RAT racer
21st October 2006, 02:54 PM
Round Annapurna Trek to be revised
Fighting your way from Kagbeni to Jomsom against the strong afternoon winds that blow dust and sand in your face often was the worst part of the Round Annapurna Trek (RAT) for many trekkers. In the last few years new means of transport in the area have increased the level of annoyance for trekkers. Noisy tractors with trailers ply up or down the road to transport building materials, agricultural products or people, including some pilgrims on their way to or from Muktinath. Worse is that trekkers are rudely awoken out of their daydreams of climbing snow covered peaks and passes by loudly honking motor bikes that appear to think that they own the road. And their numbers are increasing fast.
This is only the beginning. The government of Nepal has decided that Mustang and Manang Districts should be connected to the national road network to reduce poverty in the areas. Although it may take 5 to 10 years (or longer) before these roads are completed it will spell the end of the RAT-as-we-know-it, only leaving the Manang to Muktinath trek across Thorong La. New type of trekkers with less time and maybe more money may flock to Manang, probably get altitude sick, still may try to get across the 5416m high pass and be gone in a week.
Such a demise of the world-famous RAT did not appear a nice prospect to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), which manages the area together with the local population. Consequently, and with funding from UNEP, ACAP launched a survey of alternative trails for the RAT. The surveyors, an outside volunteer and ACAP staff, hiked most of the trails that were considered potential alternatives. They compared the alternatives with the present trails for scenery, nature and culture. They tried to cross passes that could be included in the circuit and on several occasions ended up in thigh-deep snow, due to late snowfalls in April. They retreated, but eventually covered most of the trails. They proposed to urgently reroute the sections of the RAT that are already infested with motorbikes or are disturbed by ongoing road construction. In the long run, there should be a new RAT, mostly on the opposite side of the valley than the roads and only occasionally crossing them.
The survey team judged that the alternative routes offered better views and less disturbed nature, while cultural features along these routes were mostly comparable to those of the present route. The alternative routes may be slightly longer but along them trekkers should not or seldom be disturbed by noisy traffic. Facilities such as guest houses and teashops are still largely lacking, but the villagers along the new routes welcomed the idea of receiving trekkers. Some basic lodges and teashops already exist and as more trekkers come along these routes new facilities will emerge. Some of the villages along the alternative routes still have retained their traditional character and the team has proposed that ACAP undertake efforts to try to maintain the scenic character of the villages, rather than letting them all become high-altitude Lakeside-look-alikes.
The first six alternative routes to be opened in 2006 are:
- Koto – Meta – Nar – Kang La (5300m) – Ngawal. This route requires the Government to change the groups-only policy for Nar-Phu valley. Moreover, due to a serious lack of facilities along this route it should at present only be tried by experienced and acclimatised trekkers. However, this part of the trek will resemble the RAT of the old days when dal-bhat was the standard trekkers’ meal and villages had hardly been touched by modern developments.
- Muktinath/Ranipouwa – Jhong – Putak – Kagbeni.
After completion of a suspension bridge near Putak this higher but three km longer route offers beautiful views of the Nilgiris, Dhaulagiri and Upper Mustang, a chance to see blue sheep (but more likely loads of local goats and sheep) and a stunning entry into Kagbeni from the North.
- Old Jomsom – Thini – (Dumbha) – Marpha. Away from the airport and New Jomsom (but you could use the suspension bridge south of the airport to visit the Mustang Eco-museum), this higher route passes Thini and offers an option of a detour to Dhumba lake and monastery. It crosses back to the West side of the Kali Gandaki, where a walking trail should be marked between the tractor road and the river to take trekkers to the traditional whitewashed village of Marpha.
- South Marpha – Chairo – North Tukuche. A short detour past Chairo monastery which is presently under renovation. It could be accompanied by a still to be marked new trail close to the river from the South Chairo suspension bridge to Tukuche.
- Kokhethanti - Titi lake – Chhoyo - Lete Khola (+ detour Taglung-Kunjo). Taking the tractor road past Titi Lake you reach a low pass with a collection of big old stupas. From here you can take a direct route to Chhoyo, but the detour through the traditional villages of Taglung and Kunjo is worthwhile. A small chorten in Kunjo, a bit off the trail to Chhoyo is of interest because human sacrifices used to be made here. Reportedly the sacrificed people travelled to Kunjo from Manang after having eaten a chicken that had appeared in Manang after having been tied to a pole in Polche, a village south of Kunjo.
- Kopchepani – Garpar - suspension bridge N Tatopani. A stiff climb out of Kopchepani and then an easy stroll past Garpar and a hydropower station takes you all the way to the suspension bridge near Tatopani. The only facility along this route is a local teashop in Balabhat, but you can cross the Kali Gandaki at various points to guest houses and restaurants in Dana and Rupse Chahara.
Other changes are planned for 2007 and 2008. By that time the RAT should have recovered some of its old glory, being a bit more remote than at present and definitely quieter. Enjoy the trek and let us know your thoughts at www.trekinfo.com.
