Hiking Solo on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, referred to as ABC from here on in. My first time in Nepal, and it sure makes for a superb multi-day trek.
Post from 2011: I spent a week in Kathmandu with a lot of time in the bathroom, squatting and puking over the floor as there was no bucket. When there was a lull in the stomach cramps, I was trying (unsuccessfully) to get into a fellow traveller’s knickers or drinking beer.
As thin as hell, I headed to Pokhara but not before getting myself checked out at the Western-run clinic. All tests came back negative, save for some bacterial infection. With a supply of antibiotics, it’d clear up.
I rested for just 2 days in Pokhara to let my belly recover and to sort out the documentation.
In 2011, I needed just a trekking permit and a park entry permit, shown in the header photo, together with a route profile card and trekking map.
Solo on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Keen to start trekking, I took a bus to the start of the trek.
You can go alone or you can take a guide and/or porter. Of course, I chose the former option. I was strong enough to carry my own pack, I can navigate with my eyes shut, and no guide in their right mind would want to go at my pace. I travel light and I travel fast.
Beaches are not really my thing, and I don’t do crowded places, but in the high mountains, I am in my element.
The first day was spent hiking through the Himalayan foothills to Landruk, where I stayed for the night. Awesome feeling. Absolutely no issues with energy levels or with the higher altitudes. I had spent 2 weeks in Darjeeling and then 2 weeks in Sikkim, both at around 2,000 metres.
There are very few flat sections of footpaths in Nepal. You’re even going up or down, mostly very steeply. And always steps, endless steps, down one valley, cross the river and back up the other side. 400 – 500m climbs every time. My legs burned with lactate, but boy, I was feeling good.
Early morning view above the rooftops of Landruk towards the snowy peaks. You pass through small villages such as Landruk every 2 hours or so. All provide simple rooms and awesome food. The higher you go, the prices go up. Understandably!
I had to smile yesterday, sitting outside my room. The footpath goes right through the homestay, the European tourists, all kitted out for a snowstorm (I’m in my shorts), Gore-Tex jackets, hoods up, brand new hiking boots that looked like they had just been taken out of the box and those damn Leki poles going click click click on the nice smooth footpath, looking like they are on a mission to God knows where.
Then their porter ambles by, a big smile on his face, in flip flops and 3 bags tied together and the strap going around his forehead, the favoured carrying method here, shame on you tourists, able-bodied and healthy but so utterly pathetic but at least you keep the porters in a job, he’s getting 3 US$ a day, the agency is getting 12 US$ from you for him, the porter is smiling, he’s getting paid and he is laughing at you. They greet me with a BIG namaste.
Night 3 at Duerali. I slept well in the rarified air. Each day, I woke at 6. By 7 after Dahl Bhat and porridge and 3 mugs of tea, I’d be on my way. Stopping for liquid at 9, more porridge at around 11 and around 2, I’d be in the guest house relaxing with a cold EVEREST beer and yet another bowl of porridge and watch the other trekkers wander in after getting caught out in the pre-monsoon showers which started around 2, every day.
Machhapuchhre or FISHTAIL MOUNTAIN @6693m, revered by the local population as particularly sacred to the god Shiva, and hence is off-limits to climbing.
Everything must be carried on the backs of the locals. They start carrying from an early age. They are used to the thin air, the hard conditions. In the beginning, they become porters, and then, if they can master a foreign language, guides.
Day 4. Annapurna Base Camp. 4130m. Arrived at 8:13 am.
Breakfast in bed at 5 am The dining room was full of others who found no bed and were still fast asleep at that hour.
Left at 5:45 alone, a bit chilly, just about light, cold wind blowing down the valley. After 20 minutes, I adjusted my clothing, long pants off, shorts on, and cut off Indian army socks for leg warmers. 1 T-shirt with arm warmers and my waterproof jacket on back to front to keep the wind off, no need to keep the back covered, my rucksack did that. And I looked so dam sexy!!!
Non-stop all the way, good pace, easy rhythm, no hard effort, not affected by the altitude. EASY!
Massive views of Annapurna South, 7219 m, Annapurna 1, 8091 m and the FishTail Mountain, 6997 m… WOW, what beauty. I love it here!
After warming up with chai and getting lots of photos, I descended to Deurali, where I spent a second night. No real need to spend a sleepless night in the Annapurna Base Camp guest house. I’d met others the night before, and all complained of the cold and the shortage of breath.
End of day 5 – Kimrong 1829m, a long, long day, even by my standards. Don’t offer to come hiking with me!!!!!! I am 43 and will kick your butts!
All day I was umming and ahring about where I should sleep for the night. I lost altitude all day. 1000m, down and down, then the path kicked up again, 400m straight up, steps, but I blasted up them nonstop. I was delirious at the top, had a snack and then down another 800m to the river and found a homestay!
Day 6, early morning. I was in bed at 7:45 pm, asleep seconds later. The sun is already up. A short day is on the cards, well, there’s a big climb and a crazy steep descent down the other side and back up a few hundred metres. Should be there in time for lunch. This trip takes most people 7-8 hours.
End of day 6. Landruk again. I like the homestay here! Friendly, best food ever and warmer. I can wash my stinky stuff.
Had a great day! Up hill 450m in 1 hour, making it easy, had some food, and down the other side as was planned, God, my legs were sore, but the rhythm was intact. Easy, easy, easy.
End of day 7. Tadapani – 2640m.
The joys of going solo can go where the hell I want, so I backtracked 3 hours down the hill, up the hill and up some more to where I was yesterday (1 hour from where I had slept in Kimrong)….. 3 hours of precious energy only having to do it all again and then turned left! Easy walk on a little-used track was a delight!
The weather is on the change, no clear skies, hazy sun. I had the best days!
Day 9, on my way down, stopping for a yak cheese buttie, mmm LEKKER. Time to get going, rain coming!!!!!
12 midday! Walk over, what a great trip. I will come back. I wanna go to Everest Base Camp next time, need more cold-weather gear and be here in the fall, not spring!
And since I ain’t as fit as I once was, maybe taking a helicopter back to Lukla would be something I could do.
