Annapurna Circuit to Jomsom

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Dwight Wood
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The Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the world s greatest treks. The trail takes you into the heart of the Himalayan Mountains and winds between the hundreds of icy peaks of the Annapurna Massif.

1 The Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the world s greatest treks. The trail takes you into the heart of the Himalayan Mountains and winds between the hundreds of icy peaks of the Annapurna Massif. The treks is also a fantastic cultural experience as it visits villages with Nepali and Tibetan influences and even takes you to Muktinath, one of the most spiritually revered places for followers of both the Hindu and Buddhist religions. You get to trek through green rice terraces, arid high mountain pastures and cross challenging high mountain passes. Trekking in Nepal does not get much better than the Annapurna Circuit. The trek delivers spectacular scenery, diverse cultures, forests, lakes, glaciers and high mountain passes. The Annapurna circuit has all the accommodation infrastructure required for one of the world s greatest walking trails. There are plenty of quality accommodation options and teahouses to choose from and so you can trek in relative style and comfort. The trek terminates at Jomsom where a daily flight service will whisk you over the southern reaches of the Annapurna Sanctuary and deliver you back to Pokhara. This is by far the best and most popular itinerary for trekking the famous Annapurna Circuit. Highlights: Panoramic mountain views, forests of oak, maple, rhododendron, Tibetan settlements, glaciers, lakes, hot rings, apple orchards. Trekking through the Marsyangdi River Valley in the shadow of countless Annapurna Massif peaks. Crossing the 5,416m altitude Thorong La Pass. Visit Muktinath, home to the holy Vishnu temple sacred to Hindu and Buddhist followers. The spectacular return flight from Jomsom to Pokhara stunning Annapurna Sanctuary and countless snow-clad peaks. Duration: 19 days Price: $1349 Group Size: 2 Grade: Moderate Destination: Nepal

2 Activity: Trekking Region: Annapurna Date & Prices: Start Date End Date Price 20th Mar, 2017, Monday 07th Apr, 2017, Friday $ th Apr, 2017, Monday 12th May, 2017, Friday $ rd Oct, 2017, Monday 10th Nov, 2017, Friday $ th Nov, 2017, Monday 08th Dec, 2017, Friday $ th Mar, 2018, Monday 06th Apr, 2018, Friday $ rd Apr, 2018, Monday 11th May, 2018, Friday $ nd Oct, 2018, Monday 09th Nov, 2018, Friday $ th Nov, 2018, Monday 07th Dec, 2018, Friday $1349 Equiment Lists: Recommended equipment list: Trekkers need to provide their own personal clothing and equipment. Some items of equipment are available for hire from us as like Down Jacket Footwear : Well broken-in walking shoes - these must be suitable for snow, thick socks, light socks, camp shoes. Clothing : Down or fiber filled waterproof jacket and trousers, sweater or fleece jacket, underwear, warm and cotton trousers or jeans, shirts and T-shirts, shorts, long underwear, wool hat, sun hat, gloves, bathing suit, track suit. Other equipment: Sleeping bag (5 seasons), lock, day pack, water bottle, sun cream, sunglasses, flashlight with spare bulbs and batteries, lip salve, gaiters. Other items: Insect repellent, toilet articles, diary, toilet roll, laundry soap, wet ones, pocket knife, towel, sewing kit, plasters, binoculars, camera, film, cards and personal medical kit. Itinerary: Day 1: Kathmandu arrival Welcome to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. A Lantang Ri Trekking & Expedition representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. When you are ready you will be collected from your hotel lobby and driven to our Thamel office where 2

