Annapurna Circuit With Base Camp Trek - 22 Days

As you land at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, our airport representative will be waiting to receive you. They will transport you to a 3-star hotel in Thamel, Kathmandu's lively and touristy area with plenty of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, and pubs. It is favored by most tourists and trekkers to stay because of its location, which happens to be at the city center.

You can relax after checking in to a room at your hotel or take a tour around the neighborhood. There are many hiking equipment stores on the streets of Thamel, so it is a good time to purchase any that you may need. Make sure to overcome your jetlag with a good night's sleep in order to be ready for the adventure the next day.

At about 7 AM, your trek guide will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the bus station for Besisahar. Make sure to have your breakfast and get ready by 7 in the morning. The comfortable bus ride takes you along Kathmandu-Pokhara Highway till Dumre and then takes a right turn to head towards Besisahar. The road after Dumre is narrow, and the drive is thrilling as you glide over a paved path with the Marshyangdi River by your side. You get down in Bhulbhule, where you'll be staying tonight.

After breakfast at the lodge in Bhulbhule, we begin our 6-hour hiking journey to Chamje. Initially flat, the trail soon rises sharply, with the way carved out of a sheer rock face 200-300 meters above the riverbed. We eventually make our way down to Jagat (1300 m), which is situated on a shelf that protrudes into the treacherous Marsyangdi valley. The trail now notices minor ascents and descents to Chamje through the woodlands.

Following a hearty breakfast at the guest house, we begin our walk by descending to the river and crossing another suspension bridge. Next, we begin the ascent to Sattale (1550 m), which is up a slope that is so steep that it seems one slip may send you tumbling down the valley.

We continue on a route that winds above the river. At one point, when a tributary enters from the opposing bank, the main river is obscured by enormous stones.

After ascending a winding path to the hill's summit, the level plain of Tal (1700 m) will be visible. After Tal, the valley narrows, and the trail twists high and, in some places, sculpted directly from the rock. Before the trail descends again to the river and we pass a second suspension bridge to reach Dharapani, we must continue walking along the cliffs beyond the small settlement of Karte (1900 m).

Starting the hike day from Dharapani, we move towards a narrow grassy field. As the Marsyangdi River turns to the left, the Annapurna II becomes apparent in the distance. Then you reach Bagarchhap, a Bhote village with a Buddhist monastery nearby, where the prayer flags are seen waving flirtatiously in the breeze.

We ascend farther through pine and oak forests, walking past Danaque (2210 m). We reach the settlement of Timang, located at the base of Lamjung Himal, after crossing a short wooden bridge and a challenging rise. The trail after that is flat until we arrive at Chame, where we spend the night.

After breakfast at the guest house, we begin our hike to Pisang. The view of Lamjung Himal (6893m) sparkling in the early morning sunlight warms you to the core. The mountain vanishes as we ascend the path up the valley, passing a large apple orchard.

The valley begins to incline steeply as we continue on the path to Bhratang (2950m). After a brief ascent from Bhratang, we arrive at a rock-strewn area. Here, we cross a wooden bridge and proceed along a steep, curving trail.

Once more, we hike through a pine forest, and the valley's V-shape turns to a gradual U-shape, revealing a fantastic view. We then reach the lower settlement of Pisang, marked by a long Mani Wall near a bridge.

We begin our day from Pisang by ascending a high ridge that offers excellent views of the Manang valley and Tilicho summit (7145 m). As we descend past the airport for Manang at Humde (3320 m), we reach a flat region from where the northeast face of Annapurna III soars majestically above us. Annapurna IV (7525 m) is also evident from the broad plains of the Sabje Khola Valley.

Shortly past this, we take a wooden bridge across the Marsyangdi River to reach the small settlement of Mungji. On either side of the trail, you can see fields planted with some crops by the locals. Then, we see the village of Braga with its magnificent monastery, numerous enormous chortens, and Mani walls, all in front of which are the majestic Himalayan peaks. We arrive at Manang shortly after a strenuous ascent.

It is crucial to acclimatize well before crossing the Thorung La Pass. Manang is a perfect location for acclimatization as it has optional day hikes, such as crossing the river to view the massive icefall descending from the Annapurnas or ascending well beyond the village to get a full view of the Annapurna range and the Manang Valley.

Visiting the Himalayan Rescue Association [HRA] aid post in Manang is also worthwhile and educational. You can also go to Ganagapurna Glacier Lake to add some varied experiences to your rest day.

After a deserving rest day, you wake up in Manang feeling all pumped up to conquer Thorung La Pass, although we'll only make it to Yak Kharka today.

The trail slowly rises up from Manang to Yak Kharka, passing via the settlement of Gunsang (3960 m). We will hike all day while taking in the expansive mountain views surrounding us. Even though it seems like a short trek, the altitude will make us feel fatigued. We ascend even higher (4050 m) into the air with less oxygen, which makes breathing difficult. So, we move slowly and steadily.

Our quest for Thorung La Pass continues today with a hearty breakfast in Yak Kharka.

We start out by slowly climbing up to a hilltop, then descend to the headwaters of the Marsyangdi and cross over on a hidden wooden bridge. You first ascend the mountain way on the right bank of the Marsyandgi for a few distances before rising a treacherous hill on a small path and eventually descending to Thorung Phedi.

Today is the day we all have been waiting to cross Thorung La Pass, the highest point of our Annapurna Circuit with Base Camp Trek. We start our hike early in the morning on a challenging but clearly marked track to Thorang La Pass (5416 m). The slope eventually flattens out. We reach the prayer flags and chortens of the famed pass after 4 hours of steady climbing.

