In May 2025, ArtNomads left our interesting UAE ArtTrifecta and headed for Nepal to do some hiking. We originally planned to do the Everest Base Camp (EBC) hike, but after reading lots of blogs and watching some videos, we decided to do the Annapurna Circuit Trek (ACT) instead, for many of the same reasons we chose to hike Mt. Meru in Tanzania rather than Kilimanjaro: crowds, cost and garbage.
You can read our primer on the what & how of the Annapurna Circuit Trek here. This article is a day by day recount of our actual experience. Warts and all.
First, we stopped in the cute little town of Bandipur, which is about halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara, and at higher altitude, to get a little acclimatization.
The following is a lonnng article, and it’s as much a record for our memory as a (we hope) helpful guide to anyone wanting to do the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Mrs. Nomad thinks i’s a little negative; what I’m trying to do is share our *real* experience. No travel goes off perfectly (at least not for us). But as we say in the TLDR section at bottom, we’d absolutely do this again!
The Annapurna Circuit Trek – Know Your Options!
The Annapurna Circuit Trek is highly flexible & variable – that is, you can start and stop at many different points, and add several different side trips. Depending on your choice(s) it can be as short as 10 days and as long as several weeks, covering anywhere from 160km to more than 230km with side trips.
Note: Before we get into the details, know that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, and that if you click, we may earn a small commission, with no cost to you!
As we mention in our general Nepal article, you can book online well in advance, but you can also shop around once you arrive in Kathmandu or Pokhara. We got prices from several tour operators in Kathmandu, but wanted to look around in Pokhara too.
Once in Pokhara, we checked out several options on Lakeside Street, and decided to book via Nepal Academy Yoga Treks, because the owner Devi was very convincing without being pressure-y.
Why We Booked an Annapurna Circuit Trek *Tour*
Most of these places are operated by guys who claim to have been first a porter for X years, then a guide for Y years, and they know all about what you’ll need on the trail. Devi was calm and convincing and seemed very accommodating.
He also allowed payment by credit card, which not all operators will; it was important to us for a couple reasons. We: 1. wanted some safety mechanism/recourse in case everything went horribly wrong, 2. might erase the cost using points and 3. wanted to accumulate points.
One thing Devi offered that we wish we’d have taken him up on was to talk with the guide before we left (more on this later in the article), but we didn’t since it was already late in the day and we were planning to start in 2 days.
In the end, we chose a mostly all-inclusive 12 Day / 11 Night Annapurna Circuit Trek package (you can absolutely do this trek without purchasing a package!) because we wanted (needed) at least a porter and didn’t want the hassle of having to find lodging along the way. Our package included permits, guide, porter, transport, lodging (whatever teahouse we chose!), food, and tea/coffee. Alcoholic beverages were excluded.
OUR DAY BY DAY ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK EXPERIENCE
Day 0.5: Pokhara to Besisahar then Dharapani
We did no hiking this day, it was all wheeled transport, so we don’t really count it, though it’s a very standard part of any of the treks.
We took what was billed as a “tourist” bus, but was actually very local with many stops from Pokhara to Besisahar. It was full when we left, with luggage stowed both in the “trunk” and strapped to the roof, as ours was, and got more full as we went along. We got the “evil eye” from some locals for not giving up our seats. Overall, it’s a roughly four hour journey with a couple short potty stops.
We did have an excellent lunch in Besisahar…maybe the best food in Nepal we’d had to date. We enjoyed a large bottle of beer 700NPR ($5), and learned / were reminded that soft drinks are not included…240NPR ($2) for a small Coke! These two items equalled more than our 2 entrees!
We then faced a 3 hr jeep ride up to Dharapani. This was a ”beater” vehicle, with bald front tires and some questionable welding of seat brackets and other repairs. There’s currently a TON of construction along this route, with some pretty rough to nearly non-existent roads.
At one of our comfort stops, we saw a pretty waterfall and experienced some dynamite blasting of the mountain! That was a first for us!
You *can* hike from here but we don’t currently recommend it, as there’s soooo much construction, and the way takes you mostly up the road.
Our Dharapani hotel was ok, with ok wifi, and ok food. We did explore the area a bit, walking to get our “altitude” lungs back; checked out a nice waterfall, and hung out with the local goats for a bit before dinner.
We also recorded our daily update video.
Day 1: Dharapani to Chame
~690m gain, ~ 20km
Here again, our expectations didn’t really jibe with reality. Many blogs speak of hiking through “jungle” (nope, none here – at least not what WE understand as jungle) and Rhododendron Forests. It’s true we saw a ton of rhododendron trees, but in mid-May, they were off the bloom. Go a bit earlier and it’s probably spectacular! We did see a bunch of beautiful orchids in bloom though, and some interesting lilies that looked like pitcher plants, but which our guide assured us were not carnivorous. Some beautiful sections of pine, and it’s nice to have the cushy ground under food rather than jeep road.
