Top Ten Treks in the Nepalese Himalaya

The Annapurna Circuit is the most popular trek in Nepal. Following a loop trail beginning near Pokhara, Nepal's second city, the Circuit completely circumnavigates the Annapurna Himal and takes you within echo reach of the sixth (Dhaulagiri), seventh (Manaslu) and tenth (Annapurna I) tallest mountains in the world. The three-week undertaking is usually tackled in a counterclockwise direction from the fertile terraced midlands, or Pahar, at 3,000 feet, up the Marsyangdi River to the gray and white desolation of 17,700-foot Thorung La (pass), and then back down the Kali Gandaki River. The latter is sometimes called the deepest gorge in the world, mostly by virtue of the height of the peaks that flank it. Do-it-yourself trekker services—teahouses, guest houses and restaurants (many serving the apple pie now famous on the western arc between Jomsom's airstrip and Pokhara)—can be found in abundance every step of the way; guides and porters are not needed. There are also altitude sickness (see the article about this) awareness clinics at Manang, Buddhist/Hindu pilgrimage shrines at Muktinath, hot springs at Tatopani, and sunrise Himalayan vistas (one of the best in Nepal) from Poon Hill (near Ghorapani). Be prepared to meet lots of people, but to do it in one of the most spectacular settings in the world.