Annapurna Circuit Trek

Trip Overview

Trip Facts

Country: Nepal
Trip grade: Strenuous
Destination: Annapurna
Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Hotel and Guesthouses
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Maximum altitude: 5416 meter
Group size: 1+
Best Season: Mar-May / Sep-Nov

Trekking in the Annapurna region of the Himalayas is an adventure that many people dream of. Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the most beautiful treks of several trekking adventures in the Annapurna region. As you can guess from the name, the trek goes around the massive Annapurna range of the Himalayas.

Some people alternately call this adventure Round Annapurna Trek. This adventure trekking has a total of nine days of walking in the mountains. You trek through the lower river valley to the top of a high mountain pass at 5,416 meters. Annapurna Circuit Trek requires you to be at a good level of fitness as it gets challenging as you walk to the higher elevation. This trek is certainly the most challenging and one of the popular treks in the Annapurna region.

Annapurna Circuit Trek: An Excellent Blend of Culture and Adventure

When you are walking around the Annapurna, you will experience the incredible culture and adventure of the region. As you walk past several beautiful villages along the trail, you can enjoy the lifestyle and culture of the people living there. From the lower river valley lifestyle to the high mountain cultures, you will experience diverse cultural riches.

The trek also takes you to the highest elevation of all the treks in the region. A high mountain pass – Thorong La – that stands at the elevation of 5416 meters above sea level is a challenging pass to cross. But the most adventurous highlight of the trip is the early morning walk towards the pass to cross it. The walk that starts in the Marshyangdi River valley ends in the Kali Gandaki River valley. And the trekking experience in between is simply unearthly. You will also visit and explore the famous pilgrimage of Muktinath. Our Jomsom Muktinath Trek also takes you there from a different route.

Fresh mountain air, beautiful natural surroundings, and views of the mountains also add to the beauty of this trek. You can enjoy the view of massive mountains like Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Tukuche, Fishtail, etc.

You can also check our Annapurna Sanctuary Trek if you are looking for multiple options to choose from.

Reasons this trip becomes an Experience

Nepal Climbing Adventure always strives to offer an adventure traveling experience that you can cherish. While the Annapurna Circuit Trek is beautiful in its all essence, your experience of trekking there becomes even more beautiful with us.

By the time we take you to the base camp and bring you back, we take one step ahead to offer you a beautiful experience. We keep your safety and happiness as our top priority and you will experience the same during the trip.

This 15-day Trekking trip around the Annapurna with us is traveling in safe hands.

Detail Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival Day in Kathmandu (1400m)

Normally, your arrival in Kathmandu is the day one of this trip. We will come to pick you up at the airport as per your flight time and transfer you to the hotel. There are no activities today apart from a trip briefing meeting. The information about the meeting time will be available upon your arrival at the hotel.

You have time to relax and go for any last-minute preparation for the trip. Welcome to Kathmandu!

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 02: Sightseeing Tour Kathmandu

We have a full day in Kathmandu to explore around the heritage sites in the valley. If we have not met for the meeting yesterday, we will meet today after breakfast. If we have met yesterday, we will continue on a full-day sightseeing tour.

Your entire afternoon will be busy going around different ancient and medieval heritage monuments in the Kathmandu valley. We will take you to Swoyambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath to explore the ancient and medieval magnificence of the valley.

The tour will show you a lot about the culture, spiritual practice, history, and lifestyle of people in the valley. You will have an awesome cultural tour day today. Our city tour guide will make it easier for you to understand what you are looking at to make your experience even better.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 03: Kathmandu – Chamje (1410m)

After a full day in Kathmandu exploring the heritage sites, it is now time to leave for the trek. We will start our long day drive to Chamje early in the morning. Chamje is the starting point of our Annapurna Circuit Trek. It will take us a long day's drive to reach Chamje.

We will take a bus ride to Besisahar that will take us around five hours to reach. And from Besisahar, we will catch a jeep to drive to Chamje. From Besisahar onwards, it is a dirt road drive, which will make the drive slow. After a bumpy dirt road drive, we reach Chamje to stay overnight. We settle into a teahouse and relax after the long day drive.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 04: Chamje – Dharapani (1860m)

It is our first day of the trek in the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Excited, we begin our walking adventure after breakfast. The destination of our walk today is Dharapani in Manang. We follow the Marshyangdi river valley and head towards the destination. We descend and ascend the trail that winds through the mountains.

