Annapurna Semi Circuit TrekkingAnnapurna Semi Circuit Trekking

Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking

Highlights
  • A week-long adventure around the grand peaks of the Annapurna Himalayas
  • Delightful walks across the scenic Manang Valley enclosed within the high peaks
  • Enjoy the magnificent journey exploring the lovely traditional and cultural villages
  • Thorong-la is the highest point of the trek
  • An exciting journey from picturesque Manang Valley to the stunning areas of Mustang

     

 ‘A short and scenic adventure around the grand Annapurna Himalayas’

Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking is a short trek that lasts less than two weeks. This trek allows us to experience the glorious scenic landscapes. 

On this journey, we walk around the grand Annapurna Himalayan range extending from Lamjung Himal to the east, Manang Valley to the North, and close to Mustang areas along with Dhaulagiri Himalayas. This journey covers the most beautiful areas from the North and south of the Annapurna Himalayas. 

This adventure's charm and beauty start from the low subtropical paddy fields and ascend to the higher, cooler alpine hills. Then we head towards the arctic zone of ice and glaciers at the end of Manang Valley and high Thorong-la Pass. 

Annapurna Semi Circuit trekking takes us through the lovely forest of pines, oaks, firs, and rhododendron trees. Then, we walk through the lush green vegetation, and tree lines disappear as we reach mountainous terrains filled with wilderness. Along with the breathtaking mountain view, we can also enjoy the local cultures of Manang villages

As we continue our journey, we walk through the lovely settlements with old traditions and cultures of Buddhism. The towering peaks of the Annapurna Himalayas and Chulu are a constant view as we enter the beautiful Manang Valley. 

Our wonderful adventure starts around Manang's scenic valley and ends at Mustang's stunning location. After that, we climbed to the top of Thorong-La Pass, the highest point of the journey and the boundary between Manang and Mustang district. Our enjoyable and exciting trek starts with an interesting drive to the foothills of Annapurna and Lajung Himal at Syange. 

Our trek leads towards the cooler region at Manang as we leave the low farmland. Then, we walk through the lovely villages lined with prayer walls before reaching the northern side of the massive Annapurna Himalayas. 

We view the amazing views of Annapurna Semi Circuit by following the Marsyangdi River right to the glacial courses at Manang Valley. Here, we spend extra days in Manang for acclimatization and enjoy a short hike for the rest of the day at scenic viewpoints. 

Our walk finally leads us towards the valley's western rim at Thorong Phedi. Here, our journey takes us to the top of the Thorong-La Pass, the highest place of the adventure. This point of our adventure is encircled by the giant mountain range of Annapurna, Damodar, and Chulu Himal, with views of Dhaulagiri as far as the Manaslu Himalayas.

From our highest point of the trek, we take a long descent to reach the Mustang area along with the holy sites of Muktinath. This place is revered as one of the holiest places around the Himalayas for pilgrimage for the Hindu followers. Here, we take some moments to visit the holy temple of the Muktinath and get blessings after a successful trek crossing the high Thorong-La Pass. 

Our trek slowly ends as we reach Jomsom, one of the major towns and the headquarters of the Mustang area. The next morning, we will have  a short panoramic flight towards Pokhara's lovely and scenic city, a perfect place to conclude our wonderful adventure on Annapurna Semi-Circuit Trekking. 

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Itinerary

On arrival at Kathmandu International Airport, we transferred to the designated Hotel, with a short drive. There, we take a moment to refresh before heading for a briefing session regarding the trek. The debriefing session includes gaining information regarding the Annapurna Semi-circuit trek and local lodges. Along with this, we also get time to take a sightseeing tour around Kathmandu heritage sites.

In the evening, we attended a welcome dinner in a Nepali restaurant with cultural programs as an introduction to Nepalese culture and heritage.

    Our second day includes staying in Kathmandu for trek preparations and sightseeing tours at local places of interest. Our city guide takes us around the historical and cultural places listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After visiting the local historical and cultural sites, we head back to the Hotel to prepare for the Annapurna Semi-Circuit Trekking. 

      We take an early morning departure for the Annapurna Semi Circuit Adventure. It is a long drive on a private coach or four-wheel drive. Our drive leads us beyond Kathmandu city, down the main highways, towards Besisar at Lamjung district. 

