Combined Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary Trek

It's your first morning in the glimmering capital city and this is a very special day as you get to travel across the entire Kathmandu valley. Today as per our scheduled itinerary, you will be given a fully guided Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour which takes you to the most popular top UNESCO World Heritage Sites within Kathmandu valley. Our tour includes taking you high up to one of the oldest prehistoric temple of Swayambhunath which is often referred to as the Monkey Temple. That’s just a warm up as you will visit other iconic places like Boudhanath stupa and scared religious Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath Temple. Later to conclude your tour, you get to visit the historic site of Kathmandu Durbar Square. Last but not the least, before you leave Kathmandu for you your onward trek, you shall have a short pre-trip meeting with us and meet your guide for your trek. Stay overnight at Kathmandu. Accommodation: Hotel – Included Meal: B.

Hoping to keep your heart filled with new adventures, we embark ourselves on a journey to the western town of Syange via Besisahar today. Waking up early in the morning, we start our day with a picturesque drive far away from the bustling polluted city areas and into the scenic natural trails filled with luxuriant hills and affectionate local ethnic Nepalese people. Driving along the side of Mahesh River, we slowly get closer and closer to the stunning western region of Nepal and start following a road side by side with the Trishuli river which is mostly famous for being the best place for rafting enthusiasts. After driving for about 5 hours and covering 172 km, we reach Besisahar which we are planned to leave behind to ultimately arrive at our final destination of Syange. From here one can see incredibly visual panoramic vistas of the snow capped mountains. Stay overnight at Syange. Driving time: 7-8 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Get ready as today marks the first day of your actual trekking experience as you get to walk in the beautiful valleys festooned with verdant wildlife and ecosystem. After having our breakfast, we start trekking up and down the hill trails to reach Chamje village which is one of the many villages located on our trekking trail. Further on, we cross long suspension bridges, hike through densely forested trails while enjoying the stunning beauty of nature throughout the entire trek journey. Cascading waterfalls can be seen brightly decorating our trails while we make a way through the narrow valleys to deep gorges which can truly a sight worth seeing. After a moment, we now reach the next village settlement of Tal which is located at a low plain area with ginormous waterfalls surrounding it. Walking past the Mani stones, we now cross the Marsyangdi River by the suspension bridges and ultimately arrive at our final destination of Dharapani. Stay overnight at Dharapani. Walking time: 6-7 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Waking up to the great view of Dharapani, we shall have our breakfast as usual and then continue onward with our trek. The initial part of our trek constitutes a very gentle ascent which is entirely accompanied by the enthralling view of the Annapurna II (7,937 m). With each step, we take we get closer and closer to newer more vibrant landscape. Marching ahead we go past through Danakyue and hike up a gentle hill slope to arrive at Temang village. From here trekkers can get very panoramic view of the entire Manaslu range which seems to be an exquisite sight for trekkers who have never been so close to the Himalayas. Later on, the trail starts to change in a clearer trail with forests of pine and fir lining up alongside us as we walk away from Temang village. A couple of teahouses and terrace fields are layered out as we try to descend down to cross a bridge and again climb our way up to reach Thanchok village. Chame village which is our last destination can be reached within 1 hour from Thanchok. Stay overnight at Chame. Walking time: 5-6 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

We are planned to head north so after waking up and having our breakfast, we continue walking through forested trails filled with soothing natural sceneries and arrive at the Brathang village beside a river. The Brathang village is an historic site which was used as a resistance camp by the opposite Tibetan citizens who used to fight against the militarized Chinese soldiers near the border. But now this place is just a tiny village with couple of apple orchards and tea houses to serve tourists. Moving forward, we now walk on a trail along a cliff side and reach the Upper Manang district which lies ahead of us through forest on a steep hike trail. As we walk further, the landscape starts to change into a more arid broad area with vegetation largely consisting pine, Juniper and berberis. Accompanied by the hypnotizing view of the Annapurna II, we slowly gradually reach the Pisang village where one can easily see the glorious peaks of Chulu East, Pisang Peak, Annapurna II and IV. Stay overnight at Pisang. Walking time: 5-6 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Tighten up your shoes as we are going deeper into the upper regions of Manang district today. So, after having our breakfast, we start moving away from Pisang while walking in the rain shadow area of Manang. In the beginning of our journey today, we have two alternate trek trails which we can follow. The first is from the north of Marshyangdi river which provides better mountain vistas and keeps you on picturesque trail while moving from Ghyaru and Ngawal. Other trail lies in the south banks of Marshyangdi which goes through Hongde village which involves far less ascents than the northern trail. But both the trails are destined to meet up in Mungji nevertheless. Finally, after walking for about 4 hours, we reach Bragha village which is a huge village mostly covered by the ancient Tibetan monastery of this entire region which is predated to be more than 100-year-old. After arriving at Bragha, one can spend their time roaming around this dramatic village where picture worthy items can be found easily. From the parched landscape to the bright red monastery, everything seems to give an exotic feel to one’s travel here. Walking time: 3-4 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Hope you had a proper good night rest because this day is meant to help you acclimatize properly for the upcoming journey ahead which from here onward goes high up to Yak Kharka tomorrow. Hence, without proper acclimatization, it can be very tough for you to keep continuing on with your demanding trek that lies ahead. Today we suggest you to go out for some short stroll around and have a look at the stunning sites of this region. To keep your body ready for the upcoming days which require stressful walk up through treacherous landscape. You can visit places like Gangapurna lake or Bodzo Gompa where you can experience natural beauty of this region up-close without walking for long period of time. For your information, if you’re visiting this region during the prime trekking seasons, several western doctors can be found here who advise and provide information regarding High Altitude Sickness. Stay overnight at Manang village. Walking time 3-4 hrs – Accommodation Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

