A classic Himalayan trek with all that trekking in Nepal has to offer – a high mountain pass, the world’s deepest valleys, the high and wild desert plateau of western Tibet, monasteries, pristine forests and people as diverse as Tibetan Buddhist lamas and Hindu villages.
This great circuit of the Annapurna begins at Besi Sahar and climbs through terraced hillsides and wooded ridges as you ascend the Marshyangdi Valley. As you walk, the peaks of Manaslu, Himalchuli an Lamjung tower above – a taste of peaks to come! Forest gives way to high altitude meadows and windswept ridges as you enter the region of Manang- your first real slice of Tibetan culture and landscape.
The walking pace slows to allow for safe acclimatization and a rest day in the tiny village of Manang allows time to explore the great glacier of Gangapurna and to prepare for the crossing of the famed Thorong La Pass (5395m). The rewards for your efforts in reaching the top are extraordinary – a view south across the entire Annapurna range, north onto the wild plateau of western Tibet and west across the forbidden land of Mustang.
A well-earned rest day at the village of Muktinath on the western side of Thorong La allows time to recuperate and to explore the hallowed Vishnu temple of Jiwala Mayi before walking back to Pokhara down the spectacular Kali Gandaki Valley – the deepest gorge on earth – with Annapurna 1 and Dhaulagiri soaring above.