We will meet you at Kathmandu International airport where we transfer you by private coach to the comfortable and famous Kathmandu Guest House situated in the very centre of the Thamel tourist district. After you have booked in to your room (sole occupancy of a garden facing en-suite room) and freshened up we will have a meeting to introduce everyone and have a quick presentation on the trip. A group dinner will follow and after this most people tend to retire early for some much needed sleep after their long travels to Nepal.

We have organised two brilliant tours for you today to absorb your new surroundings and to immerse yourself in the Nepalese culture yet still allowing you to have a relaxing day after your long travels the day before and so you can have free time to explore this amazing city. After breakfast we are taken by private bus to the Monkey Temple at Swayambunath where our expert local guide will give us a fascinating tour of this stunning place and also point out the distant Himalayan Peaks . We return to the Kathmandu Guest House for lunch at Café Bahal and then in the afternoon take an exciting rickshaw ride around the city's famous Durbar Square where again we will have an expert tour guide to take us round.

After breakfast we board a private coach and drive out of the Kathmandu valley, following the Chinese-built road towards Pokhara along the course of the mighty Trisuli River. We stop for lunch at Mugling Bazaar before continuing to Dumre where we turn off the main highway. The road deteriorates from here and we may need to ride in the back of a truck to complete the final section up to the trailhead at Besisahar. We stay here in a small village lodge.

From Besisahar we descend to the Marsyangdi River and climb back up to the pleasant Gurung village of Khudi. It is from this region that the British Army recruits many young men into the Gurkha regiment, and we occasionally meet soldiers who are home from Britain on vacation. From Khudi we continue north along the river and get our first views of Himalchuli (7893m) and Peak 29 (7836m). We cross the Marsyangdi on a wide suspension bridge which brings us to the village of Bhulebule and from there we trek up the east bank of the river to the lush green paddies fields around Ngati. We again cross the river on a high suspension bridge and make the final steep climb to the village of Bahundanda (1311m). Prayer flags and chortens can now be seen, indicating the Tibetan influences in the region.

After breakfast we descend back to the river and cross via yet another suspension bridge at the village of Syange (1136m). Views of Lamjung Himal (6966m) and Manaslu (8163m) dominate the horizon from here. The trail then climbs high above the river passing through rhododendron and pine forest, following a narrow path beneath numerous rocky overhangs. We trek through Jagat and stay overnight in the village of Tal (1700m) at the foot of a spectacular waterfall.

The trail now heads west where Manaslu forms a splendid backdrop and Annapurna II is occasionally visible to the south. We continue on a pleasant path through forests of fir and Himalayan blue pine through the delightful hamlets at Charku and Thonje. As we progress northwards, views of the Annapurna range improve all the time until we reach the large village of Chame, the administrative capital of the region.

The trek undergoes a dramatic change of scenery as we leave behind the dense forests and fertile agricultural land of the lowlands and enter a high and arid Himalayan region. Sparse stands of oak, birch and pine dot the landscape and in the fields there are potatoes, wheat and corn which are the staples of the region. The people are Tibetan in appearance and rows of elaborately carved mani stones line the trail. To respect the local beliefs these stones, as well as prayer wheels and other Buddhist icons on the trail, should always be passed in a clockwise direction keeping them to your right. As we progress the valley adopts a distinctive glaciated ‘U’-shaped appearance and in front of us rise a series of tremendous rock slabs. We climb up to the village of Pisang (3185m) with its prayer flags and flat-roofed Tibetan buildings.

Heading towards Manang we enter an arid area in the rain shadow of the Himalaya. The landscape is desert like with bare eroded hillsides, testimony to the sparse rainfall this region receives. We pass through Ongre where there is a small rough STOL (short take-off and landing) airstrip although there are no scheduled flights here. We continue through the little village of Braga with its fascinating Gompa before eventually reaching the village of Manang. For centuries this has been an important trading centre providing a conduit for goods travelling between Tibet with India. Today this particular trade has largely ceased but the Manangbhots now have their sights set higher and many have travelled to Bangkok or further afield to advance their business interests. The village has good views of Gangapurna (7455m) and Annapurna III (7555m), whilst to the north we can see the Chulu peaks.

We have a day for rest and acclimatisation in Manang. Behind the village is a small hill which makes a worthwhile training exercise and provides magnificent views of the whole Annapurna range. The icefall which descends from Gangapurna is in a constant state of change and we will probably witness huge blocks of ice calve off and come crashing down. We have a succession of hard days ahead of us so for the sake of our legs it is best to gain as much rest today as possible.

Leaving Manang we begin our long climb to the Thorong La. Climbing out of the Marsyangdi valley we follow the Jarsang Khola across high Himalayan scrub with occasional clusters of juniper. Although not a long day we don’t want to gain altitude too rapidly so we stop at the tea houses around Churi Letdar (4250m). Evening and night time temperatures for the next few days can be very cold, but the spectacular scenery more than compensates for this.

We climb up to the isolated tea shop at Thorong Phedi (4400m) which is set in a bleak spot at the foot of the pass. Some people have compared this area to the surface of the moon and it certainly feels as cold when the sun dips behind the mountains at about 3pm. From then on the temperature plummets and we retire to our sleeping bags whilst our Sherpa crew prepare a hot stew for dinner. We go to sleep early with a rucksacks already prepared for an early start the next morning.

