Annapurna. Siân Pritchard-Jones
north of Gorakhpur. Buses connect Bhairahawa to Kathmandu and Pokhara. The Banbasa/Mahendranagar western border links Nepal to Delhi, but it’s a long journey by local transport. Those travelling between Kathmandu and Darjeeling or Sikkim use the eastern border at Kakarvitta.
Kathmandu is linked to Lhasa in Tibet by the Arniko/Friendship Highway through Kodari/Zhangmu. It is a spectacular three-to-four-day journey, climbing over several 5000m passes through Nyalam, Xigatse and Gyangtse to Tibet’s once-forbidden capital, Lhasa.
Getting to Dumre and Pokhara
Many trekkers fly to Pokhara – a short flight from Kathmandu. On a clear day, stupendous views of Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Himalchuli, Manaslu and the Annapurnas grace the northern frontier. Airlines serving Pokhara (roughly US$115 single) include Yeti Airlines/Tara Air, Buddha Air and Goma Airlines, departing from the domestic terminal next to the international airport. Planes to Jomsom depart from Pokhara soon after dawn, so an overnight stay in Pokhara is necessary.
Travelling to Pokhara (200km) by bus is quite straightforward these days, since the road has been improved all the way. The normal journey time is six to eight hours, but traffic can get heavy in the afternoon if you are heading back towards Kathmandu. The most luxurious bus is currently the Greenline service: US$25 including a great lunch at the Riverside Springs Resort about halfway to Pokhara. Other slightly less comfortable (but generally reliable) tourist buses depart around 7am from Kantipath near Thamel. ‘Local’ buses, which are even cheaper, leave from the Gongabu bus depot, northwest of the city, but are only recommended for those wishing to rub shoulders (and more) with the locals and their animals all day. The taxi fare to the bus depot is normally more than the bus ticket, so there is little to recommend this option. Local buses often stop in Mugling, an infamous, scruffy village 110km west of Kathmandu – eating lunch here has its risks. In days gone by, dishes of ‘hepatitis and rice’ were served up.
The road plummets steeply down after leaving the Kathmandu Valley. On a clear day you will see Ganesh Himal, Himalchuli and maybe Annapurna II. The road descends through Naubise then soon follows the Trisuli River, passing through Charaudi, Malekhu and Majhimtar. Buses continue past the Manakamana cable car station for the temple shrine, and on to Mugling. Rafting parties can be observed on the Trisuli. From Mugling the road follows the Marsyangdi River through Ambo Khaireni, the turn-off for Gorkha town. At km135 is Dumre, where Annapurna Circuit trekkers need to wake up and change buses for Besisahar. Otherwise it’s on to Pokhara and, with luck, views of Himalchuli, Lamjung, Annapurna II and IV, along with Machhapuchhre; all are simply dazzling in the afternoon light. From Pokhara at sunset this astonishing panorama is truly heaven-sent – a vision that guests have marvelled at since Annapurna was ‘discovered’.
EARLY EXPLORERS TO ANNAPURNA
Annapurna I sunset from Kalopani (Trek 1)
When Nepal first opened to foreigners in the 1950s a few parties entered through the border south of Pokhara. French alpinists Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal, Lionel Terray, Gaston Rebuffat and others were granted access to Nepal in the spring of 1950. Despite having ambitions to summit the higher peak of Dhaulagiri, they settled for Annapurna I. Much of the arduous adventure was spent finding access routes to the mountain and its lower ramparts. Herzog’s party succeeded in summiting Annapurna I on 3 June, making it the highest peak over 8000m attained, but the cost of the expedition on his and Lachenal’s frostbitten fingers and toes are the abiding memory for readers of his book.
A British-Nepalese Army Expedition succeeded on the North Face of Annapurna I, when Henry Day and Gerry Owens made the top – incredibly it was 20 years later. At the same time an attempt was made on the awe-inspiring buttresses of the South Face, seen from the Annapurna Sanctuary, by Chris Bonington’s team. Dougal Haston and Don Whillans tackled this treacherous face on 27 May 1970, just a week after Day and Owens.
Climbers from all over the world have been drawn to the Himalayas of Nepal ever since. The early climbers were backed by vast entourages of porters, cooks and crews to carry their tons of equipment. In the 1960s ex-Gurkha officer Jimmy Roberts decided that the local portering traditions of the country, which allowed goods to ‘reach all those parts that were hard to reach’, could be adapted for trekking.
Soon all manner of adventurers, hippies and travellers also flocked to the country. You are following in the steps of some illustrious climbers, explorers and, yes, ordinary modern-day adventure-seekers like yourself.
Visas and permits
Village house on the trek up to Chowk Chisopani (Trek 12 variant)
Nepal
All foreign nationals (except Indians) require a visa. Currently visas are available from embassies and overland borders, as well as at Tribhuvan International Airport on arrival in Kathmandu (check that this is still the case before arrival). Entering or exiting the country at the remoter crossing points and from Tibet may be subject to change, with the unpredictable political difficulties in some of these districts.
Applying in your home country is one option, although it will cost more. Be sure to apply well ahead of the time of travel, in case there are any holidays at the embassy related to the festival periods in Nepal. Many people obtain visas on arrival; at the present time this is the simplest option. The maximum length of stay in Nepal is five months in one calendar year (although the fifth month can sometimes be hard to obtain).
Tourist visas are available for 15, 30 or 90 days, at a fee of US$25, $40 and $100 (payment in cash) respectively. Check the up-to-date fees at www.nepalimmigration.gov.np. Those staying longer can get an extension in Kathmandu at the Immigration Department at a cost of US$30 (the minimum fee) or pay a daily charge of US$2 per day. All visas are currently multiple-entry, helpful for those heading out to places like Bhutan, Tibet or India and returning to Kathmandu for their flight home.
Note on Indian visas
Anyone planning to visit India as well as Nepal should be sure to check the latest visa situation. Changes to the fees, the period of the visa, re-entry rules, and probably new rules we can only guess at seem to be introduced quite frequently. It’s also important to note that obtaining a visa in Kathmandu for India at short notice takes at least a week and most likely more time to procure. There is a new online, pre-arranged visa system which may still be a little confusing.
Note on Tibet/China entry
Travel to Tibet from Nepal currently requires special arrangements. Do not get a Chinese visa in advance of your visit, as it will simply be cancelled at the Kathmandu embassy. Visas are normally issued on paper only for the duration of the stated itinerary, with extensions not possible. Allow for a few days in Kathmandu and make the application well ahead of your arrival in Nepal. Arranging the visa in Nepal must be through a Nepalese agent. Independent travellers can still visit Tibet by taking the ‘budget tour’ on offer through Kathmandu travel agents.
SOME NEPAL EMBASSIES
UK 12A Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QU; tel: +44 (0207) 243 7854; email: [email protected]; www.nepembassy.org.uk
US 2131 Leroy Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: +1 (202) 667 4550; email: [email protected]; www.nepalembassyusa.org
India Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001, India; tel: +91 (11) 2347 6200; email: [email protected]; www.nepalembassy.in
China (Consulate) Norbulingka Road 13, Lhasa, Tibet, People’s Republic of China; tel: +86 (891) 682 2881; email: [email protected]
For others see www.mofa.gov.np.
Trekking permits