The aim of this blog

This is a blog for hikers who are considering doing this walk. It is not an account of what we did in detail; everyone will make their own journey. 

Its goal is simply to help people to do this interesting trek in a way that gives them enjoyment, enhances the benefits to the region and reduces potential negative impacts. 

It does this in three ways

• Firstly it is necessary to inform people that this trek even exists given its low profile even within Nepal. 
• Secondly it aims to manage expectations so that those that do it are comfortable with what is there, and not disappointed with what is not.
• Thirdly it tries to bring together the few pieces of information that are required. Reliable, authoritative information being one of the most difficult things to find in a country like Nepal.

Getting started

• The Introduction
• The Summary
• Hazards and Altitude Sickness
• See some photos if you need a little inspiration
• Get to grips with Logistics, Food and Accommodation
• Finally Regulation comments on the Annapurna Circuit Disaster (Oct '14)
• There is more to explore but this will get you started

I hope you enjoy your hike!

Bonus!
I have included a few notes on a wonderful 9-day camping trek I did with another trekking partner to Dhaulagiri Italian Basecamp.

Aftermath of the Annapurna disaster

New

Here is a thoughtful piece on the topic from the Earth Island Journal

Tragedy on the Annapurna Circuit

by Michael Dax – November 7, 2014

Introduction

Elsewhere I have written that “guides and porters are not necessary”. Of course this doesn’t mean that you cannot use them if you so desire or require, it just means that the Guerrilla Trek is perfectly amenable to independent trekkers. Personally that is how I prefer it. 

I had better state here that my one experience (out of 16 treks) with a guide and porters was 100% positive. But… and this is a big “but”, I chose the guide myself having observed him at work elsewhere, and I knew that we were going to trek through his village close to Makalu. I did not use an agency. He found and managed two stellar porters for us. in contrast I have also encountered several people (usually women trekking alone) whose experience has been, shall we say, unenviable. Proceed with caution and where possible make the most of personal recommendations.

This post addresses the recent (October, 2014) events in Nepal that may change all this.

In the immediate aftermath, and quite possibly just for media consumption the Nepali authorities (whatever that means exactly) said that they were going to make guides, porters and GPS tracking devices mandatory for all foreigners. This is of course useless, indeed dangerous, nonsense. 

As with most things in Nepal, there is a good chance that nothing will happen or that rules will be unevenly applied or bent to suit local circumstances. But I would like to give a bit of a heads up regarding possible changes in the “rules for trekking”. 

One of the plusses for this trek is that it is not subject to a Trekking Permit, park fees, or the outrageous TIMS card scam. Long may that last, just don’t count on it. 

If I become aware of a change I will try and update this post, but please do inform yourself before committing to a trekking holiday/journey in Nepal. If implemented as stated it would be the death of independent trekking in the country.

Summary

In October 2014 there were at least 43 deaths and many injuries on the Annapurna Circuit. The weather conditions that struck the region suddenly were actually known about well in advance. People were trekking in a place of significant danger at exactly the wrong time. They were there in large part because critical information was not made available.

Subsequently some did not survive the conditions in which they found themselves. This was due to one or more of several reasons: 

• Lack of vital information.
• Lack of appropriate gear and supplies
• Lack of facilities
• Poor or misleading advice
• Lack of experience and knowledge
• Avalanche

Mountains are stern teachers and there are always lessons to learn. 

#1 The individual has a responsibility to look after themselves and not place others in danger. 
#2 Agents in positions of trust have a responsibility to give sound advice untainted by commercial considerations. 
#3 The Government has a responsibility to provide appropriate regulation, resources and information from the funds they have received for the purpose.

At all three levels there is a responsibility to make the mountains a safer place to work, travel and explore. 

The proposals made in the immediate aftermath not only do not address the issues, but they are unrealistic, impracticable and expensive. At best they could only benefit the trekking agencies, and at worst they will destroy independent trekking in Nepal.

Background

Since doing this trek in April 2014 there has been a trekking disaster in the Annapurna region (specifically on the Thorung La - a pass of some 5400m). This briefly occupied headlines and the last death toll that I saw reported was 43, which would make it one of the worst in Nepal’s long history of mountain accidents of various sorts. And this figure does not include any bodies that may still lie buried under the snow. Nor does it include the many who will lose limbs or parts thereof.

