Wilderness
Trekking
8
Days-Fully Supported
Machh
apuchare-The
famous triangular skyline that is seen from the Phewa lake at
Pokhara- is the most southerly high point of the
Annapurna Massif, the awesomely majestic grouping of mountains
in the central Himalaya that includes 5 of the 12 highest
mountains in the world and all five are see at close quarters
to our route. As we shall soon see, from a closer and more
westerly vantage point, the mountain possesses twin peaks -
thus its name 'Machhapuchare' - "Fish Tail".
Mardi Himal is
our access route and is the name given to the long rising
ridge and its crest that form the south-westerly lower slope
of Mount Machhapuchare.
Ours in an
eight day expedition climbing through the forests, above the
tree-line and on up to form our high altitude camp at 4,100m
(13,600 ft.). We establish this "High Camp" with a
view to climbing up towards the knoll of Mardi Himal 5,588m
(18,500 ft) from which vantage point there are the most
amazing close quarter views of all.
Day
1 & to Village Camp &1,620m (5,314ft)
Depart
Pokhara, 915m (3,000 ft) approx. 8:30 a.m. after our first
'expedition' breakfast. Short drive to 'The Tibetan Refugee
Camp' at Kaski. We then set off on foot to Suikhet and in the
afternoon, after on unhurried lunch, we climb from Phedi
steeply up to the main trail along the ridge to Dhampus. Here
our first night's camp is in full view of Machhapuchare.
Day
2 & to Forest Camp & 2,550m (8,360 ft)
Dawn should
bring a spectacular sunrise: "Fishtail" pink turning
to gold, the more distant bare rock wall of Annapurna II still
in shadow. Today we will start our "secret trail"
leaving tourists, other trekkers and even villagers behind. We
enter an 'enchanted forest' of birch, giant rhododendron,
mountain oak, maple, hemlock and daphnia, camping in a small
clearing far from the beaten trails.
Day
3 & to 'Low Camp' & 3,400m (11,020ft)
As we climb,
the flora has turned to classic 'cloud forest' with mosses and
lichen, tree ferns and orchids hosted by the hardier trees.
There are natural windows in the woods that look out onto
thrilling panoramas – towards Hiunchuli and the knife-sharp
traverse towards Annapurna South. Far below, to our left, we
can see the Modi Khola Valley leading up into the Annapurna
Sanctuary. We reach camp for lunch; for it is wise not to go
too high too fast. Though still surrounded by forest, we have
spectacular northerly views of the ever-closer 'Fishtail"
Day
4 & to 'High Camp' & 4,100m (13,550 ft)
Just a short
steep climb and we are out of the forest. A ridge, now grassy
and sometimes under snow, takes us up to 'High Camp' which we
shall reach at lunch time and where a second consecutive
afternoon is spent awestruck with the views and acclimatizing.
Annapurna South seems near enough to throw a rock at and
Machhapuchare itself close enough to touch.
Day
5 Above 'High Camp' 5,000m and Beyond
Our breakfast
will be earlier than usual. Then with packed lunch, we set off
to reach our objective. Conditions being favorable, our party
should reach up to 5,000m (16,400 ft) and only the crest of
Mardi Himal itself separates us from the south face of
Machhapuchare. The great ice fields and blue glaciers of the
Sanctuary Wall lie below. Annapurna I, highest of all is
beyond, and around us, in an arc from horizon to horizon, from
Dhaulagiri to the Ganesh Himal, are a dozen of more glistening
snow-bound giants. You are standing on a spot that has been
your constant aim for days now. A place, a time, a view that
is almost impossible to equal and you've earned it. Whatever
our achievement, by 1:00 p.m. we need to descend , returning
to the welcome steaming mug, the hot food, the shelter of High
Camp. (If weather conditions require it, we shall descend
through High Camp to trek on down to a re-established Low Camp
to spend the night there).
