Annapurna Circuit Trek

Annapurna Circuit Trek
Starting Price:
$$1190Per Person
$1300
( Based on 5 Reviews )
Book this Trip Quick Inquiry Customize Trip

Trip Highlights

  • Trip Code:nha203
  • Destination:Nepal
  • Total Duration:18 Days
  • Trip Price:$1300
  • Trip Grade:Strenous
  • Best Time:Sep-Dec and Mid of Feb to June.
  • Max Elevation:5460 Meter
  • Start Point:Beshishahar
  • End Point:Birethanti
  • Max Group Size:Min.1 to Max. 20
  • Accommodation:Lodge to Lodge
  • Transportation:Air/bus

Trip Highlights

  • Tour sightseeing in Kathmandu and Pokhara
  • Ascend to the Marshyangdi River valley
  • Hospitality from the local people
  • Splendid Views of the world’s highest mountains: Annapurna I (8091m) “10th”, Dhaulagiri I (8167m) “7th”, Manaslu 8,156 meters “8th”
  • Pilgrimage of Muktinath.
  • The crossing of Thorong La Pass (5,416 meters)
  • The pilgrimage town of Muktinath
  • Natural Hot Spring at Tatopani.
  • Walking through Kali Gandaki valley (The world’s deepest gorge).

Tour Overview

Annapurna Circuit Trek is a popular trekking destination; which provides magnificent views of the white Himalayas. As you pass through Diverse ethnic groups and settlements.

Annapurna Circuit trek by Nepal Hiking Adventures stretches to the North of the Himalayan range. The view of the high Tibetan Plateau during this trek is mesmerizing. Annapurna Circuit Trekking is one of the most rewarding treks in all of Nepal.

Annapurna Circuit Trek was open to foreign trekkers in 1977. Since then, it has become one of the highly visited trekking destinations in Nepal. Thus, Annapurna Circuit Offers exploration from different angles and perspectives. Annapurna Circuit Trekking kicks off from Besishahar and goes along the Marshyangdi River.

Annapurna Circuit Trekking starts from 1,000 meters. The trek reaches to the high points of 5414 m on Throng pass. So, you will encounter a great variation in altitude during this trek. Due to this, you will also see a variety of flora and fauna along the way. 

Annapurna Circuit Trek provides a splendid view of Manaslu and Himchuli to the east through the trail. Through the Annapurna Round Trek, you will pass through heavy settlements. The region is full of rhododendron forests. The people inhabiting the region are mostly Thakalis and Gurung.

 As you will explore the holy site of Muktinath. You follow the trail along the Kali Gandaki valley, land to the world’s deepest river gorge; before heading down to Pokhara.

Apart from Annapurna Round Trek, you can have Everest Base Camp Trek or Annapurna Base Camp Heli Tour.

Detail Itinerary

You will arrive in Nepal at Tribhuvan International, Kathmandu. Our representatives from Nepal Hiking Adventure will be outside the airport terminal to greet you. They will also carry a signboard that reads “Nepal Hiking Adventure”. You can identify them easily that way. After you meet them, they will help you check into your hotel. There, you can relax after a tiring international flight. You also can stroll around some small towns if you are up for it.

There will be a small meeting today. The meeting will be held in the morning time after breakfast. Our representatives will give you an outline of how the trek will go forward. They will also answer whatever queries you might have about the trip.

After this pre-trip meeting is over, you prepare yourself for a sightseeing tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu valley.

One of the most popular sightseeing destinations in Kathmandu is the Pashupatinath Temple.  It is the holiest Hindu site in all of Nepal. Devotees of this faith line up to get a glimpse of the main temple and the god that resides here.

You will also be delighted to go to Boudhanath and Swayambhunath.  These are the two holiest Buddhist temples that you will visit in Kathmandu. Swayambhunath temple is an amazing vantage point to see the impressive Kathmandu valley down below. Boudhanath, on the other hand, is also known as “Little Tibet”.

We also have made a plan for your visit to two of the most famous premises in Kathmandu valley- Kathmandu Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square. There are plenty of temples inside the large area of these squares. If you are looking for an insight into the past of these two places, a stop at the museums here would also be great.

Today, you will go to the starting point of your trek- Jagat (1300 meters). Jagat lies 170km westwards of Kathmandu. After breakfast, you will take private transportation to Jagat. As you leave Kathmandu, you can find the road winding as you cross several hills, beautiful farms, and various communities.

