5/1/1986 – 15/1/1986 Pokhara – Annapurna Sanctuary – Poon Hill
NEPAL
Participants: Peter Davies, Stephen Davies (Report, Photos), Ram Hari Kndel (Porter), Ram Karki (Guide)
Following our aborted attempt at completing the Annapurna Circuit due to excessive snow fall above Manang we decided to attempt the Annapurna Sanctuary trek, which should take us between 7 and 10 days.The trekking maps below indicate our route. It should be noted that the spelling of place names often varied both between different maps and signs along the trek. In this report the place names used are from both sources, which can become somewhat confusing.
Both slide and colour negative film of 35mm and 6cmx6cm formats were used throughout this trip. You will see evidence of film grain, dust and fibres (from slide mounts) and fungal growth on the images displayed in this report – a different look to todays digital images!
Our 1986 Annupurna Sanctuary trekking route
Day 1: Sunday 5/1/1986 Pokhara (915m) – Dhampus (1799m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
We had views through the smog to Fishtail and Annapurnas from Pokhara today. We also were all still feeling a bit off due to the last three days suffering with stomach bugs.
Our guide Ram at Dhampus 5/1/1986
After unsuccessfully waiting for a bus out from Kathmandu to the spot the 4WD drives and trucks depart for Dhampus we sort out and caught a local taxi instead. This was the one that had a wheel off being repaired as there was nothing else in sight – it could have been a long wait.
After our taxi ride we eventually caught a very old jeep style vehicle and headed off along a river bed, hanging on for dear life on top of the bumper bar. Along the way one bloke fell off and rolled into a ditch. We stopped at Hyangja and had a lunch of biscuits and coke as we were still feeling a bit off our food.
After lunch we walked about 20 minutes along the river bed before heading 2,500 feet up to Dhampus.
Ram Hari remained pretty sick with a stomach bug throughout the day.
We had our best tasting dinner for ages. A very watery tomato soup with plain mashed potatoes.
After dinner we walked to the top of a nearby hill for some sunset photos, with a bunch of kids yet again appearing to provide some company. The sunset proved disappointing as the light was in the “wrong” direction.
Day 2: Monday 6/1/1986 Dhampus – Landrung (1646m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
For breakfast we ordered two Tibetan breads and jam but this this proved to be far too much for us.
Sunrise Landrung – Annapurna Himal from Dhampus 6/1/1986
We found some more uphill after crossing Indi Khole. A distinct ridge between us and Landrung where we were to spend the night.
Lunched on vegetable soup and baked potatoes washed down with soft drinks but again we couldn’t eat half of it.
We were finding far more foreigners (5x – 10x) over on this side of Pokhara, many more of them seeming less inclined to pause and talk than on the Annapurna Circuit section. At least the weather was being good to us, basically fine since leaving Pokhara. To this point we had received absolutely no rain since our arrival in Nepal, just a few clouds blowing around.
Peter was unwell again during the afternoon. A far bit of the ridge we crossed today was heavily timbered with rhododendron forest. This section was also memorable for the hundreds of singing birds we encountered.
By late afternoon lots of clouds had formed, obscuring our views on the higher peaks. This built up and became heavy in the early evening but disappeared overnight. We took a series of portraits in the afternoon before having onion soup and chapati for dinner.
Day 3: Tuesday 7/1/1986 Landrung – Chomra (1951m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
Not quite an alarm clock but a nearby dog started all the other animals off predawn. It was back to clear skies in early morning.
Two chapatis, peanut butter, banana, milo and porridge for breakfast.
We were out by 9:00am walking up aside the Modi Kola, a very pleasant but much less used little track along the river. We grabbed a couple of photos of the local kids along the way. It was easy walking through the forest then across and up to Jhinu for a lunch of Tibetan bread and lemon tea.
Good uphill after lunch to Chomping Hill which provides excellent views. Here we found the largest, most civilised looking hotel we have seen so far, so we decided to stay here with two people each from the UK (heading out) and Australia.
Machhapuchhare (6,993m) from Chomro 7/1/1986 (135mm, f5.6, 1/200s, Tripod)
It was almost unbelievable in that they had a wood fired hot shower. Needless to say we jumped right in to temporarily remove a week’s worth of dirt and grime.
