Annapurna Short trek.

Trekking in the Annapurna Region and short on time:
So you are coming to Nepal for the first time and you want to go trekking but you are not sure what region to trek in or indeed what trek to do. It is never easy to pick one in a land with some of the best walking trails on the planet. Those magnificent Himalayas running spine like on Nepal’s Northern border provide an enticing array of trekking options.
Keeping things simple, three main trekking regions cater for the vast majority of trekkers who visit Nepal. The Annapurna region is the most popular trekking destination and in many ways that is not difficult to understand.
The region is set within a National Park of extreme beauty; there are many treks to choose from for all levels of fitness. From quite strenuous treks of three weeks and more too short three-day easy to do treks at lower altitudes.
Some of these treks are based on the ancient salt trade route between Nepal and Tibet. There are many well-established trekking lodges/ teahouses on most routes for overnight accommodation. Accessibility to the region is easy, with good road and air links to Kathmandu and beyond. An added bonus is the region is situated north of the beautiful gem of a lake town Pokhara 200Ks west of Kathmandu. You can get to Pokhara either by a six-hour car or bus journey or a 25-minute flight. Once there spectacular mountains of over 8000 meters dominate the skyline and are there to greet you. Some of the more notable peaks include the majestic Macchapucchre, Annapurna I and the giant Dhaulagiri, located west of Annapurna I. Between these two Giant snow-clad monsters, the Kail-Gandaki River flows.
People in the Annapurnas differ widely from Hindu farmers in the south to Buddhist Llamas in the north; wherever you may be you are sure to be welcomed with a smile and often a genuine interest in you. Many of the lodges on the more popular trails have WI- FI facilities with good food and comfortable rooms.
A day trekking in the foothills of the Nepal Himalaya is basically very simple. Many people get up early with a steaming cup of tea or coffee, made for them by their Nepali support team to catch the first rays of the sun breaking over the mountains. After breakfast, you can expect to trek for around three or four hours in the morning before lunch, after lunch a further two to three hours is fairly normal in the afternoon. The evening is a time to relax, have a wash and catch up on things before having a hot meal and often an early night.

Somebody mailed us the other day asking if we could recommend a five or 6 day trek for them and their two kids aged six and eleven, so it got us thinking.
If you are short on time or have young children, one all-time favorite would have to be Poon Hill just for its outstanding beauty and good lodges. A bit boring I know if you are looking to spend more time on a more challenging trek, but it is really one of the finest short Himalayan journeys to be had and it is generally recognized as the most scenic short trek in Nepal. At a rush it could be completed in three days but that would be such a waste, we would suggest a much more leisurely six days and longer still if you want to chill out in beautiful Ghandruk for a day or two. The lush sub-tropical forest rich with wildlife, pretty villages with neat terraces and some great ridges that provide spectacular Himalayan panoramas all go to make up a great introduction to trekking in a region of outstanding beauty.