This is a continuation of my series on the Annapurna Circuit Trek, which we trekked in late November. Check out our itinerary here. The day before THE DAY. On Day 8, we trekked to High Camp, in preparation for crossing the Thorong-La Pass the following day. I cannot lie - I was nervous about altitude sickness. I didn't want to be the person to get sick, have to descend immediately, and ruin everyone's trek. And I really did not want cerebral edema or pulmonary edema. To counteract this fear, I was in a perpetual state of what we called "water panic". I had read that staying well hydrated helps with acclimatization, and we had also heard that locals recommend garlic soup for acclimatization. So, I downed at least three or four 2-liter bladders full of water each day, plus multiple cups of tea at the teahouses each morning and night, plus bowls of garlic soup at dinner. Plus, I took Diamox, medicine known to aid acclimatization (as well as treating glaucoma). Hey, it may have been a bit much, but I didn't feel even a hint of altitude sickness throughout the trip. Most of our fellow trekkers from Letdar were also headed for High Camp that day. Some people choose to sleep at Thorong Phedi, completing the steep slog from Thorong Phedi to High Camp and over the pass in the morning. I was glad we slept at High Camp, since I didn't have to do the section between Thorong Phedi and High Camp at 4:00am with a headlamp. Pass day is long and tiring enough, so, if you can sleep at High Camp, it helps to shorten the day a bit. We had read in the NATT Trekking Guide that we would be walking through a landslide area between Letdar and Thorong Phedi. This made me nervous, but we were lucky enough not to see any falling or sliding rock as we trekked. We rested at Thorong Phedi, where fellow trekkers enjoyed coffee and pastries. After a quick granola bar, we continued up, wanting to reach High Camp as soon as possible. We had read that High Camp can fill up in the high season and that overflow trekkers have to sleep in the dining room. Though we were on the tail end of high season, we didn't want to risk it. The route up to High Camp was tough. I kept thinking, "Man, I'm glad we did the Upper Pisang Trail", since this climb also had a steep incline with a number of switchbacks and required numerous breaks to catch my breath. We gained 400 meters of elevation (1312 ft) in 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) of hiking. Slowly but surely, I made it, in plenty of time to get a room. We arrived at High Camp just before lunchtime, with all afternoon to relax, eat, and socialize with our fellow trekkers. It was such a great afternoon and evening. Everyone that stays at High Camp gathers in the same dining room, so we saw all of our trail friends. We exchanged stories, shared food and hot tea, and described our lives back home to each other, as sunlight streamed in the windows. Since there is only one lodge at High Camp, they have a monopoly on food, drink, and lodging, meaning that prices are considerably higher than the rest of the trail. When darkness fell, we all migrated to the adjacent room, which housed the fireplace, and crammed our bodies into the tiny space to be as close to the heat as possible. The temperature at High Camp plummeted when the sun went down, freezing the water in the water barrel and creating icy patches on the ground by the bathrooms. Before going to bed, we all asked each other, "When are you getting up? When are you having breakfast? When are you leaving for the pass?" Daily trekking distance: 7 km
Total trekking distance: 98 km Starting elevation (Letdar): 4200m/13,780 ft Ending elevation (High Camp): 4850m/15,912 ft Costs Room + food (lunch, tea, snacks, dinner, breakfast) High Camp: 2220 NPR ($21.53)
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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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