Annapurna Circuit Trek is considered one of the best treks in the world.
entral Nepal is dominated by the Annapurna Himal and the town of Pokhara. There are three major trekking routes in this region. To Jomsom, to Annapurna Sanctuary and a circuit of the entire Annapurna massif. A spectacular panorama of Nepal’s central Himalaya, the Annapurnas, Machapurchhare and Manasulu dominates the skyline.
The diverse terrain and variety of cultures of the region make this area the most popular trekking area of Nepal. Pokhara (Lake town), the trek starting point is dominated by the impressive Fishtail. The trade route of Kali Gandaki in Between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri is the deepest and cultural variety of Hindu communities, famous Gorkha soldiers and fortress style villages make each day walk different experience.
Group Size |
1-3 Person |
4-6 Person |
7-15 Person |
Cost (Per Person) |
USD 1620 |
USD 1430 |
USD 1350 |
Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel by our representative.
After breakfast, full day sightseeing at UNESCO Heritage Sites. Sightseeing at Pasupatinath Temple, Swayambhu, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Bouddhanath Stupa.
It is around 6:30 AM in the morning that you start your trip from Kathmandu to Bulbule after having breakfast. You drive from Kathmandu (1300m) down the hill thru the high way. A long chain of green hill in both sides and beautiful river on right side follow you during the 6-7 hours drive to Bulbule. Scattered beautiful hamlets throughout the hills are seen on the way. You pass thru Marsyangdi river valley to Besisahar and finally reach to Khudi where you spend your night in a guesthouse.
The guesthouse provides you local as well as few foreign delicious items in the dinner. It is mention worthy that the guest are considered as god in Nepalese culture so they are very hospitable. You always see them smiling and warm greetings on their face. They arrange you a comfortable accommodation for your sound sleeping at night in their guest house.
The next morning you wake up around 6:00 AM, fare well the people at guest house and direct towards the Gyarmu phant.
It takes you around 5/6 hours normal walk to reach Bahundanda. On the way you cross the bridge and continue your journey to the north above the Marsyangdi Khola. The changes in the valley’s ecosystem and its physical characteristics become evident now.
This trek fetches you the knowledge of cultural diversity of Nepal while you passes thru many typical local houses and the faces of varied ethnic tribes exchanging gr eetings (Namaste). You share the trail with mule caravans that transport supplies to the remote villages. The trek further becomes romantic when you pass thru subtropical forests and see the rice terraces of Sera of Khundi village.
You pass from Bhulbhule to Nagdi and then finally reach to the destination of the day i.e. Bahundanda. Literally Bahun means priest and danda means hill. It is an attractive village in the saddle of a long ridge at 1311m. On the way you see a majestic waterfall (60m high), Himalchuli mountain and Manaslu (8156m).
You take luch at Bahundanda on afternoon. Then after walk 2 hrs dawn and flat to over nite camp Gyamu.
Tomorrow morning around 6:30 am you prepare yourself and move ahead towards . Dharapani
Today you have exciting walk for 6 hours to reach Dharapani. You descend to the valley floor and then, crossing the river, then after ride the 1 hrs bus/ jeep to Chamje.
Then we start to walk, cross the river via a suspension bridge then walk on the pave road gradual up and steep up then will bridge you at the Tal. Then after lunch walking along the marshyandi river for 2/3 hrs then reach at dharapani.
Today morning at 0700 hours you pack up and start trek to Chame. You continue up the River valley and pass the Gurung Village Thonje to Bagarchhap. You continue walk along the left bank of the river , climb up the heavily wooded Manang valley and small settlements with outstanding views of Mt. Manaslu (8163meter) and the peaks above Larkya La. As Chame is administration town of Manang district has facility of bank. Throughout the day there are nice views of Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II and Anna purna IV (7525m). The treks end after continuous walk for 6 hours.
