Hiking the Annapurna Circuit Trail in Nepal. Day 2, from Dharapani (1900m) to Koto/Chame (2700m)

After waking up that morning, in the most colourful guesthouse from Dharapani, it finally dawned to us that we were on the Annapurna Trail. After all those weeks preparing and looking forward. It was finally really here.

Although we were still on a fairy low altitude, the cold hit us right in the face while washing and dressing that morning. It was December after all.

Apart from another very nice Dutch couple, the guesthouse was desolated. But that didn’t make our hosts less friendly! An amazing breakfast later we were on the road again, full of energy.

On the way to Chame, there wasn’t an alternative route available for every kilometre, so we walked more than half of the 16 kilometres on the old trail. This meant that we were passed by a fair amount of jeeps, covering us in a sandy mist of dirt. Luckily the fresh mountain air could make up for it.

Lots of inclination too this day, 800 meters. But it proved to be more efficient than yesterday. Straight up it was. Tis made us, again, tired by the time we arrived at Chame. Instead of looking for a guesthouse in Chame, we decided on a nice place in Koto, a minuscule village a kilometre earlier. Chame itself is gorgeous. It runs at 2 sides of the river, connected by a colourful bridge. Don’t forget to visit the little temple, which gives you an amazing view on the mountain range as well.

END NOTE

This day will probably not give you that picture perfect of what you had in mind for trekking in Nepal. Curtesy of the jeeps. But it is still nice to know that you are walking in the exact footsteps of thousands and thousands of hikers.

THE WHOLE STORY OF NEPAL

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 1. Chamche – Dharapani

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 2. Dharapani – Koto

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 3. Koto – Upper Pisang

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 4. Upper Pisang – Bhraga

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 5. To the ice lakes from Bhraga

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 6. Bhraga – Yak Kharka

·Annapurna Circuit trail Nepal day 7. Yak Kharka – Thorong Phedi Base Camp

·How I got altitude sickness on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal and the mistakes I might have made (Day 8)

·The way down on the wrong side of the Annapurna Circuit trail in Nepal. From Thorong Phedi Base Camp to Pokhara in 36 hours (Day 8, 9)

·Three amazing days around Pokhara, Nepal (Day 10, 11, 12)