Annapurna Circuit Trekking

The guide will collect us from the hotel and we will drive to the bus station to catch our bus to Bhulbhule. It’s going to be a scenic drive through the beautiful villages of Nepalese countryside. Bhulbhule is a small town located on the bank of Marshyangdi River.

We will keep the Marshyangdi River on our left and start gentle ascending towards Chamje. It is a pleasant walk through beautiful hillsides, towering waterfalls, and small settlements of various ethnic groups. It is a mostly flat walk until we cross Ngadi village. We will cross the Marshyangdi River keeping it on our left and continue to Syange for our lunch. Ascending for about 2 hour will take us to Chamche for overnight.

We will cross the Marshyangdi river again and start climbing uphill towards Sattar and Tal Phedi before making a steep ascent to Tal village. Tal is a small valley on the bank of the River, the village is popular as a lunch spot. We will be entering Manang district from here. Continuing our trek further we will be passing through villages like Karte, Naje, and Dharapani before reaching Bagarchap.

The trail at the beginning is mostly flat until we reach Danakyu. Passing Danaqyu, we will make steep ascending towards Timang village inside the forests of rhododendron and oaks with beautiful views of Manaslu on the back. The Timang village offers spectacular views of Himalayas on a close distance. We will proceed our walk towards Chame passing small villages like Latamarang, Thanchok, and Koto. Chame is district headquarters of Manang district with lots of lodges and shops. This place will serve magnificent views of Annapurna II.

We will cross the Marshyangdi river once more and enter the forests of pines. We will enter a small valley and start ascending to Bhratang village. Continuing further, we have to cross the Marshyangdi once more before making a steep ascending to Dhukur Pokhari for lunch. From Dhukur Pokhari we will walk flat for another hour to reach lower Pisang where spectacular views of Annapurna range will be served.

There are 2 ways to Manang, the higher route is difficult but serves spectacular views. The lower route is shorter and easier but the views are not that fantastic.
The lower route is mostly flat and gently ascending through Humde Airport; the only airport in Manang district serving charter flights. The lower route takes about 5 – 6 hours to reach Manang. The route is suitable for easy trail lovers.

The higher route to Manang is less visited than the lower route, however, the views can’t be compared. The upper route offers a stunning panorama of the Himalayas but needs a little more energy than the lower route. We will stop either in Ghyaru or Ngawal for lunch then continue mostly downhill to Manang. The whole trail from Ngawal to Manang will show us stunning Himalayan views. As we will be walking on the high route the views of Hunde and Marshyangdi valley on the bottom also looks fabulous.

We have a rest day here. If interested for a long day but stunning hike then Ice Lake can be an option. Ice Lake is situated on the top of Manang village, takes about the whole day to reach and return. The views from the top are stunning and aren’t comparable to anything else seen in this area. It’s difficult but it’s worth.

If not interested then we can also do a short hike to Gangapurna lake before returning to Manang for lunch. Manang is a beautiful place to rest and explore, lots of activities available at our service.

It’s a beautiful day today. We will make gentle ascending throughout the day with stunning views of various peaks of Annapurna region right in front. We do have some chances to see blue Sheep grazing in the mountains. Views of Annapurna, Gangapurna, Tilicho, etc. will be always next to us. It’s a day with close and stunning views of snowy Himalayas. On our walk, we will pass two small villages called Tengi and Gunsang. Both villages have few basic lodges for trekkers. The trail after crossing Gunsang is mostly flat with a couple of suspension bridges.

It is another stunning and breathtaking day. Amazing views, light trail, and the towering Himalayas right in front. We will pass through Churi Ledar and Ledar before making a cross at Kone Khola (stream). Once we cross this stream, the trail will give us a sudden steep climb and dry landslide areas before we approach Phedi. We can stay here tonight and prepare to cross the pass, continuing for another 45 minutes – 1 hour will take us to high camp which is about 400 meters higher than Phedi.

It’s a long, tiring, and difficult trek. It’s approximately 600 meters up and 1600 meters down. Whether we start from Phedi or High Camp we will have to start our breakfast early in the morning; a few hours before sunrise. It is a challenging yet special day for us. With amazing views around us, we will be walking in the middle surrounded by huge white peaks. There are no lodges between High Camp and Muktinath. There is a small teashop on the top of the pass serving hot tea during the main trekking season. The top of the pass is surrounded by praying flags and offers spectacular panoramic views of the Himalayas at 360 degrees.

The trail further from the pass is steep descending making it very difficult for people with knee injuries/pains. Once we walk about 3 hours down we will reach Muktinath; our destination for tonight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

This is the last day of our trekking. The trail is mostly downhill and flat. The initial part starts with a downhill walk where we will pass through different villages like Jharkot, Khingar Kagbeni, and Eklebhatti. The day, especially after mid-day, is going to be dusty with heavy winds. The trail between Eklebhatti to Jomsom is flat all the way. Jomsom is a small town with modern facilities available.

We will take 20 minute early morning flight to Pokhara. It’s an adventurous flight and looking stunning between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan ranges. It’s often compared with Lukla flights.

Pokhara is a famous place for travelers, often referred as paradise of Nepal. This is also known as the city of lakes. You can stroll around lakeside or celebrate the successful trekking over 5000 meters. This is the end of our trek and we will drive to Kathmandu next day.

We will follow the same highway through beautiful rivers, hills and small Nepalese settlements. The drive will take about 8 hours to drop us in Kathmandu. Form the tourist bus park you will be transferred to the hotel. In the evening you can explore the town probably buying souvenirs for friends and family members.

We will drive you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your flight time. The airport is small and has only 1 terminal. It’s time to say goodbye until we meet again!