Here is a comprehensive travel-plan featuring day-to-day activity and chief highlights of Annapurna Circuit trek package.
Total duration of the package = 20 days
Best seasons: April-May or October-November
Day 01: Arrival at Kathmandu
As soon as the jet you are flying on lands at the airport of Kathmandu, you will be approached by tour staffs and escorted to your hotel. Later, you may want to enjoy the night-life around the tourist-center Thamel or take an early rest to relax your travel exhaustion.
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu
After breakfast, your guide will take you to the premises of Syawambhunath- the monkey temple and afterwards, to the national museum of Nepal. Then, you will be guided to the UNESCO heritage of Kathmandu- renowned Durbar Squares. Durbar Square is actually a common name of the heritages in all 3 districts of Kathmandu valley where Malla kings (medieval rulers) dwelled and carried out all their royal duties from. Here, you can observe ancient temples with inimitable structures and architecture. There is also a 500 year old temple built of a single tree trunk – the kasthamandav, after which Kathmandu got its name. The places worth visiting here are Kumari (living goddess) temple, 9-storey palace, Taleju Bhawani temple, Hanuman Dhoka palace, the fierce statue of Kal Bhairabh and several other temples and statues.
From here, you will drive to Baudhanath which is the holiest shrine for the buddhists of Nepal, especially the Tibeto-Buddhists. There are numerous monasteries, shops of handicrafts, bookshops (chiefly comprising books on Buddhism and Nepal) and clean cafes in the area. After spending some time here, you will be guided to the next Durbar Square – Bhaktapur Darbar square. The place is also similar in architecture to that of Kathmandu Dhoka Durbar Square you visited the earlier day, but has its own artistic significance if closely observed. Your guide will provide detailed information before taking you to last sight-seeing spot- Patan Durbar Square. Apart from the temples and museum around Patan Durbar square, you will also visit a 14th century Buddhist monastery which is the center of rituals of Newar Buddhists of that area. Their ritual is quite different than that of Tibetan Buddhists. Subsequently, you will drive back to your hotel or may instead shop around markets. Since next day you will be heading for your trek, an early bed would be preferable to the late night stay.
Day 03: Kathmandu – Bulbule (2756 ft.)
Estimated time: 10.5 hours (7.5 hrs ride + 3 hrs hike)
Early in the morning, you will embark the vehicle that carries you from Kathmandu over the circuitous but comfortable highway towards Besisahar. Besisahar is the district capital and has a big market. But you will not stay here, rather hike about 3 hours to Bulbule to avoid the sweltering heat. During the walk, you pass a series of waterfall, suspension bridges and green layer of paddy fields. The stay at Bulbule will furnish you worthy views of the mountains- Himalchuli and Manaslu 2 in the northward directions.
Day 04: Bulbule-Ghermu (4157 ft.)
Estimated time: 5 hours
Estimated height gain: ~1401 ft.
From Bulbule, you will head towards Ngadi which lies on the banks of a brook. After crossing Ngadi river via a suspension bridge, the trail widens and leads you towards Bahun Dada (Nep. Bramhin hill). The place abounds with tea-shops and inns to rest or have lunch. If the weather does you some favor, you can behold spectacular views northward. After Bahundada, you descend and cross a river valley and then contour to a small village called Khaneagaon. The trail then directs to Ghermu, stop for the day.
Day 05: Ghermu to Tal( 5576 ft.)
Estimated time: 6.5 hours
Estimated height gain: ~1419 ft.
After descending to Syange and crossing a big suspension bridge over Marsyangdi, you will pass through the gorge which narrows along with the crest and trough of the trail. You will see overhanging rocks on the way before arriving at the place called Jagat which is located on a ridge. The place holds a historical significance of being the custom post for trading salt with Tibet. The place is dwelled by Bhotiyas – Tibetan highlanders who probably descended here from the upper parts of Manag. After some more crests and troughs and few overhanging rocks, the trail leads you to a small community of Chamje whose culture resembles to that of Tibetan. From Chamje, you will descend towards the bank of Marsyangdi river and after crossing a suspension bridge, you will continue through bamboo forest. After entering a wide valley with few houses to the place called Tal, you step into Manag district. This place is also tenanted by the Bhotiyas who were involved in trade with Tibet until the Chinese occupation in 1959.
