ABC Day 3 – Dovan to Deurali to Machapuchare Base Camp (MBC)
As one moves up the trail, the number of tea lodges start reducing. On day 2 we had seen how busy the route was. Our guide had mentioned that due to a big group of trekkers from Thailand there was no availability of rooms at Duerali and we may have to trek up to Machapuchare Base Camp.
Blooming rhododendrons
On our third day we had to tackle more rickety wooden bridges and less of stairs, the route was a gradual uphill walk sometimes little steep. We walked along the Modi Khola river. We hiked through forest, giving way to amazing views of the valley. By the time we reached Deurali it was clear that we would have to carry on to Machapuchare Base Camp. We reached Deurali around noon, had our lunch. There were 4 lodges at Deurali which all looked full. We saw a lot of fellow trekkers whom we would meet on our way up were lucky to get a room and were now settling down for the day.
Wooden bridges
We picked our backpacks and started our climb. Because of the rains there were quite a few waterfalls adding to beauty of the landscape. Again, the rain came in and out came our ponchos. As we gained further height the weather started turning cold. Most part of the walk was a gradual uphill and a final steep uphill climb. Covered up in our poncho putting our heads downs we continued the climb up. Thankfully the mist covered how steep the climb was, after walking for over 3 hours from Deurali we finally reached to Machapuchare Base Camp. It had now started snowing and slowly the whole landscape looked white. The Dinner room was teeming with people, we got a room shared with 3 others.
Almost there!
We made it so far!
Snowy evening
After dinner we went off to sleep. My friend’s bed was right next to the wooden partition and he suffered through the night with the odours from our smelly socks and shoes which were kept on the other side of the partition, and a sack full of onions which was lying in the gap between foot of my bed and his bed. The room was dank, so we had finally pulled out our sleeping bag.
Both me and my friend had made it up to Machapuchare base camp! I finally drifted off to sleep excited about the prospects of the next day.
