Posts Tagged ‘pokhara’

Posted on October 31, 2009

Trekking with 3 “little” Sisters

It was an amazing, awe-inspiring trek at times and one of the most labourous workouts I have ever experienced. The 5-day Ghorepani – Ghandruk Loop Teahouse Trek had just the right number of days for us novice trekkers but it also was enough to make me salivate for more.

Along with the spectacular scenery and the immerse cultural experience, I was also impressed by our 3 little companions, who in the end made the difference in our trek.

Renuka Kaki, our mother hen along with Maina Thapa and Indra Rai our steady porters were our Nepali guides from 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking. Renuka has been working with the company for a few years, Maina for 1 and Indra was just starting out as it was her first trek after training.

To have a guide, to not have a guide?

Our trek route is also part of the Annapurna circuit. After talking to a view other trekkers (ease-dropping on another one) and thinking back on seeing how the route is pretty much commercialized, it is safe to say that pesronally I think you “can” do the Annapurna circuit trek “without” a guide.

The trails and paths are “well traveled”, every 2 to 3 hours you are bound to either stumble upon a village, tea house/accomodation, or small market of some sort, and without a doubt you will definitely run into our trekkers or guides to ask for directions. The trekking maps are very accurate as well.

However, having porters and guides is quite convenient as they can: provide local information about the area, quickly find and reserve for you decent accomodations (ie, during the very busy tourist season, you cannot make reservations so they often can run up ahead, sometimes a day a head, to grab you a room at the best places – you’ll definitely need this perk at Annapurna Basecamp), take care of all your trekking paperwork/permits, take the load off your backs so you can enjoy the trek, and of course English/Nepali translation.

In my mind, you are employing someone and in our case helping out young women, and contributing to an admirable, charity organization (who is in my opinion doing very, very well for themselves).

Photos of our trip can be seen on my FB Photo Album.

Posted on October 20, 2009

Holy Annapurna!

Written by Monika Terfloth.

This is part 3 of 10 of the “Mother in-law” series IN Nepal and India.

We arrived back from our trek yesterday afternoon. What an stunning 5 days, I hardly know where to begin. It may take a few trips down to this internet cafe to write each of several chapters.

Day one – Naya Pul to Hille

We met our guide and two porters, all women, the afternoon before leaving on the trek and Renuka, our guide, in halting English, gave us a briefing of the trip. Early the next morning with the mist rising from the lake we board the bus to Naya Pul. The ride is eventful as any bus trip in this country is bound to be. All of us craning our necks out the bus windows to watch numerous herds of goats being shepherded down the roadway in the opposite direction. The herds share the same narrow rubble roadway as the busses, a roadway that is designed for only one car to travel in one direction at one time. Precipice on one side, wall of rock on the other. Sometimes we are on the side with the rock wall. The goats are being herded to market in the city in time for day 8 of the two-week Deshain festival, where they will be sacrificed and eaten. Some are small herds, others number a hundred or more, many being herded four or five days walk out of mountain villages. Each shaggy goat in the herd is identified with a particular streak of blue, orange, yellow paint on the horns. Over and over again our bus driver needs to pull to the side to allow yet another herd to pass by.

Because of the goats, we reach Naya Pul later than expected, but still time to begin the trek, a trek that will take us into the mountains along centuries old stone footpaths and stone stairs that lead through small villages still only accessible on foot. As we walk we continue to meet herds and herds of goats, sometimes boiling over the top of the path to meet us with just enough time to flatten ourselves against the bank to let them by. “Be careful for the horns” warns Renuka. The herders sweep branches and call or whistle to the herd to keep the goats on track. Each handsome herder has a wonderful white smile(what great teeth the Nepalis have!) and smooth shiny black hair. Each has time to nod “Namaste”. There is news of a goat shortage in Kathmandu, so they should fetch a good price and it is hard to imagine that, with all these goats, that there will not be enough for all.

We continue on along the incredibly old stone pathway, decorated of course by goat dung, and follow the course of a rushing river. We look up the mountain to terraced green fields dotted with cottages as far a the eye can see. The steep climb begins, the day is getting hotter. We are winded and dripping with sweat. Renuka encourages water breaks and we find that we all need to stop every half hour. Thank goodness for a breeze to cool the sweat.

Our destination today is the village of Hille. We arrive in the late afternoon at our small tea house in a white-washed village, similar to those we see on the opposite lush green, terraced hillside. Our small room is white-washed clay brick and has a small shuttered window to the rear which we open to find a grassy bank with nothing between us but our first ever chicken-wire window. Practical and perfect for keeping out the small animals we hear rustling in the night. The bed consists of a foam pad on a few wooden planks. The aging lino is a brilliant green with white stars. We are grateful for a place to rest and peel off the sweat soaked clothing. Food is prepared for us, a traditional evening meal of dal bhat (rice, lentil curry, steamed veges) We spend a peaceful evening on the open air dining area with a few other travelers. Before bed, Renuka gives us a few details about tomorrow’s walk. It starts with a two- hour steep uphill climb. She points out the mountain, my jaw drops and my only response is “You’re joking! “.  “No really” she answers quietly

Posted on October 20, 2009

Holy Bandipur

Written by Monika Terfloth.

This is part 2 of 10 of the “Mother in-law” series IN Nepal and India.

We left Kathmandu yesterday at the crack of dawn and headed for Pokhara by hired car. Pokhara is the take-off point for our trek which starts tomorrow. The words flashing through my mind as we drove included the following: hurtling, breakneck, careening, insane, bottomless cliff… The driver, whose name I have forgotten, was very skilled (and a former soccer player for the Nepal national team) but the four of us still felt the need to shake hands and acknowledge that we indeed had a good life up to this point. We did arrive unscathed, witnessing only three accidents on the way…bus over the side of a cliff, vegetable transport truck smashed in, crushed taxi.