This disaster is not in the same category as the one on Everest earlier in the year which killed 16 Sherpas. That was entirely due to a common but altogether less predictable event - an avalanche in the Everest Icefall. It involved well equipped, well trained and experienced people undertaking hazardous work in a very dangerous environment. The two should not be conflated or confused. They both carry risks and responsibilities, but do not involve the same hazards or carry the same level of risk. One is mountaineering, the other is trekking.

Cause

The primary cause of the disaster on the Annapurna Circuit was a severe weather system that crossed India over a two day period before slamming into the Himalaya and dumping a lot of snow accompanied by high winds and cold temperatures. An unusual event for that time of year but one which is naturally occurring and entirely forecastable. An event for which, apparently, some farmers in Nepal did indeed receive advance warning. It should not have lead to the loss of life, limb and livelihood that it did.

A secondary factor that made it worse is that this was peak trekking season. The weather is normally stable and good (that is one of the reasons it is peak season, but the word "normally" does not mean "always") and there were a lot of people high up crossing (or rather setting out to cross) the single high point on the Circuit. Some of these people were experienced hill walkers while others were complete novices. Some had guides and porters, and some were travelling independently.

The experienced do not necessarily go independently, nor do the inexperienced always have guides. And vice versa. That is usually a stylistic as well as financial decision.

These two factors together should not inevitably lead to a disaster of this magnitude. For that to happen others causes must come into play. 

Responsibility

The responsibility for it being as bad as it was lies at three levels

• The Government
• The Trekking Agencies
• The Individuals

The proportions for each of these three can be hotly debated, but what is unquestionable is the fact that many individuals were caught out on a high pass (5400m is about 600m higher than the top of Mt Blanc) in dreadful weather.

Many were ill-equipped, ill-prepared and inexperienced. They were also ill-informed and in some cases abandoned by people who they had paid and trusted to help them.

Some however were well prepared and knew what to do and importantly knew what NOT to do. These individuals survived, and in some cases may have helped others to survive.

Furthermore (and largely due to the greed of the Agencies) there are almost none of the Emergency facilities that one would find in Europe: No basic public shelters, almost no signposts, little or no way-marking, no mountain radios. 

Lastly there is no nation-wide system for informing the public (trekkers or locals) about impending weather conditions. Even two purely regional systems (Everest and Annapurna) would account for perhaps 95% of Trekkers and employed locals at risk, and presumably a similar proportion of trekking based income. 

The toll

Of these 43 confirmed deaths (at last count) about half were foreigners and half Nepalis. 

Behind these figures lie several questions:

As I understand it some of the Nepalis were local farmers who were caught in an avalanche elsewhere in the region. This is a sad consequence of life in the mountains, but not exactly relevant to policy regarding trekking. However it is very much relevant to improvements in weather warning systems. We may never know how many are in this category.

Incidentally, you have to suspect that if there had been no foreigners and only farmers were would barely have heard of this event. It was the presence of foreigners, some of whom may have had the ability to connect quickly with the outside world, who drew this to worldwide attention. This unfortunately feeds into a rather distorted picture of Nepal as just one disaster followed by another.

How many of the remaining Nepalis were guides, and how many were porters? 

The role of the former is to keep others out of danger while often the latter are drawn into danger by their work.

How many were guides (or porters) killed trying to rescue others, having first ensured the safety of their own clients?
How many of the foreigners who died were guided and how many independent? 
How many foreigners in each of the above categories were experienced and how many novices?
What information had each person received? And where did it come from?

We will probably never get clear answers to many of these questions, but some things are clear:

• At one point early on that day there were 43 people alive, the weather was fine, and a severe storm was known to be approaching. Known to many in the outside world that is, including a large swathe of India.
• At a later point on the same day many people were either dead or in need of rescue and hospitalisation.
• They left places of safety to go to places where they simply should not be at that time in that weather.
• They went there because either they did not have the advance warning they needed or they were told to ignore warning signs, or they lacked the experience to make their own judgments based on the available evidence.
• Once in an area of danger some people had the equipment and skills (and luck) to survive and others did not.

A bit of balance

Before looking at the reactions and proposed actions, let us just remember that not everyone who was involved died or was injured. Nor did everyone behave badly. A few did but many others behaved nobly, and some indeed died to save others. Perhaps these were people who failed to take adequate responsibility for themselves. In particular, some people were well equipped and took sensible actions while some guides, porters and individuals acted nobly and helped their clients or fellow trekkers

The Government Response

Instead of sensible responses and meaningful action there has been an all too predicable rush from the Authorities to put blame solely on “cheap trekkers without guides”. This is clearly an attempt to turn a disaster into a source of extra revenue for the Agencies. More unthinking regulation will do nothing to help yet this is what they propose. 

