Annapurna Circuit with Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek - 15 Days

Upon arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be picked up by a Glorious Himalaya representative and taken by private vehicle to your hotel. After checking in at the hotel, you will be briefed on what to expect on your trek and given an itinerary. With time to spare you can wander around the tourist hub of Thamel or take in the sights of Kathmandu Valley. 

Today we get an early start as we head off on a 190 kilometer, and 6.5-hour road trip to Besisahar Village. From Besisahar we will travel by jeep drive to Syange (3,609ft). At Syange Village you will enjoy your first views of Mt. Annapurna II, Manaslu and Mount Lamjung. You will stay in a guesthouse tonight with breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

Today we take a road that is above the gorge, allowing us to peer down at the vegetation and occasional waterfalls below. Looking around from the road you can see several snow-covered peaks. We drive for two to three hours before coming to Jagat Village and then continue through terraced farmland until we reach Chamje Village. Leaving Chamje we continue for another hour until we reach Tal Village located on the banks of the Marsyangdi River. The road from here is less tortuous and eventually takes us to our overnight stop at Dharapani village where we will stay in a guesthouse. 

Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included.

As you would expect from higher elevations the vegetation and landscape noticeably changes. It is also cooler as we follow the trail through forested areas until reaching Bagarchhap, a typical Tibetan style village along with its unique architecture. We continue to climb higher and reach the apple orchards and farms at Dhanaqi Village. From this vantage point, we also have some amazing views of Lamjung and Annapurna II peaks. Continuing along the banks of the Marsyangdi River we head upriver to Ratamanang and Koto villages until we reach Chame. Chame also happens to be the district headquarters of the Manang region. Tonight we will stay in a guesthouse with breakfast, lunch & dinner included. 

We follow along the northern bank of the Marsyangdi River, passing pine forests and a number of small villages on an undulating trail until we reach Bratang Village. Crossing the bridge we have a steep ascent, again through dense pine forest until we reach the top of the ridge. Once clear of the trees we can see Pisang and Chulu peaks, as well as the exposed village of Pisang far below us. Tonight we will stay in a guesthouse with breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

The views on the trail from Pisang get better, and snow-covered peaks are a frequent occurrence. We trek higher and after around 30 minutes we come out on top of a hill that provides more fantastic views down into the valley and the pristine white peaks of Gangapurna, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Tilicho, and in the east Chuli. Pisang Peak is also visible from this location. From the hill, we head down to Kongde Village and then on to Manang. Just prior to Manang we will visit the Braga Monastery, which happens to be the largest in the area with displays of religious artifacts, such as Thangkas (paintings) and Sanskrit manuscripts. An easy one hour trek takes us to Manang where we will stay overnight in a guesthouse with breakfast, lunch & dinner included. 

For any trek to higher altitudes, you must acclimatize along the way before heading higher. It is recommended that during an acclimatization period, you stay active. You may wish to take a short trek into the hills around Manang or explore the unique village of Manang with its 500 constructed stone flat-roofed houses and with views of Annapurna II, Annapurna III (7,555m), Gangapurna (7,454m) in the south with Tilicho (7,132m) and the Grand Barrier in the West, as well as Chulu West (6,583m) Chulu East (6,059m) directly to the north. Tonight we will stay in a guesthouse in Manang with breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

Leaving Manang all refreshed and ready to go, we now ascend on the trail for around one hour, all the while offering more stunning views of Annapurna II, Gangapurna and Chuli peaks. The terrain is now arider and less vegetated due to its exposure to the wind, with only the odd juniper bush surviving here at this high altitude. We eventually reach the rather small village of Yak Kharka where we will stay in a guesthouse for the night. Arriving early enough allows us time to scout around the village and surrounding countryside. Breakfast, lunch & dinner are included.

We have a steady climb to a tiny settlement where we can take in the views of Annapurna II, Gangapurna and Chuli peaks. As we continue the terrain becomes bleaker and exposed to high winds, and then we reach Thorong Phedi for our overnight stay at a guesthouse. If you have the energy, we can follow a winding trail to Upper Phedi or High Camp where there are a few teahouses and a lodge. We may decide to stay here instead of at Thorong Phedi. The reason being is that it will make tomorrow’s trek a little easier and shorter to Thorong La Pass. This is plan B and will depend on whether we have the energy to continue past Thorong Phedi. Breakfast, lunch & dinner are included.

This is a momentous day and requires an early – very early – start at around 3.30 a.m. The idea behind this is to reach the pass before the wind picks up later in the day. It can be quite cold, blustery and exposed at the pass. If we reach the pass early enough we will also have much improved, and spectacular views over the northern Annapurna, Damodar, Bhrikuti and Dhaulagiri range of mountains. The trail from Thorong Phedi follows a rocky path uphill, initially reaching a ridge before again heading higher to a small glacial lake and a teahouse. Another 1.5 hours has us at the pass. We must be cautious at this altitude due to the possibility of altitude sickness and maybe snow. At this high altitude of 5416m at the top of the pass we will have some breathtaking views of the Himalayan Mountains. Descending from the pass is rugged and steep, but there is some compensation as we are blessed with excellent views over Mt.Dhaulagiri (8,167m). We continue heading down to the bottom of the pass toward the holy village of Muktinath. We will stop at the bottom of the pass for a rest and tea.  Another hour along the trail takes us to the Muktinath which is held sacred, and is a place where pilgrims come to from India and from within Nepal. It is sacred to both Hindu & Buddhists. We will stay at a guesthouse tonight with breakfast, lunch & dinner included.

Our day begins in the morning with a jeep ride to Jomsom that should take us about 1.5 hours. At Jomsom, there is an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) checkpoint. At Jomsom, we take another jeep or bus to Ghasa Village via several other villages, such as Marpha (apple growing district). At Ghasa we again change vehicles in order to reach Tatopani (meaning hot water in Nepali). After arriving at Tatopani we will check in to our guesthouse and then head for the hot springs and wash away any aches and pains – and dust too! Breakfast, lunch & dinner are included. 

With breakfast out of the way, we head to Ghorepani along a descending trail to the suspension bridge at the bottom. From here on, after crossing the bridge, it is all uphill passing small villages, terraced cultivated farms along the side of the hills, as well as a trek through a rhododendron forest. At one point on the trail, you will have an awesome view of Nilgiri South.

The trail continues on to the rather small village of Ghara and an hour further down the track to Sikhar Village. If you stand at the highest point in the village you can look all the way back down the trail to Tatopani. Looking across to the opposite hills are other scattered villages. From Sikhar we continue on the trail until we reach Ghorepani where we will stay the night. Breakfast, lunch & dinner is included. Prior to reaching Ghorepani you will also get glimpses of Dhaulagiri and Tukuche peaks. 

Weather permitting we will get up before sunrise and trek up to Poon Hill to watch the morning light flood the mountains in ever-changing colors. At 3195m, Poon Hill is an excellent place for a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. From here you can see various ranges, such as Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Annapurna-I, Machapuchare (Fishtail), Himchuli and Annapurna South. Your camera will be in overdrive with so much to see in the crisp and clear morning light – a photographers dream location. Of course, we have no control over the weather. This is in the hands of the Gods. We will then head back to Ghorepani for breakfast. After breakfast the trail heads downhill through a section of cool forest and passes several small villages until we reach Bhanthati Village and a little further on Ulleri Village. At Ulleri we will take a jeep to Pokhara, about a three to four hour drive through mostly rural farming areas, past waterfalls until we get to the village at Birethanti where there is another ACAP check point on the banks of the Modi River. Not far from here is Nayapul and then two hours more Pokhara where we will stay near Phewa Tal (lake). You may wish to explore Pokhara and take a boat trip on the lake, or merely stroll through the shops from one end of Lakeside to the other. Tonight we will have a farewell dinner to celebrate the completion of our Annapurna Circuit Trek. Tonight you will stay in a three star hotel with breakfast & lunch included.

With breakfast out of the way, we will drive back to Kathmandu which should take about six to seven hours with a few rest stops along the way. On the trip back to Kathmandu you may wish to consider other options, such as a trip to Chitwan National Park, a rafting adventure, scenic flight to Everest, mountain biking adventure, or guided shopping/scenic tour of Kathmandu. Tonight you have the luxury of hotel accommodation with breakfast included.

Today Glorious Himalaya representative will take you to the airport about 3 hours before your scheduled departure. On your flight home, you can daydream and imagine your next trip to Nepal and where you would like next to explore. Breakfast is included today.