We leave Thorong Phedi before first light and begin making our way up the frozen shattered scree path. Initially the path ascends quite steeply but as dawn breaks and the sun rises over the cobalt-blue horizon the angle eases and the trail becomes enjoyable. As we climb higher the views become more impressive and we can look back towards the Chulu peaks and across to Manaslu. The trail undulates over many false summits before finally reaching the colourful collection of prayer flags which adorn the top of the pass at 5416m. Here we are treated to a fantastic view down towards Muktinath in the Kali Gandaki valley – an arid and desolate Tibetan landscape. Above us rises the fluted peak of Thorong Phedi and beyond lies the entire Annapurna range. If the weather is good we can linger on the pass taking numerous photographs and greeting other trekkers making this arduous crossing. Eventually it’s time to leave and we descend steeply down a long series of switch backs and scree. Ski poles will be found useful on this section to protect our knees from the pounding they’ll be getting as we drop 1600 metres to Muktinath. The village is situated in a pleasant grove of poplar trees and has a selection of comfortable lodges where beer and soft drinks are available. There is also a fascinating Gompa and Hindu temple where naturally occurring gas venting out of the ground burns as a small perpetual flame, making this a pilgrimage site of great importance.

A welcome rest day after the exertions on the Thorong La. This will be time to catch up with our journals, do some washing or simply sunbathe by our camp. For those who feel the need to stretch their legs, the nearby village of Kagbeni makes a pleasant day trip.

We trek through the austere and arid landscape of the upper Kali Gandaki valley, passing long caravans of donkeys laden with provisions for Muktinath. Dhaulagiri rises above us but is somewhat hidden from view here. The route follows the wide expanses of the braided river valley to the important town of Jomsom. There is an airstrip here and fine views of Nilgiri (7061m) and Tilicho Peak (7132m). But the town is somewhat bleak and windswept so we continue to the delightful Thakali village of Marpha (2667m) an hour or two further down the valley. The cobbled streets and beautifully maintained white-washed houses of the village are set amongst prolific apple orchards, the legacy of a pioneering agricultural project in the early 1980’s. The result is that Marpha is now famous for its fiery apple brandy, cider and superb apple pie!

We continue to follow the increasingly narrow Kali Gandaki gorge to the delightful village of Tukuche with its large Gompa. Beyond this we trek on a narrow path through verdant forests to Kalaopani where we have fine views of Annapurna I (8091m) and Fang (7647m). A short distance further on is the village of Lete, our stop for the night.

We descend steeply down through dense forest to Ghasa and enter the narrowest and deepest part of the gorge. The Kali Gandaki is one of the deepest river valleys in the world and although we are aware of the presence of high mountains around us, we are unable to see any at this point in the trek. We emerge into a wider part of the valley and reach the large and prosperous village of Tatopani (1160m) with its hot springs and bathing pools. Tatopani is, by international repute, one of the most developed villages on the Annapurna trail. The various comfortable lodges have been serving excellent pizza and chocolate cake here for the past twenty years, and its shrewd lodge keepers have seen their bank balances expand in direct proportion to their waists.

We cross the river via a suspension bridge and leave the Kali Gandaki behind. We then have a very long and continuous climb up towards the Deorlai La (2834m), a gain in altitude of nearly 1700 metres. With clear weather we are constantly rewarded with superb views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Nilgiri and Hiunchuli. We break this long ascent for lunch on the trail and from the crest of the pass have a further 10 minutes walking down to the village of Ghorepani (2775m).

Above Ghorepani is the famous Poon Hill, one of the finest mountain viewpoints in the whole of Nepal. Normal practise is to make a dawn ascent, and whilst this is by no means obligatory the views are certainly at their best first thing in the morning. Dhaulagiri is most conspicuous, its huge eastern flank rising in a tremendous sweep above the Kali Gandaki, whilst in the other direction we look across the Annapurna range. After taking numerous photographs we return to Ghorepani for a mid-morning breakfast before continuing our trek down through magnificent forests of oak and rhododendron to Birethanti (1050m). A few minutes below this village our private vehicles will be waiting for us here and we take the short drive to Pokhara and to the Garden View Hotel.

A free morning in Pokhara. In the afternoon we transfer to the airport for the short flight back to Kathmandu. For those lucky enough to be sitting on the left hand side of the aircraft, there is a great view of the western end of the Himalayas. After we arrive in Kathmandu we transfer to the superb Park Village Resort where you spend the next 2 days in complete luxury.

After a relaxing morning for and a group lunch at the resort we are shuttled into Kathmandu to give you a free afternoon to do some last minute shopping. In the evening we have our final special group dinner at the hotel and then we have the premier of the uncut video of you trek and climbs shown in one of the many conference rooms at this fantastic hotel. The multi-media facilities here are superb and being able to watch the trek you have just done on the big screen with a relaxing, after dinner drink is in our opinion a special treat. You will receive the professionally edited version of the film on DVD shortly after your return home. Additionally you will receive a copy of all the digital images that we take of you throughout the entire trip!

After breakfast we will take a shuttle into the city for any last minute shopping that you may wish to do and we have a farewell lunch at an excellent restaurant. We will transfer you to the Tribhuvan International airport for you flight home and say our final farewells.