Trekking in Nepal | Circuit Around Annapurna

Start and finish: Kathmandu

The thread of the route: Kathmandu - Besisahar - Bulbul - Ngadi - Jagat - Tal - Darapani - Thoche - Cham - Upper Pisang - Naval - Manang - Wintergrasp - Manang - Yak Kharka - Ledar - High Camp - Thorung La Pass (5416 m) - Muktinath - Jomsom - Pokhara - Kathmandu.

Nepal is a country that attracts not expensive hotels and even the sea, but there are the highest mountains in the world - the Himalayas, the incredible beauty of the waterfalls and lakes, amazing animals (monkeys only ones worth!), unusual churches, but most importantly is that values of the people here are quite different, and so the people in Nepal are really kind with sincerely wish to host tourists at their places.

It is important to know that this country is very poor, one of the poorest in the world. Tourism is one of the main items of income of the local population, and therefore Nepalis do everything possible to leave you for dinner and overnight stay at their houses. Therefore, the prices are reasonable or even low.

Local people strongly suggest tourists - just arrive to us!

What is trekking and what are the main features of trekking "Circuit Around Annapurna"?

Trekking is an ascent by foot in a rugged terrain using hiking trails. The peculiarity of our trek around the Annapurna will be an abundance of small villages on the route. This means that on the night we will stay at the lodges (guest houses), where you can order a food. Actually, this is different from ordinary trekking , because we do not take tents and food (although we recommend you to take some sweets). Thus the weight of our bags will be less! If you wish, you can even book porters - and climb up with a light bag.

Trekking around Annapurna allow you to visit the highest mountain pass in the world (Thorung La - 5416m), while you do not need any additional equipment, the route passes by foot.

This trek has a medium level of difficulty, so it may dare any healthy person. Besides that, it is very diverse - you'll see snow-capped peaks with height more than eight thousand meters, living forests, flowing rivers and waterfalls falling down, and you can also enjoy all the delights of the Nepalese culture in settlements.

1st day – Namaste, Kathmandu!

The most convenient way to get to the capital of Nepal is to arrive to Tribhuvan Airport, named after the king. We are sure that before having trekking in the mountains you will want to feel Kathmandu entirely, so we`ll meet in the tourist district of the capital - in Thamel, where we`ll settle in the hotel, and leave our luggage there in order to explore this lively city. Along the way we will arrange all the necessary permits for trekking. And how is it possible not to visit attractions such as the Bodhnath Stupa, Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple and Durbar Square! They laid the culture, traditions and values of the Nepalese. And there are a lot of monkeys there, really! They are very funny, but be careful, because some of them can be harsh and aggressive. But local people had already gotten used to them, because they accept all the way it is. They honestly believe that everything that happens to us are consequences of our karmas.

2nd day – Towards the Annapurna

It's time to go to the mountains, and we materialize our desire by taking the bus from Kathmandu to Besisahar. Our road is going to be quite far - about 8 hours, so we`ll spend the rest of the day in Besisahar. Most of the routes to the one of the world's highest peaks of Annapurna (this is tenth mountains in the world).

Do you know what Nepalis do when they are totally full? You probably guessed right, they go on the roof! For us this way of going may seems as a real extreme, but for Nepalis it`s commonness.

3rd day – The beginning of the trekking

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This morning we go to the route. We have to reach way from Besisahar to Ngadi. Finally, we will be able to enjoy all the delights of trekking - a moderate exercises and wonderful views. Our route runs along the bustling and brimming river Marshyangdi, which we`ll have to pass by hanging bridges - you can imagine yourself as a hero of a tale or computer game.

Look around - there are rice fields and the real jungles everywhere!

Get ready, today you will see many things that you have never seen before!

4th day – From Ngadi to Jagat

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Today we will have a good ascend, because it`s always in the mountains like this: up, up, up ... and oh, miracle - finally the descent! So we`ll get 370 meters of height, but still it is not that high. There will still be fragrant vegetation around us. We will go through the villages Bahundanda and Ghermu.

We`ll have become accustomed to a hanging bridges, but today we`ll meet fixed bridge that looks stronger than usual. Do not worry, all the bridges on the route are reliable, because thousand of tourists and even more number of local people cross them.

