Annapurna Circuit Mountain Biking

Overview

Trip Facts

14 Days Duration

5hrs Average Time per Day

Kathmandu, Nepal Trek Start Point

Kathmandu, Nepal Trek Finish Point

5416m/1770ft Highest Point

Hard Difficulty Level

Summary

Biking in the Annapurna region leads you to pristine villages inhabited by diverse ethnic groups as you ride along the laps of arguably the most beautiful Himalayan range. The region was opened to foreign tourists in 1977 and has since become one of the most popular trekking regions. In recent years, however, mountain biking has gained a strong hold as bikers get to experience the perfect blend of nature, culture and adrenaline. Crossing Thorung La Pass at 5,416m, the highest point in this biking trip, will be quite a feat, while the pilgrimage to the holy Muktinath temple will be one to savor for a lifetime. Tough climbs are well rewarded with spectacular downhill sections, which land you in the legendary hot springs of Tatopani, then eventually to the serenity of Pokhara to top off this great biking trip in the Annapurnas.

Highlights

	Ascending Marshyangdi River valley.
	Visiting oldest Buddhist monastery in Braga village.
	Sightseeing around Manang village.
	Crossing the Thorung-La over 5416 meters.
	The Pilgrimage town of Muktinath.
	Walking through the world’s deepest gorge and the Kaligandaki valley.
	Bathe in natural hot springs at Tatopani.

Itinerary

Map Simplified - Annapurna Circuit Trek - Freedom Adventures

Day 1

Day 1

Arrival in Kathmandu

Our staff will welcome you at the Tribhuwan International Airport upon your arrival and transfer you to the hotel on a private vehicle. The evening can be spent exploring Thamel, a tourist hub offering numerous bars, shops and restaurants, as well as Basantapur, which gives you an instant taste of Nepali life. Later in the hotel, we will brief you on trip details, safety and preparation for the adventure.

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2

Day 2

Drive from Kathmandu to Besishar (760m/2493ft), Bike from Besishar to Khudi (790m/2592ft)

We set off on a 5-hour drive in the morning to the town of Besi Sahar, the starting point of our trip. You can observe the local way of life, bustling local markets, the mighty Trishuli River and the distant mountains during the drive. When we reach Besi Sahar, we will ready our bikes and ride to Khudi. The first views of the Annapurna range will be visible during the trip, with the Marshyangdi River (also called Khudi River) gushing below. The traditional Nepalese way of life will leave you enchanted during 22 kms of riding today in mostly jeep tracks. This is a great prelude to the exciting adventure in the days to follow.

Day 3

Day 3

Bike from Khudi to Tal (1700m/5577ft)

Leaving Khudi, we follow jeep tracks again and reach the entry gate of the Manang district en route. There are some steep and rocky sections here where we’d have to carry or push the bikes. The region starts to get more remote and gives us the true taste of the marvelous Nepali life composed of different cultures. There is a fantastic waterfall along the way and you should definitely enjoy the chilling water here.

Day 4

Day 4

Bike from Tal to Chame (2670m/8760ft)

Riding the ascending trails through pristine forests and passing Buddhist prayer walls, we ride along marvelous green fields of corn, barley and potatoes. There is some pushing and carrying involved here, especially till the village of Danagu, from where the trail is more rideable also giving you better glimpses of the Himalayas. After almost 30kms of riding in a mix of jeep tracks, single tracks and rocky trails, we reach the district capital of Manang, Chame, where we can relax along the hot spring set on the Marshyangdi River. We’ll explore the region and taste products from a popular bakery and get in touch back home from an Internet café. The majestic views of Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II and Annapurna IV mark our stay at Chame.

Day 5

Day 5

Bike from Chame to Manang (3540m/11,614ft)

As we climb higher, the increase in altitude can be felt with the effect you experience while riding. With trails that run through forests and a narrow valley, we cross several suspension bridges en route. There are enormous massifs along the way, which is the heart of the Annapurna region. The trails run through a wide valley, passing through Humde, a village with one of the highest commercial airports in the world. There are a number of monasteries along the way, and the famous Barga Monastery is worth a visit. Local peaks are another spectacle that will definitely draw your attention – there are several peaks over 4,000m. The change in landscape and vegetation is very marked in Manang, the ancient and mystifying village with a very intriguing culture and lifestyle.

Day 6

Day 6

Rest day at Manang (3540m/11,614ft)

In order to acclimatize to the higher altitude, we’ll spend the day at Manang, situated at 3,540m. The air things out at this point, and it is necessary to let our bodies adjust to the change so as to avoid high altitude sickness. Manang has plenty to offer for sightseeing, so today we’ll explore this amazing village, visit Hundred Rupees Lama Monastery and hike to Gangapurna Lake. We’ll check the bikes and make sure it’s ready for more adventure.

