Annapurna Experience

Grade 1 2 3 4 5
Grade 3 – Challenging
Fairly demanding treks, usually in the high Himalaya, going up to 13,000ft / 4,000m. Trails can be ill defined, narrow, steep, and rocky, and will usually take you into uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas. Average walking is 6 - 7 hours a day.

Click here for a full explanation of Trip Difficulty Grading

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Trek Difficulty Grading

Our treks vary from easy hikes in the foothills to challenging climbing adventures in the high Himalaya. More often than not, we use trails that have since ancient times been the only link between villages, settlements, and their inhabitants. The trails may take you through a well-inhabited area with many villages and tea-shops, or through a mountain wilderness without a single permanent settlement for days, but one thing is certain: there'll be lots of ups and downs as we walk from one Himalayan valley to another. Treks are graded on the basis of altitude, trails, walking hours per day, and length of trek.

Grade 1 – Easy
Treks in the foothills staying below 6,500ft / 2,000m. Trails are relatively gentle & wide, and average walking is 3 - 4 hours a day.
Grade 2 – Moderate
Treks in the foothills and the middle-hills going up to 10,000ft / 3,000m. Trails are mostly gentle and wide, but at times may involve more difficult stretches like a steep stone staircase. Average walking is 5 - 6 hours a day.
Grade 3 – Challenging
Fairly demanding treks, usually in the high Himalaya, going up to 13,000ft / 4,000m. Trails can be ill defined, narrow, steep, and rocky, and will usually take you into uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas. Average walking is 6 - 7 hours a day.
Grade 4 – Demanding
These treks require participants to be in excellent health. They take you into the high Himalaya, altitudes ranging from 9,000ft / 2,800m to often in excess of 16,500ft / 5,000m. Trails venture into sparsely populated or uninhabited high-mountain wilderness, and are often ill defined, occasionally on glacial moraines. Average walking is 6 - 9 hours a day.
Note on altitudes
The altitude definitions indicate elevations through the major part of the trek. Treks usually involve side-trips into elevations exceeding the altitude ranges defined for their grades. Grade 3 and grade 4 trek itineraries are designed to allow proper acclimatization, with acclimatization days when we take side trips to higher elevations where necessary.

 

12 days – A superb introduction to trekking in Nepal
  • 6 days challenging trekking in the middle hills (maximum elevation 3,210m / 10,530′)
  • Sightseeing and leisure in Kathmandu & Pokhara
  • Spectacular views of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, & Manaslu Himal ranges
  • Walk through marvelous oak-rhododendron forests
  • An afternoon for exploration at Ghandruk, one of the largest Gurung settlements in Nepal

The Annapurna region in Central Nepal spectacularly illustrates the wondrous diversity of this small Himalayan kingdom. Annapurna Experience is our most popular short Nepal trekking trip, taking you beyond the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys into the heart of the Annapurna region. It is designed to offer a complete first-time Nepal experience.

After exploring the bazaars & temples of Kathmandu, you take a scenic flight along the Himalaya to the lake-valley of Pokhara. Trekking on the best of the popular trails, you make a loop through the middle hills south of the Annapurna Himal range. A magnificent sunrise over the Central Nepal Himalaya awaits you at the famed vantage point of Poon Hill. You visit the charming Gurung settlement of Ghandruk before concluding your trek. Back in Pokhara, you have the option of a 3-day rafting trip on the Kali Gandaki, and a 3-day wildlife safari in the lowland jungles of the Chitwan National Park.

This is an excellent introduction to the myriad of Nepal’s peoples and her bountiful, spectacular scenery.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1  Arrival and orientation.
Day 2  Morning tour of Swayambhunath stupa and old Kathmandu. Afternoon flight to Pokhara.
Days 3-4  Drive to Nayapul (900m / 2,950′). Trek to Ghorepani (2,870m / 9,410′).
Days 5-6  Early morning climb Poon Hill (3,210m / 10,530′) for a dawn panorama of the Central Nepal Himalaya. Trek to Ghandruk (2,150m / 7,050′).
Days 7-8  Trek across the Modi Khola gorge to finish trek at Phedi (1,130m / 3,710′). Drive to Pokhara.
Day 9  Full day at leisure in Pokhara.
Day 10  Morning flight to Kathmandu. Afternoon tour of Patan.
Day 11  Morning tour of Bhaktapur. Afternoon tour of Pashupatinath temple and Boudhanath stupa.
Day 12  Depart for onward destination.

Dates and Pricing

Sep 24 - Oct 5
Oct 1 - Oct 12
Oct 8 - Oct 19
Oct 15 - Oct 26
Oct 22 - Nov 2
Oct 29 - Nov 9
Nov 5 - Nov 16
Nov 12 - Nov 23
Nov 19 - Nov 30
Nov 26 - Dec 7
Dec 10 - Dec 21

Dec 24 - Jan 4
Jan 21 - Feb 1
Feb 4 - Feb 15
Feb 18 - Mar 1
Mar 4 - Mar 15
Mar 18 - Mar 29
Apr 1 - Apr 12
Apr 15 - Apr 26
Apr 29 - May 10
May 13 - May 24

  Standard Hotels
2 - 5 personsUS$ 828
6 - 12 personsUS$ 733
Single room supplement US$ 159
Airfare Kathmandu - Pokhara - KathmanduUS$ 252
Cost Information
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Cost Information

The trip cost quoted is the cost per person, and includes:

  • Hotels: Accommodations in Kathmandu and Pokhara on twin / triple room-sharing basis with breakfast.
  • Tours: Sightseeing tours indicated with a certified English-speaking guide.
  • Transfers: All land transfers by car (Toyota Corolla or similar) or van (Toyota Hiace or similar).
  • Trekking: Room-sharing accommodation in local lodges, all meals, services of trek crew (guide, sherpa(s), and porter(s) to carry all luggage & equipment), applicable trekking / ACAP permit / National Park entry fees.
  • Permits, Fees, & Taxes: All applicable permits, entry fees, and taxes.
  • Trek leader: We provide a trek leader on groups of six or more. A tour leader can be provided upon request for smaller groups, upon additional cost.

Not included in the cost are:

  • Meals other than indicated.
  • Flights: All internal flights are extra. Internal airfares indicated are subject to change without notice.
  • Personal clothing & equipment (upon confirmation you’ll receive a clothing & necessity checklist of items we recommend you bring, items you can hire / purchase locally are indicated).
  • Personal expenses, bottled / alcoholic beverages, and tips to crew.
  • Insurance: We strongly recommend that all trip participants be covered by their own personal insurance that also covers emergency evacuation.
  • Other unforeseeable expenses that may arise due to factors beyond our control, like bad weather or flight cancellations.
  • Nepal visa fee.

 
  Standard Hotels
KathmanduNirvana Garden Hotel
PokharaSampada Inn
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