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When it comes to the best trekking trails in the world, the list is incomplete without Annapurna Circuit Trek. Yes, you read it right. The Circuit Trek of Annapurna is one of the finest long treks globally.
Annapurna Circuit, the circuit you are thinking of, is a long beautiful path that goes around the heavenly Annapurna Region. One trekking on this circuit encounters and collects the experiences of numerous beautiful things. You will begin by diving into the countryside of Nepal. Then slowly, with every step ahead and increase in altitudes, the happenings change.
The trekkers admire Annapurna Circuit Trek for its adventurous trail that goes through the scenic part of Nepal. The trek is not just about long walks but also about the picturesque Annapurna Region mountains, lush greenery, outstanding landscapes, fresh rivers and streams, lovely people of the region, and more. This trek probably offers more than the trekkers ask for. It is that much worth doing.
Moreover, the Annapurna Circuit Trek is a long journey as compared to other Annapurna Region Treks. Choosing it is like wishing to explore most of the region in one trip. Starting from Besisahar, the trek will go through the scenic terrains of the Manang Region to the dramatic Thorung La Pass(5,400m).
Later, the walk will pass by popular cultural and traditional stops like Muktinath Temple, a sacred Buddhist and Hindu site, Kagbeni, Jomsom, Pisang, Chame, Tatopani, and others. Plus, it reaches Poon Hill, the fabulous place for 360 degrees mountain panorama and sunrise in Nepal, too. All of those make Annapurna Circuit Trek a sound deal.
It is unquestionably the best trekking option to do in Nepal. After knowing about it, you surely cannot keep yourself away from the trail of the trek, can you?
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu and Transfer to the Hotel (1400m- 4657ft)
Day 2: City Sightseeing and Trek Preparation
Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (760m- 7hours)
Day 4: Trek from Besisahar to Bahundanda (1,310m- 6hours)
Day 5: Trek from Bahundanda to Jagat (1290m- 6hours)
Day 6: Trek from Jagat to Dharapani (1920m- 5hours)
Day 7: Trek from Dharapani to Chame (2630m- 6 hours)
Day 8: Trek from Chame to Pisang (3,115m- 5hours)
Day 9: Trek from Pisang to Manang (3,540m- 6hours)
Day 10: Acclimatization Day at Manang
Day 11: Trek from Manang to Yak Kharka (4050m- 5hours)
Day 12: Trek from Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi (4525m- 5hours)
Day 13: Trek from Thorong Phedi to Muktinath via Thorong La Pass (5416m- 9hours)
Day 14: Trek from Muktinath to Marpha (2665m- 6hours)
Day 15: Trek from Marpha to Ghasa (2000m- 6hours)
Day 16: Trek from Ghasa to Tatopani (1160m- 6hours)
Day 17: Trek from Tatopani to Ghorepani (2775m- 8hours)
Day 18: Trek from Ghorepani to Tikhe Dhunga via Poon Hill (1480m- 7hours)
Day 19: Trek from Tikhedhunga to Nayapul and Drive to Pokhara (822m- 5hours)
Day 20: Drive back to Kathmandu from Pokhara (7hours)
Day 21: Departure from Kathmandu
The staff from Sabbatical Explore Nepal will meet you at the airport as soon as you arrive in Kathmandu. The team will then safely transport you to the hotel for rest. If time allows, we can take a quick tour of the city's major attractions. You will have a welcome meal with the complete hiking crew in the evening. Overnight back in the hotel.
For your trek, the crew will begin preparing trek permits, verifying equipment lists, and making other trek arrangements. We will travel to the Kathmandu Valley's key tourist attractions. For the city sightseeing, you will be accompanied by a knowledgeable city tour guide. We will explore UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites such as Pashupatinath Temple, Basantapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Temple, etc. As we end our tour in Kathmandu, all of the trek arrangements will be settled by the evening. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Today we will have a joyous bus ride to Besisahar from Kathmandu. It will take at least 7 hours to get there. We will enjoy the ride and the view through the windows. As we reach Besisahar, we will check in a teahouse for the night. Besisahar, a town in the Lamjung District, is the starting point of Annapurna Circuit Trek. Overnight in Besisahar.
We will start our journey today by leaving Besisahar’s streets and moving towards Bahundanda. Shortly after leaving the location, we will run into a suspension bridge in Bhubhule As we go through the rice farm fields, we will get to see some striking vistas of Mt Manaslu. Then we will move upwards through Ngadi Village by exploring the busy village life. The uphill trek will end eventually in the Bahundanda(Hill of the Brahmins). Overnight in Bahundanda.