However, for most of this day, we didn’t feel at one with nature; it’s too modern, with lots of “jeep road”, and constant construction of a Chinese hydroelectric dam project. It was noisy & dusty, with fences blocking views. Blech. Of course, in the near future, the construction will be finished. But with a new concrete road, we wonder about traffic…
The hike itself is not too tough. And there are definitely many moments with spectacular views.
At lunch, we met an Instagram couple (Cat & Davi) who have been traveling for 3 yrs so far on roughly 30 euros/day. We spent a bunch of time talking to them about this, and we’re still not sure how they manage.
Aside: this is where we had really our first (small) problem with Durga; he asked us to pay for the lunch tea, saying it wasn’t included – he wanted 200NPR. I showed him that Devi has messaged us that indeed all coffee/tea *was* included (didn’t know at this time that Durga couldn’t read)… We whatsApped Devi, who called Durga and that was the end of that.
[ProTip: know *exactly* what your package includes and have it in writing. We’ve read similar stories happening to other trekkers; a guide skimming a couple hundred rupees a day is apparently not uncommon. It’s not a lot of $, but it’s the principle.]
I was worried about rain on the trek, as forecasts showed rain every single day – we almost pushed it back (but that would have pushed us *further* into rainy/monsoon season). It did in fact shower as we arrived in Chame – right on the predicted schedule. So we walked the last 10 or 15 minutes in the rain, but didn’t bother with getting out rain gear.
Our chosen hotel was fine, with cute little “cabins”, a private bathroom, and a “gas shower”. The wifi was decent (pretty good in the dining area), and the food pretty meh. We did get our first lesson in how fast the weather can change, and especially about how fast the wind picks up and temperature drops in the afternoon to evening! This will happen daily. We enjoyed a beer on the patio and recorded our daily wrapup.
Day 2: Chame to Upper Pisang
~450m gain, ~14.5km distance
We had absolutely PERFECT hiking weather. Heading out around 8am, I started with both my overshirt & full pantlegs, but removed both within a few km. Sunny, breezy. There was still too much Jeep Road but otherwise mostly beautiful.
We passed through Bhatrang, with its apple farms, and a cidery/winery. I was tempted to try the juice, but our guide (Durga) said it’s better in Marpha, so didn’t buy a $2.50 half-liter of “fresh” juice. The farm also has what looks like a nice hotel, but we neglected to get pics. D’oh!. Note: in October, when the juice is fresh, it’s probably worthwhile!
We continued uphill, with a mix of jeep road and trail. Overall, it was starting to feel more nature-y. About 20 mins out from Dikhur Pokhari (our lunch stop) the pine forest trail widened into Heaven’s Gate bowl, with magnificent 360 views!
We easily could have / wished we could have packed a lunch and eaten there! If you’re doing this on your own, we’d HIGHLY recommend doing this rather than a restaurant.
From lunch, it was only about 1 hr to Upper Pisang. Fantastic views with Heaven’s Gate seemingly getting larger the further away we got! Really felt energized, amazing. Maybe I had a touch of runner’s high/trekker euphoria?!
Upon arrival, it turned super windy. Our hotel was basic, a plywood corner room, but with a fabulous view of Annapurna! We explored the “town” a bit, looking for a reasonably-priced beer, and found a quiet corner to sit, enjoy the beer and view, and met a cow named Nima – which means one of the following:
Born to a wealthy family (धनी परिवारमा जन्म)
Small (सानो)
Blessing (आशिष्)
We also recorded our daily update.
Dinner was pretty good…but Durga got drunk which led to trouble the next day.
Day 3: Upper Pisang to Manang
~340m gain, ~ 15km distance, 5-6 hrs.
We started around 0730am and “helped” mooove local cows including Nima; was kind of fun to feel like we were part of the local scene.
Most of the morning’s walking seemed to offer constantly changing angles / views of Annapurna II.
Durga asked if we’d like to see Green Lake, so we went downhill for a bit to check out a small but pretty alpine lake, then did a steep uphill to Ghyura, a small “town” with a pretty nice temple and incredible views.
We took a rest, and killed some time, dried out socks & shirts we’d washed the night prior, and too what we hope are enjoyable pictures, before heading off on a mostly flattish section of trail to Ngawal for lunch.
Let me tell you about that lunch.
INCREDIBLE tuna & fresh-vegetable mo:mos, perfectly fried. Crispy outside, lovely blend of soft and crispy inside… seriously one of the best meals of the whole trek!
This woman is responsible, and I nicknamed her my MomoMama!
ALL DOWNHILL FROM THERE
RANT
Literally. Because he was tired & hungover, Durga took us down to the jeep road instead of staying on the high trail. We didn’t learn this until later. When we discovered it, we had a BIG BLOWUP. We and Devi had instructed him at the start, to take us on trail any time it was possible; to avoid roads.
