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Annapurna Circuit covers the central Himalayan region of Nepal. Blessed with astounding mountain views, Annapurna circuit is full of different ethnic communities, culture, traditions and different lifestyles. During the 18 days Annapurna Circuit trek, you get to meet different kinds of people and experience the authenticity of Nepalese Himalayas. The major Himalayas that can be seen throughout the route are Dhaulagiri I (8,167m), Nilgiri, and Tukuche, and the Annapurna range, which includes Annapurna South (7,219m), Annapurna I (8,091m), and Hiunchuli (6,441m), which can be clearly seen via Poonhill. Except from the mountain views, Annapurna Circuit’s major highlights include two major high altitude destinations, Tilicho Lake(4,919m) and Thorung La Pass(5,416m) along with Buddhist monasteries, chortens, historically important places and beautiful villages.
The trek embarks with a stunning drive to Besisahar, a beautiful village from where our trek officially begins. Day by day, gaining decent numbers of altitude, we head towards breathtaking panorama of Manang village. Passing through Chame, Upper Pisang and Ngawal we reach desert like hidden valley of Manang where we rest for a day. Then we head onwards to Tilicho Base Camp and finally one of the world’s highest lakes i.e. Tilicho Lake (4,919m). After exploring the lake we continue our roundabout journey towards Shreekharka, Ledar, Thorung High Camp and finally reach two major naturally and culturally important places Thorung La Pass (5,416m) and Muktinath. Thorung La Pass is at the highest altitude we reach on this journey and Muktinath is a high altitude temple sacred to both Hinduism and Buddhism followers. In the end we head to Poonhill view point, famous for its 360° views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Machhapuchre mountains.
On your arrival, you’ll be greeted by our Airport Representative. They’ll transfer you to your accommodation and brief you about the journey ahead.
After breakfast, we’ll go on to a brief tour of Kathmandu’s most significant UNESCO-listed world heritage sites. Following a briefing, you can begin making preparations for the trek.
Early in the morning, we go in a private vehicle to Besisahar. As you travel, you will be able to take in many lovely landscapes, and when you arrive in Besisahar, you will be taken to your lodging. In the evening, you can stroll through the village.
After a sumptuous breakfast, we travel to Chame, a picturesque entryway to Manang. As the unusual landscapes begin to unfold before your eyes, you’ll continue to feel eager for the voyage ahead.
Following a delightful breakfast, we continue to Upper Pisang. We travel through little curves and waterfalls watching outstanding mountain sceneries before spending the night in Upper Pisang.
Following belly full of local breakfast, we head towards Ngawal. You will encounter many enthusiastic locals along the way welcoming you with smiling faces. You’ll also get to experience the authentic way of life of the villagers. Spend the night at Ngawal.
You’ll arrive at Manang, another stunning location, today. Manang is a really lovely place with a distinctive desert-like terrain. Because every place after Manang will be a little different than you would have expected, you’ll feel more enthusiastic as you travel.
As a standard procedure, we’ll be taking a rest day and acclimatize our body with the altitude. Go for a quick trek to one of the nearby sites to take in the mountain scenery. Take a stroll around the streets of Manang in the evening. Spend the night in Manang.
We will gradually gain altitude as we go to the Tilicho Base Camp. We’ll move slowly and methodically while thoroughly enjoying ourselves. With an eventful day tomorrow, we’ll spend the night at the base camp.
The highest lake in Nepal, Tilicho Lake, will be our destination today. Both the scenery and the weather will be fantastic. We’ll take a short stroll back to Shreekharka where you can spend the remainder of the evening.
After breakfast this morning, we’ll make our way to Ledar. You can sample some delicious yak cheese and churpi here. Churpis can be eaten for many months, so you can also take some home.The next day, we’ll hike to Thorung High Camp after spending the night at Yak Kharka.
You’ll hike to Thorung High Camp today. We’ll set off early because it will be a long hike. You’ll be able to witness a lot of breathtaking mountain views and other unusual environments while you travel.
