Annapurna Himal Travel Guide

 
by barryg23
  •   Annapurna Himal
    by barryg23
  • Tilicho Lake as viewed from the East
      Tilicho Lake as viewed from the East
    by Cruxer
  • On the West side of the pass, Tilicho Peak behind
      On the West side of the pass, Tilicho...
    by Cruxer
  • Lone yak...
      Lone yak...
    by Cruxer
  • Upper Pisang Track
      Upper Pisang Track
    by Robmj

Pro

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 Mesmerizing sceneries, Snowy Mountains, Friendly and diverse people, and more 


Con

victorwkf profile photo

 Please leave your luxury behind as things are basic here 


In a nutshell

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 An incredible journey ! 

 

Explore Annapurna Himal

Things to Do  

EASTERN SIDE of CIRCUIT

EASTERN SIDE of CIRCUIT, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  Take a moment to observe the huge black slippery side of the mountain on your right which you will pass on the second or third day of your trek. This is treacherous and you should not try and climb it. 

MINATURE SHEEP

MINATURE SHEEP, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  I came across some very small woolly sheep in a clearing just before arriving at Pisang. They couldn't have been more than 16 inches tall. LOOK out for them in that area as i never saw them elsewhere. 

ARCHERY IN PISANG

ARCHERY IN PISANG, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  I stayed a night in Pisang, a village clinging to the hillside to the east of the trail . Actually it is kind of like two villages as it is divided in to Lower and Upper Pisang. Fortunately there was an archery competition taking place as i found out as i rounded a corner... 

TUKUCHE

TUKUCHE, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  Tukuche is just is just 6kms from the picturesque village of Marpha and worth spending a couple of hours here just to visit the distillery which has been here for decades. Tukuche brandy is made from apricots and apples, and is pretty potent stuff. Tukuche sits on the west... 

GHANDRUNG

GHANDRUNG, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  At Ghandrung we were lucky enough to catch a village festival which seemed to be organised by the women who danced and performed a mini play. I believe this was held in May but not sure if it is an annual event. 

TAL

TAL, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  Tal, a village at 1700m is worth staying a night, There is a waterfall on the right hand side at the end of the village but it is extremely cold to take a quick shower. Tal means lake so there was originally a lake here before it was filled in by landslides caused it to silt... 

THORANG LA

THORANG LA, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  Best to Cross the Thorang La from Phedi as you only have to ascend 1000m compared to 1600m from Muktinath. Some people manage it from Muktinath but this is very dangerous as you may get disorientated with altitude sickness, and even die. If you start from Phedi you would... 

Restaurants  

Food from the tea-house kitchen: Food from the tea-house kitchen: Meals during trek

Food from the tea-house kitchen: Food from the tea-house kitchen: Meals during trek, Annapurna Himal

 victorwkf Says:  During trekking, you will have to eat the food cooked by the tea-house kitchen. It ranges from noodles, fried rice, soups, momos (local dish), dal bat (local dish) to pizza (would you believe it). Everything will taste nice after a long and tiring trek. Don't expect dishes... 

Camp/teahouse food...

Camp/teahouse food..., Annapurna Himal

 TracyG Says:  The range of food that is provided on a camping trek or in a teahouse trek is incredible. You will have a choice from the local dal bhat and momo,right up to pizza and spaghetti. It really is quite incredible what can be created with a basic stove/oven. You will have no... 

Nightlife  

Nepali Dancing....
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TracyG 466 reviews
Mike, Carl & Mari dancing

On the last night of most treks (or nearly every night on our trek) the porters will sing traditional Nepali folk songs and play the drum and encourage you to dance! Believe me, after a few drinks you will be up dancing and know some of the words to the songs.

Written Aug 27, 2005

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Shopping  

A bit of everything...

A bit of everything..., Annapurna Himal

 TracyG Says:   In most of the larger trekking villages you will see lots of little stalls set up by the locals, selling a wide range of goods such as; jewellery,clothing, blankets, statues etc. You may also find that you will be followed by Tibetan refugees wanting to sell you there... 

Local Customs  

CORN OR MAIZE

CORN OR MAIZE, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  When trekking in Annapurna, particularly at the lower altitudes corn or maize will be stored and dried in racks, with the purpose of grinding for human consumption (bread or porridge) or for the livestock. 

Warnings and Dangers  

ICED OVER WATERFALLS

ICED OVER WATERFALLS, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  After you leave Hinko the trail passes over the stream and sometimes it is difficult to follow if there has been fresh snow. There are a some waterfalls that are on the left, which have been iced over due to the cold weather, but there is still a flow from the waterfall... 

Nettles

Nettles, Annapurna Himal

 tayloretc Says:  I’m quoting an entry I wrote for what I think is the same plant in the Indian Garwhali hills. At least, my guide described it as the same plant and I didn’t have the nerve to test it. “Biting Grass. Also called ‘cutting grass,’ and it hurts. Brushing past it isn’t bad, but... 

What to Pack  

camel bag of at least 2 liters is almost A MUST!

camel bag of at least 2 liters is almost A MUST!, Annapurna Himal

 iloveadventure Says:  backpack for max. 12 kg. For safety (cars, air planes) I recommend a good cover for it. normal trekking stuff for winter and summer. during the day can be warm to 15 degrees C, but during the nights it is really cold. do now forget the down camping slippers!!! You can find... 

Water Purifying Tablets

Water Purifying Tablets, Annapurna Himal

 darthmilmo Says:   Now, I already had water purifying tablets with me, but in case you don’t have you should buy some as water is expensive en route. I went ahead and purify most of the time to save expenses. A litter of water ranged between 25-150 Nepalese Rupees depending on the... 

Off The Beaten Path  

DEORALI

DEORALI, Annapurna Himal

 davidjo Says:  I was on my way from Chomring to Poon Hill and near the Deorali pass i stopped in a teashop where they informed me there was a shortcut, a path that led down from the side of the teahouse. As it was raining i decided to take this route, but after the path branched off at... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Do you need a guide or porter?
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

darthmilmo 1920 reviews
Thorong La - you can get here withough a guide!

Practically all the tips in this page are sport related, but I thought I should address the issue of porters/guides in this tip. So, do you really need a porter or a guide? Honestly, I do no think that is necessary. No matter what age or physical fit you have you do not need one. I was really surprised on the number of young people taking one along the trek. It’s like wasting money. The paths are really clear and the experience, in my humbly opinion, will be more rewarding if you carry your own stuff. If you do hire a guide or porter, do so locally in Pokhara or Katmandu. Agree to a set price in writing and do remember to give him/her a tip at the end. Do not be a cheapskate either and mind the weight of your bags. I met too many people taking their entire luggage on treks. I suggest you leave stuff behind at your guesthouse in Pokhara.

Written Jul 15, 2005

Address: Pokhara, Katmandu, or somewhere in the Himalayas

Related to:
 National/State Park
 Backpacking
 Hiking and Walking

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Favorites  

Reputable Guide

Reputable Guide, Annapurna Himal

 JohnniOmani Says:  Trekking Annapurna is a daunting task but an incredibly rewarding experience. Most travel agencies in Kathmandu and Pokhara will go on treks no matter what the political or weather conditions so you need to be careful. If you need a reputable trekking agency I cant provide... 

Annapurna villages...

Annapurna villages..., Annapurna Himal

 TracyG Says:  Whilst trekking in the Annapurnas, you will trek/stay in many amazing villages. This is a great way to get to know the local people in their own setting. It is a real pleasure to just wander through the narrow pathways and watch people going about their daily lives. Waking... 

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Map of Annapurna Himal