Annapurna Circuit Remote and Wild

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, our representative will warmly greet you and treat you like a god according to Nepalese tradition. You'll receive a garland of marigolds around your neck, a bottle of water, and an introduction before being escorted to your hotel by our staff, who will hold up a placard with your name on it. Once settled into the comfort of your hotel after navigating through busy streets filled with local life in Kathmandu, we'll work diligently to tailor every aspect of your trip specifically for you based on personal preferences while prioritizing convenience so that there's no need for worry or stress during this exciting journey ahead! Rest assured, knowing everything has been taken care of just for you!

With excitement, today marks the final stage of your trip preparation: obtaining a special permit. Our expert team will ensure everything is taken care of, and one of our staff members will receive the necessary document on your behalf, with your original passport required for verification.

Rest assured, we have planned every detail meticulously to guarantee an unforgettable experience in Nepal. While waiting for the permit, feel free to explore local tourist areas such as Thamel or Durbar Square - our knowledgeable staff member can even escort you if needed.

Later during the day, a gear check will be conducted with the guide, and a pre-trip briefing will be provided to ensure that everything is fully prepared before beginning the journey early next morning. As seasoned travelers like yourself know well, proper planning ensures an enjoyable journey without any hiccups along the way! Trust us when we say that this trip will be no exception.

We will prepare our baggage for the trek early in the morning and load it into a jeep that will take us to Besisahar. The rest of our belongings can be safely left behind at an allocated location. This will be a comfortable 5-6 hour drive through scenic countryside highways of Nepal with opportunities for food and refreshment breaks as needed.

Upon arrival in Besisahar, we'll stay at a simple resort that provides ample facilities to relax and rejuvenate after hours on the road. Recreational activities like guided yoga, meditation sessions, or local songs, and dances are available along with hygienic organic foods to restore energy levels.

After a good night's sleep, we'll begin our next day's adventure - driving towards Koto village, where more exciting experiences await!

In Besisahar, we will enjoy a lovely breakfast before embarking on our 4-5 hour journey to Koto Village. While the road is rough and bumpy, it offers stunning views of the Marsyangdi River flowing alongside lush green forests and traditional local villages. These villages, once-campsites for trekkers heading to Manang and Mustang regions, have been impacted by road construction that has replaced natural houses with concrete structures, altering how business is conducted in these areas.

Despite human intervention, nature remains unchanged, as evidenced by multiple waterfalls along the trail, including Syange Waterfall (approximately 180 meters high), Chamche Waterfall (about 70 meters high), and Octopus Waterfall (about 100 meters high). Each possesses its unique beauty that showcases nature's splendor.

We will explore this charming locale upon arrival at Koto village before beginning our trek the following day. The town is situated inside a dense forest and junction point of 2 mountain rivers. We'll spend a peaceful night here preparing ourselves for an invigorating hike toward Meta.

We will eventually arrive at Meta village as we continue our trek through the dense forest and along the rapidly flowing Marsyangdi river on our right. To enter the Naar-Phu region, we must first cross a metal suspension bridge located just after Koto village. Along this path, several highlights include passing through a stone-cut waterfall trail and cave before reaching Meta village.

The narrow forest-covered trail ends abruptly just before entering into Mete Village's vast and unique topography of the area begins to reveal itself in full force. However, before arriving at this point of interest, travelers must tackle an uphill climb that spans roughly 1 Km in the distance.

From within Mete Village, visitors can catch sight of Lamjung Himal (measuring 6,983meters), which is situated towards the southwestern direction, while appreciating their scenic surroundings from plain land above the river basin with access to tea houses offering essential but nice services for travelers seeking rest during this journey. 

After breakfast, we will embark on our adventure-filled trek to Phu Village. As we leave Meta Village behind, a picturesque view of Naar Phedi and a monastery awaits us on the left. We'll continue along this trail after two days to Naar village.

