Trekking from Pokhara to Annapurna Base Camp

In the heart of Nepal

After a hearty breakfast, our real adventure in Nepal begins. Today, several hours of travel await us to reach Pokhara, a traditional city reflected in the waters of Phewa Lake. It's 200 kilometers from Kathmandu, and the journey will take approximately six hours. Through the window, we'll see the landscape change kilometer after kilometer, from city to nature, and then back to the city again.

For such a long transfer, a break is definitely in order, and what better way to stretch your legs than an adrenaline-pumping rafting trip? In fact, the route we'll be taking runs alongside the Trisuli River, which happens to be one of the best spots for this activity!

Everyone gets out of the minibus and gets into the raft!

Walk in Pokhara

We arrive in Pokhara and take some time to explore the city. The streets in the center are quiet, and Lake Side, the main street, is lined with shops selling mostly climbing equipment. One of the most interesting areas is the peaceful Tibetan quarter, made up of colorful low houses, a Buddhist temple, and a shopping area where you can find handicrafts made by the women of the community.

The adventure begins!

Today, our real adventure begins: we say goodbye to Pokhara and, after a transfer of about two hours, we reach Nayapul, where we board our 4x4 Jeeps, which traverse the magnificent landscapes of the Annapurna range. In about three hours, we finally arrive at Jhino Danda, the starting point of our trek.

After a bite to eat, it's time to warm up our muscles for the long trek ahead: let's go! We begin our trek and are immediately immersed in the climate of these mountains, whose vegetation is very different from that of the French mountains we're used to. We prepare our minds and bodies for days away from the "modern" world, from the fast pace, from the worries of daily life: we leave our troubles at home and focus on experiencing these enchanting places.

After two hours of walking and stairs (yes, you read that right, stairs... there will be a lot of them), we arrive at our destination: we are in Chhomrung, at about 2170 m altitude, the final destination of this day.

Alright, let's go!

Today, the climb is slow again! The final stage is Doban, at 2600m above sea level. We start walking early to enjoy the tranquility that characterizes the natural landscapes of these lands in the early morning. We test our limits, like all the other hikers who traverse these trails: it is the beauty of the mountain that invites us to slow down to appreciate every detail of the beauty that surrounds us and that, at the same time, challenges us to conquer it with the strength of our legs alone.

A hotel with 5 million stars

We arrive in Doban and leave our backpacks. After dinner (we need to recharge our batteries), we stay outside a little longer to admire the starry night. Here, surrounded by the Himalayan mountains, far from the city lights that illuminate the streets but darken the sky, we can admire the celestial vault in all its splendor. We linger, chatting amongst ourselves and perhaps with other hikers with whom we'll share the trail tomorrow, until sleep finally overtakes us.

We're almost there!

We've grown accustomed to these remote landscapes and feel like we've been here for two months, not just two days. Today, the most challenging part of our trek awaits: this evening, we'll reach Machapuchare Base Camp at an altitude of 3700 meters. The elevation gain we face today is approximately 1000 meters, so let's have a hearty breakfast and set off!

The magic of the stars

We're starting to get a little breathless as we approach base camp—the altitude is beginning to take its toll, but we grit our teeth and support each other (that's the beauty of being in a group!). All our efforts are rewarded by the view: Annapurna is visible in all its splendor. Tonight again, we linger to admire the sky: the Milky Way is more beautiful than ever, and it's easy to think that, with such a reward, forgoing the comforts of a hotel isn't so bad. And the best is yet to come!

A dreamy dawn

This morning, the alarm is set for 4 a.m.; a sunrise we'll never forget awaits us. It takes us about two hours to reach Annapurna Base Camp, at 4,130 meters, just in time to admire the first rays of sunlight illuminating the summit of Annapurna. It will be incredible to see this mountain range, one of the highest and most inaccessible in the world, warm up and blaze with the colors of dawn—let's savor this spectacle second by second; there's no rush.

Let's get off!

We resume our trek, this time downhill. It will be difficult to say goodbye to the majestic Annapurna and turn our backs on these landscapes, but the journey back to the "real world" is still long. We reach Machapuchare base camp again, then descend to Doban, where we spend the night. Our steps will feel lighter after this day: we definitely pushed ourselves to the limit!

Descent towards Chhomrung

We lace up our shoes, put our backpacks on our shoulders and set off again today: Chhomrung, does that ring a bell? Today, we descend towards Chhromrung, accompanied by Nepalese songs that we are starting to know by heart (yes, our trekking guide likes to sing!).

It will take us between 6 and 7 hours to reach our destination but we are not in a hurry: we are enjoying the scenery and the Nepalese hospitality to the very end, without rushing!

One last effort

A new day, one last hike, breathtaking scenery, and an early start! Today we're setting off early, one last sacrifice before saying goodbye to these mountains for good! We're crossing forests and Tibetan bridges—the pace is relaxed today, and we're enjoying every step we take together. Maybe someone will start singing French mountain songs? We know the Nepalese songs pretty well by now! After about an hour and a half of hiking, we reach Jhino Danda: there, our jeeps are waiting to take us to Nayapul, where we'll meet up with an old friend: the minivan!

Two hours later, we're back in Pokhara, where a moment of pure bliss awaits: a sports massage of about an hour to relieve the tension in our legs, sore from these days of walking. The massage will be done in collaboration with Seeing Hands Nepal, a charity that provides training and employment opportunities in massage therapy for visually impaired people.

Back in the capital

After a long transfer (which, admittedly, was almost a pleasure after so much walking!), we returned to Kathmandu and, since we hadn't yet explored it properly, we started with Swayambhunath, the most famous Buddhist temple, also known as the "Monkey Temple," and then continued on to the Pashupatinath Temple. That evening, we had our last dinner together: we were ready to share, once again, the emotions of the past few days.

Back home

It's time to say goodbye: we'll see each other again soon, that's for sure! Until next time!