Annapurna half-circuit, 13 days trek / 4 nights in Kathmandu, total 17 days

Level ;Moderate to difficult (Max. altitude 5,400 m)

Best Month :March-May and Sep-Dec

This is the classic Nepal trek, starting from the subtropical middle hills, rising up into Manang district in the rain shadow, across the 5,416 m trans-Himalayan Thorong La (pass), past the shrine of Muktinath and slowly down, through Thakali country with stunning architecture, into the rice fields with riverside walks again. All along the way are numerous villages, each with its own distinctive people, houses, and natural features, and if the weather is clear, you will have a spectacular mountain view on most days.

Tentative Program

Day 01     Welcome by our representative from airport and transfer to the hotel.

Day 02      Free day in Kathmandu, night at hotel.

Day 03     Kathmandu to starting point of trek, Besisahar (823 m), by bus.

Day 04      Walk to Ngadi (914 m). Along the way are rice fields, lush forests, suspension bridges, a lovely, thin waterfall, and the      sound of a natural spring at Bhulbhule.

Day 05     Today's walk to Jagat (1,341 m) involves good views, flagstone-paved paths, a cantilever bridge, and a wonderful trail carved out of the rocky valley wall.

Day 06     To reach Dharapani (1,943 m),walk along a trail stabilised with wire-enclosed stones, forest, a

stone stairway, fields of corn, barley, and potatoes and again, waterfalls and bridges over the roaring Marshyangdi river.

Day 07     On the way to Chame (2,713 m) you first see typical Tibetan architecture - closely spaced houses, flat roofs held down by firewood. The walk goes through pine, spruce, and maple forests, walnut and apple orchards, a river junction, and even a flat section to compensate for the steepness of other parts!

Day 08     Today's walk to Pisang, the first higher village on the trek (3,185 m) takes you past a Buddhist monastery (gomba), a kani (painted decorative stone arch over the trail), a chhorten (Buddhist memorial), buckwheat fields, apple orchards, and pine forests, wooden and suspension bridges, and a spectacular curved rock face. Also visible are the remains of a village set up by Khampa (Tibetan warrior) refugees in the 1960s.

Day 09     Walk to Manang (3,351 m). Along the way is a long mani wall made of stones inscribed with the Buddhist mantra om mane padme hum. There are also monasteries and prayer wheels, barley and buckwheat fields, wooden bridges, and the first view of the next few days' high altitude desert landscape.

Day 10     The relatively short walk to Letdar (4,176 m) is to help in acclimatisation. Along the way are yak grazing pastures (kharka) and shepherd's shelters (goth), scrubland, a small hydropower plant, small streams to ford, or cross on bridges, and higher slopes where the blue sheep live.

Day 11     The second shorter acclimatisation day ends at Thorong Phedi (4,404 m) Walk along the river, cross a wooden bridge, then traverse a high scree slope to finally descend to the campsite. There are large lammergeiers here, and griffons, and around the valley slopes, blue sheep and even snow leopards.

Day 12     The route up to Thorong La (5,416 m) is ancient and still in use by yak and sheep herders. Steep

in parts, you follow switchbacking moraines and false crests to reach the pass, where you straddle the sharp      divide between two major Himalayan valleys and look upon the great ridge that divides Manang from the rest of Nepal, the massive snowpeaks to the south, and the stark Kali Gandaki valley. Passing the cairn (holy Buddhist knot of stones), you will  steeply descend switchbacks and moraines to eventually reach grassy slopes, a ravine down to the river, and the meadows that signal your arrival at Muktinath (3,802 m).

Day 13   Walk past the lovely orchards and ruined fort at Jharkot, and then continue walking along the

valley floor with occasional scrambles up to avoid fording the cold water, and ever-strengthening gusts of wind to reach Jomosom (2,713 m), the major transit point that has an airport, banks, a museum, and an army encampment.

Day 14     Fly back to Pokhara from Jomosom.Night at hotel.

Day 15     On the bus back to Kathmandu.Option by flight.Night at hotel. 19.00 diner on behalf of the agency.

Day 16 .  Free day in Kathmandu for shopping.night at hotel .

Day 17.   Airport transfer or back to home.