Upper Mustang and Annapurna Base Camp

[Andrew]

Here is a link to pictures from my September/October 2008 trip to Upper Mustang and Annapurna Base Camp. We did the Upper Mustang trek as a teahouse trek. As we were only 2 of us (plus 1 guide and 2 porters), we never had any problems finding a lodge to stay in. Ghorepani and the Annapurna Base Camp trek was quite crowded.

I tried to keep the pictures in sets reflecting the daily treks. 29 days of consecutive trekking, so there are lots of pictures! Here is the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/my_trips/collections/72157608515831521/

I will post a trip report with diary on my website www.andreastravels.com as soon as I will have that done, probably a couple of months.

Andreas

[thesilvertops]

A great set of pictures of a really good trek. You can't beat having lots of time to make the best of a visit to Nepal and a great idea to combine Mustang trek with ABC trek. You've also confirmed that it is possible to teahouse trek in Upper Mustang.

Thank you for sharing your photos with us.

[Andrew]

Thanks, Silvertops.

Yes, teahouse trekking is possible as long as you are in a small group. Sometimes the camping groups take over the lodges especially when there is bad weather. Happened to us once. Most of the villages have lodges now but even in the ones who don't one can always find a local house to stay in.

The local people encourage teahouse trekking and love independent trekkers as they hardly benefit from the camping groups.

Andreas

[Suginami]

Oh.. I love those pictures. I didn't know you could go independantly to Mustang. I want to go. I love it when everything is booked and you have to ask for a Nepali family to crash with. Too much charas usually.

[thesilvertops]

You can't go independently. You have to book through an agency and that means guide and porter(s). You can only get the permit through an agency. But you do not have to camp, there are just enough lodges to do a teahouse trek and that makes for a cheaper trek. We met two guys in Lo Manthang in March 2006 and they were teahousing with only a guide. We had a full team and were camping but as Andreas says, when the weather is bad you have a room instead. We had rooms on at least 4 occasions. I am sure that there will be more lodges on this trek in the future.

Andreas - Did you see any vehicles on the move when you were north of Kagbeni?

[Andrew]

Yes, there will be more lodges in the future. In Lo Manthang, they are working on a new one.

Regarding vehicles: We saw one tractor in Tsarang and a couple of tractors in Lo Manthang, mainly used for farming purposes. Also a motorcycle in Lo Manthang. However, there is a roadbed pretty much in place from the Tibetan border all the way to Gheling. In my opinion it is only a matter of time before you have chinese tourists flood Mustang (if they can handle the altitude). If that happens, the road will be finished soon. Between Gheling and Kagbeni it probably will take some more time with a road as the terrain is much more difficult.

Because all the permit fees, trekking fees etc. go directly to the agencies and goverment, the Mustangis see hardly any monetary benefit from the camping groups and would welcome the further opening of Mustang for independent trekkers.

Andreas

[Andrew]

I finally finished my trip report from this trip. If anybody is interested in a long read on a day by day basis and has time to spend, the full account is here:

http://www.andreastravels.com/Nepal2008.html

Andreas

[marcy]

Hi Andreas - I have been really hoping to teahouse Mustang & ABC for my next trek in 2010, and am really looking forward to spending this weekend reqading your trip report and flicker sight!

[marcy]

Hi Andreas - I have been really hoping to teahouse Mustang & ABC for my next trek in 2010, and am really looking forward to spending this weekend reqading your trip report and flicker sight!

[marcy]

Andrew: Enjoyed your blog and photos. Really nice to know one CAN teahouse trek Mustang. Question: I am a slow-ish trekker, are the villages/teahouses close enough together that a slow-ish trekker might be able to tea house mustang without worry.

I particuraly enjoyed your architectural photos - various durbar squares, bodinath... very nicely framed wide angle shots. Good eye! What kind of lens/camera were you shooting with?

[Andrew]

Marcy:

Thanks for reading my diary.

There are teahouses in the following places:

Chhusang (3 hours from Kagbeni)
Chele (1.5 hours from Chhusang)
Samar (3 hours from Chele)
Syangboche (3 hours from Samar)
Gheling there are as far as I know no teahouses but people I have met have stayed there in private houses
Tamagoon also has a teahouse as far as I know (about 1.5 hours after Syangboche)
Ghami (4 hours after Syangboche)
Tsarang (3-4 hours after Ghami)
Lo Manthang (3 hours after Tsarang)
Dhi (3 hours from Lo Manthang, 4 hours from Tsarang)

Time is from my memory and how long it took us. So if you double the time for each destination it can be easily done by a slow hiker.

Regarding camera: I have a Pentax D1st DSLR with 2 lenses, a zoom 70-200 and a wide 20-70 I think. In my opinion it definitely pays off to have a DSLR with a couple of lenses vs. a smaller "normal" pocket size digital camera, but that's my personal preference.

Andreas

[marcy]

Thanks Andrew: Great appreciation for the itinerary and walking times! B/c I am a slower than normal trekker (and acclimatizer) I am going to end up finding a trek companion or two and putting together a trip like yours rather than go with pre-established group... this is just the sort of info I needed!


Thanks for the camera info to. I fairly recently changed from shooting slides to digital (Canon 50D) and took a 10-22 with me and canon's new 'vacation zoom' (18-200) since my 70-200 L series was on the fritz (whimper). That was my first time playing with the wider-angle digital lens, but will definitely be working with it more after having seen your photos. Envious of your Bodinath shots.

[Escher]

Great stuff Andreas: Thanks.

Marcy, shame about your 70-200L, what an absolute cracker of a lens, I use mine for just about everything and the L quality sings. Takes fantastic portraits too.

[marcy]

I seem to have gotten the world's only factory defective L series 70-200... it wouldn't focus AT ALL. My own fault for not having given it a test run before leaving the country with it. Exchanged it for a new one upon my return home and looking forward to putting it through its paces on the next trip.