3 you will be formally introduced to your Trekking Guide. We will go through all your trek itinerary and arrangements with you an ensure every detail is in place. We will also ask for your passport photographs and any other details so that we can organize any permits required for your trek and the region you will be exploring. Day 2: Kathmandu sightseeing. After breakfast, we start an interesting tour around Kathmandu. Escorting by an English speaking guide (can be provide any language speaking guide on request) be, try to give them a full taste of our vivid culture image and an enchanting manner of its people. In our sightseeing tour we go to Monkey temple Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath and Kathmandu Durbar square. Bouddhanath: Bouddhanath is a Buddhist religious complex with a history dating back over 500 years. Located on the eastern edge of Kathmandu it is now a site of great pilgrimage for Buddhist followers who circle its massive stupa, spin its many prayer wheels and visit its beautiful monastery. The main feature of Boudhanath is its huge hemispherical white stupa with central golden tower and the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha. Visitors should circle the stupa in a clockwise direction and spin prayer wheels for good fortune and a good life. Visitors may also enjoy visiting the Thangka painting school within the complex to see highly skilled artists at work on religious mandala paintings. Pashupatinath: Hindu Temple is a very large and complex and focal point for the Hindu religion. This old and very revered complex of buildings and shrines is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism. While Lord Shiva has multiple forms he is often seen as the destroyer. This has great significance for the Pashupatinath temple as it is the site of many Hindi ritual cremations each day. Pashupatinath is considered by Hindus to be an auspicious site for passing from one stage of life to the next through the purifying and destroying flames of cremation. However, on a happier note, visitors may also get to see the temple in a buoyant festival mode with one of the many Hindu festivals celebrated here through the year. Swayambhunath: You will first visit the Swayambhunath temple complex that sits atop a high hill overlooking Kathmandu and the entire Kathmandu Valley. Swayambhunath is perhaps the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal. It consists of a very large white stupa with the all-seeing-eye of Lord Buddha plus many small stupa and beautifully carved stone shrines. This is a wonderful place to catch your breath and start to understand and appreciate the deep importance of Buddhist belief to the people of Nepal and the Himalaya region. Make sure you ring the many bells to awaken the gods and let them know you are in Nepal. Take the time to enjoy the view over Kathmandu and have your guide point the many other highlights of the city. In the far distance to the east you may also be able to see the hills of Nagarkot where your hotel for tonight is located. If you feel energetic you might also like to try some or all of the 350 steps that lead all the way from Kathmandu city up to your Swayambhunath temple vantage point. 3

4 Kathmandu Durbar Square: The next stop today is the beautiful Kathmandu Durbar Square, or the royal palace square of the ancient Malla kings of the Kathmandu Valley. This square and all its architectural treasures are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While some damage to buildings occurred in the 2015 earthquake the site still contains many stunning architectural gems. The original royal palace courtyards are open to visitors and you will marvel at the intricate timber carving and beautifully crafted brickwork of the palace. The open square outside the palace has many beautiful multi-storey pagodas and temples with ornate carving and carpentry artwork that tells some of the story of the ancient kings and their mystical time and beliefs. The square also contains many important Hindu temples and statues such as to Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Durbar Square also contains the unique and intriguing Kumari Chok. This is an ancient and ornate house where resides the Raj Kumari the Living Goddess. She is a young girl chosen through an ancient and mystical selection process to become the human incarnation of the Hindu mother goddess, Durga. If you are in the courtyard of the home at the right time in the afternoon you may see a brief glimpse of the Goddess at her window. Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar We will collect you from your hotel bright and early to start our journey. The drive will wind through the many hills of the Trishuli River Valley. Towards the end of the drive we leave the main highway and head toward Pokhara. A little later we also leave this highway and head north to Besisahar and the trek starting point. Day 4: Commence trek northward from Besisahar to Bahundanda, overnight in trekking lodge The trek starts in the wide valley with slopes terraced into thousands of beautiful rice fields neatly aligned on the valley sides. We cross some large and interesting suspension bridges where some nerves might be tested but rest assured they are all safe to cross. The walk continues past waterfalls, rice paddies, tiny farming communities and through wonderful forests. As the hours pass we climb a little in altitude as we noticeably head higher up the valley. The Manaslu mountains get a little closer as we walk higher. The villages and people we meet are all interesting and at our day s destination a unique cultural introduction will be organized by the local people. Day 5: Continue northward along the valley from Bahundanda to Chamje, overnight in trekking lodge We continue up the Marsyangdi River Valley as the valley walls get steeper and the rice terraces look even more impossible to construct and farm. We pass more small villages and head higher up the valley and the challenge of the trail increases as it starts getting a little steeper. We gain altitude and reach Syange at 1,100m altitude and continue up to Jagat at 1,300m. The trail then gets a little steeper again as we end a fantastic day of valley walking at Chamie. Day 6: Northward again from Chamje to Dharapani, overnight in trekking lodge The walk will test your sore muscles again as we head higher up the valley and gain more altitude. We pass many more farming communities that now subsist off their crops of corn, barley and potatoes. Since we are now higher in the mountains these communities suffer the effects of a partial mountain rain shadow and are unable to farm rice like their lowland peers. The trek also takes us through forests of bamboo and beautiful rhododendrons that flower from February through to April. We reach the village of Tal, with its often flowing waterfall, and then continue on to Dharapani. Day 7: Trek north-westward from Dharapani to Chame, overnight in trekking lodge Today we turn the corner and follow the valley as it turns toward the west. The trail becomes more challenging as we cross some steep and forested ridges and negotiate sites of old and more recent landslides that cut across the trail. The mountain scenery 4

