Nepal 2016

And it's Nepal again!

We trekked the Manaslu and Annapurna circuits and paid a short visit to the Everest foothills to top it all...

Post 2015 earthquake, our first time during the monsoon season, we have a lot to share and reflect upon.

Full map of all Nepal 2016 pages

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Thinking of our next destination: Italy and Portugal come to mind, or maybe the time has finally come for a US road trip…

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Upper Pisang to Manang

(vero;2017-Feb-28)

This part of the Annapurna Circuit, the Upper Route and the valley around Manang, is one of the highlights of the trek. The trail leaves the valley (and the road) in Dhukur Pokhari to reach Upper Pisang where most trekkers stay for the night. The following day is trekking at its best: after a steep climb to the village of Gyaru, the path skirts the mountain without losing much height offering superb views all the way, passing the villages of Ngawal and Julu, before re-descending to the valley bottom to reach Braga and Manang.

The valley around Braga and Manang is wide and cultivated, a great opportunity to watch village life, with people tending their fields and going about their business.

Read our blog entry for more pictures.

Upper Pisang. Note the prayer flags lined along the ridge to the right above the village.

House in Upper Pisang. Note the wooden ladder on the left, carved out of a tree trunk, to climb from one level to the other.

Typical roof of a house in Upper Pisang. Stones are laid on the wooden tiles to prevent them from flying away.

Looking back on Gyaru. Note the entry gate with blue roof at the end of the village.

View down the Marsyangdi valley in the direction of Lower Pisang.

The path contours without gaining height, which ensures easy walking and plenty of time to savour the views, here back to Gyaru.

Arriving in Ngawal, the big white building is the gompa and there are several stupas around. The brown fields are buckwheat fields.

We are about to leave the Upper Route and start the descent back to the valley. Manang is on the other side of the ridge showing behind the tall pine tree.

Farm workers having a break in the fields around Braga. Note the rock with Buddhist inscriptions in the top right of the picture.

One of the many women carrying the harvested hay back to their house. They smelt of freshly cut grass, a pleasant sensation every time we happened to pass them.

Old Manang. View up valley with the trail to Thorong La leaving the village.

Manang. Woman scattering fresh hay to dry on her roof.

A field between houses in Manang. Maize, cabbage and (maybe?) carrots.

Returning from Manang to Braga, view down valley.

Characteristic rock formations around the area, reminiscent of Cappadocia in Turkey.

Go back to Panoramas 2016 Solukhumbu Panoramas or go on to Side Trip to Tilicho Lake or go up to Photos