Are you ready for an adventure? We’ve got a long day ahead of us, but one thing’s for sure: a cross-country road trip in Nepal is never boring. As we set out from Kathmandu, you’ll get to enjoy the scenic rural landscapes that make Nepal’s countryside so beautiful. We’ll make the first leg of our journey in a deluxe tourist bus, enjoying maximum comfort as our route winds along the watercourse of the Trishuli River and leads into terraced green hillsides. After about five or six hours, we’ll find ourselves in the town of Besi Shahar. Some longer Annapurna trekking itineraries stop here for the night, but we’ll move on after grabbing some lunch, making the second part of our trip in a private Jeep. We have about five more hours on the road today, following the Marsyangdi River to the checkpoint at Dharapani. From here, we’ll make the final two-hour drive through pinewoods and traditional villages, arriving at Chame in the evening and getting checked into our trekking lodge for some well-deserved rest.

On the second day of our short Annapurna Circuit Trek, it’s time to start hiking. Our path leads from Chame and climbs quickly through dense woodlands, rising above the Marsyangdi river and offering splendid views of the entire valley. The trail here is cut directly into a near-vertical rock face, and it will soon lead us right to an excellent panoramic view of Paungda Danda: a uniquely flat-topped mountain that’s sometimes called the Great Wall of Pisang. This impressive Himalayan peak reaches to almost 5,000 meters in elevation, and its towering rock face will keep a close watch on our trekking party as we make the final push into Pisang. This little mountain town is actually divided into Lower Pisang and Upper Pisang, and they’re only about 20 minutes apart from one another. We’ll pick out the best available trekking lodge between the two, enjoy a home-cooked meal of hearty Himalayan fare, and settle down to spend our first night in the Annapurna mountains.

After enjoying some Tibetan bread and butter tea for breakfast, we’ll lace up our hiking boots and set off for Manang. There are actually two routes leading to our destination, but we’ll opt for the path that links Upper Pisang and Manang via the little hamlet of Ghyaru, or Geru. This is a classic Himalayan village of stone-built homes, friendly locals, and mountain views of startling beauty. It’s also a great place to stop for lunch; we’ll grab a bite to eat while relishing the town’s unbelievable panoramas of the Annapurna massif, Gangapurna, and Pisang Peak. Moving on, we’ll start to observe a change in the landscape and vegetation—we’re entering real mountain country now, where trees will soon become few and far between. As we close in on Manang, we’ll come across the community of Braga: a uniquely photogenic little village clustered tightly against the sheer wall of the mountains. We’ll take the time to visit its monastery (known for the many statues of the Buddha sheltered within its interior) before making the final push to Manang and overnighting at the best available teahouse.

It is common and necessary to have one extra day for the acclimatization in Manag for the safety reason in Manag, after having some rest day here, we may also go a couple of hundred meters further for today to cover the distance for the next day but it is depending on you and your desires! 

Our Annapurna Circuit Trek continues today into some of the most beautiful territories in the Himalayas. We’ll cross exciting suspension bridges slung across icy glacial rivers and hike in the presence of colossal mountains draped in a permanent cloak of ice and snow. Some Annapurna treks take two days to reach Thorong Phedi from Manang, but our accelerated itinerary will cover the same distance in just one day. But we’ll set a slow and steady pace: today’s hike involves climbing steeply to the alpine meadows of Yak Kharka, and safety is our number one priority. As always, your guide from Alpine Ramble Treks will carefully assess the condition of each hiker in your party, ensuring that we do everything possible to reduce the risk of contracting altitude sickness. We’ll stop for lunch at Yak Kharka before moving on to cross another suspension bridge and begin our steep descent to Thorong Phedi. After getting checked in at our trekking lodge, we’ll enjoy the rest of the evening at our leisure. Consider grabbing some baked goods from the local café and watching the sun go down over the Himalayan summits of Tilicho Peak and the Annapurnas.

Before the first rays of light even streak the sky, we’ll be up and on our feet. The most exciting day of the Annapurna Circuit Trek has arrived: it’s time to cross the high-altitude pass of Thorong La. We’ll get started by torchlight, trekking carefully in the predawn dark to surmount a series of switchbacks on the way to the pass. We’ll time our arrival at Thorong La to coincide with sunrise—you’ll be standing at 5,416 meters in elevation as the sun's light breaks across the icy peaks of the high Himalayas, transforming the early morning gloom into a spectacular show of light. After celebrating our accomplishments and taking many photos, we’ll descend from the pass and enter the valley of Mustang, where the mighty Kali Gandaki gorge can be found. Our climb down from the pass is steep, but we’ll arrive in Muktinath in plenty of time to catch our ride to Jomsom. This is the last leg of our trek in the Annapurna mountains, and it’ll take about two hours to reach Jomsom and check in at our local teahouse.

Next day (Day 7): We have no trek, but we take a scenic flight from Jomsom to Pokhara (30 minutes), then fly to Kathmandu (30 minutes)

After breakfast, it’s time to depart from Jomsom and bid a fond farewell to the Mustang Valley and the mighty mountains of the Annapurnas. We’ll start by catching an early-morning flight to Pokhara. Most Annapurna treks begin or end in this beautiful lakeside city; there’s plenty to see and do here. From ornate temples to high-octane adventures, Pokhara has something for everyone. If you’d like to spend time in the city, we can arrange an extra night or two on your itinerary. If you need to get moving, we’ll make our connecting flight to Kathmandu directly. At this point, our Annapurna Circuit Trek has come to its conclusion. After a final farewell dinner with your trekking team, we’ll bring you to your hotel in the city for the night. If your international flight leaves today, we’ll get you back to the Tribhuvan International Airport in plenty of time for your departure. Thank you for choosing Alpine Ramble Treks!

Remark: The flight from Jomsom to Pokhara will not operate during the monsoon season, which lasts from December to the last week of February.