Took a few tripod based shots of the surrounding mountains just in case the weather moved in.
Excellent dinner – the best so far, it even managed to awaken our dormant appetites. Western style hot chips (nearly) with salt, and boiled eggs and garlic soup. So good we had seconds and thirds on the chips.
Day 4: Wednesday 8/1/1986 Chomra – Dobang
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
We woke as the first rays of daylight fought their way through the walls, after a good nights sleep on the comfortable foam mattress beds provided.
Breakfast consisted of a strange tasting porridge without milk and tasty Tibetan bread with jam.
The bloke who runs this place went out of his way to make sure everyone enjoyed their stay. He had previously spent spent 10 years working as a Gurkha and was a superb cook.
We had brought up some food supplies for the Sanctuary – biscuits, noodles, rum – as we are expecting many places to be closed and the rest to be very expensive.
Started off downhill to the creek through Chomping then up around the other side and across the river.
Lunch at Machapare Hotel (yeh another one) but this one was pretty salubrious.
Basically followed the river after lunch. Leading up to one of numerous small hotels. Not much choice now as few of them have remained open. Two Aussies and one Japanese made up the extras.
An afternoon walk through strands of bamboo, sections of which were flattened during the last snow fall leaving treacherous razor sharp cut ends.
Watched the local fat cat play with a live field mouse, tossing it into the air and catching it, giving it a head start then pouncing on it again and again.
Lunched on delicious onion soup, mashed potatoes and Tibetan bread.
Dinner the same but with some biscuits – it felt great to have the appetite back in good working order.
Hotel constructed of stone ends with thatched roof and dirt floor .
Day 5: Thursday 9/1/1986 Dobang to Machhapuchhare Base Camp (3700m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
After promising ourselves an early start we were last up. Two Tibetan bread and jams plus biscuits for breakfast. We bought a few more provisions including some eggs, all up costing 384Rs!
We were out the door about 9:00am, gradually climbing before being quickly into stretches of snow. The boots were on today. I had a slip and fall on what appeared to be a wet rock (that was actually frozen) crossing one small creek – I need to be more careful.
We were almost wiped out just before lunchtime. Whoosh! Thud! A mere 2m away a boulder sized slab of ice smashed to the ground after falling from the overhead cliffs, a very lucky narrow escape. We saw lots of other small bits of ice falling along this section as well.
We rolled into Bhagar Lodge at 11:40am for lunch, ordering onion soup, boiled potatoes with two Tibetan bread and jam.
After lunch we wandered steadily upwards before reaching a vacant Ganga Purna View Lodge at Machhapuchhare Base Camp about two hours later.
The afternoons walk was very slow, cool and thirsty. Being at 12,500 feet (4100m) probably explained our thirst.
Quite a few clouds were rolling around the mountain tops, so the views from Machapuchhure Base Camp were very, very disappointing. We passed a group of eight Aussies with two guides who had been into the Sanctuary for day trip from Bhagar.
The lodge itself was very basic, consisting of stone walls, a woven bamboo roof and straw floor. The resident dog walked out the door with a dead mouse in its mouth to enjoy a roll in the snow.
Machhapuchhare Base Camp 9/1/1986
Chef Ram ably prepared our rice and dahl, then at about 7:00pm we were treated to pancakes and honey. Pete and I took turns making those, the boys themselves lucky to end up with one.
During the evening we dried our socks and boots off by the fire and tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to avoid its smoke.
Retired very early at 8:00pm to a wicker walled, straw covered sleeping area.
Day 6: Friday 10/1/1986 Machhapuchhare Base Camp – Annapurna Base Camp (4130m) return
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
Awoke just before sun up for the usual enforced walk before quickly going back to bed as it was really cold. Breakfast of porridge, milo, chapatis and peanut butter.
This morning at 9:30am we set off minus our two porters for Annapurna Base Camp with the temperature at -7 Celsius. Ahead it looked really flat but certainly wasn’t, rising steadily as we followed a lateral moraine. We walked along very slowly, with a lot of puffing and panting but no other problems. (It was probably allowed, we were over 4000m)
There were just enough clouds to hide the sun rolling across the ridge tops as we reached Annapurna Base Camp, there were certainly more than enough to make it feel bitterly cold. We celebrated reaching our destination with a Snickers bar each before rushing around to grab a few photos – if it had not been so cold we would have lingered for longer and had a better look around.
