HIMALAYAS
The Himalayas
Nepal
The mighty peaks of old, Earth's roof, and simply the greatest mountain range on this planet. Words cannot do these granitic masterpieces justice. But it still proves a formidable barrier into the Middle Kingdom.
The looming and great range of glaciers and sheer cliffs confronts you to the north, where narrow passes leads one through the mountains onto the Tibetan Plateau. A short cut it is, though the risk is great. Locals of the mountains befriend you and offer you to transport your goods through the routes only they know. A deal is reached and you trudged through the ice, all in an effort to reach China, the end of the Silk Roads. Such is an experience one may have a thousand years ago on these ancient routes. Remarkably, the experience can be somewhat similar today, albeit one glaring difference. Back then it was mostly for survival, today it is mostly for adventure. But what an adventure it is, no matter how one may go about embarking it.
Trekking side by side strangers turned to friends is one such way, slowly and steeply gaining elevation, fueled by tea and dal bhat. There are seldom things in life as simple as trekking with a simple goal to reach your destination, all the while humbled by these majestic towers of rock. Stretching from several countries, the Himalayas are overly talked about, yet not enough. It is no small wonder why explorers and wanderers keep returning to these ranges, some to climb impossible routes, others to sit peacefully in a tea house, sipping a hot beverage. Either way is fine, as long as you appreciate the grandeaur of creation that is the Himalayas.
THE SILK ROAD JOURNAL
How We Got Here
By local busses from Pokhara, following by several days hiking higher and higher into the mountains of Annapurna.
The Highlight
Trekking side by side with strangers turned to friends, all with a common, and very simple, goal of reaching the Annapurna Base Camp.
Our Treasure
When we reached the base camp, it was completely fogged in. As most trekkers departed down the mountain on the next morning, we waited until a remarkable clearing for half an hour brought us face to face with Annapurna.
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S N A P S H O T S O N T H E R O A D
W H E R E W I L L Y O U R J O U R N E Y T A K E Y O U N E X T ?
The traverse of the Silk Roads have led you through some of Earth's mightiest ranges, but none of them compare to the Himalayas. Thankfully, you were able to survive thanks to the help of the locals of the mountains, where they lead you into the Tibetan Plateau.