The Ultimate Annapurna Adventure

DAY 1

Arrive Kathmandu

Arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you'll be met and receive a private transfer for the short distance into central Kathmandu and to the "KGH" Hotel in the heart of the Thamel district. You'll be given a briefing on your forthcoming adventure, and in the evening, you can take dinner at your leisure in one of the many choices of cafes and restaurants in Kathmandu, although the open-air courtyard cafe of the KGH Hotel is as good as anywhere.

Accommodation: KGH Hotel, Kathmandu
Included Meals: None

DAY 2

Drive to Dharapani

A private vehicle will take you overland to the village of Dharapani (1860 m), with a stop for lunch along the way. The journey is the best part of the whole day.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Dharapani
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Find out more about Trekking Lodges

DAY 3

Trek to Chame

It is impossible to avoid trekking on the 'road' that is being pushed through the Marsyangdi Valley. However, as much as possible, it is avoided throughout the trek. Today, you walk to Chame (2713m). It should take around 5 hours of walking.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Chame
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4

To Upper Pisang

Your climb further up into the Marsyangdi Valley continues and involves several crossings of the river (via suspension bridges) to emerge above forests and to a more open grazing landscape affording particularly good views of Annapurna 2 and onto Upper Pisang (3300m). Walking time is around 5 hours with an overall height gain of around 590m and a distance of just over 17km with around 1300 m of ascent and 650 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Upper Pisang
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5

Trek to Ngawal

Today's walk continues to climb higher up from the valley floor and along the upper slopes. The Tibetan influence becomes more apparent in terms of the villages you pass through with their Buddhist monuments. Passing through Gyaru (3680 m), you walk as far as Ngawal. Overall, this takes around 4 hours of walking and a height gain of 300m. The distance is just over 10 km, with 650 m of ascent and 300 m of descent overall.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Ngawal
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 6

To Manang

The walk starts by dropping down towards the lower part of the valley and back onto the principle Annapurna Circuit trail as you head steadily up to the very Tibetan village of Manang (3540m). Walking time is around 4-5 hours. The distance is almost 12km and involves 350 m of ascent and 465m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Manang
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 7

Acclimatisation Day in Manang

Today's essential acclimatisation walk aims to get close to around 4000m and, of course, back down to Manang. There are various possibilities to achieve this, which takes up to 4-5 hours of walking.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Manang
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 8

Trek to Letdar

The walking today only takes around 3–4 hours, and as you're now going above 4000m overnight, the gradual climb up to Letdar (4250m) should be taken slowly. Height gain today is about 715m. The distance is just over 12 km, and there's just about 830m of ascent and 80 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Letdar
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 9

To High Camp

Another short walking day that can usually be completed by lunch time, meaning the remainder of the day can be wisely spent resting at High Camp (4750m). Height gain: 500m. It's under 7km to High Camp, and overall there's 700m of ascent and 420 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, High Camp
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 10

Across the Thorung La to Muktinath

The crux of the trek and, for most, the toughest day (as well as the highest too). The walking is made all the more challenging by the high altitude. A reasonably early start is required. It's a steep climb up to Thorung La (5416 m), but it does ease off a bit towards the top. Snow and ice are always possibilities. Usually it takes around 3 hours of walking to reach the pass, and there are some fantastic views at the pass. It is then downhill virtually all the way to reach sacred Muktinath, which you'll be more than glad to have reached. Today you'll be walking for around 6-7 hours, ascending around 700 m, and descending almost 1800m. The distance is under 14.5 kilometres, but it will feel much longer.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Muktinath
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 11

Muktinath to Jomsom

There is now a jeep road from Jomsom all the way up to Muktinath. Indeed, this jeep road is an extension of the 'road' that has now been forced all the way up the Kali Gandaki Valley from Beni. On the walk down to Jomsom, most of this recently paved road can't be avoided.  From Muktinath, it takes around 3 hours of descending to reach the Kali Gandaki Valley floor, and there are great views of Dhaulagiri as well as tantalising glimpses of the arid landscapes of Mustang too. A further 2 hours of relatively level walking along the valley floor is required to reach Jomsom. Overall, the distance walked today is just over 20 km, with around 1400m of descent and about 450m of ascent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Jomsom
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 12