As we walk the trail, we will come across beautiful scenery of nature, villages, and the mountains. Walking towards the destination, we go past beautiful places like Tal, Koto, etc. before reaching Dharapani. Amazing views of the surroundings as we walk through the trail will make our first day of walk beautiful.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 05: Dharapani – Chame (2650m)

We continue the trek around the Annapurna. Our destination for the day is Chame, the district headquarters of Manang. It is a lovely walking day along the river valley that brings incredibly beautiful views of the surroundings. Peaceful natural surroundings and breathtaking mountains on the Annapurna massif make our day's walk a beautiful adventure.

We eventually reach Chame and settle into a guesthouse to stay overnight.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 06: Chame – Pisang (3250m)

It is another great day in the Annapurna and we are ready to traverse the trail to Pisang today. The walk will take us past several beautiful places with wonderful surroundings. We will reach the elevation over 3000 meters from sea level for the first time on the trek today. Our overnight destination, Pisang, stands at 3250 meters above sea level. We will have to go easy and at a pace to help ourselves adjust with the increasing elevation in the mountains.

Once we reach Pisang, we will check into a teahouse and relax the tiredness of the day.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 07: Pisang – Manang (3519m)

Our walk for the day in the Annapurna Circuit Trek takes us to another beautiful place in the region – Manang. Manang is a beautiful ethnic town in the region. We proceed on our adventure walk of the day to Manang. As we traverse the trail, we will enjoy the natural surroundings of the mountains. The walk will take us past places like Humde, Bhakra, etc. The trail turns into a dry path as we have entered the high mountain region. We will have two trail options to reach Manang – one is shorter of about four hours and the other is longer and challenging of about seven hours.

We will decide on which route to take but we will eventually reach Manang to stay overnight.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 08: Acclimatization day at Manang

As we have already come to the elevation of 3,500 meters above sea level, we will require a day to acclimatize before we head further towards the higher elevation. We take the day today to explore around in the surroundings of Manang and stay overnight here. Exploring Manang and its surroundings will give us an experience of lifestyle in the region.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 09: Manang – Yak Kharka (4035m)

Walking to Yak Kharka from Manang is a short adventure. It will take us around four hours to reach Yak Kharka to stay overnight. Although it is almost 500 meters climb in elevation, we will make it earlier there. Once we reach Yak Kharka and settle into a teahouse, we will have the rest of the day to relax and exploit the beauty of the surroundings.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10: Yak Kharka – Thorong Phedi (4540m)

We are on another short day trekking on the adventure. Walking to Thorong Phedi from Yak Kharka will take us around four hours. The trail that takes us to our destination winds through the high mountain landscape with a breathtaking view of the mountains. Although a short trek, the walk certainly challenges us as we are traversing the trail at high elevation. Once we reach Thorong Phedi and settle into a guesthouse, we will relax and rest as much as we can since we need to save the energy to walk over the pass tomorrow.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 11: Thorong Phedi – Thorong La (5416m) – Muktinath (3800m)

Today is the most adventurous and challenging day of the trek. We are going to cross a high mountain pass on our walk today. Our day starts early in the morning, much earlier than the break of the dawn. With our breakfast packed, we begin the adventure with our flashlights on towards the top of the Thorong pass. As the elevation increases on the steep trail up towards the pass, our body will struggle to find the pace. But we keep walking slowly and steadily up and will make it to the top of the pass eventually. As the sunrises over the mountains, we will reach the pass and feel the searing happiness.

It will feel like conquering the whole world to reach the pass after that challenging walk through the winding trail up the mountain. We will spend a good time at the top of the pass before descending to Muktinath to stay overnight.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 12: Muktinath – Jomsom (2743m)

We are on the final day of the trekking adventure around the Annapurna massif. Our walk today heads towards Jomsom along the Kali Gandaki river valley. Since it is a downhill walk, we will find the day easier than other days of the trek. But the trail along the river valley will get windy as the day progresses to the afternoon.

We will reach Jomsom eventually and check into a guesthouse. We will have a relaxing day at Jomsom as the trek has come to an end.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 13: Jomsom – Pokhara (900m)

We have an early morning flight to Pokhara. The flight is a short one of just 20 minutes but it takes us along the river valley and past the massive mountains. Even during this short flight to Pokhara, we can see the breathtaking view of the mountains.

