Panchpokhari Tour - November 2019

Panchpokhari Tour, November 2019

“Excuse me,” the early morning voice said at the front of my tent, “coffee or tea?”
I couldn’t believe my ears, room service with a hot beverage on a cold morning at the beginning of our 10 –day Himalayan adventure, what a treat!

This was just the start of our daily routine. Early morning tea was followed by a bowl of hot water for washing . Soon followed a scrumptious cooked breakfast with freshly brewed coffee. Thus we were well set up for the good days hiking ahead. While this was happening our tents were being taken down, everything got packed and the porters were off up the mountain before we had even tied our boot laces.

“I could get used to this, “ I thought to myself, having wondered how I was going to cope with my first Himalayan mountain challenge. I live at sea level in Cape Town, South Africa and though I have walked in our beautiful surrounding mountains my whole life, they are generally not much higher than 1200 metres.

So I was filled with trepidation as to how I was going to cope with reaching over 4000m. Before leaving, I got my doctor to prescribe tablets for altitude sickness and carefully listened to all advice given to me about high altitude trekking, that others gave me.

was not only worried about the altitude, but also about how cold it would be. Coming from South Africa, we seldom experience very cold temperatures, so this fact had also added to my worries.

Looking back, these were totally unfounded concerns as our every need was taken care of. Nireka Adventures provided us with large kit bags into which we could put everything we needed, including our warm clothes. We were also provided with wonderfully thick down sleeping bags and jackets which we would definitely need for night time. Luckily we did not have to carry any of this, as it was all taken care of by the porters. All we had to do, was to take our own day pack with whatever needs we had for the day.

As to my worries about the altitude, the distance and pace everyday was very manageable and it catered to all members of the group from very fit to less fit. What I did appreciate was the guides who came along with us, divided among the group so that each person was looked after along the way. For much of the way I had a guardian angel called Bim. He made sure I was pacing myself and kept reminding me to go“bistari “, meaning slowly, as you cannot rush in the mountains.

Impressive also on this trip, was the routine when we got to camp in the late afternoon. This had been set up ahead of time by our super fit porters and the helpers who had invariably overtaken us on the way up the mountain. We found our tents and kit bags waiting for us. Once again the hot water for washing was brought to each tent and we could get into our warm gear for the night.

Dinner began with hot soup and was followed by a tasty main course and dessert. Always lovingly and tastily prepared, I have to say the food on this trip was really a highlight.

We were particularly impressed midway through the trek, when a cake appeared as dessert. On the last night, we also had a cake, with a message on it, congratulating us for completing the trip. These cakes were baked inside a giant pot on a gas stove, a real culinary feat!. All these heavy goods, including a dining tent with table and stools for our comfort, were carried by the amazing Nireka team.

On the first night Satish introduced us to the large team of porters, kitchen staff and guides who accompanied us all the way. It was a wonderful experience to get to know many of these humble and kind people, whose only wish was to take care of our every need. At the same time, we were like a very big family. Satish was the head of this family. His guidance, dedication and commitment to every staff member and client was impressive to observe..

Regarding the hike itself, the previous article and beautiful photos by fellow trekker, Grahame Fogel, do the scenery and experience great justice.

I can conclude by saying, that the camaraderie, the equipment, the organisation and in fact the entire experience, exceeded all my expectations.

When we returned, I happily donated my untouched anti-altitude sickness tablets to Satish. I decided they would far better serve someone trekking to really high altitudes. At the same time, I chided myself for my lack of faith in the beginning and not trusting in what lay ahead.

I had one of the best holidays ever and would definitely go back to the Himalayas with Satish and the Nireka team.

Panchpokhari Tour, November 2019

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