Saturday 12.10.2024
Summary:
Trekking Lower Pisang – Ngawal
Start: 08:15, 3200m
Finish: 12:45, 3660m
Weather: sunny, morning below 10 degrees, warm during the day, windy in the afternoon, shorts/t-shirt
Drink: 1,8L
Expenses: 150 (tea at the break), 250 (Red Rhino at the break), 150 (tea at the lodge), 300 (Coke at lunch), 200 (wifi)
Previously, the itinerary had continued directly from Lower or Upper Pisang to Manang, where a day off had been spent for acclimatisation. Now the itinerary had been changed and we would proceed from Pisang to Ngawal, from where we’d continue to Manang the next day. As a result, this day and the next were shorter than normal. As Ngawal and Manang are practically at the same altitude, this route works equally well for acclimatisation. As the day’s leg was not particularly long, breakfast was half an hour later than normal at 7:30am and we set off at 8:15am.
The difference in altitude between the start and end points was just under five hundred metres. This was climbed first thing in the morning as we set off up the serpentine path from Pisang towards the road carved into the mountainside. This was an old track, however, and we saw practically no cars or motorbikes all day. The newer road ran along the valley floor through the village of Humde and all motorised traffic now followed it. After a long, slow climb we arrived at our first rest stop, where we enjoyed warm drinks and took some great scenic photos. After a while we reached Ghyaru, at 3670m, where we took a second break. Ghyaru was already at the same altitude as our final destination, but the road climbed slowly for some time more before a similar gradual descent towards Ngawal. We arrived before 1am, so we had both lunch and dinner at our guesthouse. After washing clothes and a small rest, I went for a photo trip to Ngawal. From the village, long stairs lead to some sacred cave at an altitude of over 4000 meters. I climbed maybe half of the stairs, or maybe a little over a hundred metres above the village. From there you could get some spectacular views of both the village and the Annapurna mountain range in the background.
In the evening we had another delicious dinner and spent some time in the dining room. There is no heating in any of the rooms here, and after the sun went down the last couple of days the rooms have been freezing cold due to the altitude. You can’t go there until you’re ready to dive straight under the thick blankets.
Sunday 13.10.2024
Summary:
Trek Ngawal – Manang
Start: 08:15, 3660m
Finish: 11:15, 3560m
Weather: sunny, a couple of plus degrees in the morning, warm enough during the day, leggings under shorts and long-sleeved shirt in the morning, shorts/t-shirt shortly after departure
Drink: 1.2L
Expenses: 250 (coke at the hostel), 1350 (2x energy drink, Pringles, chocolate muffin)
It was cold in the morning, and Amrit claimed it had been -3C during the night because the faucet at the outdoor washing basin was frozen. We didn’t notice any ice or frost anywhere, so the frost figures sounded a bit surprising, but it certainly wasn’t many degrees above zero in the morning either. Fortunately, the dining room was relatively warm. We all tried the local Tsampa porridge with apple slices today. It was unclear to us what the local grain was but apparently it was a close relative of sawdust. Helped by the apple pieces and sugar, everyone finished the rather tasteless porridge, but from now on we’ll stick to oatmeal.
Walking-wise, the day was another short one as the distance between Chame and Manang had been split into two separate stages. Manang is actually lower than Ngawal, and the day started with a remarkably long downhill. In fact, the village after the descent, Bhraka, was only 3360 metres above sea level, so we had lost three hundred metres of altitude, and Manang was no longer lower, but a couple of hundred metres higher. As it was not very long after our departure, we did not stop at Bhraka but continued on our way. The journey continued with a gradual ascent, and we reached our destination well before noon. As the weather was warm and sunny and Manang is a slightly larger village, everyone was very happy with almost a whole day off.
In the afternoon, I went for a walk in Manang with my camera. There are several relatively better stocked shops in the village, as well as a few bakeries. I bought a can of Pringles, a couple of local energy drinks and a chocolate muffin for dinner. Pude tried to buy shorts suitable for hiking, but there were none to be found. The reason is probably that it’s never shorts season in Manang.
Our guesthouse was quite large and obviously popular, as from early afternoon people who came without a reservation to ask for a room were already out of luck. Free hot showers are a luxury in these parts, although this may have been helped by the fact that Amrit and the innkeeper were acquaintances, presumably from previous treks. In the dining room there was a large barrel stove, with stones piled on top of it like a stove in a sauna. In the evening, the stove and a sold-out crowd of hikers warmed the room very nicely. The internet also worked reliably and quickly, so I spent a long time updating the blog with pictures and text.
