The Annapurna massif rises less than 40 km north of Pokhara, and the hills between the lake and the snow hold the densest network of teahouse trails in Nepal. Annapurna I, at 8,091 m, was the first 8,000 m peak ever climbed, in 1950, but most visitors come for what lies below it: Gurung and Magar villages of stone and slate, rhododendron forests that flower red in spring, and viewpoints such as Poon Hill and Khopra Danda that face Dhaulagiri across the Kali Gandaki gorge.
The region suits almost every kind of traveller. Families with young children can drive to Ghandruk in 3 hours and walk out over two gentle days. First-time trekkers can reach Poon Hill at 3,210 m in four days from Pokhara. Fitter walkers head up the Modi Khola gorge to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m, ringed by peaks above 7,000 m, or along the ridge to Mardi Himal Base Camp below Machhapuchhre. For those who cannot walk, a helicopter reaches ABC from Pokhara in 25–30 minutes.
On the north side of the range, the Annapurna Circuit follows the Marsyangdi valley to Manang at 3,519 m, a Tibetan Buddhist village in the rain shadow, and crosses Thorong La at 5,416 m to the temple town of Muktinath. Roads now reach both Manang and Muktinath, so we drive the lower sections and walk the high ones. Side trips lead to Tilicho Lake at 4,919 m, and climbers can tackle Pisang Peak, 6,091 m, with an NMA permit.
Everything here runs on teahouses: family lodges with twin rooms, shared or attached bathrooms and dining rooms heated by a stove, serving dal bhat with free refills. The whole region lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest of Nepal's conservation areas, so every trekker needs an ACAP permit. Our packages include permits, licensed guides, porters, transport and meals, with prices in both INR and USD.