Our overnight stop will be Muktinath today as we journey to a well-known mustang region. We cross the highest altitude of this trek Thorong La Pass at (5,416m). We will set out very early and proceed slowly because today’s walk will be very long and difficult. Muktinath village will be our home for the evening.
Today, we drive towards Tatopani to explore a different and exciting route to Poonhill. Poonhill is currently one of the top touristic hotspots of Nepal, popular for its extraordinary mountain views. Tatopani will be our base for the night.
Today, after breakfast, we travel to Ghorepani, one of the area’s well-known tourist spots and a Magar village. Magars are the indigenous people of Ghorepani. As we go to Ghorepani, where we will spend the night, you can take in numerous spectacular mountain views.
Early in the morning, in an effort to see the stunning sunrise, we travel to Poonhill. Located at 3,193 meters of altitude from the sea level you can take in the views of many phenomenal snowcapped mountains such as Dhaulagiri I (8,167m), Nilgiri, and Tukuche, and the Annapurna range, which includes Hiunchuli (6,441m), Annapurna I (8,091m) and Annapurna South (7,219m) from the poonhill viewpoint. We arrive to Ulleri and drive back to Pokhara to enjoy a restful night’s sleep.
Today, we take the same route back to Kathmandu. After being escorted to a charming hotel, you can spend the evening shopping for trinkets. This wonderful journey comes to an end today, and tomorrow you’ll be returning to your home.
Finally, the journey comes to a conclusion. Three hours before your trip, we’ll drop you off at the airport. I hope the trip was successful and you made life-long memories. We’ll meet up when you return to this quaint, stunning, and wonder-filled nation. Farewell.
All visitors to Nepal (except Indian nationals) require an entry visa. Please make sure you have a visa to cover the entire length of your trip, including buffer days. A 30-day visa adequately covers the trip duration for most of our packages including the Annapurna Circuit trek. Visa can be acquired at your local Nepalese Embassy or consulate or on arrival in Kathmandu. However, some Asian and African nationalities are required to obtain a visa in advance. It is better to obtain the visa prior to your arrival to avoid delays at the airport. The visa is valid for 6 months.
On-Arrival Visa Fee:
Multiple entry 15 Days – 30 USD
Multiple entry 30 Days – 50 USD
Multiple entry 90 Days – 125 USD
Note: It is advisable to carry some cash (in US$ or other major currencies) to pay for the visa fee. Traveler’s cheques are not accepted.
Click here to stay updated on any changes in rules and regulations.
Click here to download the online visa application.
Please make sure the validity of your passport is 6 months post your arrival in Nepal. We recommend that you keep with you a photocopy of your passport separate from the original to help you in case you lose your passport. It is mandatory to carry your passport on the trek with you as it is required for internal flights.
32 would obtain all required permits for trekking on your behalf. Also, the costs of permits are already included in your package cost. No extra payment is required to obtain them. The following information has been compiled for your understanding.
To embark on the Annapurna Circuit trek, you need to secure two permits: an Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit and a TIMS permit. In case the trek is combined with that of restricted regions, a restricted area permit would be required instead of the TIMS permit in addition to the Annapurna Conservation Area permit.
The charge is NPR 2000 for international trekkers and NPR 200 for SAARC nationals. The charges are per person per entry.
The Annapurna Conservation Area is the largest in Nepal spanning 7,629 sq. km. It offers a safe haven to 1,226 species of flowering plants, 105 mammals, 518 birds, 40 reptiles and 23 amphibians. It is also home to people from several cultures and ethnic groups.
The charge is NPR 2000 for international trekkers and NPR 1000 for SAARC nationals. The charges are per person per entry.