Driving to the south of the Himalayan highlands, you cross several rivers like Trishuli (the most popular of all rafting rivers in Nepal) and Marsyangdi. These rivers originate from glacial peaks of the Himalayas in the north. After driving for several hours, you will reach Dumre. From Dumre, you will head out to Marsyangdi Nadi Valley. You will continue your drive to Besisahar before reaching Syange. You will see a high waterfall here. Eventually, after a drive of 8-9 hours, you will reach Jagat. Jagat was a toll station in the medieval times. It also was an ancient salt-trade route to Tibet. You will spend your night in Jagat.

After having breakfast, you will head out on your trekking journey. Initially, the trek takes you downhill before you trek an uphill to get to a rocky forest. As you trek through the forest, you will get to the Chamje, which is a tiny Tibetan village. Walking further from Chamje, you will reach a suspension bridge over the Marsyangdi River.

After crossing the bridge, you will trek up a steady uphill toTal (1700m). This is a nice little village and was a former lakebed. From Tal, the trek takes you various barley, wheat and potato fields. You will also encounter some pine forests before you come across Marsyangdi river again near the settlement of Khotro. After trekking for 6-7 hours from Jagat, you will reach Dharapani(1900 meters). The trekking distance from Jagat to Dharapani is 15.6 kilometers. Dharapani is a rather large Tibetan village in Manang valley.

The trek today to Chame takes you westwards. As you will gain more than 800 meters in altitude, you will find cooler wind and different vegetation. You will trek past several forested ridges as well as landslide affected areas to Bagarchhap. Bagarchhap is a Tibetan village that reflects the Tibetan architecture. While climbing to the south of the valley, you can see various mountains like Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II, and Annapurna IV (7 525m/24 688 ft). You will then get to Dhanqui.

Trekking past Dhanqui will take you to several farmlands, orchards, and dense forests.  It is also possible to catch mountainous views. As you take a trail that takes you along the upstream of Marsyangdi river, you will come across villages like Ratamanang and Koto. After trekking gently for half an hour from Koto, you will reach Chame(2720 meters). Chame is also the district headquarters of Manang region. You will cover a distance of 15 kilometers today.

The trail today is quite steep and narrow. You will take a path to the north of Chame. As you do, you will walk past a dense pine forest. This will take you to a large, curved rock face formed by ice. This lies above the village of Bhratang. The trek up to this village is one hour long. Trekking past Bhratang, you will reach a cliff before you come across the river on the southern side.

A challenging hike through a steep uphill trail that takes you along some pine forests leads you to a ridge. The ridge is an excellent mountain viewing spot as you can see impressive views of Pisang peak and the Chulu peak. A gentle descent from this ridge takes you to your overnight stop in Pisang village (3310 meters). The walking distance between Chame and Pisang is 14 km. It will take you approximately 6 hours to complete today’s trek.

Dramatic views of the high snow-capped peaks will accompany you on today’s trekking trail. After having breakfast, you will resume your trek as you trek a steady uphill for half an hour. This will take you to the top of a small hill. This hill is a great vantage point to see the Hongdre village down below. You can also see the air-strip of Hongdre. You will also be able to see Mt. Gangapurna, Mt. Annapurna II, III, Tilicho peak, Chuli, and Pisang peak.

Then the trail is a sloping downhill one to Hongdre. First, you will get to Mungji. There is a nunnery that lies above the village. Walking further from Mingji, you will get to Braga. Braga is home to various picturesque houses. If you trek up a slightly rough slope, you can also get to Braga Monastery.  It is the largest as well as the oldest gompa in the valley. The beautiful statues and thangkas reflect the culture of Tibetan Buddhism in this region. An hour’s walk from Braga and you will get to Manang (3540 meters)- your overnight stop. Today’s trek is 5-6 hours long.

Today is rest as well as acclimatization day in Manang. You will go for a short hike to a higher altitude today and get back to Manag. You can either walk to Bocho Gompa or the Gangapurna Lake. Towering mountains like Annapurna II, Annapurna III [7,555 meters], Gangapurna [7,454 meters] to the South – Tilicho [7,132 meters] and the Grand Barrier to the West – Chulu West [6,583 meters] and Chulu East [6,059 meters] to the North, surround the village of Manang.

After a delightful time at Manag, it is time to head to higher altitudes in the trek. As you leave Manang behind, you will get to a stream. After walking past this stream, you will trek uphill to the village of Tengi. Walking further, you will climb out of the Marsyangdi Valley. You will then take the upwards trail to the northwest to reach the village of Jarsang Khola.

