Annapurna Circuit Trek

Our tour starts today in Kathmandu, the busy, colourful and chaotic capital city of Nepal. Our tour leader plans to meet everyone in the hotel reception for a welcome meeting at 5 pm. For those that wish, there is the chance to enjoy a group dinner afterwards. There are no other activities planned for today. If you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will leave any essential information and details of the best time to catch up with them at the hotel reception. If you'd like to receive an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). You should allow at least 45 minutes to reach our hotel in central Kathmandu as traffic congestion in the city can be bad. Depending on the arrival time of your flight, if you'd like to get a head start on exploring, our hotel is located a short walk from the lively Thamel area. Home to a multitude of outdoor gear, souvenir shops, great bookshops and a huge variety of restaurants, it's a fun place to wander

After breakfast, we'll have a full briefing on the trekking days ahead, followed by a chance to visit a local hire shop to pick up any last-minute equipment still needed. Following this, we'll have a walking tour of the city, visiting the bazaars and the temples of old Kathmandu in the company of a local Nepalese guide. Nepal's bustling capital is a captivating mix of spice sellers and potters, rickshaws and sacred cows, all crowded together amidst a city of vibrant noise and colour. Our sightseeing takes in the sumptuous majesty of Durbar Square and its collection of ornate palaces, courtyards and temples, as well as the Asan Bazaar and the Kumari Ghar, home to the living goddess of the Kumari Devi.

Leaving the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu far behind this morning, we'll drive west towards the beautiful mountain landscapes of Central Nepal, home to the towering peaks of the Annapurnas, Dhaulagiri and the iconic Machhapuchhre (the famous 'Fish Tail' mountain). Stopping for lunch along the way, we should arrive in the hilltop town of Bandipur by mid-afternoon. After a short orientation of the town and the bazaar, you're free to explore this traditional Nepali town more at your own pace. Bandipur is a small, quiet town that doesn't attract as many tourists as nearby Pokhara. There are several small temples to visit and stunning views of the Himalayas.

Departing from Bandipur this morning, the road descends to the Prithivi highway, following the course of the Marsyangdi River before winding up through forest past several small villages to Besisahar. Swapping our bus for local jeeps, we'll continue the journey to the starting point of our trek at Dharapani (1,860 metres/6101 feet). All in all, we expect this journey to take around six to seven hours.

A rocky trail takes us west, following the Marsyangdi up the Manang Valley, where we'll enjoy stunning views out towards Annapurna II (7,937 metres/26,033 feet) and Annapurna IV. These remote highlands are home to the Manangi people, itinerant traders who have traded salt and yaks across these mountains for centuries. Following in the footsteps of these mountain merchants of old, we'll head up through forests of oak and maple to Dhanakyu (2,290 metres/7,511 feet) and then on to the village of Latemarang (2,360 metres/7,741 feet). Our route then winds its way across several forested ridges to Kotho (2,590 metres/8,495 feet), from where we'll have a short, easy walk down to Chame (2,670 metres/8,758 feet), the region's administrative headquarters, where the distant views of Lamjung, Annapurna II and Annapurna IV provide a stunning backdrop to our day's end. Today's 17-kilometre/10.5-mile walk is expected to take around seven hours with a total ascent of 1,065 metres/3,493 feet and a descent of 390 metres/1,279 feet.

Departing Chame, we'll cross over to the northern side of the river and follow a relatively easy trail up through apple orchards to the village of Bhratang (2,840 metres/9,315 feet), an old Khampa settlement that is largely abandoned these days. From here, we'll start along a trail that provides us with some of the most dramatic scenery of the journey so far. Blasted through the surrounding rock, the trail leads through a steep, narrow valley, blanketed in dense forest. As we exit the forest and cross the river over a suspension bridge, we're treated to our first view of the spectacular Paungda Danda, a 1,500 metres/4,920 feet wall of rock that rises from the river below. After crossing a ridge that lies festooned with prayer flags and stone cairns, we'll then reach the large village of Pisang (3,300 metres/10,824 feet ). The village is split into lower and upper Pisang and from the gompa at the top of the town there are some lovely views out across the meandering streets and rambling houses of the lower town. Today's 14-kilometre/8.7-mile walk is expected to take around six hours with a total ascent of 640 metres/2,099 feet and a descent of 25 metres/82 feet.