Once we reach Pokhara and check into a hotel, we will have the day to relax. The Lakeside in Pokhara is a beautiful place to hang around and relax after the trek. We can just take a leisurely stroll on the Lakeside or find some relaxing massage or just sit at a restaurant eating and drinking. There are lots of options to spend the day at leisure in Pokhara.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 14: Pokhara – Kathmandu

As we have completed our trekking journey, it’s time now to return back to Kathmandu. We will get ready for the early morning bus ride back to Kathmandu. It will take another seven hours to reach Kathmandu.

Accommodation: Hotel

Meal: Breakfast

Day 15: Departure Day

The trip has come to an end today. We have to bid farewell for this time hoping to meet again for another adventure soon. We will drive you to the airport for your departure flight as scheduled.

Meal: Breakfast

Cost Details

What is included?

All airport and hotel transfers
Welcome and farewell dinner
Accommodation and meals during the whole of the trek
3 nights in a 3 star hotel in Kathmandu and 1 night in Pokhara
All necessary paper works and permits
All ground transportation to/from trekking by bus / shared jeep / tourist bus
Flight Jomsom - Pokhara
Government and local taxes
An experienced English speaking trekking guide, assistant trek guide(4 trekkers: 1 assistant guide), porters(2 trekkers: 1 porter) including their salary, insurance, food, lodging and all equipment.
A comprehensive medical kit

What is not included?

Nepal Visa fee (bring small denomination cash USD and two passport photographs)
International airfare
Excess baggage charges
Extra night accommodation apart from the schedule due to any reasons
Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara and in case of early return than the scheduled itinerary
Private vehicle from Kathmandu-Besishahar-Chyamje, Pokhara - Kathmandu if required
Travel and rescue insurance
Personal expenses
Tips for travel guides or porters

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - Trekking in Nepal

Are you a licensed trekking agency?

Yes, we are a licensed company to operate adventure tours in Nepal. We have been organizing tours, Treks, and Expeditions for our valued clients for over two decades. Our long journey and experience in the field have made us pioneer in the industry.

Do the guides speak English and have first aid training?

All of our guides are experienced experts in their job and speak fluent English. Most of them are born in the areas they guide trekkers to and have several years of experience as trekking guides in the mountains. It's mandatory that they are trained in first aid and also carry a first aid kit with them during the trek.

How big are the groups?

We always do our best to team up a small group of likeminded people to give them a memorable and insightful adventure travel experience, coupled with an invaluable opportunity to interact with each other in the true spirit that comes with adventure. Our trek groups generally comprise of maximum 12 members. We need a minimum of 2 participants to run our fixed departure dates. For private trips, no minimum or maximum numbers apply.

Are permits included in the price of the trek?

Yes. All of the necessary permits for your trek are included in the price and will be arranged for you prior to your trek. For certain restricted regions (like Manaslu and Makalu), you'll need to have a full day in Kathmandu prior to your trek as your trek operator will need your passport for the permit registration.

Do you arrange private treks?

Yes, we do. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at a timeframe that best suits you for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time). The costs for private trips are generally fixed on the basis of group size, trek area, duration, and trek style, and is negotiable. We also arrange TREKS FOR A SINGLE WOMAN. If by any chance, none of our fixed group departure dates work for you and you do not have anyone to accompany you, you can still be able to make your preferred trip with us. There is absolutely nothing to worry about if you want to go solo. We assign local guides, porters, etc who you can trust your life with.

Do you provide any equipment while trekking?

On all our Camping treks, we provide all the tents, sometimes dome tents, sometimes sturdy A-frames and normally people share one tent between two; a foam mattress each; all the cutlery and utensils, cooking pots, stoves; candles/kerosene lantern, tables, and stools, kitchen tent, dining tent and toilet tent; all the main meals while trekking but not snacks. On Tea house treks there isn’t really a necessity to provide any equipment.

But you are provided a duffel bag if you don’t have one and a down jacket if you haven’t flown in with your own. This is loaned to you and must be returned when the trek is done.

How difficult are the treks?

Classifying the difficulty of a trek is like walking a thin red-line, as it depends on your fitness and experience hiking in the mountains. In the Himalaya, a trek's difficulty depends on the steepness of the trail, the general altitude, and the duration of the trek. Generally, the higher you go the more difficult the trek becomes. For most treks in the lower foothills (Ghorepani, Poonhill, Ghandruk, and Pikey Peak), it's fairly moderate trekking, although some days will be more challenging than others. For higher-altitude treks (i.e. Everest Base Camp, Gokyo, Annapurna Circuit, and Nar Phu), the treks become more challenging as you get going over 5,000m passes with longer days. If you’re an avid walker and enjoy hiking, then there’s no better adventure than trekking.

