 times cheaper than bottled water, depending on the altitude.

Drinking system built into the backpack. Very useful, unless, of course, you want to use “drinking” as a reason to stop along the way.

Shoes, to change shoes in camp. Many people wear flip-flops over trekking socks, but the evenings are cold. I took light and very comfortable sneakers and never regretted it.

Wet wipes. They came in handy at the base camp before the pass because it was the only place without a shower.

Protein bars. Good for refreshment during the day on the road, so as not to waste time in cafes - it can be very long there. As far as food is concerned, that's definitely all - there is a lot of it along the entire route, it is very varied.

Swimsuit. If you think you'll definitely take a swim in Lake Tilicho at an altitude of 4,900 meters, you'll find it hard to believe what you thought about it once you get up there. By the way, one of our friends took a swim and survived! At low altitudes you can sunbathe during the day if you arrive at camp early. I don't know what the swimsuit is for anymore.

Useful lifehacks for future trekking

A few trekking hacks that came with experience on this route:

Gray clothes rule! In everyday life I prefer bright clothes. But for the track, gray is the perfect color. Annapurna is incredibly dusty. On gray clothes the dust is not visible, but on black and light clothes it is very noticeable.
Clothes can be dried in a sleeping bag. The scheme is something like this. We came to the camp, washed it, and hung it up to dry in the wind. And dry it until completely dry - in the sleeping bag with you at night. In the morning the clothes are completely dry. Tested - it works!
If you want to hire a porter or a horse for the pass, this must be agreed upon in advance. Even in our already low season, everything was busy.
If you do not want to sleep in a common room (dorma) for 40 people in the base camp before the pass, book accommodation at Tharong Phedi Base Camp in advance. I am sure that this can be done in agencies in Pokhara. But we liked sleeping in the common room - the warmth from the number of human bodies.
Take cash for the trek at a rate of at least 1,500 rupees ($15) per person per day if you don’t want to worry about not having enough money to get to the nearest ATM in Jomsom. And by the way, it’s not a fact that it will work.
Take VISA and MasterCard cards to Nepal. Withdrawing cash in Nepal is not easy. About 1 in 10 ATMs dispenses cash. Dancing, singing and cheering at ATMs when Europeans manage to withdraw money is a normal occurrence in Nepal.
If you want to give your family and friends a pleasant surprise, you can send a postcard from an altitude of 3,500 meters in Manang. How long it lasts is still unknown, because 3 weeks have passed since I sent it at the time of publication of the article.

Annapurna Trek Costs and Prices

What can and should you spend money on to go trekking?

Equipment. The most expensive part, perhaps. Especially if you have absolutely nothing. Everything listed above cost me about $200 - both purchase and rent (sleeping bag and down jacket). You can buy it cheaper. You can buy it more expensive. You can borrow from friends. But I’m writing here about average costs.

Food on the track. The second most expensive part. A day for breakfast, lunch and dinner costs approximately 1200-2000 rupees ($12-20), depending on the altitude and your appetite. I provide approximate prices for your understanding.

oatmeal or tsampa (local bearberry made from corn) - $2-4
dal baht (rice, lentil soup and potatoes) - $4-5, but this is a dish that can be replenished as many times as you like.
vegetable soup - $3-4
masala tea - $0.8-1.2
tea with ginger and honey - $0.6-0.8
apple pie - $2-4
fresh apple, one piece - $0.2-0.4
vegetarian momos (something like dumplings) - $3-4
fried potatoes with cheese - $3-4
vegetable paste - $3-4
boiling water - $0.4-1.2
bottled water 1.5l - $0.8-2

Prices at the upper limits were only on the approach to the Tilicho base camp and before the pass. Otherwise, they are approximately average or closer to the lower value.

I'm a vegetarian, so I don't remember about the prices for meat/omelettes. The food on the trek is quite varied. The menu is pretty much the same everywhere. Except that at the base camp before the pass, cool baked goods suddenly appeared at $3-4 for a giant loaf.

Transport. We paid:

360 rupees ($3.6) for a bus to Besisakhar.
1500 rupees ($15) for an SUV to Tal (from where we started our walking trek).
200 rupees ($2) from Muktinath to Jomsom.
1000 rupees ($10) from Marfa to Pokhara.
700 rupees ($10) for a tourist bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu.
400 rupees ($4) for a taxi from Kathmandu airport to the tourist area of Thamel.

Housing.

In Kathmandu you can stay in a shared room (dorm) for $2-4, or you can rent a modest simple room with hot water for 1400-1800 rupees ($14-16) for two or three. I’ll write right away that food in Kathmandu is about 2-3 times cheaper than on the trek.
In Pokhara, housing is slightly cheaper than in Kathmandu. For more long term(a week or two) there you can generally rent an apartment with a kitchen, living room, and washing machine for $10 per day.
On the trek you don't pay for housing, only for the food you have to eat where you live. Only in Besisakhar there were prices like in Pokhara.

My total expenses for the trek - permit, transport, food and extras. expenses (sometimes housing, shower, exercise) amounted to about $490. But I didn’t deny myself anything and didn’t try to save money.

Detailed description of the route with all stops

Let me clarify. Everyone has their own speed. Everyone has their own capabilities. By the duration of the trek, by the days of vacation, by acclimatization, by the budget, by how the mountains accept you and how you accept them. But to get from Besisakhar or Tala to the pass and through it, including Tilicho, I would not recommend planning less than 12-13 days. After the pass, by the way, you can also continue the trek - there are beautiful authentic villages with their own atmosphere. Therefore, if you are ready for long hikes, then another 4-6 days.

Now I’ll tell you how we walked. The start of the walking journey began in Tal. The journey there by SUV takes about 4 hours. Next I will write in the format from and to with the number of hours (leisurely track) and altitude.

Day 1. Tal - Bagarchap. 3-4 hours trek.

Day 2. Bagarchap - Chame. 5-7 hours. Height 2670 m.

Day 3. Chame - Upper Pisang. 5-6 hours. Height 3300 m. Just above the village there is Buddhist temple with stunning views and a peaceful atmosphere. Perfect for acclimatizing the mind and body. Takes 20 minutes walk from the village.

Days 4-5. Upper Pisang - Braka. 9-10 o'clock. 3500 m. But we got lost and walked 21 km along the upper route. It wasn't easy. At this altitude you should stop for 2 days. You can live for 1 day in Brak - a small village 2 km from Manang. From here it is closer to Ice Lake, and to the cave of the teacher of Tibetan Buddhism - the famous yoga practitioner Milarepa, and to the Annapurna glaciers. The next day after the acclimatization trip (more on this later), you can move to Manang. A very nice European-style town with cafes, a cinema(!), a post office and a registration point.

Day 6. Braka - Tilicho Base Camp via Khangsar. 8 ocloc'k. 4150 m. On this route, if you get tired, you can stop at Khangsar (2-2.5 hours of walking) and Upper Shreekharka (4-5 hours of walking). The road from Upper Shreekharka to Tilicho Base Camp is the most difficult. A narrow path, a cliff, and “powder”. Every step needs to be concentrated. Without poles this part is much more dangerous.

Khangsar is already a deviation from the circular route to get to Lake Tilicho. If for some reason you don’t want to go to Tilicho, then from Manang/Braki you go straight to Yak Karkha. And minus 2-3 days from the list below, respectively.

Day 7. Tilicho Base Camp - Tilicho Lake - Tilicho Base Camp. 5006 m. 5-6 hours round trip plus an hour on the lake. It’s incredibly beautiful there, there’s a glacier on the left that you can also walk to. The descent to the lake is on the right as you look at it. It will take an additional hour or so there and back. Calculate your strength and time. One of our friends was swimming!

Day 8. Tilicho Base Camp - Bhangsar. 4-5 hours. 3700 m. We came there because we left dad (important) and things there. Well, we decided to spend the night. In general, you can go straight to Yak Karkha if you want to save 1 day. It will be about 8-9 hours of walking, a little hard, but doable.

Day 9. Bhangsar - Yak Karkha. 3-4 hours. 4035 m. This section seemed like a walking section to me. Such peaceful landscapes, stunning views, meadows, horses. Beauty!

Day 10 Yak Karkha - Thorong Phedi. 4 hours. 4538 m. Easy trek. A cozy place, decorated with European taste. It sounds strange for 4538 m, but it is true. This is where you need to book places in advance if you don’t want to sleep in a dormitory or in High Camp at an altitude of 4800 m, which I don’t recommend for those unprepared (about altitude).

Day 11. Thorong Phedi - Thorong La Pass - Muktinath. 8-9 hours. 5416 m pass. Muktinath - 3710 m. The pass is about the same difficulty as Tilicho, maybe a little easier. On the descent, again, poles help a lot. Very.

Day 12. Muktinath. We stayed there on the second day, because I fell ill on the day of the pass and, with a temperature of over 40, tried in vain to recover in Muktinath, where it is impossible to warm up. I tried for two days, then we moved on.

Day 13. Muktinath - Jomsom - Marpha. 3 bus hours. 265 rupees for a local bus to Jomsom. 1.5 hours walk from Jomsom to Marfa. By the way, you can fly from Jomsom to Pokhara. I don't know the ticket prices. A cute corn plant is flying. Jomsom is uncomfortable, but there are ATMs. I don't recommend staying overnight there.

Day 14-15. Marpha. The most authentic and sweet village with narrow streets, houses in the same style, its own character and apple taste - signature apple pies and juice (you can ask for it hot). I liked being sick there.

Day 16. Marpha - Pokhara. 10 bus hours. 1000 rupees. It was at the last stop before the city of Pokhara that I saw the most beautiful starry sky. It was also very beautiful at Base Camp Tilicho - the one in the photo above. But in the mountains I have never seen such scattering as several thousand below. By the way or inopportunely, for the second time I am surprised that in the mountains, where there is no light exposure, the stars are not visible as clearly as below. Anyone who knows, please explain why. When I went to look at the stars, I specifically chose a time when the moon had already set or had not yet risen, so it was definitely not the case.

After the pass, that is, after 12 days of trekking, many of the group were tired precisely from the feeling of the trek. I would walk for another 3-4 days along the track, and not along the dusty road that leads to Marfa. But the track goes higher and is longer in mileage. But everything was as it was. I don't want to change anything.

Mountain sickness. Symptoms and prevention

Separately, I would like to talk about mountain sickness, affectionately called “miner sickness.” If you have never been above 3500 m before, then it is impossible to predict whether you will have a miner or not. It does not depend on age, gender (although they say it happens more often in men), physical fitness, weight or type of diet. It just might happen or not.

But there are specific rules that should be followed to prevent it. Mountain sickness in its extreme manifestations (pulmonary edema/cerebral edema) is fatal. Death can occur within a few hours. So take it seriously. Well, or joke with death. It's everyone's choice.

The height should be gained gradually. After 3000 m, you cannot gain more than 500 m per day.
It is advisable to stay at 3400-3600 m for 2-3 days for acclimatization.
Sleeping always costs lower than you climbed during the day. That is, if you walked from 3500 m to 4000 m, then you definitely need to visit 4200-4300 m and acclimatize there for 1-1.5 hours.
The lower the altitude from which you start the trek, the less chance you have of catching a miner. If you start right from 3000 m, then the chances increase significantly.
You need to drink 2.5-3 liters per day. If you don’t want to, then force yourself.
If you experience strong mountain symptoms after 4200-4400 m, you should descend immediately, even if it happened at night.

We followed all the rules listed above, and yet the miner snuck into our ranks. Our friend started having a very bad headache at 4000m, then nausea, then vomiting. This was during an acclimatization trip. We slept lower; when we went down, it became easier, but not much. The next day I felt better, but when approaching 4000 m everything started all over again. The mountains didn't let me in. In such cases, it is worth going lower for another 2-3 days and trying again with a more gradual climb.

My dad had a great time the whole way, even though he is 62 years old. There are special pills that help the body adapt to altitude, but no one in our group took them. We had a slogan - go organic!

We also did breathing exercises in the evening and in the morning. In the evening, anulomu vilomu (nadi shodhana) - alternate breathing through different nostrils with breath holding, and in the morning kapalabhati - intense exhalations through the nose with passive inhalations for a minute, and then a minute delay, so 2-3 circles. If there were any conditions around the mountain, such as slight dizziness, they went away after the exercises. There are good instructional videos on how to do these breathing exercises:

Preparing for the trek. conclusions

The Annapurna trek seemed physically more difficult to me than the Kilimanjaro trek. But I suspect that I was less prepared. I prepared for Kilimanjaro in the gym. I did cardio exercises for endurance training - pulse was about 150-16, duration from 30 to 50 minutes, but everything was very individual. I prepared in this mode for about 4 months, the last 2 intensively 3-4 times a week.

