COMBO OF SHORT ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK & EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK

Breakfast at the hotel

On this day, get up early to drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar, which will take you to the world-famous Annapurna region. The journey will be long and may include several bumpy experiences. Some parts of the road have recently been reconstructed, so the roads may be smooth. You will eventually reach Chame from Besisahar. The close-up views of the mountain ranges surrounding Chame will astound you.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Chame (B, L & D)

Breakfast at Teahouse Lodge

You will officially begin the trek today as you prepare your backpack and trekking poles for the walk to Upper Pisang. Initially, you will travel to Lower Pisang village via a rough jeep track.

Continue on to Upper Pisang, where the elevation increases. As you ascend, you’ll get breathtaking views of Pisang Peak, Lamjung Himal, and Annapurna II. You could talk to the Tibetan settlers and learn about their customs and way of life.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Upper Pisang (B, L & D)

Breakfast at teahouse lodge

This day’s trek will take you from Upper Pisang to the mystical Manang. The hike takes you through an arid landscape with sections of pinewood forest. There are houses that are mostly made of mud and are stacked on top of each other. Braga is an old village filled with traditional Tibetan Buddhist houses. There is also an old Buddhist monastery to explore.

You will arrive in Manang in a short time from Braga, where you can take a well-deserved rest at a tea house.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Manang (B, L & D)

Breakfast at teahouse lodge

The altitude has risen significantly, necessitating a rest day in Manang. While some hikers prefer to get to know the locals by visiting nearby houses and common grounds, others prefer to take a day hike to the nearby Ice Lake.

The trail leads to the Ice Lake known officially as Kicho Tal along the northern slope of Chulu East. It is a tranquil spot fed by the Chulu River. After taking photos, return back to Manang and enjoy some local delicacies.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Manang (B, L & D)

Breakfast at teahouse lodge

You will be traveling away from the bustling Manang settlement and toward an abandoned settlement. The road becomes steeper and more rugged as it passes through farmland. After a steep descent, you will cross a river and arrive at Yak Kharka, a plain grazing field.

There are few tea houses here, and it can get crowded during peak seasons when tourists flock to the circuit.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Yak Kharka (B, L & D)

Breakfast at Teahouse Lodge

This is a difficult trekking day because you will be walking towards the foot of the Thorong La Pass. If the higher altitude is getting to you, walking slowly will help. The trail appears secluded at times because there are no teahouses or settlements in between. The terrain becomes rugged and steep. The views of mountains on all sides, on the other hand, may distract you from the challenge. Thorong Phedi has a very cold climate, and sleeping may be difficult.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Thorong Phedi (B, L & D)

This could be the most difficult part of the journey, as you will be starting early before dawn on a steep and difficult trail. If you cross the pass early in the morning, you will avoid the harsh winds of the day. The final leg of today’s trek is the most difficult because of the strong winds and difficult terrain.

The best experience, however, is reaching the top of the pass. Views of 8,000m mountains like Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, as well as other mountain ranges, add to the surreal experience. Following your victory, you will depart for the ancient kingdom of Mustang, leaving Manang behind. On the other end, you will arrive at Muktinath, a Hindu and Buddhist holy pilgrimage site. There are numerous standard tea houses in this area where you can relax your aching muscles.\

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Muktinath (B, L & D)

Breakfast at Teahouse Lodge

You can visit the holy Muktinath temple in the morning to receive the blessings of the Hindu and Buddhist deities Lord Vishnu and Avalokiteshwar, respectively. The main temple is small, but there are numerous smaller temples and gompas in the surrounding area. You can also run through the outer courtyard’s 108 bull-faced sacred water taps. There are also two small ponds that are said to wash away your sins, so devotees can be seen taking sacred baths even in the freezing temperatures. It is also known as one of the world’s highest temples, standing at 3,800 meters above sea level.

Following the puja, you will take a long drive to Pokhara, passing through Jomsom in the lower Mustang.

Upon reaching Pokhara city, you will be transferred to a hotel where you will relax and spend the night.

