Here you take a break from trekking in the Annapurna mountains for two majour reasons: one to allow the body get used to the altitude and two, to give you the opportunity to take the time to absorb the beauty surrounding the town where we stop. We'll give you the choice between climbing either a further 2000 feet to the south to discover the Annapurna lake and its mountainsides drenched in green and trees, or a further 1640 feet to the north and going to the monastery.
Brave as we were, (and trust us, anyone can do it), we managed to do both in the same day, and we were blessed at the top of the monastery by Mr "hundred Lama" otherwise known as the lama Seti who, for a small donation to the remote monastery, will predict your extraordinary future. Come on, let's see what's in store!
This is one step in your Annapurna journey that you definetely won't forget!
*Nepal after the powerful earthquakes that shook the country in April and May 2015. The country is slowly coming back to its feet. This article was written before the disaster struck.
On one hand, Manang village in Nepal is set within a magical setting. On the other hand, here, everything is created for the tourist. Purists will certainly tell you that back in the day, the trek was so much more authentic...But to tell you the truth, I rather appreciated the fact that you could find a bakery nearly 4000 meters above sea level, where I could have the delight of eating an apple strudel after hours of walking...(Although I am not sure if this has changed because I visited these places before the 2015 earthquake).
Here, you will find a checkpoint which will make sure that you are suitably acclimatised to the altitude and there is even a wi-fi spot (super slow I have been told). If you include this destination in your overall trip to Nepal and if you do not arrive there too late in the day, then don't miss the opportunity to have a look around the monastery there. Or why not cross the bridge which takes you to the other side of the town and which offers tourists a rather lovely view (NB: this is quite the challenge since there is a strong wind).
In short, the village is pleasant, the atmosphere among trekkers is nice, but do not expect to meet any locals. Reaching the pass, which is 5600 meters above sea level, will certainly be the main topic of evening conversation!
I must hasten to add that I visited Nepal before the 2015 earthquake, therefore it is possible that these places could have changed a lot since the disaster.