Trek The Unknown

All I can say about Day 2…It was a HARD day! It doesn’t seem so hard on the map we got from the NCAP ( Annapurna Conservation Area Project ). 460 m climbing on a 16 KM walking…But This was our 1st day of really walking and not sitting-on-the-bus type of day….We started at 8:20 in the morning in Bhulbhule and finished at 17:20 in Jagat village which is almost dark by then.

The next day (day 3) we walked from Jagat (left at 8:00) to Danaqyu (arrived at 16:20). This day was a little easier from the day before. On the ACAP map (it’s not really a map but just tells you how much you need to climb/go down from one village to another, how much time it suppose to take and how many KM you walk) it says that the end of the walking on that day meaning from Dharapani to Danaqyu? suppose to be a very steep hard walk.

We were very tired at that point but wanted to go a little more. eventually that part of walking was climbing but a really easy walk comparably to other parts we already done that day and the day before.

On that day after a hard climb before Tal village We met the Maoists. On the previous post I also talked about them. Generaly speaking, they are a political group, that makes this country unstable politically and that’s why people are afraid to come to Nepal ( By the way…no need to be scared. read the previous post )

Anyway, after this really hard climb ( It was even written on my map: “hot steep climb!” ), we see a bunch of people sitting near a table with a red flag next to it. As we approached the table they were really nice and said: “hello, we are the Maoists, We take donation…”

We’ve been told by our porter that they ask for money according to the number of days you are trekking, therefore you need to say you finish in a closer place than you are really going to end your trek. They take 100 Nepali Rupee per day per person.

After a short negotiation my friend and me each paid 1000 Rupees. We even got a receipt so the next time we meet them , we can show them we already paid.

We also met some large groups of people traveling together that just walk though them without paying…So if you really broke and can’t pay…well…get your own conclusion…I don’t want to cause any harm to any tourists because of that…also, we haven’t seen that they are carrying any weapons …:)

Many people I’ve told I’m traveling to Nepal said to me: “You are very brave. I don’t think I can do that”. now, I know from many young Israelis who went to Nepal that it’s safe and there are no problems going there.

Nepal is dependent on tourism and since 2001 tourism has dropped down because of the political situation. After spending 2.5 months there, I can say say for sure Nepal is safe at least in the parts I was in. I just had the chance being on the most touristic parts.

The Maoists that everybody are afraid of are a political group which causing the “trouble” in the country. At the same time they are very aware of the mess they are making and that it’s hurting their main economical engine. Therefore their policy is NOT hurting tourists.

If you are a tourist in Nepal you’ll probably meet them in 2 occasions: street demonstration. I saw a few of those In Kathmandu. Walking and shouting down the street never hurt anyone…they are walking in large groups not causing any harm ( well, except of the traffic jams…)

The other place would be while you trek in the mountains. They have booths on the train, which is actually a small table and a flag. Usually there are a bunch of them and they oblige (or as they say:”Take donation” ) you to pay them some fee. It’s very safe they are not shootings anybody and not hurting. Just do as they want. I’m not in favor of what they do but I’m in favor of safe tourism.

This tourism helps this poor nation. unfortunately large sums of this money goes to Swiss bank accounts and not staying in this country and for the people, but that’s another issue.