5th day – From Jagat to Tal

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We will pass our way before lunch, but it will be very saturated! Here we`ll encounter waterfalls, wooden bridges and metal bridges, remains of burnt safety fuse and rubble stones after fresh explosions at building roads, passages of natural stone arches and colorful locals with local cutlasses, sickles. And of course the Himalayan mountains with their vibrant subtropical vegetation.

6th day – From Tal to Thoche

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Our climb continues along the valley of the Marshyangdi. Today we will have lots of crossing through the river- from one bank to another.

We can have a rest in the village Dharapani, if you wish you can even order a cup of tea. Do you know the recipe of Tibetan tea? It consists of welding, milk, yak butter and salt. Let`s say it`s a drink for the fan, but it helps to trap moisture in the body of hardworking Nepalis.

7th day – From Thoche to Chame

After another ascent we get to the village of Cham. There is not only a guest house (lodge), but there are also shops and tourist equipment, Internet cafe, drinking water station and the only bank in the area. Also we can find a hot spring in the village.

Chame is a tourist place. You can even practice your English with tourists from all corners of the globe.

We will ascend to a height of 2650 meters,so dress warmly tonight - we are waiting for the first frost. Although the difference in height in the mountains of considerable - sometimes it can be up to 20 degrees. So it will be warm again in the afternoon!

8th day – From Chame to Upper Pisang

The rise to Upper Pisang begins by road, but it is not possible to drive there, because it was decently washed away with water.

The "flavor" of our walk will be coniferous forest with pine cones of extraordinary size. Imagine how fragrant is going to be our transition!

Next to us will be Pisang peak, which sometimes compared to a meteorite crater.

We can also to a Buddhist temple in Upper Pisang, because it can be visited by anyone. Importantly, do not forget to take off your shoes.

9th day – From Upper Pisang to Naval

Hooray! Today begins the most beautiful part of our track. We continue our climb up the spacious valley with sharp steep cliffs. Periodically we will meet Buddhist structure on our way.

10th day – From Nawal to Manang

We`ll get up early in order to slowly come to Manang. By the way, we'll get up, like all Nepalis early. After an early rise we guarantee the availability of the best places in the lodge for our itinerary, as well as plenty of free time for sightseeing in the afternoon.

Here, for example, in Manang you`ll have what to do. For tourists in the village there are several shops selling tourist equipment and clothing, cinema, drinking water station and even a medical center specializing in altitude sickness. And no wonder, since the height of Manang is 3500 meters. That is why it is recommended to spend some time to get acclimating. We will stay here one more day.

The dirt road from Besisahar to Manang had been opened in 2012. However, our purpose is not only to climb up to the pass, but also is to go through difficulties. If you overcome this way by car, the effect of it would be another. In addition it`s better to have acclimatization gradually.

11th day – Day in Manang

Finally we have the first day off! If you are very tired, you can relax in Manang, but if you feel that you have charged the hill tide of cheerfulness and energy – let`s go to the Ice lake..

The lake is really impressive: clarity of the water and the scenery of the mountains that surround it! But it is at 1,000 meters above Manang, which will be an excellent occasion for adaptation to altitude. Moreover, that for half a day we can go back and forth, and we will have time to enjoy the beauty around the Manang village.

12th day – From Manang to Ledar

Do you feel good, despite of the lack of oxygen? Then move on, feeling the beauty of Nepal! She is here in everything: in the mountains, the tops of which are hidden by white-capped glaciers ... in bright green grass dotted with a scattering of multicolored small flowers in dense clouds ... crawling on the trail a few hundred meters in front of us.

We have to go less distance than usually, but the height explains this.

13th day – From Ledar to High camp

Have you already accustomed to the altitude? Then move on! Small transition will lead us to the High camp which is the last point before the ascent to the highest point of our route Thorung La Pass.

It is important to leave early today in order to have enough places for all of us in High camp.

Dress up warmly for the night and wrap up in sleeping bags - we are at a decent height, and it can be cold there.