But in the mountains, physical preparation is not as important as emotional one. Mountains are definitely a test of strength. When it’s difficult, the mind is happy to grab the opportunity to turn around, and any unusual feeling is ready to spin and elevate into panic. I’ve seen this happen more than once, including in myself when I first got altitude sickness in 2014. In such cases, observing your breathing always helps - the simplest technique. Transfer all your attention and concentration to inhalation and exhalation.

But such conditions occur very often in our lives. The mechanisms are still the same - when it’s difficult, you want to turn around, the mind will find many reasons and excuses. To justify laziness, to disguise fears, to protect a hurt ego, in order not to overcome ingrained habits. And if in the mountains we clearly see that having turned around, we are going back, then in life we very often disguise the return path with the illusion of movement. But if you look closely, it often happens that this movement is more vanity than a striving upward, towards self-development and your dreams.

From the editor.

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How to go on the Annapurna Circuit trek on your own? What is it like to spend three weeks in the Himalayas with no training or experience? The Ring of Annapurna - a diary of a trip to Nepal.

The idea to go to Nepal arose suddenly, in the kitchen of a hostel in Almaty. It was immediately reported to my friend Sveta and approved. An adventure plan grew in my head - to travel all over India from south to north and cross the border of Nepal. The plan was filled with colorful details of the upcoming adventure. And just as quickly, it turned into plan B - it turned up cheap tickets straight to Kathmandu. It’s decided – we’ll spend two months in the Himalayas!

There should be a big gap in memories here; in fact, it’s more likely a reboot from the diversity and speed of events. In general, it was the second month of my stay in Nepal.

During the first one, we managed to be horrified by Kathmandu, fall in love with Kathmandu, be horrified again and run away to Pokhara, walk around all the surroundings, get to know all the neighbors, heal a cow, and, already a little bored, finally come to the conclusion that it was time to go to the mountains.

The route was also found quickly, and we decided to go around Annapurna. The route is well-known (and even beaten in places), but still exciting. First time in the Himalayas, and here we have a 20-day adventure. Moreover, there is a five-something thousand pass to cross.

Now I cannot call our collections effective. It was not easy to feel the weight of a ten kilogram backpack on your shoulders every day. Still, there was no need to take a hairdryer and shoes. Of course, I’m exaggerating, but next time I promise myself to select things more carefully.

Shortly before going to the mountains, we made a Nepalese friend who introduced us to his family (wife and daughter); he clearly hinted to Sveta about his sympathy. Despite this, he offered to accompany us to the mountains, and we (for some reason) agreed. Looking ahead, our guide, realizing that nothing was going to happen for him, fell off himself at the beginning of the route. And although he left his ID with a note for the inspectors, once we still had problems at the checkpoint. Our TIMS were blue, which means we have a Nepali guide. And there was no trace of the guide. So I had to play bad cop and make a little scandal. Fortunately, the issue was resolved.

The first day consisted entirely of surrounding views “local bass” jumping madly outside the window. We arrived for a few pennies to a village called Nadi. Then about three hours walk to a place called Boundanda. And the first night in the mountains.

The first days we walked along green hills, gradually gaining altitude. What I remember most was the pictures of everyday life in Nepalese villages. Here a certain respectable gentleman sat imposingly on the porch of his house, located along the path. He looks with boredom at the tourists passing by - as if at some familiar surroundings, while carefully putting into his mouth with his hands the lunch that his wife brought him from the house. And there is an elderly woman sitting in the lotus position on some elevation, she has closed her eyes and, hanging her long gray hair down, is carefully combing it. Children are scurrying around, not having the gadgets and even ordinary toys that are so familiar to our children, they play with everything they can get their hands on, turning ordinary household objects into anything they want. A rope and a piece of plywood turn into an excellent summer sled, and if you line up a bunch of friends behind you and raise an ordinary stick above your head, then choo-choo you’re already a locomotive and pulling a whole train behind you.