From today, the trekking trail vastly increases to 4,110 meters above sea level. So, you’re advised to keep a look out for the symptoms of Altitude Sickness. After waking up and having our breakfast, we continue trekking away from Manang and then cross a small stream nearby to gradually ascend up through the valley. In the early phase of our trek, we climb little by little up to Tenki village first of all. Moving northward, we now have to descend a bit to reach the Jarsang valley. Lastly, we need to cross a river located here and make a final push to reach the settlement of Yak Kharka which shall be our final destination for the day. You can see that the vegetation at these altitudes get thinner and thinner due to the lack of proper nutrients which are needed in order for plants to thrive. Stay overnight at Yak Kharka. Walking time: 4-5 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Continuing on with our trek, we now have to have to reach the next highlighted destination of Thorong Phedi which needs more ascending hikes. After leaving Yak Kharka, we make an hour hike to Ledar village by crossing a bridge while enjoying the great mountain vistas. Trekkers while moving through the hills can spot many herds of Yaks and Himalayan sheep grazing around here and there. After Ledar, the climb starts to steeply begin and then drop down to Jarsang Khola. Few moments later, we reach Thorong Phedi through a steep ascent along a scree hill slope. Upon reaching Thorong Phedi, trekkers can relax and rest their exhausted bodies while enjoying their remaining time by walking around the vicinity of their lodges. Stay overnight at Thorong Phedi. Walking time: 3-4 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

We hope that you were able to regain your exhausted strength with a proper good night sleep because today we have a daring task of crossing the formidable Thorong La Pass. As the top of the pass is situated at an elevation of 5,416 meters above sea level, one has to understand that the climb up to the place has its own challenges and precautions. We have a long climb today so we start early in the morning and hope to reach atop Thorong La Pass within 10 am. After 10 am the weather conditions rapidly change from a calm scenario to a more unpleasing one as the wind begins howling faster and faster. Climbing steeply ahead on a normal trail, we get welcomed by the sight of Buddhist prayer flags fluttering ahead us which only means one thing that we have reached the top of Thorong La Pass. From here trekkers can see numerous Himalayan mountain ranges which include Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Nilgiri, Mt. Tukuche and the entire Annapurna range. Subsequently, we now have to descent down to the Kali Gandaki valley floor. With some extra steps, we now approach Muktinath which is a very revered religious site for Buddhist and Hindu believers. In Muktinath, trekkers can see various small temples and stupas which are relentlessly visited by numerous pilgrims. Stay overnight at Muktinath. Walking time: 7 to 8 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

