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This trek if
done anticlockwise begins at khudi 7km/4.4miles
from beshishar, a town approached from both
Kathmandu (142km/89miles) and Pokhara (107km/67miles)
there are buses to besisahar from both the cities, with local buses
running onward to khudi on a rather bumpy road.
The treks end at nayapul, 41km/25 miles from
pokhara, a slightly shorter route, eliminating
the viewpoint ghorepani, finishes at begkhola,
from where there is a motorable road to beni
and on to pokhara (73km/46 miles). This trek can
also be done in the less popular clockwise
direction, in which case ,of course the starting
point becomes nayapul/begkhola and the end point
khudi.
On the anticlockwise route, the trail follows
the masryangdi river upstream, gaining altitude
gradually as you travel north through lamjung
district populated mainly by gurung, after
ghermu (altitude 1160m/3805ft)the trail crosses
over to the left bank and ascends throght sa
narrow gorge that extends for 25 km/15.5 miles
up to bagarchap (2160m/7085 ft) in lower manang
district”(also called gyasumdo)the marsyangdi
bends westward (left) here and so does the
trail, gradually entering a drier, rugged terrain, after crossing chame (267m m/8760 ft)the
headquarter of manang district, the land scope
gets even more arid as you enter upper manang
also called nyeshang. At
humid(3280m/10,760ft) there is an airfield with
flights to pokhara. At manang village
(3540m/11610ft) which you eventually reach a day
rest for acclimatization in the order, before
the onward trek to the throungla pas
(5416m/17,768ft) the highest point of the trail.
From throng phadi (4430m/14,530ft)a bleak,
chilly polecat the base of the pass, it is a
rather steep climb to throungla and very long
descent to muktinath (3800m/12,460ft) this is the
most strenuous part of the entire trek and snow
is not unusual here. You leave the the rain
–shadow zone and the hills turn green again, the
decently is mostly gradual as you follow the
kali gandaki, passing village like tukuche ghasa
(2010m/8495ft)and dana(1440m/4720ft)thetrail
works its way through narrow george and past
great waterfall.
Reaching tatopani (1190m/3900ft) you have the
option of carrying on to begkhola and then to
beni and pokhara by vehicle, or climbing to
ghorepani. It is a stiff climb but ghorepani
(2750m/9020ft) and the poon hill viewpoint above
it commands excellent views of the Dhaulagiri
and Annapurna peaks. The descent from the hereto
nayapul can be completed in the day |
