There's no spectacular morning light on Annapurna South from Chomrong
But we finally can see the fishtail of Macchapuchhare
Today’s hike in brief:
Chomrong (7,119′) down to Chomro Khola (6,200′) and then up to Dovan (8,550′), estimated time 6-7 hrs.
Partial sketch map of Annapurna Sanctuary Trek
Part 1: Descend from Chomrong to river and up to Sinuwa
Today's path from Chomrong to Sinuwa, Bamboo and Dovan
Since the Kalpana Guest House was in the upper town, we began hiking by descending the long stone staircase to the Chomro Khola, which we crossed on a suspension bridge.
- Bridge over the Chomro Khola below Chomrong
And then we, of course, had to go back up the side of the mountain to Sinuwa, which had just a few of lodges. One trekking guide called it a “stiff climb,” an understatement. But at least it was early in the morning.
Chhomrung after about 1/2 hour of ascent
Chomrong after 3/4 hr of ascent
I think the Kapana was the one with the green roof near the top
At the Hilltop Lodge in Sinuwa I inhaled a Power Bar around 9:30 when we stopped for tea and wished I had another in my pack.
One last look back to where we've been; you can just make out Jhina Danda as a few specs on the lower ridge
Next is Bamboo and then Dovan
The ACAP’s Annapurna Sanctuary Special Management Zone begins at Sinuwa. From here on, no wood fires are allowed, so all lodges must cook with kerosene or gas. Lodges also are restricted to six or seven bedrooms in designated locations. According to the trekking guide, about half of the lodges from Sinuwa upwards are owned by Chomrong villagers.
Even so, we’re not in the wilderness.
Modern technology is never far away
but there's still only one way to carry stuff
I still don't know what these are
At this point the stone steps disappeared (for the most part, but not totally), and the trail narrowed. On the ridge, the path through the forest was rocky with lots of tree roots. Just like home on the AT! We crossed a stream and passed the ruins of an ACAP post (Khuldigar or Khurdi Ghar, 7,800’) before starting steeply downhill to a damp bamboo forest and a collection of lodges called Bamboo, where we stopped for lunch at 12:30 at the Bamboo Guesthouse.
Bamboo forest
The guidebook allows 4 to 4 ¾ hrs for the trip. I did it in 5 (including the stop in Sinuwa), but I was exhausted and dehydrated. (It’s hard to break your rhythm to stop and drink. I did have Gatorade powder along, so most of the time I was drinking Gatorade.) My first order of business was to drink a coke while I waited for a plate of spaghetti and some French fries. I finished with an apple.
This was the only time I ended up sitting with Americans. Most of the people I met at the guesthouses were from other places: France, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, and Great Britain, to name a few. On the trail I saw a group of Japanese for several days, but they were camping, probably because they were a group.
From Bamboo the trail climbed steadily, crossing the Bamboo Khola and several other streams leading to the Modi Khola before reaching Dovan (8,331’) at 2:45p.
We were back in the rhododendron forest
Rhododendron alongside a waterfall
The Hotel Tip-Top had hot showers, and since it was sunny when we arrived, we all did some laundry.
Hotel Tip-Top at Dovan
Laundry with a view
There was a waterfall to help you sleep, not that I needed it.
Waterfall at the Tip-Top
And there were flowers everywhere you looked.
