www.peregrineadventures.co.uk If winning the annual 10-day Annapurna Mandala Marathon in an impressive 45 hours, 9 minutes and 35 seconds (a trekker would normally need over five weeks!) isnأ¢â‚¬â„¢t remarkable enough, later this month Peregrine guide, Phu Dorjee Sherpa, is about to undertake the Everest Marathon (42km), followed by the Trans Himalayan (1,000km) race in 2008. 

Peregrine Adventuresأ¢â‚¬â„¢ offer a less-speedy 26-day adventure crossing tracks with the Annapurna Mandala Marathon route around Mt Manaslu, up to Nar, into Manang, over the Tilicho Pass to Jomsom.  The challenging Nar, Phu & Tilicho Lake trek departs Kathmandu 29th September 2007.

Initially following the well-known Annapurna Circuit as far as Koto, the route begins in Besishahar after a spectacular drive with mountain views of the Ganesh and Manaslu ranges, tumbling white waters of the Trisuli River and terraced hillsides before heading into the previously restricted wilds of the Nar Khola Valley. 

A number of days are spent  exploring the region with tremendous views of the snowy peak of Himalchuli (7,893m) dominating the skyline and the Manaslu (8,156m), Peak 29 (7,541m) and Lamjung (6,986m) opening out on the horizon. 

After crossing  a small suspension bridge over the Musi Khola there is  a gradual climb to the village of Bahundanda (1,311m) located on a ridge top.  After a short descent the tours follow the river valley to lunch at Syange (1,136m) then continues through a cut in the near-vertical cliffs high above the river to reach Jagat (1,341m), a Tibetan village that served as a customs post on the old trading route from Tibet. 

From Koto, there is another suspension bridge to be crossed  to follow the Nar Phu Khola through a narrow valley and make camp in the forest at Methang Pati.  To aid altitude acclimatisation trekkers spend the night at the deserted village of Meta, used as the base camp for expeditions attempting to climb Kanguru Himal (6,981m). 

 There are  fine views of the Annapurna range to the south, Pisang Peak to the west and across the valley towards the village of Na before crossing the Kang La Pass. 

The final part of the tour rejoins the Annapurna Circuit near Manang to follow the little-used trail that leads to one of the worldأ¢â‚¬â„¢s highest lakes, the massive glacial Tilicho Lake (4,949m) and the challenging Meso Kanto Pass (5,089m) which links the Manang and Kali Ghandaki Valleys before heading on to Jomsom for return flights to Pokhara.