      From here, we drive past the towns and farm villages, heading towards the Midwest around the Gandaki Zone. Then, we head towards the hills at the farm village of Jagat. From Jagat, our drive continues following the Marsyangdi River and then on a winding path to Tal Besi, the starting point of the Manang district. After crossing Tal Besi, we drive past Dharapani village towards the forested trail towards Chame. It is a large town and headquarters of the Manang district. We reach this town by late afternoon. We spend some time or relax there before having dinner and an overnight stay.

        From Chame, we take a morning walk through the alpine forests of rhododendrons and pine trees. Then, we follow the Marsyangdi River up to the Dukure Pokhari, where we stop for our lunch. 

        In the afternoon, we walk down the flat valley, close to Annapurna II and IV chambers. As the day ends, we reach the wind-blown village at Pisang, facing the grand views of Pisang Peak and Chulu Himal range. Then we transferred into a nice lodge for an overnight stay. 

          Our morning begins with a slow climb over lower Pisang village towards the higher Pisang area. This place has an old monastery, where we spend some time to visit and pray. From here, we avoid the main trail as we walk on the scenic upper tail above the Manang Valley, heading towards the small village of Gheru. 

          This off-trail path rewards us with beautiful views of the Annapurna Himalayas and Chulu's with Pisang Peak. Our walk follows the windswept path as we head towards Braga, a settlement close to the main Manang village. Then we journey towards Manang, where we visit the Old Braga monastery, enriched with old Buddhist relics, ancient wall paintings, and frescos. This location offers us the stunning views of Annapurna Himalaya. After visiting this monastery, we briefly walked towards the main Manang village.

            On the sixth day of our journey, we took some time off to rest at Manang for acclimatization before heading to the higher areas. Here, we enjoy the short hike to Manang village. It is a large village situated by the bank of the Marsyangdi river right at the bottom of the Annapurna and Gangapurna mountain range. We take a nice uphill walk for the beautiful views of Gangapurna Glacier and Manang glacial Lake. 

              After a good rest at Manang, we walk towards Ghunsang village, with a short uphill trek to Yak Kharka. There, we can witness the views of snow-capped mountains. After crossing a small stream, we reach Yak Kharka for lunch and an overnight stay. It is lovely, facing the views of Gangapurna, Annapurna II, and Chulu peaks.

                Our morning walk leads us towards the higher areas as we head closer to the base of Thorong-La. After crossing a bridge, we climb above the river. Then, we follow a gentle path to the Thorong Phedi. This climb naturally depends on the physical conditions of our members. If everything goes well, we take an hour-long steep climb that leads to the Thorong High Camp for lunch and an overnight stop.

                  On this day, we head towards the main highlight of the adventure. We make an early breakfast and climb towards Thorong-La. We take a steep and winding path up to Thorong-La, passing at 5,416 m to reach our destination. Besides being the highlight of the adventure, it is also the highest point of our journey. Here, we can enjoy the panoramic view of the snow-capped peaks surrounding the top of Thorong-La. After a hard yet enjoyable climb, we descend to Muktinath in the Mustang district. 

                  Mustang is a holy spot for Hindus and Buddhists. The term Muktinath literally translates to A place for Nirvana and Liberation. From Muktinath, we take a short drive of a few hours downhill to Kali Gandaki River Valley before reaching Jomsom. This is the headquarters of Mustang, where the old Trans Himalaya Route of Nepal follows through. 

                  At Jomsom, we can enjoy the comfort of a nice lodge and hotels. Along with this, we can also take time to enjoy this lovely town. Thakali people inhabit this area along with Buddhist culture/religion.

                    Our morning begins with a short walk to Jomsom airport. Then we take a flight to Pokhara. On reaching Pokhara, we take a short drive to a nice hotel by the beautiful Phewa Lakeside.

                      Our morning begins with a flight to Kathmandu. It is an interesting and short air journey as we overlook the beautiful views of snow peaks. Once the flight lands in Kathmandu, we take a short drive to our hotels and spend the rest of the day on personal activities and shopping for souvenirs. 

                        After an unforgettable time, the trekking concludes with a short drive to the airport for a flight home filled with mesmerizing memories at Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking with Explorer Adventure.