The path ahead may seem barren at first glance but is teeming with life - horses, yaks, and mules graze amid bushy lands beneath towering rocky cliffs. The locals living in rock houses are self-sufficient with whatever resources they have available; their simple lifestyle is humbling yet inspiring. The Kyang village en route offers a view of Lamjung Himal and Mt. Annapurna I in the south direction of the village.

Our journey takes us through narrow paths cut into steep stone cliffs hundreds of meters high – an exhilarating experience! Along the way, there will be several stops where we can rest and recharge before continuing on our trek.

As we approach Phu village's ancient Mani walls and stone entrance gate, which date back to the 10th century, it becomes clear why travelers find this place so enchanting. After settling in for a well-deserved rest upon arrival at Phu Village today, tomorrow promises even more adventures as we explore every nook and cranny of this fascinating village.

The abode of Phugaon, also known as Phu village, is a strange housing series of gorges connected by stairways engraved out of the rock. The entrance to this ancient village features rocks and wood with an antique charm. Before entering the main area, we climb several hundred steps uphill, passing through a wooden gate topped with small chortens. The iconic red, white, and black Buddhist mani wall near the main gate welcomes visitors with warmth. You will sometimes feel a "time-paused experience" after looking at all those signs of an earlier era in ruins. Several large coloured chortens are fluttering with the waves of chilling dry air.

At first glance, this valley appears to consist of nothing, but when we go deeper, the fascinating and out-of-the-world life appears from nowhere. The village consists of narrow, clay-threshing floors supported on wooden/stone pillars, where the crust and grains are stored after winnowing. This traditional storage method has helped Himalayan inhabitants of this region in Nepal. This is a life-saving technique in mountain regions as this will only be the source of food during harsh weather conditions of the same region, beginning from Meta village to Phu village and Naar village. Once the village exploration is done, we will head towards one of the oldest monasteries in Buddhism. From the monastery, we can see Mt. Chombu, 6,704 meters, and Mt. Kanguru, 6,981 meters, a barren and off-grey colored valley with Phu Glacier just starting to melt and Phu village in foresight. Monastery Tashi Lakhang is a small white gompa (Buddhist monastery) that is guarded by 13 chortens in a line (reliquaries) on a hill across the valley. Believers say those are the austere features of a harsh landscape, for the same reason Nar-Phu Valley is still considered the forbidden Kingdom of Nepal together with Upper Mustang and other Natural jewels of Nepal. In the dry wind and snow-covered steep landscape of the Himalayas, shrub barely grows; after the end of the treeline, wet and yellowish cliffs show off their faces, white granite boulders, and the grey ice of the glacier walking together with us in such iconic Nar-Phu valley of remote Himalayas in Nepal.

The entrance gate of the village has its unique impression and significance "through a door that, in bygone days when Tibetan brigands menaced the valley, used to be shut and locked each evening." One can stand in that entryway and can vouch for the size and heft of that tremendous wooden bar-ricade. The guide can show how it could be shut tight against marauders, locked in place by a considerable bar hewn out of a stout log. All necessary timbers used in Phu for doors, windows, and house frames are carried up from the forest over two days away downriver. A little more about the lifestyle of this ironic Phu Village.

The day's walk commences after breakfast and takes us along the riverside trail. The river originates from Phu Glacier, which we had previously observed near Phu village. As we traverse through the narrow trails etched into high and steep stone cliffs, we are captivated by the awe-inspiring landscape of this iconic region and its ancient civilization in Phu Valley.

Before reaching Kyang village, we will veer away slightly from the river to pass through wide terraced fields that may be dry but still yield food for local villagers. After crossing Kyang village and walking approximately 2.5 kilometers, comes Chyakhu village - situated on a vast farm field atop a cliff on the left-hand side of the river.

From here, one can enjoy breathtaking views of Pisang Peak (6,091 meters), located just 8.7 kilometers southwestwardly from this vantage point. We shall take some time to rest before exploring further while preparing for tomorrow's trek towards Naar Village. 

