Nepal 2004 - Towards Everest and the Annapurna Cuicuit

This is a pictorial story of a trip to Nepal in 2004.

Friend Jonathan and I fly into Lukla and walk as far as Tengpoche monastery where Jonathan begins to suffer from the altitude and needs to descend.

So as not to waste this time in Nepal we go west and ascend more slowly and manage to complete the Annapurna Circuit as least as far as Jomsom and fly back to Phokara from there.

On awakening on the first morning in Manang we find a covering of snow that has fallen during the night and wonder about the wisdom of attempting the crossing of the 5416 meter Thorong La pass.

Out of the blue a passing local says "Go tomorrow!" and so we do. The crossing takes us through some incredibly beautiful mountain scenery on a fine sunny day. 900 hundred metres up and 1600 metres down. We sleep well!

Click on an image to enlarge

Nepal 2004 - Nepal 2004 Everest and Annapurna

Nepal 2004 - Prayer flags fly everywhere in the predominantly Buddhist region of Solu-Khumbu near Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) in the high Himalayas of Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - Walking out from the town of Namche Bazaar in the Sagarmatha (Everest) national Park in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal, around a corner the first real view of Sagarmatha is to be had, peaking over the ridge of Nuptse in the early morning light.

Nepal 2004 - The Silver Birch is one of the highest growing trees in the Himalayas. This one is near the temple of Tengpoche in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park in eastern Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - The sun rises behind Ama Dablam (6856m) in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park in the high Himalayas of Nepal. The tip of Sagarmatha (8850m) shows behind Nuptse (7879m).

Nepal 2004 - The sun rises behind Ama Dablam (6856m) in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park in the high Himalayas of Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - Prayer flags fly in the wind high above the monastery of Tengpoche in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park in eastern Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - The Tibetan Buddhist monastery of Tengpoche is reputed to have the best views in the world, surrounded as it is by the peaks of the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park in eastern Nepal. Travelers camp there on their way up to the high valleys and the Everest base camp.

Nepal 2004 - The image of Vajra Satva, the essence of purification, carved into a trailside rock above Namche Bazaar, administrative centre for the Khumbu region in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park in Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - Throughout the high valleys of the Himalaya, rows of prayer wheels are common and most people spin them as they walk past spinning a prayer to the heavens for peace and compassion in the world. These are in Namche Bazaar in the Sagarmatha (Everest) national Park in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - In a quiet square in the middle of Kathmandu in Nepal, this line of carved pillars have the Dhyana or meditation Buddhas facing in the four directions.

Nepal 2004 - This Buddha Rupa stands at the foot of the stairs leading up to the temple of Swyambunath to the north of Kathmandu in Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - Chame is a Nepalese village on the northern side of the Annapurna Himal. In the middle of the village is a well maintained mani wall. The mantras are those of compassion and purification.

Nepal 2004 - Om Mani Padme Hung. The mantra of Chenrezig the Buddha of compassion, lovingly carved and painted on a large bolder in the village of Chame. Chame is a Nepalese village on the northern side of the Annapurna Himal, and a strong Buddhist centre.

Nepal 2004 - A small part of a carved rock near the village of Chame. Chame is a Nepalese village on the northern side of the Annapurna Himal, and a strong Buddhist centre. The dedication of the rock carver is to be admired.

Nepal 2004 - Spectacular mountain scenery above Menang on the north side of the Annapurna Himal in Nepal.

Nepal 2004 - The town of Menang on the north side of the Annapurna Himal in Nepal is built of rocks. Note the stairs carved from a single log cut from trees increasingly rare in this area.

Nepal 2004 - Menang is an isolated small town north of the Annapurna Himal in Nepal. The snow of the previous day has melted and the ground is now soft enough to plough and plant a crop of potatoes.

Nepal 2004 - Climbing the Thorong La pass between Menang and Jomsom to the north of the Annapurna Himal in Western Nepal. The pass itself is a climb of 1000 metres followed by a decent of 1600 metres and the pass is at an altitude of 5400 metres. This must be completed in a single day ... puff puff.

Nepal 2004 - The Nepalese village of Jharkot looks up at the north western side of the 5400 metre Thorong La Pass which leads to Menang. To the south is the Kali Gandaki gorge between Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri I and to the north the isolated region of Mustang and then Tibet.

Nepal 2004 - The tiny village of Muktinath is on one side of the Thorong La pass, and is a centre of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindus. This area is in the rain shadow of the main Annapurna Himal and is extremely dry for most of the year.

Nepal 2004 - The Gompa (Tibetan temple) in Kag Beni on the Kali Gandaki river in Nepal, houses a large rupa of Sakyamuni Buddha, the last major historical Buddha. This Gompa used to be closed to travelers, but it is now opened occasionally to raise funds for its maintenance.