Day 7

Day 7

Bike from Manang to Yak Kharka (4050m/13,287ft)

We leave Manang through a maze of narrow alleys and medieval houses of Manang. As we climb up steadily to the village of Khusang, we say goodbye to Marshyangdi Valley and following the trails leading to Jarsang River, we reach Yak Kharka. Despite rideable trails, the higher altitude takes effect and pushing the pedals become an effort. We’ll take it easy and ride at a comfortable pace, enjoying the marvelous beauty of the otherworldly landscape and the giant Himalayan mountains. The settlements are sparser in this region and along the way we can encounter yaks in large numbers grazing here, as well as an old mani, a Buddhist prayer-engraved wall. After the day’s hard work riding mostly through single tracks, we reach Yak Kharka village in early afternoon.

Day 8

Day 8

Bike from Yak Kharka to Thorung Phedi (4450m/14,600ft)

Today is a climb to Thorung Phedi through trails that first drop and cross Jorsang River at 4,310m, and then ascend steeply. We ride through the picturesque village of Tenki Manang from where you get stunning views of Annapurna, Gangapurna and Tilicho. Along the way, we cross several small wooden bridges over streams and ride through a narrow path heading towards Thorung Phedi. “Phedi” means base of a hill or a mountain; and Thorung Phedi is the base of the massive Thorung La Pass, which we cross the next day.

Day 9

Day 9

Bike from Thorung Phedi to Muktinath (3760m/12,336ft) via Thorung-La Pass (5416m/17,770ft)

We start very early in the morning to dodge high winds to reach the top of the Thorung La Pass, at an altitude of 5,416m. The feeling of accomplishment at the pass is one to savor for a lifetime. Marvel on the panoramic vista of a chain of virgin snowcapped mountains far and beyond you see from this altitude. From the pass, we head down to Muktinath, while coming across trekkers and pilgrims flocking from as far as India on their way to this revered Hindu temple. Once at Muktinath, we’ll spend some time exploring the religious site and see the eternal flame that burns on natural gas source. “Mukti” means liberation and “nath” means a holy temple, so Muktinath is considered to be a temple of soul liberation. Besides Hindu hermits and pilgrims we’ll see Tibetan traders as well.

Day 10

Day 10

Bike from Muktinath to Tukuche (2590m/8497ft)

From Muktinath we ride along a very enjoyable downhill track descending to the Kaligandaki River valley floor. We’ll make a quick pit stop at Marpha, a village with legendary apple orchards. Make sure to taste some Marpha Brandy and a range of apple products like apple pie and dried apple skin. We call it a day at Tukuche village, an ancient Thakali tribe settlement, and spend some time exploring the region and learning about the culture and history of the village. Tukuche lies right beneath the Tukuche peak and Dhaulagiri, with amazing views of Mt. Nilgiri and icefalls of Dhaulagiri’s east face.

Day 11

Day 11

Bike from Tukuche to Tatopani (1190m/3904ft)

We begin riding from Tukuche to Tatopani through some fantastic downhill sections. Tatopani translates to “hot water” and rightly so, the hot springs at Tatopani are quite a treat. This is a fabled place to relax your mind and body, so pamper yourself after a great day of biking in this fantastic region. Located besides the banks of the Kali Gandaki River, the hot dip amidst the surrounding natural beauty in Tatopani will definitely help to unwind your muscles.

Day 12

Day 12

Bike from Tatopani to Beni (830m/2723ft), Drive from Beni to Pokhara

After a relaxing time at Tatopani, we ride for about 1.5 hours on jeep tracks to reach Beni, a small but vibrant market town. We’ll spend some time exploring the town and then drive back to Pokhara on a 4-hour drive. It’s a bumpy drive and you can enjoy the scenic views you get along the away. Once we reach Pokhara, we can do some boating on the Phewa Lake and have a pleasant time reflecting on our thrilling adventure in the Annapurnas. In the evening, loosen up your muscles and free your mind with an hour-long full body massage.

Day 13

Day 13

Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu

Our staff will take you to the bus station for an early morning drive to Kathmandu, and transfer you to the hotel. We’ll have some time for some shopping in late afternoon. In the evening, you’re invited for a farewell dinner at a traditional Nepalese restaurant which hosts cultural performances, and you’re more than welcome to join the merry. We toast a round or two of locally brewed drinks to celebrate our trip achievement and to good health!Holidays should never have an ending date. So extend your trip and whet your appetite for adventure with a host of activities including trekking, bungy jumping, mountain flight, rafting, hiking, Chitwan jungle adventure, and Lumbini heritage trip. These can be arranged before or after the biking adventure.

