Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

March 7th, 2006 the log

Last summer, while on a 2-month medical service mission in Katmandu, Nepal, I took a 10-day leave to hike the Annapurna Circuit. The craziest part of the trip was a 7-hour bus ride on winding roads, to the trailhead at 1500 feet. I followed the footsteps of Marco Polo as he made his way from Nepal to Tibet. The trail goes up and over a 17,770 foot pass and then forks; one trail goes into Tibet, the other circles around the Annapurna Range and takes you back into the lush foothills of Nepal. Unlike most hiking trails, this trail is a highway connecting a string of small farming and mercantile villages (50-100 people per village) established mostly by Tibetan refugees. Nearly all of the people hiking are the flip-flop-clad native Nepali people carrying heavy loads from the cities–live chickens, boxes of food, bags of rice, wheat, etc.
I found no one who was willing to do the 135-mile loop in 10 days with me except a scrawny older Nepali guy, about 45, who spoke very little English. He plays great chess though! So, I packed a pocket chess board, a camera, 5 books, a journal, three t-shirts, a sleeping bag, some cash, a water bottle, and a big first aid kit with all sorts of just-in-case medicines. At one point on the trip, I self-prescribed ciprofloxacin, a strong antibiotic used for food poisoning. My guide soon found out I had medicine and I gave him most of my ibuprofen for his toothaches. I stayed in the “tea houses” as they call them, for about $4 to $5 a night, which included dinner and breakfast. The food was actually great, and the weather was just perfect! I cannot describe the feelings I had, though, of walking right up to the 8000-meter peaks of the Annapurna Range and not having the time or money to climb them! I’ll have to return one day for sure.

Of all the hikes to do in Nepal, I’ve heard this is the best. Not only do you see what most say are the most beautiful mountains in the world, but also you stay with the Nepali farmers and experience true hospitality. You travel through historic sites and visit ancient Buddhist and Hindu monasteries, find oceanic fossils in river beds at 11,000 feet, and, best of all, eat lots of yak cheese! What a trip! I would definitely say this is the best trip I’ve ever done so far.
 

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