Now we will descend slowly through the green terraces from Bahundanda. The downhill trek will continue through the stream area before reaching Hani Gaon village. Then we will enter Marsyangdi Valley where we have to trek over a winding steep trail. Later, we will pass via Syange to take a turn towards the river. Following the river for some distance and joining a steep trail from the bank of the river, we will reach a picturesque hill. Then we will descend from the hill, and we will reach Jagat. Overnight in the Teahouse at Jagat.
From Dharapani, we will join a steep path that takes us to a dense forest. The time through the woods may allow us to see some of the wild animals. This way we will reach Chamje, another important teahouse village on the circuit. After Chamje, we will find our way to Sattale by crossing a suspension bridge. Heading upwards from the river and Sattale, we will trace up to Tal before descending to reach another village Karte. Just after crossing the river over a bridge, we will start climbing upwards to reach Dharapani. The night in Dharapani.
After breakfast, we will leave for Chame by entering a forested trail of pine, fir, and maple trees. The trek will also go along the sides of Marsyangdi River to finally stop in Chame, the headquarters of the Manang Region. More mountain views of Mt Manaslu, Annapurna, and other mountains will be seen today from the village. There are various traditional houses and basic teahouses in Chame. Overnight in Chame’s teahouse.
Walking through the steep valley, we will be on our way to Pisang. Lots of refreshing views of peaks and landscapes will be observable today. A comfortable day of trekking will sum up in Pisang village. Once in the village, we can view the vistas of Pisang Peak along with Annapurna and Annapurna II. Overnight in a teahouse in Pisang.
This day will offer more majestic mountain views as we head up through Upper Pisang. Walking across Geru, we will see peaks like Gangapurna, Tilicho, Annapurna, and Pisang Peak. The air also starts to get thinner as we reach Manang in the evening. In the course of reaching Manang, we will pass through several ancient monasteries as well. Manang has enough places to hang out like cafes, bakeries, and teahouses. Rest for the night in Manang.
This will be an acclimatization day in Manang on the Annapurna Circuit Trek. We will get enough time to acclimate around Manang before heading any higher. We will spend this day exploring the village of Manang and the nearby places completely. Gangapurna Lake is quite near to Manang, we will have a day hike to the lake for its views and observe mountains. In the afternoon, we will visit the Himalayan Rescue Association for brief information about mountain sickness. Overnight back in the same teahouse.
After a good acclimatization day in Manang, we will start gaining more altitudes. Taking an upward track and crossing a stream, we will pass via Tenki Village to move further in the Marshyangdi Valley. Several plain pastures and juniper trees will also come into sight before we arrive in Gunsan. From there, we will cross a river through a wooden bridge to finally reach Yak Kharka, the high pasture land of Yaks. Overnight in Yak Kharka.
We will set our foot out of the Yak Kharka to reach the bottom of Thorong La Pass, Thorong Phedi, now. The trek will commence as we ascend a ridge to the northern side. We will cross the sounding Marsyangdi River over a bridge before ascending once again. The climb will eventually lead us to a descent to the Thorung Phedi. Phedi is surrounded by attractive rugged landscapes. We will explore the place until nightfall. Overnight in a teahouse.
Here comes a big day of the trek, the day when we will scale Thorong La Pass. With an excited heart, we will begin ascending from Thorong Phedi. It is also a demanding day where we have to show some patience and hard work. We will gain height slowly as the oxygen level is low in the area. As we reach the top of Thorong La Pass(5,416m), we will find a stack of stones and prayer flags. From this point, we will enjoy an incredible mountain show. We will then descend towards Muktinath after getting our eyes filled with the views. By nightfall, we will already be in the town of Muktinath(3,760m/12,623ft), a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists. Overnight in Muktinath.
With an early morning visit to Muktinath Temple, we will leave the place behind as we now have Marpha to reach. The trail will follow the riverbed of Kali Gandaki just between the lush hills. We will reach Jomsoon at noon and have lunch there. It is one of the famous stops of the Manang Region. Getting on the trail again, we will trace our way to a beautiful Himalayan village, Marpha, an excellent place for alley walks, cafes, and cultural exploration. Overnight in Marpha.
Now the path will wind up in the direction of Ghasa from Marpha. We will leave the terraces of the village by choosing to walk further on the riverside. As we keep on trekking ahead, we will also pass stops like Tukuche-a village of a large gompa and Larjung. Throughout the day, we will be able to see mountain views as well. We will finally arrive in Ghase by walking through the forest of Kalopani. Overnight in Ghasa.
Walking over a beautiful and calm trail of the region, we will reach Tatopani in 5-6 hrs all the way from Ghasa. Tatopani is a place by the Kali Gandaki River known for its healing hot spring. We will refuel our bodies by taking a dip in the hot spring. Overnight in Tatopani.
