Overview
The Annapurna Circuit is one of the great long-distance treks of the world, circling the entire Annapurna massif through landscapes that change from lowland rice paddies to high-altitude desert. The Thorong La Pass at 5,416 meters is the highest point, a windswept crossing between the lush Marsyangdi valley and the arid Kali Gandaki — the deepest gorge on earth, flanked by Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I, both over 8,000 meters. Few treks anywhere offer this kind of geographic and cultural range in a single walk.
The trail passes through Hindu villages in the lower Marsyangdi, Tibetan Buddhist communities in Manang, and the wind-carved landscape of Mustang on the western side. Hot springs at Tatopani, apple orchards in Marpha, and the medieval walled town of Kagbeni are just a few of the stops that make each day different from the last. Road construction has changed parts of the lower route, but the high sections and the pass itself remain among the finest trekking terrain in Nepal.
Itinerary
Today morning, you will drive to Besisahar which is approx. five to six hours. After reaching there and eating lunch you will be heading to Nagdi for a trek. The trail goes through Besisahar. Bazaar. On the way, you will also go through the beautiful countryside Bulbule which is a bit dusty kind of road. Continuing the trail you will pass through Marsyangdi River. After you cross the Ngadi river once, your way takes you through the forests and across landslides for a short distance. You will visit monasteries and temples, waterfalls of melted snow, and cross icy rivers and you will hike up to the mountains.
Overnight at lodge in Nadi
Early in the morning you proceed towards Marshyangdi river which you will be seeing a lot in ths trek. Enjoying waterfalls and the view of Manaslu you will be at Nadi Bazaar. Then you will walk through Bahun Danda and a few suspension bridges to reach Syange, an old village. From there you will reach upwards to Chamje via the route of Jagat.
Overnight at lodge in Chamje
Today you will continue your trek to Dharapani. On your way, you can see stunning waterfalls. You will also ascend uphill to the upland of Tal Village which looks like a piece of Heaven. Your trek then continues through a deep wooden canyon beautified by a stunning waterfall. You will ascend the trails throughout the day.Then you will be proceeding into Manang district and will be reaching Dharapani. Rest of your backpack will be enjoying the beauty of the region.
Overnight at lodge in Dharapani
Today will be the beautiful days,you will be ending your trek through the Marsyangdi Gorge and make a steep climb to Timang(2630m), Tanchok(2653m) and Koto(2619m). You can also see dense pine forests. Then finally you will be reaching Chame. After reaching there you will get some time to rest and after resting for a while you can explore the valley/town of Chame. The district headquarters of Manang(Chame) is the largest settlement after Besisahar and is also considered as the dangerous road.
Overnight at lodge in Chame
From, Chame you will be heading to Pisan for today's trek. You can have fascinating views of Mt. Lamjung(6988m), Ngadi(890m), and other many small peaks. Today is an amazing part of your 14 days Annapurna Circuit trek. On the way to Chame, you will see an amazing view of Lamjung Himal. After reaching Ngadi Chuli, your trail goes to Paungi Danda by ascending up which takes you to Pisang. There are two parts of Pisang: Upper Pisang and Lower Pisang. You can see lower Pisang from Upper Pisang.
Overnight at lodge in Pisang
This day, you will be ascending to reach the Ghyaru village. On your way, you can see beautiful views of Annapurna and other peaks too. You will have your lunch in Ghyaru. After having lunch you will be heading to Ngawal. You will see spectacular views of Pisang Peak and Annapurna peaks.Throughout your way, you will be reaching to Mani wall and you will be entering Ngawal Village. Humde village lies below the Ngawal and Manang airport lies at Humde. Then finally you will reach Manang.
Overnight at lodge in Manang
On this day, you will have to rest and explore the Manang. You can explore fascinating views of panoramic mountains and natural beauties. There are many lodges and bakeries in manang. You can visit Khangsar, Tsamkhang or Gangapurna lake and Chulu. After exploring and capturing some memories you will get back to Manang because of higher altitude.
Overnight at lodge in Manang
Today, your destination is to reach Yak Kharka. It is almost seven kilometer away from Manang. You will ascend to the alpine region of the mountain range. You will reach the junction of Khangsar and Jharsang River which merge to form Marsyangdi. On your final trek you will be able to see fascinating views of Annapurna Range and Gangapurna Peak. You will further trek to reach Yak Kharka finally.
Overnight at lodge in Yak Kharka
Today, you need to reach Thorong High Camp which is quite easy. You can take some rest on your way. First you need to reach Ledar but to reach there you also need to cross the suspension bridge. You will see the extraordinary views of Gangapur peaks(495m) and Annapurna III(7555m). You will continue the trek to reach Thorong Phedi(4540m). You will also hike to Thorong high camp.
Overnight at lodge in Thorong
After having breakfast in the morning, ascending slowly for almost 3-4 you will reach Thorong Phedi(5416m). You can fill some galleries by clicking photos and some memorable memories. After relishing here, you will descend down towards Mustang region which is Restricted areas. It is a bit of a long way down to Muktinath. You will have lunch in the tea house of Chabarbu which is a beautiful village. From here, you will be descending to the way virtually for an hour to reach Muktinath which is a famous pilgrimage among Buddhist and Hindu devotees of Nepal and India.
Overnight at lodge in Muktinath
Yesterday you ascend Thorong La pass(5416m) and descend Muktinath(3800m) which requires a lot of effort. You might be tired. So for your comfort, today you are going to drive from Muktinath to Tatopani by a public vehicle. The road is dusty and serpentine. You can communicate with local passengers and it will also help you to explore how local people of this region travel in local transport. On the way, you can view beautiful scenes which include beautiful lands, cafes, rivers, and apple gardens. You will stop for tea and lunch on your way. When you reach the beautiful village of Tatopani, you will find hot springs. After you check in to the guest house, your guide offers you to go to the hot spring. You will enjoy this spot very much. It is believed that taking baths here with hot water will heal your muscles.
Overnight at lodge in Tatopani
This day will be quite long and tough because you need to come down 1670m in a day. You will start climbing from Ghar Khola and you ascend on rocky steps until you will reach Ghorepani. You will go through Gharkhola, Shika, Chitre village. You can explore the many cultural heritages of the place on your way.
Overnight at lodge in Ghorepani
You will start your hiking to Poon Hill early in the morning before the sun comes up for the fascinating sunrise views. You will make a pre-down 45 minutes hike through rhododendron forests. From this viewpoint, sunrise can be seen very nicely which will enhance the beauty of your trek. The panoramic view of the mountain includes Annapurna range and Dhaulagiri range. Then after spending some hours there, you will be heading towards Pokhara enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Overnight at lodge in Pokhara
You can take a bus to reach Kathmandu from Pokhara with an amazing countryside view. If you catch a bus, the duration of the drive will be about 6-7 hours. You can explore green hills, rivers and terrace farming. You can also view Mt. Annapurna till a few minutes of your departure. After your arrival, you can rest at your hotel.