Annapurna Circuit

22 Days Trek thru the Marshyangdi & Kaligandaki Valley

Grade : Moderate / High Passes 96/97 Price - Trek Only US$ 910 per person

Departure : Minimum 4 persons Single Tent Supplement US$ 75 per person

Annapurna Circuit ”, the only trek that makes Nepal so special ... The popularity of the Annapurna region is entirely understandable as one can see and enjoy the most dramatic breathtaking scenery than any where else in the world.

The dramatic deep valleys and mountain scenery is the reason for this trek, and the experience is truly awe-inspiring. With our trekking crews we will be plodding on into this region exploring through rarely trekked high altitude routes.

This is definitely going to be a strenuous trek, passing through a tremendous range of ecological zones from sub-tropical to alpine. It is also culturally diverse and we will be meeting Hindu Gurung and Magar people in the South, Buddhist Manangis or Manangba and Thakali in the Northern part of the zone. It is or will be the real Circuit for us.

We should be now prepared for hot going and early starts. Adventure starts from Gorkha (3,937ft. / 1,200m.) - the hillock town, that is 18 km. (5 hours drive) away to North from Kathmandu city. Gorkha was the name given to the fearsome Nepalese soldiers, as the world famous Gurkha soldiers hail from this place so the name has derived in the same way for this place. To highlight one out of many, is the spectacularly situated fortified Durbar (palace) at Gorkha is well worth seeing, which was built by the great King Ram Shah. And the Great Prithvi Naryan Shah is the founder of the modern Nepal unifying the scattered kingdoms from the famous palace of Gorkha, hence it is the ancestral home of the Shah Kings of Nepal. Gorkha Durbar is certainly one of the most outstanding examples of Nepalese architecture.

Our route follows two major river valleys the Marshyangdi and the Kaligandaki, later crossing between them over the high Thorang La Pass (5,416 metre.).

We will be going up the Marshyangdi valley alongside the river banks. A scenic side trek through the wild back-country side. Enroute high lights - are the strange villages of the area, that was not opened to foreign travelers until 1977. As you will see/find out for yourself the country is very arid, dominated by weird cliffs of yellow rock eroded into dramatic pillars alongside the trail and by the lowering heights of the Himalaya across. Manang as one. Manang village is situated on a plateau at 3,535 metres. We will be spending a day here in Manang village for rest. The people of the villages of Manang are Buddhists by religion - and they are traders, many of them world travelers and some of them may have traveled farther on the globe than any one of you or me.

We continue further ascending again, following the river banks up towards the Thorang La Pass at 17,769ft./ 5,416m., the highest Pass on this trek. The views from the Pass itself are outstanding high Himalayan breathtaking scenes, perhaps even more. The Pass can be very difficult or impossible in the winter. Crossing this Thorang La Pass is a major undertaking, unless we have the requisite experience, equipment and adequate clothing.

Crossing this Berlin Wall like Himalayan High Pass 5,416 metre, we enter to a completely new world of the Kaligandaki valley. We stop at Muktinath for a day before descending down toward the Kaligandaki Gorge passing, through several interesting villages like Jomsom ( 2,713m.), Marpha (2,665m.), Tukuche & Ghasa (2.042m.), popularly known as Thak Khola Valley as well.

At Tatopani (1,520m.) we cross the deepest gorge in the world at 2,000 metres, walled by two highest Himalayan Pyramids; Annapurna I (8,014m) and Dhaulagiri I (8,000m), thereby exiting the Northern flank of the ANNAPURNAS. We enter the forest belt at Ghorapani (2,850m.). Ghorapani, perhaps one of the best few view points in Nepal, offers most majestic views of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna Massif and finally we are completely at the Southern flanks of the Annapurnas. Certainly this trek has given us every bit of the circuit-trek environment.

The trek finally takes through many interesting villages to arrive at Pokhara, a most popular destination with its famed Phewa Lake dominated by towering 8,000 metre Peaks of Annapurna & Dhaulagiri just 15 to 20 km distance away.

Flora and Fauna --- The spectacular wet rhododendron forests are interspersed with other various species. “Rhododendron” the national flower reaches heights of 18-19 metres and ranges in colour from white, Pinkish Red and Blood Red. There are over 30 species of Rhododendron in Nepal. The other conifer species of trees found are the Sal, Acacia, Rosewood, Silky cotton trees, Chestnut, walnut, Oak Hemlock Alder, Birch, Silver fir, Bluepine and the Maples etc.

Birds - there are many small and as well as the large birds found along the water courses - the Thrushes, White capped river chat, Plumbeous redstart, Little fork tail, Whistling thrush, Large pied king fisher, White breasted king fisher, Eurasian king fisher, Brown dipper, the White breasted dipper and vultures - Himalayan Griffon and Lamergeir .

Animals - like the rhesus Macaque and common Langur monkeys, Yellow-Throated Marten, Himalayan Weasels and the Ghoral - a wild goat that still roam the high grassy moraines and can still be seen, if you are lucky. There are lot more different species of wild animals found here.

Annapurna Conservation Area - the Annapurna Conservation Area covers 2600 sq. km covering the famous Annapurna Sanctuary as well. The conservation area is run by a non-governmental, nonprofit organization (the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, or ACAP) which is funded by various International Trusts. Its primary objectives are to improve local standards of living, to protect the environment and develop more sensitive as well as sustainable Himalayan Tourism.

Itinerary

Day 01   Drive to Gorkha (1,219m.).              Day  02  Palungtar (540m.)
	 Camp by Daraundi Khola (river banks)    
Day 03   Bhote Odar (601m.)                      Day  04  Simal Chaur (811m.)
Day 05   Ngadi (925m.)                           Day  06  Jaga(1,350m.)
Day 07   Chame (2,700m.)                         Day  08  Pisang (3,170m.)
Day 09   Manang (3,540m.)                        Day  10  Rest Day in Manang
Day 11   Thorung Phedi (4,400m.)                 Day  12  Muktinath (3,660m.)
Day 13   Rest Day at Muktinath                   Day  14  Marpha (2,710m.)
Day 15   Kalopani (2,560m.)                      Day  16  Tatopani (1,520m.)
Day 17   Chitre (2,390m.)                        Day  18  Tadapani (2,275m.)
Day 19   Ghandrung (2,000m.)                     Day  20  Pothana (1,870m.)
Day 21   Trek conclude at Pokhra (915m.)         Day  22  Drive or Fly to Pokhara-Kathmandu.

1996 Departures

a   Monday OCT 07, 1996             -               OCT 28, 1996 Monday
b   Monday NOV 04, 1996             -               NOV 25, 1996 Monday

1997 Departures

a   Monday MAR 17, 1997             -               APR 07, 1997 Monday
b   Monday OCT 06, 1997             -               OCT 27, 1997 Monday
c   Monday NOV 03, 1997             -               NOV 24, 1997 Monday

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