Then, when we arrived at the hotel… the room was again pretty decent, with a fantastic view, but turns out the private bath only had solar heated water (which in general is no use once the sun is covered by clouds). We later learned that there was a gas shower on the ground level, for an extra charge but he didn’t explain. BAD communication.
WE had to go look for another room in case we wanted to change… and Devi was not much help.
Durga insisted there were no hotels with rooms with attached / private gas or electric shower; we found 3…but none had as nice a view, so we stayed.
/RANT
The Lower road was still pretty…the Himalayas are stunning no matter where or how you see them.
Dinner was ok to good, but we were both really too upset to enjoy it. Electricity was intermittent, which meant wifi was too.
The hotel (Hotel Himalayan Singi) does have a basic roof deck with full-on view of Annapurna II and Gangapurna Peak & Glacier, which offers stunning and sunning views depending on weather. It’s where we recorded our daily insta update.
Day 4: “Rest” & Acclimatization in Manang
Today was supposedly a “rest” day with a short hike up to 3900-4000m for acclimatization. We did Gangapurna Lake and up higher to Chhyongkor ViewPoint…and higher still. Using this page as guide, we got much higher up than others in our “group”.
Ran into Cata & Davi on the way up, but they (and nobody else) didn’t go as high up as we did. We’d like to believe this helped us later in the trip.
Fabulous weather. Hung out and explored the farm(s) and religious shrines etc. at 4000-ish m for a couple hours, took an absurd number of Glacier photos, made friends with goats and a puppy, then headed down for lunch.
Back at the hotel, we had REALLY yummy onion soup…very different from other restaurants. Pretty much a French Onion Soup, complete with bread & cheese; perfect for the day and delicious!
We did a little blog work (no wifi) and recorded our Day 4 video then off to a High Altitude safety/health briefing at 3pm. Not much we didn’t already know, but it inspired us to buy Diamox, just in case.
All in all, a great day!
We recommend staying in Manang multiple days, if you can. There are a number of neat hikes like Praken Gompa/Ice Lake and Milerepa Cave. There is a cultural center & museum, both closed while we were there. You can also visit “Old Manang” the original village… not sure of attraction, but all this gives you more acclimatization time and maybe cultural immersion. We regret not spending at least 1 more day here – probably 2.
Day 5: Manang to Tilicho Base Camp
~600m gain, ~19km distance
Started around 0730 thru town, road to start up to Khangsar Village (mostly farms)
Beautiful hiking weather -again. Found a local guy making butter and singing while doing it. Somehow, very motivating & uplifting! Mountain views morphed from individual peaks to showing more of the whole Himalayas range.
Decent climb to Sree Kharka for (tasty) lunch (with great views) but first we stopped at a really nice temple/monastery complex. Supposedly, offerings made here ensure a safe journey to Tilicho. Do with that what you will, but the temple really IS worth a visit!
After lunch, we continued to Tilicho Base Camp… approx 6km; total change in geology; weird, alien-like formations, with a couple long rockslide / avalanche zones. This is potentially the scariest, most technical section of the whole trek. But also SERIOUSLY cool, and unlike any other section.
We’d seen pics on Facebook (Annapurna Circuit Trek Group) from just a few days before where the path seemed totally gone from a rockslide, with the poster claiming they got through on hands and knees! We mentally prepared ourselves to turn around at that point if need be. Fortunately, there’d been enough hikers ahead of us to recreate a small, semi-stable path (sometimes only the width of a shoe!) and we forged ahead.
The weather got progressively windier, cloudier, colder. In fact, it rained/sleeted shortly after our arrival. We stayed at Basecamp Inn, which we expected to be really nice from Google reviews… the room had a great view and was painted nice, but still suuuper basic. We only had (generator) power between 7-930p, and no wifi. BUT we did have an ELECTRIC BLANKET/BEDPAD!
It was so cold outside that we did our Day 5 update from inside the room.
The food was OK, but MomoMama set a seriously high bar.
Day 6: Tilicho Base Camp to Tilicho Lake to Shree Kharka
Total distance: 17km, elevation gain to lake 700m, with max @ 4919m (16,183 ft).
Tilicho Lake is the highest lake in Nepal (formerly the world). This is sort of a side-trip, or spur from the actual Annapurna Circuit Trek route, but we felt it was well worthwhile, for both the views and for the altitude acclimatization it offers.
This will be your first really early morning ascent. We had a cup of tea and grabbed breakfast-to-go; as our hike started at 0430, and we didn’t want too much in our bellies to start.
Oh-dark-hundred starts aren’t our favorite, but this one affords beautiful views of sunrise across the peaks. In our case, it was cloudy & misty, making the early photos seem almost like black & white shots. It was super quiet, except for the swooshing of the river – kind of surreal.
