These Trailblazer guides … are a godsend for independent travelers.
 — Travel & Leisure

Trekking in the Annapurna Region

Trekking in the Annapurna Region

Excerpt:
Contents List


Contents List | Introduction | With a group or independently? | When to go | Minimum impact trekking | Sample route


INTRODUCTION

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TREK

With a group or independently?
Tea-house trekking 9 - Guided trekking groups 11 - Trekking agencies 12 (UK & Ireland 12, Continental Europe 14, USA 14, Canada 15, Australia 15, New Zealand 15, South Africa 16)

Getting to Nepal
By air 16 - Overland 17

Budgeting
Costs in Kathmandu 19 - Costs on the trek 19

When to go
Seasons 20 - Average temperatures 21

Route options
Annapurna Circuit (16-21 days) 23 - Annapurna Sanctuary (7-12 days) 24 - Route profiles 25 - Jomsom Trek (12-16 days) 27 - Manang Trek (7-12 days) 28 - Short tea-house treks (3-9 days) 28 - Side trips 29 - Expedition-style treks (5-12 days) 30 - Trekking peaks 35

What to take
The basic essentials 37 - Sleeping-bag 39 - Footwear and foot care 39 - Clothing and equipment 40 - Recommended reading 46 - Maps 48

Health precautions and inoculations
Who should avoid high-altitude treks? 49 - Pre-trek preparations 49 - Inoculations 50 - Travel and health insurance 51

PART 2: NEPAL

Facts about the country
Geographical background 52 - Climate 53 - Historical outline 54 - Economy 62 - Defence 64 – Education 64 - Health 64 -People 65 - Religion 66

Practical information for the visitor
Visa and park entry permits 70 - Local transport 71 - Language 73 - Electricity 73 – Time & date 74 - Holidays & festivals 75 - Money 77 - Post and telecommunications 78 - Media 79 - Food 79 - Drink 82 - Things to buy 83 - Security 84

PART 3: MINIMUM IMPACT TREKKING

Environmental impact 86 - Annapurna Conservation Area Project 87- Economic impact 91 - Cultural impact 93 - Further information 96

PART 4: KATHMANDU

History 97 - Arrival and departure 99 - Orientation 100 - Where to stay 100 - Where to eat 109 - Nightlife 115 - Services 116 - Transport 119 - What to see 120 - Moving on 123

PART 5: POKHARA

History 125 - Orientation 128 - Where to stay 128 - Where to eat 133 - Nightlife 139 - Services 140 - Transport 142 - What to see 143 - Other things to do 145 - Getting to the start of your trek 145 - Moving on 145

PART 6: TRAIL GUIDE AND MAPS

Using this guide
Route descriptions 147 - Route maps 147

Pokhara to Ghorepani
Pokhara to Birethanti 149 - Map 1 150 - Birethanti 151
Map 2 152 - Map 3 153 - Birethanti to Ulleri 154
Hille and Tikhedunga 154 - Ulleri 154 - Ulleri to Ghorepani 154
Ghorepani 155 – Poon Hill 155

Ghorepani to Jomsom and Muktinath
Ghorepani to Tatopani 155 - Tatopani 156 - Map 4 157 - Tatopani to
Rupse Chhahara 158 - Dana 158 - Rupse Chhahara to Lete 158 - Map 5 159 - Ghasa 160 - Lete & Kalopani 160 - Lete to Larjung 161 – Dhaulagiri Ice-fall 161 – Larjung 161ñ Map 6 162 - Map 7 163 - Khobang to Tukuche 164 - Khobang 164 - Tukuche 165 - Map 8 167 - Tukuche to Jomsom 168 - Chhairo 168 – Marpha 168 - Syang 170 - Jomsom 170 - Map 9 171 - Jomsom to Kagbeni 172 - Kagbeni 173 - Kagbeni to Muktinath 173 - Jharkot 173 - Ranipauwa 174 - Map 10 175 - Muktinath 176 - Map 11 177

Tatopani to Pokhara via Beni
Tatopani to Tiplyang 178 - Map 12 179 - Map 13 180 - Tiplyang to Beni 181 - Galeshor/Ranipauwa 181 - Beni 181

Ghorepani to Ghandruk and Chomrong
Ghorepani to Deurali 181 - Deurali to Ghandruk and Chomrong 181 - Tadapani 182 - Route to Ghandruk 182 - Routes to Chomrong 182 - Map 14 183

Birethanti to Ghandruk and Chomrong
Birethanti to Chomrong 184 - Leaving Syauli Bazaar 184 - Beehive to Jhinu Danda 184 - Birethanti to Ghandruk 184 - Map 15 185 - Ghandruk 186 - Ghandruk to Chomrong 188 - Khumrong Danda 188 - Kimrong Khola 188 - Daulu 188 - Chomrong 188

Chomrong to the Annapurna Sanctuary
Annapurna Sanctuary Trek 190 - Map 16 191 - Chomrong to Dhovan 192 - Khuldigar & Bamboo 192 - Dovan 193 – Dhovan to ABC 193 - Deurali 194 - Machhapuchhre Base Camp 194 - Map 17 195 - Annapurna Base Camp 196 - Climbing Annapurna 1 196

Chomrong to Pokhara via Landruk or Syauli Bazaar

Chomrong to Himal Qu (New Bridge) 198 - Jhinu Danda 198 - Himal Qu 198 - Himal Qu to Syauli Bazaar 198 - Himal Qu to Landruk 198 - Landruk 198 - Map 18 199 - Landruk to Dhampus 200 - Tolka 200 - Dhampus 200 - Transport to Pokhara 200

Dumre & Besisahar to the Thorung La
Dumre 201 - Dumre to Besisahar 201 - Besisahar 202 - Besisahar to Bhulebhule 202 - Khudi 202 - Map 19 203 - Bhulebhule 204 - Bhulebhule to Ghermu 204 - Ngadi 204 - Map 20 205 - Bahundanda 206 - Ghermu to Chamje 206 - Map 21 207 - Tal to Bagarchap 208 - Dharapani 208 - Map 22 209 - Bagarchap 210 - Danagyu to Chame 210 - Map 23 211 - Chame to Pisang 212 - Chame 212 - Map 24 213 - Pisang 215 - Pisang to Manang (The High Route) 215 - Ghyaru 215 - Ngawal 216 - Pisang to Manang (The Low Route) 216 - Ongre 216 - Map 25 217 - Braga 218 - Manang 218 - Map 26 219 - Manang to Thorung La 221 - Acclimatization trips around Manang 222 - Khangsar Khola Valley map 224 - Map 27 225 - Letdar 226 - Thorung Phedi 226 - Map 28 227 - Leaving Phedi 228 - Thorung La 228 - Thorung La to Muktinath 228 - Map 29 229

Gorkha to Besisahar
Gorkha 230 - Gorkha to Chepe Ghat 232 - Map 30 233 - Map 31 234 - Map 32 235 - Chepe Ghat to Besisahar 235 - Map 33 236 - Map 34 237

Pokhara to Khudi via Begnas Tal
Begnas Tal to Khudi 238 - Begnas Tal 238 - Map 35 239 - Map 36 240 -Map 37 241 - Map 38 242 - Map 39 243 - Nalma 244 - Baglung Pani 244

APPENDICES
A. Itineraries 245   
B. Embassies 246   
C. Trekking peaks 247   
D. North Annapurna Base Camp 250   
E. The Sikles Trek 251
F. Health 253
G. Flora and fauna 262
H. Nepali words and phrases 264
I. Glossary 266

INDEX 267

Trekking in the Annapurna Region

Excerpts: