Can You Trek The Annapurna Circuit In Nepal?

Have you longed to test the limits of physical endurance? Does the word 'trek' bring up visions of scenic mountains and emerald forests? If your answer to either one of the questions is yes, then you've landed at the right place.

Adventurer, Sandeep Aggarwal, along with 15 fellow trekkers went on one of the most scenic treks in the world, Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Here's Sandeep's account of what it takes to complete this trek. Hope you too get to feel the adrenaline rush soon!

The Annapurna region is home to some of the world’s highest peaks (~23,000 feet), the world's deepest gorge, Kali Gandaki (at 18,278 feet) and one of the highest lakes, Tilicho Lake (at 16,130 feet). We began our journey from Ngadi, a six-hour drive (scenic at some points and bumpy at others) from Kathmandu. There is a hydel project under construction on the river, so the route is not the smoothest one you'll encounter.

The trek for the first six days (till Manang) follows the river Marsyangdi. The Nepal government is constructing a road till Manang, currently only a dirt track. After Ngadi, we climbed slowly with overnight stops in Jagat, Dharapani, Chame (district headquarters of Manang district) and Pisang. From this point the climb got steeper and the views better. Between Pisang and Manang, we got great vistas of Annapurna  and many other peaks.

From Manang you can take a detour to visit the Ice Lake or trek to Lake Tilicho. We spent a day here to get acclimatized, post which we trekked towards the Gangapurna glacier and back. On the susequent day, we walked in heavy snowfall in the afternoon on the steepest section of the trek. The 'fun' didn't stop there. The next day was the longest and toughest part of our trip. We started at around 4:30 am, while it was still dark and climbed 2,000 feet to reach Thorong La Pass (17,800 feet). Most of the climb was on ice so we had to be extra careful, but the stunning views along the way were a real feast for the eyes. What followed was a steep descent of 5,300 feet and over 10 kilometres to reach Muktinath by evening, home to a well-known Shiv temple. By the end of the day, we could barely feel our legs!

On the last day of the trek we walked 20 kilometres to Jomsom (8,900 feet), mistakenly assumed by us as an easy downhill one. It was anything but that! The last 9 kilometres were next to Kali Gandhaki river in a narrow dusty valley, with hurricane-speed winds. We had to stop periodically to avoid being thrown off our feet. Breathing a sigh of relief upon reaching Jomsom, we celebrated.

By the end of 10 days we had walked about 145 kilometres and witnessed stunning scenery along the way. We got copious amounts of snowfall in the upper regions, especially on the day we crossed the pass. Jomsom to Pokhara was a short flight in a 20-seater aircraft. Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal and has plenty of scenic beauty. There is a large lake in the centre, popular with international tourists who come here to hang out for a couple of days. On a clear day, one can see great views of the entire Annapurna region from here.

The next day we took a flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu and celebrated the end of our trek, as the tradition goes, with a dinner at Rum Doodle Bar in Thamel, Kathmandu.

Sandeep Aggarwal is an avid traveller, a globetrotter (having holidayed in 32 countries so far) and has also done several treks, especially in the Himalayas.  He is a banker, and lives in Gurgaon.

Book Your Nepal Holiday Now!