It's difficult to get bored on the route. In addition to the Nepalese, there are many tourists on the trail - groups and individuals, independent or organized. Evening gatherings in guesthouse kitchens, stories from experienced people and impressions of newcomers, Nepalese jokes, card games and simple but tasty food. Unpretentiousness is one of the most important qualities for a trekker. In fact, the guesthouses and loggias along the route (especially budget ones) are quite simple, unheated (and often drafty) rooms, not the freshest bed (I recommend taking a sleeping bag purely for hygienic reasons), simple (very simple) food, tea - often just tinted water . So stock up on some goodies and chocolates before your route!

Travel companions. On the first day we met Anton, a solo traveler from Sweden. Nice and friendly, he spoke very emotionally about his life on the road. And we taught him to play the fool. In Manang, Anton decided to “stick” a little, and although we did not move quickly, we moved forward.

The next day we met a couple of Russians who suggested we take a walk to some small village in the hills. It turned out that in general there are many branches and interesting places not on the trail. Although the trail itself is quite clear, it is difficult to get lost on it.

The one who lasted the longest in our “escort” was Vanka, a Moscow guy who rents out an apartment and spends the winter in Goa with that money. For a change, he decided to go to Nepal to unwind. I bought sneakers, a jacket and a supply of hashish in Kathmandu. At the next guesthouse, he greeted us with a shout from across the entire hall: “Well, girls, are you smoking hashish?”

I also remember the trio of Russians who epically passed the Thorong La pass. One of them became very ill even before the pass. As he himself later said, “I was lying in a snowdrift and didn’t want anything. To get up and move on was an unthinkable feat.” In this condition he was sent on horseback through the pass down to Muktinath. I think it cost them $100. The trekking day is the most difficult on the Annapurna Circuit route. You need to gain about a thousand meters of altitude and then lose them again on the descent.

Altitude sickness

It can be felt at altitudes above 3000m. But this is very individual. Some people don't experience it at all. And for some, the symptoms manifest themselves very violently - shortness of breath, headache, intermittent breathing, nausea. Panic.

Many people begin to experience it at home, when reading articles describing symptoms and terrible consequences. And the lucky ones experience euphoria. In general, everything is individual, but don’t panic. It is recommended to slowly gain altitude and listen to the sensations. Well, just in case, have insurance that will cover the cost of evacuation by helicopter from mountainous areas. For a couple of nights I had attacks of shortness of breath and headaches, which were helped by aspirin and just waiting it out. We passed the pass surprisingly easily.

On the fifth day, in the Timang area

we finally realized that we were surrounded by real icy peaks of the Himalayan seven- and eight-thousanders. In one word - Wow!

The next day I was amazed by a giant slab that came out of nowhere. Slab-mountain. Gigantic! One and a half kilometers high. It's called "Gateway to Heaven". She was behind me all the time and hypnotically forced me to look around. I remember the inscription somewhere underfoot on the LOOK BACK trail. The sixth day ended with the conquest of Upper Pisang. And a tournament of dream archers. Real ones, with bows, in folk costumes. We didn't look into it too much, but the locals were jubilant.

From Upper Pisang to Braga, the next point on the route, there are two paths - short and long, simple and difficult. We chose a long and complex one. A Spanish travel companion, such a mountain regular, said that it would be very beautiful and the walk would only take four hours. We ended up walking for all of ten hours. We barely made it to the evening. But it was really very beautiful. And in Braga I ate the most delicious chocolate cake of my life!

NB Popular routes bonus that there, in the middle of mountains and wastelands, you can eat chocolate cake, for example, or drink a cup of excellent (insoluble) coffee. Not everywhere, of course, but there are several such oases around Annapurna.

Having eaten cakes and slept, the next day we went to the radial, to Ice Lake at 4600m. Today I experienced what a miner is in the form of mild euphoria. Apparently thanks to her, this day passed easily, although a little foggy. By evening it was gone. I fell asleep already in melancholy, on the back side of this swing.

We decided to make the most of the route, so the next day we went to Lake Tilicho. It is located at an altitude of 4910 m and is the highest in Nepal. The journey there and back took three days. But it was one of the most beautiful and unusual mountain trails of my life. In some places its width was no more than the width of my feet. To the left and right there are screes and small stones. Somewhere below runs the Marsyandi River. Overnight at Tilicho base camp. The next day we walked to the lake (it turned out to be still frozen), the backpacks were left at the lodge. Traveling light is fabulous! We left in the dark, under the light of the setting full moon. The journey took three hours one way. It's cold and windy on the lake. Without stopping for long, we went back, picked up our backpacks at the base camp and went to Sri Karki for the night.

