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Annapurna Circuit via Thorong La Trekking

Nepal Nepal

Trekking Map

On the Annapurna Circuit via Thorong La – Trek you will hike through almost all seasons and climatic zones and experience the diversity of rural culture in the Himalayas up close.

The trip around the Annapurna massif offers a true cross-section of Nepal, from the rice plantations in the low regions, the rhododendron and pine forests, the spectacular mountain views to the dry plains in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. You will visit the ancient Buddhist monasteries and maybe dip your feet in the hot springs along the way.
The highlight is the crossing of Thorung La at 5,416 meters above sea level and then the hike down to the deep Kali Gandaki gorge.

On this great circuit, the landscape with rhododendron forests, snow-capped peaks, desert-like dry areas, deep gorges and countless waterfalls will take your breath away. You will hike through almost all seasons and climatic zones and experience first hand the diversity of rural culture in the Himalayas, with monasteries, prayer flags, chants and traditions.

This trek is a very good choice if you have already experienced medi-um-difficulty tours, have very good physical fitness and are healthy.

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu – Introduction to the trip, equipment check and welcome dinner
Arrival in Kathmandu. You will be picked up at the airport and driven to your reserved hotel. In the afternoon we will discuss the details of the trip with you, and in the evening you are invited to dinner with your mountain guide. Overnight in Hotel Tibet or similar category, (D).

Day 2: Kathmandu sightseeing and preparation for trekking
Today we explore Kathmandu with a local guide. This day can be designed flexibly according to your wishes. The most popular places and most impressive sights include Pashupatinath – a Hindu temple with cremation places, Swayambhunath – also known as the monkey temple – and the Boudhanath Stupa. You should return to the hotel in the late afternoon and pack for the trek the next morning. You can also leave a bag with items that you won’t need on the tour at the hotel. The rest of the day can be used as freetime. Overnight in Hotel Tibet or similar category, (B).

Day 3: Kathmandu to Besi Sahar (760m) – 6 hours drive and then to Syange (1,136m) -2 hours drive
Early journey by private car / bus to Besi Sahar, from there we take another car and drive to Syange for about 2 hours. Overnight at tea house lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 4: Syange to Tal (1,100m) – 7 hours hike
After breakfast we will hike along the Marsyangdi valley. Today’s destination is the Gurung village “Tal” with several beautiful water-falls. The charming village in the Manang Valley, with its colorful houses and smiling people, is located on the banks of the Marsyangdi River and has a special atmosphere. Overnight at tea house lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 5: Valley to Tanchowk (2,400 m) – 6 to 7 hours
Today we pass some steep, wooded ridges and several landslides on the way to Tanchowk. We shouldn’t forget to look up so that we can enjoy the impressive views of Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II and Annapurna IV (7,525 m). On our way there are small hot springs where we can relax. Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 6: Tanchowk to Upper Pisang (3,300 m) – approx. 6 hours
We start our day by crossing a deep forest in a steep and narrow valley and crossing a river on a long bridge at an altitude of 2,910 m. We then cross another bridge at an altitude of 3,040 m, where we can catch a first glimpse of the steeply rising Paungda Danda rock face. Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 7: Upper Pisang to Manang (3,350m) – 6 to 7 hours
Today we hike through the upper, drier part of the Manang District, which is almost completely protected from the effects of the monsoons by the Annapurna mountain range. The people of this region tend yaks and grow crops. They still enjoy special trading rights that were granted to them in 1784. After we have left Pisang, there are stretches north and south of the Marsyangdi River that reunite at Mungji. From Mungji the path leads past the picturesque but partly hidden village of Bryanga (3,475 m) to the nearby Manang (3,540 m). Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 8: Day of rest and acclimatization in Manang (3,500 m) – 3 to 4 hours
Today we spend a day of acclimatization in Manang. During the day we go on some beautiful hikes and enjoy the wonderful views around the village and witness the everyday life of the villagers. Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 9: Manang to Ledar (4,200m) – 6 hours
From Manang the path leads over a stream, ascends to the village of Tenki above Manang, continues uphill out of the Marshyangdi valley to reach the village of Ledar in the valley of Jarsang Kola. Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 10: Ledar to Thorong High Camp (4,925m) – 6 to 7 hours
After a two-hour ascent, the path descends and crosses the river at an altitude of 4310m. We then hike up to Thorong Phedi (4,450m). Shortly before Thorong Phedi, caution is advised because there is a risk of landslides here and rock falls are to be expected. After about 6 hours we arrive at Thorong High Camp. Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 11: Hike from Thorong Phedi over Thorong La (5400 m) to Muktinath (3800 m) – 8 to 9 hours
Crossing the high mountain pass Thorong La, one of the highest passes on earth, is today’s final destination. We will cross the pass from east (Manang) to west (Muktinath) as this is the easier and safest direction. We get up at around 3 a.m. and go up to the pass. When we arrive at Thorong La, we can take time for a few photos. We enjoy the view of the whole Annapurna range, in the south the Mukut and Mustang Himal in the west the incredibly deep Kali Gandaki valley and the peaks of Thorungste and Chulu in the north. From here we have a steep and arduous descent on rough ground to Muktinath, but on the way we are rewarded with an excellent view of the Dhaulagiri. Overnight in the tea house / lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 12: Drive Muktinath to Tatopani (1,190 m) – 7 hours drive
We will travel this once popular hiking route by jeep / bus because of the advanced road construction. Passing Marpha and Tukche and other beautiful Thakali villages, we reach Tatopani on our afternoon hike, where we can relax in the hot springs. Overnight at tea house lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 13: Tatopani to Paudwar Village (2,000m) 4 – 5 hours hike
Today’s path leads us uphill over numerous steps along some terraced fields with a fantastic view of the mountains all around until we have reached the idyllic mountain village Paudwar. The accommodations here are very simply furnished. Overnight at tea house lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 14: Trek to Kopra Danda (3,600m) – approx. 5 hours
We hike the majority of the route uphill through a rhododendron jungle with a view of the Dhaulagiri massif. This route is not very busy and we will rarely meet other trekkers. Overnight at tea house lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 15: Sunrise on Kopra Danda and trek to Swanta village (2,200m) – 5 hours hike
We get up at around 5 a.m. to enjoy the spectacular sunrise. The view of the 8,000 meter giants Annapurna and Dhaulagiri is breathtakingly beautiful. After breakfast we descend towards Chistibung. The descent takes an hour to get to our lodge. Here we take a drink break before we continue hiking to Swanta village. On the way we have several views of the Dhaulagiri mountain and also a beautiful backdrop with many terraced fields and villages with traditional houses. Overnight at tea house lodge, (B|L|D).