Piet van der Poel
(pipoel@yahoo.com).
Fighting your way from Kagbeni to Jomsom against the strong afternoon winds that blow dust and sand in your face often was the worst part of the Round Annapurna Trek (RAT) for many trekkers. In the last few years new means of transport in the area have increased the level of annoyance for trekkers. Noisy tractors with trailers ply up or down the road to transport building materials, agricultural products or people, including some pilgrims on their way to or from Muktinath. Worse is that trekkers are rudely awoken out of their daydreams of climbing snow covered peaks and passes by loudly honking motor bikes that appear to think that they own the road. And their numbers are increasing fast.
This is only the beginning. The government of Nepal has decided that Mustang and Manang Districts should be connected to the national road network to reduce poverty in the areas. Although it may take 5 to 10 years (or longer) before these roads are completed it will spell the end of the RAT-as-we-know-it, only leaving the Manang to Muktinath trek across Thorong La. New type of trekkers with less time and maybe more money may flock to Manang, probably get altitude sick, still may try to get across the 5416m high pass and be gone in a week.
Such a demise of the world-famous RAT did not appear a nice prospect to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), which manages the area together with the local population. Consequently, and with funding from UNEP, ACAP launched a survey of alternative trails for the RAT. The surveyors, an outside volunteer and ACAP staff, hiked most of the trails that were considered potential alternatives. They compared the alternatives with the present trails for scenery, nature and culture. They tried to cross passes that could be included in the circuit and on several occasions ended up in thigh-deep snow, due to late snowfalls in April. They retreated, but eventually covered most of the trails. They proposed to urgently reroute the sections of the RAT that are already infested with motorbikes or are disturbed by ongoing road construction. In the long run, there should be a new RAT, mostly on the opposite side of the valley than the roads and only occasionally crossing them.
The survey team judged that the alternative routes offered better views and less disturbed nature, while cultural features along these routes were mostly comparable to those of the present route. The alternative routes may be slightly longer but along them trekkers should not or seldom be disturbed by noisy traffic. Facilities such as guest houses and teashops are still largely lacking, but the villagers along the new routes welcomed the idea of receiving trekkers. Some basic lodges and teashops already exist and as more trekkers come along these routes new facilities will emerge. Some of the villages along the alternative routes still have retained their traditional character and the team has proposed that ACAP undertake efforts to try to maintain the scenic character of the villages, rather than letting them all become high-altitude Lakeside-look-alikes.
The first six alternative routes to be opened in 2006 are:
- Koto – Meta – Nar – Kang La (5300m) – Ngawal. This route requires the Government to change the groups-only policy for Nar-Phu valley. Moreover, due to a serious lack of facilities along this route it should at present only be tried by experienced and acclimatised trekkers. However, this part of the trek will resemble the RAT of the old days when dal-bhat was the standard trekkers’ meal and villages had hardly been touched by modern developments.
- Muktinath/Ranipouwa – Jhong – Putak – Kagbeni.
After completion of a suspension bridge near Putak this higher but three km longer route offers beautiful views of the Nilgiris, Dhaulagiri and Upper Mustang, a chance to see blue sheep (but more likely loads of local goats and sheep) and a stunning entry into Kagbeni from the North.
- Old Jomsom – Thini – (Dumbha) – Marpha. Away from the airport and New Jomsom (but you could use the suspension bridge south of the airport to visit the Mustang Eco-museum), this higher route passes Thini and offers an option of a detour to Dhumba lake and monastery. It crosses back to the West side of the Kali Gandaki, where a walking trail should be marked between the tractor road and the river to take trekkers to the traditional whitewashed village of Marpha.
- South Marpha – Chairo – North Tukuche. A short detour past Chairo monastery which is presently under renovation. It could be accompanied by a still to be marked new trail close to the river from the South Chairo suspension bridge to Tukuche.
- Kokhethanti - Titi lake – Chhoyo - Lete Khola (+ detour Taglung-Kunjo). Taking the tractor road past Titi Lake you reach a low pass with a collection of big old stupas. From here you can take a direct route to Chhoyo, but the detour through the traditional villages of Taglung and Kunjo is worthwhile. A small chorten in Kunjo, a bit off the trail to Chhoyo is of interest because human sacrifices used to be made here. Reportedly the sacrificed people travelled to Kunjo from Manang after having eaten a chicken that had appeared in Manang after having been tied to a pole in Polche, a village south of Kunjo.
- Kopchepani – Garpar - suspension bridge N Tatopani. A stiff climb out of Kopchepani and then an easy stroll past Garpar and a hydropower station takes you all the way to the suspension bridge near Tatopani. The only facility along this route is a local teashop in Balabhat, but you can cross the Kali Gandaki at various points to guest houses and restaurants in Dana and Rupse Chahara.
Other changes are planned for 2007 and 2008. By that time the RAT should have recovered some of its old glory, being a bit more remote than at present and definitely quieter. Enjoy the trek and let us know your thoughts at www.trekinfo.com.
Piet van der Poel
(pipoel@yahoo.com).