The Call of Three Trails: Annapurna Circuit, Everest Three Passes, and Pikey Peak

There’s something about Nepal’s trails that sticks in your bones. Could be the air — thin and sharp, like it’s been filtered through ice and prayer flags. Or maybe it’s the way mountains just… loom, making you feel small and brave at the same time. Three treks stand out like bold brushstrokes on the country’s map: the Annapurna Circuit, a winding loop that flips from dry valleys to lush forests like someone’s changing scenery slides; the Everest Three Passes, a high-altitude gauntlet where every pass feels like a small victory against the sky; and Pikey Peak, shorter, quieter, but with sunrise views that’ll have you swearing you’ve seen the whole world in one glance. They’re different beasts — one long and varied, one tough and wild, one simple yet soul-heavy. And somehow, all three make you question why you ever thought you could just “do” Nepal in a week.

Annapurna Circuit Trek – The Long Loop That Keeps Changing Its Mind

The Annapurna Circuit Trek isn’t just a walk. It’s a mood swing. One day you’re in dusty Mars-like valleys, the next you’re in a green jungle so thick you half expect a tiger to pop out (it won’t, don’t panic). It’s around 160–230 km, depending on how ambitious or… stubborn you are. You start somewhere warm, maybe Besi Sahar, and slowly climb until your breath turns short and your tea freezes if you take too long to drink it.

The Thorong La Pass — that’s the big one. 5,416 meters. Sounds like a number until you’re up there, the wind slicing your face like it’s trying to remind you who’s boss. But the view? It’s the Himalayas laid out like a secret you weren’t supposed to see. Villages come and go along the way — Manang, with its bakeries that smell like heaven after a week of dal bhat. Muktinath, where pilgrims wash away sins in icy water.

And here’s the thing — the Annapurna Circuit never gets boring because it’s constantly flipping its personality. Apple orchards. Prayer wheels. Deserts. Waterfalls. You keep thinking, “Oh, this must be the highlight,” then the next day proves you wrong.

Everest Three Passes Trek – The Big, Tough, No-Excuses One

Now this is for the folks who hear “Everest Base Camp” and think, “That’s cute, but can we make it harder?” The Everest Three Pass Trek doesn’t just take you to Base Camp — it makes you cross three massive mountain passes: Kongma La (5,535 m), Cho La (5,420 m), and Renjo La (5,360 m). Each one’s a test. You’ll feel it in your lungs. And legs. And possibly your soul.

What’s mad about it is how often you’re rewarded. You push up a slope, cursing every yak you’ve ever seen, and suddenly there’s a view of Ama Dablam so sharp you wonder if it’s a painting. You’re in the Khumbu Valley, surrounded by peaks that have been in mountaineering legends for decades. Nights in teahouses are cold — you’ll sleep in layers, socks and all — but the camaraderie in the dining room is warmer than the stove in the middle.

You still hit Everest Base Camp, of course, but it’s almost like that’s a side quest. The real story is the passes, the moments on the ridge when you can see glaciers sprawling below you like frozen rivers caught mid-roar. And yes, the thin air plays tricks on your brain. But in a good way. Mostly.

Pikey Peak Trek – The Quiet Surprise

And then there’s Pikey Peak Trek. It’s short compared to the others — five to seven days, depending on your pace — and it doesn’t get the same Instagram fame. Which, honestly, is a blessing. It’s quieter. The trails pass through rolling hills, rhododendron forests, little Sherpa villages where kids run out to wave like they’ve been waiting for you all morning.

The main event? That sunrise from Pikey Peak (4,065 m). People say it’s one of the best views in Nepal, and they’re not exaggerating. On a clear morning, you can see Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Lhotse — and the Annapurnas way off in the distance. All glowing gold like they’re in on some cosmic secret. Sir Edmund Hillary even said it was his favorite view in Nepal. And you trust a guy like that.

It’s easier on the body than the other two treks, but not so easy you feel cheated. There’s still climbing, still that satisfying ache in your legs at the end of the day. But you also get more time to just… breathe. To watch prayer flags twitch in the breeze. To notice how the smell of woodsmoke changes from village to village.

Picking Between the Three – Or Not

Here’s the trap: you read about them and start thinking, “Well, maybe I could fit two in.” Then your calendar laughs at you. Annapurna Circuit takes time — two, maybe three weeks if you’re doing it properly. Everest Three Passes is similar, though it’s more intense in short bursts. Pikey Peak is the “week off work” option, but it’s so rich you’ll start wondering why the others get all the hype.

They also hit different sides of Nepal’s character. Annapurna is a variety — the landscapes are like someone shuffling a deck of biomes. Everest Three Passes is a challenge — you’re constantly earning your views. Pikey Peak is intimacy — smaller scale, bigger heart.

Little Things You’ll Remember

• The sound of yak bells somewhere up the trail before you even see them.

• Tea is so sweet it feels like medicine after a long climb.

• That moment when the clouds part and you see a peak you’ve only known from maps.

• The way cold air turns your breath into little ghosts in the morning.

• Kids laughing at your trekking poles like they’re the funniest thing they’ve seen all week.

Why Nepal’s Trails Feel Different

It’s not just the scenery. It’s the rhythm of life along the way. People wave, ask where you’re going, offer you tea without a hint of hurry. The mountains aren’t background — they’re characters, old and moody and magnificent. You start to feel like you’re walking through a place that doesn’t really care if you’re there… but still offers you the gift of passing through.

Contact Details

Company address: Everest Trekking Routes Pvt. Ltd.

16 Khumbu, Nayabazaar, Kathmandu, Nepal

Mobile : +977-9843467921 (Rabin)

Email: [email protected]

URL:- www.everesttrekkingroutes.com