Today you do trek for almost 5 hours to Pisang.You first pass the older part of Chame and climb up to Telekhu at 2840 meter and continue with a long pleasant and mostly level walk through the forest to Brathang, which lies at 2950 meter. After the trail rounds a bend here you see the first view of the dramatic Paungda Danda rock face, a tremendous curved slab of rock rising more than 1500 meter from the river.
Further you cross back to the south bank of the Marsyangdi River on a suspension bridge at 3080 meter and then make a long gentle climb over a ridge through blue pine forests. After this, the trek reasonably level as it heads to the upper part of Manang valley to Pisang. This town marks the beginning of the region known as Nyesyang, the upper portion of the Manang district. An excellent view of Annapurna II can be seen to south as you are now behind the main Himalayan peaks in their rain shadow area.
Today you have to trek slowly climbed up to the Tibetan-style village of Bryaga at 3500 meter following the valley floor. At Braga you see houses stacked one atop the other, each with an open veranda formed by a neighbor’s rooftop. The gompa perched on a high crag overlooking the village, is the largest in the district and has an outstanding display of statues.
Then you continue through a very arid countryside, dominated by weird cliffs of yellow rock, eroded into dramatic pillars alongside the trail to reach today’s destination, the village of Manang, where the shops are surprisingly well stocked with all the things you might want to refuel on.
This astonishing trek ends after 5 hours continuous walk. You stop at Manang today.
After many days continuous trekking, today you stay one day at Manang. It is important for you to acclimatize at this point furthering your trip because the altitude is going to rise up to 4700m in coming treks. You may hike to Chonkor View Point 3800m and to the monastery. The day can be utilized preparing by you for further trekking. Then spend a night in a beautiful warm guesthouse.
Trekking slowly upwards to Thrung La you leave the large trees behind and see vegetation consisting mainly of scrub juniper and alpine grass and you pass a few meadows where horses and yaks graze. You get an opportunity to see herds of blue sheep grazing on the steep slopes at Yak Kharka. You do not feel crossing all the way in 4 hours.
Overnight at the lodge. Tomorrow morning you prepare yourself for the highest altitude trek you have ever done before.
This day you reach to the highest point of the trek, possibly the highest point you have ever been on in your life. From Yak kharka you will continue to climb along the east bank of the Jarang Khola to Thorung Phedi, a rock-strewn meadow surrounded by vertical cliffs at 4420 meter. Blue sheep and even snow leopards can be seen sometimes in this valley. High in the skies above, you can see lammergeyers and Himalayan griffons circling around.
The total walking time is 3-4 hours for this day.
Today , the long trek starts before sunrise , maybe at 0400 hrs to reach the pass by 0900/1000 hrs at the latest, otherwise weather conditions will greatly affect the journey. You cross over at an altitude of 5416m, so can be affected by strong winds if you do late.
Local people have been using this trail for hundreds of years to bring herds of sheep and yaks in and out of Manang. Thus the trail, while often steep, is well defined and easy to follow. Snow can block the pass at any time of the year if there comes an unseasonable storm. It takes 4-5 hours from Thorung Phedi to La Pass.
At the Thorung La pass, with its traditional prayer flags and stone cairn you have outstanding views. You can see the Annapunas, Gangapurna and Khatung Kang, peaks with heavy glacier. Amazingly there is a teashop here on top of the pass at 5416 meter. From here you start a long descend of about 1600 meter with outstanding views of Dhaulagiri mountain standing alone in the distance across the valley.
After the trail becomes less steep you enter grassy fields and cross meadows to your final destination of Muktinath, which means place of Nirvana and is home to the Muktinath temple as well as several monasteries. It is said that all sorrows you feel are relieved when visiting the Temple, which is a scared pilgrimage site to both Hindus and Buddhists. The main pilgrimage normally takes place in September. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and has 108 taps around it from which Holy water pours. Another attraction nearby is the Jwala Mai Temple and this contains a spring and an eternal flame fed by natural underground gas. You reach Muktinath from La Pass in 9 hours.
