Trek to Annapurna Base Camp
Day II
Day 2:
Upper Sinuwa - Bamboo - Dovan - Himalaya - Deurali
We both were sore from the hike yet determined to get going. We started our hike at 7:30 am the next morning after breakfast. The start of the hike was a flat trail and there was a steep downhill trail that led to Bamboo village. As we were walking, the density of Bamboo increased and we guessed we should be near. Bamboo village sits at 2145 m. It was an elevation drop from Upper Sinuwa which sits at 2350 m. I asked Rajan, “Why do we have to go downhill only to go uphill again?”. His reply was simple, “It’s how nature is”. We were eating chicken as a source of protein for recovery but from Bamboo, any kind of meat except for goat and sheep was not allowed. From Bamboo, we hiked uphill to Lower Dovan and then came to Upper Dovan which sits at 2500 m. We hiked through forests and crossed streams and small springs. The trails were scenic and moderately tough.
In my research to prepare for this trek, I was excited about one location besides Annapurna Base Camp. There is a shrine called Pojo Nim Baraha which is set beside a waterfall that creates an impressive view, between Upper Dovan and the Himalayas. A stone trail in between the lush forest leads up to the shrine and as the trees clear up, the shrine and the waterfall come into view. The water falling down the waterfall is white and according to the folklore, a shepherd was resting there while his herd of sheep was grazing. The sheep climbed up the mountain and when he woke up, he could see white water fall down the mountain and no sheep in sight. It is believed that the goddess took the sheep and it’s their milk that is falling down thus it is white in color.
After being content with the number of pictures, we looked up to see our trail and it was another step uphill stairs. We began our ascend to a village called Himalaya. The forest boasts a variety of flora and fauna. We saw a variety of birds and a few langurs and we were told that a few wild animals such as Bears roam around during the night so, we were advised not to hike when it’s dark for precisely this reason. We would ask a passer-by how long till Himalaya and they would say “30 mins”. 30 minutes would pass but we will not be in the Himalayas. The weather slowly started becoming gloomy and we were hungry. At long last, we could see a blue-roofed house in the distance and that was Himalaya at 2920 m.
We made our way to the village and it was the most happening village so far. Blue roofs, open areas with cafes, and pizza were options on the menu. They also accepted fonepay and cards. We were pleasantly surprised. We had our lunch at 2:30 pm, Dal Bhat Tarkari. It was wholesome and fitted our budget. After some rest, we buckled up for Deurali. The temperature was dropping and we needed to wear jackets and buffs to keep ourselves warm even when we were hiking.
As usual, after lunch, Rajan went forward to reserve our room, followed by me and dai, bhauju and nanu. The hike towards Deurali was interesting. There were uphill rocky trails, trails in between forests, streams flowing, beautiful waterfalls and then came another stone steps where there is a huge rock formation named Hinku cave. People usually take a rest there and oh boy! You do need to rest after such a climb. I had no time to waste. It was almost 5 pm. The region was misty and it was almost dark. Just before Deurali, I had to cross a rocky trail where a waterfall becomes a river. It was winter so it was not flowing in full force and there were small bridges that made it easy to cross. In my excitement of seeing such a beautiful waterfall, I climbed a stone thinking there might be another one to step on to. It was further than my reach so I decided to come down only to figure out I couldn’t do it unless I jumped or someone held my hand. Luckily, there was a group passing by and one of them realized I needed help and gave me her hand. I took it with a relieved smile and came down. I politely thanked her and she smiled at me and continued our hike. A short way up, in true Rajan style, he came to get me and took my bag. The group was just behind me and the girl was so surprised to see Rajan that she couldn’t help but say, “I thought you were traveling alone but so romantic that he came to pick you up”. Deep down I was simply glad that Rajan was with me.
I finally reached Deurali, we were now at 3200 m. It was almost dark when I got there and it was misty so nothing could be seen. After a quick dinner and some internet later, we went to bed. Tomorrow was the final push and we will reach ABC. With that happy thought, I went to sleep. At around 3 am, I had to use the washroom. When I opened the door, the mist had cleared, and low and behold, the huge mountain was staring directly at me. They don’t say majestic mountains for no reason and I came to realize that just then. I could not take a step forward and did the only rational thing I could do, go and wake Rajan up to accompany me to the toilet. He sportingly came and took in the view as well. It simply was magnificent.