Annapurna Circuit Trek

Our first day of the Annapurna Circuit Trek will begin by driving east from Pokhara. The route takes us out of the Pokhara valley and then moves northward to the large bazaar of Besisahar. We will witness beautiful scenes of villages, terrace farms, and even the snowy mountains. From Besisahar, we ride further to reach the check post at Bhulbhule where we will spend the night.

We have our breakfast in Bhulbhule and begin our first steps of trekking. Our path mainly comprises terraced fields and dense forests along the Marsyangdi River. Moreover, we will also pass many rural settlements in which reside the ethnic communities of the region. After hiking for about 5 hours, we will reach the quiet little village of Jagat, which was a trading post in the past. We will spend our second night in a guest house in Jagat.

On the third day, we will continue our path along the Marsyangdi River and climb uphill to reach the Manang region. We will first arrive at a village called Tal where we can witness waterfalls nearby a river as well as sandy beaches. The trail will also go across fields of rice, potato, and barely as we pass the village of Kodo. After crossing a suspension bridge and climbing further, we will reach the town of Dharapani, where we will spend the night.

We continue along the dense forest path filled with oak, fir, maple, and pine trees. Marsyangdi river will be alongside our trail as we enjoy the magnificent views of the rural regions. After hiking for about 6 hours, we will arrive at the district headquarter of Manang district, which is called Chame. The town is in a great location, surrounded by green forests and mountains in the background. Moreover, we can also visit the hot spring nearby to relax our muscles. We will spend the night in a guest house in Chame.

From Chame, we begin our walk along a narrow and steep valley. Our first encounter would be that of the Paungda Danda rock face, which is a rock face that rises more than 1500 meters from the Marsyangdi River. It is also a sacred rock for the local community. As we continue our hike, the magnificent views of Annapurna 2 and Pisang Peak become clearer. We climb downhill towards the Manang Valley floor to arrive at Pisang, where we will spend the night.

We hike along the upper trail that goes from Pisang via Geru. Notably, this trail is quite fulfilling as it offers spectacular views of Tilicho Peak, Pisang Peak, Gangapurna, and second, third, and fourth Annapurnas. As we are moving to a higher elevation, we will notice that that air is becoming drier and colder. Our trail will take us through beautiful Tibetan settlements which offer glimpses into the Buddhist culture. We will also visit the largest monastery in Manag, the Barge Monastery. After about 6 hours of walking, we will arrive at the settlement of Manang, where we will spend the night.

Trekking at higher altitudes can be challenging, and without proper precautions, we might suffer due to the effects of high elevation. That is why we will spend a day acclimatizing in Manang. We will hike to Gangapurna Lake, where we can admire the glorious peaks such as Annapurna III, Pising, Tilicho, and Chulu mountains. Moreover, we will explore the village of Manang, which has plenty to offer, such as the local culture, food, and several monasteries.

After acclimatizing to Manang, we will continue our trek. First, we will cross a stream and ascend to Tenki village, thereby coming out of the Marshyangdi Valley. From there, we continue northward alongside the Jar Sang Khola valley and walk across pasture lands and juniper trees. Our trail will then bring us to a small village named Gunsan and then to a wooden bridge on a small river. We will then arrive at an open and quiet meadow called Yak Kharka. We will spend the night in a lodge in Yak Kharka.

On the ninth day, our trail takes us towards the foot of Thorong La Pass as we ascend further north. After heading down a ridge, we will cross the Marsyangdi river via a wooden bridge and continue along the mountain path. Our path will then go along a narrow trail on a slope and then down to Thorong Phedi. While the rugged terrain is primarily uninhabited, we can still find some tea houses and lodges for accommodation. We will spend the night in Thorong Phedi.

The day might be the most challenging part of the Annapurna Circuit Trek as we will cross Thorang La pass, which is one of the highest passes in the world. We will begin early to complete this feat, where we will ascend 1000 meters from Thorong Phedi. Notably, the pass, which is also the highest point of the trek, offers panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks. From there, we will follow a steep descent to reach Muktinath Temple. We will spend the night in a hotel near the temple.

We will give our legs a rest as we will be taking a local bus ride that will take us to Tatopani through Jomsom. The road will go alongside some of the deepest gorges in the world as we transcend from arid highlands to verdant forests. Moreover, Tatopani also offers some great natural hot springs, where we can relax our tired muscles. We will spend the night in a lodge in Tatopani.

After spending the night in Tatopani, we will hike across the Kali Gandaki River. Our trail will then take us through various ethnic villages such as Chitre and Sikha where we can see terraced farmlands. After passing through lush forests that are filled with magnolia, birch, and rhododendron trees, we will arrive at a beautiful village called Ghorepani, which sits at the top of a ridge. We will spend the night in a nearby guest house.

On the final day of the trek, we will ascend the nearby Poon Hill, which offers great sunrise views over the Himalayas. After watching the beautiful vista and clicking photos, we will return back to Ghorepani for our breakfast. We will then hike down to reach Birethanti from where we will drive back to Pokhara. Our Annapurna Circuit Trek comes to an end once we reach Pokhara.