Today you follow the “Jomsom trek” in reverse order. You first go down to Kagbeni, which is a 990 meter descend through meadows, streams and fruit trees like peach orchards. Then you continue going down to Jomson (more correctly Dzongsam, or “new fort”). You descend continues through the Kali Gandaki Valley to Marpha. Marpha isa home to many apple orchids as well as all the various food products made from the fruit. Apple Brandy is a local specialty of Marphs that you can taste en route. It takes around 6 hours to complete this route.
You further trek down the Kali Gandaki valley alongside the Kali Gandaki river to Ghasa. You pass the villages of Tukuche at 2580m and Larjung at 2560 meter. Then you cross the Kali Gandaki River by a high suspension bridge and continue through an area covered with fir, juniper and cypress trees. Towards the village of Kalopani (2530m) you have splendid 360˚ views of Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, the three Nilgiris, Fang and Annapurna I. After crossing another very long suspension bridge (107 meter long) you reach Ghasa, last point for this night. This trek demands around 6 hours walk.
Today the trek leads you through the most steep and narrow part of the Kali Gandaki valley; much of the way is cut through solid rock and subject to frequent landslides. Before you reach the village of Dana (1450m) you pass the Rupse Chhahara (‘beautiful waterfall’). Descending further down passthere will be several landslides then you reach Tatopani, meaning hot water, which is situated on the riverbanks where you can stop and take a natural hot water bath. It is 6 hours walk from Ghasa to Tatopani.
Leaving the hot springs behind you have a day of climbing Ghorepani. You leave the Kali Gandaki valley and follow the Ghar Khola river and cross this river through old swing bridge. You continue ascending to Ghara (1780m) and Shika (1935m) where there is British army training centre. The last part of the trail today is climbing through rhododendron and magnolia forests to Ghorepani, where you arrive in the mid afternoon. Seven hours is enough to reach this place.
An early start and an hour’s hiking to Poon Hill (3210m) leads you to a brilliant viewpoint. This viewpoint provides an unobstructed beautiful sunrise over the high Himalayas. After spending about 40 minutes on the hillside, you come back to Ghorepani for a hot breakfast, and start walking to Tadapani.
From Ghorepani the trail climbs along ridges and through pine and rhododendron forests and if the weather allows you can see panoramic view all the way south to the plains of India. The trail follows a stream bed which becomes larger as you continue. The stream has some clear pools alongside the trail and finally becomes a series of waterfalls. Today’s final destiny is the village of Tadapani, meaning ‘far water’. Unfortunately, the water supply for this village is a long distance below. You reach here after 5 hours walk.
Ghaundrung trail descends steeply through forests to the village of Ghaundrung where you arrive around noon. You stay overnight here so have the afternoon to visit the Annapurna conservation office and museum. As well as you may take time to explore this maze like village. You walk just 3 hours for today.
Today is the last day of your trekking on the Annapurna Circuit which ends at Pothana.
You will drive to Pokhara from Phedi (910m)
Testimonials
We had a very awesome time in Nepal, thanks to the arrangement tailored by Mr. Santosh, which suits us very much. Not forgetting to thank Mr. Manoz our very skillful driver who sent us everywhere without any complaints. Thanks to him we had a very pleasant and safe journey visiting different parts of Nepal. Kailash Journey is definitely worth recommending and I would definitely go back to them for my future visit to Nepal! Specially thanks to Mr. Santosh and Mr. Manoz effort and great hospitality which made our stay in Nepal very pleasant! Thank you very much and take care!!
View this Review on FacebookWe thank you for arranging our wonderful journey to Muktinath and Pokhara from 29thOct. to 5th November 2012. We are both nearing 80 years of age but your arrangements was perfect and we had enjoyed our trip so much that we want to come back again to Nepal and request you to again give us another holiday next year.
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