Two club members, Dylan and Rebecca Murray recently formed part of a team of 12 intrepid explorers with variable bike packing experience and one local guide to bike the Annapurna Circuit, a trail that is one of the world's most beautiful high-altitude hiking trails, winding its way through some of Nepal's tallest mountains and encircling Annapurna I, which towers at 8,091m. The route itself tops out at 5,416m as it crosses Thorung La Pass.
What it lacks in oxygen, the Annapurna Circuit delivers in expansive views, diverse environments, and straightforward logistics.
The oxygen deficiency at high altitude adds significantly to the overall difficulty. The lack of oxygen makes it feel like you’re breathing through a straw, especially while pushing your loaded bike up an incline that sometimes reaches 40%.
And it is very open to extreme weather conditions.
The main goal for the team was to get everyone over the Pass.
The daily distances were not long, but they started in temperatures of 35+ degrees with humidity, consistently uphill, with varying gradients, on variable terrain, with heavy bikes, often requiring hike-a-bike and all the while getting higher and higher in altitude and encountering less and less oxygen and colder temperatures.
Mission accomplished and they shared their story at Rotary this week.
What wasn’t shared is that they also took the opportunity to catch up with Rajendra Gautam from the Rotary Club of Kathmandu. Rajendra has been the instrumental driver in a ’toilets for schools’ project our two clubs (and others) have partnered with to great success. The power of Rotary and The Rotary Foundation.