Community and Mountain Journey

The rain at the end of the monsoon season took everyone by surprise. Although it lasted only two days, it caused significant destruction, resulting in landslides and floods that led to an unexpected number of casualties across the country. I was supposed to be in Pokhara, leading an important group of trekkers in the mountains at the start of the season, like many others. Just in time, we were allowed to travel, and we boarded a tourist bus that took us to our starting point after a 24-hour journey, including 15 hours of driving. I was relieved to have made it!

After meeting the clients, we drove to Beni and began our trek along the Annapurna Dhaulasiri Community Ecotrail.

On the second day, we arrived at the beautiful village of Dandakateri, where the locals warmly welcomed us. They helped us install a solar shower for the community, demonstrating their genuine spirit of support.

The following day, we reached Nangi, the center of the community ecotrail. It was wonderful to meet a local school teacher and a group involved in making handmade paper from Daphne plants—the traditional Nepali paper source. The paper made from these plants is very durable, often used for official documents. We had a lot of fun learning the local paper-making process.

Our trek continued to Mohare Hill, where we experienced one of the highlights of our journey. At an altitude of 3,300 meters, we were fortunate to see the breathtaking Himalayan panorama.

In the village of Tikot, we enjoyed a vibrant local cultural evening, which added to the fun of our journey.

As we trekked onward to Swanta and then to our main highlight, Khopra (3,660 meters), we were captivated by the sacred lake of Khayer. The close-up views of the Dhaulagiri range, Annapurna South, and Annapurna Fang, along with the presence of yaks and sheep, were simply amazing.

On our second day at Khopra, a significant adventure awaited us. While some chose to stay back, others hiked to the sacred lake of Khayer, cherished by the locals.

The lake, with its serene surroundings and majestic mountain views, was beyond words—a truly breathtaking experience.

After spending such unforgettable time in the mountains, we began our journey back to Pokhara, marking the start of a new adventure.

Mission accomplished!