Annapurna Circuit trek, hands down is one of the best trekking routes in the world. This trek encircles the Annapurna range in a matter of 19 days. This enthralling trek starts at Khudi and comes to an end in Tadapani.
On this trek, the highest point is the Thorong La pass situated at an altitude of 5416 meters. This trek is challenging and the sense of achievement when you reach Thorong La Pass cannot be put into words.
The Annapurna Circuit trek is famous for its mountain vistas and pristine landscape all along the trail. It is true when the locals say the trail of the circuit gets better as the altitude increases. This trail has its fair share of challenges, especially when we start ascending towards Thorong La Pass. We follow the Marsyangdi river, crossing the river many times as we head on with our journey. We will come across several villages where we will rest after a long day of walking.
The trail takes us to the famous villages of Chame and Pisang before we reach Manang where we will stay to acclimatize to the rapidly increasing altitude. From Manang, we will go through Yak Kharka and Thorong Phedi before crossing the Thorong La Pass the highlight of the trek on the 12th day.
After crossing Thorong La pass we will reach Muktinath and then carry on with our journey and cross villages like Marpha, Kalopani, and Tatopani. We will also catch the sunrise from Poon Hill. The trek comes to an end when we reach Tadapani on the 17th day.
This trek is challenging and is of longer duration when compared to another trek in the region. But this region has everything a trekker wants. Spectacular view of the mountains, alluring scenery and of course it has beautiful people. So, it would be a crime if you don’t fully explore the region and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Annapurna Circuit Trekking Highlights
- The mesmerizing trail from Dhukurpokhari to Manang
- The beautiful town of Manang.
- Crossing the Thorong La Pass situated at an altitude of 5416 meters.
- The locally grown apples of Marpha.
- Sunrise from Poon Hill.
- Hindu temple in Muktinath dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Our representatives will pick you up at the airport and we will head to the hotel. We will do some last minute preparation and purchases for the trek.
On the second day, we will head to Besisahar. It will take about 7-8 hours for us to get there. We will spend the night there.
On the third day, we start our journey on foot. During this part of the trek, we will be walking along the Marshyangdi river. We will come across several gigantic waterfalls and suspension bridges. This area is also heavily forested. After 6-7 hours of walking that day, we will reach Jagat Village where we will spend the night.
We will start our journey early in the morning. We will slightly descend through the trail. Here again, we will come across waterfalls and suspension bridges and walk along the river bank. We will come across a few numbers of settlements. The narrow valleys are laden with waterfalls and promise more for the coming days. On this day, we will again walk for about 6 to 7 hours and rest for the night in Bagarchap.
Chame is most popularly known as the gateway to Manang. The trail starts getting excitingly more beautiful from here. On our way to Chame, we will get to see mountains including Lamjung Himal, Annapurna I, and Annapurna IV. We will carry on with your journey until we reach Chame in 5-6 hours.
The sixth day of the trek is going to be a whole new experience for us. The trail slowly loses its heavy forests as due to the increase in altitude. We will then reach Dhukurpokhari and this is when most people realize how beautiful this region is. The trail is not so challenging during this part and we can comfortably walk enjoying the surreal beauty of this region. After 5-6 hours of walking, we will get to the picturesque village of Pisang, located at an altitude of 3300 meters. We will spend the night here.
On the seventh day, we will carry on with our journey to Manang. The trail gets better as we move forward. We will walk past the Tibetan-styled village named Braga. We will also see the largest Gompa in the region. As we walk, we will see snow-clad hills on our left. After walking for about 6-7 hours, we will reach Manang. Manang is located at an altitude of 3540 meters.
It is necessary to give our body the required rest when we reach Manang. We also need to acclimatize to the increasing altitude. So, you can rest if you prefer too. We can also take a small detour to Khangsar village. We follow the Khangsar river and then cross this river and head to Khangsar after a slight ascent. Khangsar is located at an altitude of 3700 meters and then return to Manang where we rest for the night.
On the ninth day, we will head to Yak Kharka. We hike up the trail until we reach Tenki, where we can take a short break. After that, we continue our journey towards Marsyangdi valley. We will be walking across some beautiful pasturelands as well as some spectacular view of the mountains. The trail also passes through a forest of juniper trees. We head to Ghunsa and then carry on to Yak Kharka. On this day, we will walk a total of 4 hours.
On the 10th day, we will head to Thorong La Phedi. The trail gets a bit tricky here. We will be through some narrow trails on the edge of hills, making it challenging and an exciting one. After about 4 hours, we will reach Thorong La Phedi. Trekkers stop here before crossing the Thorong La Pass.
We need to go to bed early because we need to leave early in the morning. Thorong Phedi is situated at an altitude of 4600 meters.
We need to leave early in the morning and take an uphill trail. This is the most challenging way to the Annapurna Circuit but the most enjoyable too. The air gets thinner as you hit the 5000 meters mark. We will have to cross few checkpoints and as the altitude increases, we will see how stunningly blue the sky is and how amazing mountains look up close. Thorong La Pass lies at a staggering altitude of 5416 meters.
After crossing the Thorong La Pass, we follow the downhill trail which will take us to Muktinath. Here, Manang district ends. After about 4-5 hours of walking downhill, we will reach Muktinath. On this day, we will first take an ascend of 800 meters when we get up from Thorong Phedi(4600m) to Thorong La Pass(5416 m). Then, we will then get down to an altitude of 3800 meters when we reach Muktinath, a total drop of 1600 meters.
On this day we will start our journey to Marpha. The trail now gets easier and we will walk about 4-5 hours. We will rest for the night in Marpha. We will also try the local apples of Marpha a very popular product of this region. The altitude now gets to 2670 meters.
On the fourteenth day, we will come across several villages along the trail. On our way, we will also see several apple orchards. We walk for about 6 hours that day until we reach Ghasa. We spend the night there at 2,010m.
We descend from Ghasa until we reach a bridge. Then, we pass through forests and a popular waterfall called Rupse Chhahara until we reach Narchyang Besi. We pass through different villages on this day till we reach Tatopani.
Tatopani is a popular place because of its natural hot springs that cater to tired trekkers. You can spend a quality time here. We spend the night at an elevation of 1200 meters.
On the sixteenth day, we head to Ghorepani located at an altitude of 2850 meters. We will reach thereafter taking an upward trail. We will again start seeing some spectacular view of the mountains. Next morning we need to go watch the sunrise.
On this day, get ready to be pleasantly surprised by the majestic view of the mountains. We will start our trek early in the morning to catch the sunrise from Poon Hill. It takes about 45 minutes to one hour to Poon Hill from Ghorepani.
Poon Hill is famous for its sunrise and view from this place is second to none. The first rays of sun that hit the mountain ranges will stay in your memory for a long period of time. You will get to see mountain peaks such as Annapurna, Nilgiri, and Dhaulagiri.
After spending your morning in Poon Hill, we will head back down to Ghorepani for lunch. We will then head to Tadapani(2520m) through a forest trail.
On this day, we will also walk till we reach Nayapul where the trek comes to an end. We will drive from Nayapul to Pokhara. You can spend quality time in Pokhara.
After breakfast, we head back to Kathmandu. It will take about 6-7 hours to reach Kathmandu.
Also, you have the option to take a flight from Pokhara.
This is the day for you to head back to your homeland and share all the wonderful memories spent here. Also, we will be delighted to extend our services as per your wish and choice. We provide various tour services. Do contact us!
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