Annapurna Circuit Traveller Reviews

After having done the camping trek to K2 base camp 2 years ago we wanted to do another trek in Nepal that would be very different to the K2 trek. This certainly ticked that box! The variety of scenery due to trekking at higher and lower elevations in 2 different valleys with different ecosystems and cultures really made this trek special and very interesting. The mountain views change from day to day with views of the big ones Manaslu, Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri and many others. What surprised us was how much we enjoyed walking through lots of the small mountain villages and how interesting it was seeing the different village cultures and ways of life up close. In certain areas there were strong Tibetan influence and others more traditional Nepalese Hindu culture. The trek itinerary and route avoids most of the roads that are getting higher into the mountain valleys, this is the most popular trekking destination in Nepal but it didn’t feel overcrowded out on the trails. There was plenty of time to acclimatise to the altitude with having 3 nights in Manang which also gives flexibility if needed. Some of the highlight days were the Manang acclimatisation day walks to the Ice Lake and Gangapurna glacier. Other highlights were the Muktinath to Lupra day and the walk to the Dhaulagiri icefall was also a stunner. Lots of trekkers finish after going over the Thorong La pass just doing the half circuit. If you have the time I would definitely recommend doing the whole circuit for the variety of scenery and culture. The wildlife was also fun, yaks and naks higher up and monkeys in the forests lower down. The tea houses we stayed in were all a good standard as was the food on offer, local dishes, dal bhat being the best choice obviously! Apart from the very highest tea house all had electrical sockets for gadget charging in the rooms and similarly a lot had a en suite toilet sometimes with a shower/sink. Our guides and porters were excellent. The guides spoke good English and were very knowledgeable friendly capable people.

Our second trek with The Mountain Company! We would definitely use them again and would confidently recommend them to others. TMC has great local expertise and experience of trekking in the countries it operates in. The pre booking and departure information from Roland is detailed and super helpful. Very likely you will have a departure briefing and finish briefing with Roland in Kathmandu. All the people we had contact with from Roland to the Kathmandu office team, guides, porters and drivers were very friendly and professional. The local team in Kathmandu are able to respond quickly and deal with any queries or issues should they arise whilst out on the trek. It is very reassuring having that experience on hand and available via WhatsApp or phone if needed.