Annapurna Circuit Trek - 18 Days

Upon your arrival at the international airport in Kathmandu, you will be greeted by Nepal Trekking Path’s representatives then transfer to hotel. A brief session to discuss the trek will be held. If you arrive early, you may stroll around the local market and buy gears you may need for the trek. Spend a cozy night at a 3-star hotel.

Have breakfast and get ready. Our guides will pick you from the hotel then drive to Besisahar. The scenic drive gives you a glimpse of a real Nepal. The serpentine road winding through hills alongside terraced farms, small hamlets, deep rivers and forests is simply breathtaking. The six hours ride won’t be that long. The glittering mountains unravel itself as soon as we reach Besisahar, however, we need to walk a few days to get the up-close view. Besishahar is a small village housing some of the most comfortable lodges. Explore the village then do the last minute’s trek preparation.

: We will start our day early. Post breakfast, drive to Syange then hike to Chamje. Leaving the dusty path behind, we will eventually start to walk on the lush meadows on the river bank accompanied by the vistas of gigantic hills. Climbing on a small cliff will lead us to a small settlement called Jagat. Lunch followed by a brief rest fuel us with the energy needed to reach Chamje. Marching through a small waterfall and lush forest followed by the final steep climb on the well-paved staircase will lead us to Chamje.

Crossing huge suspension river over the Marsyangdi river and walking on the slope for around one and a half an hour, we will see a picturesque valley with cascading waterfall and a breathtaking lake on the distance. In two hours we will reach Tal, a small hamlet. Leaving this beautiful village behind, we will head to Dharapani following the Marsyangdi river. Crossing the suspension bridge one more time and walking on the trail dotted by gigantic waterfalls, we will reach Dharapani, our lunch spot. After a brief rest, follow the up and down trail to Bagarchhap.

Enjoying the first proper view of mountains, we will reach a village called Danaque. From here, the trail gets little steep. A short walk through rhododendron forest will take us to the completely different landscapes. The lush green valleys are now replaced by sheer cliffs and the mountains look closer. Upon reaching Koto, we will have our lunch. Lazing around for a while, we will tread to our final destination of the day, Chame. Headquarters of Manang district, Chame is a small village with 278 households. Chame is filled with shrines and prayers flags. From Chame, we can have a captivating view of Annapurna II. There are two small hot springs if you want to take a dip, go for it. Explore the local lives, have dinner and take rest.

Today’s walking distance is 13.7 km on the mild steep trail. The trail passes through colorful rhododendron and oak forests. Soaking into the beauty of deep gorges, raging rivers, lush meadows, and huge glaciers, we will reach Marshyangdi valley. A steep climb for a while will lead us to Pisang. Spend sometime exploring the village Pisang. Stroll around, talk with locals, learn their lifestyle, share our experience with them, savor into the delicious meal and call it a day.

The trail is decorated with the shrines, prayer flags, monasteries, and indigenous villages. Walking past Narodhara village, lead us to Hungde. Have lunch while enjoying the vistas of Annapurna III. A brief rest will fill us with the energy needed to navigate the trails of villages including Mugje and Baraka. A brief uphill climb will take us to Manang.

Manang, a small village is greatly influenced by Tibetan culture. The village is filled with prayer flags, prayers wheels, mani walls, and chortens. Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Gangapurna and Tilicho appear quite close from Manang.

Climb high sleep low is the mantra of Acclimatization day. So, today we will hike to the higher altitude then head back to Manang village. We will spend the day discovering the village, chit-chat with locals, enjoy the hospitality of Himalayan people and relax. If you want to splurge into the shopping you may do that as the place is filled with several handicraft shops. It will be a tiring day, so we will have dinner and call it a night early.

Leaving this ancient town behind, we will soon arrive in a stupa from where Gangapurna Lake looks stunningly beautiful and the vistas of Marshyangdi Valley looks simply breathtaking. Leaving Marshyangdi valley behind, we will ascend until we reach Tenki Manang. Here, two big rivers Marsyangdi and Jharsang Khola confluence. Few hours walk from Tenki alongside Jarsang Khola Valley will take us to Yak Kharka. Today’s hike will be more interesting because we will be accompanied by Annapurna II, IV and III, and Gangapurna throughout the way. We will have our lunch here.

