I’ve found I have a thing for visiting places off-season. From trekking down South America in the winter, to now visiting Nepal in monsoon season. But sometimes, it’s better this way. You miss most of the tourist crowds, and you get to see places in a different way.

I came to Nepal after studying for my 200 hour yoga teaching certification in India. India was hot and chaotic, but it was also full of culture, and colorfully interesting. Upon arriving in Nepal, I felt instantly at ease. It had the same spiritual tone of India, but things seemed calmer.

Wanting to get comfortable as a new yoga teacher, I volunteered through Workaway, teaching yoga at Nepalaya Eco Hostel and Umbrella Café’s Healing Center in the lakeside city of Pokhara. How different it is living somewhere, rather than just passing through a travel destination. The off-season world of Pokhara was full of ‘long-term travelers.’ These people were often volunteering, Workaway-ers like me, or just enjoying the easy slow life of being. Pokhara is full of good food options, features a beautiful lake, and is full of outdoor movie nights. While I enjoyed being in this town of a low-key, hippie lifestyle, I was eager to get to Nepal’s world-known mountains. The one unfortunate factor of monsoon season is that the rain clouds often hide the gorgeous mountains from view. While teaching yoga on the rooftop of my hostel, the clouds would sometimes part, giving me a sneak peak of the icy peaks. I couldn’t stop thinking, “I’m coming for you.”

Finally, as my remaining days in Nepal were lessening, I jumped into planning my trek. There are several treks to choose from, so at first I was challenged by which one I should pursue. I then found out that most of the treks around Pokhara take at least week or two (which can take longer during monsoon season due to unforeseen weather-affected roadblocks). I had limited days for trekking, so suddenly my various options turned slim. Luckily, I had a friend who took a short route and shared it with me.

If you happen to have a similar limited situation, but want to enjoy the gorgeous (and I really mean GORGEOUS) landscapes Nepal has to offer, here is what I did:

Annapurna Base Camp Trek is one of the most popular treks in Nepal. The trek begins close to Pokhara, so it’s the easiest to return from if you need to catch a flight. The trek usually begins at Nayapul, but, being on limited time, I took a bus from Pokhara to Ghandruk. You want to catch the earliest bus at Baglung bus station so you can get walking as soon as you can. The bus can take 3 to 4 hours to reach Ghandruk. My friend who took this route was able to catch the bus at 6:30am, but my bus didn’t leave until 8am (so I waited for about 3 hours in anticipation of leaving sooner). That’s Asia for ya. Schedules aren’t always reliable.

From Ghandruk, I suggest avoiding the New Bridge route (which consists of neverending stone stairs leading straight up) on your way up to base camp. Instead, follow Ghandruk to Komrong Danda, and then to Chhomrong. After reaching your glorious destination at Annapurna base camp, you can take the alternative route on the way down. Most likely, you will find the fork for your two route choices after a day or two trekking back down the mountain. I reached the fork at Chhomrong in one day, but it was a long 9 hours of steep decline hiking. After reaching Chhomrong, you can then make your way down towards New Bridge route, the stair side. You may want to pick up a good hiking stick for this part to help your knees out. After New Bridge, fork to the right to Kyumi or Siwai to catch a bus back to Pokhara. [Check to see if the buses are running and what times. I believe Siwai is more reliable, but the last bus leaves at 2pm.]

Navigating my shortcut back to Pokhara was a little tricky. This is where Maps.me becomes very helpful (check out the app!). There are various signs to help you at these forks, but a map helps you to confirm which side to take. I took 5 days to complete my short-cut-Ghandruk-to-Siwai route, but I also like to challenge myself. You may want to plan for 7 days just in case, but 6 days should be enough time if you break your days up well.

Now it’s up to your physical level, but usually you should shoot for 5 to 8 hours of walking each day to get some solid distance. First take a look at your map and mentally plan out how you want to break up your days, keeping in mind the altitude.  Some people choose to hire guides, who can help you with pace and tell you when to take breaks. Hiring a guide is really helpful and supports locals in Nepal (and honestly, I’ve never heard a complaint about them). But for me, I wanted to save the money and I wanted the challenge and solidarity of doing the trek alone. I was assured that Annapurna was well-marked, so I wouldn’t get lost. The funny things is, I still got a little lost (but I’m infamous for this). Luckily, I was quickly put on the right track by a local who called out to me and said, “Where are you going?!” He proceeded to show me how to get back in the right direction. A friend’s guide later told me, “You can’t get lost in Nepal.” That’s because there are always local inhabitants and mountain shepherds who will help redirect you. They’re used to seeing trekkers. Another suggestion is to download Maps.me on your phone, and download the Nepal map. This is like a google maps that is accessible without internet (as long as you download the map before you leave WiFi). After getting lost my first day, I constantly referred to Maps.me to make sure I was going in the right direction.

Now, be prepared for the costs on the mountain. While back in Pokhara food and accommodations are incredibly affordable, prices change us you increase altitude on the trek. This is because porters have to carry supplies up. You should plan to bring enough for $20 to $30 a day (and extra, depending on your spending habits). At some places, definitely during low season, you can bargain a little for room prices. Keep in mind that after walking several hours straight up a mountain, you will be ravenous. Luckily, most ‘teahouses’ – or lodges – will have menus with various carb-heavy meals to choose from. When it comes to water, you will need iodine tablets, or you can pay the price for refilling your water bottle (which gets pricier as you go up). I had a water bottle with its own attached water filter, which I found super helpful. [Check out the filtered water bottle here!] It doesn’t carry much water, so I brought my bigger water bottle and filled it with the filtered water.

If you are trekking alone, you will also have to get your own permits for the trek before you head up to the mountain. You will have to prepare two passport sized photos, bring your passport, and fill out an application at the Nepal Toursim Board for your TIMS card and trekking permit (about $40 in total). The office is located outside of the main part of Pokhara. You can take a cab (which are usually expensive in Pokhara), a local bus, or take a nice long stroll to get to the office. I walked there and then caught a bus back to Lakeside. Catching a bus back to town is easy. All you have to say is “Lakeside!!” and they’ll tell you if they’re the right bus or not.

Try to pack light for the trek, but be sure to have something warm for the top (it’s chilly by those icy mountains!). One thing I regret is not bringing enough snacks. You want to pack light, but you can also save money and make yourself happy by having something to munch on after all that walking.

One advice for those who trek during monsoon season: beware of leeches!! Honestly, I didn’t encounter them at all…until the last day. I luckily only got bit once. But, wow, they’re creepy. They can crawl through your thick socks and into your shoe, so keep an eye on your feet (you’ll probably be looking down a lot anyway since you’re walking over rocks). Have either salt or a lighter handy to wean them off. But honestly, they’re quick, and you might find yourself quickly grabbing a nearby leaf or stick to swipe them off your shoe. Don’t worry, they don’t hurt. They just make you bleed. Gross.

Despite my leech encounter, I absolutely LOVED the trek. I spent the first day walking alone, taking full liberty to sing along to the music streaming through my headphones, with no care in the world. I then met many wonderful people on the mountain, whom I met with at the end of each day at our final destination. This trek will definitely challenge you, as much of it leads straight up (butt workout!), and you end up in 4100 meters in altitude. But you will be so glad you took the challenge. The views are tear-worthy. You will be constantly filled with endorphins from both the physical exercise and the vibrant green world you become immersed in. Even in monsoon season, it is something worth doing.

Check out my video! Here’s a peak into my adventures in Nepal, featuring Monkey Temple in Kathmandu, the lakeside of Pokhara, and Annapurna Base Camp Trek. Enjoy 🙂