Beyond the Annapurnas

	Beyond the Annapurnas

Location: Nepal

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The Best of Nepal Trekking

Travel to Beyond the Annapurnas

Organised group tours: The following tours for Beyond the Annapurnas are available:

Chulu Far East and the Tilicho La

£2595

excl. flights

22 days

KE Adventure Travel has an outstanding collection of climbing holidays that will take you to the world's most spectacular mountain ranges. Our climbing trips usually involve the ascent of snow-covered peaks where climbing ropes, ice axes and other items of mountaineering equipment may be used. Our climbing holidays can involve multi-day approaches on foot to a basecamp below the objective mountain. On this stage of the trip (which is effectively trekking) there will usually be the support of a trek crew to carry personal belongings, along with any tents, group climbing equipment, food and cooking equipment. The climbing is generally above the snow-line and can be at high altitude. Most of our climbing holidays have an experienced Western leader and in the case of our Alpine trips, the leader is always IFMGA qualified. None of our climbing trips requires more than a single mountaineering ice-axe, together with crampons and a climbing harness. Ropes may be used to safeguard steep or exposed sections or crevassed sections of the route. With long days, high altitudes, glacier camping and the possibility of encountering poor weather, these trips can be challenging.

Chulu Far East and the Tilicho La

Beyond the Annapurna Himalaya, amongst a group of peaks known as the Manang Himal, the eminently climbable Chulu Far East (6059m) boasts a superb summit panorama that includes all of the Annapurnas, as well as a host of little-known peaks in Tibet. Our approach to the mountain follows the trek of the classic Annapurna Circuit for 3 days before climbing to a basecamp above the villages of Gyaru and Ngawa. We go on to establish a high camp on the south-west ridge of Chulu Far East and we make our ascent via straightforward snow-slopes. Descending to Manang in the deep cleft of the Marsyangdi Valley, the second part of this fantastic climbing holiday is our 6-day trek out to Jomsom, via the stunning Tilicho Lake and the relatively rarely-crossed Tilicho La (5260m). Close to the Annapurna Circuit, this expedition manages, nevertheless, to take you well off the beaten track and to provide an unforgettable trekking and climbing holiday.

Hidden Valleys of Naar and Phu

£1795

excl. flights

16 days

With over 200 holidays to choose from, KE Adventure Travel has one of the very best collections of trekking and walking holidays worldwide. Graded on a scale from 1 to 12, we have holidays to suit everyone. Our tougher treks are likely to involve multi-day hikes through wilderness regions, with porter support and tented accommodation. Whilst at the other end of the scale, our softer walking holidays are more likely to be hotel or lodge-based with a day-walk format and an emphasis on uncovering the area's history, culture and cuisine. From our earliest days we've developed a range of treks that include celebrated classics such as Peru's Inca Trail trek, the ascent of Tanzania's Kilimanjaro and the ever popular Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal. Alongside these, we have always made it a priority to seek out distinctive and unique itineraries in less familiar areas such as Armenia, Cameroon, Madagascar and Burma. Whichever of our trekking or walking holidays you choose to undertake, you can be sure you'll enjoy breaking out of your day-to-day routine and exploring exotic landscapes on foot, with the chance to experience different cultures.

Hidden Valleys of Naar and Phu

Descending from the Tibetan Border to Chame on the Annapurna Circuit, the newly accessible valley of the Naar-Phu Khola is one of the most exciting trekking destinations in Nepal. We spend 9 days exploring this lost Buddhist region, trekking northwards as far as the remote stone-built village of Phu, whose inhabitants continue to trade across the border. Retracing our steps only briefly, we then turn off westwards into a broad and rocky tributary valley, passing numerous chortens, mani walls and unusual gateways en route to Naar. Climbing to cross the Kang La (5306m) at the head of this valley, the views of the arrayed peaks of the Annapurnas are nothing short of breathtaking. After an abrupt descent to the Marsyangdi River, we trek out the last two days on the Annapurna Circuit. You can be amongst the first to visit this untouched corner of Nepal!

Mustang - The Forbidden Kingdom

£2495

excl. flights

15 days

Mustang - The Forbidden Kingdom

North of the Annapurnas and off-limits to travellers until the early ‘90s, the ancient and mysterious kingdom of Mustang is geographically and culturally a part of Tibet. Mustang prospered in the 15th Century, when its strategic location enabled it to dominate the salt trade between Tibet and Nepal. Its distinctive, white-painted villages, Tibetan monasteries and impressive wayside inns, a legacy of hundreds of years of cross-border trading, make Mustang a place apart, unlike anywhere else in Nepal. The landscape is different here, too - eroded clonglomerate cliffs coloured by striking earth pigments in variations of red, yellow, brown and blue, with a backdrop of the distant snow-capped peaks of the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri. With the gradual encroachment of the jeep road into Mustang, we now have the opportunity to change and improve the way we run this amazing 2-week adventure holiday. After a flight to Jomsom beside the Kali Gandaki River, we hike for just 2 days from Kagbeni to Geling, then transfer directly to the fairy-tale walled city Lo Manthang and spend a day there, exploring amongst its brightly painted houses and secret alleyways. This approach avoids protracted walking on, or within sight of, the jeep track, whilst still allowing us to see all of Mustang's important villages, chortens and distinctive scenery. However, the best is still to come, as we walk-out from Lo Manthang on the east side of the Kali Gandaki River. This 6-day trek takes us into the most interesting part of Mustang, where very little has changed almost since time began. Crossing passes up to 4200 metres and visiting a succession of remote settlements, such as Dhi, Tange and Tetang, we head southwards towards the looming presence of the Annapurna Himal. Finally arriving at the colourful pilgrimage centre of Muktinath, on the Annapurna Circuit, we take a jeep down to Jomsom to complete one of the best trekking adventures in Nepal.

Naar to Mustang

£2995

excl. flights

22 days

Naar to Mustang

After a pleasant 4-day introductory hike to Koto on the north side of the Annapurnas, we leave the main 'circuit' trail and trek north to the isolated village of Naar. From here, we strike out on a route that follows the Labse Khola and leads beyond the Chulu peaks into the almost unknown Damodar Himal. We reach the high point of our route at the generally snow-bound Teri La (5560m), a pass 'discovered' by Bill Tilman in 1950. The core of this long and varied route is a brilliant week of trekking through a wild and uninhabited area, with camps at elevations of between 4000 and 5000 metres. We finally reach the upper Kali Gandaki Valley at the beautiful village of Tangge and have a further week to explore the 'forbidden kingdom' of Mustang, including a visit to the outrageous walled settlement of Lo Manthang. If you want to get off the beaten track - try this one!