Continuing along the south side of the river today, we'll make a long climb up and over a ridge that takes us past 3,400 metres/11,152 feet. From here, we'll enjoy some truly spectacular views of the surrounding peaks, before we descend into the valley and on to Hongde (3,325 metres/10,906 feet), a village that has the distinction of an airstrip, a police post and a truly impressive mani wall. Continuing to Mungli, we'll then cross back to the north bank of the river and continue to the Tibetan-style village of Bryaga (3,475 metres/11,398 feet), where we'll find an engaging collection of interestingly stacked houses and the largest gompa in the district. The houses lie one on top of the other, the terraces of the upper houses forming the roofs of the ones below, whilst the monastery contains a wonderful collection of Tibetan Thankas that date back some 500 years. From here, it's just a short walk to the large community at Manang (3,540 metres/11,611 feet), our final destination for the day, where we'll find a settlement of 500 houses, a Chorten and a long mani wall etched with the Buddhist chant of 'Om Mani Padme Hum'. Today's 15-kilometre/9.3-mile walk is expected to take around seven hours with a total ascent of 450 metres/1,476 feet and a descent of 150 metres/500 feet.

Today has been left free to get a little more acclimatised to the higher altitude before we make the crossing of the Thorong La. You can spend the day exploring the area around the village, taking some shorter hikes into the mountains to enjoy the views of the Chulu ranges and Thorong La in the distance. It's important to get some rest today. If you choose to explore solo, remember to conserve some energy for the days still to come. An optional 4-kilometre/2.5-mile walk is expected to take around 90 minutes with a total ascent of 200 metres/650 feet and a descent of 200 metres/650 feet.

Taking it steady today, we'll trek to Tengi (3,620 metres/11,880 feet) and begin a slow climb towards Gunsang (3,930 metres/12,900 feet ), enjoying the alpine landscapes and abundance of scrub juniper and alpine grasses that grow on these high slopes. The ever-expansive views present us with a magnificent panorama that takes in the peaks of Gangapurna (7,454 metres/24,500 feet) and Annapurna III (7,555 metres/24,800 feet), as we make our way on to our overnight stop in Yak Kharka (4,018 metres/13,200 feet). Today's 10-kilometre/6.2-mile walk is expected to take around four hours with a total ascent of 510 metres/1,700 feet and a descent of 15 metres/50 feet.

Our first port of call today is the small settlement of Letdar (4,250 metres/14,000 feet), which we'll reach after an hour's steady climb out of Yak Kharka. From here, we'll continue to climb along the eastern bank of the Jarsang Khola, making our way up to Thorong Phedi (4,450 metres/14,600 feet ). Translating as 'foot of the hill', this is the starting point for tomorrow's long trek up to Thorong La Pass. Today's 7-kilometre/4.34-mile walk is expected to take around four hours with a total ascent of 470 metres/1,600 feet and a descent of 70 metres/250 feet.

We'll make an early start this morning and begin the long climb to the 5,416 metre/17,800 feet Thorong La, an ascent that should take us four hours (depending upon the fitness of the group and weather conditions). The trail up to the pass follows a route that has been used by local herders for centuries, crossing through moraine and snow and snaking its way steeply up over the rocky ridges. As we approach the pass, we're greeted by the sight of a traditional chorten and fluttering prayer flags and as we crest the summit the views before us are simply staggering. A panorama of Himalayan giants lies before us, with the immense Kali Gandaki Valley lying off to the west and the towering peak of Yakgawa Kang (6,481 metres/21,300 feet) to the north. After stopping to rest and enjoy the stunning vistas, we then begin the long trek down to Muktinath, a 1,600 metre/5,300 foot ascent that affords us some glorious views of Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres/26,800 feet) and Tukuche Peak (6,920 metres/22,700 feet). The moraine trail eventually gives way to grassy slopes, with the final part of our journey taking us along the upper reaches of the Jhong Valley to Muktinath and Ranipauwa, where we'll end our crossing of the Thorong La. Today's 15-kilometre/9.5-mile walk is expected to take around 8 to 10 hours with a total ascent of 976 metres/3,200 feet and a descent of 1,666 metres/5,500 feet.

