High on Himalayan adventure

From its spectacular mountain scenery to its intriguing Buddhist cultural flavour the high Himalayas dominate and define Nepal Home to the grandest mountain vistas on the planet this tiny country boasts worldclass trekking at its most accessible Avid trekkers and mountaineers swear that Nepalrsquos epic mountain topography and trekking routes are among the most impressive on the planet Annapurna trekking The vast majority of trekkers flocking to Nepal leave their camping gear at home and opt instead for a cushy teahouse trekking option Nepal is after all top of the global charts for hasslefree trekking and nowhere more so than in the Annapurna Everest or Langtang regions where hiking is affordable the scenery sensational permits and logistics simple to arrange trails wellmaintained and trekking routes easy to follow As seen from the Annapurna Base Camp the spectacular amphitheatre of Himalayan peaks rising above a sea of cloud will remain engraved in your memory for eternity For many years the Annapurna region remained the pick of the bunch Trekkers descended to this mountainous Shangrila often for a month or more safe in the knowledge that at the end of each day they could count on a friendly familyrun teahouse to provide them with a clean bed gasheated hot shower homecooked meal and even a slice of warm apple pie for dessert National Geographic echoed these sentiments when it accorded the Annapurna Circuit Trek the prestigious accolade of lsquonumber one trek on the planetrsquo While recent road construction and the everincreasing popularity of this iconic hiking circuit have contributed to it losing its mantle as the worldrsquos greatest trek the Annapurnas still remain a topclass trekking destination of astounding natural beauty During my most recent visit to the Annapurna region my wife and I spent three enjoyable weeks trekking the full circuit followed by a week hiking to Annapurna Base Camp deep inside the Sanctuary The trip however got off to an inauspicious start with our first couple of days on the trail marred by the unexpected hubbub of pneumatic drills and blasting as the Nepali government pushes road development ever deeper into the mountains At lower elevations within the Annapurna Conservation Area trekkers pass through otherworldly rhododendron forests The most extensive of these sprawling forests dominates the hiking trail between Ghorepani Tadapani and Gandruk Thankfully the construction work ended shortly after the village of Tal and from Dharapani to Muktinath we savoured an idyllic week imbibing the wilderness of the picturesque Marsyangdi Khola valley and its surrounding tall snowcapped mountains While walking this section of the circuit we opted for the longer and more strenuous upper route from Pisang to Braga This fortuitous decision treated us to a hike with views to die for and traditional villages along the way We enjoyed the area so much that we ended up staying three nights at the delightful New Yak Hotel read teahouse in Braga so we could properly explore the locality by taking sidetrips that included a rewarding dayhike to the frozen lake at Kicho Tal While itrsquos difficult to begrudge the indigenous populace development brought about by new roads which will only facilitate in their previously inaccessible region its very presence is steadily eroding the thriving trekking industry on which the locals depend for their livelihoods The sad fact is that the time of the Annapurna trekker is nearing an end and within a decade jeeps and airconditioned minibuses will ply the Annapurna circuit as a new breed of tourists travel through this amazing Himalayan region without even breaking a sweat But thankfully itrsquos not all doom and gloom in the Annapurnas The road still has a long way to go and both the weeklong Annapurna Base Camp ABC Trek into the Annapurna Sanctuary and the section of the Annapurna Circuit Trek from Manang over the 5416m Thorong La pass to Muktinath remain safely ensconced in the mountains many miles from the nearest roadbuilding project The wilderness continues to beckon visitors who deem bipedal travel the key to unlocking the jawdroppingly magnificent mountain scenery authentic Buddhist villages and undisturbed natural beauty of the more remote regions within the Annapurna Conservation Area Yaks are the main beasts of burden in the Everest region where they ferry building materials supplies and trekking equipment to remote Himalayan villages Pics Stephen Cunliffe Everest region The Everest region has no problems with road expansion In fact it is so far from the nearest road that most trekkers opt to fly to Lukla airport which lies perched atop a cliff deep inside the mountains A scenic hourlong flight from Kathmandu deposits trekkers at 3300m right in the heart of the SoluKhumbu region of northeastern Nepal Regardless of your fitness level you should allow