Most Inspirational Moment
Finally, due to the inevitable early monsoon seasons low cloud down in the valleys, those very clouds parted and we saw the splendid neck racking elevations of the massive Annapurnas ringed around us like the teeth of a fierce canine!.
We saw the very hill villages, from which the famous Gurkhas set off as young men, to join the British Army. No wonder they are so fit and agile seeing the number of steps and steep slopes they work for a living in their homesteads. The Nepalese are delightful, friendly and a credit to their country.
The fabulous Tea Houses provide great food (from their kitchen gardens), and rooms which did ticked all the right boxes for comfort and shelter, considering the logistics of the place.
We saw the Bamboo forests, Rhododendron and Magnolia trees in full flower, and whole hill village communities farming their tropical to temperate agriculture spread out on their terraced fields.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Pashant was a very experienced and competent leader, who took delight in answering all our questions and observations, while being very informative about his country Nepal, its people, places and especially these Annapurnas. His team of cheerful, articulate and hardworking guides and porters were a credit to him and his management style. I would take him, and go on any trek with his team any time.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Its right that the Exodus Annapurna Sanctuary trek uses the Tea Houses to the maximum, as this provides for a sustainable visit by tourists to a fragile part of the earth. It is allowing the residents of those poor hill villages employment and a sensible source of income. Treking can be a low impact activity, so make sure you avoid the quick way to the top by road (or even helicopters!) and trek up and down to fully enjoy the views, the experience and the Nepalese people; they are seriously inviting you into their mountains!
Safe sterilised and filtered water, from UV sterilisation or reverse osmosis, is at all the tea houses, so you don't need to bring in any bottled water, or fizzy drinks for that matter!
Stick to a vegetarian diet as you consume from the local economy as well as eat a very tasty dishes, which does sustain you for the whole journey.
Suggestions
Expect to carry a lot of Nepalese Rupees as you only pay cash on the trek, so make sure your security/cash bag is big enough. There is, within the 11 days of serious trekking, opportunities to shower for @£1.50 every second day and so you can limit your clothing to two changes of outer clothing and 3 sets of socks/underwear.
You can charge your cameras and iPhones for as little as @£1.50 a day so you don't need so many batteries (these batteries you bring in, you take out).
You do need a 4 seasons sleeping bag and down jacket for the 2 days you are up at the top of Annapurna Sanctuary as it gets below freezing, so pack those rather than extra changes of outer clothing.
Walking with poles is advised as the multitude of steps up and down make serious demands on your knees.
Asian squatting lavatories are by far the more plentiful and simple to use. They are the better option, as you don't need to touch any surfaces. But have plenty of small hand Gell dispensers around your kit to cleanse hands before and after such and before feeding.