The initial hour of the trek is relatively easy as we will be marching on the flat land. The trail is dotted with nomadic villages. An easy gradual uphill climb might get little tricker due to the altitude. Upon arriving Churi ledder, we will take a brief rest, click pictures and enjoy the view. Crossing suspension bridge, ascent, and descent on a steep path for a while and hike on the trail carved through mountains we will finally reach Thorong Phedi. It is a perfect spot for lunch and overnight stay as it has some decent lodges.

It is going to be a long day so we will start our trek in the dark. Throughout the morning, we will walk on a steep trail to reach High Camp before the dawn. We can see few lodges there however, it’s not wise to spend a night here. Climbing higher we will reach a tea house and stop for a cup of tea and brief rest. The walking gets a little tricky due to the snow and lack of oxygen. We will reach Thorong-la Pass early in the morning. The place has a small teahouse and prayer flags. After snapping pictures and soaking into the beauty, we will head to Muktinath. Following the steep downhill and arid landscape, we will enter Mustang then head to Muktinath. The plaza houses several temples, shrines, and statues. We can witness the daily rituals and pujas performed by nun. The arid town has some fine lodges offering a great menu.

After breakfast, we will take a local bus or jeep to Tatopani. It will take us five hours to reach there. Tatopani houses few hot springs. Take a dip and relax. Overnight stay at a local lodge.

Day 13 Trek From Tatopani to Shikha( 2020m/ 6116 ft) (5 hours): The 13th day of Annapurna trek will take us into the steep staircase and two gigantic suspension bridges. After hiking for a few hours, stop for lunch in Ghara. Leaving Ghara behind, we will start to ascend the hill alongside the terraced fields and walk until we reach Shikha.

Shikha, a small village housing few lodges is filled with herders and farmers. The terraced fields make the village look beautiful.

Our morning starts with a delicious breakfast. Walking for around four and a half hour and passing some of the Gurung and Magar settlements we will be in Ghorepani. Since we will reach Ghorepani by our lunchtime, we won’t stop for lunch on the trail. After lunch, take rest for hours or two then explore the village.

Today is another important day of this trek. We will be seeing one of the most beautiful sunrises so we will embark into today’s hike before the dawn. The steady climb for some hours will lead us to Poon-hill, a small hill station at an elevation of 3210m. Relish the jaw-dropping beauty, take pictures and head back to Ghorepani, have breakfast then march to Tadapani through rhododendron forest. Start off the journey, hiking on steep stairs in the middle of the lush forest. Passing the Deurali , Banthati and small hamlets and walking for few more hour we will finally reach Tadapani.

Today is one of the easiest hikes. We will descend gradually enjoying the vistas of Manaslu, Annapurna and several other mountains on distance. Walk through few villages including through ghandruk ,syaulibazeer ,Birethati before reaching Nayapul. From Nayapul, we will catch a local bus or taxi and drive to Pokhara. If time permits, we will spend the remaining day exploring one of the most amazing cities in Nepal. In the evening we will stroll around the Fewa Tal. Spend a night at a cozy hotel in Pokhara after a delicious meal.

post breakfast, we will drive back to Kathmandu following the same route. It will be a long day so you may spend the remaining time taking rest. We will meet in the evening for a farewell dinner.

Nepal Tour is incomplete without sightseeing in Kathmandu. We start our day early as we have to navigate the trail of some of the most important places in Kathmandu. We will start with Basantapur Durbar Square popular for Newari architecture. The place stands testimony of Nepal’s history. Magnificent Gaddi Baithak palace, artistic Kumari Ghar, ancient temples with beautifully carved exteriors and medieval courtyard enhance the beauty of the place. Listen to an anecdote from our guides and learn the history of Nepal.

Swayambhunath: A short drive through Dallu takes us to Swayambhunath. It is a captivating plaza on the top of the hill offering a picturesque view of bustling Kathmandu city. We can hear monks chanting prayers and performing daily rituals. Stroll around for a while then head to another magnificent religious heritage, Pashupatinath.

A gigantic plaza constructed a few kilo meter away from the major city of Kathmandu carries great religious significance among Hindus. It is quite massive and spread in a huge area. We will see a large number of temples and shrines here. People offer prayers throughout the day. Grand ‘Maha Aarti’ is held every evening. However, we won’t get the opportunity to witness that. After a short stint in this place, we will drive to Boudhanath.

Boudhanath, though located in the outskirt is replete with people all the time. The place is filled with fancy shops and high-end restaurants. However, inside the Boudhanath plaza, we can see a huge gomba, few temples, and prayers wheels. Have lunch and head back to the Hotel.

Depending upon your flight time, our representative will pick you and transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport. Hope you enjoy our service.