a minimum of 1014 days for a roundtrip trek through World Heritagelisted Sagarmatha National Park via the panoramic viewpoint at Kalapatthar 5545m and onto Everest Base Camp In sharp contrast to the Annapurnas which are fairly forgiving in terms of daily altitude gains trails ascend quickly in the Everest region and problems with altitude sickness are a real concern unless trekkers climb slowly and take regular rest days to acclimatise along the way The vast majority of visitors come here to undertake the Everest Base Camp EBC Trek Rather surprisingly you cannot actually see Everest from the frigid glacier where base camp is situated In fact I would go so far as to say that the standard outandback EBC trek comes a distant second to a loop trek up the neighbouring Gokyo valley Trekkers who choose this lesserknown trail are treated to stunning views of the sacred Gokyo lakes a breathtaking mountain panorama mdash including Everest mdash from atop the Gokyo Ri viewpoint and finally a steep climb over the nontechnical 5420m Cho La pass to enter the Everest valley near Lobuche Sitting atop Gokyo Ri viewpoint surrounded by the natural beauty of colossal snowdrenched mountains was a humbling experience I marvelled at the raw power of Mother Nature as the ice and rock of the Ngozumpa Glacier scoured a route south below towering peaks Cho Oyu Everest Lhotse Makalu and a host more summits marginally below 8000m appeared almost near enough to touch Fed by meltwater from Nepalrsquos largest glacier six sacred emerald lakes sparkled like a bejewelled necklace in the Gokyo Valley far below The serene morning my wife and I whiled away atop Gokyo Ri without another soul in sight was undoubtedly one of the most scenic and spectacular experiences of our lives to date Donrsquot delay Itrsquos a common adage that one trekking trip to Nepal is seldom sufficient The Himalayan kingdom is addictive and its mesmerising mountains will lure you back time and again So donrsquot procrastinate itrsquos high time you donned your hiking boots and headed across the border for a trekking extravaganza bar none Getting there BY AIR For domestic air travel within Nepal Tara Air wwwtaraaircom and Yeti Airlines wwwyetiairlinescom are the most reliable carriers with daily flights into the key mountain towns and trekking centres Flights are weather dependant so be prepared for delays or cancellations especially during the monsoon season BY ROAD Driving yourself around Nepal is not for the fainthearted The winding mountain roads and crazy local drivers can make for a nervewracking experience Taking the tourist bus or hiring a taxi is less stressful Travelling by road is affordable but slow however it does afford visitors an opportunity to appreciate the picturesque countrysideu00a0 Trip planner Where to stay Nepal has developed a friendly tourist scene that caters to all budgets and preferences In general accommodation is clean comfortable and reasonably basic but also very affordable However there are a few fivestar topdollar options for those with rupees to burn Thorong Peak Guesthouse wwwthorongpeakcom located down a quiet culdesac in the touristorientated suburb of Thamel in Kathmandu makes an excellent base from which to source trekking permits and information book bus tickets or internal flights Room rates are 2030 per night for two people in comfortable en suite rooms Trekkers make use of the thriving teahouse industry centred on the Annapurna Everest Langtang and Helambu regions These overnight pit stops usually come in the form of reasonably basic accommodations with an attached restaurant serving typical Nepali and Indian dishes along with western favourites What to carry Nepal is the epicentre of the global trekking scene Hiking through the high Himalayas requires visitors to have sturdy hiking boots a raincoat plenty of lightweight warm clothing and a cosy sleeping bag all packed in a comfortable backpack Also donrsquot forget sunscreen lip balm a hat sunglasses an uptodate guidebook and map Trekking poles a camera and binoculars are recommended When to go For trekkers the best time to visit is immediately after the monsoon from late September to midNovember when the skies are clear and mountain views superlative The second most popular trekking season is from early March to May Suggested reading Lonely Planetrsquos Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya by Bradley Mayhew and Joe Bindloss is an invaluable asset for visitors wanting to venture into the wilderness areas of this mountainous kingdom Maurice Herzogrsquos Annapurna chronicles the first successful conquest of an 8000m peak and itrsquos a great read for trekkers heading into the Annapurna region Visas and Health Indian passport holders do not require a visa to visit Nepal While there are no mandatory immunisations required inoculations against hepatitis A and typhoid are encouragedu00a0