Day 06: Tal to Chame (8580 ft.)
Estimated time: 6 hours
Estimated height gain: ~3004 ft.
After having your breakfast, you will start your 5th day trek. Passing few houses and crossing a suspension bridge, you will arrive at Dharapani via Khotro. Dharapani is Nepalese term for “tap-water” though the settlement is chiefly Tibetan with a chorten entrance. After passing through another town with an interesting name- Bagarchhap (Nep.: Butcher’s place), you will find yourself forging towards a rain-shadow territory – the flat-roofed houses implying this! Spare some time to make a visit to Diki Gompa (monastery) to feast your eyes on beautiful Thankas (frescos). You will then continue the narrow valley with bounty of rhododendrons. After crossing the Himalayan barricade to the east of Lamjung via Namun Bhanjyang, you will continue to Lattemarang. After you reach Koto via lattemarang, the trail splits whose right fork leads northwards to the seldom travelled Nar-Phu village- the land of Himalayan cloud-dwellers. You don’t take this path to the exotic region but instead continue towards Chame, the headquarter and biggest market of Manang. The Chorten at the entrance to Chame is somewhat uncommon with Hindu elements included in it. Though some argue this was an imposition by the bureaucrats of then-Hindu Kingdom, however, it is another symbol of religious tolerance between the two similar religions.
Day 07: Chame to Pisang (10856ft.)
Estimated time: 5.5 hours
Estimated height gain: ~2276ft.
The district center teems with lodges, modern fast food or cyber cafes, trek-gear shops, a bank, governmental offices and a health post. You will leave Chame by crossing a bridge over Marsyangdi and move towards Bhartang treading along narrow valley full of pine and Hemlock. The Bhartang was once temporarily inhabited by Khampas (theTibetan tribal rebels) who had come here after the Tibet occupation but were later disarmed by the Nepalese army during a special operation. Ascending along the forest full of firs along with pine and hemlock towards Dhukur Pokhari ( Nep: Dove lake), you continue your trek to the stop of the day- Pisang. The lower Pisang is full of lodges, some even offering cappuccino and pizzas but a short climb up the hill will take you to upper pisang, which offers more beautiful views of Annapurna II and also a chance to visit a gompa. You will overnight either on top or bottom of the hill, depending upon your preference.
Day 08: Pisang to Manang (11480 ft.)
Estimated time: 6 hours/8hrs (depending upon the route to Barga)
Estimated height gain: ~624 ft.
Now you will move to the arid regions of Manang. Enter Neysang, a rain-shadow area of the Himalaya which gets a very small amount of rain during summer. The winter is marked by heavy snowfall and the villagers leave for temperate areas. The people are basically traders though partially engaged in farming. Since they were granted special trading privilege by the King circa 1780, most of them are engaged in the import-export business till now and frequent to the Asian markets of Bangkok and Hong Kong.
Two routes fork out from the lower Pisang which eventually meet at village called Barga. The northern route is a demanding and consumes 2 more hours but comes at the cost of better sceneries than the direct route. Barga, the place you arrive after taking one of the routes, is a large village which seats a 900 year old monastery. The main temple houses 108 statues representing Kargyupa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. There are several inns and shops in Bargha and the post of Himalayan Rescue Association(HRA) which provides daily lectures on the preventive measures and treatments for altitude sickness. The village of Manang after which the district derived its name is merely half an hour walk from Bargha so you can take your time for the lectures.