Accommodation during the trek will be mountain lodges run by local entrepreneurs. The rooms on offer generally include two single beds with a mattress, warm blanket and pillow each, accommodating two persons. The rooms are reasonably decent and clean given the remoteness of the trekking regions. At most of the camps especially in lower regions along the Annapurna Circuit trail, an attached bath with a hot shower is offered. The rest of the camps have common bathrooms. At higher camps (like Ledar and Thorung Phedi along the Circuit trail), although we would do our best to avail a separate room, you might have to manage in dormitory-styled rooms, in case separate rooms are not available, especially during busy seasons.
The package includes one course each of breakfast, lunch and dinner with a cup of tea/coffee. Most of the teahouses on the trail (with the exception of more remote ones) offer some variety of Nepali, Oriental and Western cuisine. Breakfast options include cereals (oat porridge, muesli, cornflakes, roasted barley or wheat flour), bread (toast, sandwiches), pancakes, eggs, and chapatti (Indian-styled wheat bread). As for lunch and dinner: dal-bhat (staple Nepali food comprising a set of steamed rice, vegetable curry and lentil soup), hashbrowns, mashed potatoes, noodles, dumplings, spaghetti, soup, and pizza among others. Breakfast and dinner would be served at the lodge/teahouse that we overnight in. We would stop for lunch at one of the teahouses in between the day’s trek. After dinner, some fruits will be provided.
Your guide can advise you on the best diet to maintain sound health and fitness level. If you have a special dietary requirement (vegetarian, vegan, food allergies, etc.), please communicate it to your guide so that necessary arrangements can be made. Additional orders would attract extra costs payable directly to the respective lodge.
It is worth noting that most of the places on the Annapurna Circuit trek are deprived of regular electricity and they do not have proper refrigeration facilities. Therefore, it is recommended that you maintain a vegetarian diet during your trek as the meat available may not be fresh.
As transport of supplies to the mountain lodges and teahouses involve considerable manual labour and costs, trekkers are expected to be extra careful to keep wastage of food to a minimum.
While on trek, please drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration while on a trek can lead to fatigue and other unpleasant experiences that can take the fun out of trekking. It is advisable to drink at least 3 to 4 litres of water a day, mostly during the daytime. Please carry a water bottle along and some water purification pills which can be bought at the shops in Thamel. You may refill your bottles at the lodge or at natural water sources. Please, only fill in places that your guide recommends as safe. Also, please make sure you purify it before drinking. If available, you can also buy bottled water at the lodges where you stay. Please note that the cost of bottled water increases as you reach higher. It may cost from USD 1 to around USD 4 per 1-litre bottle.
How often to drink water?
Drink half a litre of water as you wake up on an empty stomach. You can have another half-litre within an hour of waking up. When you start trekking, have regular sips of water in brief intervals before you experience dryness in your mouth. Your water intake while trekking should be 1.5 to 2 litres. When you feel tired, take a break and hydrate. When you reach your campsite, have a litre of water in small breaks.
It is advisable for you to carry extra cash for your personal expenses. As far as possible, please carry the cash in Nepalese rupees from Kathmandu itself, so that you get a fair exchange rate. The amount of money to carry with you depends on your personal spending habits. However, we suggest you carry cash in Nepalese rupees equivalent to USD 15 to 20 per person, per day.
When it comes to offering a fulfilling trek or a safe one, we tip a little in favour of safety. As you ascend higher, chances are, you may be affected by altitude sickness (also, Acute Mountain Sickness). We strictly follow certain safety guidelines that ensure a gratifying, but more importantly, safe trek for our guests. Although the Annapurna Circuit trek itinerary itself has been designed to allow your body 2 days of rest and acclimatization in appropriate intervals and the average walking hours have been set at a comfortable 5-7 hours a day, we do take extra precautions to avert any health issues during and after the trek. Our experienced trekking guides are also trained in ‘Mountain sickness and first aid’ and know how to prevent mountain sicknesses and also act in case of emergencies.
We urge you to get yourself medically examined before taking on the trekking challenge. Please make sure you are cleared by your doctor to make this trip, which involves flying, hiking and trekking. If you are given a conditional clearance or have a special medical condition (asthma and others) or allergy that may be induced in specific conditions, be sure to let us know in full detail so that we can plan accordingly.
Although the Annapurna Circuit trek is not technically very challenging, a prior experience of altitude hike/trek is preferred. A good level of mental and physical fitness needs to be developed and maintained. It is advisable to train your body at least two months prior to the trek with cardiovascular workouts. Practice hikes with a pack of weight roughly equivalent to your actual pack would be really helpful. While on the trek, do not let your determination wither and maintain a positive attitude at all times.
The highest that we climb in the Annapurna Circuit trek is 5416m at Thorung La pass. Altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness can be triggered in high altitudes (generally higher than 2400m/7874ft) where there is less oxygen than in lower altitudes. It happens when you ascend much height in a short time before your body can adjust to the change. Symptoms which take anywhere between 6 hours to a few days to develop include severe, persistent headache, coughing, pressure in the chest, shortness of breath even while at rest, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite and others. The illness may cause a medical emergency, especially when the condition worsens to High altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) or High altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE).
The Annapurna Mountain range is a significant part of the great Himalayan range, consisting of one peak over 8,000 meters high – Mt. Annapurna (8,091m), 16 peaks above 7,000 m, and 13 peaks over 6,000m. The glaciers feed numerous springs, streams, and rivers which in turn instils life in the hills and basins down below. The varied geographical terrain ranging from the deepest gorge to the high Himalayas, high altitude freshwater lakes to the hilly hot springs, and mountain deserts to the largest rhododendron forests make for a wide possibility of hiking terrains. The biological diversity of the area is protected by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project. Trekkers are urged to abide by the rules and regulations and play a part in the preservation of the pristineness of the region for future generations.
Blessed with perennial rivers, majestic mountain scenery, and fertile earth, people identifying with diverse ethnicity and culture have thrived here for centuries. As diverse as the landscape, the cultural experience is no exception. The Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Brahmin, Chhetri, Thakali, Manangi, and Tibetan ethnic groups dwell here and have their own unique sets of language, culture, lifestyle, festivals, and dances. Major national festivals are also celebrated here–Dashain, Tihar, Holi, Lhosar, and Maghe Sankranti, to name a few.
The lifestyle here is as diverse as the culture and landscape. While agriculture, livestock, and trade are major occupations of the inhabitants, the population engaged in businesses and services assisting tourism activities also makes up a significant stratum. Being a mountainous region, lodge operators, expedition leaders, trek leaders, porters, and camping cooks are some of the roles that you would find the population here engaged in. The Annapurna Circuit trek, in particular, is more inclusive of the diversity of culture, geographical terrain, wildlife and others, making for a remarkable journey.
The communities here cherish and maintain a close affinity to nature. They approach the natural environment with a sense of reverence. Some communities have a deity and maintain a shrine in their locality. The locals are friendly and welcoming and love to have guests come over. However, while exploring the Annapurna region, visitors are expected to be respectful of cultural sensitivities.
Some of the lodges (in more remote areas) are powered by solar panels and the energy supply may be limited. You may be required to pay a minimum price (USD 1 to 3 per full charge) for charging of the cell phones and other electronic devices which will be directly collected by the lodge owner.
Local mobile network operators like Ncell and NTC offer limited coverage along the Annapurna trekking region. There have been significant 3G and 4G mobile network extensions in the rural areas of Nepal. Thus, you can expect to find fair network coverage in/near settlements. Generally, villages and towns in lower altitudes offer workable internet and connection services. You can avail a local sim for as low as NRs. 100 (less than 1 USD) with limited validity and internet data volume. On average NRs. 100 to 500 would take care of your internet usage for the duration of the trip.
