Annapurna Circuit Trek

You will have breakfast in Pokhar today when you wake up early in the morning. After that, you’ll take a jeep to Chame, the district headquarters in Manang. Chame is the starting point of your trek and is located at an elevation of 2650 metres. You’ll first travel 173 kilometres on a winding road. The Lamjung district’s headquarters is Besisahar. In addition, the road between Besisahar and Chame is primarily off-road. The distance between Besisahar and Chame is 66 kilometres, and the journey takes about 4 hours. Overall, the drive will take approximately 9 hours, leaving little time for other activities.

Today’s hike will take you through a deep gorge and past Paungi Danda’s great sweeping slope, providing plenty of breathtaking scenery. Today’s walk is mostly flat, with a few ascending stretches thrown in for good measure. We set out for Pisang, crossing the Marshyangdi on a large suspension bridge. Before reaching Bratang, our trail passes through fields and leads to Teleku at 2775 metres. The valley changes from a V-shape to a gentle U-shape after leaving the forested village. We continue up steep trails to the south side and cross a 3040-meter-long suspension bridge. Paungda Danda, which rises more than 1500 metres above the river, can be seen from here. We enter the village of Pisang after crossing one final bridge.

We’ll begin our journey today by hiking along a steep ridge with spectacular views of the Manang valley and Tilicho peak. We descend to Hongde, which lies beneath Annapurna III on the north-east face, via Manang’s airstrip. The trail then leads to the Sabje Khola Valley’s wide plain, from which we can see Annapurna IV (7525m). After crossing a wooden bridge, we arrive in Mungji village. We continue along the cultivated fields until we reach Bryaga, a charming village with a beautiful monastery. We get more views of the Annapurna range on the way down to Manang, including Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Gangapurna (7455m), and Tilicho Peak (7134m).

Spend another day in Manang to allow your body and mind to adjust. Even if you don’t have any symptoms of altitude sickness, you should spend an acclimatisation day in Manang. It can affect people at different altitudes, so you could be fine at 3500m but sick at 4000m. You can spend the day exploring the town’s narrow alleyways and trying the local cuisine. There are also a number of day trips available, including a trip to Praken Gompa, which is located high on the hillside above Manang, a visit to the 400-year-old Karki Gompa, and a 4-hour climb to the Ice Lake for those who are willing to push themselves. For something less strenuous, the town’s Manang Cultural Museum, which includes guided walks around the town, is worth a visit. 

One exits Manang through the western gates and then follows the path down to the river. Continue south through coniferous forest towards Khangsar after crossing it. One section traverses a rocky, exposed incline. On the bridge below Khangsar, cross the Khangsar Khola and climb the slope to the village. After about a two-hour walk from Manang, you’ll arrive in Khangsar, a lovely village (3 760m asl.). At the lodges, there are sleeping quarters. Climbing to the roof and taking in the views is ideal. This stage consists of a gradual ascent from 3.5 kilometres to 4.2 kilometres.

Continue on a large path from Khangsar. Pass through a Gompa (monastery). The path ahead leads up to a high ridge on a newly constructed path. There is a crossroads at one point. The one path maintains altitude by traversing the slopes towards a narrowing of the valley, while the other continues ascending towards the ridge line. The former is the old path, which is much more difficult because it travels through extremely steep scree, while the latter is a new path that travels in a completely different direction. Continue along the new path to a high crest, then descend to a side valley of the main valley via switchbacks carved out of the scree slopes. A brook runs through it. Tilicho Base Camp is a structure on the other side of it.

There is so much on the trail to tease the senses long before reaching Tilicho Lake, a journey of snow-capped peaks, mist-shrouded valleys, isolated communities, and remote monasteries. Trails that take us through densely forested areas, stunning waterfalls, raging rivers, and well-kept mountain villages. Tilicho is known as the world’s highest lake, especially in Nepal. Of course, it’s always appealing to call yourself “biggest,” “highest,” or “tallest,” but the problem with calling yourself “biggest,” “highest,” or “tallest” in the case of a lake stems from the fact that defining the difference between lakes and ponds is difficult, and no current accepted definition of either term exists. Many bodies of water are higher than Tilicho (at 4920 metres latitude), but they are usually only a few hundred metres in size. So, let’s say Tilicho is the world’s highest lake in terms of volume. All of the higher water bodies are noticeably smaller. It’s a short walk from there. via Shree Kharka (3850 m.)