As the sun rises on the esteemed site of Muktinath, we shall wake up and have our breakfast before heading out away from Muktinath. Initially, we follow a downward trekking trail which takes us through astounding terrains to a lovely village called Ekle Bhatti. Walking past a very unclammy steep terrain alongside dramatically wreathed arid landscape we reach Ekle Bhatti after a 2 and a half hour walk from Muktinath. Heading further, we leave Ekle Bhatti and follow the trail along the river bed and through some of the windiest dusty canyons of this valley to reach Jomsom which is also the district capital. After Jomsom the trail gets even bleaker until Marpha which can take exhausted trekkers about 1 and half hour to reach. In Marpha you can have a look around at the Apple Brandy factory and monasteries which can sooth your tired bodies. Stay overnight at Marpha. Walking time: 4 to 5 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Following a dusty trail, we leave Marpha village and continue our trek onward to the next village settlement as planned. Today after walking for about 3 hours we shall arrive at the Larjung village where the scenery drastically changes with green trees and vegetation increasing lavishly. From here the trail goes through several sheltered regions of people where you can see the previous sparse landscape now has turned into a densely packed alpine forest region which feels thrillingly good. Later we bypass another village settlement called Kobang and reach Kalopani, our final destination for the night just after Kobang village. In Kalopani, you can take a walk through by the Tukche Distillery and take rest for the remaining time. Stay overnight at Kalopani. Walking time: 4 to 5 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Turning left into the woods of pine and fir trees, we leave say goodbye to Kalopani and make a descend towards Tatopani which is at 1,190 meters above sea level. This means we have a long day to trek down from Kalopani which can take us hours to reach. Later on, the trail turns into some green grassy fields where livestock can be seen grazing around. Now we arrive at a small village called Ghasa after strolling through a downward trail with dry stony walls. Crossing a suspension bridge we make our way into a squeezed gorge where humidity can be a major issue but nevertheless, we shall reach Tatopani just after few hours. Upon reaching Tatopani, one can refresh their inner spirit by taking some much-needed dive in a hot spring pool. Stay overnight at Tatopani. Walking Time: 3 to 4 hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Yesterday was full of steep descend but today we have to climb up which can be challenging so after finishing your breakfast, we head out with an intent to reach Ghorepani village by the end of the day. Though it won’t be as treacherous as the climb up to Thorong La, our hike today will take us up to 2,780 m from the mere 1,190 m. Trekkers can see the raging Kali Gandaki river as they try to hike higher and higher through numerous stone stairs. At the last section, you will be able to see Ghorepani at a very high ridge and so with some last few meters of climbing up, you reach at the stunning Ghorepani village. Incredible mountain scenery of the entire Annapurna range, Mt. Dhaulagri, Mt. Nilgiri and many other awaits those who reach here. Stay overnight at Ghorepani. Walking Time: 6 to 7hrs – Accommodation: Local lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

You can tell it’s a special day when huge flocks of tourists march towards a certain place before the sunrise. We plan on getting to the popular hill top of Poonhill which is majorly famous for its iconic mountain vistas. With a short decent hike, we reach the top of Poonhill and as the sun slowly rises, the generous light touch the snow-capped Himalayan mountain which ignite the start of taking amazing pictures of the mountains by the tourists all round you. Some of the popular mountain which can be seen are Mt. Annapurna South, Mt. Tukuche, Mt. Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Mt. Machapuchare (Fishtail) including many others. Later we have our breakfast and march onward to Tadapani which is another climb up through forests filled with rhododendron trees. After walking for a hour we arrive at a high place which is called Deurali and from here you can also get some close up panoramic views of the mountains. Now we make a short descend through forested trail and reach Banthanti before Tadapani. Upon reaching Tadapani trekkers can rest and relax as we end our trek for today here. Stay overnight at Tadapani. Walking Time: 5 to 6 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Waking up to a spectacular Himalayan view of Mt. Annapurna South, Mt. Machapuchare and Himchuli, we start our day having an appetizing breakfast and fill our tummies before continuing on with our trek. The trail which we follow from here to Chhomrong is quite beautiful with easy going routes to ease your endeavor. After walking for about 45min through a forest, we reach a place known as Chuile. Now we cross one bridge and head onward to a village settlement referred to as Gurjung by the locals. From here we shall reach Chhomrong village with a 2 hour long walk. Chhomrong is a very gorgeously located village on the laps of Annapurna ranges where comfy lodges with Wi-Fi make a perfect place to lay down for the night. Stay overnight at Chhomrong. Walking time: 5 to 6 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

With an initial intention to reach Dovan village today, we shall again start walking further onward after having our usual breakfast. Just remember that the way from Chhomrong to Dovan is almost filled with forested trails all the way entirely. We initially have to cross a river and head towards a place locally known as Sinuwa. After Sinuwa we make an attempt to reach Bamboo through thickly forested trekking trail with shimmering small waterfalls. Langur monkeys are specialty of this region so you may see them hanging around the trees near to you while you trek towards Bamboo. Now after reaching Bamboo, we have to walk for another 1 hour before ultimately reaching Dovan which shall be our final destination. Stay overnight at Dovan. Walking time: 5 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

