Trek in the beautiful Annapurna region of Nepal

We left Pokhara for the one and half hour bus trip to the start of our trek. With small day packs, walking poles and sturdy boots our group of 8 women joyfully began a 5 day trek through hills and villages, starting from Birethanit.

Walking straight uphill for the first two and a half days, through the many small villages, along roughly formed stone steps and dirt tracks, we were greeted along the way by many faces with the local greeting of "Namaste". Our group was also accompanied by 3 young and very strong porters who carried all our gear, our leader guide and 2 helper guides, as well as our wonderful cook. Our cook created delicious and healthy meals each day, even delighting us with his famous apple pie, which was cooked on an open fire place.

In the evenings we stayed in lovely, clean Teahouses. These are run by local families and provide twin share rooms for weary bodies seeking a good nights sleep, before rising early for another day of trekking. The scenery along the way was beautiful and dramatic with an ever changing landscape. We walked through dense forests past waterfalls, traversed along the side of hills and took in amazing views of snow capped mountains.

We also enjoyed High Tea and High Yoga as you can see in the photos.

On Day 3, our group of women adventure seekers, rose in the darkness at 4:30am to climb Poon Hill. This peak sits at 3,210 metres and offers a stunning sunrise view of the surrounding mountains, including Annapurna South and Fish Tail. I love the mountains!

Just as rain clouds started gathering, we stopped for a late lunch at a small family run Teahouse within a deep valley.

The rain began and very quickly developed into hail. The roofs and ground became enveloped in white. The decision was made to stay and hope the weather clears by morning, as the steep descent from the mountains is not wise to negotiate in wet conditions. The afternoon was spent playing cards with our porters, joking and eating.

The following morning did dawn clear and spoiled us with beautiful snow capped mountain views for most of the day.

Our descent on the final day was a little hard on the legs, but we all managed with smiling faces and a great sense of achievement.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure