Text by Rachel. Photographs by Taufan Adryan.
Some of the most exciting trips are planned perfectly, but that doesn’t mean the best experiences don’t come without preparation. In other words, spontaneity can bring great experiences too! Even for trips that seem to need a lot of work. This was true in our case in 2017, in the Annapurna Circuit where Taman Hayat’s Monica and her two hiking buddies Taufan and Rama journeyed.
Drawn to visit the country of Nepal, friends of Taman Hayat embark on a challenging journey trekking the Annapurna circuit. If you’re not familiar yet with this renowned circuit, Annapurna is a trek located in central Nepal. This hikers’ destination is lined with lush trees, majestic rocks, and leads towards an icy mountain top.
Why Annapurna?
In this article, Taufan tells us why.
“We decided to go to Annapurna Circuit, not because we want to be different but because we thought an opportunity like this would not come again so easily, especially with us three,” added Taufan.
“We have never been here before and we always wanted to experience hiking a long trek. We consider ourselves beginners, we haven’t even been to a similar place before!”
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The Annapurna circuit is a force of nature that flaunts a richness of vegetation and faunas, inhabited by yaks all the way to the top known as Thorong La Pass. It’s surely tempting for lovers of hiking to lace up our boots and go, but the incredible view of the mountains comes with challenges, including cold weather, high altitude, and great distance. For a holiday trip, this challenge sure is an interesting choice.
For us, there was no specific goal or motivation. We just wanted to visit Nepal, initially we wanted to trek ABC (Annapurna Base Camp). After researching for this trip, we found out about the Annapurna Circuit. Interestingly, there haven’t been many Indonesians going on this circuit before. Prior to 2017, there’s not more than 18 people from Indonesia that went there each year, whereas in ABC there could be tens of thousands of Indonesians visiting each year.
“We decided to go to Annapurna Circuit, not because we want to be different but because we thought an opportunity like this would not come again so easily, especially with us three,” added Taufan as we reminisced our motivation.
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It felt hard to imagine an adventure like this happened spontaneously, but it did. The trail in Annapurna is known to be a difficult one to pass, not to mention the weather that could be challenging.
But none of us made any preparations. We didn’t have any plans other than to go trekking at Annapurna Circuit. Quoting Taufan, “it was wrong; because it was difficult for us in the end.”
Our Preparation
The big question is, how did we figure out how to do all this with little to no preparation? In fact, we did nothing more than Googling. As Taufan described earlier, there haven’t been many Indonesians that go there. That’s why we want to experience it ourselves.
Packing-wise, we just came with the things we usually bring on a hiking trip in Indonesia. Luckily, we survived with no regrets. In other words, we were going with the flow.
Even the transport was quite simple. From the starting point, we take a normal bus, similar to metromini. Once we reached Besisahar, we started hiking by foot.
Finally, we’re sure that fellow Indonesians looking to take the same trips would have cost related questions. By the end of 2017, it took us 10-12 million IDR for 18 days living in Nepal. This includes the return ticket, hotel, and tour to Annapurna.
The Hike
We didn’t hike on our own; a friendly Sherpa was there to act as a guide. If you’re not familiar with it, the Sherpas are a Tibetian ethnic group most of whom reside in the mountainous areas of Nepal. These people are uniquely known for their abilities to navigate mountains – the perfect guides for this wholesome trip!
All in all, we highly recommend everyone to find a guide. “It’s not about whether you can or cannot hike on your own, but we should be a tourist who contributes to the local livelihood even if you are able to find the trek on your own,” said Taufan.
There were maybe 6-8 villages and posts that we passed. The last post right before the top being the most challenging one. It was super cold, and there was no more vegetation, meaning the oxygen levels were minimum.
Throughout the hike, food and water are very easy to be found.
All in all, we highly recommend everyone to find a guide. “It’s not about whether you can or cannot hike on your own, but we should be a tourist who contributes to the local livelihood even if you are able to find the trek on your own,” said Taufan.
Physical Challenges
Logistics are set. The next challenge is for our bodies and minds to do the trekking. We considered ourselves beginners and not experts in hiking or trekking. On a scale of 1-10, this hike is maybe an 8, but an 8 is already very tiring. I cannot give a 10 because we haven’t experienced a higher or longer trek.
Preparation-wise, we just let it go, hydrate and sleep sufficiently. For our readers, we also want to share some “survival” tips. Although it’s not as scary as it seems, there could be physical challenges that hinder you from the hike. For example, if you have cavities in your teeth, they will swell from the cold. If you’re not used to cold weather, your nose might bleed. Headaches from the cold and high-altitude hallucinations might occur.
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But all in all, the trip was satisfying and accessible for those of you who still consider yourselves beginners, such as ourselves. This nostalgic recount makes us miss the adventures we had pre-Covid. Luckily, more travel opportunities are now open. We hope you are inspired and excited to take your own trip!
