Annapurna Circuit Trek

Arrive in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. 

Take an early morning bus to Besishahar. Hiring a private jeep is comfortable and faster in reaching Besishahar. From here, continue by jeep to the next location, Shyange. Shyange is the starting point of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. 

Trekking duration: 7-8 hours

You will cross several suspension bridges, and picturesque mountain villages and experience Nepal’s rich culture and tradition. 

Trekking duration: 6-7 hours

The trail is a walk amidst a dense forest dominated by pine and fir. You will immerse yourself in serene surroundings as you traverse a serene path with majestic Lamjung Himal and Annapurna in front of you.

Trekking duration: 6-7 hours

The trek from Chame to Pisang traverses the northern bank of the Marsyandi River. As you trek on an undulated forest trail, you enjoy scenic waterfalls, charming mountain villages and majestic mountains. You will also come across a Swragadwari, a huge rock formation. The locals believed this to be the path to heaven. 

Trekking duration: 7-8 hours

Start your hike to Manang, one of the largest settlements on the circuit. As you hike on, you will encounter picturesque villages, lush green yak pastures, old Tibetan monasteries and the bustling village of Manang. We recommend the upper route via Ghyaru for spectacular views of Mt Annapurna. 

Set off to explore Manang village and learn about the rich culture of the region. Manang is a picturesque village and offers stunning views of Mt Annapurna. On the acclimatization day, you can explore the glacial lake, Gangapurna, formed by the glaciers from Mt Gangapurna, Annapurna IV and other peaks. 

Trekking duration: 4-5 hours

Take on some steep ascents while enjoying the majestic views of Mt Annapurna and Chuli peaks on your way to Yak Kharka. The vegetation has become sparse now, and you traverse a windy terrain with a few bushes. 

Trekking duration: 3-4 hours

The trek to Thorong Pedi is a challenging climb as the terrain is difficult to traverse with tree lines left behind. You will navigate a demanding trail to the tiny settlement of Thorong Phedi. 

Trekking duration: 8-9 hours

It is the most strenuous day of the trek. Start early to take on the steep uphill battle to the highest point of the trek, Thorong la Pass. Soak in the thrill of being atop 5000 mt and witness the spectacular scenery around you. After admiring the beauty of the Pass, descent to Muktinath begins. Visit the temple in Muktinath to offer your prayers to the god for an unparalleled experience in the mountains. 

Trekking duration: 6-7 hours

After offering your prayers at Muktinath, descend through Kali Gandaki Valley. Enjoy the thrill of the deepest gorge, Kali Gandaki before you continue your journey to the charming village of Marpha. 

Trekking duration: 6-7 hours

Set off on a descending trail, cross beautiful Nepali villages and enjoy the hot springs in Tatopani. Tato translates to hot and pani to water in Nepali language. 

Trekking duration: 7- 8 hours

Embark on a beautiful trail from Tatopani to Ghorepani. Set off on an uphill path to Ghorepani, traversing vibrant rhododendron forests, terraced farmlands, and quaint villages along the way. 

Trekking duration: 6-7 hours

Before you depart for Pokhara, set off on an early morning hike to Poon Hill for breathtaking sunrise views.

Soak in the dreamy sunrise and descend to Nayapul with a bag full of unforgettable memories of the mountains. Drive from Nayapul to Pokhara takes 2 hrs. 

You can stay in Pokhara for a day and explore the lake town of Nepal with breathtaking mountain views in the backdrop. Get on a bus or a flight to Kathmandu from Pokhara. 

Annapurna Circuit Trek is located in Western Nepal and inside the Annapurna Conservation Area.

The trek begins from Beshisahar and concludes in Nayapul.

The total distance of the Annapurna Circuit Trek ranges between 160 to 200 km depending on the route you follow. You will walk for a minimum of 5 to 8 hours every day.

No, it is not recommended to absolute beginners.  It is a challenging trek climbing above 17,000ft. You need prior experience of at least one high-altitude trek. 

It is a difficult grade trek as you set off on a multi-day trek, spanning over 15 days in difficult mountain terrain and high altitude regions. It requires trekkers to be in good physical condition to trek comfortably to Annapurna Circuit.

The temperature on the Annapurna Circuit trek ranges between 10°C to 20°C during the day in lower regions. The temperature drops to -10°C at higher elevations in spring months. 