Government proposals

• Mandatory accredited guides
• Mandatory porters
• Mandatory GPS tracking devices

What these proposals ignore

All of these proposals add extra cost while delivering no benefit.

Guides and Porters

• These proposals ignore the fact that some who died were being guided while some who survived were either knowledgeable, experienced and well-equipped independent trekkers, or were people helped by them.
• It does not deal with the question of independent qualification of guides, which will undoubtedly be done under the auspices of the TAAN (Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal) who are the main culprits for many of the failings that resulted in this tragedy.
• It does not address the very real need to vet guides regarding sexual aggression towards or assaults of women trekkers.
• Having a porter makes no positive contribution to safety, indeed the reverse is true. More porters that are not part of properly constituted and equipped groups will inevitably translate into “more people who are ill-equipped and inadequately clothed high in the mountains”. As it stands some companies are notorious for failing to provide adequate gear to their porters.

GPS devices

• The vague term “GPS Tracking devices” does not appear to refer to GPS Navigation devices. The latter require some considerable skill to use safely, and the former do not help anyone to stay out of danger. 
• At best (and only if they are turned on, sufficiently charged, working properly and centrally monitored) "tracking devices" may enable rescuers to locate people. 
• Aside from the complex backend systems necessary to make them effective, they must also be purchased, stocked, maintained, repaired, charged and accompanied with instructions. 
• Or they must be carried by a trained guide. Any separation from the guide would then largely negate the utility of the device, which in a white-out is almost the first thing that would happen.
• Perhaps they meant PLBs which certainly have a role to play in the outdoors, but are only viable where there is a responsive rescue infrastructure in place (US, Europe, Australia, NZ).

These proposals are largely designed to cover up the complete failure of the Government to provide a weather warning system. Trekkers already pay significant sums both to the National Park from the ACAP fee and the Agencies from the TIMS card scam (even when travelling independently) and in return they get next to nothing.

Lessons

The reality of the situation is that not everyone trekking in these mountains is going to be a hard-core hiker or mountaineer with a wealth of experience back home. So the systems that are in place must be designed to cater to a wide range of skills and abilities. It is worth remembering that each year there are fatalities, some of them Nepali and some foreigners. There are always risks in mountains and high mountains often have higher risks.

Nepal does not have a hiking culture like Europe or the US. People walk the mountain trails certainly, but it is to get to their fields, to go from one village to another, to go to school, to attend festivals, to make a pilgrimage and to go to market. It is almost always only foreigners who have the leisure and resources to walk for pleasure without any specific purpose beyond the activity itself. This results in a different attitude towards risk, adventure and independence. 

Also, and crucially, there is an almost complete absence (outside the professional climbing and paragliding fraternity) of a safety culture. There are no or low standards in almost every area of life: transport (road and air), electricity, construction, healthcare, industry and workplaces. The lack of institutions to promote and enforce standards is part of being a third world country. It should therefore come as no surprise that this relaxed attitude is found in the mountains as well.


Avalanche

• In Europe, Alpine Club members often carry avalanche detection equipment in winter conditions, and we are taught how to use them. This is completely impractical in Nepal. The only way to avoid avalanche is not to be in an avalanche prone area at the wrong time.
• This requires local knowledge and trail management, with danger sections clearly marked (as is done in New Zealand), rerouted or even closed at times of extreme risk. Walking at low risk times of the day can also reduce the likelihood of accident, but not eliminate it entirely.

Information and preparation

• People need to be informed of inherent risks: Weather, Altitude, Cold, Navigation, Avalanche.
• People need to be informed of appropriate emergency procedures
• Timely accurate relevant information (especially as regards weather) is of paramount importance
• Minimal infrastructure can deliver vital information to a few key points
• Existing checkpoints do little for effective trail management or ensuring safety. They are strong on useless bureaucracy and weak on emergency response.
• Individuals need to make appropriate preparations based on the route and season and keep themselves informed along the way.

A focus on prevention

• Avoid having people going out into storms in the first place.Storms do not come out of nowhere, but they can come quickly and pass quickly.
• Enable people to find shelter.
  Rudimentary shelters at intervals on key passes. Poles and cairns along snow-covered sections of the route.
• People need to know safety procedures: what to do, where to go and when to stay put.
• Checkpoints to become primary information points.
  They should display trail status and condition, weather forecasts, and maps. They would enable people to check in and check out of each section easily by using their permit number for tracking.