Annapurna Base Camp 10/1/1986 (24mm)
The views from Annapurna Base Camp were quiet brilliant despite the cloud building up as we arrived. Gavin and Chris from Melbourne had a arrived an hour earlier and said it was cloud free then.
The walk back from Annapurna Base Camp to Machhapuchhare Base Camp was much faster and easier.
Dinner of rice and dahl with an omelette was waiting for us on our return, followed by a repeat of the honey pancakes. We have now managed to get through 2kg of rice between us in the last two days.
We watched Ram almost burn his nose trying to light a cigarette with a smouldering stick that burst into flames at the wrong time.
Peter sat out the game of cards but the others spent half of their evening blowing on the embers trying to get the fire going again. Ram was really getting good at 500 as a game now but the two porters were still having difficulty with with the concept of bowers and when to play them.
Day 7: Saturday 11/1/1986 Machapuchhure Base Camp – Chomra (1951m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
The – 8C just before sun-up today seemed nowhere near as cold as last night. There wasn’t much left to eat for breakfast, a little porridge, some scrambled eggs and a scraping of peanut butter. We packed and left by 8:50am for our long trek back out. The going was fast and easy despite the snow. It often proved faster out of the tracks than in as there it was firmer and had better grip.
Steve at Annapurna Base Camp 11/1/1986 (50mm)
We grabbed a couple of hot chocolates each at Bhagar at the end of the first hour before continuing on past Hinka Cave, fortunately with no falling ice/rock this time.
Stopped at Dorans (where we had stayed overnight on the way up). As there was no one home we got our kerosene stove out and cooked up some noodles. Chamja ate his raw with a few biscuits and water. The owner arrived whilst we were cooking so we then ordered four chapatis each.
It began cooling down rapidly in the early afternoon which lead quickly into constant drizzle falling, enough to soak us through. The boys showed they were not too keen to continue in this as they had downed gear at one small lodge expecting us to stop. We managed to keep them going and ploughed on regardless with the boys, especially Ram Hari, easily keeping up on the downhills.
We stopped briefly to buy some biscuits for afternoon tea at top of the last ridge. The rain had eased for a while but we could see it was snowing higher up. We powered up the the last 1,000 foot hill, arriving in Chomra at about 4:30pm. Our two Melbourne friends were the only other people there. The owners apparently had headed out into the “jungle”.
We estimated the day had involved 8,000 feet (2400m) of descent and 2,000 feet (600m) of climbing. We were really glad to have done it as the thought of the food we knew we could get here proved to be irresistible. We ordered up big on garlic soup, potato chips, stupendously great pancakes and jam and a couple of hot chocolates.
International Lodge and Restaurant, Chomping Hill – 225RS for the five of us.
Day 8: Sunday 12/1/1986 Chomra – Tadapani (2706m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
We were up just as the sun was ready to peak over the hill. With no clouds around it was decision time, so we took a look at the map with Ram, explained we were broke (almost out of money) but had seven days left and wanted to check out the view from Poon Hill.
We had two pancakes and jam and one egg omelette breakfast and it was just as good as last time.
After some calculations and bargaining we decided on 200Rs each for food, lodgings and transport to get Ram and our two porters back to Kathmandu in three days so we could continue by ourselves. We reorganised all our gear and sent what we thought we wouldn’t need on the next section back with them.
Chomro Hill 12/1/1986 (f4, 1/100s, Pol)
After taking a memorable photo of Machapuchhure we finally got away from Chomping Hill at 9:50am. After walking for the first fifteen minutes with guide and porters our tracks parted, we were now hopeful we would cope OK by ourselves, now being without their language and negotiating skills.
We headed around and then down along a river where we lunched on Tibetan bread and jam at Ganga Purna Lodge, Ghandrak-Kimrung Khola.
Despite looking at a map drawn on a board in front of a Lodge Pete, managed to lead us off in the direction of Gandrung – we even asked a elderly local woman who pointed us off in the wrong direction. Seems we were already missing our guide! We soon realised we were obviously on the wrong track so turned around to see a group of people beckoning us back. Now set straight we headed uphill for about 2,700 feet. Not being acclimatised to carrying all our own gear ourselves we found the extra weight slowed us down significantly, especially towards the top.
