The Annapurna Circuit Day 2 - Bhulbhule to Jagat

Bhulbhule - Jagat

WATERFALLS | STEEP STEPS | COLD COKE | DUSTY ROAD | FLAT SPIDER | FIREFLY

• 21st October 2018
• 10.1 Miles
• 8 Hours
• Starting Elevation 828m
• Finish Elevation 1350m
• Average Temperature 29.6C (Low 23C, High 33C)
• Average Heart Rate 109bpm (Reaching 150+bpm around 5 times)

On the wooden balcony of the Heaven Guesthouse in Bhulbhule, we watched in excitement as slices of sunlight illuminated the snow-capped mountains that lay in our direction of travel. Finishing up our breakfast of banana porridge and tea it was time to get moving along the river valley. Here at a lowly 800m altitude, the sun would rise quickly and every step trodden in the cool morning air, would be worth two in the heat of the afternoon.

Packed and paid up, we set off around 8 a.m. The first hour of trekking was along a wide-level track that was followed closely by the river. Occasionally we would be passing through a small cluster of guesthouses, colourful flowers and active owners going about their business. Every so often the mountainsides along the track were concealing hidden gems, waterfalls of great size, distant buildings perched in improbable positions above us and seemingly far from civilisation.

As we entered the tree line the track started to climb, gradually at first but soon we were tackling steep switchbacks. A final set of near-vertical steps brought our panting arrival in the village of Bahundanda. The village was set beautifully above the valley giving lush green views back across the valley we had walked.

A cold(ish) Coke.

Respite from the heat of the climb was needed and a cold coke seemed to be the best option. Sitting in the dining room of a guesthouse at the head of the village, the route of the trail ahead was stretched out in front of us. From here it looked like a nice gentle descent back down to the river and along the valley floor, and for the next couple of hours at least, it was.

After crossing a couple of metal bridges and weaving around the sides of the valley, we were soon making another steep ascent under the shade of the trees. It was now around midday and the heat was rising as we reached Tarachowk. With a choice of two or three tea houses which seemed quiet, we decided this might be a good place to stop for quick lunch of noodles and momos. A lesson from the trek was to keep your lunch orders simple with the aim of being a quicker stop. Most of the food is cooked to order and you can easily be waiting an hour which while not a bad way to spend the time, it can be time better spent at the end of the days trekking.

From here, the plan for the rest of the day was fairly loose as we were still getting to grips with distances we could cover, how frequent the guesthouses were and the rhythm of the days.

The route was easy to follow and for the most part, it was easy to place one foot in front of the other, the beauty of the unfamiliar landscape urging you forward. As we descended back down to river level a decision needed to be made either to continue on to Jagat or stay in one of the guesthouses by the road. It was only around 3 pm so we decided to continue on towards Jagat. Yet despite the relatively early hour, we’d still been trekking up and down for some 4/5 hours in the heat and the last stretch was hard going.

The combination of it being a constant uphill climb from the river to Jagat was made much worse by the fact that most of the route followed the road. As we switched back and forth on the gravel, trucks and bikes passed by with the noise and dust seeming to sap more energy. It was slow going. In hindsight, I don’t think I took on enough water this day. The dehydration definitely affected me physically and mentally in this final stretch.

The great thing with a tough day walking though is that the final few steps of the day are all the more rewarding. Entering Jagat in the early evening the village seemed alive as the guesthouse owners and families were out and about before the dinner time rush. This was the first village where it felt like the number of trekkers increased and where we’d start to meet people who we’d bump into for the next 10 days or so along the circuit.

Settling into the North Face Guesthouse was a great relief and we were soon enjoying dal bhat and momos in the restaurant. As the evening progressed a group of female trekkers who seemed to have two guides each grew louder in their celebrations. In contrast to ourselves just gearing up for the circuit, they were on the way out having completed another nearby route. If you came here to get away from the surroundings of a city centre bar on a Friday night, this was not the place to be on this particular evening. Evenings don’t last too long on the trail however and most people are tucked up in bed by 9 or 10 pm readying for the following day.

Returning to the room and being greeted by a rather large, noticeable flat streamlined spider right above my bed I plucked up the courage to try and nudge it outdoors before settling in. A tough day of over 8 hours on the trail didn’t put my brain into a sleep state. Along with the heat, I was treated to a full display of the local food chain. Lizards crashing at speed across the roof and occasionally popping into the room, no doubt in search of some spider snacks. The glow of a firefly drifting towards me at regular intervals, no doubt on the spider’s typical menu.

In hindsight, although draining, the day was a useful way to put kilometres into the legs, and numb the weight of the heavy packs on the shoulders in the days ahead.