After much deliberation we decided on a trek from Nayapul to Ghorepani then across to Ghandruk and back to Phendi and Pokhara via Landruk and Dhampus.
Our start was delayed by a bout of sickness suffered by Mam but we were soon on our way to Nayapul one hour away from Pokhara by taxi. From Nayapul we crossed the Modi Khola to Birethani. The first obstacle to be negotiated was a band of kids demanding ’school pen,’ ‘chocolate’ and ‘rupee.’ This didn’t bode well for the rest of the trek.
After having our permits checked in Birethani we set off. The trail was easy to follow and we made good progress on the gentle slopes as we passed by rice terraces and fields where vegetables were being grown.
We stopped off for lunch at one of the numerous trail side lodges. We ordered three dal bhat and were surprised when the bill came and the lunches were Rs. 250 (Nepali rupees) each. It turns out that prices at the lodges have been fixed throughout the Annapurna region and most of the lodges not only have identical prices but identical menus. It wasn’t so much the prices that disappointed us (rooms were so cheap that we never paid more that Rs. 1500 for the three of us to have dinner, bed and breakfast) rather being handed identical menus everywhere we went for breakfast, lunch and dinner proved a little demoralising (especially when the menu read like one at the worst sort of traveller cafe.)
We planned to spend the first night at Tikehedunnga. When we arrived there, however, we decided that we still had enough in the tank to make a start at the 3421 stone steps up to Ulleri. We stopped at the Annapurna View Guest house about two thirds of the way up where we were the only guests. We woke in the morning to the incredible view of Annapurna South looming over us from the clear blue sky.
Day two provided a long, continuous climb up to the village of Ghorepani (2750m). A hard but pleasant days walking. On arriving in Ghorepani we signed in with ACAP and settled into a very comfortable cottage at Sunny View. We did some laundry and after a hot shower retreated to the dinning room as the sun disappeared and the temperature began to drop. After a decent meal rounded off with apple pie and custard (not quite as Mother makes it.) We headed to bed and climbed into our sleeping bags wearing more clothes than we had worn all day.
Despite the cold we all slept well and we had no problems getting up at five in the morning for the walk up Poon Hill. According to our guidebook, watching the sun rise from the top of Poon Hill (3193m) is the ‘most done thing in the trekking universe.’ When we’d made the ascent to the top it was easy to see why. The incredible panorama and beautiful sunrise were truly staggering. Once we’d soaked it all in and taken enough photographs we descended and tucked into porridge and chiya before setting off for Tadapani.
Or so we thought, we soon realised that we’d taken the wrong path out of Ghorepani and after retracing our steps we find the correct trail and we’re on our way up and along the ridge to Deurali. The views from the ridge top were awesome and we felt as though we might bump into the Annapurnas they appear so close. We stopped in Deurali for dal bhat with a friendly Tibetan family before continuing our way through a cold misty rhododendron filled valley passing and impressive gorge to Tadapani.
Mam and Rhian were disappointed with the selection of lodges in Tadapani but eventually (after looking at every room in the village) they settled for Panorama Point (the first place they’d looked at) which had decent rooms and a heated viewing tower where we ate a curious dinner of fried potatoes, veg, egg and cheese.
Day three and in order to fit our planned trek into five days (our guidebook suggests six or seven) a long days walking was required. We set off from Tadapani foregoing breakfast with plans to stop at Ghandruk. We were soon stopped in our tracks however by a group of langurs who we watch swinging through the trees for ten minutes or so before continuing on our way.
We make good progress to Ghandruk where we stopped for an almost inedible poached egg on toast (I’d told Mam that it wasn’t worth ordering something like this.) From Ghandruk we made the long steep descent to the Modi Khola then climbed up the other side of the valley to Landruk where we paused for a well deserved chiya. The final one and a half hour walk to Tolka was an enjoyable walk along the side of the valley with a short and steep final ascent into the village.
In Tolka we stayed at the comfortable International Guest house (more to Mam and Rhian’s liking) where we enjoyed a delicious and very filling dal bhat.
The final day of our trek started with a steep ascent to Bitchok Deurali. On the climb we passed numerous tour groups heading in the opposite direction on their way to the Annapurna sanctuary. Once at the top of the ridge we celebrated with a hot chiya safe in the knowledge that the long climbs were behind us. The stretch between Bitchok Deurali and Dhampus proved to be a pleasant walk through attractive forest with good views back at the Annapurnas which are fast disappearing behind the afternoon cloud. As we approached Dhampus we got fantastic views of the circling vultures but they were out of luck today as we were all feeling on top form as we arrived in the village in time for lunch.
We had a decent plate of fried rice with a friendly Dutch chap who’s cycled most of the way from the Netherlands to Nepal. Then, after phoning Kulman, our friendly taxi driver (who had lived in Brecon while his father was in the British army), to pick us up we descended to Phedi past wonderful views of the valley. At the bottom Kulman was waiting for us and before we knew it we were sitting on the hotel balcony back in Pokhara enjoying a cold ‘Nepal ice’ beer.