Some simple precautions

A few precautions could have saved many lives and these fall into three categories: Information, Infrastructure and Individuals. 

Largely due to its lack of democratic, open and accountable institutions, both governmental and in civil society, Nepal is impoverished in the first two of these areas affecting both its own people as well as the foreigners who directly or indirectly bring in a sizeable proportion of the country's income. That is why any solutions need to be simple and low cost. 

Unfortunately every solution inevitably requires some maintenance and attention to detail, two areas where Nepal is often visibly lacking. One look at the state of some of the Swiss engineered and donated bridges will confirm this.

Simple low-cost procedures and facilities will do more than save lives. They will save the cost and dangers of massive rescue operations. Money and resources that could be well used elsewhere in Nepal - for example on healthcare and education for its women.


Information

• Ensuring that people understand the risks when venturing into the mountains is not easy (especially in the face of Agencies interests in exaggerating the need for a Guide and Porters).It is totally idealistic to hope everyone would first gain some experience elsewhere. That is never going to happen. Nor is passing a test to obtain a trekking permit. And to be fair let us not forget that many of us did some of our first walking on Nepal's trails with minimal gear, and very little knowledge. 
• However a basic information sheet can highlight effective measures to take in preparation, what to do and where to go in case of emergency.A sheet with some good information is indeed provided at the tourist office in Pokhara. This could be upgraded a little to include Weather Emergency Procedures. People receiving their permits should have this information drawn to their attention, both by personnel and by posters and notice boards.
• The distribution of reliable, authoritative information on weather conditions for specific regions is clearly a government responsibility. It should be available for everyone living in the mountains. 
• This information should be available and published openly to individuals, businesses and at check points in key locations (7 would be entirely sufficient) along the trail.
• On the trail a “traffic light” system (Green=Ok, Yellow=Proceed with caution to next point, Red=Stop here or Go back - depending on location) would be easy to understand and implement, even in a country that has almost no traffic lights. 

Infrastructure

• A radio connection at Manang, Thorung Phedi, High Pass and Muktinath would allow adverse weather conditions to be relayed quickly as well as helping to track people and call for support. This should be in addition to mobile phone networks and wifi spots. 
• Daily notice boards with the weather forecast at lodges and checkpoints. Regular daily updates would help develop good habits of consistency.
• Rock walls in a curve even if open to the sky provide significant respite from the wind and only cost a few hours of labour.
  Half a dozen of these on the Thorung La would have helped especially if people had actually stayed in them rather than being led to their deaths by unscrupulous "guides". 
• Poles of sufficient height and close enough together to be seen on some sections of trail. These should also be clearly numbered to correspond with a map (on your information  sheet) so people know exactly where they are in relation to the next emergency shelter and other infrastructure.
  Cairns can also form part of the guidance system, there are plenty of rocks, but hi-visibility orange poles are essential. 

The cost of all this is probably less than a few hours of helicopter flying time. 


Individuals

• Everyone needs to understand the risks they take and be properly prepared, whether they are along or in a self-guided group or an organised commercial group.
• Individuals need to inform themselves properly and invest more in clothing and footwear. 
• Individuals have to take personal responsibility not just to look after themselves and those dependent on them, but also to minimise the calls they may have to make on the goodwill, skills and resources of their rescuers. For this they require trustworthy information. 

Waiting out bad weather

• Information, Infrastructure and Individuals intersect at this point. You need to know that bad weather is coming, quickly reach (or remain in) a shelter, look after yourself and adapt your plans.
• Waiting out weather is generally easier for individuals than groups with guides and porters. There are fewer people to gather and consult, lower overhead costs, and fewer or no bookings to rearrange. Groups generally try and stay together and run to a timetable. Individuals can be more flexible.

Regulation

• If there is a role anywhere for further regulation it would be in the area of accreditation of Agencies, Guides and Porters.
  As well as the conditions under which the latter work there should also be an emphasis on their training and vetting. Lots of luck with that one. 
• In the absence of anything better, a recommendation from a friend who had a good experience or a warning from someone who had a bad experience (for example on TripAdvisor) is a useful precaution.

The outcome

One can only hope that none of the Government’s proposals will ever see the light of day or if they do never be applied widely and fail promptly.

