The trek around the Annapurna Massif is one of the finest in the Himalaya. The sheer diversity of the mountain escape, the exhilaration of crossing a high mountain pass, and the unsurpassed views of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Manaslu Ranges are the essentials of this outstanding trek. Trekking north, we acclimatize at the important trading village of Manang (3351m),before crossing the Thorong La (5380m). As you reach the pass,line after line of snow ridges stretch before you, while far below lies the sub ridges stretch before you, while far below lies the sub-tropical Kali Gandaki Gorge. From the heights of the pass we descend to Muktinath and its scared Buddhist and Hindu Shrines. Further south, the contrasts of the Nepal Himalaya become even more apparent, as high windswept passes are replaced by forests, or mandarin and banana groves. Finally we trek out of the gorges and look back to the peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, before traversing the forest ridges down to Pokhara.