It’s also a pretty steep & tough climb, making it a bit hard to regulate body temp… I had on waaayyy too many layers at start… stripped off as we went up; pretty steep, almost nonstop up up up. Once we reached what seemed like a dry pond area, it was time to start adding layers back on!
It was indeed very cold at the top. The lake was still frozen, with a light dusting of snow. The sun was fully up by this time, but mostly obscured by clouds, and we and many other trekkers gathered in front of the shelter up there to get a break from the biting wind. (insert blue lake photo vs ours)
We took a few moments for photos, and enjoyed the *best breakfast burrito ever*; cheese omelet wrapped in chapati with green chili sauce… super tasty, but we were also very hungry.
We heard the crack and rumble of an avalanche, but didn’t see one, due to clouds obscuring a good part of the mountain(s). Locals lit incense, and made an offering to a frozen Buddha statue.
On the way down, we starting stripping off layers again, as the full sun warmed us.
Note: there are 2 toilets on the path; one near summit, one at midpoint, which is DISGUSTING – do not use if you can avoid it.
Round trip took us 5.5 hrs. We arrived back down at basecamp; took a short nap /rest and had a lunch. After, we headed back to Sree Kharka, which was another 6km. As we’d already done it, there were no real surprises but we had much better weather & light = more pics. And we were more relaxed though the landslide zone.
We got to town around 1400, checked into one of those cute little cabins we mentioned in the video, grabbed a much appreciated HOT SHOWER, did a little laundry, recorded our ArtNomads daily wrap video, then found a little time to check emails etc., since there was OK wifi in the restaurant.
In all, we’d hiked roughly 17km, over the course of roughly 8 hours, and at this point, we realllllllly wanted a burger & beer, but still no go at that altitude and location.
DAY 7: Sree / Shree Kharka to Leddar
~700m gain, ~ 12km distance
Another lovely morning in Shree Kharka!
This time, we took the high trail. It is much more scenic than jeep road/low trail; we saw farms & ruins of. This is apparently Khangsar, though it seems mostly abandoned. Our guide told us the higher homes have been vacated in favor of newer housing down by the river. We also saw a stupa/temple but not until we were past it, so no exploring. Quite a nice stretch through scrub evergreens & pine… a nice invigorating scent to keep you going!
That said, doing the loop is probably best to experience all the different scenery and topography. While the lower road is flat-ish, the Upper Trail has some fairly serious climbs. (There’s also a side trail to Moon Lake; it’s marked but there isn’t much info online; this link is best we could find)
It was along here that our path merged with trekkers who were going straight from Manang to Yak Kharka, which is typical for the “standard” version of the ACT, but not before joining up with a pretty sizable line of locals (and their donkeys) who were heading up into the mountains to spend the next two months harvesting yarsagumba (more later).
The two streams converged in the town of Yak Kharka, which has something of a Wild West “town square” feel, and where we enjoyed a delicious lunch.
On arrival in Led(d)ar, Mrs. Nomads looked at rooms in 3 different lodgings, and chose one different from our guide’s suggestion. It was a pretty basic room, (at this altitude, no sinks or basins, and toilets are bucket-flush due to freezing). It had a nice, bright, large gas-shower room, though it is detached and a few steps down behind the restaurant.
As for amenities, the site did have a long clothesline with pins (!), free charging, but intermittent wifi… later we got to wondering if we picked up a virus? We recorded but couldn’t upload our Daily recap post until later.
The dining room had a good-sized wood stove, decent+ food, a few books to swap, but no games. Food was pretty good.
DAY 8: Leddar to High Camp
Again, we took the High Trail…a pretty easy gradual climb to Thorong Phedi (where most people stay before final ascent), with the massive Annapurna III and Gangapurna peaks in our rear view, seemingly getting bigger most of hike.
The traffic had largely let up, and we came across some locals harvesting yarsagumba, which is a very pricy cordycep prized in places like China. At up to 1500NPR *per piece*, a kilogram could net the searcher $5-6000USD. The locals get permits from the government, and essentially move into tent camps at higher altitudes to harvest this stuff around now, and then when that season ends, they move on to harvesting wild garlic.
In the same area, just across the river from Thorong Phedi, we found a nice waterfall , so we took a few moments to enjoy the view, take some pics, and hunt for yarsagumba. Sadly, no luck.
We then conquered a lonnnng suspension bridge with a big climb at the end, and had a delicious lunch at Windhorse, which we highly recommend as at least a lunch stop. It’s very cute, with retro couches outside, games, art, and a decent book exchange. We had their vegetable “moussaka”, which while being unlike any moussaka we’ve ever had before was fresh, herby, and tasty! Highly Recommend.
After letting that big lunch settle a bit, it was time to head up to High Camp. That’s a steep, 400m switchback climb.
At High Camp, the accommodations got as basic as we’d experience on the whole Annapurna Circuit Trek! The room was a plywood box, with no light (bulb was broken), power or toilet. There are several outhouses with squat / long toilets, and no running water.
You’ll be glad you if you used our list and packed those handywipes!!
Power here is almost exclusively solar, and free phone charging ends at 3pm, so be on your game!
There are 4 main rooms to the lodge portion (one of which is where the guides & porters eat & sleep), only 1 of which has a stove. So there were roughly 50+ trekkers and staff crowded into that one room, eating dinner from their laps, while hardier folks huddled in the lobby or other main dining room.
Past 3pm, you evidently *can* charge your phone, for 200NPR. There is also a very limited Book xchange. Extra blankets and a “hot bottle” are available for a fee.
I can’t imagine having slept here without our bags, it got COLD, and in fact we had a small snow & sleet storm which left me worried about conditions for the ascent the next day. (See below for Day 8 & 9 combo update video)
Day 9: High Camp to Thorong La pass to Muktinath
Part 1: ~ 600m gain, ~ 5km
Part 2: ~1700 m LOSS, ~10km
This was our most exhilarating, fulfilling and exhausting day of the whole trek.
Starting once again around 04:30, having had just some tea (and oatmeal, in Mr. Nomads’ case) we set off to conquer, cross, and leave our mark on the infamous Thorong La Pass.
Again, we started with headlamps, but they were soon unnecessary as the sun began to glow on the surrounding peaks: first faint pink, then rose, then orange and finally brilliant white. Just stunning.
We actually made the ascent fairly quickly (…maybe too fast, as we both started getting low-grade headaches at one point), reaching the pass in just about 2 hours. We credit this to our aggressive acclimatization at both Manang and Tilicho lake ascents, plus – we guess – having lived at altitude in Utah for a decade.
Overall, we’d say reaching the pass was not as hard as Tilicho climb; you just need to pace yourself according to your breathing & heartrate. Slow & steady wins the race!
Once you reach the pass, there’s a Teahouse serving hot drinks; we opted to enjoy our breakfast burritos (sadly not as good as the ones at Tilicho) and greet other trekkers as they arrived. We also took lots of silly photos, climbed yet higher to a little peak behind the teahouse, and wondered about the array of Israeli male stickers -like from a fireman calendar- plastered everywhere among the prayer flags at the sign. Just weird.
Having a chocolate bar at top is apparently a tradition, so we shared one we’d brought for the occasion; but not a Snickers, which seems to be the norm. Plan accordingly.
Unfortunately, you can only kill so much time reveling in your achievement, as there is SO MUCH MORE to hike today!
Crossing over, we started the downward section to Muktinath. This is a knee-killing, -2000 meter descent over around 10km, so it’s both long and steep in parts. If you have knee trouble, pack a brace for this bit.
The topography changes rapidly to a kind of desert canyon, and you’ll start shedding layers within the first 30 minutes or so.
There *are* a couple of outhouses along the trail, but even more miraculously, there is a cluster of 3-5 restaurants with lovely patios perched on a ridge in the middle of the gorge. We really should have had a celebratory beer at one of these midpoint restaurants – it was perfect timing, reason, setting & weather!
But for some reason, we all kept going. Because we’re stupid.
Further down the canyon, we saw a temple and went over to investigate (our guide said nothing about it and was going to blow by it). We met a Sadhu / yogi who told us about Vishnu meditating there. We didn’t fully understand, but apparently the river was formed from Vishnu’s perspiration, and somehow he became a holy stone, residing in the river forever. The temple, which he did not open for us, contains holy stones. We probably don’t have this 100% correct, but several Hindu sites bear it out, in part, and it helps explain why Muktinath is such a holy site (see below).
By now, our knees are hurting and we *just want to get to the hotel*! We do take a few pics of sheep & goats on mountainside, and a very oddly dressed herder, but we’re now moving as fast as we can. We’re tired, hungry, and want to be done.
As we approach Muktinath: we see Hindu (and Buddhist) temples and prayer flags everywhere. We make a short stop at the nearest temple, which isn’t as interesting as others we’ve seen, and then descend into a crowd in what is apparently a large religious site. There are dozens of devout Hindu pilgrims (many from India) performing some ritual washing; they walk through a fountain wall to shed sins. This is apparently an everyday occurrence, with weekends and special festivals being even busier, but photos are forbidden.
No one told us about religious aspect of Muktinath prior; we thought it was just a way point on the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
The downtown has lots of hotel and road construction; it’s clearly booming as a pilgrimage site. It doesn’t really appear to cater to trekkers like Thamel in Kathmandu or Pokhara do.
From the stalls by the streetside, it seems the area is a fiber handicraft center; we saw beautiful wool and rabbit-hair scarves, wraps etc. Some other handicrafts. There are also a number of fossilized stones; particularly ammonites. Apparently you can just walk in the riverbed and find them easily.
