Nar Phu Valley Trek — 14 Days

Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Evening briefing covering the Nar Phu Valley Restricted Area permit (required in addition to the Annapurna Conservation Area permit), the combined Nar Phu and Annapurna Circuit route, and high-altitude acclimatization strategy.

Drive to Besisahar then continue by jeep along the Marsyangdi valley to Koto, the entry point to the Nar Phu Valley restricted zone. Permit checkpoint at Koto — all trekkers must register. Koto sits where the Nar Valley joins the main Marsyangdi.

Enter the Nar Phu Valley restricted area from Koto checkpoint. The trail climbs steeply through pine and juniper forest with views of Pisang Peak. Meta (also called Meta Gaun) is a small settlement in a hanging valley — the landscape grows increasingly remote and dramatic.

Continue up the valley through glacial moraine terrain past Junam. The Nar Khola river cuts through narrow gorges flanked by massive peaks. Nar Phedi (meaning 'foot of Nar') is the base camp below the final climb to Nar village.

Short but steep climb to Nar village, a high-altitude Tibetan enclave virtually unchanged for centuries. Stone houses, flat roofs stacked with firewood, ancient gompa, and locals in traditional Tibetan dress. The village sits on a plateau with views of Kang Guru (6,981 m).

Rest and acclimatization day in Nar. Optional hike toward Nar La (4,600 m) for panoramic views across the Nar Valley and toward Tibet. In the afternoon explore Nar's 800-year-old monastery and interact with the semi-nomadic Narpa people.

Trek west from Nar through a high plateau to Phu, an even more remote Tibetan village accessed by a dramatic stone-carved trail through a narrow cliff gorge. Phu Gaun is one of Nepal's most isolated inhabited settlements — a cluster of flat-roofed stone houses below a towering fort gompa.

Explore Phu village and its remarkable Tashi Lhakhang monastery perched on a cliff. The Khampa-style fort ruins and spectacular views of Himlung Himal (7,126 m), Ratna Chuli, and Gyaji Kang provide spectacular photo opportunities. This village receives fewer than 500 trekkers per year.

Return to Nar then begin the ascent toward Kang La pass. The trail climbs over boulder fields and moraines through increasingly Arctic-feeling terrain. Camp at the base of the pass under a spectacular star-filled sky.

Cross the demanding Kang La pass at 5,320 m — one of the highest trekking passes in the Annapurna region. Magnificent panorama of the Annapurna and Gangapurna range from the summit. Long descent through glacial terrain and rhododendron forest to Ngawal on the Annapurna Circuit.

Descend along the Annapurna Circuit to Manang, the main acclimatization hub on the circuit. Excellent views of Annapurna III, Gangapurna, and the Marsyangdi valley. Rest here and hydrate well before the Thorong La crossing.

Critical rest day before Thorong La. Hike to Gangapurna Lake (3,700 m) or climb toward Ice Lake (4,600 m) for acclimatization. Attend the afternoon altitude awareness lecture at the Himalayan Rescue Association clinic in Manang — strongly recommended.

Short walk up the valley past Tenki Manang and Gunsang to Thorong Phedi (High Camp). Many trekkers stay here to get an early start on Thorong La — the 5,416 m pass requires a pre-dawn departure to avoid afternoon winds and weather.

Pre-dawn start to cross Thorong La at 5,416 m — the highest trekking pass in Nepal regularly crossed by trekkers. Breathtaking summit panorama before the long descent to Muktinath (3,760 m), one of Hinduism and Buddhism's holiest sites. Drive or walk to Jomsom for evening flight to Pokhara.