We are about to hike up to Annapurna Base Camp!
After completing the visit to Poon Hill (Part 1 of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek) this morning and enjoying our breakfast at Fishtail Guest House in Ghorepani, we were gearing up for another challenging hike ahead. This leg of the journey took us through stunning forests and along the river to reach Tadapani, totaling around 12 hours, including the earlier trek to Poon Hill.
1. Trek from Ghorepani to Tadapani
Day 03, Apr 10: Early morning hike to Poon Hill and trek to Tadapani (2630m), 6-7 hours, Approx distance: 12 KM, overnight at Grand View Lodge
After breakfast, my wife will stay at Ghorepani for another day and head to Gandruk instead. The remaining four of us will embark on the longest trekking day and look forward to conquering the Annapurna Base Camp.
The hike started with a gentle uphill climb, navigating stairs amidst the lush forest. It sounds like we were stepping into a surreal world straight out of a movie, surrounded by towering trees that envelop us from every angle.
En route, we even share the same path with other animals, like horses.
During April, the rhododendrons are in full bloom, creating a stunning carpet of color against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
There are several stone slabs along the hiking trail where we can take a quick break to rest or drink water.
During our long hike, we stopped multiple times, including at places where pony service was available.
Eventually, we arrived at Thapla Danda and passed through a beautiful forest.
Lunch break
After a tiring hike, we finally reached Deurali, where we took a well-deserved break. (There are a few places called Deurali, and we will pass another one on our way to Annapurna Base Camp in the next few days.)
We came across an area where many cairns were piled close to the Mutlung Khola.
While we were admiring the cairns, hundreds of mountain goats and sheep suddenly appeared, a rare and exciting experience for us.
The trail followed the Mutlung Khola (River), and after a few hours, we reached Hotel Sunrise Lodge at Ban Thanti, where we stopped for lunch. We have a long way to go before reaching Tadapani, so we want to spend only a little time having lunch. It tends to rain late in the evening, so we hope to reach Tadapani before that.
Horses also use the same track to carry goods by the locals. The horses have the privilege of using the trek, and we waited at the side for them to pass before continuing our hiking.
After more than ten hours of hiking (including up to Poon Hill), we finally reached Hotel Grand View Lodge at Tadapani. It was a long day and relatively strenuous. We had an early sleep at 8 pm after dinner!
2. Trek from Tadapani to Chomrong
Day 04, Apr 11: Trek to Chhomrong (2020m), 6-7 hours, overnight at International Guest House
On our fourth day of hiking, we set off from Tadapani towards Chomrong. The hike was easier than the day before because it is shorter and involves more descending steps.
The scenery was breathtaking as we walked through a lush forest with tree branches stretching around us.
The terrain was more open and flat than the day before, with occasional rest stops. The vast open area allowed us to enjoy the magnificent view of the mountain range.
We bought some T-shirts
Halfway into our hike, we stopped by the Mountain Discovery Lodge in Chuile, where we purchased some T-shirts with the ABC Trek Map embroidered as souvenirs. Each shirt cost Rs 1000.
After Chuile, we started descending downhill, which was pretty steep, leading us down to Kimrong Khola.
While en route, we spotted some logs hanging in front of local homes., Our guide, VJ, informed us those are beehives. The locals rear bees in addition to being farmers.
During our journey, we noticed some marijuana plants (Cannabis) growing along the way.
We briefly stopped at a small temple on our way to the suspension bridge.
Once we crossed Kimrong Khola, we began another uphill climb that lasted approximately 30 minutes. This ascent will lead us to Gurjung village.
As we continued our journey, we noticed some prayer items at the path’s junction. Our guide explained that these items were offerings to chase away evil spirits, similar to witchcraft, when their ailment does not respond to modern medical treatments.
We crossed the second suspension bridge and estimated that we still had to walk for another half an hour before reaching our lunch spot at Gurjung Lodge.
After lunch, we heard thunder, and soon it started raining.
We quickly put on our ponchos and continued our journey, hoping to reach Chomrong before the rain got heavier.
Fortunately, the rain stopped, and we finally reached the International Guest House, where we would spend the night.
3. Trek from Chomrong to Bamboo
Day 05, Apr 12: Trek to Bamboo (2300m), 5-6 hours, Approx distance: 8 KM, Overnight at Buddha Lodge.
We woke up early at 5:30 a.m. The sky was slightly foggy yet illuminated by the rays, and we still managed to capture some lovely photos of the mountain ranges.
After a hearty breakfast, we began our hike towards Bamboo.
The initial path was gentle, but the trail descends steeply to the Chomrong Chola after that. On the way, we passed by the Tourist Checkpost, which was situated inside a building rather than along the trek. We would have missed it without our guide arranging to register us.
As we hike, we arrive at a place where natural spring water is available for the locals to drink directly. We were hesitant because we wanted to avoid getting sick.
We visited a stupa before heading down a long flight of steps to Chomrong Chola.
After crossing the bridge, the trail ascends through Lower Sinuwa to Upper Sinuwa. Looking back, we were astonished to see how much we had descended from Chomrong to the river and ascended again!
Afterward, we took a break at the helipad on our way to Upper Sinuwa.
Break for lunch
We stopped at the Sinuwa Lodge and Restaurant in Upper Sinuwa for lunch. Our guide and porters had impressive appetites, requesting additional rice and vegetables for their Dal Bhat. I envy their eating portions and physical strength, as they can walk much faster than us while carrying more weight.
After lunch, we started hiking through a dense and mossy forest.
As we moved forward, we began to see more and more bamboo, indicating that we were getting close to our destination—Bamboo.
Our next stop was Buddha Guest House & Restaurant at Bamboo, where we spent the night. While some hikers prefer to continue their hike to the Himalayas, we have decided to take an extra day to make our hike more enjoyable and less tiring.
From Bamboo onwards, the teahouses will be relatively basic, and we were expected to stay in rooms of four instead of two. Since our room had no charging facilities, I had to go to the dining area to charge my devices before dinner.
We had an early dinner and slept before 9 p.m. There wasn’t much to do at night, as the dining hall was closed and became a sleeping area for the porters. We also needed more rest, as we rarely hike for long hours.
Our story will continue in our next article—from Bamboo to Dureali! Good night!
Videos
Please watch the video we made for our trip on YouTube. As below:
Related links about ABC Trek:
We have written several articles about the ABC track, including what to know before starting the journey, what to pack, and updates during our hike.
- Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek – (Part 1) the ultimate hiking itinerary
- Twelve things to know before trekking to Annapurna Base Camp
- Annapurna Base Camp Packing List- a comprehensive guide
VJ Tamang, owner and tour guide of Grande Adventure, expertly organized and made our trip enjoyable. VJ can be contacted at https://www.grandeadventure.com/contact-us/ or through https://web.facebook.com/GrandeAdventures.