                          Route Map

                          Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking map
                          What's Included
                          • Pick up and drop to and from the airport by private vehicle
                          • Three nights at a standard hotel in Kathmandu on a twin-sharing basis with bed and breakfast
                          • One night stay at a hotel in Pokhara on a sharing basis with a bed and breakfast
                          • TIMS (Trekking Information Management System)
                          • Tea house/Lodge accommodation during the trek on a sharing basis 
                          • Half-day sightseeing tour in Kathmandu
                          • Experienced guide with government license 
                          • Salary, accommodation, insurance, and food for guides and porters
                          • Duffel bag
                          • Transportation from Muktinath to Jomsom in a local bus or local jeep
                          • Flight from Jomsom to Pokhara
                          • Hiring a sleeping bag along with a down jacket for trekking
                          • Transportation from Kathmandu to Besisahar on a tourist bus and from Beshishar to Syanje on a local jeep
                          • Transportation from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist bus
                          • Annapurna Conservation Area Project Entry Permit (ACAP entry permit)
                          • Official expenses and government taxes
                          What's not Included
                          • Domestic flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu
                          • Nepal entry visa personal travel insurance, and medical insurance
                          • Personal expenses and tips for guides and porters
                          • Tips for porters and guides ($70 to $100 for porters and $80 to $100 for guides)
                          • Food and drinks (the price ranges from $20 to $30 per day)
                          • Visa to Nepal ($50)
                          • Some places charge for hot water, wifi, and battery charging ($2 to $5)
                          • Drinking water (The price depends on altitude with linear progression on the price)
                          • Insurance Cost ( Insurance must include emergency evacuation by helicopter)

                          Departure Dates

                          Select a Departure Month
                          Trip Dates
                          Price
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                          Trip DateNov 12, 2024 - Nov 23, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 15, 2024 - Nov 26, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 18, 2024 - Nov 29, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 20, 2024 - Dec 01, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 23, 2024 - Dec 04, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 25, 2024 - Dec 06, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 28, 2024 - Dec 09, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Trip DateNov 30, 2024 - Dec 11, 2024
                          PriceUS$975
                          AvailabilityAvailable
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                          Useful Information

                          Insurance policy for Medical and Travel:

                          The insurance policy for medical and travel should cover medical insurance for illness and emergency evacuation by helicopter and other means of emergency travel. It should also include other expenses on treatment at hospitals of respective nations. 

                          The travel insurance should cover travel insurance against bad weather. 

                          Travel insurance should also cover delays or cancellations of domestic flights in mountainous areas. 

                          Travel and medical insurance also need to cover the circumstances where the clients discontinue their journey in the middle of the trip. Sickness, personal problems, or domestic problems can cause the discontinuation.

                          Guide and Porters for 12 Days Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking: 

                          On treks and climbs, we will be accompanied by our expert guides. They are familiar with the areas, and these veteran guides lead our trek comfortably. Furthermore, they also offer us various information regarding the trek. This information ranges from information regarding Nepal, the local area, geography, culture, flora, and fauna. 

                          All our guides are trained in First Aid medical training and treatment for high altitude symptoms or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Therefore, they can provide us with First Aid and basic aid in AMS. If any of our members require further treatment, they can take us to the lower areas or the nearest hospitals through quick transportation. 

                          Our porters are picked from the company and hired en route from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Lukla at the journey's start. They are strong, cheerful, and can carry a maximum weight of 15 to 25 kgs. Furthermore, we do not allow porters below 16 and above 50 years. 

                          We look after our porters and guides well and provide them with good wages. We also provide our porters with medical insurance, travel allowances, and meals on treks. We also provide them with warm clothes during winter and high-altitude treks. 

                          Information of AMS and Precaution Measures:

                          High Altitude or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS for short) is a symptom faced while ascending to high altitudes rapidly. This can happen to anyone and at any point of the journey. 

                          It occurs due to high pressure and low oxygen levels. At specific heights, some people can feel the following symptoms:

                          • Shortness of breath
                          • Light headache
                          • Nausea
                          • Dizziness
                          • Lack of good sleep
                          • Lower appetite

                          To avoid these symptoms, our itinerary is designed with adequate and flexible days for acclimatization. We also take short walks and get adequate rest at lower altitudes. 

                          Another good way to avoid AMS is by taking slow-paced walks. Along with this, we can stop frequently to catch our breath and drink lots of fluids (around 2 to 3 liters per day) 

                          We take adequate rest and short, slow hikes above high hills at high altitudes to watch views and support acclimatization. Sleeping and resting in lower areas can help us avoid the AMS. 

