12 Days Annapurna Circuit Trek

After arriving in Kathmandu, you’ll find a friendly representative from Alpine Ramble Treks waiting to welcome you to the vibrant city of Kathmandu. We’ll get you checked into your hotel, where you can spend the remainder of the day enjoying some hard-earned rest. You’ll also have the chance to meet your trekking guide and learn more about the adventure ahead of you. 

Our adventure begins in Kathmandu, Nepal’s buzzing capital city. From here, we’ll travel by road to reach the town of Besi Shahar, which lies about five or six hours to the northwest. This is an exciting drive that will allow you to enjoy the hustle and bustle of urban Nepal, the verdant greenery of lowland jungle roads, and the winding mountain passes that become more prevalent as we approach our destination. Upon arriving in Besi Shahar, we’ll get checked in at our hotel before enjoying the rest of the afternoon at our leisure. You can spend some time checking out the local cafes and restaurants, taking a stroll through town, or simply enjoying the divine mountain views from the Marsyangdi river.

Today we’ll venture further into the western Himalayas in an even more adventurous style! We’ll board a four-wheel-drive Jeep to make the drive to Chame. Our trip should take approximately four or five hours, and we’ll travel through many charming villages populated by people of Gurung and Magar ethnicities along the way. Before we arrive, we’ll make sure to stop for a photo opportunity at a striking waterfall cascading down the cliff face by the road. When we arrive in Chame, we’ll check-in at a comfortable local lodge with plenty of time for a proper look around town. The mountains of the Annapurna region loom close here in Chame. In fact, you’ll even get to appreciate unobstructed views of Lamjung Himal: a little-known but unequivocally spectacular mountain that rises to the lofty height of 6,983 meters.

Today is our first day of real hiking on the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Our trail begins just outside of Chame, passing along the left side of the valley through a landscape characterized by green forests and apple orchards. We’ll cross a suspension bridge and make a steep ascent to reach a beautiful little village called Dhukur Pokhari, where we’ll stop to enjoy a packed lunch. When we’re ready to get moving again, we’ll pick up the path just past the village to continue onwards to Pisang. You can count on getting great views of Annapurna II, Annapurna IV, and Pisang Peak during this stretch of the trail. When we arrive at Pisang itself, you’ll see that the town is actually divided into Upper and Lower Pisang, separated by the Marsyangdi river. Make sure to explore both parts of town to appreciate the superlative mountain views and colorful local atmosphere. We’ll choose the best available trekking lodge or teahouse for tonight’s accommodations.

Our next day on the Annapurna Circuit Trek kicks off with a hike along a valley blanketed in sweet-smelling pines. We’ll stop at the village of Braga, best known for its fascinating hilltop monastery dating back approximately 900 years. If it’s open, make sure to take a look inside—there are some beautiful statues in the gompa’s dark interior, and the views from its roof are simply sublime. Moving on, we’ll ascend through more pine forest and cross several suspension bridges, with the rushing Marsyangdi river far beneath our feet. Our goal today is the village of Manang, where we’ll spend the next two nights for acclimatization purposes. After getting checked in at our teahouse, make sure to visit one of the local bakeries while you gaze upon the vast monoliths of the Annapurnas and Gangapurna.

Spending another day here in Manang will allow our bodies the time they need to acclimate to the high altitude before we plunge further into the heart of the Annapurnas. This is a great place to explore: the town is packed with scenic viewpoints and timeless monasteries—and there’s even a cultural museum! If you find yourself getting restless, we can also embark on one of several available day hikes leading to fantastic glacial lakes set against a backdrop of skyscraping Himalayan summits, including Gangapurna and Tilicho Peak. Later tonight, we’ll return to our lodge for a filling meal and a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, our adventure on the Annapurna Circuit Trek continues.

Today’s hike begins with a serious ascent. We’ll take our time, climbing past the village of Tengi and sharing the trail with lots of locals transporting horses and yaks. We’ll reach the village of Gunsang just in time for an early lunch; this isn’t a very busy town, but it’s a nice place to stop and enjoy the marvelous views of Annapurna II and Annapurna IV. Then it’s onward through little stands of juniper and across a few suspension bridges. We’ll continue to ascend as we approach Yak Kharka, but the grade is much gentler at this point. You may notice that our trek today was relatively short; this is because we are steadily increasing our elevation and need to ascend gradually in order to avoid altitude sickness. So we’ll stop in Yak Kharka with plenty of time this afternoon to relax before spending the night in one of the town’s comfortable guesthouses.

Our morning begins with a slow climb across expansive alpine pastures teeming with roaming horses, where the shadows of high-flying Himalayan griffons glide across the ground. Soon we’ll approach a dramatic suspension bridge leading to the opposite side of the valley—although a smaller wooden bridge is also available for the faint of heart. However we decide to cross, we’ll soon find ourselves carefully navigating a rock-strewn slope on the way to Thorong Phedi. There are a couple of lodges here, as well as a handful of bakeries. We’ll get settled at our accommodations and then spend the rest of the evening resting in order to prepare ourselves for tomorrow’s ascent over the pass of Thorong La.

Are you ready for the most exciting day on the Annapurna Circuit Trek? This morning, we’ll be making our way up and over Thorong La. This is a thrilling high-altitude mountain pass situated at 5,416 meters in elevation. The views from the pass are sublime, especially with the spectacle of brilliant prayer flags snapping in the wind and contrasting with the windblown snow. In fact, heavy snows can occur here at any time of year; your guide from Alpine Ramble Treks will carefully assess the condition of the pass to make sure that it’s safe to cross. Our steep descent from Thorong La is no less dramatic, and we’ll take it slow in order to avoid slips and falls. Before long, we’ll enter the spectacular Kali Gandaki Gorge. By some metrics, this is the deepest gorge in the world, and it funnels water all the way from the Tibetan Plateau to the Ganges river. We’ll enjoy this fabulous scenery all along the path as we reach Muktinath at last. This town is an important site for religious pilgrims, and there are a number of temples and shrines to explore. We’ll spend the night in one of Muktinath’s teahouses to recover from our long day on the trail.

We have another long day of hiking ahead of us today, but the terrain won’t be quite as difficult as it was yesterday. We’ll begin by descending through the Jhong Valley. This region is characterized by a particularly ancient kind of Buddhism; keep your eyes peeled for a number of historic stone cairns. The village of Kagbeni marks the halfway point of today’s trail, and we’ll stop here to unpack our lunches amongst the narrow streets and stone-built homes of this remarkably photogenic town at the edge of Nepal’s restricted Mustang region. After lunch, we’ll continue through the valley to a part of the trail where the wind blows with surprising force—be sure to hold onto your hat! We’ll arrive at Jomsom after hiking for about three hours from Kagbeni, and from Jomsom, we take a local sharing jeep/ bus to Tatopani (Hot spring)!

Did you ever expect to luxuriate in a natural hot spring while hiking in the snowy Himalayan mountains? The springs at Tatopani are one of the Annapurna Circuit Trek’s most unusual and charming features. To get there, we’ll take a local bus from Jomsom, which should take about five or six hours. This trip is a great chance to chat with locals as the lush forest landscapes of rural Nepal pass by your window. When we arrive, we’ll check-in at our teahouse before heading down to the springs just below the village. Spend as much time as you’d like soothing your tired muscles in the hot water before heading back up to town for a sumptuous meal and a good night’s rest.

We can afford to sleep in today, waking gradually to the gentle sound of birdsong—our hike on the Annapurna Circuit Trek is almost over, and all that’s left is for us to make our return to the city. Our destination for today is Pokhara, which will take us approximately five or six hours to reach by road. Pokhara is the adventure and travel hub of the Annapurnas, most famous for the sparkling waters of Phewa Lake. The city also enjoys superb views of Manaslu, Machapuchare, and the Annapurnas—so you don’t have to say goodbye to the mountains just yet. When we arrive in Pokhara, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the town at your leisure. We can arrange for some serious thrills, such as paragliding or bungee jumping—or you can opt for a massage and a drink to pass the evening in luxury and comfort. However, if you choose to spend the day, make sure to enjoy the sights and sounds of Pokhara before returning to our hotel in the city.

After savoring an early breakfast at our hotel, we’ll board a comfortable tourist bus to make the day-long journey back to Nepal’s capital city. Our journey follows the Prithvi highway, named after the country’s first king. This trip will afford you a unique glimpse of Nepal’s countryside, including rushing rivers, terraced fields, and rural landscapes of surpassing beauty. You’ll also get to rub shoulders with locals and other travelers—and now that you’ve completed the Annapurna Circuit Trek, you’ll have a story or two of your own to share. Of course, we can also arrange for a domestic flight back to Kathmandu if you prefer to travel by air. Either way, we’ll find ourselves back in Kathmandu this evening. We’ll enjoy a final farewell dinner and show at one of the capital’s best restaurants. When it’s time to say goodbye, we hope you’ve had a fantastic time here in Nepal. The only question is: which trek will you do next?

Please note: The trekking times indicated above are approximate and are best used as general guidelines. During the Annapurna Circuit Trek, you’ll be able to travel freely at your own pace.