Annapurna Circuit Trek
5/5 based on 05 reviews
Trip Duration
17 Days
Group Sizes
10
Transportation
Local / Tourist Bus
Destination
Nepal
Max. Altitude
5,416m
Best Season
Feb-May & Sept-Dec
Activities
Trek
Difficulty
Moderate
Meals
B.L.D.
Start & End Point
Kathmandu
Accommodation
Tea house/Hotel
Can you imagine traveling and completing the Annapurna Circuit Trek in a couple of weeks? There is only one way to find out. Travel and experience the world’s greatest and beautiful trek with us. The Trek is surrounded by mountains and many other viewpoints that you’ll be able to outline a picture of what heaven looks like in real life.
This wonderful journey, 15 days Annapurna Circuit Trek is a full packed, well managed and profoundly organized route that is summed up with everything. The Annapurna circuit Trek is believed to be one of the best well traveled and loved destinations by many travelers around the world. You have to experience this once in your lifetime.
During the 1950s, a French expedition team led by Maurice Herzog successfully climbed the southern part of the mountain. Eventually the flow of the tourists also increased. Acknowledging the rate going up, around the time of the late 1960s the government also helped the locals on making trails paths for the trekkers to walk conveniently.
Later in 1977, the trek was opened for everyone and soon in 1980 the roads also began to be built. Since then the mountain slowly grabbed the attention of the trekkers from other parts of the world too. Every year hundreds of local people from the country and thousands of tourists across the globe come and trek the 15 days annapurna circuit trek. Walking to a maximum elevation of 5,416m, a route between these beautiful mountains and landscapes and terrains, lies the highest point of the trek, Thorong-la.
This route is known to be the hardest and the highest trekking pass in the world as it covers nearly 131 km (81 miles) of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Many people have said to be ticked one of their points in their bucket list after they have completed the Thorong La pass.
During these 15 days Annapurna Circuit Trek you will experience many natural beauties along the way. Beautiful subtropical forests, rural villages such as Besisahar, Chame, Manang, Mustang, Kagbeni, hindu religious site Muktinath. The places well known for their apples, the windy valley of Jomsom, Marpha are also to be found in this route.
As we move ahead, we will also see many Himalayas around us. There are more mountains than you imagined in this route of the trek. Three 8000+ meter mountains, Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Annapurna I and Mt Manaslu. Four 6000+meters mountains, Mt. Machhapuchhare, Mt. Hiunchuli, Mt. LamjungHimal and the Tukuche peak which is 6,920m.
There are 6 huge mountains that are above 7000m. Mt. Annapurna II, Mt. Annapurna III, Mt. Annapurna IV, Mt. Annapurna south, Mt. Nilgiri, and Tilicho peak standing at 7134m tall.
You will also be walking under the Ruchhe Waterfall, which is the biggest waterfall in this region and also reach Natural Hot Springs like Tatopani and Jhinu Dada. The highest altitude lake in the world, Tilicho Lake, which is situated at the altitude 4949m above the sea level, is to be located on the path of the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Another beautiful glacial lake alongside Tilicho in the Manang district is Gangapurna Lake. It’s interesting to know the fact that this lake is formed by the glaciers of other mountains that it surrounds. It was formed by the glaciers of Annapurna IV, Khansar Kang, Glacier dom and the mountain of its name Mt Gangapurna. The world’s deepest gorge, Kali Gandaki gorge, also lies in this 15 days Annapurna Circuit trek. It is situated at the altitude of 4949 m above the sea level.
With the trails surrounded with rich mountains and lakes there are also lies the beauty of flora and fauna all around. The trail is managed with the subtropical lowlands, oak forests, valleys with bamboos and alpine meadows. The national flower of Nepal, rhododendron also can be found in different places in this route which make the route more mesmerizing.
You will also be able to spot simian animals like Langoor monkey, Musk deer, marten, yaks and specially snow leopard which is very well known in this region. There are also 440 species of birds found near the villages where the people of gurung and magar are settled.