In the worst case scenario it would be “game over” for independent trekking in Nepal and I for one would simply go elsewhere, which is easy enough for me as I have already done most of the main treks several times. 

But it would be a disaster for regions that are still trying to develop new routes and more generally for all independently-minded people who want to explore our shared planet on their own.

It would add costs without adding to safety or awareness. Responsibilities that should lie with each individual would be passed on to guides who often lack basic training and equipment. 

Even if the numbers of trekkers stayed the same, the total numbers of people on some trails would significantly increase (imagine every two people being accompanied by two others) with a resulting negative impact on the environment (toilets, trash, erosion, fuel).

Anyway assuming that none of this applies to this particular region then my comments elsewhere on the plusses of this trek are still valid. If not, then all bets are off. 

Best of luck! 

Bonus: Dhaulagiri Basecamp Trek

Introduction

Here are a few notes on a second trek in this general area. It is pretty easy to do but we did this in an entirely different way from the Guerrilla Trek. 

This was a camping trek and we carried almost all the food we needed for nine days. We bought all of our food (and gas canisters) in Pokhara, except for a few cups of tea and some biscuits. which we bought along the way. We camped either near a village or in the forest a little way off the track.

We encountered very few people and no other foreigners. Though we did get reports of a group ahead of us, we never saw them.

This walk is quite physically demanding, much more so than the Guerrilla Trek. You are carrying more and there are significant ascents and descents each day. However it is very rewarding and there are some lovely views and wonderful forest to walk in. There are good trails which are relatively easy to navigate, though sometimes it is worth waiting a little to ask at a trail junction if you are uncertain.

One of the highlights was the hot spring which we visited on the way out. As luck would have it one of the only times it rained was when we were in the pool and under the shelter of its roof. Definitely plan on a several hours there. There is a particularly fine but somewhat rickety bridge over a raging river to cross to get there.

Why do it?

• The route takes you up a splendid unspoilt valley to one (or several) of the basecamps used for Dhaulagiri. At 8,167 it is #7 in the world. 
• With the usual caveats there is no need for a guide or porters.
• At the time (April 2014) there were no Park Fees or TIMS card.
  Long may this state of affairs last!
• It is largely undeveloped in a satisfying way from a trekking point of view.
  In other words you can enjoy some self-sufficiency.
• The wonderful Hot Spring near the end. Just when you both need and deserve it. One of the best I have visited in Nepal.
• Relatively few other people do this. That alone is reason enough.
• It is a good physical workout. Plenty of steps up and down. Good for those thighs.

Logistics

These are very easy. Simply take a bus from Pokhara to Beni. We didn't leave till the afternoon, so it was late when we arrived in Beni. We stayed overnight and caught an early morning bus to Darbang. Finally after a bit of a wait, a third bus took us to Sibang. Though some may only take you as far as Takam.

On the way back there were some problems on the road of an indeterminate nature. So we walked out to Darbang having stayed in Takam for the last night. It was a fine place to stay.

You can't count on buying very much along the way, though the first and last nights were spent in a guesthouse of sorts, where we got a meal. We did get tea and biscuits a few times, which made for a nice break.

Gear

• In addition to your food and fuel supplies and the normal stuff you would carry on a trek, you will also need a tent, sleeping bag and a mattress. My tent is a Tarptent Contrail (750g) which was fine for two people. 
• For cooking I used a combination of gas (MSR Superfly) and wood (TrailDesigns Caldera Cone system). The latter didn't work especially well with slightly damp fuel and perhaps less oxygen, so I mostly used the gas.
• At over 3000m it is cool at night in April and at other seasons may be very cold. So you will doubtless choose a sleeping bag and clothing to suit.
  We found it pretty mild and had a little rain at times. We met some local girls on the trail wearing a big leaf on their heads. You may prefer to go the Goretex jacket route.

Navigation

In very simple terms you are walking up a valley the sides of which it would be very hard to climb. So how hard can the navigation be? Well a little bit harder than that makes it sound. 

A paper map is both useful and interesting, and the one for the Guerrilla trek covers this area, as do some of the Annapurna maps. You could almost go as far as Italian basecamp just with a list of place names and keep asking people, but I wouldn't recommend that approach. Certainly the full circuit is a much more serious undertaking. See Around Dhaulagiri Trek.

There was really no detail on my GPS map (from openstreetmap) so a GPS is of limited value except for recording what you did. I am afraid that I was conserving batteries so didn't record a track for you all. Sorry about that. When I go again I will try and record a track. Next time I hope to get as far as Hidden Valley but then return back out the same way, thus avoiding the costs of entering the ACAP area.

