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Trekking in the Annapurna Region of the Himalayas in Nepal

In September 1996, I took a trek in the Annapurna region in Nepal. Two years ago I also trekked in Nepal in the Khumbu (Everest) region. The trek I took was from Pokhara to Jomsom with a side trip to Annapurna Base Camp. They are the most popular treks in the Annapurna region and the Annapurna region is more popular than in the Everest region for trekking. This is probably because:

It is much lower altitude, 3,000 to 13,500 feet versus Everest region of 9,000 to 18,000 feet.
The guest houses are very nice with private rooms, clean bathrooms (some even attached) and showers.

I was disappointed in the trek however, especially compared to my previous trek in the Everest region or in the California Sierras because:

Other than Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), I was not hiking in the mountains, first three days was through terraced farms on the hill sides, then a bamboo forest up to ABC and back (I did get some fantastic views at ABC), then through rhododendron forests and lastly up the bottom of deep canyon (claimed to be the deepest on earth with 8,000 meter peaks on each side). In the Everest region you definitely felt in the mountains at 15,000+ feet and also in the Sierras you are in the mountains (that is why it is called the Pacific Crest Trail) rather have vistas of mountains in the distance.
The trail was terrible, steep rock steps and rocks/rocks/rocks that get very slippery when they are wet. In the Everest region and the Sierras for the most part the trails are wide dirt tracks and if there are rocks, other that stream crossings, they are rough with a good grip. It seemed like I spent all day looking at my feet rather than being able to enjoy the view. Being super careful I still managed to fall a few times spraining my wrist and whacking my tail bone a good one. At the end of the day instead of being just physically exhausted, I was also mentally exhausted having to compute where to put each step. There were also landslides on the steep slopes with either a very narrow slippery trail across them or a very steep 1/2 to 1 hour detour up to the top and then down the other side.
In the Everest region is Buddhist where everyone believes in not hurting anyone else and there is little theft. The Annapurna region is Hindu and the capital of theft in central Nepal. The thieves often cut tents of trekkers to remove things and trekking groups must circle their tents like an old time wagon train and post a guard with a lighted lantern throughout the night. When staying in a guest house you must lock the door at all times, even to go to the toilet in the middle of the night as the thieves watch everyone and will wait patiently like a cat to make their move.
I went early to avoid the crowds, but it turned out to be so few people that it was boring staying in half the guest houses by myself. It also rained 13/14 days and 7 of those days on us on the trail which was a blessing some days because without rain it could get very hot at the lower altitudes. The leeches were also no fun. At times there were so many that while you were getting rid of 1/2 of them off, the other 1/2 would begin sucking blood. They inject an anticoagulant that keeps their wounds bleeding for an half hour or more. One day at lunch when I took off my boots, my white socks had turned red from all the blood. My light colored trousers also became blood stained from my bleeding legs and hands.

I did get a lot of good exercise and lost about ten pounds. The food was good and I drank beer and rakshi their local alcohol every night on the trek. Katmandu hadn’t changed very much and a good steak costs only $3. I also spend days in Jomsom and Pokhara. I would not recommend Royal Nepal Airlines as they canceled my flight from Bangkok, so I had to depart 2 days early and then were 10 hours late departing Katmandu for Bangkok (I spent the day in the departure lounge with no local currency or small $ bills left to buy anything to eat or drink).

I would definitely recommend my first Khumbu trek two years ago to anyone in very good shape. As for the Annapurna trek I’d recommend saving your money and go trekking in the California Sierras.

Glenn Todd, September 1996

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