Becky and I mulled over many destinations for our first trip to Nepal….the Annapurna circuit (loop) or a trek to the Everest region are options that lots of people go for, but we were looking for something a little less popular (i.e. less crowded). I was interested in a trekking peak, like Mera Peak or Island Peak, but those are usually trips that go out and back the same way, and Becky and I are big fans of one-way trips where every day offers new scenery. Additionally, Becky was interested in seeing a bit more culture than just a crowded alpine camp filled with westerners sitting in tents.
The Dhaulagiri area is a massif to the west of the Annapurna area and the Dhaulagiri circuit is a 12-15 day hike starting near the town of Beni, following the Myagdi River up to its origin at the Chhonbarden glacier, then up and over a couple high passes north of Dhaulagiri (the worlds 7th tallest mountain), and then down to the Gandaki River and the towns of Marpha and Jomson. It seemed like a good balance between visiting villages, seeing some wilderness, getting way up above treeline, and new scenery every day.
We read a ton of reports from other Dhaulagiri trekkers…some folks had pulled it off going unsupported, and many more had opted for joining a large guided party of 10 or so clients with around 30+ support staff. As usual, we don’t quite fit with either category. Going unsupported meant huge backpacks, and language barrier challenges attempting to do any food resupplying at remote villages along the way. Going with a large guided group meant that we’d be sharing our vacation with a bunch of random strangers. Our friends Pat & Nadia had used a Kathmandu based guiding company before and had good results, so we decided to organize a trip with them. Becky and I would be the only clients and we would have a guide, a cook, and porters. It was a somewhat strange concept to get our heads around. We’d never been guided on any kind of trip before, but having a team handle all the complicated logistics, and carrying the lion’s share of the gear, would let us focus on enjoying the scenery and culture.
The first day of our trip....
link to all the photos
We had a similar perspective on a cycling trip we did in Vietnam. Having a guide made the trip so much better--not having to deal with the language and cultural headaches,
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