Our day 3 in Pokhara started pretty early. We were up by 3:30 am and on our way by 4 am. In the wee hours of the morning, we crossed a very sleepy Pokhara valley and started climbing another mountain range bordering the Pokhara town. Sarangkot is a small town situated higher up in the mountains. Sarangkot is famed for its spectacular 'sunrise-points'. Our driver stopped on the way to pick up a guide for us, although we did not ask for it. The driver requested us to take him on, as the this was the only source of income for the local unemployed youths. We reluctanly agreed, although we didn't regret it later.
Our guide was an enthusiatic teenager, who agreed to take guide us up to a sunrise point for two hundred rupees. We climbed walked for less that three minutes and reached an extremely crowded sunrise point, where a number of people had already secured the best places for a. Indra asked our guide to take us to a less crowded spot. He informed us that there is a spot which would require a climb of 15-20 mins. We agreed and started climbing at a break-neck pace. Dawn was breaking in the eastern sky when we reached a small clearing in front of a tea-shop.
A strong wind was blowing and what we had did nothing to guard us from it. Fortunately, the tea-shop also doubles as a shawl shop and the shop-keeper promptly produced two shawls for us. So, wrapped in heavenly warmth, we drank the tea and watched the cloud lift from the valley of the Seti river immediately below us. Our guide pointed out the landmarks. I spotted some lakes in the shadows and asked what they were called. Our guide laughed at my ignorance and told me that it is a cloud hovering near the ground.
As we chatted, the snowy ranges slowly glimmered into view. The sky was crystal clear and every inch of the mountain was visible to the naked eye. The highest peaks were the four peaks of Annapurna and the Machapuchare. In a distance Kanchenjunga was also visible as a small speck.
The forked peak of Mt.Fishtail is not visible from Sarangkot. For that we decided to travel to Nawdanga, which is the situated next to Dhampus, the famous trekking destination.
We returned back to the hotel for a quick breakfast. We lost some time there, although the sky was clear till 11:30 that morning. To reach Navdanga, we had to cross Seti valley.
The valley is a lush green patch between two mountain ranges, with the snow-white seti river flowing in the middle. After travelling for 45 mins we started climbing the mountain opposite Dhampus.
Nawdanga is a small village, complete with its own school, a two-roomed college and police station. One of the not-so-sober villagers offered to take us round the village. Asking us to be very careful, he slipped and fell (more due to unsteady feet than uneven terrain I suppose) and started apologizing profusely.
He took us through a cabbage patch for a clear view of the forked tip of Mt. Fishtail. This forked tip, which gives the mountain its name, is not visible from Pokhara. Mt.Fishtail is a sacred mountain and the Nepalase government does not allow any mountaineering expedition on it. This is another reason why this mountain is also known as the Virgin mountain.
We stayed in Nawdanga for more than an hour. We chatted with the locals and bought some oranges from a girl. She said she got the oranges from a market in the Seti valley in the morning and had walked back to the village with her load following the same path we had covered in the car in 30 mins. The hill people have a very tough life.
Before we left, we went to a tea-shop run by our guide's family. He gave us his address and requested us to write back to him from India. He showed me a letter he got from an Australian friend, which he carries around in his back pocket. We left with a very warm glow in our heart.
We spent the rest of the day exploring the restaurants around the lake.
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| Dawn at Sarangkot Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
A strong wind was blowing and what we had did nothing to guard us from it. Fortunately, the tea-shop also doubles as a shawl shop and the shop-keeper promptly produced two shawls for us. So, wrapped in heavenly warmth, we drank the tea and watched the cloud lift from the valley of the Seti river immediately below us. Our guide pointed out the landmarks. I spotted some lakes in the shadows and asked what they were called. Our guide laughed at my ignorance and told me that it is a cloud hovering near the ground.
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| Seti Valley from Sarangkot Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
As we chatted, the snowy ranges slowly glimmered into view. The sky was crystal clear and every inch of the mountain was visible to the naked eye. The highest peaks were the four peaks of Annapurna and the Machapuchare. In a distance Kanchenjunga was also visible as a small speck.
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| Mt.Machhapuchre Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
It is difficult to capture in words a golden surise on the snowy slopes of the Annapurna range. With four peaks well over 7500 meters, the majesty of the mountains as the caught the first rays of the sun defies any description. For a few moments the mountains were on fire. Fortunately we had cameras to capture the moments that were sketched permanenty in my mind as the most pleasurable I have ever had.
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| Sunrise over Annapurna Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
We returned back to the hotel for a quick breakfast. We lost some time there, although the sky was clear till 11:30 that morning. To reach Navdanga, we had to cross Seti valley.
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| Seti River Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
The valley is a lush green patch between two mountain ranges, with the snow-white seti river flowing in the middle. After travelling for 45 mins we started climbing the mountain opposite Dhampus.
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| Mt.Fishtail from Nawdanga Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
Nawdanga is a small village, complete with its own school, a two-roomed college and police station. One of the not-so-sober villagers offered to take us round the village. Asking us to be very careful, he slipped and fell (more due to unsteady feet than uneven terrain I suppose) and started apologizing profusely.
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| Our Guide in Nawdanga Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
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| Mt. Fishtail Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
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| Nepalese girl Copyright©2008 Indranil Banerjee |
We spent the rest of the day exploring the restaurants around the lake.
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