The eastern portion of the trek follows the Marsyangdi River upstream, to its source near the village of Manang. To get there several days of up-hill hiking are required. Then the route goes over the pass, a grueling day of hiking, and back down the other side, where it meets up with the Kali Gandaki River. The trek follows this river downstream. At the end of the trek, several options are available: following the river further to the road proper and catching a bus to Pokhara where one hikes up to Ghorepani and Poon Hill, or adding on a trek to the Annapurna Base Camp, known as the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek.
This is a "teahouse trek," meaning there are villages with lodges and restaurants to eat and stay in along the entire route. You are expected to eat in the same lodge where you are spending the night. Prices of rooms are seemingly inexpensive because of this -- lodge owners tend to make more money on the food and drinks they are selling you than on the room where you are sleeping.
If choosing to make the trek independently, go out with adequate clothing for low temperatures and rain. Temperatures vary from oppressive heat in the lowlands, to freezing cold, even snowstorms, closer to the pass.
Important: Bring a sleeping bag rated for winter temperatures. Linens are not provided by the lodges, and nights can get very cold. Warm blankets are provided so it is possible to use a basic two-season sleeping bag.
Everyday supplies, such as toilet paper, soap, Snickers bars, and even hiking supplies like headlamps and fleece jackets can be purchased along the way, though prices rise dramatically as you go higher in elevation. Try to stock up lower down.
Maps are easy to get -- and very inexpensive -- in either Kathmandu or Pokhara. While you're in Kathmandu or Pokhara, don't forget to get your trekking permit as well as TIMS Cards. which is required and available in either city. It'll cost you 2,000 NPR for Permit & Rs.200 for TIMS Cards. While the path is easy to follow be aware that these maps should not be used for critical navigation as they are not very accurate. However they are useful for pointing out the various mountains.
Officials do check your permit at several places along the way, and the checkpoints are virtually impossible to avoid. You'll have to pay double, or 4,000 NPR, if you're caught without the permit.there are many trekking companies issue trekking Permit & TIMS Cards. Mountain Sherpa Trekking & expidition.Those company provides you better information & as well as better service for trekking in nepal. you can log on there site(http://www.guidenepal.com) or (http://www.altitudetrekking.com)for more information in online. you could hire only guide & porter also through those company.
Bring along a sufficient amount of money for the entire trek, though you can either cash traveler's checks or hit an ATM in Jomsom. A day on the lower villages of the trek can cost 300NRs (food and accommodation only). A day in the higher points of the trail can cost 900NRs. You can do the trek for about $10 USD a day if you go independently. Budget for 1000NR per day, though backpackers on a budget can get by with half.
Before you go, check on the status of the road being built on the western portion of the trek. In the fall of 2007, the road, and the construction of the road, interfered with trekking, and could negatively impact treks here in the future, though it could provide easier access for other, shorter treks. A road is also being built on the other side from Besisahar to Chame -- check with other tourists who have already done the trek for the latest information. Locals tend to talk up the road and downplay its negative aspects. Be advised: road walks in Nepal are very unpleasant, and unhealthy, due in part to the lack of emissions standards in the country.
Be prepared for all manner of bathrooms. Sometimes you'll get a modern flush toilet with private access, other times you'll have to venture out in the cold to use a smelly squat toilet. Even so, all lodges have running water. However, it may not always be HOT water. Typically, the first two or three people to get in the shower get the hot water. If you need a hot shower, get to your lodge early!
Though not required, porters and/or guides can be easily hired in Pokhara or Kathmandu at many travel agencies. As a classic "tea-house trek," which goes from village to village and does not require trekkers to bring along food or camping equipment, porters and guides are far from necessary, though many trekkers still like to use them.
If you do hire a porter or a guide, Nepali tourism officials ask that you make sure you pay a fair wage, limit the weight you require them to carry, and ensure they are properly clothed. Pay attention to their health when you get up in elevation, since some porters may not tell you if they feel ill. Altitude sickness is potentially fatal if ignored.
Depending on where you end your trek, buses and taxis are available to take you to Pokhara, a great place on a lake to spend a few days unwinding and relaxing. Kathmandu is about a six hour bus ride from Pokhara, easily arranged once you're ready to leave the lakeside town.
You can try and walk the lower stages at a faster pace maybe combining two of them into one so that more time can be spent on acclimatization on the higher stages. For example a couple of extra days can be spent at Manang and utilized by climbing to one of the many peaks around it and coming back down so as to increase the production of red blood cells. You can also see the origin of the Marsyandi river in Manang. The best part about this trek is the varied scenery it has to offer. You start from tropical forest in Besisahar, see terminal moraine near Manang and then move past the snow line across the Thorung La and then to the barren landscape of lower Mustang and Muktinath.
Treks in the popular trails of Nepal are usually safe, but it is always advisable to trek with at least one friend. Some trails are known for encounters with desperate bandits although this is fairly rare. Check with locals to get the latest on the Maoists -- they still like to collect money from trekkers in some locations.
Learn about altitude sickness before you set out on this trek. Also see your doctor before leaving home to make sure you have all the proper vaccinations, and that you bring with you all of the medications you will need. (Antibiotics and altitude medicine are good things to have.)
For tips on foods to eat while on your trek, check out this article: http://hubpages.com/hub/What-to-eat-in-Nepal
Even though the trek goes through villages with electricity and flushing toilets, Leave No Trace principals still apply, since most of the trek is still in the "backcountry." There are no ways to deal with trash away from the roads, meaning trash is either packed out on foot, or ends up a heap somewhere on the outskirts of the village.
Please make sure you pack out all of your trash, including bottles and cans from goods consumed in restaurants. Bring the trash to the nearest truck-accessible road for the most proper disposal available.
Trekkers are also asked to refrain from relying on bottled water, since there is nowhere to dispose of the used bottles. Filtering or treating your water will reduce the amount of trash left behind in this fragile environment. Iodine pills are a cheap, lightweight solution.
Take the time to look at the pollution and lack of trash management all around you, from the trash-clogged rivers in the cities to the mounds of discarded beer bottles in the mountain villages. This is a country struggling with its rapid Westernization and hasn't yet figured out how to dispose of its waste. Don't contribute to the problem any more than necessary!