Annapurna Circuit Trekking (12 Days)
Annapurna Circuit Trekking – 12 Days has been considered one of the best treks in Nepal for a long time because of its scenery and cultural diversity. The Annapurna round short trek itinerary has also been considered one of the classic routes in Nepal. It goes after the Marsyangdi Valley north of the core Himalayan ranges. It crosses a 5416m pass to descend into the impressive desert-like Tibetan-Style landscape of the upper Kali Gandaki Valley. Since it was unlocked to foreign trekkers in 1977, trekking around the Annapurna region has been the most famous in Nepal. It goes through scenic villages home to Gurungs, Thakalis, and Manages, presenting stunning views of the several Annapuran peaks above 7000m. Annapurna Circuit Trek 12 Days trail in the Manang side has been affected slightly, but the trek in Jomsom through the Kali-Gandaki valley on the west side is incised by…
Annapurna Circuit Trekking – 12 Days has been considered one of the best treks in Nepal for a long time because of its scenery and cultural diversity. The Annapurna round short trek itinerary has also been considered one of the classic routes in Nepal. It goes after the Marsyangdi Valley north of the core Himalayan ranges. It crosses a 5416m pass to descend into the impressive desert-like Tibetan-Style landscape of the upper Kali Gandaki Valley. Since it was unlocked to foreign trekkers in 1977, trekking around the Annapurna region has been the most famous in Nepal. It goes through scenic villages home to Gurungs, Thakalis, and Manages, presenting stunning views of the several Annapuran peaks above 7000m.
Annapurna Circuit Trek 12 Days trail in the Manang side has been affected slightly, but the trek in Jomsom through the Kali-Gandaki valley on the west side is incised by dusty roads piled by motorbike traffic and jeeps. So trekkers now finish their walk in Jomsom, and some use flight from Jomsom to Pokhara. The starting; you will be a witness of Himchuli to the northeast and Ngadi Chuli.
Annapurna Circuit Trek 12 Days frequently trekked counter-clockwise because the walk to the Thorung-La Pass (5416m) from the western side is too strenuous and has too much elevation gain to think about in one day. Sometimes, the weather could challenge the trekkers as Thorungla – Pass is often closed from December to mid-March, and stormy weather can change anytime. It would help if you were appropriately acclimatized before crossing the passes above 5000 meters. The highlights of this trek are visiting places such as Manang, Muktinath, and Jomsom. Adding a couple of days to your itinerary to explore some of these trails would be good. If you plan to trek to the base camp of the Annapurna, the Annapurna Base Camp/Sanctuary trek could be the best for you. The classic ABC itinerary is for 14 days; if you have a short holiday, it can be done within a week without the Ghorepani Poonhill trek.
Our representative from the Himalayan Windows Team will meet you at the Kathmandu International airport and transfer you to the hotel. You will meet your trekking guide at the hotel or at our office to have a brief discussion about the Annapurna Circuit Trek (12 Days) and we will take you for some last-hour shopping or any equipment needed for the trek and we will process for the trekking permit. If you are arriving late at night, we will discuss the trek and prepare the permit next day.
Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu
You will drive to Chame via private or tourist bus to Beshi Shahar via Prithivi Highway. You will reach to Beshi Shahar in about 6 hours drive and then we will take you to another local transport (Jeep) for Chame which takes about four hours. Our drive passes through the village of Sange, Bhulbhule, Nagdi, Chamche, Tal, Tima, Koto and etc with the breathtaking view of Mount Annapurna and Manaslu. You will have the most beautiful views of Annapurna II, Lamjung Himal, Manaslu. You will reach Chame which is the headquarters of Manag district.
Overnight at a tea house in Chame
There is a long, pleasant and mostly level walk in the forest. The pine-scented trail rounds a bend to reveal the first views of dramatic Paungda Danda rock face, a large curve slab of rock. The trail follows through the river valley with an excellent view along the way of Annapurna II and Pisang Peak at Pisang. Pisang recognizes the beginning of the region’s upper portion of the Manang District.
Overnight at the tea house in Pisang
The trail is about 20 KM and takes about 6-7 hours. From upper Pisang, the high trail enters pine grooves to reveal views of the small turquoise lake. The path does a dogleg through the charming village, passing with views of painted Mandalas and Dragon mouth spouts and hiking through the fields of grazing Yak and the wide variety of crops. This large Tibetan settlement provides excellent views of Annapurna II, III and IV, Tarkekang, Gangapurna.
Overnight at the tea house in Manang
This day is your second night in Manag to acclimatize to the higher elevation as you will proceed towards the Thgorong La. You can observe the spectacular views of the Himalaya nearby taking some advice from Himalayan Rescue Association. There are excellent views of the milky blue glacier lake at the foot of dramatic Gangapurna icefall and traditional stone buildings.
Overnight at the tea house in Manang
The trail continues to climb out of the Marsyangdi Valley. The trail follows this valley to the north, passing a Goths as it steadily gains elevation. The total walking distance is 10 KM and takes about four to five hours to reach Chure Letdar.
Overnight at the tea house in Churi Letdar
The trail from Letdar climbs along the east bank of the Jarkang Khola, then descends and crosses the stream on a wooden bridge at 4310m. Blue sheep and snow-capped leopard sometimes magically appear. The crow-like bird choughs, large lammergeyers, and Himalayan griffons circles you overhead.