How long do we walk each day?

Much of our trekking ventures are classified into THREE different categories according to the level of difficulty. Soft Adventure treks are only about a week to 10 days in duration. They generally don't go above 4000 meters and each day, you can expect to be walking for around 4 – 5 hours. While moderate to fairly challenging treks are longer treks that go right into high mountain country. Physically quite tiring, these involve approx 6-8 hours trekking along rocky ridges of high Himalayan peaks. Arduous treks are longer treks that go far beyond the normal haunts of trekkers and tourists. Physically challenging, these may involve 7-9 hours trekking and likely to include unfavorable weather conditions and activities that are not only physically challenging but also tax the mind. These trips are not for greenhorns.

What is exactly 'teahouse' trekking?

Teahouse trekking refers to staying at a small local lodge or mountain hut each night of your trek. The lodges are basic but pretty cozy; enough to shelter you from the bitter mountain winds. They consist of 5-10 rooms with a common area used for eating and hanging out. Most treks in Nepal are teahouse treks where the lodges are run by members of the local community. Bunking out at these teahouses in some of the harshest territories on earth will give you a true sense of what life is in the wild.

What do we mean by FOT trek?

On FOT or a ‘Fully Organized Trek’, all meals and sleeping arrangements will be fully organized by the support crew. FOTs are also known as CAMPING TREKS. On camping treks, you will be sleeping in tents. A trekking crew consists of one sirdar, one cook, and kitchen crew, Sherpa assistants, and porters depending on the size of the group. Under the leadership of the Sirdar (local trek leader), the crew consists of several Sherpa assistants who will ensure you don't take the wrong path, a cook and kitchen crew to keep you well-fed with delicious and nutritious meals, and the porters to transport all the gear from camp to camp.

Our main aim is to make the trek as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. The ratio of both Sherpa guides and kitchen crew to group members is generally 1:4 and the ratio of porters to group members is around 3:1 at the beginning of the trek, but this decreases as food is eaten and loads become smaller. For bathroom facilities, we carry a toilet tent. Your camping staff dig a deep hole in the ground for excrement and cover the hole with soil after nature’s call is done. Camping treks are more expensive than teahouse treks. These treks are generally operated in remote restricted alpine zones that go above the tree-lines. Camping treks can also be used as options for teahouse treks throughout the Himalaya to enjoy the true spirit of adventure!

What is security like during trekking?

Security for our clients is always a foremost priority for us. All our guides and other support crew are carefully chosen for your trips. Our guides hold licenses issued by the Nepal Government. They are very honest and reliable. But we would also advise you to take care of your own personal belongings. If you are on ‘camping treks’ please do not leave your bags unattended at any time for your own safety. Take your main bag inside the tent once you reach the campsite. At night, all bags and belongings are kept in the middle of the tent. Your guide assigns a Sherpa on a rotation basis to guard the campsite throughout the night. If you are on a ‘Tea house or GAP trek’ arrangement, you will be sleeping in local teahouses. You need to take sensible precautions yourself at all times. Never leave your baggage unattended and keep your lodge room locked when you go out.

What happens if I fall ill during the trek?

If by chance you fall ill during your trek, the first course of action depends on what's wrong with you. If it's altitude sickness, moving to lower altitudes and taking altitude medication will solve most cases; if it's quite severe, your guide will arrange for emergency evacuation by helicopter (be sure that emergency helicopter rescue is covered in your travel insurance). If you have a stomach sickness, bug, or any other types of food or water-related illnesses, your guide will have medication on hand for the most common illnesses.

What type of food is served during a trek?

On CAMPING TREKs we provide three delicious, plentiful and nutritious meals daily with a tasty mix of local and western dishes. Your day starts with a king-size breakfast consisting of a choice of porridge, muesli, and cereals followed by omelet, fried, or scrambled eggs with ‘chapattis’ [rounded bread made from wheat] or multigrain-bread. Also included are seasonal fresh fruits. Lunch is generally a selection of organic salad, cooked vegetable dishes, pasta, and traditional bread. Dinner is a truly hearty 3-course meal - soup, followed by a variety of vegetables, meat, and rice and pasta dishes and completed with a simple dessert [which may include a finger-licking crusty apple pie].

