On a bone-chilling night at Machapuchare Base Camp, unable to fall asleep I stepped out of my room at the Creator’s hour, and the sight of the night sky gobsmacked me. My soul pranced at the picturesque artistry on the firmament with the towering mountains, the twinkling stars, and the tranquil moon. I was in a fairy tale that is not about a damsel in distress waiting to be loved and redeemed by a prince, but a tale of herculean aspiration, painstaking perspiration, and a relentless realization.

Below are the shots I took of the night sky.

The momentous morning was here when I began the last leg of the trek blessed by the bright sunshine, toward the Annapurna Base camp, and yet again, I was flabbergasted by the sights.

…and here I was at the LANDMARK and this moment however hard I try, I am unable to put it into words. Somewhere in the opulent night sky at Machapuchare Base Camp and the resplendent sunny morning at Annapurna Base Camp, I came closest to experiencing God’s particle.

Less did I know that the magic in the mountains was just getting started…

The sublime snowfall late afternoon at the base camp infused life to the cinematic colleen in me and at the same time aroused the fearless femme in me to trek back on a frozen trail.

I could go on and on about my experiences but to sum it all up in three words, its gratitude, grit, and glory.

GRATITUDE: I feel grateful to be able to complete this trek surrounded by a spectacular landscape. A big shout out to the team of Whitemagic Adventure for handling impeccably all the logistics and being stellar support through the trek. This is my third trek with them and countless to follow. Without Whitemagic, the adventure gene within me would be latent and never found expression.

Thanks to the Nepal community – the porters, the guides, the vendors, and the tea houses that don’t leave a stone unturned in such harsh conditions to support the trekkers’ aspiration. They play a significant role in keeping our day-to-day recovery to continue on the formidable trail. I return with an elevated sense of gratitude for everything I have at home in my life. The loving and caring family, a career that not only pays the bills but supports and encourages me through the dreams I have in life, cheerleading friends, motivating mentors, the infrastructure around, the immeasurable luxuries for even the basic necessities of life, and most importantly the countless blessings of all the well-wishers.

GRIT: This trek requires a reasonable fitness level to complete it and a good fitness level to enjoy the trek. Poetically this trek can be titled “The Stairway to Heaven…” but worth mentioning that there are way too many stairs to ascend and descend every day through the trek that it tests the limits of physical endurance and mental fortitude in the spectrum of landscapes(viz village, forest, ridge, river, moraine, rocks, snow) and amplitude of weather conditions.

GLORY: A glory that is etched in the soul of a trekker that is so substantial without deficits that need appreciation, affirmation, or attention from the world. The glory that is more humbling than ego pumping…a glory that uncovers a side of the trekker so beautiful and transcendental and she/he stands touched and transformed for life by the sierra.

Now transitioning from poetry to practicalities of the trek:

Trek logistics: Whitemagic Adventure

Trek Itinerary:

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Fly Kathmandu-Pokhra, drive to Phedi; trek to Dhampus (1,650m)
Day 03: Trek to Landruk (1620m) 5-6 hrs
Day 04: Trek to Chhomrong (2210 m) 6-7 hrs
Day 05: Trek Chhomrong to Doban (2,600m)
Day 06: Trek Doban to Machapuchre Base Camp (MBC) (3,700m)
Day 07: MBC to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) (4,130m)
Day 08: Trek ABC to Bamboo(2,300m)
Day 09: Trek Bamboo to Jhinu (1,750m) and drive to Pokhara (5 hrs trek & 2 hr drive)
Day 10: Fly Pokhara to Kathmandu(+Bonus visit to Pashupatinath Temple)
Day 11: Fly Kathmandu to Bangalore

Connectivity: Recommend buying a local SIM from Nepal Telecom or NCell. Whilst the connectivity is very poor through the trail, it is available at certain sections and can be useful. Wifi connectivity is available in almost all tea houses.

Preparation for the trek: Whilst a reasonable fitness level is good to complete the trek, with a good fitness level one can enjoy the trek. Easy-Moderate workouts or 10-15K steps a day will not suffice for this trek and needs a mix of cardiovascular, mobility, strength, and endurance workouts months before the trek, in order to prepare. Stair climbing workouts will help a lot. Plan a very good fitness regimen at least 3 months ahead of the trek and the more in advance the better

Photostory of the trek.

Trail from Phedi to Dhampus

Trail from Dhampus to Landruk

Trail from Landruk to Chommrong

Chommrong to Dovan Trail

Trail from Dovan to Machapuchare Base camp

Trail from Machapuchare Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp

On the trail back from Annapurna Base Camp via Baboo back to Jhinu Danda

A trek is incomplete without the best company. We met as fellow trekkers and return home as friends for life. An incredible group that walked every step together and the camaraderie that I experienced fueled me through the trail. The souls that share the calling of the mountains and we shall meet again somewhere in the mountains.

We all returned with memories carved in gold…

Hope this blog has been useful and I highly encourage the reader to get this trek onto the bucket list. It is an elevating and enriching experience of a lifetime.