14th day – The highest point of the route

It`s only 4 kilometers away from the place of our nights High camp before the pass! But we are so in thrilled of the white mountain peaks that do not observe any of these 4 km and climb more than 500 meters. But this is the last big climb of our track.

A work life is worth! You not only climb the highest mountain pass in the world, which can be accessed without special equipment, but also enjoy the new species. Now they are opened to us from all sides, we can see much further goes our way.

Minute of pride of our small achievement ... because more complex the path, the greater the joy of progress! After a series of photographs and experienced emotions we begin the descent into the village of Muktinath.

We`ll immediately noticed a change in the landscapes on this side of the pass - there are a lot of stones that makes the landscape "Martian".

Descent will be steeper than the ascent, which is why trekking around Annapurna in the opposite direction is considered to be more complex than our route. The descent of 11 km and 1616 meters altitude reset is waiting for us! But the descent is not an ascent, it will seem incredibly easy. Just as Muktinath and seem sunniest resort after spending the night on top. You'll see!

Incidentally, in Muktinath locals often sell seashells - evidence that the Himalayas were formed by the junction of the lithospheric plates. Scientists say that the Indian subcontinent was once an island, and that its accession to the Eurasian caused the formation of mountain ranges of the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush. Therefore, the sellers claim that these shells from the sea bottom. Believe it or not -it is your business.

15th day – From Muktinath to Jomsom

Life of people in the Lower Mustang (on this side of the pass) is different though because here the main religion is Hinduism (but at the another side of the pass is Buddhism).

Later we were on the river Kali Gandaki gorge - the holy river for Nepalis. The water is turbid because of the high content of grains of sand and rock stones.

The descent is going to be pleasant - at least the height of the reset will appear vegetation and increase the air temperature!

16th day – From Jomsom to Pokhara

After a night in Jomsom we will move to the second city of Nepal - Pokhara.

In Pokhara we go to the beautiful Lake Phewa, where you can go boating, and above it - paragliding. Once this lake was a favorite for the royal family, who lived nearby. And with some observation points near the lake in good weather, magnificent views of the valley of Pokhara and the Annapurna mountain range, with its famous peaks of Annapurna I and Machapuchare. This means that not only the mountainous part of Nepal deserves attention!

17th day – From Pokhara to Kathmandu

Our trek is over, and the journey is coming to the end ... You're just get to the capital of Nepal and the Nepalese wonder again friendly!

If you have time before your flight, you can visit one of the many temples of Kathmandu or hung out through the narrow streets of Thamel. We can only enjoy the atmosphere of this extraordinary country, which will always be waiting for you to visit again.

Price – 620$.

The price includes:

• Accommodation in lodges (houses) on the route from Besisahar to Jomsom;
• Guide services;
• The drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar;
• The drive from Jomsom to Kathmandu;
• Permits on the route;
• Registration card for passage in a national park (TIMS);
• Group first aid kit (if you have a particular organism, notify the instructor prior to the campaign);
• Consultations in preparation for trekking;
• Assistance with the purchase of tickets.

The price DOES NOT include:

• Flights to Kathmandu and back (from $ 600);
• Visa for Nepal - issued on arrival at the airport ($ 40);
• Meals ($ 10-15 a day, but it individually);
• Hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara (2 nights);
• Sightseeing in Kathmandu;
• Services of porters (porters) - optionally ($ 15 per day);
• Souvenirs and other additional costs.

!!! All participants give fee for the trekking to instructor in the first day in Kathmandu in $. In the case of leaving the trekking early fee is not refundable. 

The instructor has the right to change the route because of the weather conditions or other extraordinary factors.

Weather!

During our trekking an average daytime temperatures is more than +20 and about zero at night. At the highest point of our route - High camp- night`s temperatures can drop to -10 degrees.

In the morning, mostly clear weather, the evening draws the clouds, so we'll leave early. This is especially important on the day when we`ll have ascent to the pass Thorung La (5416m).

 List of required documents for the trekking: (Required)

• Passport;
• Three copies of the first page of the passport (visa, on the resolution and on the registration card);
• 10 photos 3x4 cm!

Find out what are the things you must take into trekking in Nepal here!

See you in Kathmandu!