If you simply love mountains but want to do something more than just climb them, then perhaps you can check out options like the Annapurna Circuit trek. Instead of climbing the mountain and reaching its summit, this trek involves making a complete circuit of the Annapurna Massif.
While a trek cannot be compared with the experience of climbing a mountain and reaching its peak, you will discover that a circuit trek has its own unique charm.
Prepare for the Experience of a Lifetime
For starters, your trek will take you through sub-tropical forests, waterfalls of fast-flowing Himalayan rivers, down the foothills of the Himalayas to up the mountain valleys till you touch the edge of the Tibetan plateau before coming back to where you started.
Love the feeling of overcoming the ache in the muscles of your legs to trek another day? This is the circuit trek to do. Prefer cycling and want to combine bicycling with trekking even as you soak in the sights and sounds of the magnificent Himalayas? There’s this option too.
Want to keep it modern so that you can go back to your office and boast of having completed the Annapurna circuit without taking more than a week off work? You may have to fly some of the distance but this option too is available for trekkers.
Choose your Season
As if you weren’t spoiled for choices already, when you do the Annapurna Circuit trek too has a huge impact on your experience. The Annapurna circuit is virtually the only trek that can be done all year round. You can chill out in the cool climate while the Indian subcontinent bakes under the summer sun.
Or, you can trek through the forests during the monsoon without worrying about the deluge because the mountain lies in a water shadow area. If the cold does not bother you, then you can trek during the winters as well.
The best thing about this idea is that you can have a great time even if you don’t really enjoy trekking a lot. Your circuit can consist of a series of stays in circuit houses and tea houses spread along the route. Just imagine waking up to a different view of the Himalayas every morning?
Of course, your trek will be fun only if you choose the right service provider and the right package. Otherwise, you may end up trudging into a village at dusk only to find your tour operator has messed up the bookings and that you have no option but to spend the night out in the freezing cold.