Annapurna Circuit trek 9 days

After breakfast, we start our journey on a steep and narrow valley and observe the majestic view of the Paungda Danda rock face which is a curved rock face that lies above 1500m from the river. We can observe the pristine views of Annapurna II and Pisang Peak in the south and north respectively. We descend further to the Manang Valley floor to finally arrive at Pisang. We pass through pristine rivers, deep gorges, frozen glaciers, yak pastures, and vast meadows along the Marshyangdi valley. We stay overnight at a lodge in Pisang.

After breakfast, we start our trek to Manang. The trek starts with an ascent to upper Pisang passing through Geru. We trek this route as it provides magnificent views of the north face of the snow-capped mountain peaks including Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Gangapurna, Tilicho, and Pisang Peak. We ascend further to high altitude conditions with freezing temperatures and dry air. We also have an opportunity to explore the Tibetan influenced Buddhist culture including the visit to the outstanding Barge Monastery, which is the largest monastery in Manang. We stay overnight at lodge in Manang.

After breakfast, we start our acclimatization tour. Acclimatization is necessary for high altitude conditions as our bodies need to adapt to the fast-changing conditions. Acclimatization does not mean that you will stay idle. Trekkers should take small hikes and explore around the region even in the acclimatization period.
Acclimatization is essential after reaching the elevation of 3500 meters. You should adjust your pace and make sure you do not climb more than 300-600m per day. One important tip is to sleep a little lower than the highest point of the day to save yourself from altitude sickness. There are many side trips in Manang that will help you to acclimatize. You can visit the famous Praken Gompa which is an isolated gompa above Manang at 3945 m. The gompa lies ahead of a steady climb above the Manang town. You can also visit the emerald Gangapurna lake where we arrive after descending the main street and crossing the bridge. Gangapurna Lake is a beautiful lake formed from the melting of the majestic Gangapurna Glacier. We spend acclimatizing in and around Manang and let our bodies adapt to the high altitude condition. We can also observe Thorung la pass from the viewpoint near Manang. The entire landscape of the place reminds you of a Tibetan Plateau. After a day full of acclimatization, we return back to our lodge and stay overnight.

After breakfast, we start our trek to Yak Kharka observing the unique landscapes with diverse topography. We pass through the beautiful hills, alpine yak pastures, and mani walls. The diverse flora and fauna of the region will enthrall you. After trekking for some time, we arrive at a tree line dominated by grass, and bushes. The outstanding panorama of snow-capped mountains including Gangapurna, Annapurna II, Annapurna, III, Annapurna IV, Chulu Peak, Thorong peak, and others will make you fall in love with the place. The natural landscape and the diverse wildlife of the Annapurna Conservation Area are mesmerizing. You can see Yak’s and deer’s grazing in the vast meadows of the region. The vast meadow is popularly called as Yak Kharka by the locals. We stay overnight at a lodge in Yak Kharka.

After breakfast, we start our trek with an ascent of 3 to 4 hours. We leave Yak Kharka for Thorong Phedi via Jorsang Khola (4310m). You can observe many magnificent mountain peaks of Annapurna Himalayan range including Annapurna II, III, IV, Tilcho peak, Gangapurna, Thorung peak, Pisang Peak, Chulu Peak, and others. The Annapurna circuit trek 9 days offers great views of some of the incredible views of the mountain range along the trail. You can either stay at Thorong Phedi or high camp. From the high camp, you can make an easy cross to the Thorung La pass. We arrive at Thorong Phedi or Thorong High Camp at (4420m/14501 ft). Phedi means “foot of the hill” in Nepali. The trail leads us to a narrow path beside a high slope on a stony trail. We then walk slowly for one and a half hours to arrive at the Highcamp or Thorong Phedi. We stay overnight at a camp in Thorong Phedi.

After breakfast, we start our trek to the majestic Thorong La pass, which is one of the highest passes in the world. The highest point of the trek is also the most challenging. We wake up as early as 3 AM to complete this challenging trek. We force ourselves on a dry and icy air along the high altitude conditions to cross the Thorong La pass. The outstanding mountain vista ranging from Tibet to several of the main peaks of Annapurna will compensate all your hardships. The trail then descends all the way to the famous temple of Muktinath. The steep descent takes you about 3 to 4 hours. The religious pilgrimage of Muktinath is a holy site for both Hindus and Buddhists. The temple is also known as Chumig Gyatsa which means "Hundred Waters" in Tibetan. We observe the stunning landscapes of the region and stay overnight at a lodge around Muktinath.

After breakfast, we explore the beautiful Muktinath region for some time and then head down the valley. The pristine Kali Gandaki river flows beyond the valley on the trail to Jomsom, which is the district headquarters of Mustang. We pass through the beautiful village of Kagbeni along the way to Jomsom. Kagbeni is a beautiful old city that was a significant gateway to the entire Upper Mustang region. Jomsom is a scenic village with vast dry and arid landscapes. The apple cultivation farm and various apple products from Jomsom like apple pie, apple wine, etc are quite popular all over the country. There are many guest houses, lodges, and tea houses in the windy city of Jomsom. We stay overnight at a lodge in Jomsom.

After breakfast, we take a bus for a drive back to Pokhara. The scenic bus drive takes us to the deepest gorge in the world. You will also pass through the vast desert-like landscapes of the highlands and the green jungles of the hills. The majestic views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains will welcome us along the route until we arrive at Pokhara. We stroll around the Lakeside area of Pokhara in the evening and celebrate the success of the tour with a celebratory dinner.