Then there was Yak Karka and Torong Fedi. And finally the 14th day - Thorong La Perval.

Torong Fedi was crowded, everyone was worried and discussing tomorrow's crossing. It was cold in the guesthouse, and I couldn’t sleep because of the slight cloudiness in my head and nausea. Aspirin, a walk in the fresh air, I seemed to feel better. You can even fall asleep. The next shot is when I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock. It's 3 am. Time to pack up and go out. It is better to cross the pass before lunch, then a strong wind will rise and a snowstorm may begin. Behind the wall I hear the sounds of neighbors quickly getting ready - zippers being zipped up, heavy boots knocking on the floor. I feel much better, so I can go. Moreover, I already had all my clothes on, otherwise, due to the cold, it would have been impossible to sleep.

In the darkness, the outlines of the trail are easily discernible from the string of lanterns rising towards the pass. Five hours and we are at the highest point of the route. A sign indicating the height of the Thorong La pass (5416 m) is richly decorated with prayer flags; a small line of people lined up at it to document their little feat. Sveta and I are no exception.

Everyone is happy about reaching the heights, but they don’t even realize what a hellish long descent they face. And although the gaze rejoices at the less harsh landscapes ahead, the knees ache from pain and unusual stress. While the ascent to the pass is quite gentle, the descent is very steep.

We spent the next two days in Muktinath. There is everything here - the eternal flame, 108 holy springs, and even a Russian guesthouse with a bathhouse (although it was closed for renovation), not to mention the abundance of shops and restaurants with a European menu.

On the sixteenth day we went to Kagbeni

We left around lunchtime. The wind was against us all the way. The wind knocked me off my feet. Several times I was almost blown into the abyss. The sand dug painfully into my skin. Each step required incredible effort. Four hours on the road felt like eight. And for the first time ever, we didn’t meet anyone on the trail. No one at all (apparently they knew about the wind). Desert Martian landscapes, this crazy wind, sandstorms, the skeleton of some animal on the ground and the complete absence of people. Kagbeni, with fields surrounding the village, looked like a real oasis.

The next day we got a little lost on the road; after Marfa, the forest zone already began. We spend the night in the village of Lete. It's really warm here.

The next (19th) day we reached Tatopani

which translates as “hot water”, in honor of the hot springs gushing out of the ground. To soak here after everything that has happened these days, and even with a bottle of beer, is indescribably wonderful. Prices here are no longer as steep as at the top. From here (actually from Muktinath itself) you can go down by jeep or bus. And from the bus station in Beni, go to Pokhara, thus completing the Annapurna Ring. But. There is another option. From Tatopani there is a branch trail leading to Ghorepani. And to the famous Poon Hill, where they go to watch the sunrise in the Himalayas “quickly”.

In fact, I’m tired, my heels have been hurting for days, especially my right one (I never thought they could hurt so much), and I already want to finish our hike.

We stomp on, the accumulated fatigue has not gone away, and the road is always steeply upward. They stopped a passing tractor (or rather, a motor on a frame). We throw our backpacks into a trailer with sand and put them in there ourselves. On the bumps it throws in different directions, and the road was washed out after the rain. When a tractor skids in the mud on a climb at the very edge of an abyss, a good dose of adrenaline enters the bloodstream. Just in case, I’m thinking about how I’ll jump if suddenly this huge wreck with a loaded trailer gets pulled down. But everything worked out. After the tractor we walk for about another 4 hours. It began to rain and accompanied us to Ghorepani. We got wet through and through, and four leeches that crawled into my boots took advantage of me as a hitchhiker. Unfortunately, the rhododendrons, for which we actually went up again, had almost faded, but the forest still turned out to be fabulous.

Another idea (which you can safely throw out of your head with this route) is to go to Poon Hill at dawn. We leave Ghorepani in the dark, backpacks in the guesthouse (by the way, there is an entrance fee - about 50 rupees). A continuous climb up the stone steps for an hour and we are at the top. And with us are another hundred tourists on a small observation deck. Not very impressed by the dawn Himalayas, we are touched by the delight of tourists, for whom Poon Hill will remain highest point their travels.

