BHRAKA - The mystical town

The settlement of Bhraka or Braga (originally spelled and pronounced as Braga) can be seen on a slightly elevated land (at the base of flutings). This is characteristic of many villages in Manang because of the war-ridden past; settlement would usually be strategically located where it could be defended well. Bhraka is also one of the three largest villages of the Nyeshang region along with Manang and Ngawal. The rustic nature and calmness of this village make this village absolutely stunning and worth every second you spend here. The people here will add to the charm of the village itself. The inhabitants of Bhraka are mostly Gurung traders just like those from Manang. These traders used to trade precious stones, ornaments, and electronics as far away as Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Nowadays their reach across the seas is much further than just the surrounding countries. This mystical village is less crowded than the livelier town of Manang and hence can be an ideal alternative to Manang for the rest day. A rest day is taken by trekkers for the purpose of acclimatization but the name itself might confuse some novice trekkers. A "rest day" is not quite a rest day at all. You don't move further up the trail and hence to higher altitudes but it doesn't mean you rest and stay inactive all day. You got to stay active to avoid any possibility of blood clots. Also, it is best to limit your daily ascent to 500 m between night stops above 3000 metres. More of this in our safety section. But the basic is: Climb high, sleep low.

A lot of trekkers decide to take a rest day in Manang for obvious reasons (better facilities, shops etc) but Bhraka could well be a very good alternative for a rest day if not better. A very good alternative because of the lesser crowd, better chances of getting a room during peak trekking seasons (March-May and Sept-December) and the fact that the altitude difference is a mere 20 m between Manang and Bhraka, it shouldn't spark up a debate to decide which place is better for acclimatization. It boils down to personal choice really.

There is a very old gompa in Bhraka which is considered very important in the region. The crown for the oldest gompa in this region, however, goes to Tahrep gompa of Khangsar. But nevertheless, the gompa is absolutely stunning and worth a visit. In fact, it is one of the most beautiful gompas in all of Annapurna Circuit. Also, as mentioned in Mugje, there are a couple of famous side trips you can do from Bhraka. The Milarepa cave and Ice Lake side trips are the most famous ones. Take a look at the side trips section to find out more about these places. As you move further up the trail these side trips will take that much longer to reach. So decide in advance from where you want to start these side trips. The more famous and used starting points are of course Bhraka and Manang; very few take these side trips from Mugje. And a note to all the foodies: there are pretty good bakeries in Bhraka that serve fresh and tasty pastries. So don't hesitate to try some.