Dramatic vistas of Mustang's brown and purple hills spread out before us, as well as the snow-capped mountains at the top of the Kali Gandaki valley. The magical view around you as you stand at the top of the Thorung La Pass melts your heart with joy and accomplishment.

After a brief admiration for the insanely beautiful Himalayas, we head down toward Muktinath, which is an excruciating 1600 m descent, but the clear view of Dhaulagiri makes it all worth it. The grassy slopes eventually replace the moraines, then it is a delightful stroll up the Jhong Khola Valley to Muktinath.

First thing in the morning, you will visit the infamous Muktinath Temple and seek blessings for yourself and your loved ones. You will then return to the lodge for breakfast and prepare for a 4-5 hour drive to Tatopani.

Tatopani has a hot water spring which is believed to heal aches and pains. After checking in to the lodge at Tatopani, you can go to the hot spring and take a bath to ease your body after the demanding journey of 12 days.

Following breakfast at the lodge, we begin our trip by walking through a flat surface for a while. The trail then starts climbing sharply for at least an hour, passing through several villages with residents of various ethnicities and plenty of agricultural lands. The families of Gorkhalis who work for the Indian army make up the majority of the population here.

The trail then gradually climbs to Ghorepani while passing through a number of tiny settlements, including Phalate, Chitre, and others. You hike past rhododendron forests and may encounter many species of wildlife while admiring the expansive panoramas of several mountains surrounding you.

We take another rest day at Ghorepani, which is also the last rest day until we complete the entire Annapurna Circuit with Base Camp Trek. However, we don't spend the entire day relaxing at the lodge. We go for a sunrise hike to Poonhill, another highlight of the trek.

After an hour of hiking pre-dawn, we reach the hilltop Poonhill, an excellent viewpoint well-known for its breathtaking sunrise. The warm hue of golden sunrise reflecting from the snow-covered Annapurna range, Mt. Machhapuchre, and Mt. Dhaulagiri mesmerizes you.

Magar people majorly inhabit Ghorepani, and for the remainder of the day, you can interact with the locals, initiate conversations with the kids and spend a relaxing day enjoying a panorama of mountains.

After a warm breakfast at the lodge in Ghorepani, you will hike up and down several hills to finally reach Tadapani. It is a tiny settlement with only a few teahouses in the middle of a forest. On the way, you pass by Rhododendron forests which light up with red, pink, and white flowers in spring. You can still see the mountain panorama at a distance from the trail.

After breakfast at the tea house in Tadapani, we finally depart on our trek towards the Annapurna Base Camp. You'll enjoy the gradual descent through rhododendron, oak, and other types of lush forests with soothing sounds of birds chirping.

The trail first leads you to Kimrung Khola. The next step is a sharp ascent, followed by 45 minutes of flat walking with a few modest inclines to reach Chomrong, the entrance to Annapurna Base Camp. Chomrong is where we spend the night.

We begin our journey after eating a delicious breakfast at the lodge. The trail initially drops on stone stairs for an hour and a half before crossing the Chhomrong Khola on a suspension bridge and climbing out of the side valley. The trail winds through bamboo, rhododendron, and oak forests high above the Modi Khola on its west bank.

After continuing up a rocky path, we will reach Sinuwa (2350 m). From there, we will gently hike through the forest before descending a long, steep stone stairway into deep bamboo and rhododendron forests to reach Bamboo. From there, we gently hike up towards Dovan and finally arrive at Himalaya.

The valley opens and grows less steep as we begin the hike. The trail continues to the Annapurna Sanctuary, crossing two avalanche trails on a scrambling, cliff-hugging path. Following a little hike, we will arrive at Bagar (3310 m), a lush meadow with a few deserted hotels. The trail travels along the valley's left side for a while and gradually climbs to Machhapuchare Base Camp (3820 m), where we take in some of the most beautiful scenery of Annapurna, Gangapurna, Machhapuchre, and Hiunchuli.

After hiking through the alpine meadows for some time, our trail ascends. We then have a short climb to reach Annapurna Base Camp. At the foot of the tenth-highest peak in the world, you will savor a delicious Nepalese meal before retiring to bed.

We get up early and go to the Annapurna Sanctuary for sunrise. The sanctuary is a glacial basin surrounded by the peaks of Gangapurna, Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, and Annapurna I, the tenth-highest mountain in the world. Appreciate being close to peaks that rise to 8000 and 7000 meters, take some pictures, and head back to the tea house. After a quick breakfast, we prepare for our hike back.

Hiking down the same trail across Machhapuchre Base Camp, Deurali, Himalaya, and Dovan, we reach Bamboo, where we stay the night.

On our way back to Matque from Bamboo, we pass by the settlements of Sinuwa, Chhomrong, and Jhinu Danda. Our final trek route passes through typical Nepalese scenery, with farms, terraced fields, and traditional mud huts.

Once we reach Matque, we approach a vehicle going to Pokhara and board it. It is about a 2-3 hour drive to the city of lakes, Pokhara. Spend a relaxing evening at trekkers' paradise.

After an early breakfast at the hotel in Pokhara, you'll board a tourist bus departing at 7 AM to take you to Kathmandu. The 6/7-hour trip will be an amazing experience as you pass various small towns and get to view rural communities, gushing rivers, terraces, and lush rural landscapes.

After checking in at the hotel, head out for souvenir shopping or rest in your room. Join us for your farewell dinner on your last night in Kathmandu.

On your final day in Nepal, you will be driven to Kathmandu International Airport for your final flight back to your beloved country.

It has been an absolute honor for OUTFITTER NEPAL to serve you during the past 22 days. It was a pleasure meeting you, and we hope that you will carry awesome memories of your time in Nepal with you as you go through life. We hope to see you again in Nepal. Have a safe journey!