Annapurna Circuit Trek

We initiate our trek before we depart for the drive to Besishahar from Kathmandu. With the gorgeous mountain sight of Manaslu and the Ganesh ranges, the drive is commendable. The terraced hillside and the white rivers of Trisuli are unquestionably very mesmerizing. The valley becomes steeper and narrower as the vegetation alternates between pine forests and rhododendron. Out from the village, we come across a large suspension bridge, and from here the route progresses steeply as the river tumbles through the maze of large boulders. Nestled amongst fields of wheat, barley, and potatoes, the valley widens out the reveal of the village of Tal. We are now welcomed to the beautiful district of Manang where we will have our lunch at fine hotels. Following the river valley in the afternoon we gradually ascend to Dharapani (1890m) and end our trek to get some rest.
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Through the pine forest and fir, the valley is extended westward. We arrive at Bagarchap (2160m) after half an hour to the first village of the hike where the architecture is quite Tibetan. For preparation for the hard and long winters, the firewood is stacked on the roofs. Between the higher dry arid areas and the lower wet valleys, the village marks the transition of the Manang Valley. The beauty of the Himalayas like Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna III (7555m), and the Lamjung valley comes closer to the valley. Magnificently to the skies, the peaks like Peak 29 and Manaslu soars higher. Out from the Bagarchap, we cross the wooden bridge and then climb uphill to Laatamarang (2360m) where we rest for a cold drink. The path proceeds to the police check post at Koto which is near Chame (2685m). Facilities like banks, health posts,s and hotels as well as the wireless station are available.

To reach the apple orchard of the Brathang (2840m), former Tibetan settlements of Khampa, we hike to the fields of buckwheat and barley in the morning. We will then have our lunch before we cross the river into the forest fire, we will have a sight of Annapurna and Lamjung which towers the path. We then get to see the huge slabs of Paungda Danda (1500m) after spending some time in the forest. To arrive at the flat-roofed stone houses of the Pisang Village (3300m), precede our hike. With the sight of the gorgeous Pisang Peak (6091m) and Annapurna || we stay at our accommodation and bunk our night here.

Through the Pisang Village, we go on our path to the wooden irrigation canals which are a sign of the arid trans- Himalayan terrain. Here the soil is poor and only one crop per year of barley, wheat, buckwheat, or potatoes can be grown. To supplement their living, many locals run hotels and teahouses as well as herds of goats and yaks that graze on the hillsides high above the valley. There is one steep ascending to saddle down to the airstrip at Hongde but besides that the walking is easy. During the afternoon, we walk along the valley to Braga (3475m) which is perched high on the cliff valleys, and the houses are stacked on top of each other. Estimated to be over 500 years, above the house, there is a monastery. It is a short walk to reach Manang from the Braga village.

Set amongst impressive scenery, Manang is a tight compact village of 500 flat-roofed houses. With Tilicho (7132m), RocNoir (7485m), and the Grand Barrier to the west, Annapurna II and Annapurna IV (7525m) tower dramatically above the valley floor to the southeast. Behind the village s the hauntingly beautiful panorama of Eat (6200m) and Chu lu west (6630m) lies. The remaining days are built for adjustment and we can choose to either trek or rest to see the beautiful sights of Annapurna. On the craggy higher slopes we may see Blue Sheep and elusive mountain goats.

In the early morning, we progressively move to Tengi. Here we branch away from the Marshyangdi valley and follow the Jar sang Khola. Sparse fir and pine are replaced by scrub juniper and grasses as we pass a few small yak herder ''shelters'' before stopping at the pleasant meadow of Ledar. Taken at a slow pace to allow for the effects of altitude, today is a pretty cool hiking day.

It is day 12 and is a short day to arrive at the base of Thorung Pass for acclimatization. We pass the Jarsang Khola which is a covered bridge and then follow loose scribes on the steep-sided valley of the left bank river. For lunch, we reach Phedi and we have some time to relax and prepare to cross the pass.

Though the pass poses no technical problems we need to start very early, around 3 am, so we can proceed slowly and safely. The trail is not steep, and the long, gradual approach crosses several false summits before reaching some stone cairns marking the true crest of the pass at 5416m. In fine conditions, the views from the pass are truly awesome offering an amazing panorama of the Annapurna, Mukut, and Mustang ranges with the Kali Gandaki valley seen far below.
Compensated with the sight of Tukche Peak (6920m) and Dhaulagiri (8167m) the descent from the pass is steep. After a lengthy walk in the afternoon, we reach the village of Muktinath which is a sacred site for Buddhists and Hindus. The monastery is worth visiting and the 108 waterspouts of the pagoda temple seem cool. Small springs emerging from the rock and burning of the natural gas can be found in one of the temples. An auspicious religious blend of main elements water and fire is known for this.

Back-dropped by sensational views of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri (7061m), passing through the village of Jharkot, the trail descends towards the Kali Gandaki Valley from Muktinath. The geography around Jharkot is barren, and yellow, with patches of green cultivation with the moonlike landscape where there is irrigation of fruit trees and crops in the manmade canals across the fields. We then reach the lunch stop at Eklaibhati of the Kali Gandaki Valley after a short descent. We reach the Jomsom after following the river heading south.

From Jomsom, we take an early flight to Pokhara after an early breakfast and get moved to the airport Pokhara connecting flight o Kathmandu.