Dinne at hotel

Overnight stay at Hotel Dahlia Boutique in Pokhara (B, L & D)

Breakfast at the hotel

AM: On this day, you will fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu, taking in views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain range.

Leisure Time

Overnight at Hotel Marshyangdi in Kathmandu (B)

Note:

• Tourism Season: Lukla flight operates from Domestic Airport, Ramechhap
• Tourism Off – Season: Kathmandu to Lukla flight operates from Domestic Airport Kathmandu

02:00 AM: Drive to Ramechhap Domestic Airport.

Namche Bazaar (3440m) and mountains Thamserku (6623m) and Kusum Kanguru (6367m, in the center)

AM: Fly to Lukla

After reaching Lukla, stop to have tea or coffee and start the trek to Phakding (2610 m.), a place 3 hours from Lukla. This place would be your first night stop.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Phakding (B, L & D)

From Phakding we trek to Namche Bazaar, which was once a small village but since grown in size to accommodate the influx of trekkers, and now is the unofficial capital of the Sherpas. It was once an important trading centre on the route from Tibet to Nepal but has now been largely given over to catering for the needs of trekkers. For acclimatization, we suggest you to spend 2 nights in or around Namche.

Overnight at Simple teahouse lodge in Namche Bazaar (B, L & D)

Breakfast at Teahouse Lodge

Today we will take a rest at Namche Bazaar for acclimatization. Health experts always recommend us to stay active and moving during the rest days instead of being idle. We either spend the day taking a day hike to Thame or visiting Khunde or relaxing and exploring Namche Bazaar itself. Namche Bazzar is the main centre of the Everest (Khumbu) region and has government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants, a bakery and a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday. If we trek a few hundred vertical feet during the day, it will help us to properly acclimatize. Our guides will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarter of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of things related to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the various plant and animal life of the Everest region.

Overnight at Simple teahouse lodge in Namche Bazaar (B, L & D)

Upon breakfast in Namche, we set out towards Tyangboche, enjoying superb view of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Ama Dablam and close up view of Thamserku. Our trek follows more or less smooth trail with few ups and downs which will not bother us as the magnificent view of the Himalayas keeps our company all through the journey. Along the way, we can spot wildlife musk deer, a herd of Himalayan Thar and multicolored pheasants. The trail goes gradually down up to Kayangjuma. The path eventually reaches Sansa, which is the major trail junction to Gokyo valley and Everest Base Camp. The track then follows through the pine forests and after we cross the prayer flags festooned bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, we reach Phunki Thenga, a small settlement with a couple of teahouses and a small army post amidst the alpine woods. After having a relaxed lunch at Phunki Thenga, we gear up for a slightly tougher climb through the pine forests before we reach Tyangboche. Tyangboche is a great place for close up views of Mt Ama Dablam, Mt Nuptse, and Mt Everest, and it has the biggest Buddhist Monastery of the Khumbu region. We pay our visit to the monastery the same day at around 3 pm to witness the ceremony in the principal and popular monastery of Everest region.

Overnight at Simple teahouse lodge in Tyangbouche (B, L & D)

Early morning fabled scenic beauty of Tyangboche takes our breath away. The mountain panorama includes ranges of Kangtega, Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Taboche, Kwangde, Tengboche, Lhotse and Nuptse. After snapping pictures, we start the day journey through the trial that follows through Imja Khola upstream. Descending rapidly from the Tyangboche meadow to the river bank, the track traverses a deep forest of birch and rhododendron with magnificent views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse-Nuptse ridge. As we reach Deboche, a charming place amidst the woods. Upon reaching at this juncture, we pay our visit to Buddhist nunnery. Upon climbing up we come across few Chortens. Upon reaching Pangboche we are amazed at the dramatic views. We further might visit Upper Pangboche to best view the mountains. The trail eventually climbs to Shomare. We notice decrease in tree line after Pangboche and upon reaching Shomare the terrain changes dramatically to rolling arid stretch and an alpine terrain with patches of scrub and isolated pastures. As we reach Orsho the pyramidal peak of Pumori emerges above the mountains ahead. We finally reach cold and windy settlement of Dingboche overlooked by Chortens and prayer flags finally for the night’s rest.

Overnight at Simple tea house lodge in Dingboche (B, L & D

Today is another rest day for the acclimatization. Savor a full day of exploring Dingboche and the surrounding valleys of Chukung and Imja, the latter of which links with Island Peak, the high passes of Amphu Laptsa, and Makalu Barun National Park. The view is awesome as the mountain like Thamserku, Khangtega, Taboche, Cholache as well as Mt. Amadablam are shinning in front of our eyes. Taking an optional trek to the valleys will pay off in rewarding views, but taking it easy is the most important thing today. You’ll need your rest for the penultimate day of ascent tomorrow.

Overnight at Simple tea house lodge in Dingboche (B, L & D)

After the breakfast, we start our walk. Trek will gradually become challenging from here due to higher altitude. We’ll pass Dungla, but not before a tough, steep walk to the top of a high hill. Here are the memorial stupas dedicated to the climbers and trekkers who lost their lives to Everest over the years. The next part of our adventure brings over craggy mountain terrain to Lobuche, a small settlement with amazing views of Mt. Lobuche, Mt. Pumari and the Nuptse. Prepare to snuggle up for a cold night, as we are now almost three miles above sea level and the evenings can be downright chilly.

Overnight at Simple tea house lodge in Lobuche (B, L & D)

After having breakfast early in the morning, we continue our trek to Gorakshep Village. The subsequent, straight trail to Everest Base Camp is harder, involving rocky dunes and moraine, formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris. On the way to our destination, we’ll approach the famed Khumbu Glacier and icefall, located on the slopes of Everest. During spring season, the entire climbers attempting to scale the mountain’s summit gather in Everest Base Camp with colorful tents can be seen as if we are in snowy tents park. Break out your cameras for unbelievable views of breathtaking beauty. After exploring base camp and its surroundings glacier, we return back to Gorakshep before sunset.

Overnight at Simple Normal Teahouse Lodge in Gorak Shep (B, L & D)

Sunrise hike to Kalapatthar and trek back to pangboche village Trekking to EBC is always the matter of getting to the base camp of highest mountain of the world. So most of the people trekking to EBC skip Kalapatthar, but I do not recommend skipping it. Kalapatthar from Gorakshep we will leave around 9am in the morning and try to get as lower as we can, but Pheriche is the commonly chosen camp by most of the trekkers. Walk is downhill for most of the time and it gets windy after Thukla pass all the way to Pheriche village, so getting ready with wind stoppers is a good idea for today. As today is the first day of downhill walk, if you have knee problem, use your Knee caps and let your guide know if any assistance needed. Scenery of river valley seen from Thukla pass and view of Pheriche village from the corner of the river valley is magnificent.

Overnight at Simple Teahouse Lodge in Pangbouche (B, L & D)

Today is easy descending to Dibuche then climb up to Tengboche. It is the largest monastery of the Everest region. The trail goes steeply descend up to the Punki Thana then climb back up to Sanasa where junction the of the trail goes to Gokyo lake, Khumjung village, and Namche. Afterward, easy walk to Namche, whereas encountered several stupas in front and beautiful scenery of mountains are in the background.

Overnight at Simple teahouse lodge in Namche (B, L & D)

Today’s walk takes you back to Lukla. After breakfast, trek to the Hillary Suspension Bridge and then through several local villages to Lukla. You can celebrate your victory in Lukla! This would be your last night in the mountains. We are confident that you will feel joy and celebrate the bonds that you have formed.

Overnight at Simple teahouse lodge in Lukla (B, L & D)

Flights to Kathmandu are usually scheduled for morning because wind can create problem to fly the aircraft in the afternoon. But sometime the flight time can be delayed due to bad weather and other unprecedented reasons that are beyond our control. We fly back to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu we have the rest of the day off to rest.

En-route lunch

PM: Leisure Time

Overnight at Hotel  in Kathmandu (B & L)

Free till departure and later, transfer to the International airport to connect the flight to onward destination.