I recently had the privilege of completing a bucket list item that I had been dreaming of for the previous 15 years, hiking along the Annapurna Trek in the Nepali Himalayan mountains. This trail is considered one of the top hikes in the world and is frequently placed at the very top of the prestigious ranking. This trail can garner this reputation due to the breath-taking mountain terrain that hikers are able to pass through along the trail before the climax of the trail is reached at the Annapurna Base Camp where those same hikers are rewarded with an unforgettable vantage point where they are surrounded from all sides by towering, snow-covered peaks of the Annapurna Mountain range. At over 4,100 meters above seal level, this final base camp of the trail is at such high elevations that those spending the night at the base camp itself can see clouds forming below the base camp and filling the underlying valley as they enjoy the unreal view from above the clouds.
My journey to Annapurna began in Nepal’s largest city of Kathmandu where I boarded a bus and began the 10-hour trip to the city of Pokhara. This is the gateway city to the entire Annapurna circuit and the city caters heavily towards both travelers in general and hikers specifically. The city is filled with amazing food such as local cuisine from Nepal as well as a lot of food that is influenced by nearby Northern India. The town itself is known for the 10 large lakes that run along the town which offer a peaceful and serene place to look over the water and at the rising mountains on the opposite side of the lakeshore. There are even several Hindu and Buddhist shrines that can be seen in the islands within the lakes and in the surrounding hills which further add to the tranquil setting of this location. Massages and spas are also common and provide a very welcome refreshment after multiple days on the hiking trail. From Pokhara, I boarded a jeep and enjoyed a 3-hour trip along the dirt roads that had previously been a part of the full Annapurna circuit trail before arriving at the outpost known as Matque or Hot Springs. This is effectively a bus stop with a nearby series of convenience stores that marks the beginning of the modern Annapurna Base Camp trail. From this bus stop, hikers can take a short walk to the starting point: a very long metal wire bridge that crosses over a deep river valley between the Annapurna foothills. After several hours on the trail, I arrived at my first Nepali guest/tea house. These tea houses can be found through the Annapurna circuit and provide welcome reprieve, and rest stops for those on the trail. Whether you need a place to stop for lunch or a warm bed for the night, these tea houses are vital in allowing hikers to remain comfortable during their days on the trail. Due to the popularity of the trail, these tea houses have adapted to provide many comforts for travelers including a variety of home cooked meals and coffees. Not only are there local Nepal dishes such as thali platters that can be found at these guest houses, but they also cater to the international visitors who come to the trail by offering many international cuisine options such as pasta, pizza, and burgers. Even the coffee comes in many varieties ranging from cappuccinos to honey lattes.
The first guest house that arrived in for lunch was called Chomrong, where I enjoyed my first Nepal Thali platter which was a large plate with separate piles of rice, local vegetables, assorted seasoning, and curry. To enhance the meal, Chomrong offered me my first vantage point of the Annapurna mountains, since I was able to see the massive snow-covered peak of Fishtail Mountain rising above the mountains in the foreground. Chomrong itself was also filled with bright orange Rhododendron flowers that were not only in many gardens of the guest houses but also covering the buildings themselves. After a full meal, I continued further down the trail towards the snow-covered peaks towards the guest house known as Sinuwa where I would rest for the night. Sinuwa offered even most incredible scenery to enjoy as I rested for the night with Fishtail Mountain being joined by Annapurna 3 Mountain rising above the hills to the left of it.
When I awoke the next day, I found that there were no clouds left at all in the sky, so I had a picture-perfect view of the sun rising over the mountains, turning them golden as the light hit each peak. After breakfast, it was time to embark on the next stretch of trail towards the Himalaya guest house. This stretch took me through hours of dense jungle which provided a nice change of scenery for day 2 of the trail. One standout during this day was a clearing in the middle of the jungle that opened into a sweeping view of a cascading waterfall that was accented by a Buddhist shrine surrounded by Nepali prayer wheels in front of the waterfall. This allowed for a harmonious resting point in the middle of the trail where a quick meditation provided the fuel to continue along towards the next night’s tea house. As I was traversing this jungle environment, I was also greeted by some of the local wildlife such as the grey langur, a local medium sized monkey that can frequently be found in the region of Nepal and often travel in groups. By mid-afternoon, I had arrived at the Himalaya tea house where I was able to refuel with some food and had the opportunity to meet other hikers along the trail. The worldwide popularity of this hike attracts hikers from all around the world, so I was able to meet adventurers from many places such as Greece, Australia, and Hong Kong. Swapping stories from where we were from with such a diverse group of feel travelers made the evenings within the tea houses pass rapidly. Before I knew it, it was time to rest up for the night and prepare for my third day on the trail which would take me to the Annapurna Base Camp itself.
When I awoke for my third day on the trail, I began the day ascending through the jungle where I was able to see the leaves changing color in the mountains. Entire mountainsides were filled with the bright yellow and golden leaves of autumn, adding even more majesty to this incredible location. After a few hours, I exited the jungle setting and ascended above the tree line where I was greeted with sweeping views of towering mountains as I found myself at the base of Fishtail Mountain with both Annapurna 1 and 3 rising into the sky to the side of it. While these were the tallest mountains in my site, there were several more slightly smaller peaks that were all snow covered and offered a breathtaking mountain scenery. After a couple more hours of hiking, I finally made it to base camp itself, where I was welcomed by snow covered mountains surrounding me. This trail is often ranked as one of the best in the world and for good reason. Being in the heart of the Himalayas is truly an other-worldly experience.
I spent the evening at an outcrop within the base camp that offered an aerial view of the rocky valley below the mountains. The base camp was at such high elevation, I was able to view late afternoons clouds rolling into the valley below while I remained far above the clouds admiring the unreal views of majestic mountains rising out of these same clouds. This was truly a view that I will never be able to forget. I woke up early in the morning to marvel at the stars that can be seen from base camp. Between the seclusion of this area and the limited lights available, this was one of the most incredible displays of night sky I had ever seen with the milky way very clearly visible despite the light from the moon. After gazing at the stars for several hours, I was greeted with another marvel, the sun rising over the mountains and illuminating them in a gorgeous golden light. An incredibly memorable morning to say the least!
After fueling up with breakfast, it was time to begin the return journey back to Pokhara. The fourth day saw me hiking all the way back to Sinuwa where I would spend my final night within the Himalayas. In just the two days since I was on this section of the trail, many more leaves have changed color with many sections in the mountains now shining gold with autumn leaves. The final day on the Annapurna Trail was relatively short as I ventured along the same trail I had arrived in, all the way back to the same metal suspension bridge where my adventure had begun five days prior, marking the end of my journey within the Annapurna Mountain range.
When I first read about the Annapurna Circuit 15 years prior, it immediately caught my imagination, but I had not thought it was a trail I would be able to do in my life. The responsibilities of life and work made taking a trip to such a distant location to go on such a long hike seemed like something I would not be able to find time for in my busy schedule. I am glad to say that I was mistaken regarding this assumption. It shows that anything could be accomplished if there is a will to do so. After 15 years of imagining this adventure, I am happy to say that this trail had exceeded all my expectations. It was truly a privilege to walk among the tallest mountains in the world and be able to look up and marvel at their immense size and scale. The adventure provided fuel to one day return to this region of the world and take on even more of the incredible trails that can be found here such as the Everest Base Camp trail. But that is a story for another day…
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