From Dovan 2,600 m, we now have to head for the glorious Machapucahre Base Camp at a high elevation of 3,700 meters above sea level which can be a formidable task for novice trekkers. Nonetheless, we head out after having our breakfast and march onward on a steep trail taking us higher and higher. We are generously gifted with an accompanied view of Mt. Machapuchare while thick strands of bamboo block your view of the gushing Modi River down below. The trail becomes entirely stony with rugged rocks on the ground and with some extra push on the legs we reach the Himalayan Hotel where one can occasionally take a glance at the potent Himalayan statures of Mt. Fishtail in this case Mt. Machapuchare. Afterward, we head for Hinku Cave and go down to cross a river to again climb up. Trekkers can observe that the trek route is starting to lack the immense amount of vegetation as the number of plants and trees starts getting fewer as we head higher. Accompanied by the shimmering sounds of the waterfall, we shall again cross a small bridge above the rampant Modi Khola and go into the glacial valley where ginormous boulders and rocks are scattered everywhere. Now the view of Mt. Machapuchare become very clear and poignant as we get closer to it. Later we again cross the Modi Khola for the final last time and arrive at the Machapuchare Base Camp subsequently after a short climb up while leaving the river behind below us. The moment we reach Machapuchare, we are first and foremost rewarded with a very heartwarming mountain view of the gorgeous Mt. Machapuchare above us. Not only that but trekkers can witness array of other mountains too from here such as Gangapurna, Hiunchuli and the formidable Annapurna range. Stay overnight at Machapuchare Base Camp. Walking time: 3-4 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Another highlight of our trek is scheduled for today! For we are planned to take a walk to the renowned Annapurna Base Camp which is situated at the elevation of 4,130. However the trek won’t be much long as from the Machapuchare Base Camp to the Annapurna Base Camp it merely takes 2 – 3 hours reach. We shall steadily trek up through a gorge between Annapurna Glacier and Hiunchuli Peak while viewing the stunning natural scenery that lies ahead our trail. Baraha Shikar, Machapuchare and Annapurna South can be seen by trekkers as they trek towards the Annapurna Base Camp. Later after reaching the base camp of Mt. Annapurna, trekkers can relinquish their joy of reaching there by taking some memorable photos of them and the surroundings of the base camp for the background. Surrounded all over by the great Himalayan giants, we get awe-inspiring panoramic view worth every bit of hardship that we had to face before reaching here. Now we descend back down following the same way back and have a wonderful sunset view over the Mt. Machapuchare. Stay overnight at Machapuchare. Walking time: 2-3 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Today we have an easy descend back down to Bamboo, so we shall retrace our steps back after eating our breakfast. Take your final pictures of this incredible place because as soon as we start dropping down we leave the Machapuchare Base Camp. Following the same way back, our lungs can surely feel the amount of oxygen increasing in the air with every step we make down towards the verdant landscape of Bamboo. This place will serve as our final destination for this day, thus we now head onward to reach the Bamboo village before dawn. The trail back down to Bamboo shouldn’t be too hard for you but it is suggested to take care of legs. Anyway, after descending down for about 6 hours trekkers shall reach at Bamboo. Stay overnight at Bamboo. Walking time: 6-7 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

The next onward destination is Jhinu Danda and we descend even further down from Bamboo today. While continuing our trek, we head towards Chhomrong initially with some gentle climbs up and down the verdant landscape. Now after few hours the trails seemingly goes down all the way to Chhomrong River which can be a very eye-catching sight for you. To reach Jhinu Danda, we have to cross the river and then make a trail upward passing by several local rice fields and farmlands. Moment later we arrive at Chhomrong village and now with some extra last bits of the trek left, we head on to Jhinu Danda through a downhill trek route. If the weather permits, you can even take some stunning pictures of the valley while you’re on the move. Furthermore, after reaching Jhinu Danda, you can rest your body on a popular hot spring located nearby to help you revitalize your exhausted body. Stay overnight at Jhinu Danda. Walking time: 5 to 6 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

We are now at the final phases of our extensively amazing trek which destined to end up at Kathmandu. But before that we need to reach Pokhara so today we are going to head back to the scenic lake city via Nayapul from Jhinu Danda. In the beginning, the trail starts going the down the hill but after a while it starts going up again. However, with every hour, trekkers can see the lush valley floors festooned with beautiful local villages and terraced farmlands. First of all we reach Sauli bazaar and then Nayapul from where we take a ride to the Pokhara city. Lastly, in Pokhara trekkers can take their beloved showers in their respective hotel rooms and stay relaxed while taking a short stroll around the iconic Phewa Lake. Stay overnight at Pokhara. Walking Time: 6 to 7 hrs – Accommodation: Local Lodge – Included Meal: B, L, D.

Here we are on our 24th day packing our luggage for the drive back to the bustling capital city of Kathmandu. If I may suggest then do take a sit in a left pane if you wish to see the outside hills and rivers as you make your way to the Kathmandu valley. Nearly taking about 6 hours, your drive from Pokhara shall cover about 205 km via Prithvi Highway while being accompanied by the Trishuli River. On your arrival at Kathmandu, you shall be escorted to your hotel rooms. Last of all, you have the options of resting in your hotel room till dinner and going out to have last final look at the Kathmandu city before you departure tomorrow. Stay overnight at Kathmandu. Driving time: 6 hrs – Accommodation: Hotel – Included Meal: B.

It's the day of your departure and thus a representative of Icicles Adventure shall transfer you to the International Airport on a private vehicle 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight time. We hope that we were able to rekindle your joy for adventure while trekking through the incredible western lands of Nepal. Now we shall bid farewell and wish for your safe journey back to your home nation. Also, do remember us for your next adventure in Nepal as we shall be waiting profoundly for your return to this incredible Himalayan nation. Included Meal: Breakfast.