The few spots of rain at the bottom had turned to light drizzle which kept us cool for the climb. The open rice paddies lower down turned to moss and lichen covered forest as we climbed. A couple of girls herding a mob of goats near the top didn’t seem very impressed when I wouldn’t pay them for a photo I took, something I had encountered elsewhere.
We had a choice of three lodges at Tarapani when we arrived at 3:30pm, we picked the Viewtop run by the retired Gurhka Mr. Gurung. By now there were some very heavy looking thunderstorm clouds around.
Pete’s had also just realised his new Swiss Army knife had gone missing, placing it possibly near Annapurna Base Camp, a little suspicious perhaps.
We ordered garlic soup, pop-corn, potato chips, pancakes and jam. We were also starting to get really dirty, as we haven’t washed, even our hands since we had a shower at Chomping Hill on the way up days ago.
Some Notes on Our Guide and Porters
Our porters were much slower than we expected. This made it difficult to get to where we wanted to each night, especially considering the lighter than expected loads they were carrying having our friend John pull out and missing from our party.
The usual, now expected two hour lunch stops proved very annoying on many occasions but on others it was delightful just to be able to sit back, rest and take in the local surroundings.
Ram proved extremely easy to get along with. He was very experienced with twenty Throng La crossings and was very well suited to his job.
The language barrier was limiting at times, especially when Ram and our porters conversed and laugh endlessly in Nepali, at least they were happy! We were just jealous on what we were missing out on.
They were all always eager to do anything for you, always offering a “that’s OK” to requests.
Their equipment level was really poor, we ended up supplying socks, freezer bags and fibrefill jackets far too often.
They never complained.
Day 9: Monday 13/1/1986 Tadapani – Ghorapani (2853m) – Poon Hill (3198m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
We were able to open our window and watch sunrise from bed, a great start to a clear sky day. Tibetan bread and noodles for breakfast.
We headed off at about 8:00am walking through forest early. Were very lucky enough to see a mob of baboons scampering over rocks and through the trees and catching some photos of them with a 2X teleconverter and 500mm mirror lens. Crossed paths with three other westerners whilst there.
We grabbed a hot chocolate as we passed through the small village of Bhuringali Kola about an hour down from Tadapani, walking almost entirely on firm packed snow tracks. Some excellent ice formations were seen along the river. The track then wandered upwards and across a ridge top where we stopped on a grassy knoll above Ghorapani for about 30minutes of picture taking and the passing of about ten other walkers.
From here we followed the ridge down towards Ghorapani. Along the ridge the snow and ice cover became very slippery in many places, resulting in a few entertaining “rides” as we slipped and slide. In Ghorapani the streets were very muddy and there was some snow still on the roof tops. We had lunch here for 45Rs all up. Soft drinks, peanut butter, Tibetan bread and jam and rice bread. The rice bread being made by grabbing a handful of rice flour and water mix formed into a ring and thrown into hot oil.
We felt we must have been back on the main tourist route now as we saw a dozen Westerners pass during lunchtime. We headed off up Poon (or PUN) Hill after our 2:00pm lunch. We climbed straight to the top through a combination of mud, dry track and snow, passing a brand new 3 month old lodge about three quarters of the way up.
We carried all our gear to the top expecting to find another lodge there but no such luck. I spent ages taking photos until after sunset with about 15 other people doing the same. Pete had headed back earlier to find a bed for the night, this proved to be no problem as we only ended up sharing with a Belgian couple.
Dinner consisted of tomato soup, soggy centred pancakes and jam, oily egg and chips with two hot chocolates.
Day 10: Tuesday 14/1/1986 Ghorapani – Birethanti (1039m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
Down to 182Rs left
Awoken by the sound of crunching snow and voices outside. I needed no more prompting, so dressed quickly, grabbed my camera gear and almost ran up Poon Hill for the early light, Pete couldn’t be roused. There were beautiful orange hues in the sky as I departed but this had disappeared before I reached the top.
As full daylight arrived I returned to Top View Hotel for a breakfast of two Tibetan breads, a vegetable spring roll and hot chocolate.
