Samar – We are getting locked in a cage

4. August 2026

 

 

 

We had decided to spend 2 nights in Samar. Having only driven through the landscape so far, we wanted to get a better feel for it by hiking through it. The fact that we ended up with the best accommodation yet was a fantastic bonus. The host, who came from a family of hoteliers in Kagbeni, had married into the area and built a genuinely lovely new building right next to the simple Annapurna Hotel Lodge.

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I had the impression that it was fairly easy to find higher-end accommodations in Mustang—I had actually imagined it to be much more “rustic.” The region had only been accessible on foot until very recently, which is why I anticipated a lot of simplicity. However, you’ve always had to pay a lot of money for a permit, so it tends to attract wealthier guests who are obviously willing to dig deeper into their pockets for “luxury.” At least, that’s how I reasoned it out. And these days, I’m also one of those people who prefer to spend a bit more for cleanliness, beauty, and comfort.

 

 

Breakfast was also delicious, featuring great Americano coffee. By the way, the chef from Kathmandu was a well-traveled migrant worker who had worked extensively in Indian German Bakeries. In the end, we even realized that we shared a few mutual acquaintances. The atmosphere was friendly, even though he complained a bit about not being able to implement his own recipes. Regardless, we found the food delicious either way.

 

So, after this lovely breakfast, we set off and first took a look at the village. Seven families live here—and I always wonder how people manage to live together harmoniously in such a small community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed for a nice viewpoint directly above the village and enjoyed the fantastic views.

 

 

 

 

 

Here, Mustang is much greener than in other areas. But the rock formations are absolutely magnificent here as well. We had the choice between going left or right down below, and we decided on the right. Accompanying me was Dipsan, Laxmi’s son. He had caught a cold in Naurikot and had kept to himself the past few days.

 

 

He wants to become a guide one day, just like his mother. The two of them have a very, very close relationship, physically as well. I haven’t seen that among Nepalis before (though not really back home either). Since we had voiced so much criticism the day before, I was at a complete loss as to how we were going to spend the time together. But Ute is a real stroke of luck with things like that—she just started chatting away, and so the tension dissolved. We do need a guide, after all, so we’re just pulling the two of them along with us. Although she feels responsible for keeping us safe, she doesn’t offer much assistance while hiking, for example. He tries a bit harder at times and also makes more of an effort to connect with us.

 

So, we hiked around the landscape. The mountains behind the village were constantly shrouded in dark clouds, but we also got a few rays of sunshine. Overall, we took it very easy, took plenty of breaks, and had a look around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way, we had bad luck and were locked in a cage. But luckily, we were able to free ourselves again.

 

 

There were quite a few people on the move with herds of animals. And they kept building those cages, though we couldn’t figure out what they are actually used for.

 

 

There wasn’t much going on in the fields and apple orchards—it’s currently ripening season, so there isn’t much to do. Our trail ended at a kind of viewpoint high above a gorge. Supposedly, it’s also a good spot for birdwatching, but we didn’t see many. Only one ended up in front of my lens.

 

 

We lingered at this spot for a long time and took nice pictures of each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also ate our packed lunch. After that, we slowly hiked back up along a different path. I had some work to do on my laptop, while Ute and Beate roamed around a bit further. It was a quiet, pleasant day with impressions that weren’t quite as overwhelming as on the previous days. And that felt really good.

 

 

 

The only thing that’s wearing on me a bit are the many clouds; I would love to see a bright, vibrant Mustang under a brilliant blue sky just once… They say that Mustang is much cloudier and rainier this year than before. In principle, just like in Ladakh, where the many cloudy days throughout June and July also surprised me. The naturally dry Himalayan region is really letting you feel the effects of climate change right now.

 

Speaking of which… We found out that a full-blown landslide had come down at the spot where we had to wait so long on the way here because of the stuck truck. Fortunately, only an excavator was damaged. But even though Nepalis are exceptionally experienced and quick at road repairs, something like this takes a bit longer, so we are considering playing it safe and planning an extra day in Kathmandu rather than cutting it too close and missing our flight.

 

But first, we are planning our days here and were excited for the next one!