This morning after breakfast we hiked for 5.6 miles to Yak Kharka, which took us a little less than 3 hours. The hike was very quiet and peaceful.
I'd never heard of the Annapurna Circuit before we came to Nepal, but apparently it's a very popular trek. I've heard the best time to do it is in October, but I'm glad we're doing it now because it's been fantastic! We haven't seen anyone hiking on the trail (sometimes a Jeep will pass us, but Manang is as high as they go) or at any of the teahouses we've stayed at (except Manang). As tranquil as it is, it's a bit ghostly? Love/hate relationship with no one out here with us.
As we arrived, it started to snow! We ate lunch at a teahouse, but decided we wanted to stay at another. We also met a guy who was helicoptered down to Yak Kharka from Thorong La (a few villages above us) because he had altitude sickness. He said that there was a storm was starting up there and was expected to last about 2+ days over the pass (highest/hardest part of the trek). He told us we'd probably have to stay at a teahouse up there or along the way for a couple of days because it'd be dangerous to cross with a lot of fresh snow.
After we ate, we found a different house to stay at. Because it was cold, we hung out in the lodge all day with some other travelers. There was a group of 5 travelers from France and 2 from Australia (+ Ben and I and the 2 hosts). We played card games, read, listened to music, got warm, and talked. Everyone was really cool and we all got along pretty well.
Ben and I are probably going to head back down the way we came tomorrow because of what that guy had said earlier: it’s going to snow for the next two days, so even if we do get up to Thorong La tomorrow or the next day, it would be especially difficult to go through the pass because of all the snow. We don’t really have the time or money (more expensive up here compared to Pokhara) to “hang out” in Thorong La and wait for the snow to melt enough for us to pass, because Ben’s flight from New Delhi, India to Salt Lake City, Utah is in 2 weeks and he only purchased a 30 day Nepal visa when we arrived: which expires in 10 days, so we need to figure out if he can stay a few days over the limit, other wise he'd have to hang out in Delhi for a few days.
However, I purchased a 90 day visa when we arrived (just in case I taught at a school, or something). I thought about finishing the trek with these people we met but I'd feel too bad leaving Ben (even though he said he totally understands and would be okay). Although I am a bit sad that we didn’t complete the Annapurna Circuit, I will be back someday.
I'd never heard of the Annapurna Circuit before we came to Nepal, but apparently it's a very popular trek. I've heard the best time to do it is in October, but I'm glad we're doing it now because it's been fantastic! We haven't seen anyone hiking on the trail (sometimes a Jeep will pass us, but Manang is as high as they go) or at any of the teahouses we've stayed at (except Manang). As tranquil as it is, it's a bit ghostly? Love/hate relationship with no one out here with us.
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| Everyone kept telling me on social media, "your India trip looks so cool!" and I'd always reply, "thanks, it was! I'm in Nepal now though." I got tired of saying this and thankfully found this sign to take a picture in front of for a PSA haha. |
Leaving Manang.
You can see Manang down below,
Gangapurna Lake from another angle,
and some snowy peaks
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| Ben bought some rings from a guy and I asked him to take a picture of us. |
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| Stunning! |
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| Ben hiking. I can't remember what peak that is. |
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| Could be hard to tell what this is of, unless I explain it: the ice at the top is melting, which makes a stream that runs down the hill, and out the top of the Coke bottle in between the rocks. Genius. |
We saw a random flock of birds flying together,
pretty cool.
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| Ben by a cairn and prayer flags |
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| Ben |
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| Ben taking a picture of some yaks. He kept inching closer, I kind of wished one charged him haha. |
As we arrived, it started to snow! We ate lunch at a teahouse, but decided we wanted to stay at another. We also met a guy who was helicoptered down to Yak Kharka from Thorong La (a few villages above us) because he had altitude sickness. He said that there was a storm was starting up there and was expected to last about 2+ days over the pass (highest/hardest part of the trek). He told us we'd probably have to stay at a teahouse up there or along the way for a couple of days because it'd be dangerous to cross with a lot of fresh snow.
After we ate, we found a different house to stay at. Because it was cold, we hung out in the lodge all day with some other travelers. There was a group of 5 travelers from France and 2 from Australia (+ Ben and I and the 2 hosts). We played card games, read, listened to music, got warm, and talked. Everyone was really cool and we all got along pretty well.
Ben and I are probably going to head back down the way we came tomorrow because of what that guy had said earlier: it’s going to snow for the next two days, so even if we do get up to Thorong La tomorrow or the next day, it would be especially difficult to go through the pass because of all the snow. We don’t really have the time or money (more expensive up here compared to Pokhara) to “hang out” in Thorong La and wait for the snow to melt enough for us to pass, because Ben’s flight from New Delhi, India to Salt Lake City, Utah is in 2 weeks and he only purchased a 30 day Nepal visa when we arrived: which expires in 10 days, so we need to figure out if he can stay a few days over the limit, other wise he'd have to hang out in Delhi for a few days.
However, I purchased a 90 day visa when we arrived (just in case I taught at a school, or something). I thought about finishing the trek with these people we met but I'd feel too bad leaving Ben (even though he said he totally understands and would be okay). Although I am a bit sad that we didn’t complete the Annapurna Circuit, I will be back someday.
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