The next day we go to the picturesque village of Ghandruk. Everything is green on this (south) side of the Annapurna ring. Ghandruk is simply a metropolis by the standards of Nepalese villages. Food and entertainment for every taste. Hotels for every budget.

Twenty second day

We go down to Kimche and take a bus to Pokhara. The ring has closed. A separate story with its heroes and plot has come to an end. And we come out of it as somewhat different characters.

Track expenses, figures and information

Tims and permits

Almost all popular treks in Nepal pass through protected areas and areas protected by the state. The Around Annapurna route is located in the Annapurna Conservation Area. In order to get there you will need to make two documents.

First, for any track you need to get a TIMS (Trackers’ Information Management System) tracker card.

Secondly, for each specific track it is necessary to obtain permission for the track (permit).

We completed the documents in Pokhara at the ACAP permit & TIMS counter, but you can also do them in Kathmandu at the Nepal Tourism Board.

You need to have 4 photos of size 3x4, a copy of your passport and 4000 rupees. Fill out a form indicating the start and end dates of the trek and the intended route.

Transport from Pokhara, how to start the route

To start the route, you first need to get to the starting point - the village of Besisahar. The bus from Pokhara to Besisahar leaves from the bus station, which is located at Prithvi Chowk and costs about 300 rupees. But you can start the route a little further, since at first you will have to walk straight along the road, and jeeps and buses will gather dust past. So we took a bus to the village of Ngadi (we paid about 600-800 rupees for it), from where we reached our first overnight stop in the village of Baundanda in 3 hours.

At the end of the route you will also need transport. The final point of our trekking was the village of Ghandruk, from where we walked to Kimche in half an hour and took a bus here to Pokhara for 300 rupees.

Expenses along the route (food and accommodation)

All popular routes pass through villages, and there are lodges in them ( guest houses). Each such guest house also has a cafe where you can eat. Prices in lodges increase with altitude. On average, I spent $12-15 a day on food and housing. It’s better to stock up on cash so that you have enough for the entire route; there is an ATM just beyond the pass in Jomsom.

How long can the Annapurna Circuit trek last?

The entire route took us 21 days, but we had practically no time limit, so we stayed in some places for 2 nights, sometimes deviated from the route to look into some village or go to a mountain lake and made an additional detour to Pun Hill at the end. In general, on the standard route “Around Annapurna” 14 days is enough.

Clothes and necessities. What to take on the trek

At the beginning of the route, I walked in shorts and a T-shirt, but then higher up (and almost every day in the evenings) all my clothes came in handy:

on top - fleece, jacket, light down jacket and windbreaker,
below - fleece thermal pants and ordinary pants.
I had boots on my feet, they weren’t even trekking ones, but they did the job with a bang, the main thing was that they were worn in and didn’t pinch anywhere.
Trekking socks, it’s better to take three pairs.
A hat on my head, a buff on my neck, it helped against wind, sun and dust.
It is also important to take sunglasses and cream, you will get very sunburned at altitude.
It wouldn’t hurt to take flip flops (and a light microfiber towel) with you for a shower, and in the evening at the guest house it’s just very nice to change your boots to lighter shoes.
A flashlight will also come in handy, since there are power outages in loggias, and the toilet is often located outside and there may be no light there.
For medications, I recommend taking aspirin (it will help relieve the symptoms of mountain sickness), an anesthetic, a remedy for digestive disorders, and some kind of general antibiotic.
We also used tablets to purify water, which we collected from villages along the way. These tablets can be purchased from Kathmandu or Pokhara. Although many people drink this water without purifying it, we decided to play it safe. Bottled water on the route is much more expensive than in the city, but it is available everywhere - in every guest house and shop.

From September 1, 2019, the full cost of a visa in rubles (including consular fee, bank fee and my registration):
- on 30 days(from April to June) = 2100 rub,
- on 30 days(July to March) = 3000 rub,
- on 1 year multi = 4200 rub,
- on 5 years multi = 7100 rub.
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Why Nepal and the Annapurna Circuit this time? Because these are MOUNTAINS! Himalayas. The beloved Himalayas again, but not Indian, but Nepalese.
I have been interested in Nepal since my youth, but in those years I didn’t even think that I would ever end up here.
On this trip we were called “trekkers” (from the word “trekking” - hiking in the mountains).
Why was I, completely unprepared and never an athlete, able to become a trekker in Nepal?

