Kathmandu to Pokhara: A Soft Launch (For Once)
We were up early in Kathmandu, the city wrapped in misty rain, heading back to the airport — this time for a short domestic flight to Pokhara, the true gateway to the Annapurna region.
After weeks of cancelled routes, rerouted continents, and airport sprints, a 25-minute flight felt almost suspiciously easy.
And for once… it was.
No turbulence. No drama. No emotional breakdowns mid-air. A far cry from the nerve-wracking Lukla flight some of us had survived back in 2013.
We took that as a win.
Pokhara: Blink and You’ll Miss It
Pokhara, often described as Nepal’s laid-back lakeside escape, barely registered for us on arrival.
We didn’t linger.
Instead, we were quickly bundled onto a bus and launched straight into what would become our unofficial Day 1 adrenaline activity — a chaotic mountain drive to Birethanti, the trek’s starting point.
The road wound upward through narrow mountain passes, hugging cliffs with just enough space for one vehicle… and yet somehow accommodating two-way traffic.
Horns echoed around blind corners.
Our driver remained calm.
The rest of us reconsidered our life choices.
Day 1: Into the Green
From Birethanti, the trek finally began.
The first steps into the Annapurna region are deceptive — lush, green, and almost gentle. The trail winds through bamboo forests, waterfalls, and terraced farmland, with the steady rhythm of the Modi River below.
This is low-altitude Nepal:
- warm air
- dense vegetation
- villages that feel alive and lived-in
It’s a world away from the stark, high-altitude landscapes people often imagine.
One member of our group wasn’t feeling well and opted to take a jeep directly to our first overnight stop — an early reminder that in the mountains, flexibility is not optional.
By late afternoon, we reached Tikhedhunga, a small but significant stop on the Annapurna trail.
Tea House Life Begins
Our first tea house stay set the tone for the days ahead.
Family-run, simple, and welcoming — the kind of place where trekking boots pile up at the door and strangers quickly become familiar faces over shared meals.
That evening we were served our first proper dal bhat — Nepal’s iconic dish of rice, lentils, vegetables, and curry.
And here’s something every trekker learns quickly:
Dal bhat tastes better the higher (and more tired) you are.
After weeks of chaos and a long day of travel, it tasted exceptional.
Day 2: The Stairs That Broke Us (Gently)
If Day 1 eased us in gently, Day 2 wasted no time reminding us that we were, in fact, climbing a mountain.
The altitude gain was immediate and noticeable. You feel it before you fully understand it — in your breathing, in your legs, in the way your body quietly starts negotiating with you.
The day began with a short suspension bridge crossing beside a waterfall — one of those moments that feels small at the time but somehow stays with you. The rush of water, the damp air, the sense that you were properly entering the mountains now.
And then came the climb.
The Ulleri Steps
The famous Ulleri steps are relentless, but what I remember just as vividly is what surrounded us on the way up.
Miles and miles of rhododendron forest.
At first, it feels like just another beautiful trail. But then you realise how vast it is — entire hillsides covered in these trees, twisting and arching over the path, creating a kind of natural tunnel as you climb higher.
Rhododendrons are not just pretty scenery in Nepal — they are the national flower, deeply woven into the country’s identity. In spring, these forests explode into colour, with shades of red, pink, and white scattered across the mountains.
Even when not in full bloom, there’s something quietly magical about them:
- the scale of the forest
- the filtered light through the branches
- the sense of walking through something ancient and rooted
It softens the effort of the climb — just enough to keep you going.
The Magic of Ghorepani
As the trail climbs higher, the landscape begins to shift.
Dense jungle gives way to rhododendron forests, and suddenly — if the clouds allow — the Himalayas begin to reveal themselves.
Ghorepani sits at 2,850m, surrounded by giants:
- Dhaulagiri
- Annapurna I
- Hiunchuli
For many trekkers, this is the first moment the scale of the Himalayas truly hits.
You’re no longer imagining the mountains.
You’re standing in them.
The Rhythm Begins
By the time we reached Ghorepani, something had shifted.
The chaos of airports and reroutes felt distant.
In its place:
- a slower pace
- a shared rhythm
- the quiet satisfaction of moving forward on foot
We were tired.
We were a little sore.
But we were exactly where we were meant to be.
And tomorrow, we would climb even higher — chasing sunrise at Poon Hill.
Pics & video credits:
Anni
Saeed