The first of many border checkposts that required us to produce passports, visas, residency permits and sign a register with that information.
After talking to several trekking agencies, the head guide at Himalayan Travels, suggested we do it ourselves, and start our trek in Mana Bhanjhan. We easily found two two local porters for 500 Indian rupees(INR) a day (far less than the USD140-160 quoted to us by local trekking organizations,
Before we head off, the porters wolfe down a bowl noodles, guzzle some chai, change from sandals to sneakers, and off we go, up through forests of rhododendron, cypress and magnolias.