Day 16: Trek to Ulleri (2,050m) – 5 to 6 hours hike and 2 hours drive to Pokhara
About an hour after leaving the Swanta village, we meet the main path to Ghorepani, where it becomes busier again and you meet numerous other hikers again. We fondly remember the quieter days of walking along the copra ridge. After a short rest in Ghorepani we go through a rhododendron forest down to Ulleri. The jeep then takes us to Pokhara, a popular holiday destination on Lake Phewasee. We spend the night there and can relax a little before flying back home. Overnight at hotel in Pokhara, (B|L).

Day 17: Drive back to Kathmandu, rest of the day at leisure
After breakfast we take a tourist bus back to Kathmandu (approx. 7 hours drive). Overnight at Hotel Tibet or similar category, (B).

Day 18. Flight back home
Free time until departure. Farewell and transfer to Kathmandu Airport for the flight back home. End of the journey, (B).

We reserve the right to change the program due to special events, force majeure or weather reasons.

B = Breakfast | L = Lunch | D = Dinner

German guided tour
English guided tour

This trekking tour can also be booked for individual travelers (one person alone) at an additional cost or for your group at dates other than shown here.

Duration: 18 days
Costs: € 1.890 per person
Group size: min. 2 Persons (all the tour dates are guaranteed with a minimum group size of only two persons)
€ 190 for single room supplement (only for hotel accommodation, for lodge overnight stays during the trek, especially during the high season, single accommodation is not available).

What’s included:

  • Airport transfers in Nepal
  • All relevant surface transfer
  • All internal flights (with Yeit Air, Summit Air, Sita Air or Buddha Air), inclusive Airport Taxes and 15kg free luggage
  • All hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • All meals on trek (B,L,D)
  • Sightseeing with entrance fees, guide and vehicle
  • Permit, National Park Entrance/Conservation Fees
  • Guide and porters
  • 12 kg free luggage on trekking tours, carried by porter
  • Quality service and trek equipment
  • Oxymeter
  • Satellite Phone

Not Included:

  • International flights
  • Additional tours and meals that are not mentioned
  • Beverages
  • Personal bills
  • Visas (US$ 50)
  • Excess baggage charge (beyond 15 Kg each)
  • Insurance (for cancellation, accident, health, emergency evacuation and loss, theft of or damage to baggage and personal effects)
  • Tips

Visa
Your visa can be issued on arrival at a counter at Kathmandu airport. Visa costs on arriving in Kathmandu amount to US $ 50 (stay of up to 30 days) and US $ 100 (stay of up to 90 days).
The fees can also be paid in euros, which are converted by the bank at the airport in accordance with the dollar exchange rate. Two passport size photographs must be provided for the visa. At the time of the trip your passport must be valid for at least a further six months and have at least one blank page.

