Annapurna Circuit & the new road

We did the trek in September 2011.  Exodus does it's best to keep you off the road whenever possible.  I would encourage you to go, simply for the Nepalese people.  They are some of the kindest, gentlest in the world.  We took 200 small wooden toys and gave them out to children along the way.  Others brought balloons and and colored pencils for the wee ones.  We're doing the cycling trip in Mongolia this year because progress is rapidly changing places in Asia and Africa and we very much want to experience their culture before technolgy changes it forever.

I am the Exodus Nepal Base Manager and this March went round the whole circuit to see the impact of the 'road'. Its not a road in western terms as nowhere is it tarmac road. Its a wide dusty jeep track/trail. On the first half of the trek ie to the Thorong La there are no vehicles after day 2 of the trek and on day 1 and 2 of the trek we walk on trails on the opposite side of the river so only on paths. The track is being built in places around Jagat and Chyamje (day 3/4 of the actual trek). After that there are bits of wide trail which one day will be a road but no vehicles so its all fine. After the Thorong La there is a road from Muktinath to Tatopani but we try to avoid it as much as possible and we have found new trails. You have to come back to the road trail side to sleep as there are no lodges along the new walking trails so some days there are couple of hours walking on a wide track. Our clients still love the Annapurna Circuit trek for the variety of scenery and its still worth doing. Please mail me if you have any more questions

valeriepark59@tiscali.co.uk