This is a continuation of my series on the Annapurna Circuit Trek, which we trekked in late November. Check out our itinerary here. REST DAY! Sitting at the end of the dusty road that follows the Annapurna Circuit, Manang is relatively large compared with some of the other villages. Large, multi-story teahouses line the street and a beautiful mountain, Gangapurna, towers above the town. When trekking the Annapurna Circuit, proper acclimatization is very important, since the Thorong-La Pass sits at 17,770 ft and ascending too quickly can increase the risk of altitude sickness. Every itinerary that I read suggests a rest day in Manang, so that's exactly what we did. It was glorious sleeping in, eating a leisurely breakfast, and, most of all, knowing that I didn't have to pick up my backpack at all that day. After breakfast, I eschewed my hiking boots in favor of my soft, comfortable moccasins, grateful to give my feet a break after our tough trekking day on Day 5. We explored some of the small shops and were able to find some needed and wanted items, including hand sanitizer, postcards, and prayer flags. Apparently, Manang is known for its bakeries, so our plan for the day involved finding some pastry and real coffee. We wandered down the road to Sanna Bakery and Coffeehouse, where we ordered coffee, a cinnamon roll, and sat outside in the sunshine. Our intention had been to read and write in our travel journals at the bakery, but we soon became engrossed in conversation with other trekkers. This was one of my favorite parts of the Annapurna Circuit - the sense of community along the trail. We met a lot of trail friends, spent time together in the teahouses, and looked out for each other on Pass day. At the bakery, we met a 63 year old man who has hiked the Annapurna Circuit every year for 20 years. He treks with the same guide each year, now more of a friend than guide. Now, he hires a yak to cross the pass, but still comes back each year because he loves this trek so much. After he departed, a father and daughter sat down at our table. They were in Nepal for a month of trekking, starting with the Manaslu Circuit and continuing through the Annapurna Circuit. From Manang, we followed the same itinerary as this father-daughter duo and enjoyed getting to know them better along the trail. Before starting the trek, we had read about the numerous acclimatization hikes available from Manang. Some people even add on the Tilicho Lake trek, a multi-day trek from Manang. We did not have 4 extra days for Tilicho Lake, as much as we would have loved to complete it. We considered the option of doing a day hike from Manang, but, ultimately, we chose not to do any side treks on our rest day. People talk about "climbing high and sleeping low" to help with acclimatization, which we had done the previous day by taking the Upper Pisang route. Instead, we relaxed at the bakery with our new friends. Then, we took advantage of the sunshine at mid-day to take showers in the solar-powered shower at our teahouse. Whereas the shower I attempted in Dharapani was FREEZING, this shower was hot and steamy and wonderful. At our teahouse, the Gangapurna Hotel, we met two Argentinians, thanks to Rachel's Spanish skills. One of the Argentinians now lived in Kathmandu and spoke Nepalese. They had a lot of helpful advice for us. In the evening, our new friends mentioned that they were going to a movie theater in town and invited us to join them. The movie theater was a small, cold, concrete room with no windows. A projector and a few rows of chairs had been set up. Since we were the only group at the movie theater, we were allowed to choose the movie, and we used the row of chairs in front of us as footrests. The people working at the movie theater brought us thick blankets, which I spread across my lap to stay warm (I was wearing my down jacket and the fleece-lined hat I had purchased in Chame), and our ticket included tea and popcorn! Initially, I wasn't sure about going to a movie while trekking in Nepal, but I was glad that we did. It was such a different experience than going to a movie in America, and a relaxing experience on our rest day. Daily trekking distance: 0 km
Total trekking distance: 81 km Starting elevation (Manang): 3540m/11,614 ft Ending elevation (Manang): 3540m/11,614 ft Costs Items at shops (e.g. hand sanitizer, snack, prayer flags, postcards): 850 NPR ($8.23) Tea & cinnamon roll: 320 NPR ($3.10) Water bottle: 100 NPR ($0.97) Movie theater: 350 NPR ($3.39) 2 nights + 2 breakfasts + 2 dinners Manang: 2275 NPR ($22.01)
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AuthorMy name is Alyssa Good and I have a passion for travel, adventure, culture, and new experiences! I focus on budget friendly travel, trip planning resources, and seeking out new experiences. Archives
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