Nepal
The Sacred Kingdom of Big Cats
Trekking in Annapurna, Nepal
There is nothing quite like a hike in the Himalaya. One of Nepal’s most famous landscapes to trek is the Annapurna Circuit. Here, one can wander and wonder for months on end from village to village, over 12,000 ft mountain passes on trails meticulously maintained by local communities who benefit from the tourism. This was also the scene for Peter Matthiessen’s famous book from his epic survey with Dr George Schaller in the 1970s.
“I grow into these mountains like a moss. I am bewitched. The blinding snow peaks and the clarion air, the sound of earth and heaven in the silence, the requiem birds, the mythic beasts, the flags, great horns, and old carved stones, the silver ice in the black river, the Kang, the Crystal Mountain. Also, I love the common miracles-the murmur of my friends at evening, the clay fires of smudgy juniper, the coarse dull food, the hardship and simplicity, the contentment of doing one thing at a time… gradually my mind has cleared itself, and wind and sun pour through my head, as through a bell. Though we talk little here, I am never lonely; I am returned into myself. In another life-this isn’t what I know, but how I feel- these mountains were my home; there is a rising of forgotten knowledge, like a spring from hidden aquifers under the earth. To glimpse one’s own true nature is a kind of homegoing, to a place East of the Sun, West of the Moon- the homegoing that needs no home, like that waterfall on the supper Suli Gad that turns to mist before touching the earth and rises once again to the sky.”
― Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard
Find Stillness at the Top of the World
Explore Himalayan Monasteries Beyond the Ordinary
Stepping into a remote Himalayan monastery feels like entering another world. Prayer bells echo through ancient stone corridors as monks in maroon robes move through centuries-old rituals.
Surrounded by towering peaks and profound silence, you experience a deep sense of peace and spiritual connection—a transformative encounter that lingers long after you descend the mountain.
Among the Peaks, A Glimpse of the Unseen
The Magic of Meeting a Snow Leopard in the Wild
Photo: Tashi Ghale
Join BIOCOS Snow Leopard Scouts for an unforgettable experience monitoring snow leopards in their natural habitat. You’ll learn about their behaviour and ecology and how BIOCOS scouts keep track of their whereabouts and wellbeing using a combination of local ecological knowledge and modern technology. You will walk where snow leopards walk, see their signs and if they allow it, catch a glimpse of the elusive Queen of the Himalaya!
Welcome to our Snow Leopard Haven
Stay in your own private cozy cottage handmade with local stones and traditional wood burning fire. One of the few private cottages in the valley, this is a truly unique escape, some comfort with the experience.
A testimonial from one of our first clients at Snow Leopard Haven
While trekking in Nepal has been popular for many decades, integrating a trek with some conservation-oriented wildlife programs has been scarce. After years of planning, in 2024 Namaste Manang and Full Circle embarked on a new chapter of conservation tours in Annapurna with the launch of Snow Leopard Haven. Here, we seek to integrate trekkers with our trained snow leopard scouts to experience a much deeper and meaningful connection with this mountain landscape of the snow leopard.
Big Ideas, Real Impact.
See how our efforts to improve the value local people attach to saving snow leopards took a creative turn to football!
Come Experience Trekking with a Difference
Full Circle is partnering with local Nepalese travel company’s Namaste Manang and Nepali conservation group BIOCOS including Nepalese conservationist Dr Paras Bikram to help bring conservation-minded travelers to see how local people are working to save wild snow leopards in the heart of Annapurna Conservation Area. Come see and experience this cutting-edge conservation work firsthand!