A Big Biking Day & Fast downhill to Tatopani

The mountain biking element begins rather innocently with a gentle downhill section to Marpha, then what appears to be fairly level riding over the Kali Gandaki River bed (a headwind can make this tougher), to then gradually lose height down the jeep road to Larjung. Then, before you know it, you’re riding down, down, down and the valley begins to narrow considerably. It’s quite a speed descent, and you pass through small villages and may notice everything is starting to look a little different…..people, vegetation, agriculture and temperature. You must remember to stop at the Mustang checkpost in Ghasa! Eventually, after around 6 hours of riding, you reach Tatopani and will have descended a whopping 1400m (with around 200m ascent) over 35km. At around a mere 1200m in Tatopani, it can certainly be nice to feel warm, although in this narrow sided part of the Kali Gandaki Valley you lose the sun quickly, so a visit to the hot springs here before supper isn’t a bad idea. The cycling on both days is on a jeep road of which a significant part is a metalled surface, so although not entirely smooth it's not technical riding. Some sections may however be unmetalled and rough, stoney jeep track. But, again not technically challenging.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Tatopani
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 13

Ride to Galeshowr then rafting on the Kali Gandaki River

The final day of biking. The 4WD track is fast turning from rocky to sandy or dusty, and now lower down you pass through villages where you’ll see banana trees growing. A far cry from the high and barren landscapes of Mustang just a few days ago. Again, your ride is primarily one of descent, but the 4WD track undulates as you now remain close to the river's course. After around 2-3 hours of riding and 22 km, you'll reach the small town of Galeshowr. Here you end the biking part of your Kali Gandaki epic, as beyond here the riding ceases to be interesting and there’s traffic too, which takes the pleasure out of it. You’ll take lunch and a rest, change, etc. before moving on. You now travel by vehicle for around 40 minutes to where you'll begin your mini-rafting expedition. Any baggage, etc., not needed for the rafting can be taken by vehicle back to Pokhara. As you’re now below 1,000m, it’s usually warm/hot in the day and mild/cool at night and you’re going to be camping wild too, as well as getting wet at times. What you need clothing wise etc for the next few days will travel with you in the raft/s in dry bags, and you'll be provided with the rafting equipment you will need (dry suit, helmet, life jacket). Say “hello” to your rafting guide(s) and team. You'll  be saying goodbye to roads and virtually all civilisation too. You'll certainly not see a road until the end of the rafting. Into the waters and off you go, swapping pedal for paddle and down the Kali Gandaki River. Around 3.5hrs of rafting and you reach a sandy riverside shore where camp is for the night and enjoy supper in the wilds of the Kali Gandaki River Valley, surrounded both sides by jungle clad hillsides.

Accommodation: Wild Camp 1, Kali Gandaki River
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FULL SUPPORT CAMPING

DAY 14

Rafting on the Kali Gandaki River

You'll raft today for around 5–6 hours. Like yesterday there’ll be plenty of non-whitewater paddling and can keep a close eye out at other times for the colourful birdlife that can be seen along the river….the occasional village/local, and other river wildlife too. Most of all you’ll be absorbing the over-riding sensation of pleasing serenity. Then of course there are fun sections of whitewater rapids too, which are usually grades 3 or 4, dependent upon river levels of course. The rafting guide has names for them all. You'll also stop at a suitable location for a picnic lunch. Once again you camp wild on the shores of the Kali Gandaki River.

Accommodation: Wild Camp2, Kali Gandaki River
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 15

More rafting & transfer to Pokhara

Around 2–3 hours of rafting later, you reach the road. The road traffic after all these days may come as a bit of a shock. Your journey to Pokhara by private vehicle should now take around 5 hours, and you can then say hello to the luxury of a hotel room!

Accommodation: Hotel Karuna - Pokhara
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 16

Fly to Kathmandu

A private transfer to Pokhara Airport for the short flight back to Kathmandu. A private transfer will take you from the airport back to the KGH Hotel. However, you may wish to consider some additional contingencies for this adventure and for any delays or difficulties that can and do occur on such a very adventurous trip.

Accommodation: KGH Hotel, Kathmandu
Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 17

Depart Nepal

A private transfer will take you to the airport for your return international flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Of course there's no reason to depart today, your Nepal holiday can be readily tailor-made