Five minute read: Amanda Kennewell discovers hiking in Nepal is tough on your soles but great for your soul.
I don’t know why I suddenly developed a yearning to go to Nepal – it crept up on me. I am an avid bushwalker but I don’t get out on the trails anywhere near as much as I would like. Twice before I had the opportunity to join my brother Barry on a trek in Nepal but it just wasn’t the right time for me as I was not fit enough or confident enough in myself to accept the invitation.
Then children grew up and left home, an unknown heart issue was realised and then fixed, and I had done a couple of smaller multi-day hikes. All of these factors and my increased fitness resulted in my hiking wish list expanding and becoming braver. Keen to do a hike with my brother I floated the idea of Nepal with him and the answer was a resounding YES! with Barry’s mate Keven making up “Team Gokyo 2024!” It was surreal heading to the airport and I felt like something great [maybe life changing] was about to happen.
Kathmandu was a culture shock but I was so delighted by the people and the chaos that I couldn’t stop smiling, even when crossing the road between the traffic! We explored the city and did a half day hike at Nagarjuna National Park up to Nagarjun Peak. We thought a small acclimatisation hike before the trek might be good. Kathmandu is already 1355m and the peak is 2128m – excellent hike up to cloud level – thanks Kev for finding that one.
We then met the rest of the trekkers and our guide for our World Expeditions trek and the adventure began. The entire experience was incredible. Our guide, Rishi, was experienced, entertaining and full of information.
We were constantly in awe of the incredible scenery and the people we met along the way were so welcoming and friendly. The two biggest challenges were the days of hiking up Gokyo Ri (5357m) and the next day when we went up and over Renjo La Pass (5360m, a fair portion in snow). Puffing hard with every slow step and pushing my body to its limits – I had no choice but to dig deep and find the strength to keep going. The whole group reveled in the sense of achievement when it was completed.
I knew I was meant to do this because when we approached Macchermo village I had a very strong sense of déjà vu. I commented to Barry and Kev that it felt somehow familiar, and I felt relaxed and at peace. It was the oddest thing, but upon reflection I realised this must be part of “my life plan”, that I was meant to do this trek so I could feed my soul and learn about myself. One of the best things was I got to spend extended quality time with my brother Barry, truly a treasured life experience that we will never forget.
If you really feel there is something you “need” to do in life, even if you don’t know why, then you should listen to your gut – that feeling is there for a reason and the experience will teach you what you need to learn for your life going forward. I will always be thankful that I was brave, listened to my instincts and made it happen. This trek was soul shifting in so many ways that I could go on and on, but there is a word limit here!
Words and photo_ Amanda Kennewell