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A week after my first multi-day trekking adventure and I'm still sitting with the liminal space it opened up in me.

It most definitely will not be my last.

Part of what made this such a liminal experience has to do with the nature of this particular trek. It was only opened in the last few years with the intention of supporting more equitable, sustainable communities in the Annapurna Sanctuary, a region in Nepal that has been a trekking mecca for decades. Trails are meticulously maintained by local villagers, teahouses are run by the local communities, and proceeds support local schools.

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But another part of what made this such a liminal experience my was the expansive awareness and awe it evoked in me.

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Humans have been taking long walks for millennia: explorations, pilgrimages, emigrations, wanderings. It's a deeply human, spiritual thing to take a long journey on foot. It's both timeless and cross-cultural - and now, for the first time, I have an inkling of why.

The road less taken

There are many of treks in Nepal, and I spent a lot of time reading and looking at pictures before I chose this one. There was a lot to consider: number of days, max altitude, quality of experience, etc.

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I wavered between Khopra Ridge, an off-the-beaten-path trek within the Annapurna Sanctuary, and the classic Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek, one of the first to open up to tourists in the 1960s. The ABC has been a pilgrimage route in the Annapurna Sanctuary since ancient times and is still one of the most popular treks in the world.

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But it can also be crowded. And has tens of thousands of stairs (as many ancient mountain treks in Asia do). 😥

Khopra Ridge, on the other hand, has only recently been opened up to outsiders.

Interestingly, part of the reason it opened was to serve as a community trek to help raise the economic standards of the villages along these unique ridges and ancient forests. Its paths DO include a fair share of steep, stone stairs, but more often the trail winds through remote traditional villages and a stunningly diverse series of landscapes: lush subtropical bamboo jungle, terraced valleys, mind-bending old-growth rhododendron forests, windswept alpine ridges. Oh, and DOZENS of jaw-dropping, breath-catching, snowy views of the world's tallest mountains, which creates this fluttering thrill in my chest every time I catch a glimpse.

I'm used to seeing mountains now that I've lived in Washington for over a decade, but these are different.

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The Khopra Ridge trek is truly a hidden gem – and definitely recommended for those seeking to get away from the crowds, and truly get a sense of the local culture and natural beauty of the region.

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Immersed in exotic birdsong, we were more likely to have unexpected wildlife encounters than encounters with other trekkers while hiking.

And since I brought my binoculars (yes, I'm a junior ornithologist 🤗), I not only got to see some amazing tropic birds close-up, but also black-faced monkeys, yak babies, and even the world’s largest squirrel - similar in size to a red panda, which is also here.

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Considering a new approach to ecotourism...

The details that made this trip so impressionable are also connected to ecotourism, although I didn't connect those dots until afterwards.

Ecotourism is travel that supports a balanced, healthy, local economy - including local small businesses, families, and the environment.

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My husband and I have been leaning into this kind of travel for the last few years. It's prominent in places like Belize and Costa Rica, where it's had a massive positive effect on the local environment. However, it's emerging very organically from the ground up in Nepal. The term isn't used much here, but it fits the ethos.

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In 2023, Nepal passed a law requiring foreign trekkers have a local guide, although not everyone follows this. For me, it was a no-brainer way to support the local economy, and connecting with our guide, one of the few young women pursuing this path in Nepal, was one of the highlights of the trip.

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In fact, finding ways to empower our guide and other young women entrepreneurs like her, enabling small-scale, community-based businesses, and providing sustainable income sources that support the local ecosystems and communities that sustain them in the world's dwindling natural wonderlands is something I would deeply like to do.

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I find myself asking: what would it look like to expand ecotourism beyond just a fun, externally meaningful way to travel?

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🌱What if ecotourism wasn't just about travelling in a more responsible way, a way to connect more deeply and sustainably with the world?

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🌱❤️What if it was actually a powerful way to explore our own liminal boundaries, connecting with the wider world in unexpected ways, while also exploring our own relationship with being, thinking, relating, collaborating, and acting?

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I'm starting to explore this now (stay tuned.... )

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+ Travel Notes

On a lighter note, this trip gave me some fun opportunities to reflect on how my travel style and values have evolved over time.

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No shade against my younger self - I had some amazing adventures, met really interesting people, and ate meals I still daydream about. But I realized on this trip that it's also okay to change some of my travel priorities as I get older - I have way less rigid thinking about some things, less guilt, new appreciations. Oh, and fewer trips to the ER. 😝

I'd love to hear - how have your travel priorities evolved - or stayed the same - over the years?

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Something to try

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Support the local economy and hire a local guide.

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As someone who tends to resist the concept of a "tour guide," preferring to figure it out myself, I have to say there's a real advantage to having the right support - and scaffolding - on a great journey. I would emphatically say that the incremental savings I would have gained from planning this trek on my own were FAR outweighed by the joy, connection, confidence, and inspiration I got from traveling with a guide (and a group of friends, incidentally). Gave me some good food for thought, for sure.

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Stay playful (but careful, too)

If you find yourself hiking along a steep ridge with yaks (I know, every day, right?😝).... use CAUTION. We were unexpectedly charged by a large bull... almost getting knocked off the edge, at 5 am. YIKES!!!! 🫨

We had a good (nervous) laugh about it afterwards.

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Warmly,

Allie

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P.S. If you're intrigued about pursuing an adventure of your own, email me. I have a few cool ideas I'm working on...

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P.P.S. I decided to split out my last travelogue-style post from this trip, coming next, for anyone mentally taking this journey through the absolute best parts of the Khopra Ridge trek. 😊

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