Annapurna Trek with Tucan Travel

Annapurna TrekDecember 2009

Bec Whiffin

Arrival in Kathmandu

Moonlight Hotel - Kathmandu

• Located in Thamel, the tourist area of Kathmandu

• Near restaurants, internet, shopping, telephones, money changers etc

• The rooms have hot water (solar heated), cable television and are of a 3 star standard– Nepal is suffering from up to 19 hours per day of load shedding at the moment which means there is no

electricity. Emergency lighting is on at the hotel but it means there is television etc.

• Other facilities the hotel offers are:– Laundry – Bar and restaurant– Money changing– Landings on each floor with couches– Roof top sitting area– Taxi service to the airport

Additional Tours / Activities in Kathmandu• Durbar Square• Monkey Temple• Boudhanth Stupa• Baktapur – World Heritage Site - US$10 or NRP750 to enter• Pashupatinath – temples and cremation site for Hindus

Kathmandu

Kathmandu – stupa on the way to Durbar Square

Kathmandu – Durbar Square



Pokhara – our hotel is called Baba Lodge

Annapurna Trek 9 days of trekking – distance 130km

Day 1Day 1 Arrive KathmanduArrive KathmanduDay 2Day 2 Travel by bus 7 hours to Pokhara dep. 6.30am for 7am busTravel by bus 7 hours to Pokhara dep. 6.30am for 7am busDay 3Day 3 Fly 30 mins to Jomson (2720m)Fly 30 mins to Jomson (2720m)

Can be delayed due to fog in the valley where Pokhara lies. Must land in Jomson before midday.Can be delayed due to fog in the valley where Pokhara lies. Must land in Jomson before midday.Day one of the Trek Day one of the Trek 10km Jomson to Kagbeni (2810m)10km Jomson to Kagbeni (2810m)

Day 4Day 4 Day two of the trekDay two of the trek10km Kagbeni to Muktinath (3860m). Anyone with the energy can visit the Tibetan monastery and 10km Kagbeni to Muktinath (3860m). Anyone with the energy can visit the Tibetan monastery and Hindu temple here.Hindu temple here.

Day 5Day 5 Day three of the trekDay three of the trek24km Muktinath back past Jomson to Marpha (2650m)24km Muktinath back past Jomson to Marpha (2650m)

Day 6Day 6 Day four of the trekDay four of the trek26km Marpha to Ghasa (1900m)26km Marpha to Ghasa (1900m)

Day 7Day 7 Day five of the trekDay five of the trek13 km Ghasa to Tatopani (1190m)13 km Ghasa to Tatopani (1190m)There are hotsprings here where you can relax in the afternoon.There are hotsprings here where you can relax in the afternoon.

Day 8 Day 8 Day six of the trekDay six of the trek18km Tatopani to Ghorepani (2850m)18km Tatopani to Ghorepani (2850m)THE HARDEST DAYTHE HARDEST DAY

Day 9 Day 9 Day seven of the trekDay seven of the trekPoon Hill (3210m) for sunrise then 11km Ghorepani to Tadapani (2540m)Poon Hill (3210m) for sunrise then 11km Ghorepani to Tadapani (2540m)

Day 10Day 10 Day 8 of the trekDay 8 of the trek7km Tadapani to Ghandruk (Ghandrung) (1950m)7km Tadapani to Ghandruk (Ghandrung) (1950m)

Day 11Day 11 Day 9 of the trekDay 9 of the trek11km Ghandruk to Naya Pul (1000m) then 54km bus to Pokhara11km Ghandruk to Naya Pul (1000m) then 54km bus to Pokhara

Day 12 Day 12 Travel by bus for 7 – 8 hours to Kathmandu dep. 6.30am for 7am busTravel by bus for 7 – 8 hours to Kathmandu dep. 6.30am for 7am busDay 13Day 13 Depart Kathmandu or independent post tour activitiesDepart Kathmandu or independent post tour activities

Flight Pokhara to Jomson – approx. 30 mins in the air.

The planes are 16 seaters so it’s a thrilling experience especially as you come into land in 30mins in the air.

Great views of the Annapurna ranges from the plane

Arrival in Jomson (2720m)

Day one of the trek - 10km Jomson (2720m) to Kagbeni (2810m)

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Jomson to Kagbeni

Our lodging for the night in Kagbeni

The dinner table – warming fire underneath

Kagbeni – some of the services non offer if they are open and if they work!

Day two of the trek - 10km Kagbeni (2810m) to Muktinath (3860m)

Kagbeni to Muktinath



Kagbeni to Muktinath - a rest stop




Kagbeni to Muktinath – one of the small settlements where you can stop for refreshments and toilets.


Kagbeni to Muktinath – as we got higher it got colder!



Kagbeni to Muktinath– some of where we had come from.



Our lodging in Muktinath (3860m)

Hindu Temple and Tibetan monastery can visited in Muktinath if you still have the energy

Energy efficiency is big in Nepal – this hotel had gas water heating but there was no water as it was frozen!

Safe Drinking Water Stations were available in some of the towns – NP30-45 per litre.

Day three of the trek - 24km Muktinath (3860m) to Marpha (2650m)

Muktinath to Marpha

Muktinath to Marpha – our porters carrying our main luggage (max 12kg). One porter per 2 trekkers.

Muktinath to Marpha

Muktinath to Marpha (A slightly different path on the way back to Jomson)

Muktinath to Marpha

Muktinath to Marpha

Muktinath to Marpha (Back at the outskirts of Jomson)

Muktinath to Marpha – the easier option

Muktinath to Marpha – entrance to Marpha a Buddhist pilgrimage settlement

Muktinath to Marpha – the town and our lodging for the night

Our lodging in Marpha – solar powered hot water

Dining area

Day four of the trek – 26km Marpha (2650m) to Ghasa (1900m) – the local bus.

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa – a school at one of the villages we past

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Marpha to Ghasa

Day five of the trek – 13km Ghasa (1900m) to Tatopani (1190m)

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Ghasa to Tatopani

Day six of the trek – 18km Tatopani (1190m) to Ghorepani (2850m) - THE HARDEST DAY!

Tatopani to Ghorepani










Tatopani to Ghorepani – coming into Sikha (1980m) for a rest stop





Tatopani to Ghorepani – Basic medical facilities are available in some of the villages

Tatopani to Ghorepani – our lunch stop in Chitre (2350m)





Tatopani to Ghorepani – our lodging in Ghorepani

Day seven of the trek – Poon Hill (3210m) for sunrise then 11km Ghorepani (2850m) to Tadapani (2540m)

Sunrise at Poon Hill









Ghorepani to Tadapani







Day eight of the trek – 7km Tadapani (2540m) to Ghandruk (1950m)

Tadapani to Ghandruk




Day nine of the trek – 11km Ghandruk (1940m) to Naya Pul (1000m) then private van 54km to Pokhara

Back in Pokhara on the last day of the trek