Our hotel was the Town House Hotel. Our guide informed us we didn’t have a choice that night as he was running out of money. (!?) While better-appointed and equipped that some of our recent lodgings, the room wasn’t great, and the restaurant served *bad* food. Electricity and wifi were both unreliable. Mediocre solar shower. We later found several other hotels we’d have preferred. We don’t recommend.
We did wander and explore the town a bit, climbing to a Buddha shrine up the hill, but there isn’t much to do in the town’s current state.
It’s a little like a concrete Wild West, complete with makeshift horse stalls on the west end of town. Once all the construction is done, it’ll probably be quite a place. Check our combo Day 8 & 9 recap video here.
DAY 10: Muktinath to Lupra (Lubra)
~ -580m elevation loss, ~ 11km distance
Once again, we deviated from the “standard” Annapurna Circuit Trek route, and rather than leave Muktinath and head to Jomsom via Kagbeni, we took the *other* fork in the canyon and headed to Lupra (sometimes spelled Lubra).
Mainly, Devi suggested this route as a way to get great views of the Lower Mustang area (we were told Upper Mustang is currently closed to foreigners – this proved untrue; check before you book!), and to experience a real mountain town that hasn’t been highly impacted by trek tourism. It’s also technically a bit of a shortcut.
While we didn’t have to start too early today, since it’s not a long hike, we were up early from outside activity /people talking LOUD!
Mrs/ Nomads’ breakfast was meh, while Mr.’s was actually pretty good. MUCH better seabuckthorn juice (first time juice included), The scrambled eggs had…sugar?
We left around 0845, and had to battle *major* inbound Indian/Hindu pilgrims foot traffic heading from the parking lot to religious areas. With no road or sidewalks, it got pretty interesting.
Not so much traffic on the hike itself, which started on the jeep road; though there was one large convoy with 25 4x4s.
While temps were comfortable, it was pretty hazy, with not great visibility. The hills were covered with pretty yellow wildflower thornbushes. We got to see farms: potato, wheat, buckwheat and apple, plus herds of yak & sheep, goats.
We had a little climb to overlook/pass, with fantastic views of the Mustang region – really pretty stunning. From there, the trail led mostly down. Saw (and later walked in) a riverbed that comes down from Tilicho, the Gandaki River. Very low now but apparently major in snowmelt/monsoon season!
Durga found a fossil, which made us look more closely at rocks/geology; the valley is pretty interesting in that sense. Geologists would enjoy lingering.
Another suspension bridge – what would a day be without one?! Then down *into* the rocky riverbed to make our way to “path” up to town, which actually consisted of scrambling up the steep bank. The main path was wiped out by landslide in one area, so river & bank it was!
Lupra is a smallllll town; the setting is like a Mediterranean Seaside village. Mrs. Nomad picked a (really cute, tidy-looking) homestay but it was full. Durga had to knock on doors; there were only 4 hotels/homestays open.
We ended up at Dakar Inn, which looks like a private home. It’s a cute little place -basic but clean. Had a lunch of great fried rice and dal baht. We saw the owner go into his garden and pick fresh mustard greens… everything tasted very fresh. Also, we enjoyed a 650r ($4) can of Tuborg beer.
As if we hadn’t had enough walking today, we went exploring. Manik joined us in checking out meditation caves (we met a Scandanavian girl who is staying in one for 7-10 days, she showed us around); basic but actually ideal for getting away from (almost) everything! We inspected the local religious sites, and made friends with more farm animals, especially baby goats. A couple of the young children grabbed our hands and tried to dance with us, all while asking for paper, pencils etc. – they wanted school supplies, which we sadly had none of.
Once we got back to the room, we enjoyed the hottest solar shower we’d experienced, recorded our daily recap post, and relaxed & read before dinner.
Overall, it was a super relaxing day!
A few notes about our lodging: there was no Wifi in the room, it was too far from the router. Electricity was intermittent; the hosts don’t have solar or generator backup. Dinner again featured veggies fresh from the garden, and the owner treated us to some traditional drumming when the power went out during dinner.
Day 11: Lupra to Marpha: We Make a Terrible Mistake !
In spite of the distance not being very great, we left pretty early because the guys wanted to catch the bus back to Pokhara…they told us ”last bus 130pm”…meanng we have to go early. So, we started our hike around 0745.
After an early-ish breakfast, we hit the riverbed again as the mountainside trail is gone from one or more landslides! Saw a bunch of men building river diverter channels, stacking wire mesh cages and filling them with rocks, all by hand.
This emptied onto a paved road all the way to Jomsom… I was NOT happy, but indeed a check of the map showed no trekking trail. We noticed interesting geology, but not much else other than women breaking rocks / making gravel with small hammers. A hard way to make a living, which we saw quite a bit of during our trip to Madagascar.