Duration

We took six moderate length days to walk from Sibang to our High camp. We then walked up to Italian Basecamp the following morning and started the walk down that same afternoon. We took three days to walk out. Add in the final morning out to Darbang and the afternoon bus back to Pokhara, where we arrived in time for afternoon chai and it was four days on the return trip.

If I did it again, and I might well, then I would like to take a few extra days of supplies and try and get as far as Hidden Valley. It would be nice to have time for a complete rest day there. Then return again by the same route to avoid entering the ACAP area in the Kali Gandaki valley.

This might need a porter to bring the extra food as far as Italian camp. I would consider leaving a food depot there to pick up on the way down. So the porter would carry nine days food (five plus one plus three) for six days and then return empty. If necessary he might be willing to carry a couple more to lighten the load in the first two days. Plus a bit of extra gas. At a kilo per person per day (and four 500g canisters) that would around 24 kilos, which is probably reasonable.

Anything else?

So now you have a reason to go, an idea of what to expect, some indication of what to take and a clue about how to get to the start. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Enjoy your trek!

Routes

Please see the photos of the map we used. There are three possible routes with some distances and times.

End points

There are three main start or end points: Beni, Sulichaur and Musikot. I'll deal with each of these in turn.

Beni is a starting point for a number of routes (including the Dhaulagiri Basecamp Trek described elsewhere on this blog). It is easy to get to by bus from Pokhara (it takes about 3-4 hours), and has places to stay and eat. 

It is also a common exit point for the Annapurna Circuit for those who are not going up to Ghorepani and continuing round to the Sanctuary. However its use for the Guerrilla trek (whether as a starting or ending point) requires dealing with the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (DHR).

The DHR requires a permit which is not obtainable in Pokhara. Typically they don't try even a little bit to make things easy. So you need to get it in Kathmandu. I don't know the details of how or where that is done, but it will be doable somehow.

It costs 3000 NRs (according to the last account I heard), which means a trekker who is passing through in a couple of days pays the same as a hunter who is there for a much longer time and is actually hunting. This is not much of an encouragement to trekking. 

That cost (in addition to the usual doubts as to where the money goes) makes it seems both excessive and unwarranted. For this reason we skipped going in via Beni. 

Looking at the map it may just be possible to walk around it, but we didn't have time to explore that option. The alternative of trying to bypass the checkpoints is fraught with some difficulty due to poor information (both as to their location and alternative paths). So for now that goes in the too-hard basket.

Sulichaur was where we started. See Getting there in the Logistics section. It is not a bad little place (as these places go). There are one or two places to stay, places to eat and some shops for last minute supplies, though I wouldn't rely on them for anything mission critical.

Musikot (also called Khalanga) was where we ended. This is the district capital, and a town of some substance. It even boasts an airstrip but having seen the angle of the runway and given the disastrous history of aviation in Nepal I’d be disinclined to push my luck. You need all of that for the bus ride. See Getting away in the Logistics section.

Back in February the day I arrived in Pokhara yet another plane crashed into the hills to the west. This left that airline with only the last of some dozen planes it had been gifted back in the 50s and which it had gradually used up ever since. Probably a mixture of bad weather and poor maintenance.  

Having chosen a start and end point there are some variants within the paths connecting them, and there are of course different ways to break up the days. All will depend on the time you have available and the speed at which you are capable and willing to travel.

Our itinerary

We completed this in two weeks with just one rest day for a festival.

Day 00: Pokhara to Bhalubang by bus (via Butwal)
Day 01: Bhalubang to Sulichaur by bus. Walk to Lubang.
Day 02: Lubang to Jelbang. Jelbang to Jemthang.
Day 03: Jemthang to shelter on way up to pass (very short day due to illness).
Day 04: Hut to Thawang. Pass Bhangma cave. Cross Jaljala (3090m)
Day 05: Thawang to Lukum Cross Syaubari pass (2670m)
Day 06: Lukum to Upallo Sera. Cross Tila pass (3050m)
Day 07: Upallo Sera to Okhma (bridge construction site)
Day 08: Okhma to Archalgaon
Day 09: Archalgaon to Chargaon (Kharang)
Day 10: Festival day in Chargaon (Kharang)
Day 11: Chargaon to Pokhara
Day 12: Pokhara to unknown village
Day 13: Unknown village to Syarpu Lake
Day 14: Syarpu Lake to Musikot (Khalanga) via Gilbang

Note!