Out of the Marsyangdi Valley, the trail continues to climb. As it follows this valley north, the trail steadily ascends, passing a Goth. The large trees have been removed, and scrub juniper and alpine grasses have taken their place. Maintain a high altitude and follow a track 400 metres or so above Khangsar village, passing through the ruins of old Khangsar and an unmarked trail that leads around and down to an old log bridge connecting Gunsang and Yak Kharka. It’s fun to watch the big yaks graze at Yak Kharka. The view from the top of Annapurna III is breathtaking. 

We don’t have to walk far today, but we’re leaving so early because we’re afraid the tea houses in Thorong Pedi Basecamp will be full. It takes only an hour to walk from Yak Kharka to Letdar, then another hour to climb along the Jarsang Khola’s east bank. The trail then climbs the Thorong Phedi (4540m), a desolate rock-strewn meadow surrounded by cliffs, by following a narrow trail across an exposed slope. At Thorung Phedi, there are two lodges, each with a variety of rooms. Try an extra acclimatisation climb to High Camp if you have any remaining energy. That’s an additional 400 metres. We take it slow because it’s a difficult climb. 

Today is the most difficult day. Ascending to the pass, the trail becomes steep immediately after leaving Thorung Phedi, switchbacking up moraines and following rocky ridges. The trail climbs and climbs from High Camp, weaving in and out of canyons formed by a maze of moraines. Start your final ascent to Thorong-La after a quick stop at High Camp to use the facilities. The climb from Thorung Phedi to the pass takes between 3-5 hours, and a set of prayer flags will indicate when you are 15 minutes away from the top. The views from the top are breathtaking. The Annapurnas, Gangapurna, and the heavily glaciated peak of Khatung Kang can all be seen, as well as the long Great Barrier ridge that separates the drier, Tibet-like region of Manang from the rest of Nepal. On the way down, you’ll see more of Dhaulagiri across the valley, and then Muktinath on the other side. The trail passes through meadows, descends into a deep ravine that marks the beginning of the Jhong Khola, climbs out, and continues on a wide trail to Muktinath and its large walled temple complex.

We’re now on our way down the dramatic Kali Gandaki valley, passing through arid country in the same geographical and climatic zone as Tibet. We follow the valley floor to Jomsom for the most part after passing through Jharkot and Khingar, villages with Tibetan architecture. The views of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri are spectacular along the way. Jomsom is a bustling town with a plethora of guesthouses, restaurants, and shops that stretch along both banks of the Kali Gandaki River. The popular Himalayan Java Café coffee shop chain even has a location there. It’s also a cool art gallery and a live music venue, and it’s where we’ll be spending our final night on the road.

We’ll travel from Jomsom to Pokhara today, passing through what is thought to be the world’s deepest canyon, which lies between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges. Pokhara is approximately 8 hours away. At your Pokhara hotel, we said our goodbyes. The route is stunning, especially from Kalopani, where the landscape changes dramatically. The snow-capped peaks that we recently walked through are visible in the distance. The road passes through a number of deep gorges and ravines, which makes for a thrilling ride. Consider trekking to Poon Hill or the ABC trek from Tatopani. Again, the surroundings are breathtaking.

You are free to leave at any time today because there are no activities planned. If you want to spend more time in Pokhara, it is a beautiful and peaceful lakeside haven. We begin our journey to Kathmandu after enjoying beautiful Pokhara and its natural and cultural beauty. We arrive in Kathmandu after about 6-7 hours of driving. We have the option of resting or exploring the capital city’s tourist attractions.