If the previous days had been about finding our rhythm, Day 5 was about testing it.
This was the day the trek stopped being scenic… and started becoming serious.
Part 1: Flight Chaos
Part 2: Airport Olympics
Part 3: The Trek Begins
Part 4: Stuff Gets Real
Part 5: Tough Decisions
The Relentless Climb
We covered close to 12 kilometres from Lower Sinuwa to Deurali — almost entirely uphill.
Not dramatic, sweeping climbs. Not satisfying summit pushes.
Just relentless, grinding ascent.
Up.
Up.
Up.
Very little flat. Very little relief.
And somehow, harder than summit day.
April Fool’s at Altitude
The day started innocently enough with the climb to Upper Sinuwa.
Somewhere along the way, Dhurba decided altitude was the perfect setting for an April Fool’s prank — at Saeed’s expense, naturally.
Laughter echoed down the trail, a brief moment of lightness before the day settled into its true rhythm.
Because after that…
It was work.
Familiar Faces, Different Days
One of the unexpected joys of the trek was the people.
We kept running into the same trekkers — including a group of Chinese hikers we had first met back on Day 2.
That’s the strange magic of the Annapurna Base Camp trail.
You don’t walk it alone, even when you think you are.
People move at different paces, take different routes, stretch the trek across anywhere from 5 to 11 days.
We did it in 7.5 days — which, in hindsight, explains a lot about how hard this day felt.
Sometimes you wouldn’t see anyone familiar for a day or two … and then suddenly, you’d all land up in the same village again, swapping stories like old friends.
Into the Valley
From Upper Sinuwa, we pushed on through Bamboo — the name finally making sense as the forests closed in again.
The trail narrowed. The air cooled.
The valley began to feel deeper, steeper, more enclosed.
We stopped for lunch somewhere along the way — one of those meals where you eat because you have to, not because you’re hungry. May have been Dovan.
Because by now, altitude was starting to do its quiet work.
Rain, Uncertainty & Himalaya
Then the weather turned.
Rain rolled in — steady and persistent — soaking the trail and slowing our pace.
We pushed on until we reached Himalaya, where we stopped for a breather… and, fittingly, afternoon prayers.
There’s something about being in the mountains that makes even the most restless people pause.
At that point, there was a real question hanging in the air:
Would we make it to Deurali before sunset?
Sacred Stops & Shifting Rules
Along the way, we stopped to photograph a waterfall near a Buddhist shrine — one of many quiet reminders that this trek isn’t just physical, it’s spiritual too.
Not long after, we entered a zone where no animal products are allowed.
No meat.
No chicken
Not even milk.
It’s a sacred stretch of the Annapurna Sanctuary, and the respect for it is absolute.
You feel the shift — not just in the rules, but in the atmosphere.
The higher you go, the more the mountain demands awareness.
The Final Push
After Himalaya, the rain eased.
We paused briefly at a Hindu shrine — catching our breath, regrouping, mentally preparing.
Because we knew something was coming, even if we didnt know what it was yet.
Two river crossings.
A slightly dodgy bridge.
And then…
There it was.
Perched on a hill. Of course it was.
We had about an hour of daylight left. Just enough time. Just enough energy.
Those final steps felt endless — legs heavy, lungs working overtime, every step a negotiation.
But there’s something powerful about seeing your destination. It pulls you forward. And when we finally arrived?
We were chuffed.
Deurali: Where It Gets Real
If the lower tea houses feel cosy and welcoming… Deurali is something else. Cramped. Busy. Full.
This is where the trek bottlenecks.
Rooms are limited. Space is tight. And when it fills up — which it does — people sleep wherever they can:
- dining areas
- benches
- even tables
At that point, you start wondering where the porters and guides even go.
It’s not glamorous. It’s not comfortable. But it’s real. And it’s part of the experience.
PRO TIP: Some trekkers arrive without bookings, just hoping to find space. Going from tea house to tea house, asking, waiting, negotiating.
I would not recommend this.
Going with an organised trekking company meant:
- we had beds
- we had space
- we had porters to carry our bags
- we had guides that saw to our every need
- we had a lot less to worry about
After days of trekking, you really just wanted a soft bed to sleep in. And although we had sub-zero sleeping bags provided by Nepal Hiking Team, most of the tea houses also provided comforters. If you have ‘ick’ issues, just bring your own sheet or sleeping bag liner.
Another shift happens here — and it’s not just physical.
Everything starts to cost more.
- No more free WiFi
- Water prices climb steadily
- Bottled water disappears
Instead, you rely on boiled and filtered water.
It’s safe — we all drank it without any issues — but it’s another reminder:
You’re no longer in the lower villages.
You’re deep in it now.
The Second Group Arrives
While we had made it in before dark… Our second group wasn’t so lucky.
They arrived after sunset — exhausted, drained, barely functioning. Too tired to even eat. The word ‘grueling’ was used a lot.
But this is where group dynamics matter. We cajoled. Encouraged. Scolded and insisted they eat.
Because here’s another hard truth about trekking at altitude:
You have to eat.
Even when you don’t feel like it. Especially when you don’t feel like it. Even when your appetite disappears. Except mine. I must be the only person who eats more at altitude!
Your body needs fuel. No debate.
That night, we skipped showers. Not out of laziness — out of strategy, as per our guide’s advice.
At that altitude, in that cold, the risk of a hot shower followed by freezing cold air just isn’t worth possibly getting sick. At altitude. For those of us who come from warmer climes at sea level.
So it was wet wipes, quick clean-ups, and straight into layers. From what we could tell, no one else was showering either.
The Kind of Tired That Wins
We were exhausted.
Not casually tired. Not “I could nap” tired.
Properly finished.
The kind of tired where sleep comes instantly and deeply.
The kind that tells you: You earned this.
Day 5 wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t filled with sweeping views or big emotional moments.
It was something else.
It was:
- endurance
- persistence
- quiet determination
- and a glimpse of what was still to come
Later I would determine it was much harder than actual summit day. But at the time I didn’t know that yet. I did wonder, if getting to Deurali was tough how much tougher would getting to Annapurna Base Camp be?
I didn’t have long to wonder.
Tomorrow was the big one.
Summit Day.
What a gripping read. I feel as though I’ve participated in your gruelling trek. Team Annapurna Hardcore, you should all be proud of yourselves. Trekking at altitude is no joke