                          It is also helpful when we cannot make a high ascent. The best way to prevent altitude sickness is to ascend slowly, stopping overnight at specific altitudes and taking it easy for the first few days.

                          We always mention general medication you should bring from home. This includes meditations such as the following:

                          • Diarrhea
                          • Headache
                          • Fever
                          • Cold-flu
                          • Constipation
                          • First aid for cuts, wounds, and burns

                          What to Bring During 12 Days Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking?

                          Clothing and footwear

                          • Trekking Boots (Warm, waterproof, breathable, should cover and fix the ankle)
                          • Sports sandals with closed-toe
                          • Sneakers
                          • Flip flops
                          • Sun cap 
                          • Wool or fleece hat
                          • Two pairs of gloves or mittens (one thick and one thin)
                          • Bandana and neckerchief
                          • Two pairs of fleece jackets (one thin and one thick)
                          • Two sets of Thermal underwear (one for walking and the other for sleeping- bring from home)
                          • Several pairs of trekking socks
                          • Quick-drying sports T-shirts (Two pieces or more)
                          • Down jacket
                          • Windstopper
                          • Windproof warm jacket with hood
                          • Trekking trousers
                          • Warm synthetic pants like ski pants 
                          • Rain poncho
                          • Sun Screen Cream
                          • Sunglasses
                          • Trekking pole
                          • Water bottle

                          Equipment for 12 Days Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking

                          • provide you with duffel bags on the second day of travel, and should be returned after the trek is over
                          • A 20 to 30-liter backpack with rain cover
                          • Sleeping bag
                          • A good quality headlight with new batteries and a spare set of batteries
                          • A category three to four sunglasses with a hard case
                          • Trekking poles
                          • A half-liter or a full-liter thermos
                          • Sealed packaging for documents and money
                          • Power bank
                          • A roll of a dense garbage bag of 50 liters

                           Personal usage

                          • Light and quick-drying towels

                          • Washing accessories and disinfection wipes

                          • Antibacterial gel and moisturizing hand cream
                          • Sun cream with a high SPF factor
                          • Lip balm with sun protection
                          • Reusable water bottle
                          • Snacks (nuts and chocolate)

                          Note: All the above items can be bought in Kathmandu. 

                          Annapurna Semi Circuit Trekking FAQs

                          • The trek is generally called Annapurna Circuit or around the Annapurna circuit. However, the full circuit trek takes more than two weeks of walk. Rather than this, this trek ends near the halfway point of Jomsom town. This enables us to skip a few days of walking. Therefore, this trek is known as the Annapurna Semi Circuit Trek. 

                             

                             

                             

                          • The main culture and custom in this trekking region is Buddhist. The culture around Manang and Mustang is centered around Buddhism, and you can witness prayer walls and monuments. Along with this, we can also visit monasteries en route. The culture and customs of Manang and Mustang are similar to their Tibetan predecessors.

                          • Not at all. Altitude is not a big problem as we gain altitude slowly at a gradual pace. 

                            We have a few stops and rest along the walks before climbing to make the trekking enjoyable and filled with lovely views. The only sharp climb and rise in altitude is an uphill trek to Thorong-La Pass. However, we would be acclimatized by this point and have gotten used to the rough terrains. 

                            Besides the sleep climb, the rest of the trek is moderate and pleasant until the journey's end at Jomsom.

                          • The motorable road connecting Kathmandu and Pokhara has reached the main Manang village on the northern side. 

                            The motorable road after the Thorong La pass has reached Muktinath and Jomsom.

                            Although the motorable road is built, the drive can be bumpy and tiring due to narrow dirt tracks.

                          • The lodge accommodations are nice and cozy throughout the trek. The only simple and basic lodge is at High Camp before crossing Thorong-La pass. Every lodge has electricity, either run by hydro or solar power. There, we can charge our electronic items. Along with this, there are some facilities for hot showers. However, we may need to pay extra for hot showers and charging gadgets. 

                            The food is good, with most restaurants serving Continental, Chinese, Indian, Nepali, and Tibetan foods with snacks and drinks. Some lodges and restaurants also serve fresh bakery items such as cakes, pastries, and pies.

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