Overnight at the tea house in Phedi
The trail becomes steep immediately after leaving Thorung Phedi, switchbacking up moraines and following rocky ridges as it ascends to the Thorung La Pass (5416m). You will see the long great Barrier ridge, Tibet like region of Manang as well as the Annapurnas, Gangapurna, and the heavily glaciated peak of Khatung Khang (6484m). The trail descends, crossing meadows steeply down to Muktinath. One of the most sacred sites for both Hindus and Buddhists.
Overnight at guest house Muktinath
After visiting Temple and religious shrines of Muktinath, you will head down the steep, barren hillside to Kagbeni. Kagbeni still feels like a medieval village, with its tightly packed mud houses and dark tunnels. Situated at an auspicious river confluence, it is also the gateway to Upper Mustang. We will pass some ancient caves and view the impressive white mountains. We transit at the significant Kagbedi town then we will reach to Jomsom, the district headquarter of Mustang.
Overnight at guest house Jomsom
Early morning, you will fly to Pokhara, it is a very short flight for about 15 minutes and we will take you to the hotel. You will have a free day today to relax and stroll around Lakeside in Pokhara.
We keep one free day in Pokhara because the flight from Jomsom to Pokhara is unpredictable and most of the flights have to be operated in the morning time. If the flight gets canceled due to weather; another alternative would be the drive to Pokhara. It takes 6-7 hours to reach Pokhara from Jomsom.
In order to return to Kathmandu; you can either take 25 minutes flight or take a tourist bus drive to Kathmandu which takes about six to seven hours. Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu
If you have a short time; you may take option taking a flight back to Kathmandu; so that you can explore the Kathmandu Temples and some Durbar Squares.
Now, your 12 day Annapurna Circuit Trek ends here. Our team will transfer you to the international airport for your final flight back home with sweet Himalayan memories.
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Payment: 30% of the total tour cost is required as an advance deposit to confirm the tour with Himalayan Windows (HW). The remaining balance can be paid 3 days before the departure date. Payment can be made through Wire Transfer or Credit Card. We process your credit card payment securely and a bank fee is applicable.
Cancellation: For cancellations more than 30 days before the Tour Start Date, No Cancellation fee is charged. For cancellation from 29 calendar days up to and including 4 calendar days before the Tour Start Date, a charge of 30% of the total invoice amount is charged. For a cancellation occurring within 3 days of the date of travel or No Show shall be charged 100% of the total invoice amount. Learn more about Terms and Conditions.
Accommodation: Accommodation is in twin rooms in cities unless a special request is made for a single supplement with an additional fee. Accommodation is in twin or dormitory at lodges on the trek, especially in a peak season, it is difficult to find single/twin rooms in the mountains. Our main focus is to provide clean and safe rooms to our valued guests.
Meals: Basically, every package we offer includes breakfast; lunch, and dinner are provided based on the cost we offer on the tour. In Bhutan, every package is on a full board plan that includes Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. During the trek, we provide all meals and you will need to pay extra for drinking water and snacks.
Nepal Visa: Every traveler from any country who wanted to visit Nepal needs to obtain a Nepal Visa. A Nepal Tourist Visa can be obtained on arrival and some countries need a visa before traveling to Nepal. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the Tour Start Date. Make sure to obtain a multi-entries Nepal Visa if you are planning cross-country tours.
Bhutan Visa Clearance: Every traveler from any country who wanted to visit Bhutan needs to obtain a Bhutan Visa Clearance before the travel to Bhutan. We obtain your Bhutan visa; you need to send your color-scanned clear passport copy. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the Tour Start Date. Before flying to Bhutan, a Visa Clearance will be sent to you from your tour operator, you have to print the clearance paper and show it at the Druk Air/Bhutan Airlines counter during the Check-in. The original visa would be stamped into your passport upon arrival at the Paro airport. Learn more about Bhutan travel info.
Tibet Group Visa (TGV): Every traveler from any country who wanted to visit Tibet from Nepal needs to obtain a Tibet Group Visa (TGV) in Kathmandu through the help of a tour operator. Make sure to land in Kathmandu 3-4 working days before the travel date t process for TGV. If you are traveling from China, no TGV is required, a Chinese Visa & Permit are needed, though. Learn more about the Tibet entry procedure.
Nepal & Bhutan: Nepal and Bhutan share a climate from high mountains to low land sub-tropical plains and jungles. Both countries have similar weather and are ideal to visit at the same time of the year. March to April (spring) & October to December (autumn and early winter) are the best time to visit as the air is clean and fresh with sunny skies. January and February are colder and June, July, and August (summer) are monsoon seasons.
Tibet: The best time to visit Tibet is from April to October as the weather is warmer, fresh, and sunny skies. November to March are usually very cold, but still possible to visit if the route is not blocked by the snow, especially in the regions like Namtso, Everest Base Camp, Mount Kailash, etc.
HimalayanWindows advises bringing proper Travel Insurance to all travelers who are interested in traveling in the Himalayas. Travel Insurance is a policy that helps cover medical problems, emergency evacuation, theft, loss of belongings, last-hour tour/ticket cancellation, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Nepal Tour and Trekking Do I Need A Visa To Enter Nepal? Yes, all foreigners, Except Indians, need a Nepalese visa to enter Nepal. Most nationals can get an on-arrival visa at the TIA airport. However, it is advised to consult with your nearby Embassy or Consulate of Nepal. What do I need to get my visa? You need to have a valid passport, some… Read More »