These visa and passport regulations apply to EU countries, Switzerland and the USA. Other nationals should check with the relevant consular authorities.

Insurance
Travel health insurance (with recovery costs) is essential for your own safety and a precondition for participation in our trips. In the event of an accident in the mountains which requires a helicopter rescue, the helicopter will not take off before the responsibility for the cost is clarified.
The conclusion of travel cancellation insurance is highly recommended. In the case of bargain price flights in particular, changes or cancellations generally can’t be made free of charge. In Nepal complications with the weather or with your health could make it necessary to break off your journey.
We have requested ERGO (Reiseversicherung) to create various service packages for you. You can book travel health insurance at www.reiseversicherung.de.

Please note: ERGO insurance can be booked by residents of Germany and Austria. Those living in other countries are requested to book their travel insurance through an insurance provider in their own country.

It should be noted that geoDiscovery Tours advises its customers to book their travel insurance via ERGO as a recommendation only, and accepts no responsibility for the contractual content between the customer and the travel insurance provider. Customers can book their travel insurance via ERGO or another provider at their own discretion.

The hotels and lodges booked by us
In Kathmandu and Pokhara the hotels we book are good and correspond to medium-level Western standards. Sanitary facilities are clean and functional; the hotel cuisine is adapted to Western eating habits and the food is safe to enjoy. There may sometimes be power cuts, or no hot water may be available for a while. The hotel staff is generally very friendly and looks after the welfare of guests. The hotels booked by us are as follows:

Kathmandu: Hotel Tibet/Manaslu ***+
Pokhara: Mount Kailash Resort, Lake side retreat ***
Palpa/Tansen: Hotel Srinagar **
Lumbini: Hotel New Crystal ***
Chitwan: Jungle Villa Resort
Nagarkot: Nagarkot Farmhouse

During the trek and in the interior of the country conditions are very varied, and travelers must sometimes expect basic sanitation facilities. For standard treks and tours you will stay overnight in typical “lodges” (teahouses). These usually offer very small single rooms or double rooms (some with no running water and no private shower / toilet).
In general, during the trekking tour you can select what you wish to eat from the menu. However, at altitudes of 4,000 meters it can happen that on some routes the choice of food is not very extensive. Typical Nepalese cuisine is mostly vegetarian, but very tasty, filling and wholesome. Travelers need to be adaptable, however.

Flying in Nepal
The domestic flights booked by us are with Tara Air, Yeti Air, Sita Air, Summit Air or Buddha Air.

Tour program
The travel program for all of our recommended tours is carefully planned. It can happen, however, that roads are closed without advance notice or are impassable, that there are waiting times of several hours because of traffic congestion or fuel shortages and that specific tourist attractions are closed for various reasons. Other restrictions such as flight delays or even cancellations due to bad weather, strikes, the health of participants or unfavorable conditions while trekking may also make the implementation of the travel program more difficult or at worst make it impossible. However, our local guides are prepared for such situations and will make every effort to achieve every aspect of the program to your satisfaction. As a result the inconvenience can normally be kept to a reasonable level. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out at this juncture that for the above reasons program changes are possible at any time and cannot be influenced by the organizers. The resulting costs are borne by the traveler. We ask for your understanding.

Trip Details

  • Duration: 18 days
  • Holiday Type: Lodge Trek
  • Best trekking period: Oct/Nov/Mar/Apr/May
  • Difficulty: Demanding
  • Max Altitude: Thorong La 5.416m
  • Group size: Min. 2 persons (all the tour dates are guaranteed with a minimum group size of only two persons)
  • Tour guide: English speaking, trained Nepalese mountain guide
  • Difficulty:
  • Fitness:
  • Price: 1.890,00 €
  • Single room supplement: 190,00 €
    (only for hotel accommodation, for lodge overnight stays during the trek, especially during the high season, single accommodation is not available)
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