Pisang Peak Climbing (6,091 m)

On arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, our team welcomes you and drives you to your hotel. After you have had time to rest, your guide meets you to talk through the itinerary, check your documents and answer any questions about the trek and climb. The evening is free; the restaurants of Thamel and the peaceful square around Boudhanath Stupa are both nearby.

Our office arranges your Pisang Peak climbing permit, ACAP and TIMS card. Meanwhile your climbing guide checks your clothing and equipment and helps you buy or hire anything missing in Thamel, from crampon-compatible boots to a warm sleeping bag. In the evening we hold a full briefing on the route, the acclimatisation plan, summit day and safety procedures.

We leave Kathmandu after breakfast, following the Trishuli river west along the Prithvi Highway before turning north at Dumre into the Marsyangdi valley. Besisahar, the traditional starting point of the Annapurna Circuit, is reached after 5-6 hours on the road, with breaks for tea and lunch. Overnight in a local hotel among terraced rice fields.

A 4WD jeep takes us up the deep Marsyangdi gorge on a rough mountain road, past waterfalls and the villages of Jagat, Tal and Dharapani, then west into the pine and fir forests of Manang district. After 6-7 hours we arrive in Chame, the district headquarters, with Lamjung Himal and Annapurna II rising above. Overnight in a teahouse.

We walk through forest beside the river, past the orchards of Bhratang and beneath the vast curved rock face of Paungda Danda, before the valley widens into drier, more open country. Crossing the river near Lower Pisang, we climb to Upper Pisang, a village of stone houses and prayer flags with a monastery facing Annapurna II. Pisang Peak rises directly behind. Walking time is 5-6 hours.

A day to let the body adapt before going higher. We hike up the slopes behind the village for 3-4 hours, gaining several hundred metres for views of the Annapurna range and the Manang valley, then return to Upper Pisang to sleep. In the afternoon, visit the monastery, rest and let your guide check your equipment and introduce the basic climbing techniques.

We climb steadily through pine and juniper and then over open grassy slopes to base camp, a high pasture at around 4,380 m with wide views across the valley to Annapurna II. The walk takes 4-5 hours. Our crew sets up the dining and sleeping tents, and in the afternoon your guide runs a practical training session on crampons, ice axe, harness and fixed-rope techniques.

A steep climb on rocky ridges and scree leads to high camp at around 5,400 m, set on a rocky shoulder below the summit snowfield. Allow 4-5 hours, moving slowly and steadily with a loaded pack. After setting up camp, we have an early dinner, prepare clothing and equipment for the morning and try to rest before a pre-dawn start.

Leaving high camp around 3 am, we climb rock and snow, crossing a small glacier when conditions require, to the final steep snow and ice slope below the summit, protected by fixed ropes. From the top, Annapurna II, Annapurna IV, Gangapurna, Tilicho Peak and Manaslu surround you. We descend carefully to high camp and continue down to base camp. Expect 9-11 hours in total.

This spare day is kept in case strong winds, fresh snow or poor visibility delay the summit attempt, so we never need to climb in unsafe conditions to keep to the schedule. If the summit goes to plan, we use the day to rest at base camp or begin the descent at a gentler pace, adding a relaxed afternoon in one of the villages on the way to Manang.

We descend to Upper Pisang and take the high trail to Ghyaru, a steep climb rewarded by one of the finest viewpoints on the circuit, looking straight across to Annapurna II, III and IV. The path then contours past chortens and mani walls to Ngawal, a traditional village of flat-roofed stone houses. Walking time is 6-7 hours. Overnight in a teahouse.

A short, gentle walk descends through juniper and past Braga, whose monastery is perched on the cliffs above the village, to Manang, the largest settlement in the upper valley. Walking time is 3-4 hours. The afternoon is free to enjoy Manang's bakeries, visit the Himalayan Rescue Association aid post for an altitude talk in season, or look across at the Gangapurna glacier.

We leave Manang on the Thorong La trail, climbing gently through the village of Gunsang and across open pastures where yaks graze among juniper. Yak Kharka is a small group of lodges with views back to Gangapurna and the Annapurnas. It is a short day of 3-4 hours, keeping the altitude gain modest and leaving time to rest in the afternoon.

The trail continues past Ledar and crosses the river before traversing a narrow path above the gorge, passing a landslide-prone section quickly and in single file. After Thorong Phedi, a steep climb of about an hour leads to Thorong High Camp. Thanks to the acclimatisation gained on Pisang Peak, sleeping here shortens tomorrow's crossing. Walking time is 4-5 hours.

We set off before dawn, climbing steadily over a series of rises to the prayer-flagged Thorong La at 5,416 m, with views back across the Annapurnas and ahead to the dry hills of Mustang. A long, steep descent then leads down to Muktinath, a sacred pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists. Walking time is 6-7 hours from High Camp.

In the morning we visit the Muktinath temple complex, with its 108 water spouts and the natural gas flame of Jwala Mai, then drive by jeep down through Jharkot and Kagbeni to Jomsom in the windswept Kali Gandaki valley. The drive takes about 1-2 hours. The afternoon is free to explore Jomsom or the whitewashed village of Marpha, famous for its apples.

An early flight follows the Kali Gandaki gorge between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I, landing in Pokhara after about 20-25 minutes. Flights leave in the morning before the afternoon winds pick up; if they are cancelled, we drive to Pokhara by road. The rest of the day is free to relax beside Phewa Lake, take a boat to the island temple or explore Lakeside.

We return to Kathmandu by tourist bus along the Prithvi Highway, a journey of 6-7 hours through river valleys and hill towns, with stops for meals along the way. A short flight can be arranged instead if you prefer. After checking in to your hotel, join us in the evening for a farewell dinner to celebrate your first Himalayan summit with the team.

Our team transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport around three hours before your international flight. If your flight leaves later in the day, there is time for a last visit to Boudhanath Stupa or some souvenir shopping in Thamel. Thank you for climbing with Nima Adventure; we hope Pisang Peak is the first of many Himalayan summits.