Day
6 -to 'Siding Village' -1,750m (5,740 ft)
After a
relaxed breakfast, tired bodies make an unhurried descent
through the shade of the forest, and out onto terraced fields,
down 1,600m (5,250 ft) in all. This is a different route down
- down to the upper Mardi Khola, the torrent that has been the
ice and snow of the Mardi Himal. Although remote and still
away from all the much-used 'Teahouse' trekking routes, our
expedition now takes on the moods of the warm valley and the
friendly villages. Here, we make our way along the banks of
the Mardi Khola from the hill-side village of Siding, down
through the lovely fields, past the simple farms and over the
'interesting' bridges. There is no doubting this is indeed the
idyllic Nepali countryside.
Day
7-to 'Mardi Pul'
So the Earth
does have flat places! The path from Siding now follows the
contour of the river valley gradually down between the
pastures and through the Tamang and Gurung Villages. Our
tents, familiar to us in rugged mountain landscape, look a
little incongruous this evening planted here among the paddy.
Day
8-to Pokhara
There are just
a few hours of walking-the trail skirts an outcrop-here's the
road, there's our transport, and soon we're back in Pokhara
for our last lunch. This last afternoon is spent showering and
relaxing. Some have enough energy for rowing on the lake,
others only for lounging in pie shops. That evening we have
our End of Trek Party, the sherpas and porters letting their
hair down, dancing to the 'Madal' drum, and urging you to too.
Few need encouraging.
Top
Lamjung
and Tara Top
Wilderness
Trekking
5
DAYS Fully supported
Pokhara-Pokhara
The
ridge above the village of Sikles and the unique vantage point
of the wooded col of "Tara Top" afford views of the
Eastern Annapurnas that are stunningly spectacular. We are at
an elevation of not more than 3,000m. But even if you were to
take a far longer, more demanding and higher trek, these views
could hardly be surpassed.
During
the first 2 days...
...... We have
trekked up alongside the Mardi Khola River into this high,
pastoral world-a world of friendly villages, terraced fields,
alpine meadows and rhododendron forest to Sikles which is set
before a back-drop of snow-clad peaks.
A short steep
walk up through high pastures above this delightful village of
Gurung people reveals many of the giants of the Annapurna II
(7,037m) and the monolithic hulk of Lamjung Himal, with its
dozen of more summits, are all impressively above 6,500m while
sliding down from the heights of Annapurna II is the huge
icefall and glacier, the origin of the Mardi Khola.
On
the morning of day 3...
.... From our
campsite above Sikles, we trek westwards with the snow-capped
peaks to our right. Soon after lunch we make the steep climb
up to our night's perch; a grassy wooded knoll that we know as
Tara Top ( Starlight Top) at 3,025m.
This is the
vantage point for spectacular 360 degree views that include
most of the Annapurna massif-not to mention half of central
Nepal including the Himalayan foothills dropping away towards
the Ganges and the Indian plains. Clear skies at dusk and dawn
will leave indelible impressions of sunset and sunrise on
photographs and memory alike.
On
the morning of day 4...
......Our
return journey follows a wholly different route. This is a
trail roughly following the 2,500m contour through the shady
forest of rhododendron hung heavy with lichen and moss, wild
flowers on the sunnier banks and wild orchids attached to the
branches above us. Finally we descend steeply to Bhurjung
Khola Village, where we camp near the little school with now
distant views of Machhapuchare.
On
the Morning of the last day...
..... We
follow the tumbling stream to the edge of the Pokhara valley
to be met by transport which will return us to Lake-side.
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We
began with a natural, intuitive commitment to making sure
wilderness places were left the way we found them. Today this
has become the basis for Encounter's more clearly articulated
code of "minimal impact" which is central to company
philosophy.
It is on this
basis that we apply ourselves; the mountains and rivers of the
Himalaya can be enjoyed, appreciated and marveled at far more
when respect and care are an expedition's hallmark.
Bury
Burn or Carry Out.
-
All bio-degradable matter recycled.
-
All used metal, tins, cans, bottle tops etc
sold.
-
All glass, bottles, jars etc sold or returned to
suppliers.
-
Most paper sold.
-
Human waste buried deep and toilet paper burned.
-
Bottled gas used on rafting. Kerosene on treks.
Porter Welfare.
Trekking
porters are almost all farmers for 7-8 months of the year.
