The beautifull NATT-trails on the Annapurna Circuit

[andrees]

In Chamje you leave the road and cross the river. Sometimes you can see the jeeps crawling like little insects high above in the rockwall on the other riverside. After a very step climb the valley opens wide and you go down to the enchanting village of Tal with its famous waterfall. There is a jeep-Stop nearby but you should rather walk on this beautiful stretch. read more at http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...je_to_tal.html

[andrees]

Start from Tal und soon the trail is often carved out of the rockwall.
On the other riverside it is rather impressive to see the road. Till teh fall 2014 on had to cross the river on a small suspension bridge and continue on the road till the next bridge crossing over to the hamlsetts of Kabre. But now ACAP fixed the old traditional trail continuing on the same riverside thus avoiding the road till the beginning of Dharapani. :-)
see more at http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...dharapani.html

[cyclingpaul]

Andrees thanks for posting these trail notes. You have convinced me it's worth going back and doing the Annapurna Circuit trek again. I did it in about 1992 and I have been reluctant to go back again because my memories of that first trek were so good, and I didn't want to go back and have a disappointing experience.
Your side trip notes are brilliant.
Thanks
Paul

[andrees]

Andrees thanks for posting these trail notes. You have convinced me it's worth going back and doing the Annapurna Circuit trek again. I did it in about 1992 and I have been reluctant to go back again because my memories of that first trek were so good, and I didn't want to go back and have a disappointing experience.
Your side trip notes are brilliant.
Thanks
Paul

Just today i got a email from James Fields (72 years old) who wrote: I recently returned from my one month trip to Nepal after a 41-year absence. It was one of the most exciting and stimulating months of my life. I could go on and on about why I enjoyed the complete visit - - including a visit to our Peace Corps village where we lived from 1965 to 1967. Suffice it to say that it was great fun to be back speaking Nepal, fascinating to observe the changes since the first time we lived in Nepal 49 years ago, and, as always, wonderful to be in the hills and Himals of Nepal. I hope to go back again soon."

And I , who has crossed Thorong la 8 times still find always again absolutely new exiting trails and side trips worth going up there again. aC is now less a defined just one possible treck but rather a net of various trails where each on can make his personal choice from a multitude of psossibilities. in March i will have a look on khopra danda trek which is a favorite of my friend Prem.

[Escher]

And why would anyone want to drive to Tal? One of the wondrous things about the Annapurna Circuit is the richness and diversity of the landscapes one encounters. Everyday is different, the flora and fauna not like the day before, the landscapes and geology different on each new dawn. The walk up towards Tal is a highlight. The boulder strewn slope through a ravine that leads you up to an almost wild-west town, with ponies and invisible cowboys, glacial boulders and cobalt waters, cooler air and a transition from middle hill agriculture to a more Tibetan, upland culture. It's magical.

[andrees]

in Dharapani you have three possibilities:
1) The fastest one is just to continue on the road, pass Bagarshap to reach Danqyu. in Bagarshap the mountain sight is getting better and you can reach easely in one Day Temang or even Chame.
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...aqiu_road.html

2) The second possibility is a side trek to the little village of Odar above Dharapani. It is a step climb to go up there but the views are beautiful and you are completeyl away from the crowded standard AC. . There is even the possibility of a basic homestay. From Odar you descent to Bagarshap and continue mainly on the road. i will take you an extra 2 hours.
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...pani_odar.html

3) The third possibility is rather new. i explored it with Prem and a guide from ACAP. Now ACAP made it the main trail :-) At the end of Dharapani just cross the river over the big suspension bridge to Toche . insted of continuing to the Manaslu trek turn left. From there you can walk nearly till Dharapani on a beautiful natural NATT trail far away from the road . http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...riverside.html

[andrees]

Before the construction of the road the regular trail was continuing a little bit above the river and passing by the little village of Latamarang. Probably some of the readers of this forum still remember this beautiful trail or had even a little bath in the cute little hot spring on the other riverside. But when they started building the road, many big rocks felt down the hillslopes. All the area had to be evacuated and the house owners build big lodges much higher above in Temang. Many houses had been severely damaged. Together with a guide from ACAP Prem and I explored the remains of this old trail to see if it is possible to fix it again. This would be a excellent alternative to the road. We realized that it is not possible to use it yet; there are many earth slides which are really difficult to cross. ACAP is considering making it again a regular trail, but the lodge owners, who had just heavenly invested in the palaces don’t like this idea. See some picture of this ghost trail.
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...atamarang.html

[andrees]

This is just a short part of two hours. From Danaqyu it is just a long and step climb through the forest. Several times you will cross the serpentines of the road. But you will be rewarded by awsome views on the Manaslu range.
When the preople of Latamarang had to evacuate the area many of them started to build huge lodges along the road thinking that there will be a phantastic and increasing business. They where also lured by TAAN and ACAP who told them that the Annapurna Circuit will going by the very difficult and remote high pass Namun bhanjang (~ 5000 m). This idea is just hillarious stupid and shows that both organisations dont really understand western trekkers. If you google for Namun bhanjang you will still find many TAAN agencies proposing it as the new AC. But when i asked in Jan 2012 how many groups where coming this way in the last trekking season the answer was NONE. Instead of starting an extra long and difficult alpine trek which still requires tents and kitchen crew trekkers rather will take the jeep up to Tal or Chame to make their journey shorter. (Personally i find this a pity because the lower part of AC is a wonderful experience ).
Well anyway, only few people want to stay in the many new and big lodges beside the road so that the inverstment is not paying of.
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England...to_temang.html

[andrees]

Chame is the district town of the Marsyangi valley and her you will find offices, a bank and a police post. But also many shops. For a while Chame was the endpoint of the dirt road, but nowadays the jeeps continue till Brathang and from there there is a motorcycle taxi service till Manang. From Temang one has basically to follow the road as the beautiful Latamarang trek is closed. But soon you will reach the little village of Tanchok perched on a ridge with the Manaslu range in the background. It is worth to visit the picturesque village and continue for a while on an old natural trail below the road.
The next village is Koto and also her you can quit the road some hundreds meters before only to rejoin it in the village itself. It is from Koto that the Naar Phu trek starts.
It is essential that you stay one night in the villages of Temang, Tanchok, Koto or Chame. This will give you the body to adapt to the altitude. Even when the jeep is going till Brathang I would always stop already in Chame. read more at
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England..._to_chame.html

[andrees]

I have not treked this on week trek yet myself, but it mus be a very rewarding one. The classical route goes first to Phu(gaon) , then returning and going through the village of Naar and over the Kang la (5306m) into the upper Manang valley where you reach Ngwal. You need a special permit. The Naar Phu valleys ar rather protected from Monsun rain so it is said that September is already a good month.
People who are fully equipped with tents and Kitchen could return from Phu by the two passes (hu Pass 5050M and Naar Pass 5400 m to Naar. There is also the possibility to go directly from Naar to Mustang by Terri La (5595m). This is around a one month journey and with all the necessary permits rather expensive.
see more at http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England..._naar_phu.html

the picture is from Uros Sever