Annapurna Two Passes Trek

Your Arrival Time (?) Our office representative will meet and greet you at Kathmandu Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu.

At 06:00 PM: In the evening we will meet for a coffee and will brief you on the details of your trek program. If your arrival is late after 5 PM we will meet the next morning during breakfast. 

At. 08:00 AM: After your breakfast, you will explore the UNESCO World Heritage sites inside Kathmandu in full-day sightseeing of Kathmandu durbar square which is one of three ancient formal royal palaces of Nepal. You can see some of the most influential structures with intricate art designs engraved in them. After Kathmandu durbar square, visit Swayambhunath also known as the Monkey Temple located on top of a hill. One must climb hundreds of stairs to reach the top of the hill which can be physically challenging but rewarding as well. Next is Pashupatinath temple which is one of the most revered Hindu temples in Nepal.

Last but not least, Boudhanath Stupa. After sightseeing, you can shop for trekking and get the necessary gear from the trekking shops around Thamel. In the evening, the briefing for the trek will be provided by one of our informed office representatives. If you have any queries or want to know anything, you can ask our representative. You will be dropped back at your hotel in a private vehicle.

(Optional warm-up hike) If you don’t want to go sightseeing you can go hiking to the nearest viewpoint in Kathmandu. Going on a hike before a week-long trek will help you get used to walking. If you chose to hike you will visit Jamacho Gumba (Monastery) nested on a hill station near Kathmandu which you can cover in around 5-6 hours.

At. 06:00 AM: Have your breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu and be ready for your drive to Koto. The total distance from Kathmandu to Koto via Besi Sahar is around 230 km which will take around 12 hours depending on road conditions. You will start your journey through the Prithivi highway and move towards Besi Sahar from Dumre. Driving through the Marshyangdi river you will reach Chamje. Mamansu and some other mountains can be seen from here and gradually up and down to Koto. 

On the way, you can visit the Newari settlement, Bandipur, or the most revered Hindu Temple Manakamana which is optional. You can also choose to take part in an adrenaline-rushing water activity which is white water river rafting in Trishuli river. 

At 07:00 AM: After breakfast, You will start your journey towards Phu village. Today you enter the restricted area of Nar Phu valley with a packed lunch. Following the Nar Khola and Greenland forests. The trail is adventurous with a rocky trail and a long walk to Meta. You walk through a steep and constrictive path through the dense forest, after crossing the river the trek leads to pass the beautiful pine forest with a wide waterfall before arriving at Meta village. You can also see mesmerizing mountain views like Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal. The distance between Koto and Meta is around 15km which takes approximately 6-7 hours to reach.

At. 07:00 AM: You will enter a narrow gorge and then descend to the river. You will follow the trail that heads north. You will climb steeply before descending gently towards a series of deserted buildings and large Chortens. Pass a line of wonderfully painted, bamboo-topped Chortens on the way into the ancient village. From here you will cross a suspension bridge to arrive at the village of Nar. you will see some mountains of the Annapurna ranges. Even though Nar is not far from the main Annapurna trail, it is rarely visited by trekkers and is about as picturesque as it gets. The total distance between Meta to Nar Village is around 7 km which takes around 5-6 hours.

At. 05:00 AM: Today you start early to cross Kang-la Pass (5,320m). On our way to Kang-La, you may come across some yak herder’s camps. You will climb toward the top of the pass which is decorated with many prayer flags. From the top, you will have good views of Annapurna III and IV, Machhapuchhre (Fish-Tail), Tilicho Peak, and the entire Manang valley. You will descend from the top to reach the village of Ngawal. After you cross the Pass the descent is a bit rough and will be hard on your knees after all the climb. (Drink plenty of water to prevent altitude sickness as you will walk at higher elevations) Ngawal is a wonderful old village with a Buddhist school to teach monks, prayer wheels, and beautiful architecture. People visit this place to climb Chulu Peak. The total distance between Nar village and Nagwal via Kang- La Pass is around 15 km which will take around 9- 10 hours.

At. 08:00 AM: Leaving Ngawal you will follow the trail that descends to flat fields along the banks of Marsyangdi River. You will trek through the forested area passing through Mugji to arrive at the 500 years old village of Braga and then continue trekking to reach Manang. Manang is a wide U-shaped valley that hangs between two lines of snow peaks. This grand spot from a ridge offers scenic views of the valleys, Hongdae village with its short airstrip, and the great peaks of Gangapurna, Annapurna II, III, Tilocho, Chuli, and Pisang. The distance between Nagwal to Manang is around 10 km which you can cover in 4-5 hours as the trail is mostly descending. 

At. 07:00 AM: Today you will trek to a unique place filled with adventure and a rewarding view of Yak Kharka. After breakfast and bag packing, put on your trekking shoes and get ready to walk. The distance to Yak Kharka from Manang is only 7 kilometers which you can cover in around 3-4 hours. Yak Kharka translates to Yak Pasture meaning you get to see the Himalayan beast's Yaks grazing in the pasture lands. Passing through Tan village, you will cross the suspension bridge and leave Marshyangd Valley behind making your adrenaline high. Today's total distance between Manang to Yak Kharka is around 10 km which will take around 6-7 hours as the trail follows a gradual ascend. 

The trail to Yak Kharka will be a steadily uphill climb into the dry and alpine region of the Annapurna Mountain range. As you climb higher the air gets thin so keep yourself well hydrated as well and your motivation higher. As you get close to your today destination you will see either blue or red roofs declaring the end of today's walk. After you check in at your lodge, explore around.

(Drink plenty of water to prevent altitude sickness as you will walk at higher elevations)

At. 06:30 AM: The trail from Yak Kharka leads to a slow climb up to reach the last settlement of Ledar. The trail then winds up offering grand views of Annapurna II, Gangapurna, and Tilache and the close-up view of Chuli peaks. After around one hour of trekking from Ledar, you will descend towards the wooden bridge over the Kone Khola (river). You will continue along a zig-zag track toward Thorong High Camp. the distance between Yak Kharka to Thorong-la High camp is around 9 km which will take around 8-9 hours to cover. Once you reach the High camp, rest your bags at the local teahouse and rest well from the strenuous trek.

At. 04:00 AM: You will start early crossing the challenging Thorong-la pass, to avoid the strong winds at the pass after midday. You will climb steeply up towards Thorong Peak. From there you will continue climbing across the undulating moraine toward the top of the Thorong-la pass. After reaching an altitude of 5,416 meters at Thorong-La, you can catch the best views of the northern Annapurna, Damodar, Bhrikuti, and Dhaulagiri ranges of mountains from Thorong-La.

From the top, you will descend steeply towards the grassy meadows (in spring seasons filled with eye-catching wildflowers) and further to a very important pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists – Muktinath. This will be the longest day in terms. You will trek 7-9 hours this day to cover a 13 km distance from Thorong High camp to Muktinath via Thorong La Pass. Check-in at the 3-star hotel and rest well as the difficult part of the trek is finished.

At. 07:00 AM: Muktinath temple is the ultimate destination for Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. The temple is home to waterspouts where freshwater pours out channeled from the streams above the temple. People believe, bathing in 108 stone taps in Muktinath Temple gets rid of negative karma. One has to climb stairs to reach the temple and it also gives you a beautiful view of Mt. Dhaulagiri which is the seventh-highest mountain in the world.

After spending time at Muktinath temple, you start your journey towards Kagbeni where you will have your lunch. Kagbeni is a village that has many memorial stupas and a small monastery. After a lunch break at Kagbeni, you will move towards Jomsom. The trail to Jomsom from Kagbeni cuts through windy areas in the Kali Gandaki Valley. The total distance between Muktinath to Jomson is 18 km which you can cover in around 7-8 hours. The trail includes a well-maintained motor road meaning you can drive to Jomsom if you don’t want to walk however it is optional and you need to pay extra add-ons. Jomsom is the main administrative center and headquarters of Mustang. Overnight stay at Jomsom.

At. 07:00 AM: After breakfast, move towards Jomsom Airport. Jomsom Airport is the only airport connecting Mustang with other parts of Nepal. The flight to Pokhara from Jomsom is operated until 11 AM only. (Flight time Jomsom to Pokhara 20-30 min)

(In case the flight gets canceled we will arrange your transfer by road which is equally rewarding.) The road follows the Kaligandaki River to Beni Bazar. You cross the Marpha, Kalopani, Ghasa, and Tatopani then reach Beni Bazar which is also the headquarters of the Myagdi district. After about 2 hours of the ride, you will reach Kushma which is the headquarter of the Parbat district. After Beni Bazar, the road is pitched and the drive will be smooth meaning you will reach Pokhara within 4-5 hours. Upon your arrival in Pokhara, transfer to the comfortable hotel in the LakeSide area where you can find several amazing restaurants, bars, and cafes where you can celebrate your successful trek.

At 08:00 AM: Wake up and have your breakfast. After that, move towards the airport to catch a flight towards Kathmandu. (Flight duration 25 min) Upon reaching Kathmandu one of the official representatives will pick you up from the airport and drop you off at your respective hotel. Check-in at the hotel and enjoy your leisure time as you want.

You can spend your time shopping for souvenirs, exploring the rustic beauty of the ancient city or treat yourself to a relaxing spa in Thamel after a week-long trek. In the evening, join us for a traditional Nepali dinner (Thakali Cuisine) with a live performance of folk songs as a farewell (If you want to visit other places, we can arrange it for you with extra add-ons)

You will have your breakfast at the hotel and then you will have free time (depending upon your flight time). Our office representative will drop you off at the Tribhuvan International Airport 3 hours before your flight time for airport formality. Carry loads of souvenirs, memories, and lifetime experiences back home, and Have a safe home return! We hope you enjoyed the trip! If you plan to extend your stay, we (Altitude Himalaya) are more than happy to make your visit memorable and enjoyable.