Ironically, some of the best apple pies in the country are found on these mountains and not in Thamel, Asia’s hub for backpackers; as many tourists would assume. Tea and coffee are also provided at all meals. We use as much fresh organic produce as possible available at some of the villages we hike through and special diets are regularly catered for. The trek leaders maintain very tight controls on health and hygiene in the kitchen with respect to general cleanliness and food preparation and also within the group with respect to personal hygiene.

All foods are well cooked and vegetables are treated by potassium permanganate or iodine. We only serve Boiled water for drinking. Antiseptic soaps and potassium or iodine treated water are provided for washing. Special dietary requirements can always be catered for. On Tea House treks we provide standard breakfast, lunch, and three-course dinner, tea or coffee is also included with each meal. Your guide will help with menu selection and ensure that you get the best value meals possible. Although the food is usually plentiful and delicious, you should be aware that the menu is not normally extensive. Most teahouses offer a variety of rice and soupy noodle dishes, as well as soup and seasonal vegetables. A variety of cereals, bread, and egg dishes are generally available for breakfast. There will also be plenty of snacks available such as biscuits, chocolate, and soft drinks and in some areas, you will find fresh fruit in season. You can buy packaged water (bottled mineral water) from local lodges and shop en route or you can also ask your guide to fill your water bottle with boiled water and treat it with water purification pills. Although it's held that gluttony is a sin, nevertheless, we ensure our trekking guests are well fed in as much as they can digest to cope with the arduous trails and the tough elevations.

Do I need to carry my own gear?

You'll carry your daily essentials (sunblock, water, hat, light jacket, and camera) but your porter will carry the bulk of your gear, such as extra clothing and overnight basics. Porters are especially helpful for longer treks where you'll be carrying more gear. For shorter treks (2-3 days), you may opt just to have a guide if you're comfortable carrying your own gear, but hiring a porter is a great way to support the local economy and is quite affordable. It's also the safest thing to do when you’re hiking on the biggest and most rugged mountains on planet earth.

How much could porters carry?

Porters typically carry up to 30 kgs max. (To ensure they're not overloaded). For fragile items, such as cameras, it's still best to carry these items yourself. If you have more than 15 kg., please carry the extra weight in your day pack. In the commercial trade, when transporting goods and supplies up into the high mountains, some porters carry up to 100 kgs and get paid less than a fair wage provided by some so-called responsible trekking companies. However, doing things like this weighs on the conscience and we totally avoid such unfair situations.

We know the risk that comes with neglecting our porters and follow all mandatory guidelines as stipulated by the IPPG international porters association.

What is the overnight accommodation like?

In cities like Kathmandu or Lhasa, accommodation will be in hotels of your preference. We have a pool of hotels that ranges from luxury deluxe to budget hotels. While on a trek accommodation will depend on the trek style. If you are taking a camping trip then you will be sleeping in tents. Whilst we endeavor to stay in the best possible accommodation along the way, you should be aware that most teahouses, particularly in the smaller villages, are pretty basic but cozy enough to protect you from the harsh elements. The bedrooms are usually very small, the shared bathroom facilities are often outside and meals are served in a communal dining hall. Although simple, the teahouses do provide shelter and warmth and are normally run by friendly local families. Tea house treks are less expensive than Camping treks and are largely suitable for small groups. Usually, during busy seasons if private rooms in smaller villages are fully occupied you might have to bunk out in a dormitory. But then this is what adventure is all about.

Can we change the itinerary?

Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your senior guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into some of the most remote regions in the world, where many unforeseen circumstances may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original itinerary.

Is tipping included and if not, how much should I budget?

Tips are always appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. Guiding on some of the riskiest trails on earth is a tough job and your crew always makes sure they lead from the front. Some trekkers give 10% of the total tour cost as tips. The hat is passed around and the whole group contributes. Most trekkers happily provide tips with big hearts. The choice is yours if you feel they’ve been worth it.

Very professional company

“Very professional company, things are fine efficiently. I would request to have more communication to clients on possible confirmation email on pick up times at the airport. Until I got off the plane I had no idea if someone was going to be there to pick me up or where I was going to stay the first night.

Please also consider including the Ice Lake hike in Manang on the itinerary as I did not know about it until after and would have loved to do it. The itinerary already includes an extra night in Manang to acclimatize so having that option for clients may be nice.”

Julie Lim, Canada