A few miles down the road, at the ACA checkpoint, Durga (via Manik) tells us there’s more road, no trail…when on the map there’s an obvious trail.
I spent 15 mins arguing with Durga, the cops & finally, a man in the information booth confirmed and explained to Durga 3 times about a “Trekking Trail” (using plain English for this) through Jomsom and along the river. So we set off.
The trail is kind of nice, winding through various farm & treed sections -definitely better than a busy paved road! – then empties into a riverbed again, which leads us to the gravel road up to Dhumba Lake. We would have dovetailed with Durga’s path at this point, but the trail is evidently not only more scenic, but also shorter!
Dhumba is a holy lake, with its water used in ceremonies at the nearby monastery. While not very large – only a few acres, it holds HUGE fish. Like some as big as my leg! There’s a 50r entry fee for foreigners. It’s a nice break, with a relatively clean long toilet setup, and a small teahouse/restaurant, but doesn’t really hold a lot of interest for us. I think we stayed about 15-20 minutes.
Then we hiked up, up, up to the monastery. Must be important, as it looks like the Dali Lama has visited a holy rock in a small shrine, but no religious people are there because there’s a movie being filmed…all grips, gaffers, electricians etc. working to get the site ready. Movie to release fall 2026. No idea who is starring or directing, as the women we asked were sworn to secrecy via an NDA, and wouldn’t spill the beans. We think it might be this one, about Tenzing Norgay.
The wind started really picking up…leaving the monastery, and heading to Marpha, we were walking against 20-30mph winds. It’s a beautiful valley with some trails and white peaks…but we had no time to explore. Gotta make that 1330 bus!
Honestly, it felt a little like a “forced march” hustle to Marpha, still a couple hours away. No more trail, it’s all jeep road. We can barely can stop to take pics without getting left behind. Lots of apple farms, in a very picturesque valley.
You’ll cross to Marpha through Chhairo village, a perfect, clean, orderly little town. You can go thru or around. Again, we had no time to really explore.
Although we see an obvious makeshift bridge path, Durga continues on to the suspension bridge, which is blockaded, forcing us to double back. We should have followed the cows! They know. Precious minutes are ticking away!
We fast-walk into Marpha. Well, as fast as we can; Manik is really hurting; we’ve had no rest stops for almost 2 hours. The guys tell us where the bus stop is, (for tomorrow) help us find a hotel – we tip them, say goodbye and they depart.
At the hotel, we find out the bus isn’t coming until 3pm !! All that hard fast trekking for no reason! We’re pretty upset. But it gets better.
Marpha looks like a really cute little village… almost like a medina. All whitewashed, prayer flags overhead, clean…there’s a monastery in town plus something up the mountain / cliff face. Already thinking we should have booked more days. We’re eager to grab a beer, lunch, & explore!
But…
Here’s our rookie mistake:
We discover the town has no ATM. The nearest is back in Jomson, more than an hour’s walk back the way we came! Our hotel doesn’t take credit cards. We have very little cash left, not enough for hotel & dinner – and while hurriedly finishing our beers, make the decision to bail. So much for our leisurely night of red meat, and apple brandy!
We scurried back to our hotel, grabbed our gear and left the key in the door – no manager to be found, so we couldn’t explain or apologize…
We hustle to the bus stop, thinking we have only a few minutes to catch the bus. At first, the gal at ticket counter says they take cards; and we breathe a sigh of relief. She finds us 2 seats, 3000r or $22. I pull out the card to pay and her eyes get both wide and sad; she shakes her head, saying, no, no, no card, only cash. Meanwhile, Mrs. Nomad is emailing the hotel in Pokhara, asking if we can move our reservation UP a night, when she saw no availability online.
ACK!
We scrounge the 3000r, leaving us with under 1000r. Mrs. Nomad went to buy a lunch or some snacks, and then we see… the bus isn’t leaving at 1300, it’s 1330.
Dammit – we would have had time to visit the monastery, at least, but it’s too far to walk to and back in that time. So we wait.
And Wait. 330 comes and goes, no bus.
Mrs. Nomad comes back with 1L of water, two bags of snax; all we can afford. No one will make her a sandwich or any kind of meal for the trip. Fortunately we still have 2 energy bars left from the trek.
Around 4pm, the bus arrives.
Annnd it’s full. Much commotion about us taking our *assigned* seats, but after another 15 minutes, we do indeed leave.
Our guide and porter, whom we’ve tipped (but we had a contentious relationship with the guide, don’t forget) are on the same bus… wondering why we are waiting there… we have to tell them – we’re out of cash! I’m surprised that when the bus comes, they both help get our bag stowed in the luggage compartment.
The bus ride to Pokhara
The road is TERRIBLE! Many spots with landslides are being cleared, it’s mostly unpaved, and there is a lot of construction of new bridges etc. At times, it seems like the bus is hanging on, maybe over, the edge. It’s kinda nerve-wracking. There’s fairly loud music and bright lights on board; that and the bumps offer no chance for sleep.
