Nar Phu Valley Trek with Annapurna Circuit – 18 Days

The early morning drive from Kathmandu takes us through the luscious green beauty of the forests, the river flowing by, the hills and the mountains throughout the highway. One can witness the typical countryside when on drive.

The road till Besisahar is smooth whereas from Besisahar to Jagat is quite bumpy. After driving for around 8 to 9 hours, we finally reach Jagat.

After the morning breakfast, we start our trek descending towards the river. We go through series of ups and downs through beautiful tropical forests until we reach Chamje.

After another steep ascent and a walk for some time, we reach the scenic village of Tal. We walk across the rugged and windy trail passing through the waterfalls and cliffs, finally arriving at Dharapani.

We start our trek walking towards Bagarchap, a Buddhist village from where we can see the first view of Annapurna II. The rough trail then takes an ascent to Timang village situated at the altitude of 2,460 m. From Timang we can see the beautiful view of Mt. Manaslu.

Continuing the trek, we walk through the pine forests up to Chame and lastly to the Koto village. The trek will be of around 5 to 6 hours this day.

The distance to cover this day is quite long so we start our trek early today. The Nar Phu trekking route today passes through the restricted area of Nar Phu valley, dense pine forests, cave shelters, pilgrims’ resting places, waterfalls here and there, and rough steep ascents.

After walking for 7 to 8 hours, we finally reach the destination for the day, Meta.

Bidding farewell to Meta, some unique, colorful Chortens that the Nar-Phu is popular for begin to appear in sight. We cross many suspension bridges crossing many streams throughout the trail.

We can find no residential houses along the way but only the remnants of the fort of the Khampa settlement (the place where the Tibetans lived illegally). Following the rocky trail we walk past Phu Khola witnessing the line of wonderful chortens along the way to Phu Gaon.

The day is utilized acclimatizing to the thinning of the air and also to rest and explore the Phu village. A very old Buddhist Monastery known as Tashi Lakhang monastery also listed among the 108 world’s greatest monasteries lies at a short distance in Phu Gaon. We can also hike up to the Himlung Base Camp and enjoy the breath taking views.

The trail initially descends down crossing plenty of streams, crossing suspension bridges until we reach Mahendra Pul after almost 4 to 5 hours.

We also cross the high suspension bridge 80 m over Lapche river gorge. From Mahendra Pul, the trail ascends and we can witness Buddhist Stupas until we finally reach Nar valley. There are plenty of Monasteries to visit at Nar and the view of the Pisang peak can also be enjoyed.

This day can be utilized to explore around the Nar valley. Nar is more energetic than the Phu valley. One can encounter people printing flags, spinning wool, the echoing sound of drums, prayers in the monasteries, the monks spinning the prayer wheels and many more. The rest of the day can be used to rest and relax in the beautiful village.

The trek today will be very long therefore we start early before sunrise today towards Kang La Pass. The pass is not difficult but the effect of altitude can be easily felt. From the top of the pass, a brilliant view of Annapurna II, Gangapurna, and Tilicho Peak can be witnessed.

The trail from the pass goes steeply down towards Ngawal. The village of Ngawal is very different from the villages recently visited as there are nice guesthouses with Wi-Fi and better phone signals here.

We continue our trek walking through the big hills, jungle and wetlands. On the way, we can see beautiful landscapes, stupas and lama school. After 4 to 5 hours of walking, we will reach Manang, one of the happening places of the trek.

After acclimatization and rest at Manang, we will be energized and excited to continue our walk towards Yak Kharka which ascends by 500 m. We make the climb steadily through Tenki Manang, leaving the Marsyangdi Valley.

Continuing along the Jarsang Khola Valley, we reach Yak Kharka at 4,000 m. Herds of yaks and vegetation’s appear to thin out.

After a two-hour ascent, the trail descends to cross the river at 4,310 m. We then climb up to Thorong Phedi at 4,450 m where decent guesthouses have been built in the recent years.

Today is a long trek starting before sunrise at 4 am to reach the pass by 9-10 am. Otherwise, weather conditions (strong winds) will greatly affect the journey, particularly at the Thorong La Pass. We climb steeply on a regular route which is quite easy to follow.

Crossing the pass often causes terrible problems if it is covered by heavy snow. After four hours of climbing to the pass marked by the chortens and prayer flags, we will be rewarded with stunning views from the top of the pass. Another four hours of walking will take us to the holy town of Muktinath.

Muktinath means the place of nirvana and is home to the Muktinath Temple as well as several monasteries. It is said that all sorrows we feel are relieved when visiting the Temple. It is a sacred pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists. The prime pilgrimage month is September.

The Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and has 108 waterspouts around it. Another attraction nearby is the Jwala Mai Temple which has a gorgeous natural spring and an eternal flame fueled by natural gas.

We head down the trail to the Eklebhatti, and then follow the Kaligandaki River to Jomsom. Jomsom is a large town with many facilities. It is also the headquarter and official town for the whole Mustang district, where all the district government offices are present.

A 30-minute morning flight takes us to Pokhara from Jomsom. Once we arrive at Pokhara airport, we then drive to the hotel.

We will be driving back to Kathmandu in the morning.