Annapurna Circuit Trek

From Kathmandu, we will catch the earliest possible bus to Besisahar so as to reach there in the late noon. This bus ride will contour you around the hilly highways, guarded by the high hillocks and pastoral fields, just to introduce you into the serenity of Besisahar.

Once we get there, we will hire a local Jeep to Jagat which will drive us along the newly paved dusty road of Annapurna. Despite that, the views are sensational with a gorgeous range of the Annapurna showcasing its glamour at its fullest. At Jagat, there is not much to see except a small hot spring pool on the riverside. But, this is enough to trigger your expectations for more future surprises.

Early in the morning, we will leave Jagat and head on towards our next station Bagarchap that appears to be very far in the map. It is a strenuous day as the ups and downs are quite very frequent.

Within about 2 hours of trekking, we will encounter a beautiful waterfall at Chamje. Then, through the off-the-beaten NATT (Natural Annapurna Trekking Trails) trails, we will open up into a calm-looking village of Tal which creates an incredible setting for a perfect natural photo shoot. It feels quite amazing to be there.

After that, we will walk along the stony lane which is carved out of the rocky wall. The suspension bridge, hanging over the never-ending depth of the river valley, carves our way out into a village named Dharapani. Within a few minutes of walking, we will expose ourselves to Bagarchap, where there are nice lodges to stay. There is also a monastery if you would like to engage in a spiritual ambiance.

From Bagarchap, an hour of steep ascend will lead us to a village named Temang. Through the pristine forest, we will cross a suspension bridge to make an appearance at Thanchowk (Thanchouk). It is a beautiful hamlet, built on a ridge, overlooking the gorgeous panorama of the mountains.

From there, we will join the main trail to the village of Koto, dotted with traditional wooden houses- mostly of two-story. Chame is just 30 minutes away by foot from there. Upon arriving at Chame, we will have quick snacks and then, catch a jeep to Pisang- our next stopover. Jeep will take us up to lower Pisang only, so we will have to walk for a few minutes until Upper Pisang as it a nice place to stay with clear views of the Annapurna II, III, and IV.

From the Upper Pisang, we will proceed towards the Gyaru through the colorful Chortens and prayer wheels of Buddhist. As we approach Ngawal, the alpine vegetations begin to show off, with barley and buckwheat fields fencing the trail. Then, an array of Mani walls directs us towards a big Stupa (monastery) where the aroma of pine trees enhances the excitement of the trip.

 Instead of continuing along the dirt road from Ngawal, we will take the longer route along with the Lophelling monastery that offers better views of nature. As you climb you will notice several old monasteries on the plateau side of the trail. Continuing in the direction of Marshyangdi, we will cross Julu just to make an appearance at the beautiful village of Braka. It is only a couple of Kilometers slog to Manang.

[Braka (aka Braga) is a rewarding place as there are Buddhist monasteries (Gompas) adorned with exquisite statues of Buddha and traditional paintings. Plus, a number of side trips dissociate from there.]

Manang is absolutely a perfect acclimatization spot. The average temperature of Manang is moderate as the spring/autumn days are usually sunny. Plus, a number of side trips could be attempted from Manang.

From Manang, we can take a side trip to the Praken Gompa that overlooks upon the mountains of Annapurna and Tilicho ranges. The vertically soaring Gangapurna glacier also appears distinct at this point. It is so surreal.

If we hadn’t managed to pay a visit to the Braka Gompa then, we should not miss it on this day as this monastery is worth visiting hundreds of times. We may as well hike to the icy lake, but the trail will demand you to put more effort. In the end, we will return to Manang.

It is a pleasant yet strenuous day of trekking in the Annapurna circuit. As we walk through the village of Manang, the big white Gompa appears distinct on the hill. The alpine trees of pine and birch are dotted through the hilly sections from upper Manang to Yak Kharka. We will continue our slog through the village of Gunsang and Khangsar before making an appearance at the Yak Kharka.

It is a further 40 minutes hike to Churi Ledar. If you are going well with the altitude then, it is better to approach Churi Ledar on the very same day. Otherwise, you may as well choose to stay in Yak Kharka.

Wake up early in the morning and leave Chuli Ledar towards the Thorong Phedi. There are few suspension bridges, spanning across the vast riverbeds and valleys, offering views of the rocky faces of the hills.

While on the trail, you must be very careful of the falling stones as there are chances of being hit by them. Recently, ACAP has built the stone walls to prevent the trekkers and porters from being hit by those stones. Nevertheless, you must be wary of the dangers while trekking to Thorong Phedi. There are also a few good monasteries to pay a visit to during the day.

On this day, it is better not to cross the Thorong La pass because of the icy winds, blowing over the pass, that resists our effort of moving forward.

Before the sun lights up in the sky, we will get our backpacks ready and hit on our journey to conquer this legendary pass. The excitement of stepping into the highest altitude sections of the Annapurna Circuit will have been flowing in our blood prior to departure from the village of Thorong Phedi.

Thorong La Pass, as it sounds, is not really a mountain that you will have to battle with. It is indeed just a flat pass, squeezed between the two mountains, which used to serve as the trading route in the past. Standing on top of this pass gives clear views of the Dhaulagiri peaks and many other indistinguishable ranges. It is indeed a surreal viewpoint.

From there, we will walk across the seemingly desert terrain to Muktinath, which is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for the Hindus, with a man-sized golden statue of Lord Vishnu inside the main temple.

From Muktinath, we will ascend to the village of Ranipauwa, where a colorful Buddhist monastery shows our way to Lubra (Lupra). Crossing the great Lupra Pass will bring us to the village of Lubra. We will go past the long suspension bridge just to enter into a picturesque village of Jharkot.

It is best to spend a few moments at Jharkot if you are interested in gaining the cultural insight of the Himalayan people. The people of this region have strictly adhered to their historical rituals and traditions, so you can expect to learn something new from this village.

Once we arrive at Jomsom, we must not miss its market place which displays a wide collection of historical and cultural elements. There are a few souvenir stalls that have kept an array of souvenirs for sale. It is worth strolling in this region.

The trail from Jomsom leads towards the Kalopani through the Tukuche Health post. At this point, the view of the Tukuche peak dominates the western skyline while Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri glitter on the eastern skyline. It feels so amazing to trek along this region.

On the map, you might be tempted to see how such a long distance could be carried on in one day. However, most of the trail is descending so you will arrive at Kalopani easily without much endeavor.

Finally, our next stop is Tatopani, which literally translates to “Hot Water”. As its name suggests, there is a natural hot water spring at Tatopani. The water of this spring is believed to have the natural healing capacity so visitors are in queue most of the time. You may as well plunge into this divine water.

Walk along the newly developed NATT trail that passes through the quaint settlements of the indigenous people of the Annapurnas. It is worth turning around a few times as the views grow sensational at this point. You will have to walk along the dirt road for a while just before arriving at Tatopani, but rests of the walks are fabulous.

Ghorepani                                                                                                          [Min. Alt: 1400 m]

From Tatopani, it is a long day to Ghorepani. Although descending is an easy task relative to ascending, it is still going to leave your leg unconscious after long descending hours. The trek to Ghorepani from Tatopani is quite a similar case.

The landscapes and the terrain appear to be changing gradually as you proceed to Ghorepani. The alpine vegetations are almost completely replaced by the tropical and sub-tropical woods. During the walk to Ghorepani, it is better to hold on at the villages and stumble across their culture. Most of the houses, which our eyes meet, are painted in red which is a typical Nepali Hill.

Past through the rivers and several ethnic settlements of Annapurna region before making an appearance at Ghorepani. The word Ghorepani literally translates to “water for the horses”. At the inner hamlets of Ghorepani, you might as well encounter the horses left grazing in the open meadows. It is a wonderful place to stay with clear views of the Annapurna and Machhapuchre peak.

Instead of descending to Birethanti directly, we will travel east towards the Tadapani to reward ourselves with the exquisite views of the great Himalayan ranges. The views from the Tadapani are believed to be quite similar to what seen from the Poonhill, a unique hill station. At Tadapani, you may enroll in the beautiful talks with the grandmas and grandpas. They will help you know about their cultures and traditions in detail.

Ghandruk is just a couple of Kilometers east of Tadapani. It is a Gurung community full of amazing people. They are very much hospitable by nature and are eager to share their golden history to anyone who truly appreciates it. Gurungs are one of the brave ethnic clans of Nepal, who served the British Military during the world war. Because of their bravery, they received many awards and medals from the Queen of Britain.

Besides, their rich culture of respect and love is inspirational. They are kind to everybody and this is what makes Ghandruk a really amazing place to stay.

From Ghandruk, catch a drive to Nayapul via a Jeep and then get a drive down to Pokhara. After all, the strenuous trekking days are over.

On this day, we will stroll around the amazing city of Pokhara. It is a natural hub with pristine waterfalls and serene lakes purifying the air of Pokhara all the time.

We will pay a visit to the World Peace Stupa, which is perched on top of the hill. This stupa is formed of 2 tiers: while the first tier is permitted to monks only, the second tier is open to all visitors. There are beautiful paintings of Buddha hung around the wall. The four large Buddha statues are truly amazing beauties to see in this stupa.

We may as well try out some adventurous activities in Pokhara. While paragliding is a popular option, we may as well go for a zip flying. After sightseeing, we will return to our hotel for the night stay.

From Pokhara, we will catch the morning bus to Kathmandu. At Kathmandu, our vehicle would be waiting to pick us up. We will check-in to our hotel and chew a chat with the whole travel team about your trip.