Our main motivation for going to Nepal was to hike the Annapurna Circuit. Recognized as one of the best long-distance hikes in the world since it opened to foreigners in 1977, the trek covers more than 150 miles of incredible Himalayan scenery, ranging from subtropical forests in the lower reaches to barren desert at higher elevations. The trek reaches a peak elevation of 5,416m (17,769ft) at Thorung La Pass, one of the highest places in the world one can reach without mountaineering equipment. In addition to the incredible landscapes, the trail follows old trade routes through numerous villages that offer fascinating glimpses into life in Nepal and the Himalayas. The villages also offer cheap lodging and meals for trekkers in the form of “teahouses,” making it a fairly comfortable and logistically easy journey.
Our first three days in Nepal were spent in Kathmandu preparing for the trek, and our arrival here from Dubai was a bit of a shock. In less than 4 hours we went from a clean, sprawling city of Land Rovers and chain stores, to a dense, smog-filled, and chaotic capital. The contrast between the two cities was evident as soon as we arrived at the deserted and dilapidated brick “terminal,” proceeded through an informal and outdated customs process, and then exited into a dark, hectic parking lot and were swarmed by drivers trying to take our bags and offering us a hotel. On our ride into town, the differences became more apparent as we observed few – if any – streetlights, sidewalks, or even traffic lanes, and saw livestock freely roaming the streets including a cow eating out of a burning pile of garbage.
We hadn’t done much preparation for the hike prior to arriving in Nepal, nor brought any trekking or cold weather gear (other than our trail runners, which we opted to hike the circuit in). Luckily, we stayed in Thamel, the backpacker heart of Kathmandu, which is ground zero for hundreds of shops selling knock-off outdoor gear at a fraction of the cost. We spent three frenzied days here preparing for the hike, stocking up on trekking supplies, renting a sleeping bag and down jackets, and getting the necessary permits.
On the morning of November 4, we reported to the “new bus station” (a dirty and decidedly not new place) for our 6:30 a.m. bus to the trailhead in Bhulbhule. Although all the seats on our bus were full, we crawled through Kathmandu trolling for more passengers in typical Nepalese fashion. Only when the bus was jammed full of cargo and people did we really hit the road in earnest (though we would still pick up anyone along the road who flagged us down). The ride was a bumpy, herky-jerky affair with the driver constantly weaving all over the road, passing on blind curves, accelerating and slamming on the brakes, and blaring on his extremely loud horn incessantly (our first of many of such rides across the Indian subcontinent). Inside the bus, we were treated to blaring Bollywood music and videos.
It was already 4:00 p.m. when we arrived in Bhulbhule (930m/3,051ft), and nine hours on the bus had been surprisingly exhausting, so we crashed at the first teahouse we came across in town. That night we enjoyed our first cups of masala tea, had dal bhat for dinner (a traditional Nepalese dish of rice, a curried vegetable, and lentil soup that is ubiquitous along the trail and would be our dinner almost every night during the trek), and sat around with five of our bus mates chatting about our travels and the trail. We were in bed by 8:45 p.m., which we would soon learn is a pretty late night by trail standards.
Click on the photo below to view our Annapurna Circuit Part 1 photo album.
Click below to view a map of our trek.
Our first three days in Nepal were spent in Kathmandu preparing for the trek, and our arrival here from Dubai was a bit of a shock. In less than 4 hours we went from a clean, sprawling city of Land Rovers and chain stores, to a dense, smog-filled, and chaotic capital. The contrast between the two cities was evident as soon as we arrived at the deserted and dilapidated brick “terminal,” proceeded through an informal and outdated customs process, and then exited into a dark, hectic parking lot and were swarmed by drivers trying to take our bags and offering us a hotel. On our ride into town, the differences became more apparent as we observed few – if any – streetlights, sidewalks, or even traffic lanes, and saw livestock freely roaming the streets including a cow eating out of a burning pile of garbage.
We hadn’t done much preparation for the hike prior to arriving in Nepal, nor brought any trekking or cold weather gear (other than our trail runners, which we opted to hike the circuit in). Luckily, we stayed in Thamel, the backpacker heart of Kathmandu, which is ground zero for hundreds of shops selling knock-off outdoor gear at a fraction of the cost. We spent three frenzied days here preparing for the hike, stocking up on trekking supplies, renting a sleeping bag and down jackets, and getting the necessary permits.
On the morning of November 4, we reported to the “new bus station” (a dirty and decidedly not new place) for our 6:30 a.m. bus to the trailhead in Bhulbhule. Although all the seats on our bus were full, we crawled through Kathmandu trolling for more passengers in typical Nepalese fashion. Only when the bus was jammed full of cargo and people did we really hit the road in earnest (though we would still pick up anyone along the road who flagged us down). The ride was a bumpy, herky-jerky affair with the driver constantly weaving all over the road, passing on blind curves, accelerating and slamming on the brakes, and blaring on his extremely loud horn incessantly (our first of many of such rides across the Indian subcontinent). Inside the bus, we were treated to blaring Bollywood music and videos.
It was already 4:00 p.m. when we arrived in Bhulbhule (930m/3,051ft), and nine hours on the bus had been surprisingly exhausting, so we crashed at the first teahouse we came across in town. That night we enjoyed our first cups of masala tea, had dal bhat for dinner (a traditional Nepalese dish of rice, a curried vegetable, and lentil soup that is ubiquitous along the trail and would be our dinner almost every night during the trek), and sat around with five of our bus mates chatting about our travels and the trail. We were in bed by 8:45 p.m., which we would soon learn is a pretty late night by trail standards.
Click on the photo below to view our Annapurna Circuit Part 1 photo album.
Click below to view a map of our trek.
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