Fourteen Chemeketans and friends participated in a long adventure in Nepal, from October 27 through November 15. The trip encompassed a wide variety of experiences. The first 6 days were primarily dedicated to exploring the rich cultural, historical, and natural monuments of Nepal, many of which have been recognized as World Heritage sites. This also gave us time to acclimatize prior to the trek. Highlights included Durbar square in Kathmandu, Bandipur (described as a “a living museum of medieval architecture”), and Pokhara (famed for its lake and sweeping panoramic views).
The trek comprised short sections of three standard treks: the Annapurna Sanctuary trek, the Ghorepani to Ghandruk Loop Trek, and the famed Annapurna Circuit Trek. The route took 8 days to complete. The group was accompanied by 7 porters and 2 guides, who did all the hard work and kept us entertained with their stories and card-playing abilities. Along the way, we passed through a rhododendron forest, where the rhododendrons are as much as 80 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter! We’d love to see them bloom in the spring, but that’s another trip! We also experienced a strong earthquake that destroyed small some villages and killed about 140 people, but we were far enough from the epicenter that we just felt a long shake.
We stayed in teahouses along the route, so camping gear was not required. The route stayed mostly in the foothills, reaching a maximum elevation of 10,500 feet (as opposed to nearly 17,000 feet on the Annapurna Circuit). That’s about the same as Oregon’s Mount Hood, but in Nepal, it’s just the foothills! Though we did not be venture into the Himalayas proper, along the way we had many panoramic views of the big peaks.
After the trek, we embarked on a two-day excursion to Chitwan national park. Believe it or not, Nepal has a jungle! This park is a World Natural Heritage site and widely considered the best place in Asia for wildlife viewing. While there, we took an elephant safari and canoed down the Rapti river. We saw rhinos, monkeys, crocodiles and peacocks.
The trip ended where it began, back in Kathmandu, for a national festival called Tihar or the festival of lights. The streets were filled with throngs of people, many adorned with marigold garlands and clanging cymbals or banging on drums. Noisy but fun!