At the same time, we passed through numerous idyllic villages all preparing for the festival of Desain (akin to our Christmas) People are on the move, coming from far and wide to celebrate with family. Home to where other family members have freshly red-washed the brick cottages and the outdoor tandoori oven, which sits proudly in the cleanly swept courtyard. In the early afternoon, the women in bright saris have gathered under the banyan trees and children play alongside. Travelling the route was a bit like watching a movie go by. Cows herded along the roadside, huge baskets of wood collected for the tandoori, vegetables for market, young children tending others still younger than they.

The highlight, as if all this isn’t enough, was the side trip to the village of Bandipur. This serene village is virtually at the end of a narrow road, cliffside at the top of a valley and looks down the terraced hillsides dotted with small homesteads to the river valley below. Bandipur decided several years ago to eliminate vehicles of any kind in the town, and had decided to prioritize cleanliness and self-sufficiency. Hence they have a system of garbage collection, a sewage system, and also have, unlike most villages, schools, hospital, nurseries, library. As well, in their remote village, they have high-speed internet. All this while preserving their traditional way of life. Truly an example of how such things are achievable. The momentum for this project came from the people themselves. As far as we know, no NGO’s have been involved.

Today finds us at the lakeside in Pokhara. While Tlell and Rex have decided to hike up the ‘World Peace Pagoda’ on a nearby hillside, Randy and I are finding the need to relax in preparation for the start of the trek tomorrow. The world is lush green following the monsoon season. The rains still come every few days, the last being a lengthy warm downpour that began yesterday evening and lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Such a cool and peaceful morning it is.

Posted on September 27, 2009

Men weren’t meant to ride…

with clouds between their knees… - from Superman (It’s Not Easy), Five for Fighting.

One of the most truly amazing, sublime experiences. On our last day in Pokhara, I decided to find out what it would feel like to be Superman.

I went with Sarangkot Paragliding since Blue Sky Paragliding didn’t have any spots available for that day. They are the new, little-guy on the block but I’m really glad I went with them (laid-back , and friendly service). My trusted pilot was Peter Volf who is also a professional photography and fellow web-guy.

Taking off was easy and the whole feeling of being lifted off the ground reminded me of being on those carousel swing rides at an amusement park when I was a kid. Surprisingly, I wasn’t really nervous at all but really anxious to fly. Peter, my calm, confident, reassuring Czech was great.

We soared around the mountain-side and over Nepali villages. As the saying goes, people and especially children playing looked like ants running around the ground. You really do feel like a bird as you search and chase for thermals to carry you up higher and higher into the sky.

My senses were overwhelmed.

I didn’t get to see much of the Himalayan mountains but I felt closer to them than ever before. The day was a scorcher on the ground but up in the air it was heaven. I even saw a hawk fly beneath my feet.

It was so quiet and peaceful – it felt like an entirely a whole new world up there. It was only a half-hour flight but it felt like an eternity.

Landing was a piece of cake (well sort of, the picture looks worse than it really was).

As I hit the ground, the hard and sad reality of being confined to land quickly returned. It was such a surreal experience.

I definitely recommend tandem paragliding in Nepal. As my pilot would agree, Nepal is probably one of the most inexpensive places to do it and without a doubt has the most spectacular sceneries in the world to see from the air.

(and of course, I have a video clip)

Posted on September 17, 2009

Our 5-Day Itinerary – Ghorepani – Ghandruk Loop Teahouse Trek

We decided to go with 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking, a Pokhara-based trekking company and as in their name, owned and managed by three Nepali sisters. The Chhetri Sisters story is typical of what the majority of women who have overcome many social and cultural barriers when it comes to empowering women in Nepal. Women trekking guides is astonishingly a new concept for Nepalese society and we are more than happy to give them our business.

Day 1: Pokhara – Hille

A 1-hour drive takes us to Nayapul ~ the starting point of our trek. We follow the river and then slowly ascend through rice fields to Hille (1475m) and stop for the night.
Hiking hours: 5 and it covers 7 km

Day 2: Hille – Ghorepani

We start our day with a steep ascent to Ulleri (m) where we get our first view of the Himalayas. We then continue through forests of rhododendron until we reach our destination ~ Ghorepani (2855 m).
Hiking hours: 6 and it covers 8 km

Day 3: Ghorepani – Poon Hill – Tadapani

An early climb to the summit of Poon Hill (3200 m) to watch the sun rise across a magnificent Himalayan panorama. After breakfast we follow a long ridge through rhododendron forests to Deurali. We then walk through impressive river gorges with the chance to see Langur monkeys in the trees. Our destination is Tadapani (2680m)
Hiking hours: 5 and it covers 10 km

Day 4: Tadapani – Ghandruk

We walk along a shaded forest trail, followed by terraced fields of maize and potatoes to Ghandruk (2170m). From here we have fantastic views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare. It is a major settlement of the Gurung, an ethnic group of Nepal. It is a very famous Gurung village with terraces and offers excellent mountain views. After arriving, it is possible to take a short walk to explore the village, visiting a cultural museum and monastery.
Hiking hours: 4 and it covers 5 km

Day 5: Ghandruk – Nayapul – Pokhara

Today we leave the mountains behind us. A 5-hour hike and an hour’s drive takes us back to the relaxing Lakeside of Pokhara.
Hiking hours: 5 and it covers 10 km