5 around us becomes more spectacular as we head higher up the valley. High above us on both sides are towering bare-rock mountains rimmed to icy summits. Now we get to see wonderful mountains such as the Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II and Annapurna IV (7,525m). This is also an active geo-thermal region and we can end the day with some relaxation time in the healing waters of one of the springs. Day 8: Continue north-westward from Chame to Pisang, overnight in trekking lodge Today is a fantastic day of challenging walking and spectacular mountain and valley scenery. We lace up the boots well today. The steep trail initially takes us through dense forests along the northern valley wall. When we reach Bratang we turn northward again and head through a very narrow section of valley with huge cliffs and landslide scree slopes. This is a dramatic place to trek as you look down into the valley and then high up to the Annapurna massif peaks above. This is trekking in Nepal at its very best. Today we cross the river a number of times via high and dramatic suspension bridges. As we progress higher beyond the narrows we reach a wider section and the valley of Manang and its high snowy peaks towering above. A wonderful day of walking and exploring ends at the village of Lower Pisang. Day 9: Contunue north-westward from Pisang to Manang, overnight in trekking lodge The trail has many branches and options today, but they all take us higher up the valley under the towering peak of 7,555m Annapurna III to the south. We have now moved deeper into the Annapurna massif rain-shadow region and so the landscape progressively changes to more stunted vegetation and more bare-rock slopes. This is now the more harsh, cold and dry climate of the high plateau of Tibet. We will take a short break for some spiritual advancement at the Barge Monastery where we have a chance to glimpse the life of the Buddhist monks who live here throughout the year. Day 10: We enjoy a rest day and explore Manang and its local environment. overnight in trekking lodge Today we let the heart, lungs and muscles recover and give our boots a quick clean too. Each day we have been gaining altitude, but we must do this in careful measured stages to ensure proper acclimatization for the higher altitudes and high passes ahead. So today we just do some short walks to explore the region around Manang. Options include a visit to the Buddhist Bhojo Gompa or a short walk across the valley floor to Gangapurna Lake which sits at the foot of a steep valley cut into the southern valley wall. But most importantly today we must continue to acclimatize for the challenging days ahead. Day 11: Trek northward from Manang and ascend to Yak Kharka, overnight in trekking lodge Today we gain over 600m in altitude and by the time we reach Yak Kharka at 4,110m we will have just 62% of sea level oxygen available with every breath. The trail heads north as we ascend a side valley out of the main Marshyangdi Valley we have been trekking since the trek commenced. We head higher through even more stunted vegetation. Now the local people must rely upon their hardy livestock to eek out a living from the sparse mountain pastures. The trail winds along the mountain foot-slopes that sit high above the rocky stream bed below. The views to the valley floor and high peaks above are spectacular. We pass through high meadows where sheep, cattle, yaks and even horses graze. We pass a number of small communities and often meet shepherds with flocks and finally reach the little village of Yak Kharka. Day 12: Ascend from Yak Kharka to the head of the valley and Thorong Phedi., overnight in trekking lodge We ascend another 500m today and each breath gets a little harder and the oxygen a little less. We walk up increasingly steep trails as we head high up the valley. The walking becomes a little harder with each hour and so we must take our time, rest often and continue to properly manage our altitude acclimatization. The end of our day s walk brings us to the head of the valley and the 5

