Annapurna Circuit Trekking

The trail today is an easy start as we cross the first of many suspension bridge. We head towards the village of Danaque before climbing to Tamang Village (unique stone houses and slate roofs) where we are offered magnificent views of Manaslu (8163m), Annapurna and other towering peaks. Our trek takes us through several Tibetan villages, such as Thanchowk, Koto before reaching our destination, Chame.

After leaving Chame, we head to the village of Telekhu and on the trail have some magnificent views of the Annapurna Ranges and Mt. Pisang (6091m). Further along the trail, we have to re-cross a suspension bridge to the south side of the Marsyangdi River and then ascend through a pine forest and into the upper reaches of the Manang Valley before coming to Pisang.

Away from Chame, the scenery changes dramatically. Leaving Manang, we trek for 4 to 5 hours before reaching Bangsar Village (3756m). The trail then goes uphill towards Siri Kharka, passing through a small religious village along the way. The trail is quite demanding physically, but once we reach higher altitudes the views will compensate, with amazing views of Gungang Himal and Mt. Chulu. Guesthouse accommodation.

The trek today is less difficult, but you have to be careful to avoid slips on the gravelled path and potential avalanches.  Tonight we will stay at Tilicho Base Camp.

Today we climb higher toward Tilicho Lake, located at the base of Tilicho Peak (7134m). Along the trail, you may see yaks and deer grazing. The changing light causes the color of the lake to change through many shades of blue. After some time admiring the lake and surrounding peaks and snapping some photos, we will return to Sri Kharka. The trail covers an area of 4.8 sq. km.

Leaving behind Marsyangdi Valley, our day begins with a steep uphill climb through alpine woodlands with juniper bushes for 1½ hours; the trail takes us to Tengi (3,620m) and Gunsang (3,930m). Thereafter, to reach Yak Kharka, it is an easy walk along gentle undulating dry trails supporting thinly scattered juniper shrubs, while in striking contrast there are magnificent views of Annapurna III and Ganggapurna. En route, we may encounter rare blue sheep along with herds of yaks most definitely. Close-up views of Tilicho peak(7,134m) and Ganggapurna can be witnessed upon climbing up the brown grassy hill from the village.

The steep ascent out of Yak Kharka, on a wide trail, leads us to Ledar. Crossing the Kone Khola, we continue to climb along its eastern bank. We ten descend to Khangsar Village passing through Tare Gumba (3870m). Follow the Thorong Khola Valley until we reach the abandoned village of Old Khangsar before reaching our destination, Yak Kharka.

Today is the top highlight of the trek, the day we have been working towards. It is a long and challenging day but immensely rewarding. Our morning begins in the dark, walking along thin trails that hug the snow mountains that have been climbed by local herders for centuries. As the sun starts to rise, the white mountains surrounding us seem to be glowing. This amazing sight carries us up the steep ascent that can take around 4 hours. The gradient eases as we approach the summit but the altitude makes it challenging. Upon reaching the top we are greeted by fluttering prayer flags in abundance and rewarded with a stunning view of prestigious summits rising above 6,000m; to the west is the great Kali Gandaki Valley and in the north is the Yakwakang. The long descent towards Muktinath is gentle at the beginning becoming steeper the further we descend, as we near Muktinath the descent returns to a gentle gradient of grassy slopes. Before reaching Muktinath, the Dhaulagiri range comes into sight with stunning views of Dhaulagiri (8,167m)- the 7th highest mountain in the world and Nilgiri (6,940m). Many Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims travel to Muktinath solely to visit the famous and sacred temple, which lies directly above the village.