Annapurna circuit trek, Day 7: Acclimatization in Manang

Previous posts:
Day 1: Kathmandu to Bhulbule
Day 2: Bhulbule to Syange
Day 3: Syange to Dharapani
Day 4: Dharapani to Chame
Day 5: Chame to Lower Pisang
Day 6: Lower Pipsang to Manang

Perfect weather greeted us in the morning!! Unlike other days sky was crystal clear without any clouds. It seemed that the bad weather had retreated, finally. We will be climbing up mighty Thorung La in the coming days and a good weather can make that task easy.


After breakfast we set out for an acclimatization walk to Chongar view point. It is said that the best way to acclimatize is to climb higher in the day and come back to the same altitude for spending night.

Annapurna III and Ganagapurna
We crossed Marsyandi River and climbed towards the view point. As we gained altitude, the Manang town and the valleys looked spectacular.


The Gurupurna Lake which is fed by Gangapurna glacier.


You can get a view of Manang town and the lake.


Thorung La is somewhere behind these peaks. It looks too high for us!!


The Gangapurna peak and its glacier. At 24,455 feet, it was first climbed in 1965 by German expedition led by Günther Hauser.


A closer look at the glacier. The ice walls looks easy but each of them will be several storey’s high!!


Gangapurna in a different perspective. While I was taking this picture, an elderly gentleman was observed me for a long time. He then asked what focal length and shutter speed I used.


Trying to get the full use of wide angle lens. It is the waters coming from Gangapurna glacier to the lake and then finally joins Marsyandi River.


We need to go on this way to climb Thorung La.


Annapurna IV peak. It looks beautiful from Manang. Another huge mountain at 24,360 feet!!


Annapurna III, another huge peak at 24,786 peak.


Marsyandi River and the bridge from the view point.


 And the great Tilicho peak!!


With such great peak around, Manang was a great place to rest for a day!!


After lunch, we attended a talk by Himalayan Rescue Association. It was a very informative talk that covered topics on Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS and other hazards in Nepal Himalayas. The talk is held at 3PM each day and I strongly recommend for anyone who stops at Manang.


Everyone follows his own itinerary till Manang. Hence at any place we stayed did not look crowded. Manang is the place where all of them congregate. The lodges and restaurants were teeming with trekkers. Restaurant was the common place where people socialize themselves. Some are deeply engrossed in the books, few play cards and garrulous people talked endlessly. 


The high point in the evening was when the summit of Annapurna IV was resplendent with the final rays of falling sun. I was comfortably seated next to the heating place in cafeteria. Not a place that one feels to vacate!! I ran to the room, grabbed the camera and hastily took few snaps.

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