Today's journey begins with a mostly downhill and straight trail. However, as we leave the riverside and head towards Naar Village from Thrang Choephel Ling Monastery, about 6 km of uphill trekking is required to reach our destination. Along the way, we'll catch glimpses of Kangaroo Mountain on the northwest side of the monastery, its impressive peak visible during our descent from Phu village. Once at the monastery in Naar Phedi, you'll turn left and begin ascending hills in a rain shadow - an exciting change in scenery! With Pisang Peak (6,091 meters) just around 4km away from us on this stretch of the trail ahead lies a remote living experience at Naar Village.

Naar village is settled between snow-clad peaks and surrounded by mustard, barley, and buckwheat fields. We aim to be in the village by midday, allowing us plenty of time to explore this lost village of the Himalayas. The people in Naar village make their living from spinning and weaving. The village also boasts several colourful gompas which are well worth a visit, or it is possible to climb to the line of prayer flags on the hill above the village for even better views of the surroundings.

Once settled in the village teahouse, we will fully gear up for tomorrow's big venture: crossing Kang La Pass (5,300 meters). This renowned viewpoint, along with breathtaking trails, requires preparation so that we can enjoy it fully.

Today's trek starts early in the morning after breakfast, leaving behind the vibrant village of Naar. Pisang Peak and Kanguru Mountain are on our left side as we move towards Kangla Phedi. After a short 5.5 km straight walk, we will reach Kangla Phedi and setup our camp for the night stay and other utilities. We will spend our day by looking at the Mt. Kanguru(6,981 meters) on the southeast direction from the camp and the way to be covered on the northwest direction of the camp. Staffs will prepare all the foods by themselves for the entire day and we even enjoy the warmth of kitchen with those smiling staffs together with us in the journey. The camping facility is one of the most desired way of trekking since the beginning of mountain treks and hopefully you will also soak into this experience.

Nestled in the mesmerizing beauty of Annapurna mountain, Nagwal village is where we will begin our trek towards Manang. As we can see, alpine forests surround Marsyangdi River and Humde village with Manang airport, and the greenery covers those rough and barren Himalayan terrains like a picturesque canvas.

We will walk on an easy-to-walk sandy terrain trail for around 7 kilometers before reaching Baraka village. And after another 2-3 Km walk from there, we'll finally arrive at Manang village by midday.

But that's not all - once we reach here, you'll have plenty of time to explore this charming little settlement nestled amidst stunning snow-capped peaks! From Gangapurna Lake to various scenic viewpoints throughout the area, every corner has something remarkable waiting for you.

Leaving the Manang village, we will head west, crossing the terraced farm fields around the village. After walking about 3 km, we will reach Marsyangdi River, from where we will begin trekking to the next side of the hill, which is more barren and steep.

The continued journey of around 3.5 km in the same direction on an easy-to-walk trail will eventually lead us to Khangsar village - a small settlement on one side of the Marsyangdi river with plenty of terraced field crops necessary for villagers' survival. We'll get a chance to see snow-clad mountains towards East and South directions from this beautiful spot. We can enjoy some delicious local food here while acclimatizing ourselves for our next day's venture. 

Today's approximately 5.5 Km long walking trail takes us through an entirely different walking experience. The trail gradually inclines up from the base camp to the Tilicho Lake. Tilicho Lake is located at an elevation of about 4,910 to 4,930 meters, proudly listing it as one of the highest lakes in the world. We will spend the quality time by camping at closeby ground of the Tilicho Lake and enjoy the scenery with prefect foods and care from our staff.

It is located within the Annapurna Conservation Area and provides stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Himalayan mountain ranges. The jaw-dropping beauty of this lake never fails to impress the visitors. Stunningly surrounded by towering snow-clad peaks, including the Annapurna massif and Gangapurna, the lake offers a picturesque and serene atmosphere. The crystal-clear turquoise waters of Tilicho Lake are set against the backdrop of dramatic landscapes, creating a truly awe-inspiring sight. Tilicho Lake is relatively untouched by mass tourism, which adds to its tranquility and serenity. We will admire the views and ambiance of the surroundings while being prepared for the next day's big adventure.