The annapurna ranges are very vast and most of the villages and settlements are covered by the indigenous ethnic group of Magar and Gurung. The diverse landscape of the place, their native flora and fauna, the typical finger licking good nepali food is well acknowledged by all around the globe.
Another unique exposure that you get to experience in this 15 days annapurna circuit trek is honey hunting. This is one of the best experiences where you will get to see the experienced locals of Gurungs and Magars, how they climb the rocks and collect the honey from high above.
In Spite of getting numerous stings by the bees and dealing with other problems these brave people give one hell of a show to everyone who is looking at them. The ritual and all the process of honey hunting lasts only for a day but it’s worth a watch.
The mountains, the lakes, the glaciers, the ancient and religious places, flora and fauna, the local people and their cultural heritage, which they are conserving every day, getting to experience this first hand will make this 15 days Annapurna circuit trek the most authentic and memorable one.
Early morning after having our breakfast we will travel to Besisahar on our jeeps. The drive will be around 7-8 hours long and from there we drive to Nagdi which is 2 hours’ drive away in a local bus. Nagdi is a small village near the river banks. After that long bus ride you can e freshen up and be ready for the Trek next morning.
Our journey begins with a good breakfast at the hotel and we will be starting the trek. Today we will be walking through numerous suspension bridges, forests where you will see the pine trees, oak trees, etc. Once we pass that we will reach a cliff in a place called Jagat from where you can see the Stream of Marsynagdi River passing by below and the stony hills around you.
During the hike of 5hrs 30mins in total, you will see many of the waterfalls and also the bee hives at the top of the cliffs which will surely be the highlight of the first day of the trek. After a while we will eventually reach at Chamje for our lunch. This concludes the first day of the 15 days Annapurna Circuit trek and we will stay here for a night in a lodge.
With the morning view of the sunrise and the forests all around, we will have our breakfast and after some time we will be heading towards Baggarchhap today. After our hike of 5hrs 30mins in total, crossing more bridges and forests filled with pine trees and rhododendron, and bamboo trees we will come across a broadening village Named Tal.
We can see the partition of the lands where the local people organically grow wheat, potatoes and barley. Eventually we will reach to Dharapani from where we turn west and through more forests along the road we will reach our destination for today which is Bagarchhap. After sightseeing the views for a while, we will have lunch and stay for a night here.
After our morning breakfast here in Bagarchhap we will be heading towards another village to Danaque. Travelling the gravel roads and a steep climbs we will reach a Tamang Village from where we can see the beauty of the mountains such as Annapurna, Manaslu, Lamjung.
This is a place where the village acts as a shift in change between the lowlands and the high hills. We will gradually follow the flat path and try to reach to Thanchowk, Kolo. Eventually we will reach at our destination to Chame after almost 8 hours of walking today. We will enjoy the views of the mountains with our lunch here and tomorrow morning we will be heading to Pisang.
It is said that Chame is the central marketplace and also the headquarter of the Manang District. We will pass through older part of the place towards Telekhu. Walk on a long and tiring path through another forest to Brathang.
We then have to travel all the way to the south banks of the marsyangdi river over a suspension bridge. Then gradually the trail and the altitude increases as we move forward and climb over another forest with graveled roads. As we gain our pace after almost 5hours of travelling we reach the upperpartof the Manang Valley and eventually to our destination for today Pisang. Tomorrow we will be heading to the most interesting valley, the Manang Valley.
Manang is the biggest district in this region and the beautiful one too. Pisang being the beginning village of the upper Manang, we will trek to a place called Braga today. It is a Tibetan Style villages, where the roofs of the houses are connected to one another.
The main viewpoint here is the Buddhist compounds known as Gompa. There are lots of prayer flags connected here purchased and put together by the trekkers. It is believed that if you put the prayer flags with the good heart then the prayers taken are fulfilled. You can also purchase the prayer flags here to to be planted on our destination of this 15 days Annapurna Circuit trek in the Thorong-La Pass.
Here we will be taking rest for a day and also acclimatize ourselves. The trekkers can easily visit Manang during this day off if they want to. You can visit this beautiful place filled with ancient culture, high passes, natural beautiful views, temples etc. You can also hike up to this next wonderful village known as Khangsar. The authentic beauty of the place and its rich culture wonders everyone. Also, here we conclude the half of the 15 days Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Manang is easily a tourist’s and every trekker’s favorite destination as it is surrounded with the beauty of rich culture and natural views of the total annapurna ranges. After the acclimatization and rest for a day the risk of getting altitude sickness gets lesser and it will be easier to continue forward in the trek.
Finally, after walking past the tall trees and more forests we can see many Yaks around us. The locals feed them with greens and use their fur for many different reasons. The locals make these food products and handmade products that the trekkers can buy. We can also trek for an hour further to Letdar and we can stay her for a night at that place.
Starting from Dharapani, hike to Letdar via the east side of the river JarangKhola which lets you acclimatize at higher elevations. Soon we arrive at a meadow of which the vertical cliffs are called the ThorungPhedi. Although the area has witnessed blue sheep and snow leopards being sighted occasionally, Lammergeyers along with griffons are also abundant in this locality.
After having our breakfast, shortly we will head to High Camp, passing through ThorungPhedi at 4540 meters above sea level. Along the way, you’ll spot herds of sheep and yaks grazing peacefully. This trek will be challenging, so it’s crucial to follow the guide’s instructions carefully.
The journey continues to Muktinath after a demanding ascent over Thorong La Pass at 5416 meters. At the pass, vibrant prayer flags flutter in the wind, and the panoramic views are simply breathtaking. After enjoying the scenery, we’ll descend into the Kali Gandaki valley. By late afternoon, we aim to reach Muktinath, a sacred site revered by both Buddhists and Hindus.
On the 11th day, we’ll leave Muktinath and travel comfortably by vehicle to Tatopani. From Muktinath, we’ll start the Jomsom trek, descending through beautiful meadows, crossing streams, and passing by fruit trees until we reach Kagbeni. We’ll pass through scenic spots aroundJomsom, Kagbeni, and Marpha along the Kali Gandakiriver. In Tatopani, you can unwind in one of the natural hot springs in the village.Take some time to explore this ancient village before continuing down to Jomsom Valley.
The route from Marpha to Kalopani now includes a new path that passes through Chokhopani village, known for its traditional Thakali culture. Along the way, you’ll enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Himalayas, including peaks like Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Annapurna, all covered in snow. After crossing a river and traveling on a recently built road, we’ll eventually arrive at Kalopani.
From Tatopani, our journey takes us through eye pleasingviews of the villages, where terraced fields and sloping farmlands dominate the landscape. As we hike uphill, we pass through lush vegetation including rhododendrons and magnolias native to the region. By evening, we arrive at Ghorepani, greeted by the breathtaking sight of mountains under the dusky sky. Here, we rest in preparation for an early morning trek to Poon Hill, for the next day renowned for its stunning sunrise views.
The early morning hike to Poon Hill for sunrise is the highlight of our second last day of our trek. We start our journey before dawn to reach the viewpoint just in time for the sunrise. Watching the snow-capped peaks glow in the golden rays of the rising sun is a truly unforgettable experience. The Annapurna range and Dhaulagiri are prominent in this stunning scenery. Poon Hill is also a paradise for photographers, offering opportunities to capture the mesmerizing surroundings in photographs.
Today is your final day of the Annapurna circuit trek. Our office staff will pick you up from the hotel to the international airport as per your flight time . we wish you all the best and a safe flight.
The Annapurna range is spreadedvery widely, covering many different parts of the tourism industry. Activities such as trekking, bird watching, bike tours, camping etc. all are conducted in the region. Any time of the year is suitable for visiting the Annapurna range depending upon the activity itself. The prime time for bird watching is during the mornings as they also tend to travel around other places early.
Likewise, the few of the best times to visit the Annapurna Circuit trek is around the autumn season during October-November. During the late spring in April-May would also be the good time to enjoy the view while you trek. These are the times when the cool wind breezes and the skies are also clear and everything else leans to become pretty dry.
The total distance of driving from Kathmandu to Besisahar is 7-8 hrs and from Besisahar to Nagdi is around 2 hours. The roads are pitched most of the way but there are places where it is off roads in this route. It is gonna be a wild ride with the dirt on the roads while you gaze upon the views of the mountains around you.
The distance of the Annapurna Circuit trek is spread with a minimum altitude of 760m from Besisahar to the maximum altitude of 5,416m to the Thorong la. As we hike every day for around 8 hrs we will be walking up around 600m of altitude above everyday. We will reach our destination, the highest altitude of the Annapurna Circuit trek Thorong La on the 10th day and from the next day as the route decline the altitude will get lower with us.
As it is briefly mentioned above, the average walking hours per day is mostly about 6-8 hrs. Although there are few places that we have to have a day off and rest. It is necessary to take that time out from the trek to acclimatize and adjust with the climate and surroundings as the altitude increases gradually.
The difficulty of the 15 days annapurna circuit trek is considered to be average for everyone. Ever Since it was first opened in 1977 AD for foreign nationals, from teenagers to old people, all the trekking enthusiasts have tried to hike the Annapurna circuit and almost everyone has succeeded.
Talking about the altitude sickness as we move ahead in the trek and we reach Manang on our 6th day of the trek. As it is above 3500m altitude it is necessary to acclimate yourself. So the next day we acclimatize and rest for the day. Manang is also a great place to rest for a day after the continuous walks of the previous few days as it has the most scenic views of the annapurna range that you will be mesmerized with.
On our 15 days annapurna circuit trek, you will be engaging in 6-8 hrs of walk on an average every day. This is not a tough thing to achieve as it seems to be. With the help of the experienced guides and the friendly locals and your friends beside you, you can literally walk your way out of this with ease.
As it is mentioned earlier we also will stop at a few places to acclimatize and rest. So, we will not be moving forward during those days. Although a few steps of walks can be necessary during the process of the acclimatization.
We provide the best accommodation here in Kathmandu and also during the Annapurna circuit trek. After you land in Kathmandu you will be accompanied to one of the best standard hotels here with all the facilities that are needed. We will welcome you with a fresh welcome drink when check-in and serve you with a good English breakfast in the morning.
You will be provided with breakfast during your stay in Kathmandu. During the trek, a 3 meals course with breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided to you. There are small tea shops as well during this 15 days Annapurna circuit trek.So, you can also enjoy a cup of tea and coffee while you are engaging with the mountains.
The most part of the valleys in the route is filled with the ethnic group of Gurung and Magar. They have opened small tea shops, restaurants, with good food and good hospitality. Their restaurants resembles with the natural beauty of their heritage showcasing with their different authentic cultural foods and drinks like deuli, batuk, selroti,local homemade whiskey etc
Apart from the local authentic food you can also find the western foods here. Momo(dumplings), pasta, chowmein, pizza, burger, sandwich all are the famous western food found in some parts of the trek. Since it is very hard to transport the materials of the food on a daily basis, the price rates of the food and accommodations will also differ. The prices will change according to the altitude and the location of the place.
The cost of the things in the lower altitude is cheaper comparatively to the cost of the things in the high altitude.In this route you can always buy some quick snacks, energy bars and energy drinks from the nearby small tea shops. It will definitely help you gain energy during your trek. Here you can also get the pure homemade whiskey made by the locals.
We suggest you to not be entertained with the drinks during the trek. As it is a very strong liquid substance it will be dangerous for your health if you take it while walking at such high altitude. If you really want to try this local whiskey then you can purchase it and taste it when you reach back to Kathmandu after the completion of the trek. You can also purchase it as a souvenir and as a memorandum of the Annapurna circuit trek.
This trek is compatible for everyone to try. From teenagers to old people everyone can be involved in this wonderful 15 days annapurna circuit trek. This is very good for beginners, experienced trekkers and people who are mountain enthusiasts.