The Pokhara mentioned on the route is not the Pokhara city near Phewa lake in central Nepal - i.e. the one everyone knows. Instead it is a small and quite pleasant village. 

For reasons that I can’t quite fathom names get repeated frequently in Nepal. Possibly because they are simply descriptive of common features and the people who give them don't travel far. Tatopani (Hot Water) occurs wherever there is a Hot Spring. Dhaurali occurs often also and always seems to mean "the first (or last) pass on the trail".

Gear

Clothing

You will obviously need clothing suitable for the time of year you choose. When we went (April) it did not rain much, but it did get a little cool at night. During the day it was sunny and quite warm; some days were even hot.

I carried mostly Icebreaker wool layers, one synthetic T-shirt, soft shell pants and a Goretex shell jacket. A brimmed cap or hat for the sun is very useful as well as a warmer beanie for nighttime. I always have my ultra light down jacket with hood, which is also used as my pillow. 

Light footwear such as trail runners is quite sufficient. Several changes of socks. Possibly flip flops for non-hiking periods. However I didn't take them nor did I use my gloves. 

Sleeping stuff

Highly recommended. Sleeping bag (and if you have one a liner sheet), mattress (I use a Thermarest 3/4 length ultralite). Optionally consider a tent if its benefits to you are sufficient. I always have my piece of yellow closed-cell foam as a sitting pad.

Water purification

We carried Micropur tablets. The main benefit being they weigh nothing and work. We also had a Steripen. It is Magic! Drinkable water is ready instantly. This is very useful when water sources are some distance apart and you need to drink immediately, top up again and leave. Take spare batteries or consider the USB rechargeable model. 

Cooking gear

I carried my gas stove (MSR Superfly) and a couple of canisters (buy these in Pokhara as there are none available en route). Plus a titanium cup, titanium spoon and an Opinel knife. I also have a piece of heavy duty aluminium foil as a windbreak. 

Being able to boil water was very handy, though limited to making tea/hot chocolate and (noodle) soup. 

Other

• The usual First Aid kit and hygiene stuff. 

• Something to read apart from the map. I carry a Kindle. 

• Camera, spare batteries, SD cards

• Headlamp

• Swimming trunks and trek towel for the occasional bathe.

• Passport

Power

There was at least one option to recharge electronics but with a battery pack I didn't really need it. 

Cash

There is no alternative and best to have a stash of small bills. And hang on to change whenever possible, as it can be difficult to split even a 100 Rupee note. A budget of 1000 NRs a day was never exceeded and indeed the average was closer to 4-500 a day ($4-5). 

Logistics

There is not much to the logistics to this trek. It is very straightforward.

Getting there
We started in Pokhara. If you start in Kathmandu I'd suggest going to Pokhara anyway. From there we took a Lumbini tourist bus (it leaves early in the morning) and got off in Butwal. It passes through Tansen on the way. Quite a dramatic route, or if you prefer a route with some quite big drops off the side of the road.

From Butwal we walked no more than 300m up a side road that joined the main road at that point. There we hopped onto a bus to Bhaluwang. which left at virtually the same instant. I just had time to snaffle a bottle of water and a few samosas at a nearby stall.

Despite there being an evening bus onwards, but given the time of day (after 4pm) , we decided to stay overnight in Bhaluwang. There was a reasonable choice of places to sleep and places to eat. And some shops for a few extras.

The next morning a bus left (pretty much at the advertised time) at 8am for Sulichaur. This was our starting trailhead. There is a rough road already past this point, but we were keen to start walking. We started walking after some snacks, tea and a water refill at about 2pm.

Getting away
We walked out to Musikot (also known as Khalanga). The bus to Kathmandu (costing nearly 2000 NRs) left at 11am the next morning so we found a reasonable hotel room and made the most of the town. There were lots of shops and a good place for chai and samosas. It seemed like a major world city after the simplicity of the trail. 

The bus to Kathmandu took 24 hours and was, putting it mildly, slightly gruelling. The trip included several unscheduled stops, 3 or 4 punctures and a broken down logging truck blocking the road for a couple of hours. However we arrived alive with our luggage, and for that can be grateful. 

The bus deposited us on the ring road (I used my GPS to determine the closest point to our destination), and despite our fatigue we decided to walk into town. This took about 45 mins with each of us hoping to be the first to "spot a foreigner". Which we eventually did as we entered Freak Street.