We left about 9:30am via Ghorapani,. The first hour was on track consisted of good walking on consolidated snow, interspersed with muddy sections especially early on.
Whilst on the final “y” of “This damn mud’s slippery” both feet went from under me putting me on my backside, causing both of us to burst out into a bout of hysterical laughter.
Our steady all-day descent was particularly difficult from Ullrie to Tikkedhunga as it was basically a giant staircase. At Tikkedhunga there was a beautiful crystal clear waterfall overhung by trees. Our budget now demanded we have dahlbart for lunch (10Rs). As this was already in the pot we were finished and back on the track in 30 minutes. We passed a few more foreigners during the afternoon.
During the afternoon we had the opportunity to try to lift one of the resting porters loads. We very nearly couldn’t and estimated its weight at about 160 pounds (70kg).
Birethanti 14/1/1986 (35-80mm, f4, 1/60s)
We reached Birethanti, a relatively large and pretty town, at about 3:00pm and decided to stay at Sunrise Lodge after being able to change $US20 for 440Rs. Now refinanced, we splurged 30Rs on a Fanta, biscuits and Star beer deciding to worry about the hill in front of us tomorrow.
A big dinner order consisting of garlic soup, popcorn, vegetable spring roll, Tibetan bread and jam. We ate and read by the kerosene tilly lantern until we felt we’d overstayed our welcome before reading in bed until our candle had burnt out.
Day 11: Wednesday 15/1/1986 Birethanti – Phedi – Pokhara (915m)
Pokhara to Jomoson Trekking Map 1985
Awoke before sunrise again, this time to someone elses watch alarm, before daydreaming on until sunrise. We forced ourselves up to get an early start up the hill, having been informed it involved 6 -7 hours of effort.
Breakfast of biscuits and coke.
We headed over the bridge across Modi Khola and then up the hill the other side. We stopped a couple of times very early on for some great shots of Birethanti and Machapuchhure and were passed by a donkey train as we did. Further up the 2,000+foot climb we passed it again.
Machhapuchare from Birethanti 15/1/1986 ((6cmx6cm film)
At the top of the hill in Chandruket we stopped for breakfast at 8:45am, ordering two Tibetan breads with jam and hot chocolate. We were on our way again at 9:30am, passing the beautiful town of Lumle about an hour later. Lumle appearing particularly attractive amongst its surrounding of crops and very green padi fields. As we continued on the calf muscles started to complain, with soreness induced from all the recent ups and downs. We passed through Nagdanda at the top of the hill. With the sounds of children playing somewhere down the valley it appeared to us that school might not be compulsory or available to everyone, judging by the number of kids around during the day.
We took about 45 minutes to get to the bottom of the hill at Phedi / Suikhet (depending on who you asked) arriving at 11:45am, so much for the 6 – 7 hour day. Thank goodness, we were not complaining!
At Phedi we were quickly propositioned by a jeep driver, however, we let that one go without us as it was just about to leave. Instead we wandered around Phedi a bit before buying a Tibetan astrological calendar for $A5 (in Australian currency).
We then waited another 90 minutes for the next jeep to leave, boy was it slow! It stopped in Hyangia to pick up a women who was in labour. It then seemed to proceed even more slowly despite her whimpering and crying as her waters had already broken. We finally got into Pokhara at 3:30pm and we never found out if it was a boy or girl! From the jeep drop-off we got the fastest, scariest, most death defying taxi ride ever on the way to the “Trekker’s Retreat”, first hitting a pedestrian’s bag, then nearly wiping out several other people and a few animals as well.
After checking in and having a long overdue shower we headed down towards the lake, buying a chocolate cake and hot chocolate at the first restaurant we could find.
Thursday 16/1/1986 Pokhara
After breakfast we hired bicycles and did a quick sortie of Pokhara. We then bought some new clothes as our trekking clothes were rank! Further exploration and souvenir shopping in Pokhara followed.
Some more bicycling in the afternoon out to the Phidi jeep stop.
Dinner was open ended as we ate at three different restaurants, the last two for their cakes.
Friday 17/1/1986 Pokhara – Kathmandu
A rest day.
Saturday 18/1/1986 Kathmandu
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