Day 14

Day 14

Flight departure from Nepal

The trip concludes today. Our staff will drop you off at the Tribhuwan International Airport and wish you bon voyage for onward journey.

Customized Trip

The itinerary(s) for each tour MAY CHANGE depending on prevailing local weather and environmental conditions. In such cases our guide(s) or our staff will arrange the best alternative activities to match your original program. The completion date of your tour will always coincide with the original itinerary.

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Checklist

* You can hire these in Nepal

Required Gear

Recommended Gear

Paperwork

	Passport
	Insurance
	PP photo

Important Details

Accommodation

Generally most adventures and trip to Nepal is based on remote areas and high places where you cannot imagine staying in the very quality accommodation. We have different star hotels available in the city area but during the trek, we will be staying at tea houses and in camp. Local lodges are better known as Tea house are simple but comfortable with the availability of all the features like toilets and washing facilities. For rafting treks and camping treks, we will set up a nice campsite where you can enjoy wonderful views and have a lovely time around a bonfire at night. Rafting camps will be set up on sandy beaches. Camping is generally made when we don’t have any hotels available to rest your weary legs and relish the beauty of the countryside in remote Nepal.

Food

Nepal has a huge variety in different foods. You will experience the vast array of wonderful foods found in the different destination. Your guide will help you with the menu selection and make sure that you get the best value meals possible. Far rafting trips and camping treks, our camp cook will prepare delicious meals. On every trip you will have a flexible opportunity to manage your budget and enjoy the test of large variety of dishes.

Transportation

Nepal has basically two types of road transportation local and private where we mostly recommend you to use private transport with the green number plate which represents for tourist only. We have less road construction for a one way facility so roads are full of traffic where tourist transport are given more priority and are driven by a well experienced drivers. We advise you not to travel in the roof of vehicles in excitements, is an accidents takes a place the insurance don’t really cover this.

Crew

We provide you a highly qualified and trained leader who can manage your trip to be more wonderful. In order to match your requirement the leader will be selected officially. The other crew member who seems very helpful and polite will be there at your service at anytime. However in tourism crewmembers and porters hopes for your kind tips at the end of the services so we would like to recommend you to put on some tips to locate amazing smiles and thanks.

Responsible Travel

The tour(s) are as much about connecting with local people as viewing wildlife. It is important to remember that what may be acceptable behavior, dress code and language in your own country, may not be appropriate in Nepal. You should be considerate of Nepal’s customs, traditions, religion and culture. It is better you dress modestly and respectfully especially when entering places of worship. English is widely spoken in the major towns but not necessarily elsewhere- especially among rural communities. Learning a few words of Nepali, particularly greetings, can make a huge difference. Buy locally made products which support local artisans and help keep traditional crafts alive.

Health and Safety

Nepal is a safe and friendly place: however, we recommend that you check your individual countries latest travel information and advice before you travel there. Your travel insurance MUST cover you for all areas of your tour itinerary and activities.

We carry a first aid kit with the standard medicines prescribed by local and international doctors. We recommend that you consult your own personal doctor/physician at least 2 months before your trip to discuss the details of your visit. Protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid is a MUST. In case of serious sickness or a casualty, you will be speedily transferred to the nearest hospital. Your safety is paramount and as a responsible tour agency, we do NOT take unnecessary risks. If you or your doctor/physician feel the need for any further information about your trip- then please consult us.

Leave No Trace

Please be mindful to leave the communities and nature as we found them while walking. No littering or burning any matter. Any trash should be disposed of properly.

High Altitude Sickness

When you trek in the mountains there is high chance of getting altitude sickness. You better collect information about altitude sickness before you start trekking. High altitude sickness can happen to anybody – old or young, in a good shape or not. Being in hurry in the mountains of Nepal can be deadly. Your body can adjust to this altitude, but only if given enough time. You better carry a light weight because carrying a heavy pack can predispose some people to altitude illness. So we recommend you to give your loads to porters. If you find symptoms then you must descend down at any cost. The symptoms are totally different from one person to other. Sometimes you might feel headache, you may feel you need to throw up, your fingers may go slightly numb or you may start breathing heavy. If you have these kinds of symptoms you should stop at this height. Drinking lots of water can help you out. We highly recommend you not to take any pills to avoid headache or other illness because this has taken so many people to death.

Insurance

All guests MUST HAVE, and arrive with, comprehensive travel insurance before you embark on the tour(s). This policy must include the cost of covering your medical expenses-including emergency repatriation- all activities taken on the tour, your personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Our staff will need to see evidence of your travel insurance policy (with an emergency contact number) before you start your trip.

Emergency

In case of emergency, please follow the trip leader’s instruction, call us at +977 9823 900 916.

Annapurna Circuit Mountain Biking