Day 09: Acclimatization In Manang: Preparation for the Thorang-La pass
If you attend the lectures by the HRA, they probably describe you about it. Even in the otherwise case, the importance of at least one day stay in Manang before propelling towards the Thorang la Pass ( >17000 ft) cannot be debated. Besides, there are plenty of places to hang around in Manang which convince you that your stay worths more than just acclimatization. You may want to visit the Lama who welcomes visitors to bestow his blessings upon, the Milarepa cave or a half-day hike to Khangsar with spectacular view of Tilicho peak.
Day 10: Manang to Yak Kharka(15437 ft.)
Estimated Time: 4.5 hours
Estimated height gain: ~3957 ft.
You will ascend nearly 4000 ft. today to Yak Kharka (Yak Pastures). After climbing up to Tengi which is the last permanent settlement below pass, you will climb upto Ghunsang with few hotels. Then, the trail turns northwest towards Jareng Khola valley. If lucky, you may have an opportunity to encounter Naurs (blue sheep) that may come downstream to quench their thirst. Though you reach here within few hours, you won’t push yourself further up and stay to acclimatize yourself.
Day 11: Yak Kharka to Thorang Phedi(14891 ft.)
Estimated Time: 4.5 hours
Estimated height gain: ~545 ft.
After reaching Ledtar in about 3 halves of an hour, you will climb for some time before passing above a lake and descending to the river via a bridge constructed by khampas in the past. After climbing upstream of Jarseng Khola, you will reach Phedi (Nep: foot of the hill) for overnight. There is a facility of Satelite phone in case of emergency.
Day 12: Thorang Phedi to Muktinath (12464 ft.)
Estimated time: 7.5 hours
Estimated height loss: ~2427 ft.
You will start early in the dawn, no later than 6:30 AM to the zenith of your entire trek. Average time to reach the pass is 5 hours, if you walk with ease. A billboard felicitates you at the top with yellow letters in a black-colored background for accomplishing the feat! The moment can be quite adrenaline-charged and even the prayer flags and Chorten may seem as if they are gesturing a “Bravo!” After some snapshots of your 5000m triumph and views around, you will start descending to the next ‘district behind Himalaya’ – Mustang. After passing Muktinath shrine that you will visit next day, you will spend the night at Ranipauwa.
Day 13: Muktinath to Marpha (8725 ft.)
Estimated time: 5.5 hours
Estimated height loss: ~3739 ft.
A separate chapter is required to express the religious and aesthetic significance of Muktinath. However, to suffice in few lines, the shrine meaning “place of salvation” in Sanskrit is believed to award salvation if a devotee bathes himself through the ice-cold water coming from 108 boar-headed fountains. The fossil image revered by the Hindus as lord Vishnu is honored as Bodhisattva Aalokitesvara by the Buddhists. The Buddhists consider Chuming-Gyatsa, their term for the shrine, to be one of the 24 places with Tantrik significance. Apart from the main temple, visitors throng to the Jalwa Mai (Sanskrit: Fire Goddess) temple to witness the “eternal flame” believed to have burned for centuries, under the image of Aalokitesvara. Apart from Aalokitesvara, there are altars of Padmasamvaba and Manjushree. The temple is sacred to both Hindu and Buddhist worshippers alike.
Descending down to Jharkot, there are ruins of the original palace of the King of Mustang. Continuing downwards, you will arrive at Jharkot with a fortress balanced upon a hill. There are some chortens and gompas around Jharkot. You will descend further to Kagbeni village, crossing the Dzong khola. An arid, rocky and dusty trail will bring you to Jomsom- the headquarter of Mustang. The district-center houses a police check post, a hospital, an airport and ACAP office where you should get your permit stamped. The renowned Thakali villages start here. These dwellers originally from the banks of Thak khola are famous for their entrepreneurship and hospitality.
Due to the effect of road construction, many tourists shorten the trip here by either flying to Pokhara or embarking jeep to Beni and ultimately to Pokhara. However, the alternative route to the east bank is still an option for the ones preferring walk to the jeep-ride on a dusty road or a flight. A little south from Jomsom takes you to the village of Marpha famous for the apples and the wine/brandy synthesized from the fruit. Besides, there are some shrines (gompas) to observe.