On the plus side, the scenery, and we assume, the trail itself, is gorgeous from Marpha onward to Tatopani. High alpine forest, deep gorges, fast-moving river, all dotted with tiny villages. Looking out the bus window, I spent a LOT of time wishing we could have simply kept going on the hike.
(Except for the hot springs in Tatopani – what we see driving by frankly grosses us out, and we’re glad we skipped that!)
We ate one cheeseball every 15 minutes to make them last. At a potty stop, our guys know we have no money or food, and offer us some of their dinner. We decline, but still… how amazing of them!
We make it to Pokhara around 2345; only it’s NOT the stop we were expecting… there are no ATMs to be found anywhere near. It’s a 45 minute walk to our hotel, and it starts POURING rain… true monsoon level.
A local hears my frustration, asks if we need a taxi, and I say, sure, but our phones wont connect – can he help?
Some 10 minutes later, he pulls us over to a very small, beat up compact car and helps shove our bag in the rear. Three of us pile in the back seat, with another trekker we recognize front from the ACT taking the passenger seat, and off we go. No discussion of price, and we have no money anyway!
The car is nearly FLOATING in some spots, there’s SO MUCH WATER! Seriously, it’s like the log flume ride at Disney… or Cedar Pointe.. or – you get the idea!
The car also has no defroster, so the poor driver is constantly wiping the windshield with the same dirty wet rag… somehow, we make our way to the hotel (thank you Google Maps) and now… it’s midnight…the fare is 1000r (we have 390 left, or about $3). I ask the hotel desk if they can front us the 1000r and pay the driver – and miraculously they DO. I ask whether I need to run out to an ATM right then, or can do in morning… he says anytime, of they’ll add it to our bill, which we can pay with a credit card. Magnificent – who knew hotels (especially those charging $26/night) still had service like this!?
In the end, our HORRIBLE MISTAKE turns into a great story about human kindness and generosity.
Annapurna Circuit Trek TLDR;
The Annapurna Circuit Trek is an amazing Himalayas adventure experience, with fantastic scenery. You’re effectively seeing what the Rocky Mountains might have looked like 30-50 million years ago, before all the erosion. You’re discovering (more or less, depending on your guide) a new culture and lifestyle.
And, you’re getting potentially the best exercise of your life.
We absolutely would do this trek again (differently), and recommend it, even for Senior trekkers, assuming you’re of able body. If you’re younger and experienced, we see no reason to not do it on your own; if you’re on a budget, you can still do this trek pretty inexpensively. For everyone, regardless of age, we recommend arranging as much time as you can to more thoroughly enjoy the experience; it’s likely a once in a lifetime thing!
We did it in 12 days, and we’d recommend allotting as much time as you can afford, so you can do the whole circuit (we did about ¾) and add some side trips in as well. I regret missing Ice Lake, Moon Lake and other sites.
Over 50, we’d definitely recommend at least a porter; and please, keep his total load to under 25kg. We’ve posted HIS and HERS videos of the gear we packed; we both used *most* of what we took, but could have lightened up by a couple pounds each.
We’d also recommend doing the Annapurna Circuit Trek a bit earlier in the year – maybe April, to completely avoid monsoon season, and to allow more time for additional hikes like Everest Base Camp, Upper Mustang, Dolpa and any number of other fabulous options.
What did we love about the Annapurna Circuit Trek?
We loved the Himalayas scenery, of course – how could you NOT? I was constantly in awe of the size and scale of the mountains – how they seemed to get BIGGER the further away we walked!
Most of the food was really pretty good, some was amazing. The people we met along the way were amazing. Thailand is supposedly the land of smiles, but Nepali are so chill, sweet, warm and generous-hearted. Finally, as “Senior” nomads, we loved the sense of accomplishment that came from completing it, much as we felt from summiting Mt. Meru, only moreso, given the duration and altitude.
What did we NOT love about the Annapurna Circuit Trek?
Honestly, we felt a little rushed; weather IS a factor in the early starts, and the guides hustle you along because of it. A slower pace would allow more/better photos, exploration. We wish we could have taken a bit more time while hiking, and spent more time at a couple stops, like Manang. You do spend a lot of time looking down at the path; make sure you take some time to stop and look around – it’s why you’re there!
If you’re still reading (congrats and thank you!)… whether you do this on your own or book a package, here’s our input regarding
Guide: Durga- he’s a nice man, but we don’t recommend him as he has a very limited command of English, meaning he didn’t tell us a lot about what we were seeing, and couldn’t answer questions very well.
Porter: Manik (Contact) We absolutely recommend asking for him! He’s a super kid in his early 20s, smiley, funny, helpful, speaks better English than Durga, and was always looking out for us.