You must trek slowly and steadily to avoid altitude sickness. You will trek past a few summer pastures and scrub juniper to get to Gunsang. You will see a congregation of flat mud roofs just below the trail as you trek upwards from Gunsang. You will then get to Ghyanchang, which is a hamlet before descending to cross a tributary. As you walk past meadows along the way,  you will reach a small wooden bridge. Eventually, the trek takes you along ancient mani walls to your overnight stop in Yak Kharka. The trek up to Yak-Kharka (4310 meters) is 3-4 hours long.

Today, you will gain an altitude of 500 meters. From the beautiful spot of Yak Kharka, you will first get to the settlement of Ledar. The trail from Ledar gives you scenic views of mountains like Annapurna II, Gangapurna, Tilache, and Chuli peaks. Then, you will trek through desolate parts of this region with beautiful scenery of landscape. You will also trek past scrub vegetation. This will take you to an area where you can see the effects of a landslide.

Finally, you will reach Thorung Phedi. Your tea house lies at the foot of Thorong peak. Tea houses in this region don’t operate in the winter season. You can also trek up to High Camp if you have time and energy. Trekking up to the High Camp (4925 meters) will reduce the number of trekking hours of the following day. Today’s trek is 5-6 hours long.

Today will be the most exciting day of this Annapurna Circuit Trek today. You will cross the highest point in the trek- Thorong La pass. The trek takes you along a high-altitude route to Thorong La pass. The initial 1 hour of the trek takes you along a zig-zag path. As you will also gain some altitude while trekking in a zig-zag path, the trek is quite challenging. You will first get to a glacial pond before trekking uphill for an hour to get to the mountain pass.

Thorung La (5416m) lies between the Thorung Peak (6 211m/20 378ft) and Yakwakang (6 482m/15 434ft). You can see snow-capped peaks on the east of the pass. You can see Kali Gandaki and Mustang Valley from the vantage point of the Thorong La pass on the west.

After some quality time here at the pass, you will start your long descent to Muktinath. You will drop more than 1600 meters in altitude to reach Muktinath temple. Initially, the trail takes you over loose gravel which might be a bit tricky. After that, you will trek along a rocky path. After trekking for 7-8 hours, you will get to the holy site of Muktinath temple(3800 meters).

It is one of the most important Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimage site in Nepal. Muktinath has a long surrounding wall. You can also see numerous prayer flags here. This temple is of special fascination to the devotees of Lord Vishnu temple. It also is equally important to Buddhists as there are various Buddhist legends of this shrine. There are 108 springs around this temple. You can also take a holy shower here. 10 minutes walk from Muktinath will take you to the village of Ranipauwa for your overnight stay.

From Muktinath, you will trek down more than 1,200m to reach the floor of Kaligandaki river. Along the way, you will get to the settlement of Ekal Bhatte. Here, you can find a few houses as well. You can find quite a noticeable wind blowing today. Two hours of trekking from Ekal Bhatte will take you to the headquarters of Mustang region- Jomsom

A couple of hours of trekking from Jomsom will take you to the quaint village of Marpha(2670 meters). There are plenty of numerous good lodges here. Marpha is particularly famous for its brewery. The total duration of today’s trek is 5-6 hours.

Today’s final destination is the village of Ghorepani (2860 meters). You will get there after 6-7 hour of trekking from Tatopani. You will first get to a suspension bridge over the Kali Gandaki river as you leave Tatopani. As you walk along the river, you will get to the junction of two trails.

You will walk alongside terraced fields, nice settlements, and dense rhododendron forests on your way to Chitre. Then, you will trek past several other forests. Eventually, after trekking for 6-7 hours, you will reach Ghorepani.

Before the sun rises, you will head out for a one hour walk to the wonderful hill station of Poon Hill (3,190m) today. The walk is quite challenging as you will have to climb up hundreds of stairs to Poon Hill. However, the views of the sunrise from Poon Hill is astounding. You will also get to see panoramic views of mountains like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre amongst others from Poon Hill.

After a wonderful time here, you will descend to Ghorepani and have breakfast. Then, you will head out to Tikhedhunga. Firstly, you will reach an upper ridge after trekking past some rhododendron forests. You will also trek past some temperate forests as you descend downhill. After trekking for 4-5 hours, you will reach Tikhedhunga for your overnight stay.

The distance between Nayapul and Tikhedhunga is 9.2 kilometers. The trek is mostly downhill. You will pass various villages like Birethanti, Lamdawali, Sudame, and Hile before reaching Nayapul. It will take you 3-4 hours to get to Nayapul from Tikhedhunga. Nayapul is also the place where many treks to Annapurna Base Camp begins. Then, you will take a private transport to get to Pokhara. The ride to Pokhara from Nayapul is 1 hour long.

