The Annapurna Circuit is an extremely popular trekking destination in Nepal. Lying at the central-north region of Nepal, it is home to the Annapurna Conservation Area and the Annapurna Sanctuary.
On this trip by High Venture Plus, you will have indelible views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Fishtail, Himal Chuli, Manaslu, Nilgiri, Pisang, and Tilicho Peaks. You will also trek through scenic valleys directly nurtured by glacier rivers - giving rise to the incredible diversity of flora and fauna. The terrain is lined by gorges, dense green forests, rivers, valleys, frozen lakes & waterfalls, mountain passes, and high-altitude yak pastures.
Each day, you will be crossing through a new type of cultural and natural diversity. The incredible experience you gain from this program will enrich your views of the world and at the same time, the natural beauty of the trek will keep you inspired. The best time for a trek along Annapurna Circuit is in the spring and also in the autumn.
After breakfast, we will pick up up at the hotel. Stay ready with your bags packed as you will be driving to Besisahar, beginning our trip. The drive is around six hours along a hilly road until you reach Besisahar. From there, pass through the village of Khudi and Ngadi to arrive at Syange for the night.
Today marks the beginning of the actual trek. The trekking is around six hours today from Syange to Tal. First, you will trek to Jagat and then to Chamje. After a break here, descend to Marshyangdi River and hike up to a cliff. A little trek further will bring us to the district of Manang, where Tal is located. Stay overnight at this beautiful village with a waterfall.
Immediately after breakfast we will begin the trek from Tamang. It’s an average day of walk with less than five hours of trekking. We will cross through alpine forests and picturesque villages. The route is gradually ascending but a relatively easy one today until we reach the village of Temang at an altitude of 2,210 meters. Here we will rest for the night.
Take a quick breakfast before we take the ascending trail to Syal river (called the “River of Jackals”). Cross the river and get on the ascending route through dense walnut forests. Trek further to arrive at Temang from where the views of the mountains ahead are astounding. Take a break here, and crossing through several more villages, farmlands, and forests, you will arrive at Chame for the overnight stay.
Begin immediately after breakfast as it’s a long day of travel today. You will be trekking for about nine hours with breaks in between. The road from Pisang to Bragha is a challenging trek but with rewarding views and beautiful landscapes. First you will arrive at Ghyaru and take a short break. You might want to fill up on some protein bars. From there we will trek on to Ngawal with magnificent views of Annapurna, Gangapurna, Chulu East, and Pisang peaks ahead. A couple of hours ahead will bring you to Bragha where you’ll have a hot shower and sleep for the night.
Bragha in Manang is where we will be acclimatizing for two days. On the first day we will take a hike to Ice Lake. The waters here are icy blue, in fact this shade of blue is somewhat rare for lakes at this altitude - but it’s beautiful! You will take some pictures and rest with the views ahead. Later we will trek back to Bragha for the overnight stay.
Bragha in Manang is where we will be acclimatizing for two days. On the second day we will take a hike to Lake Gangapurna. The waters here are deep blue with greenish tint - somewhere around emerald and turquoise, probably due to the glacier that feeds this lake. En route we will see yak pastures and the blue sheep and if we are lucky enough we might see the snow leopard, too. Later in the day we will trek back to Bragha for the night.
After a leisurely morning we will leave Bragha headed for Yak-Kharka. Traditionally, a “kharka" in Nepali language means a place where yaks and other domestic animals are kept, often a little distance from the village or town. Yak-Kharka is at a distance of around four hours from Bragha. First we head up through the declining vegetation and arrive at Tenji and trek up to the hamlet of Ghunsang. A quick break here, and after an hour of trek we will arrive at Yak-Kharka. Enjoy the rest of the day with breathtaking views of the surrounding.
Start at a leisurely pace as it’s a short day of trek to Thorang Phedi, the base of the Thorang-La Pass. First, take a steep climb for about an hour so so. When you reach the top, take a break and continue to Ledar and then trek along the bank of Jarang River. With great views, you will see several wild animals such as eagles, blue sheep, horses and even the snow leopard. Next, we will trek to Thorang-Phedi but apply caution as the trail can sometimes slippery. Once at the base, you can either set up camp here, or if you feel like it, you can climb up to Thorang High Camp for the night.
Start by crossing the pass early in the day. The Pass of Thorang-La is lined by colorful prayer flags, commanding extraordinary views of the Annapurna, Gangapurna and several other peaks ahead. You will also see some glaciers flowing down in different directions. Take as much photos as you like, before descending along the trail which later opens up to pastures and fields. With several short breaks from here, you will trek to Muktinath where you will sleep with memories of indelible views you gained at the pass day.
Early in the morning you can visit Muktinath an ancient temple with a perpetual natural flame. Leaving Muktinath behind, we will trek down to Kagbeni and begin the exciting walk along Kali -Gandaki until we reach the fabled town of Jomsom. The close-up views of the peaks are spellbinding! We will be arriving in Jomson during the afternoon, and have plenty of time to look around this medieval trading town where business once flourished with Tibet. You can even sample some local cider called “Marpha”, named at the distillery. Later, take a hot shower and call it a day.