hello,
i am considering a trek or maybe something less than a trek.
instead of trekking any recommendations for amazing places to simply relax, not trekking. maybe volunteer. in annapurna, out of annapurna. or perhaps short treks. villages.
my trekking concerns:
over 30,000 people visited annapurna last year. are the villagers still friendly or have they become somewhat (and understandably) jaded towards trekkers? manag, etc.
i have read it is ok to go alone. is it true? i once got lost on my way to the peace pagodo (pokhara). are the trails easy to find?
this time of year, early june, is the monsoon a concern? what about leeches?
besides the obvious is there any items i shoudl bring. i would rather remain light.
the obvious: rain coat, hat, trekking boots, tiger balm (leeches hate it), a sweater, water purification tablets, fleece outfit, torch, tshirts, pants, socks.
any other info appreciated.
thanks.
- Villagers on both the Marsyangdi and Kali Gandaki valleys are friendly and nice. Good lodges and friendly atmposphere. If you are a friendly kind of a person yourself that is...
It is quite ok to trek alone. The risks come more from having an injury, falling of the trail (it happend to a Nepali journaist a couple of years ago, and he was stuck in bushes below the trail for 2 days before someone heard him and helped him out...). Usually (again if you are the friendly type) you can usually shack up with other trekkers, don't have to trek alone even if you didn't start out the trek with someone else.
Leeches are a concern in the monsoon season for the first 3-4 days of the trek from Besishahar (Kundi) to about Chhame. After that, until you go down below Tukchuse or so on the Kali Gandaki side you don't have to worry. I find the strong poison of an insecticie (I use Rid Tropical Strangth) keeps the leeches away.
Otherwise most of the AC is beautiful during the monsoon. It is nice, green, beautiful flowers, only very little rain (most of the AC is in a transhimalayan valley in the rainshadow provided by the Himal). Nice temperature.
Sorry mist your last question. June should be relatively worm, the coldest would be around Thorung Pedi, or High Camp at night, maybe plus 6-7 degrees. Gore tex jacket for rain would be very advisable, good boots, and all the other stuff you mention appart from water purification tablets. You can buy boiled water at any lodge. You can also by water tablets along the way. I would take three pairs of socks, underwear, shirts. If you have the fleece jacket you don't need another sweater, unless you're emotionally attached to it, in an obsessive-compulsive way.
Hi there,
Bring medicine! You will not find the one you take in your mother country when you are on the trek.
Dont worry about Nepalese, they are very nice people.
I met a few guys in Pokhara who were doing volunteer work there in schools and orphange home. You may try to seach about this in the internet.
Leeches is a problem. Thay gave me kisses in the dry season too. That happened in Pokhara when I walked up to the pagoda. The trail to go there is somewhat tricky, or as I did, I pay for a little girl there to lead me up. 100 -200 rupees will do, and I visited her home and took a lot photos of her family too! Try this if you like too.
Pay for a porter if you go trekking. You will enjoy the trek much more as the weight is less, and the porter also means some kind of protection, and also he will know the trail more than you do, and you are providing them a working opportunity. I paid 500 rp a day for an English Speaking Nepalese last time.
Cheers!
yeung
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