After you arrive in Pokhara, you can be involved in various activities. You can either take rest in your hotel. You can also head out for boating in Phewa Lake. There are also plenty of good restaurants in Pokhara where you can have a fantastic meal. If there is time, you can also go to one of the caves there.

Today, you will drive back to Kathmandu on a bus. The ride is 6-7 hours long. The luxury tourist bus will also make your trip comfortable. As the bus for Kathmandu, you will get to see some beautiful, hills. These hills run alongside the gushing water of Trisuli and Marsyangdi River. On bright clear days, you can also catch glimpses of mountains like Ganesh Himal and the Manaslu peak.

Today, you will depart to your home country from Nepal. We hope that you had a splendid time completing the Annapurna Circuit Trek with Nepal Hiking Adventure. Before you leave for the airport, ensure that you have all the travel documents with you. We will drop you at the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. Have a safe journey back home.

Cost Includes

  • airport arrival and departure transfer by private vehicle
  • 3 nights stay in Kathmandu with BB plan. 
  • 1 Night stay in Pokhara with BB plan. 
  • Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu including private vehicle, tour guide.
  • All land transportation by private vehicle as mentioned in the itinerary
  • All meals [Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner] During the Trek
  • Tea House Accommodation during the Trek.
  • Two kinds of the permit, ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) & TIMS (Trekker’s Information Management System)
  • experienced Trekking guide/potter.
  • Required Number of Porters “2:1Ratio”(single supplement charge will be applied)
  • Staff food, clothing, salary & Insurance.
  • General First aid Kids box.
  • farewell dinners in Kathmandu with cultural programs.
  • All tax, vats and necessary paperwork
  • all kinds of company service charges.

Cost Excludes

  • Personal Travel Insurance
  • Personal nature expenses
  • Bar bill and all kinds of drinks and personal expenses.
  • Kathmandu valley sightseeing entry fee. 
  • Rescue & Evacuation
  • tips for staff

Cost and Dates

Find Dates
Trip Start Date Trip End Date Price Availability Book

Additional Info

Best Time for the Annapurna Circuit Trek

Autumn is the best time to complete the Annapurna Circuit Trek. The huge number of trekkers to Annapurna Circuit in the autumn season (September, October, and November) demonstrates the popularity of this season for trekking. The second most popular season for this trek is spring season (March, April, and May), where the weather is similar to the autumn season.

Winter season (December, January, and February) and summer season (June, July, and August) are the two least popular seasons for the Annapurna Circuit. However, with adequate preparation, you can complete trekking in these seasons as well.

Annapurna Circuit Trek Difficulty

Annapurna Circuit Trek is a moderate trek in terms of difficulty. If you don’t prepare well, this trek might turn out to be a strenuous one as well. This trek takes you to more than 5000 meters in altitude.

So, you will need to prepare well for the altitude sickness as well. This 18-day trip might turn out to be challenging if you don’t prepare for the many uphills you will encounter on the way up to Thorong La pass.

You should prepare for a few months before embarking upon the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Running, cycling, swimming, and a few preparatory hikes will help you complete the Annapurna Circuit Trek a lot more easily.

Review

You can’t go wrong! THE BEST

A month or so before leaving for Nepal, we happened to meet some strangers , who were backpacking and had come from Nepal trekking and recommended Bishnu as a guide. They told us a story of how she had twisted her ankle, but stubbornly wanted to continue. She continued to mention how Bishnu got them settled into a teahouse, and took off on his own to fetch some medical attention for them. I should mention that we had been travelling all over SE Asia and India for 6 months before arriving here so we are seasoned travellers who like our independence of doing our own thing, and book all our own guides, with varying experiences.

We were travelling with our teen kids, so was wanted someone we could count on. He was so AMAZING. Adapted the trip on the fly for what ever we wanted, spend extra time here or there, giving us options and recommendations all along the route. He has a great personality.His English is very good also, so no miscommunication, (and a good card player! haha!) We got to know him well, having spent 16 days in Annapurna, then headed back to Katmandu, and ended up going to his village in the mountains in the other direction for another 5 days.

He is completely trustworthy and dependable. Annapurna, Everest or anywhere in Nepal...Bishnu is the man!

KSpiers_12,
Toronto, Canada

Thanks so much for an awesome trek!

3 of us we had been Nepal for Trekking 5 years ago, I went on a 2 weeks trek around the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal... AMAZING! Bishnu was our fantastic guide and I look forward to organizing our next trek with him in the future. Thanks so much for an awesome trek!

Lou Camp,
Bristol, United Kingdom
Read All Testimonials