Annapurna, attracts the largest number of trekkers in Nepal. Here you will find everything the Himalayas have to offer, accessible along a selection of well-maintained trails that snake in and around the 55-kilometre Annapurna massif, separated from the gargantuan Dhaulagiri (8167m) by the Kaligandaki, the deepest gorge in the world.
Most trekkers will have heard of the legendary Annapurna Circuit. But if the lung-busting slog over the 5416m Thorung pass doesn’t suit you, there are many other trails that offer superlative panoramas and the cultural traditions of a whole spectrum of ethnicities. And though roads are bringing change to the region, new trails are being blazed for the faithful. Up north at the border with China, the mystique of the walled city of Lo Manthang remains intact. Even in Nepal’s most trekked places, a trail less travelled is never far away.
To the east lies the Marsyangdi River and to the west lies the world’s deepest gorge, carved out by the wild waters of the Kaligandaki. The biodiversity of the region – entire hillsides swiped with pink and red rhododendron forests bursting with birdsong – is matched by its incredible cultural diversity. Cultural trails will take you right into the homes of Gurungs in the lowlands, and you can enjoy the hospitality of Thakalis around Jomsom, Manangis in the east and Loba and Tibetans in the arid north.
Annapurna has been enormously popular with trekkers over the years and the new roads have actually opened up previously inaccessible areas. Creative guides are taking the curious back in time to the mediaeval villages of Nar and Phu, over the high trail of Kang La with its breathtaking views, and up to Tilicho Lake at 5000m.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
There are few treks that combine so many different landscapes and bring you so close to the base of 7,000 and 8,000 m high peaks in a such a short period of time as the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
Annapurna Circuit Trek
The Annapurna Circuit Trek has been one of the highly exciting trekking routes in the Annapurna region. Annapurna circuit trekking offers beautiful sceneries of Himalayan. The major attractions of the Annapurna Circuit are Chame, Upper Pisang, Ghyaru, Ngawal, Manang, Braka, Khangsar village, Milerepa cave, Marsyangdi River, Kali Gandaki River, Thorung la pass, Muktinath temple, Kagbeni , Jomsom...
Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Trek
Just to the West of the Annapurna Sanctuary route, one of Nepal’s most visited areas, lies the Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Trek. Until recently only fully organized camping treks could go here, but with the establishment of 5 community lodges and a homestay programme this fabulous landscape has been opened up for beautiful off the beaten-track “teahouse trekking”.
Mardi Himal Trek
Situated just east of one of the most popular treks of Nepal, the Annapurna Base Camp trek, the Mardi Himal trek is a hidden gem. As it is hardly know, few trekkers make their way to the Mardi Himal Base Camp, spectacularly situated at the base of Mardi Himal and the impressive Machapuchhre.