Nar Phu Village Trek

The newly opened spectacular and unique Himalayan trail lies in the popular Annapurna region which starts at Koto. Koto is further ahead from Besisahar reachable by a Jeep drive. This trail passes through the Nar and Phu Valleys enriched with ethnically-Tibetan origin inhabitants; eventually there is a great opportunity of crossing the adventurous Kang la pass (5,320m/17,454ft).

This trek gives an exposure to high peaks and passes, glaciers, narrow canyons, gompas and traditional remote villages. The Nar Phu Valley was closed to foreign trekkers until 2002. Very few foreigners have explored these virtually untouched villages or climbed the many 7,000 meter peaks available in the valley.

We make our venture along the way at the alpine settlement of Nar and Phu Valleys. We also pay a visit to some of the most isolated Tibetan Buddhist world in the area. Exploration of high alpine valleys above Phu up to Himlung Base Camp and crossing over Kang la pass from Nar to Ngawal on the Pisang route is technically challenging.

On a hill next to the Phu village, there is a chance to visit the renowned Tashi Lhakhang Gompa (4,150m/13,616ft) and a line of thirteen colorful chortens.  Visitors might be lucky to receive blessings from the Lama Karma Sonam Rimpoche.

One of the significant highlights of the trek is that you will pass through the abandoned Khampa settlements in Jhunum (3,700m/12,140ft), Chyaku (3,800m/12,467ft) and Kayang (3,880m/12,730ft) which had almost gone to ruin.

Combine Nar Phu trek with Thorung La Pass

Nar Phu Village trek can be combined with the Thorung la pass (5,416m/17,769ft) of the popular  Annapurna Circuit trail adding another challenge.

Permits for Nar Phu Trek (Updated 2019)

Nar Phu village trek needs a special trekking permit. The price of the permit is different for low and high seasons. It costs US$ 100 per person per week for September to November and US$ 75 per person per week between December until August. The cost for permit beyond 1 week will be US$ 15 per person per week throughout the year.

A group of minimum TWO persons are essential in order to get the trekking permits for Naar and Phu. Local Trekking Companies can obtain the permits from Department of Immigration in Kathmandu.

In addition to the special trekking permits, trekkers will also need Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP permits) which costs Rs 3,000 (US $27).

Accommodations on the Nar Phu Trek

Accommodations on the Nar Phu village trek are limited to basic facility (Twin beds) with shared bathroom. We will spend a night in Nar Phedi at the local monastery where monks will cook the meals. A good sleeping bag with liner will be necessary for the trek.

Best Season/Time for Nar Phu Trek

Being in the Himalayan rain shadow area, this trek is doable from March to November. However, the best times for Nar Phu Valley trek are September, October and March to May. Weather in the monsoon is favourable but visibility of the mountains is poor due to the clouds.

Difficulty of the Nar Phu Trek

Because of the thin settlements and remoteness of the region, distance between teahouses is the hardest part of this trek. The challenging Kang la pass (5,320m/17,454ft) is another reason to categorize this trek as technically difficult which demands your courage for almost 10 hours walk for its ascents and descents between Nar and Ngawal.