Because here it is possible for anyone. In Nepal there are routes that go through the mountains from one village to another. Since the slopes in Nepal are all populated, sooner or later you will definitely reach some village where you can have dinner and spend the night, so there is no need to carry a tent and food supplies with you. It is very comfortable.

Annapurna Circuit Trek (or Annapurna Circuit)

Of all the Nepalese treks we chose , because we’ve read a lot on the Internet about how super-duper-picturesque it is, how it goes through a high-mountain pass, and in general the very best. And the fact that the climb to this pass is not easy is not very well written about. Apparently, the difficulties are quickly forgotten, only the beauty remains in the memory.

Technical details of the Annapurna trek:
length – 211 km,
duration – about 20 days,
elevation difference - from 800 m (at the beginning of the route) to 5416 m (Thorong-La pass).
The route is circular (not a closed circle), it is recommended to go counterclockwise, because If you walk clockwise, then there is a very sharp rise in altitude before the pass, it’s harder to walk, and besides, the body does not have time to acclimatize at altitude and, as a result, suffers from altitude sickness.

What is the Annapurna Mountain Range?

The Annapurna mountain range is located in central Nepal (the map is enlarged if you open it in a new window):

These are the southern spurs of the Main Himalayan Range.
From east to west, this mountain range stretches for 55 km.
Here's what it looks like from an airplane (photo from Wikipedia):

You can enlarge the picture by opening it in a new window and look at all this beauty.

Main peaks mountain range Annapurna in descending order of altitude:
Annapurna I – 8091 m,
Annapurna II – 7937 m,
Annapurna III – 7575 m (on another map – 7555 m),
Annapurna IV – 7535 m (on another map – 7525 m),
Gangapurna – 7455 m,
Annapurna South – 7219 m,
Tilicho Peak – 7134 m,
Nilgiri - has three peaks - 7061, 6940 and 6839 m,
Machapuchare – 6998 m.

Our route goes around this entire massif.

Translated as “goddess of the harvest.” But when you get acquainted with the history of ascents to the main peak of this massif, the question involuntarily arises: “What harvest are we talking about?” This mountain really reaped the biggest harvest - the most high level mortality among climbers (41% for all years of climbing). Plus, this terrible figure was added in October 2014 terrible tragedy with the death of tourists, porters and local residents in the Annapurna mountain range as a result of the cyclone that came with Indian Ocean and caused abnormal snowfall and avalanches.

Annapurna Trek Map

The card (as it turned out) is quite conditional, but this is the one they give out when. Detailed map large format, which I bought in a bookstore, I will lay out in pieces as I go along the route, since the whole thing does not fit into the scanner.
On this map our trail is colored brown.

The map can be enlarged.

Track elevation diagram

I scanned the height map that is given when you receive permits. Since it is long, I divided it into two parts.
Part 1 – eastern – from Besisakhar to Thorong La pass.
(map enlarges)

And part 2 - western - from Thorong La pass to Nayapul
(increases)

First conquest of Annapurna by Herzog expedition

Annapurna is the 10th highest eight-thousander in the world and the first one conquered by man.
In 1950, people climbed to the top for the first time - French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. Maurice Herzog wrote a fascinating book “Annapurna” about this expedition. It’s impossible to stop reading, especially after you’ve visited those parts yourself: familiar places, familiar names of rivers along which you also walked, familiar names of villages in which you also stopped... The most amazing thing is that Erzog’s expedition did not have a clear map (the map had errors), and they had to, through numerous reconnaissance, determine which specific peak was Annapurna and how to approach it. The situation was complicated by the fact that initially this group was given the task - to climb either Dhaulagiri or Annapurna (at that time both of them had not been conquered), or, wherever possible, to climb there within the allotted time. And the first peak on which they spent a lot of time was Dhaulagiri, but they failed to climb it, after which they switched to searching for approaches to Annapurna, and there was not much time left, the monsoon was approaching and they had to hurry... And when the peak was , finally conquered, a very difficult, unsuccessful and dramatic descent began... In general, if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

The entry was published on November 19, 2014 by the author in the category , with tags , .