Annapurna Circuit Trek

Detailed Overview of Annapurna Circuit Tour

DAY 1 – Travel To Bhulbhule(elev. 840 m/2,760 ft.)

The Annapurna Circuit Tour begins when your guide and driver pick you up at your hotel in Kathmandu and take you on a wonderful seven-hour journey to the village of Bhulbhule. This village is the starting point of your trek. On the way, you will pass over the high mountain pass that leads out of Kathmandu and down into the beautiful Trisuli River Valley. The mighty Trisuli River pushes southward from Tibet with its never-ending rapids and whitewater to delight rafters from around the world. We cross the river at Mugling and move westward. The Annapurna Mountains will come in view as we make our way to Bhulbhule where we will spend the night at a nice guest house. We will have time to enjoy the views of the peaks of Lamjung, Himal, Manaslu, NadiChuli, and more. Breathe in the crisp mountain air as you delight in good dinner and then settle in for a good night’s sleep.

DAY 2 – Trek to Jagat Village(elev. 1300 m/4,265 ft.)

This morning the journey begins as we finish breakfast, grab our gear and start up the trail. There will be amazing sub-tropical vegetation here as we approach some of the highest mountains in the world. We follow along the Marsyangdi River Valley, a major watershed of the Annapurna Region. The trail is gaining elevation as we move into the mountain region. Our goal is the mountain village of Jagat, where we will find a mixture of Gurung and Tamang inhabitants. Descendants of those who came with Genghis Khan, they are two very different ethnic groups who live together in peace and harmony. Each has its own language as well as dress and culture. What they share is wonderful hospitality, especially to strangers. It will take us 5-6 hours to reach Jagat where we will overnight.

DAY 3 – Trek to Danakyu(elev. 2300 m/7,546 ft.)

Today we gain elevation as we climb upwards around 1000 meters. The trail is composed of flagstone steps. The local village development committees have built these steps as these trails are the “highways” of the Himalayas. They move faster and easier for the local people who move goods up and down these trails from village to village. The trail is surrounded by various fir trees. We will stop at Bagarchhap to visit a Gompa (Buddhist monastery). We trek around 5 – 6 hours to reach our destination of Danakyu where we can see a great view of Mt. Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world. Its distinctive twin peak is a recognizable landmark of the Himalayas. Here we will put in at a tea house for dinner and sleep.

DAY 4 – Trek to Chame (elev. 2670 m/9.760 ft.)

Today is a bit easier as we are not rising in elevation as much to reach the district headquarters of Chame. This village is the administrative headquarters of the Manang District. The journey continues through forests with dramatic views of the south face of Mt. Manaslu. The Marsyangdi River is still with us and across it will be a wonderful view of Mt. Annapurna II. We trek for 5 – 6 hours to reach Chame, where we find rest and comfort at a tea house to spend the night.

DAY 5 – Trek to Upper Pisang(elev. 3300 m/10,827 ft.)

The sun rises over the new day as we prepare to leave the village of Chame and continue on our journey. We are rising in elevation again, and now we begin to see less and less forest and more open areas. The open areas reveal marvelous views of Lamjung Himal (6893 m), a wonderful snowcapped peak. We discover a picturesque waterfall as we pass Brathang Village. Pisang village gets its name because it’s in the shadow of Mt. Pisang. The area is rockier, and we discover Mani walls. These are rock carvings created by faithful Buddhists over the centuries. It will take us around 5 – 6 hours to reach Upper Pisang where we find lodging for the night.

DAY 6 – Trek to Manang Village(elev. 3540 m/11,614 ft.)

We are turning westward today to make our way to one of the great landmark villages in the Annapurna Mountains. This is the village of Manang which is surrounded by majestic snowcapped peaks. The village is a major community of the Gurung people. This village is home to many Gurkha soldiers who have faithfully served with bravery in both the British and Indian armies.

We first pass through Ghyaru Village where we will enjoy a breathtaking view of both Annapurna II and Annapurna III. We stop and enjoy the views while resting, then continue our journey to Manang. It will take approximately six hours to reach Manang. The forests are less and less as we are around the tree line. You will notice beautiful grasslands where the Gurung people graze their animals.  Along the way, we climb upwards to Nawal to experience the finest panoramic views of the Annapurna Range. In Manang, we will spend two nights.

DAY 7 – MANANG ACCLIMATIZATION DAY

We have crossed the 3500-meter mark and we need to allow our bodies to adjust to the thinner mountain air to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). We also deserve a good rest from our trekking. Today we get to explore this fascinating Gurung village. We stop to see Gangapurna Lake, visit the mountaineering school, local museums and enjoy the local hospitality. The Annapurnas nicely frame this wonderful place.

DAY 8 – TREK TO LEDAR (elev. 4200 m/13,780 ft.)

It’s a shorter day of walking as we walk in the thinner mountain air. We are making our way to a higher elevation. We have left the trees behind us as the vegetation becomes low-lying juniper bushes. The lack of trees creates more outstanding views of the snowcapped peaks. We cross the Gundon River at Gunsang, a small farming village along the way. We trek for about four hours to reach Ledar where we find a hot meal and a good bed for the night at a local guest house.

DAY 9 – TREK TO THORUNG PHEDI (elev. 4450 m/14,560 ft.)

We are approaching the highest point of our trek which will be tomorrow. Our destination is the tiny community of ThorungPhedi which is below the Thorung-La Pass. We don’t see much in the way of people today. Very few people live up here where the elevation doesn’t provide for much more than hardscrabble farming. We will encounter the Marsyangdi River which we cross on a wooden bridge. The river is not very big up here near its source. We don’t trek long today, between 3 – 4 hours. We rest up at the guest house in preparation for tomorrow’s climb.

DAY 10 – CLIMB TO THORUNG-LA PASS (5,416 m/17,769 ft.)

It’s a long day, but well worth the effort as we will have the most magnificent panoramic view of the Annapurna Mountains. The trail up to the top of the pass is narrow. We encounter another bridge over the narrow Marsyangdi River and then upward to the pass. We reach the top and stand there admiring the outstanding view with snowcapped peaks in every direction.

From here, it’s downhill to reach the sacred temple of Muktinath. Here the sacred blue flame constantly burns along with 108 water taps of holy water pouring from the temple. This place is sacred to both Buddhists as well as Hindus. The temple itself is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. We explore the temple region, resting for the night at a local guest house.

DAY 11 – TRAVEL TO JOMSOM (elev. 2,743 m/8,999 ft)

It’s a short journey to Jomson, a major village in the region. Noted for its excellent accommodations as well as the regional airport. Here we will trek to Tatopani where we can pick up transportation to Pokhara to enjoy a nice hotel near the shores of beautiful Lake Phewa.

DAY 12 – RETURN TO KATHMANDU

The journey to Kathmandu begins here as we check out of our hotel and take the seven-hour journey back to the Nepali capital. Many people do choose to extend their trip to Pokhara to explore the region as well as to experience paragliding and ziplining. There is a large variety of activities in Nepal’s favorite playground in the Himalayas. As you prepare to book this trip, consider adding some extra days in Pokhara! Your friends at Himal Tourism Pvt. Ltd can properly advise you on additional activities in the Pokhara region.

Trip Includes:

• All meals on trek
• Breakfast in Pokhara
• English speaking, government licensed guide
• Porters (one for every two trekkers)
• All lodging on the trek
• Transportation to Pokhara and return to Kathmandu
• TIMS Trekking Permit
• Admission into Annapurna Conservation Area
• Tea and Coffee

Does Not Include:

• Beer, wine, alcoholic drinks
• Snacks
• Nepali visa (available upon arrival in Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport