Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal

Upon arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport, our representative meet with your group 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.

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

Chame

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

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.

Manang

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.

Manang

For any trek to higher altitudes, it is critical that you 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.

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.

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 planning B and will depend on whether we have the energy to continue past Thorong Phedi.

Muktinath

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. 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. And is a place where pilgrims come to from India and from within Nepal. It is sacred to both Hindu & Buddhists.

Tatopani

Our day begins in the morning with a Bus ride to Tatopani that should take us about 5-6 hours. At Jomsom, there is an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) checkpoint. At Jomsom, we continue bus drives 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.

Ghorepani

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.

Pokhara Lakeside

An early morning start and we trek up to Poon hil to watch the sunrise, an eye-opening experience that will leave you breathless. As dawn approaches the change in colours will be a magical experience where you camera will go into overdrive! This has to be one of the best places, on any trek, to view the Annapurnas, Dhaulagiri and its many snow-capped peaks. This is an unforgettable experience and will give you photos to boast about! We then head back to Ghorepani for breakfast and after have a 5-hour trek downhill to Nayapul. The first leg of the trek down to Tikhedhunga is a very steep descent after which we pass terraced fields for several hours before reaching Nayapul, and then on to Pokhara for the night.

Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal

we will drive back to Kathmandu which should take about six to seven hours with a few rests 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.

We 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.