A guidebook to 4 treks in Nepal’s Annapurna region, including Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary, plus 10 other routes covering the Machhapuchhre region, Parbat Myagdi, northeast Pokhara, the foothills of Lamjung Himal, and the restricted areas of Mustang, Damodar and Nar-Phu.
Routes range from 4 to 23 days and are graded by difficulty, from easy-moderate to moderate-strenuous. Most involve altitudes of over 3000m, with the Annapurna Circuit ascending to over 5400m.
- Route description illustrated with sketch mapping and elevation profiles
- Notes on both organised and independent trekking, and accommodation options (lodges, camping and homestay)
- Advice on preparation and planning, including recommended kitlist
- Healthy and safety
- A wealth of cultural information, plus history, plants and wildlife
Table of Content
Warning
Overview map
Map key
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Geography
Climate
Plants, animals and birds
Brief history
People of Nepal
Religion
Cultural considerations
Getting there
Visas and permits
When to go
Style of trekking
Accommodation on trek
Food
Money matters
Health matters
Mountain safety
Hazards and security
What to take
Maps
Photography
Communications
Kathmandu – Gateway to the Himalayas
Pokhara – Gateway to the Annapurnas
How to use this guide
The last word
1 Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary
Trek 1 Annapurna Circuit
Stage 1 Bhulbhule to Manang
Stage 2 Manang to Muktinath
Stage 3 Muktinath to Tatopani
Stage 4 Tatopani to Naya Pul via Ghorepani
Alternative Stage 4 Tatopani to Dhampus Phedi
via Ghorepani and Ghandruk
Trek 2 Annapurna Sanctuary
Stage 1 Dhampus Phedi to Chhomrong
Alternative Stage 1 Naya Pul to Chhomrong
Stage 2 Chhomrong to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC)
Stage 3 Annapurna Base Camp to Chhomrong
Stage 4 Chhomrong to Naya Pul via Ghandruk
Alternative Stage 4 Chhomrong to Naya Pul via Ghorepani
Trek 3 Ghorepani Circuit (Poon Hill Expedition)
Trek 4 Annapurna-Dhaulagiri Trek
2 Restricted areas – Mustang, Damodar and Nar-Phu
Trek 5 Mustang Trek
Stage 1 Jomsom to Lo Manthang
Stage 2 Lo Manthang to Muktinath via Tange
Trek 6 Nar-Phu Trek
Stage 1 Koto to Phu
Stage 2 Phu to Koto
3 Other treks
Machhapuchhre region
Trek 7 Mardi Himal Trek
Trek 8 Machhapuchhre Korchon (Model) Trek
Parbat Myagdi
Trek 9 Parbat Myagdi Link
Trek 10 Parbat Myagdi Circular
Ridges north and east of Pokhara
Trek 11 Siklis Trek
Foothills of Lamjung Himal
Trek 12 Khatri Thanti-Besisahar Trek
Trek 13 Ramgha-Besisahar Trek
Trek 14 Gurung Heritage Trek
Appendix A Trek summaries and suggested schedules4
Appendix B Religious and other terminology
Appendix C Useful words and phrases
Appendix D Books, films and music
Appendix E Useful contacts
About the author
Siân Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons met in 1983, on a trek from Kashmir to Ladakh. By then Bob had already driven an ancient Land Rover from England to Kathmandu (in 1974), and overland trucks across Asia, Africa and South America. He had also lived in Kathmandu for two years, employed as a trekking company manager. Before they met, Siân worked in computer programming and systems analysis, but was drawn to the Himalaya en route from working in New Zealand.
Since they met they have been leading and organising treks in the Alps, Nepal and the Sahara, as well as driving a bus overland to Nepal. Journeys by a less ancient Land Rover from England to South Africa provided the basis for several editions of the Bradt guide Africa Overland. For the sixth edition published in April 2014, they visited the fantastic boiling lava lake of Erta Ale in the Danakil desert of Ethiopia, and Somaliland. They were lucky finally to get visas to visit Eritrea, Angola and Congo for their most recent African research trips in 2016.
In Kathmandu they previously worked with Pilgrims Publishing, producing cultural guides – Kathmandu: Valley of the Green-Eyed Yellow Idol and Ladakh: Land of Magical Monasteries – and a historical look at the Guge Kingdom, Kailash: Land of the Tantric Mountain.
In 2007 they wrote the Cicerone guide to Mount Kailash and Western Tibet, as well updating the Grand Canyon guide. During 2011 they returned to Tibet, this time driving the same old Land Rover back from Kathmandu to the UK overland via Lhasa, through China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Western Europe. Their Annapurna trekking guide was published by Cicerone in January 2013; the second edition is due later in 2017.
For Himalayan Map House they are writing a new series of trekking guidebooks: Himalayan Travel Guides. Titles so far published include Manaslu & Tsum Valley (2nd edition); Upper & Lower Dolpo; Ganesh Himal & Tamang Heritage Trail; Everest; Langtang, Gosainkund & Helambu; Rolwaling & Gauri Shankar; Trekking around the Nepal Himalaya and Mustang.
They have also recently published their autobiography, In Search of the Green-Eyed Yellow Idol, in colour, black & white and Kindle formats, and a Pictorial Guide to the Horn of Africa.
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