After the time at Tatopani, we will trek upwards to the Ghorepani. This day will have lots of uphill climbs for us to do. We will pass via traditional settlements like Sikha and Chitra and their rice terraces. The 6-7 hours of trekking will end up in Ghorepani, a picturesque village. Unbelievable mountain views from the village where we will settle for the night.
We will trek from Ghoreapani to Tikhe Dhunga. But before that, we will hike up to Poon Hill(3,210m/10,525ft) quite early for the breathtaking sunrise view and mountain panorama. The whole of the Annapurna Region and its mountains can be viewed from Poon Hill. After the time in Poonhill, we will get back to Ghorepani to have breakfast before leaving for Tikhe Dhunga. Most of the trek will be dropping one to reach Tikhe Dhunga by evening. Overnight in the village.
The trek will continue toward Tikhedhunga by traversing through terraces, villages, waterfalls, bridges, and more. It will take 4 to 5 hours to reach Tikhedhunga. We will have a break in the village and lunch as well. Later, we will join a jeep ride from Nayapul to Pokhara. It will take an hour to reach Pokhara. The rest of the time will be used to explore Pokhara until late evening. Overnight in Pokhara.
After breakfast in Pokhara, we will get ready for a bus ride of almost 200km to Kathmandu. However, you can also opt for a quicker flight option as well. As we finish up in Kathmandu, the trek will be completed finally. And we will have a farewell dinner with the whole team. Overnight in Kathmandu.
We will transfer you to the airport as per your departure time. What a thrilling journey it will be. You will fly back to your country with lots of memories of Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Will I get WiFi on this trek?
Yes, but not in all the places. The teahouses of the lower areas have WiFi services. But the higher areas teahouses may lack the service.
What is the best time for this Trek ?
March till May and September till November are the two-time intervals that are best for the trek.
Is it necessary to have training for the trek ?
If you are an experienced trekker, you do not need that. But if you are an amateur, it is helpful to have training like cardio, hiking, and running. Those sorts of activities will make you ready for the rugged trails of the trek.
Do I need a visa to visit Nepal?
Yes, a visa is necessary to visit Nepal for all tourists except Indian nationals. You can get a visa from the Nepalese Embassy in your country or an on-arrival visa from Kathmandu (TIA) Airport. For that, you will need a valid passport before 6 months, some passport-sized photos, and a visa fee.
How much is a Nepalese Visa fee?
The up-to-date visa fees (as of 6/6/2024) for a Nepalese visa is: US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, US$125 for 90 days. For Visa Extension: 3 USD per Day(minimum 15 days) 5 USD per day as late fine in the case of delay
Which time is best for a Nepal tour?
The best times to visit Nepal are September to November and March to May. If you are not doing any high-altitude tours, you can visit Nepal all year round, including Monsoon and Winter.
What is Nepal best known for?
Nepal is known for multiple reasons. The country is geographically, culturally, architecturally, and religiously a gifted one. It is the birthplace of Buddha, home of Mt Everest and eight other world & highest peaks, the world best trekking trails, the land of brave Gurkhas, and more. Therefore, multiple reasons make Nepal popular across the globe.
Philip Hoffmann
Dec-2022
Chitwan Jungle Safari was a great experience with good value for money. We hired the Car from Kathmandu and stayed for 02 Nights. Our trip was well organized with good service on time. It was rainy and animals were scarce but the driver and Guide worked hard to spot them for us. 01-hour canoeing ride in the middle of hundreds of Crocodiles & Gharial followed by Elephant Breeding Center was an amazing experience. Our Jeep Safari of 04 hrs of continuous rides on the main Jungle was quite a good experience. The excitement level goes up when any kind of Wildlife creature is spotted. We saw Peacock, One Horn Rhino, and different species of Birds but with no luck Royal Bengal Tiger missed out. Overall it was a lovely and memorable experience with good Food and will highly recommend this tour. The best season would be in Winter with good Nature.
Philip
I had an amazing experience with Sabbatical Explore Nepal when I visited Nepal during my Gap year 2018. Our guide and driver were so experienced and helpful. I remember seeing many animals like tigers, deers, rhinos during Jungle Safari in Chitwan. I even went to the Elephant Breeding Centre and that was amazing. In Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha I visited Maya Devi Temple and other monasteries. I was mesmerized by the architectural designs of the Temples and Monasteries built by different countries. I was a little sad that I couldn't visit other amazing places but the 6 days I spent in Nepal were very meaningful and memorable. I am looking forward to my next trip to Nepal.
Felix
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