6 little trekking settlement of Throng Phedi. Thorong Phedi exists to support trekkers and expedition climbers. We must rest the remainder of the day here so we are ready for a tough day tomorrow as we face the challenges of the very high Thorong Las Pass Day 13: High altitude trekking from Thorong Phedi over the Thorong La Pass to Muktinath. overnight in trekking lodge Today we face the greatest challenge of the trek as we attempt to cross the Thorong La Pass. Your guide will keep a careful eye on the weather conditions and the condition of every member of your trekking group. High altitude passes must be treated with respect. The Thorong La Pass will take us to 5416m or 17,764ft altitude where each breath brings in just 52% of the oxygen available at sea level. So your lungsm heart and legs will be working hard today and your brain will not be at its best. That is why it is always best to trek with an experienced guide who can function normally at high altitude and make the right decisions that reduce the risks for his or her trekking group members. It will be a long day so expect to start early. The trail will wind up the valley wall to the lowest crossing point possible in this part of the Himalaya ranges the Thorong La Pass. But you can still expect plenty of ice and snow on the trail and at the top of the pass. So tread carefully and take your time. As you head higher the mountain views get even more spectacular as you start to view many of the peaks from their own level. But all going well you will have prepared properly and should have no trouble reaching the high pass and enjoying the achievement. But then it is time to start the descent and head down the path to the historic Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage village of Muktinath. Day 14: Descend from Muktinath to Kagbeni, overnight in trekking lodge For many centuries Muktinath has been an important place of pilgrimage for Hindu and Buddhist followers. We will start the day by visiting the Vishnu Temple and Gompa and learning more about the cultural and religious significance of the rather remote village of Muktinath. We will then spend much of the rest of the day winding along descending trails from Ranipauwa to Kagbeni. Day 15: Descend from Kagbeni to Jomsom (About 3 hours trekking. 2,710m)overnight in trekking lodge Today is easy walking along the Kali Gandaki river bed as we descend gently to Jomson. The mountain scenery is spectacular even as we reach the end of the trek. We walk through the largest gorge in the worl\d with 7,000m and 8,000m snow-capped peaks of Dharalgiri and the Annapurna Massif towering above us to the west and east. We end the day and the trek at Jomsom, the main airport servicing the region. Day 16: Short flight from Jomsom to Pokhara. Overnight in hotel B Your legs can finally rest as today we catch an early morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara. In little more than half an hour you will fly over spectacular river valleys with the summits of Annapurna on one side and Mount Dhaulagiri on the other so have your camera ready and grab a window seat. All too soon you will have left the Annapurna wilderness and be back in the noise and bustle or urban Pokhara. Day 17: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu. (About 6 to 8 hours driving. 1,300m) Overnight in hotel BD As an optional extra component of your trekking package you may choose to take the 30 minute flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu. Or you may choose the road option and extend your experience of Nepal that little bit further. Either way, by this afternoon you will be back in busy, and often dusty, Kathmandu. In the afternoon time is your own to explore or perhaps go shopping. In the evening you will collect you from your hotel for a farewell dinner and cultural Nepali dance so bring your comfortable dancing shoes! Day 18: Kathmandu free day of your own. Overnight in hotel B This is the free day for a little more shopping and exploring. 6

7 Day 19: Departure for home Kathmandu Airport We will meet you at your hotel and take you to the airport in plenty of time to meet your flight home. Cost Include: Airport pick-up & drop-off transportation by private vehicle Two bed /Double sharing accommodation at Kathmandu & Pokhara in 2 to 3 star hotels with breakfast Sightseeing in Kathmandu Escorted with English Speaking Guide, Entrance fee& Private Transportation Kathamandu / Besi Shahar private transportation Jomsom - Pokhara Flight Private Vehicle for member and guide Accommodation in Normal tea house during trek Meals (Breakfast with 2 cup & coffee, lunch, dinner) in trekking seasonal sleeping bag Annapurna trekking map for group All necessary paper work & Permits Annapurna conservation permit fees & TIMS A First Aid and Eco trained & Government licensed holder English Speaking guide and one Porter between each 2 members while on trek Accommodation, meals, salary, equipment, transportation & Insurance of Langtang Ri trekking staffs First Aid Kit Travel & Rescue arrangement Pokhara Kathmandu tourist bus All government taxes Farewell dinner Cost exclude: International Airfare Nepal Visa fee (US$ 40 per person for 30 days) Excess baggage charges Lunch/Dinner in Kathmandu & Pokhara Medical evacuation in case of emergency Personal gears & clothing (available on hire) Tips, any expenses of personal nature, client's insurance Soft/hard drinks Expenses incurred due to mishaps, landslide, strikes, political unrest etc. In such case extra will be charged as per actual Anything not specified in cost include section 7

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