It will be a very fun and memorable trip to everyone from every aspect. You get to experience different glaciers and lakes at high altitude, the biggest waterfall of the region. Different and unique wildlife of animals and birds, golden hour honey hunting, numerous big mountains and many historical and religious temples.
You will also be accompanied by a very professional English speaking tour guide and a very experienced local porter. They will take care of any language barriers or other problems and guide to your queries to make the trip more comfortable for everyone.
As it is a 15 days annapurna circuit trek, you will be walking mostly for 10 to 11 days. To Walk for 6-8 hours per day you need to have some fitness preparation prior to starting this trek. The briefing and preparation are done before we leave Kathmandu for the trek and also on the day when we leave from Nagdi.
All the necessary information will be provided during the briefing but still if you have some doubts you can easily communicate with the guide and also chat with the locals on the trek. The chocolate bars and energy drinks come very handy here. You can easily purchase in the stores before the trek in Kathmandu or else it will also be available in the small shops on the trek.
The internet and electricity vary from place to place. Some of the lodges and hotels have good internet and electricity to charge up your electronic devices. While some of the lodges have broken internet and electricity and some places have none of it.
Well this happens due to the place and location of the hotels. As the Annapurna range is surrounded with only hills around with snowy and chilly weather, due to this some places do not receive proper signals and will cause some issues with the electricity. There are places where you will be having no services at all.
Every trekker needs to acquire an authentic permit from ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) to enter the circuit. The Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS), is the permit which costs 2000 rupees, and also you need another permit to enter the reserve which will cost 3000 rupees.
It is very necessary to have the permits while traveling because it helps us to monitor and recognize the authentic travelers from the trespassers. This will help for the officials to send help if any of the trekkers are needing immediate assistance from them. These permits can be easily provided by the travel agencies within a few hours.
The transportation is only provided twice in this 15 days annapurna circuit trek. The first day to travel from kathmandu to besisahar and on the last day from besisahar to kathmandu. While traveling to nagdi from besisahar we will be taking a local bus. Again while traveling back to besisahar from nagdi on our last day we will be taking a local bus.
When traveling to high altitudes, it’s common to experience leg problems, but we have a solution for it too. If someone can’t continue by foot, we have experienced porters to help us. They can easily carry us further ahead in our journey for some additional cost. If someone is seriously injured then we also can arrange private jeeps for an additional cost.
It is necessary to have an insurance if you are travelling somewhere. It will be informed and highly monetized for all the trekkers before the trek. Each vehicle on this trip is fully insured with authentic documentation. You can fully trust that there are no unreliable vehicles or false promises.
Walk through the beautiful and longest trek route at the elevation of 5416 meters, Thorong La Pass. Experience the natural beauty of mesmerizing villages and forests covered with flowers such as oak trees, pine trees, rhododendrons. The huge acre of apple farms and the honey hunting are also the places that you should forget about this trek.
Trek through the lane between many magical mountains. Reach the wonderful lakes and glaciers situated in the world’s highest altitude. Get an excellent experience and drenched through the natural hot springs and also the highest waterfall of the region during the trek.
Familiarize closely with the two vast religious castes of Gurung and Magar. They are very generous, very sweet and helpful people living here in this region. Their authentic culture, rituals, festivals and most importantly the authentic and local made nepali and cultural foods are not to be missed.
Yes, it’s possible to travel in this 15 days Annapurna circuit trek without a guide or porter. You will meet lots of people all the time making the trek very easy and convenient for all the trekkers.
The trek is normally for 15 days in total but as per the requirement of the clients if they wish to travel to other places connecting the Annapurna Valley then the days of the trip and price will increase accordingly.
The difficulty of the Annapurna Circuit Trek is said to be moderate.
The 760m from Besisahar to the maximum altitude of 5,416m to the Thorong la.
There are signs and markings all around the trek making it easier to locate the next destination. Also, asking the locals can also make it helpful.
No, tents are not necessary because there are good and affordable lodges and hotels in this route of trekking.
1370 US$
Total Cost:
US$ 1480
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