The Annapurna region is the most visited trekking area in Nepal. The diverse terrain and variety of cultures in the region north of Pokhara make each day’s walk a different experience, and the area the most popular tourist destination in the country. The Annapurna trekking region consists of peaks Annapurna 1, Annapurna 2, Annapurna 3, Annapurna 4 and those of Annapurna south. The region’s major highlights are the ancient mid-western salt-route settlement of Manang, Thorongla pass between Nepal and Tibet, Muktinath Temple and the deepest gorge in the world, Kaligandaki, the upper Mustang area of Lomanthang, and the desert plateau located in the upper valley of the River Kaligandaki.
Tourist access to Mustang is controlled to help retain its exclusiveness. The highlights of a trek in this area include a visit to the Mustang palace, Lomanthang and pony rides to the Nepal-Tibet border. The Annapurna region is reached via Pokhara which is 200km from Kathmandu. It is 5 to 6 hours by road and 30 minutes by air from Kathmandu. You can ride a bus or hire a cab from Pokhara to reach the trek head. Food and accommodation is easily available for most parts of the Annapurna region trek.