An alternative
In Musikot the airstrip is at an alarming angle. Don't say you haven't been warned.

"Plan B" exits
There are a number of places where you could get some form of transport out early if necessary. See the Map. It will be slow and uncomfortable and not running to much of a schedule. But you will eventually get there. With luck!

When to go?
I have only done this once and that was in April. It was a good time; generally dry with pleasant temperatures. 

In Winter (say November-February) it might be clearer over the mountains but much cooler at night, which might require a warmer sleeping bag. Even in April, there was some snow on the trail, and you would very likely encounter more in the cooler months. At the very least it would be deeper on a couple of the passes, and I'd recommend heavier (or at least warmer) footwear as well.

During the monsoon (rather variable but let's say June to September) it would be greener, but obviously more likely to be wet - perhaps very wet at times. Transport can be both less certain and more hazardous. On the other hand there is a good chance of more festivals, though establishing the timing of these would be tricky at a distance.

There are no rivers where you have to wade, but higher river levels would rather spoil the hot bath I took near the village called Pokhara.

Information

Getting information on any trekking in Nepal is fraught with the problem of self-serving agencies, who pretend to offer “Tourist Information” but only want to sell stuff. The actual tourist office is not much use except perhaps for transport options. 

Reliable information comes mostly from meeting foreigners who have recently done a route. Or it comes from locals on the spot as long as they do not have an agenda. Mostly people are friendly and helpful, within the limits of your mutual language skills.

Hazards

Generally speaking this is not an especially hazardous undertaking, within the overall context of trekking in Nepal. I have mentioned Altitude Sickness (as a non-issue) elsewhere. Here are a few other things to be aware of.

Transport
Without doubt the highest level risk is the transport to and from the trek. Buses as well as planes are significantly more risky in a country with poor infrastructure, institutions and standards than they are in Europe or the US.

There is no useful advice that will keep you safe. Having a bit of food, water, and a book to read will keep you slightly less uncomfortable during the inevitable long unscheduled stops. Oh, and take advantage of every possible toilet break.

Off the trail
Once on the trail, there's much less that can go wrong except falling off it. At times the trail can be a little narrow so it's worth paying enough attention so that you don't plunge into a yawning abyss. Assuming you don't, then it's mainly a matter of looking after your health. 

Water
Step one is to take care of the water you drink (and drink lots of it). I have mentioned the magic SteriPen under Gear, but whatever water purification system you employ make sure to use it all the time. Or drink tea (chia in Nepali). 

The next rule is the usual one Don't put your fingers in your mouth.

First Aid and Pharmacy
Do carry an adequate First Aid Kit and Pharmacy. Most medicines and materials are readily available in Pokhara but specialty stuff for specific conditions will be obviously something you'd bring with you from home. There is nothing worth mentioning in the way of medical facilities in this region. 

Then there is the additional problem of what to carry in case a local needs some help, and what it is ethically reasonable to do and to provide. There is quite a good discussion of this in the Lonely Planet "Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya". The section on medical matters is disquieting but quite comprehensive.

Animals
We didn't see any dogs that were especially worrying but it is certainly worth paying attention to them. You'd probably be considered lucky rather than unlucky to encounter a leopard, and a snow leopard would be beyond fortunate. More likely you need to pay attention to a pushy mule going past and stay on the mountain side of the trail. We met no yaks as it is too low altitude for them.

Other people
Drunks are annoying but not much of a threat. There will doubtless be some bad guys somewhere, so travelling as two and not walking at night seem fairly sensible precautions. But compared to walking around many cities in the West it is pretty low risk stuff. It would be wise to hide out of sight if you do decide to camp. 

For women
Women travellers will be already exercising their usual precautions. Just bear in mind that the status of women in Nepal is towards the opposite end of the spectrum from (say) Iceland or Norway, but a bit above (say) Somalia perhaps. You will inevitably be the centre of attention, whether this is welcome or otherwise. There are plenty of women travellers who have written on this subject with more authority than I can. I'd be good for all of us to read them and learn.

Low door frames
Now we are talking about a real day to day risk. This is something that I never seem to remember in time. Short of wearing a cycling helmet you just need to duck a lot. Paradoxically this is probably much easier for people who are very tall, than for those of us who keep forgetting that we are considered tall in this country but not elsewhere. 

A friend of mine found himself getting 11 stitches across his forehead on his first day in Pokhara. Nasty!