Typically they come from a village/area o
n
or close to our route. They live hard and frugal lives and are
used to carrying heavy loads using the traditional 'doko' (the
bamboo latis basket supported from the forehead). Heights up
to 3,500m are part of everyday life and they resist wearing
what they consider to be unnecessary personal equipment.
Above that
altitude, Encounter issues and urges the use of kit suted to
the varying levels of more extreme conditions. It's an
incredible job that they do and Himalayan Encounters
recognizes this and tries to reward accordingly.
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The
Majestic Skyline
Annapurna
I and Dhaulagiri Wilderness Trekking
10
Days fully supported
Pokhara-Pokhara
The
scene, somewhere between Heaven and Earth, is simple enough;
the World's deepest gorge formed by two of only fourteen
8,000m peaks on the planet.
Annapurna I(8,090m) standing right over
you. The valley of the Kali Gandaki an eternal free fall
below. Beyond it to the west the great white hulk of
Dhaulagiri (8,167m), as if by metamorphosis, via sunset pink
turning to star-escorted midnight blue.
It's cold now, but, by the smell of it,
supper's ready.
Day
1 & 2 via Ghandruk (1,940m) to Tadapani (2,590m)
Depart Pokhara, 9:30 a.m. after our
first 'expedition' breakfast. Bus to the start points at
Nayapul, then along the banks of the Modi Khola until
beginning the climb to the prosperous Gurung settlement of
Ghandruk. The trail is through the forest following a
watercourse ravine up to Tadapani with its views of the
Annapurna.
Day
3 & 4 via Dobato (3,460m) to Chhistibang (3,100m)
Uphill
through rhododendron and magnolia, with daphne bushes and
orchids hosted by the bigger trees, up to storm-torn woods
broken by the winter snows, and lunch in a meadow with a
tumbling stream. Finally it's gently upward through clumps of
bamboo. The trail now follows the forested 3,100m contour onto
the grass moorlands. To the west are breathtaking views of the
Kali Gandaki Valley with the great massif of Dhaulagiri above
and beyond. On upwards and then down to a shady lunch spot
beside a clear stream. By early afternoon we've reached our
camp at Chhistibang.
Days
5 & 6 via Khobra Ridge (3,650m) to High Camp (4,240m)
& beyond to Kalibaraha Lake (4,750m)
Just
four hours walk today; the trail breaking the tree line again.
It's a packed lunch (very little water en-route for food
preparation). Unbelievably beautiful Khobra Ridge-known to
have some of the most awe-inspiring mountain views anywhere.
In the foreground Annapurna South (7,219m) and Baraha Shikhar
(7,647m), the Nilgiri Peaks away towards Mustang and westward
where the sun will soon set, the hulk of Dhaulagiri. Dawn, and
sunrise has set Dhaulagiri aflame. Upwards for 3.5 hours
across high pastures that are home to wild yaks, sometimes
grazing in herds and sometimes-lone rogue males. High camp is
established. Then lunch. Then an afternoon hike to Kalibaraha
lake which is the higher and smaller of two lakes formed by
the glaciers and icefalls of Annapurna South that towers above
us.
Days
7 & 8 via Khairbaraha & Khobra to Chitre (2,390m)
Complete
with packed lunch we climb to Khairbaraha Lake 2.5 hours..
This place of pilgrimage with its lone stone piled, usually
mist-shrouded, temple to Lord Shiva- the wall and summit of
Annapurna South so close it strains the neck muscles and with
Baraha Shikhar, Annapurna I's great southern spur, filling the
space behind. Retracing our steps, we reach Chhistibang and
then head due south and down steeply to the Teuche Khola
(1,800m) before climbing to the busy trekking trail that
passes through Chitre.
Days
9 & 10 via Tirkhedhunga (1,540m) to Pokhara (950m)
Back
among the 'guide-book' trekkers, a climb to Ghorepani sitting
astride the saddle that takes the trail over and down to
Pokhara. Thus on down via Ulleri and the thigh pummeling steps
to our camp at Tirkhedhunga. The trek's last day takes us down
to and over the bridge at Birethanti and up the few meters
road-head to rendezvous with the transport for the 1.5 hours
private bus journey to Pokhara.
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