road follows the Marsyangdi River through Ambo Khaireni, the turn-off for Gorkha town. At km135 is Dumre, where Annapurna Circuit trekkers need to wake up and change buses for Besisahar. Otherwise it’s on to Pokhara and, with luck, views of Himalchuli, Lamjung, Annapurna II and IV, along with Machhapuchhre; all are simply dazzling in the afternoon light. From Pokhara at sunset this astonishing panorama is truly heaven-sent – a vision that guests have marvelled at since Annapurna was ‘discovered’.
EARLY EXPLORERS TO ANNAPURNA
Annapurna I sunset from Kalopani (Trek 1)
When Nepal first opened to foreigners in the 1950s a few parties entered through the border south of Pokhara. French alpinists Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal, Lionel Terray, Gaston Rebuffat and others were granted access to Nepal in the spring of 1950. Despite having ambitions to summit the higher peak of Dhaulagiri, they settled for Annapurna I. Much of the arduous adventure was spent finding access routes to the mountain and its lower ramparts. Herzog’s party succeeded in summiting Annapurna I on 3 June, making it the highest peak over 8000m attained, but the cost of the expedition on his and Lachenal’s frostbitten fingers and toes are the abiding memory for readers of his book.
A British-Nepalese Army Expedition succeeded on the North Face of Annapurna I, when Henry Day and Gerry Owens made the top – incredibly it was 20 years later. At the same time an attempt was made on the awe-inspiring buttresses of the South Face, seen from the Annapurna Sanctuary, by Chris Bonington’s team. Dougal Haston and Don Whillans tackled this treacherous face on 27 May 1970, just a week after Day and Owens.
Climbers from all over the world have been drawn to the Himalayas of Nepal ever since. The early climbers were backed by vast entourages of porters, cooks and crews to carry their tons of equipment. In the 1960s ex-Gurkha officer Jimmy Roberts decided that the local portering traditions of the country, which allowed goods to ‘reach all those parts that were hard to reach’, could be adapted for trekking.
Soon all manner of adventurers, hippies and travellers also flocked to the country. You are following in the steps of some illustrious climbers, explorers and, yes, ordinary modern-day adventure-seekers like yourself.
Visas and permits
Village house on the trek up to Chowk Chisopani (Trek 12 variant)
Nepal
All foreign nationals (except Indians) require a visa. Currently visas are available from embassies and overland borders, as well as at Tribhuvan International Airport on arrival in Kathmandu (check that this is still the case before arrival). Entering or exiting the country at the remoter crossing points and from Tibet may be subject to change, with the unpredictable political difficulties in some of these districts.
Applying in your home country is one option, although it will cost more. Be sure to apply well ahead of the time of travel, in case there are any holidays at the embassy related to the festival periods in Nepal. Many people obtain visas on arrival; at the present time this is the simplest option. The maximum length of stay in Nepal is five months in one calendar year (although the fifth month can sometimes be hard to obtain).
Tourist visas are available for 15, 30 or 90 days, at a fee of US$25, $40 and $100 (payment in cash) respectively. Check the up-to-date fees at www.nepalimmigration.gov.np. Those staying longer can get an extension in Kathmandu at the Immigration Department at a cost of US$30 (the minimum fee) or pay a daily charge of US$2 per day. All visas are currently multiple-entry, helpful for those heading out to places like Bhutan, Tibet or India and returning to Kathmandu for their flight home.
Note on Indian visas
Anyone planning to visit India as well as Nepal should be sure to check the latest visa situation. Changes to the fees, the period of the visa, re-entry rules, and probably new rules we can only guess at seem to be introduced quite frequently. It’s also important to note that obtaining a visa in Kathmandu for India at short notice takes at least a week and most likely more time to procure. There is a new online, pre-arranged visa system which may still be a little confusing.
Note on Tibet/China entry
Travel to Tibet from Nepal currently requires special arrangements. Do not get a Chinese visa in advance of your visit, as it will simply be cancelled at the Kathmandu embassy. Visas are normally issued on paper only for the duration of the stated itinerary, with extensions not possible. Allow for a few days in Kathmandu and make the application well ahead of your arrival in Nepal. Arranging the visa in Nepal must be through a Nepalese agent. Independent travellers can still visit Tibet by taking the ‘budget tour’ on offer through Kathmandu travel agents.
SOME NEPAL EMBASSIES
UK 12A Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QU; tel: +44 (0207) 243 7854; email: [email protected]; www.nepembassy.org.uk
US 2131 Leroy Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: +1 (202) 667 4550; email: [email protected]; www.nepalembassyusa.org
India Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001, India; tel: +91 (11) 2347 6200; email: [email protected]; www.nepalembassy.in
China (Consulate) Norbulingka Road 13, Lhasa, Tibet, People’s Republic of China; tel: +86 (891) 682 2881; email: [email protected]
For others see www.mofa.gov.np.
Trekking permits
All trekkers in Nepal are required to obtain permits before setting out on their expeditions. Both the documents below can be procured for a fee by trekking agencies in Kathmandu, or independently at the Bhrikuti Mandap building, south of Ratna Park bus depot, tel: 01 425 6909. The office is open every day except Saturday and public holidays.
Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS)
There are two types of permits for trekkers: Blue, issued through trekking companies, costing US$10; and Green for individuals, costing US$20 (maybe payable in rupees). TIMS cards can be issued on the spot in 30mins or so. Take a copy of your passport and two photos for the single-use card. Cards are valid for at least one month and longer if requested. See www.timsnepal.com.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)
Visitors to the Annapurna region are also required to pay for entry to the ACAP zone that encompasses nearly all of the trails described in this guide. Currently the fee is Rs2000 (£15, $18) per person per single entry.
Note Single entry does mean just that; if you leave one part of the conservation area hoping to re-enter in another (for example, you cannot even get the bus from Beni to Birethanti), you will be refused – this means no rest and recuperation in Pokhara is permitted without payment again in full!
ANNAPURNA CONSERVATION AREA PROJECT
Meeting the locals in the Lamjung foothills
