Manang to Yak Kharka – first leg of final ascent on foot, unarmed (3rd blog today)

Early start today again – 7am breakfast and 7.30 set off. The sun was just coming up and shining on the top of the Annapurna range.

We wound through the small town, following folk who had clearly been out in the fields since early light.

We’re aiming for Yak Kharka, a tiny collection of guest houses up the valley to the right, whilst the valley straight ahead leads up to Mount Tilicho in the distance, and Tilicho Lake, hidden but in front of it.

Looking back Manang and the valley we had walked up were bathed in morning sunshine. We’re high up now and I have still only walked in my shorts and one of my Sheff U short sleeved polo shirts. It’s still warm during sunshine hours but the temperature plunges when the sun goes down. 

Sulis was paying his respects to the disappearing valley.

This is a big Conservation area, five times the size of the Peak District. Vehicles are allowed on the track, when it’s not blocked by landslides, but not allowed up the valleys. The only vehicles serving the guest houses and tiny villages up the valley are horses!

An hour up the valley we heard men shouting a rumble on the hillside. It was a herd of around 70 yaks, including some big buggers, stampeding past us. What a sight!

At the next building, a shop come cafe which stood on its own out in the sticks, I bought a good chunk of Yak cheese for two quid and it was delicious. 

As we wound up the side of the valley a river came down from the mountains to our right and I got this shot of three horses crossing the hanging bridge, at distance though.

Finally Yak Kharka came into view and we headed there to check into our guest house and have lunch. 

And the view from our room was unbelievable.

We left our rucksacks and walked a few miles up to the next village and back to get acclimatised to another few hundred feet of reducing oxygen. An early dinner and early to bed.

Night night.