A good quality sleeping bag and down jacket would be required to withstand the drop in temperature in the high altitude on the trek. A minimum rating of -15 C (5 F) would be advisable for the gears. 32 offers the option of free borrowings of a decent quality sleeping bag and down jacket. These are rated up to -20 C (68 F). The gears are checked thoroughly for quality and cleaned after each usage. Please, let us know in advance once you have booked your trip with us to enable us to arrange one for you. Also, please remember to return them once you are back from your trek.
A pair of crampons may be necessary while on the Annapurna Circuit trek, especially while summiting the Tilicho Lake and/or the Thorung La Pass. It is advisable to carry them since mountain weather can change abruptly and fresh snow can make walking difficult in the high terrain.
Always walk in a group. The guide will try to stick around with everyone. However, there is a possibility that some people walk faster than others. If that is the case, he shall be walking in turns with the participants. The rest of the group will be accompanied by the porter/s or an assistant guide in a bigger group.
To ensure a safe and secure trekking experience in the Himalayas, it is highly recommended to obtain travel insurance. As you embark on your journey, you may face various challenges like altitude sickness, harsh weather, accidents, and flight cancellations. By purchasing travel insurance, you will have coverage in case of any unforeseen events and enjoy a worry-free trekking adventure. Specialist travel insurance would be required to guarantee you are adequately insured. In addition to covering medical expenses and trip cancellation, please ensure that all activities and destinations in the itinerary are included in your policy, specifically mountaineering or alpinism. Coverage in the event of emergency helicopter evacuation, medical treatment and hospitalization in case of injury, or death is mandatory.
At 32, we recommend that you do your own research to select the insurance company. A valid proof of your insurance certificate should be brought along during the trek. While we don’t have any affiliations with insurance providers, we’re happy to offer advice and assistance if you need help understanding your insurance policies or to select an insurer. Please note that the insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurance company and we cannot be held responsible for any dispute between you and your insurance company. Failure to provide proof of insurance may prevent you from joining your program and you wouldn’t be eligible for a refund. Please follow this link to know more. Travel Insurance
In an event of a rescue/evacuation situation, your guide will be handling your rescue situation in coordination with the base office. In case an evacuation situation arises, the helicopter companies are contacted immediately. However, due to recent changes in regulations, rescue helicopters can only respond to a rescue call once the Guarantee of Payment (GOP) is received from the client’s insurance company. It is therefore mandatory to carry with you a summary of your insurance policy containing the policy number and details along with the Specialty Assistance (24X7) helpline number. Please, make sure you share the insurance policy information with us before you depart for the trek.
We do our best to ensure the above itinerary is adhered to, but cannot fully assure you of the same. The conditions in the remote Himalayan regions can be volatile, and susceptible to unforeseen weather changes and natural disasters, rendering the existing trails unsafe and may also affect the health of the trekkers. In case of any emergencies due to the afore-mentioned reasons or any other, you are requested to respect any decision that your team leader (guide) makes which is in the best interest of your safety. We humbly request for your full co-operation should such a situation arise.
32 arranges for your transportation to the trek start and end points as part of the package services. A private car with a professional driver is generally arranged for the transfers. However, for transfers along the trekking trail and depending upon the circumstances a shared vehicle would be utilized due to ease of availability. The transfer from Kathmandu to Besishahar would be in a bus while the transfer from Besishahar to Chame would be in a shared jeep. At the end of the Annapurna Circuit trek, the transfer from Ulleri to Pokhara would be in a shared jeep and from Pokhara to Kathmandu would be in a deluxe tourist bus with an option of private car or flight transfers, subject to additional costs.
While it is feasible to do the Annapurna Circuit trek at most times of the year, the most favourable times to undertake it are from March to May and September-end to November, when the weather is expected to be at its best. The weather during these months is generally clear with bright sunny days making for an ideal trekking condition. The temperatures during the day range from 15°C to 20°C, while at night, they can drop to as low as -15°C. However, the climate at higher elevations is highly unpredictable, and it can get quite cold and windy. It is best to avoid the monsoon season from June to August, as the trails can be slippery and hazardous, and the views are often obscured by clouds and mist.