Day 14: Marpha to Kalopani (8300 ft.)
Estimated time: 4.5 hours
Estimated height loss: ~425 ft.
You will depart the vllage of Paunchgaaunle, ethnic group almost similar to the Thakalis, towards Kalopani (Nep:Black water). Since a strong wind blows around noon and can be a real nuisance, starting as early as possible is a good idea. After entering Tukuche, you are again in the land on Thakalis. They are considered to be the most aware and educated clans amongst the high altitude ethnic groups of Nepal. Tukuche was the trade center of Nepali grain in exchange of Tibetan salt in the past whose affluence is evident from the beautiful architecture and wood carvings. After crossing a bridge, you arrive to the day’s stop- Kalopani. A sight to Dhaulagiri and Tukuche peaks from here is enough to steal the moment from you.
Day 15: Kalopani to Tatopani (3936 ft.)
Estimated time: 4.5 hours
Estimated height loss: ~4364 ft.
From Kalopani you descend downwards while still enjoying the views of the two majestic peaks. You will walk through the section which is often claimed to be the deepest gorge of the world. The fact that within 38 Km between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, the valley floor dips by almost 4000m bolsters the claim. At the place called Dana where Nepalese Government used to levy tax from the salt traders till 1930s, two rivers Kali Gandaki and Miristi unite. Tatopani is an hour ahead from here where lodges and stores with better facilities are available. The main feature of Tatopani is the natural hot spring, from where the place obtained its name. It is believed and also verified by some scientific studies that hot spring bath helps in curing skin disease to some degree.
Day 16: Tatopani to Ghorepani (9365 ft. )
Estimated time: 6 hours
Estimated height gain: ~5429 ft.
Having descended continuously for 4 days, you will now resume your ascent. After crossing two bridges and soaring up a hill, a broad view of a river valley starts appearing. The green road switches to stone paved path as you go up towards Phalante. The area is also predominantly inhabited by the Thakalis though other ethnic groups like Magars and Chhetris also reside. Ghorepani being a popular destination for both external and internal tourists accommodates many hotels with variable standards. The main reasons for the multitude of tourists here are the spectacular views of Dhaulagiri and Manaslu peaks and hike to the famous view point of Poon Hill.
Day 17: Ghorepani to Ghandruk (6373 ft.)
Estimated time: 4.5 hours
Estimated height gain: ~2991 ft.
You start out early hiking to the vantage point of Poon Hill and back which takes about 1.5 hrs. You will take the eastward route bordered by rhododendrons and pines towards Ghandruk, a village where Gurungs are the dominant dwellers. Since Ghandruk is accessible from Pokhara within a day’s hike, the place also swarms with Nepalese and Foreign tourists. Nonetheless, there are plenty of hotels to accommodate the huge inflow.
Day 18: Ghandruk to Pokhara (2952 ft)
Estimated time: 3 hours
Estimated height loss: ~3421ft
The ultimate day of your trek when you descend more than 3000 ft within 3 hours! The Nature Conservation and Human potential center which you encounter shortly after you commence your trek is worth river. Crossing the final suspension bridge of your trek at Bire Thanti, you are now at Nayapul from where you drive to the town of Pokhara. Since you still have a half of the day in this city of lakes, you may saunter around Lakeside and enjoy the boating in Phewa Lake. Or else, you may simply rest in your hotel to cure your exhaustion of 2-weeks walk.
Day 19: Pokhara to Kathmandu
Estimated time: 6-7 hours
You will return Kathmandu via 128 mi. Prithvi highway that meanders along the course of the rivers- Marsyangdi and Trishuli. During the 6 hour ride, you will pass through various shifting sceneries of snaking rivers, rolling hills, paddy fields, busy markets etc.
Day 20: Departure or prolongation of stay (as your wish!)