The autumn months of September to November are considered the best time to do the Annapurna Circuit trek for clear weather and spectacular views of the big mountains. The monsoon rain washes off the dust and haze, offering a crisp mountainscape. 

Alternatively, spring is the best time to visit the Annapurna Circuit trek. The weather is pleasant and the trails adorn vibrant hues as rhododendron flowers bloom abundantly.

In spring, you will find the remains of winter snow at higher elevations. You will find the remains of the snow at higher altitudes if the region receives heavy snowfall.

It takes 15 to 20 days to complete the Annapurna Circuit trek, including travel to and from the base camp. 

The trek takes you to a maximum altitude of 17,769ft/5416m. 

Trekking without a licensed guide is restricted in Annapurna Circuit Trek.

Treks in Nepal come with the comfort of tea houses, making trekking on your own a feasible option. However, the trek requires experienced local guides to help you navigate strenuous terrains. 

Hiring a guide is mandatory when entering conservation areas in Nepal. Nepal Tourism Board recently passed new guidelines for foreign trekkers. As per the new guidelines, foreign trekkers are restricted from entering Nepal’s national parks and conservation areas without a guide or a porter for the entire journey.

Hiring a guide helps obtain trekking permits to enter the conservation area without hassle. 

The most important thing to do on a trek to avoid AMS is to drink water, more than your daily intake. Water is an excellent way to avoid AMS. Along with this, you should also have all the nutritious meals we provide on the trek. If you still are sceptical about getting AMS, we would advise you to carry Diamox tablets with you. However, according to the situation your Outdoor leader will advise whether or not you should take it.

We encourage everyone to trek, even if or not they have a medical condition. We have an in-house doctor at OWLS with whom you can discuss your medical condition and accordingly, we can help you better prepare you for the trek.

You will need an ACAP and TIMS card for the Annapurna Circuit Trek. 

Annapurna Circuit Trek is located inside the Annapurna Conservation Area so you will need an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). To acquire the permit take your guide’s help. The permit can be collected from the Tourism offices in Pokhara and Kathmandu. 

Don’t forget to carry passport-size photos for the permit. You have to pay Rs 3000* for the permit. The fee is payable in Nepali Rupees. 

The other permit you will need is a Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card. You can collect the card from the tourism office in Pokhara by paying Rs 2000.*

Although we provide filling breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with morning tea and evening snacks, you can carry some light snacks for munching on the trail. You can carry protein bars, dry fruits, and homemade snacks like Shakkarpara to help you give that extra energy on the trek. 

All our Outdoor Leaders are trained and experienced leaders. They have completed basic Mountaineering Course, and are equipped with basic first-aid knowledge. Our leaders are certified Wilderness First Responder course

You don’t need to carry your medical kit. If you have your prescribed medications, you need to carry them on the trek

The accommodation will be in tea houses. 

Yes. Communicate your requirements to the trek leaders beforehand, as it will be difficult to arrange to offload at the last minute. 

Note: At OWLs, we suggest that participants carry their backpacks and avoid offloading. However, in case of pressing circumstances, you can opt for offloading.

You can request the lodge or hostel you will be staying in Kathmandu to keep your extra luggage. However, do not keep valuables. 

For treks in Nepal, you will have access to regular concrete toilets as you will be staying in tea houses. Some tea houses have Western-style toilets with flush facilities. In higher elevations, expect a squat-style toilet facility. 

Tea houses on the Annapurna Circuit trek offer Thakali Thali, a staple in Nepali cuisine. This local thali is a combination of Daal (lentils), Bhaat (rice), and Tarkari (vegetable curry) with a side of green veggies, pickles, and some local delicacies. 

You will eat Thakali Thali for lunch and dinner on most days. Bread, eggs, porridge etc are available for breakfast.  

If you wish to order anything outside this staple meal, Teahouses offer a variety of options -right from pizza to pasta at lower elevations. However, this will come at an additional cost. As you go higher up, Dal Bhat is an easily available option. 

You will have access to WiFi in most of the tea houses, though they charge on an hourly basis for the WiFi connection. Keep in mind that a high-speed connection is unlikely, as you will be trekking through remote villages. You can also purchase a local NCell sim card before the trek begins. 

No, credit cards are not accepted in the tea houses. Withdraw enough cash in Kathmandu to pay for food, tea houses and other miscellaneous expenditure on the trek. The Tea houses accept the Nepalese Rupee.