This morning, we'll visit Muktinath's famous temples, one an important pilgrimage site for Hindus, and the other for Buddhists. After visiting the temples we begin our long descent by local jeeps (around 7 a seven-hour drive) to Tatopani (1,190 metres/3,900 feet). This journey used to be part of all Annapurna Circuit treks, but with the well-used road now reaching Jomsom, the attraction of hiking this section has waned. We'll break our journey at Kagbeni, an interesting village that's the gateway to the region of Mustang, and the Thakali village of Marpha, famous for its apples and brandy. The name Tatopani means hot water and this village is lucky enough to have two hot springs. We can take a well-earned dip in the springs before the final stages of our trek. Today's 4-kilometre/2.5-mile walk is expected to take around two hours with a total descent of 960 metres/3,200 feet.

Today's trekking is mainly uphill as we reach Durbin Danda cross the suspension bridge over the Thak Khola then climb steeply up through the forest to the Durbin Danda Pass. The trail then becomes a more gradual climb uphill to the village of Ghara and then on up to Shikha with good views of Kaligandaki Valley and Dhaulagiri Peak (8,167 metres/26,800 feet). Today's 9-kilometre/6-mile walk is expected to take around five hours with a total ascent of 765 metres/2,500 feet and a descent of 20 metres/70 feet.

Today's trek sets off gradually uphill to Chitre, continuing to the entrance gate of Ghorepani. Along the way, you will be captivated by beautiful views of the farmhouses scattered across the other side of the valley. From here the trail makes a steep ascent through the rhododendron and magnolia forests to Ghorepani. Today's 8 kilometre/5 mile walk is expected to take around four hours with a total ascent of 950 metres/3,200 feet and a descent of 15 metres/50 feet.

After an early rise this morning, we'll leave our teahouse and make the ascent of Poon Hill in time to catch the sunrise. From the top we should be able to enjoy panoramic views of the whole of the Annapurna Range and, if the weather permits, watch the sunrise over the peaks of Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhare and Dhaulagiri amongst others. The Poon Hill hike is a two-hour return trip, and we'll return to the teahouse in Ghorepani for a well-earned breakfast. Our trek then continues to Banthanti before descending a long stone staircase to Ulleri from where we'll hike to Ramghai/Hile. Today's 18-kilometre/11-mile walk is expected to take around seven hours with a total ascent of 370 metres/1,220 feet and a descent of 1,760 metres/5,800 feet.

We'll have a short walk this morning to the small village of Nayapul where we'll say goodbye to our trekking crew and drive to Pokhara. Pokhara is Nepal's second-largest town and is far more relaxed than Kathmandu. Its beautiful lakeside setting beneath the imposing shadow of the stunning Annapurna Range makes it the perfect ending point for our trek. There should be time to enjoy some of the town's many attractions today, with options to visit the thriving Tibetan village of Tashiling, or perhaps take a boat trip out onto the lake to visit the small temple of Barahi Mandir. Today's 4-kilometre/2.5-mile walk is expected to take around 2 hours with a total ascent of 90 metres/300 feet and a descent of 525 metres/1,730 feet.

Leaving Pokhara this morning, we'll drive back to the capital Kathmandu. The drive takes us along the scenic Prithvi Highway and will take approximately ten hours.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Kathmandu. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Kathmandu at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM).