10-12 days trek on Annapurna

Not to mention the iconic trail from Ghorepani to Phedi via Ghandruk, Landruk, et al. The Real tail end of AC (before roads).

i trekked it before the roads in 1983, i started walking from Lakeside towards Sarangkot and the trail went from Pokhara to Kande, Birethanti, Ulleri to Ghorepani.
There was an easier and slightly shorter alternative from Tatopani to Beni, Kusma and then reaching the Butwal Polhara road where there were busses. I did that on my way back.

In 1984 we walked AC - ABC - Landruk - Tolka - Dhampus - Suikhet - Tibetan camp - Sarangkot - Lakeside, and in 1986 the same, except that there were jeeps at Suikhet driving along the riverbed taking trekkers to Pokhara. A total of 21 trekkers, porters, guide and all gear in one Jeep... After that the road started to reach further and further west.

Back in 1928 we had to walk to Manang from the Indian Ocean. All 27 of us, only one donkey and no sneakers. No trails, we had to swim over the rivers, fight wolves at nighttime and mostly eat bark. Of course, it was colder back then…

Monty Python - Four Yorkshiremen

That must have been really tough, considering that the whole country was sealed off to foreigners, too!

Back in 1928 we had to walk to Manang from the Indian Ocean. All 27 of us, only one donkey and no sneakers. No trails, we had to swim over the rivers, fight wolves at nighttime and mostly eat bark. Of course, it was colder back then…

Monty Python - Four Yorkshiremen

But you try and tell that to the old trekkers and they won't believe you!

Hi Sigabi. 10-12 days is tight on the AC, and it does cut off the subtropical parts of the trail. However it is still doable with safe acclimatization and some buffer days for travel interruption. I still found the shortened trek I did as one of my most wonderful travel experiences and plan to return and spend more time in the mountains of Nepal. Below is our itinerary for 12 days of travel and trekking within the 16 days we were in Nepal. Nothing was pre-booked and we traveled without a guide or porter, but with the NATT book, map, common sense and respect for the people and the environment. If you can spend an extra day walking to Jomson from Muktinath then that would expose you to a different style of life to that on the Manang side of the pass. Enjoy you time in Nepal!

1 Drive Kathmandu drive to Besi Sahar (820m) Via Dumre
2 Drive Besi Sahar To Chame (2670m)
3 Trek Chame to Upper Pisang (3310m) 16km, 780m
4 Trek Upper Pisang to Ngawal (3680m) 12km, 480m
5 Trek Ngawal to Manang (3540m) -140m
6 Trek Manang to Leddar (4200m) 9km, 660m
7 Trek Leddar to Thorung Phedi 8km/Base Camp (4450m) 250m
8 Rest day/Acclimitization at Thorung Phedi 4450m
9 Trek Thorung Phedi to Muktinath (3800m) Over the Thorung La Pass (5416m) 13km, 1000m up, 1620m down
10 Bus Muktinath to Jomsom, then bus to Tatopani
11 Drive Tatopani to Pokhara (850m) 6hrs, then flight Kathmandu (1350m)
12 KTM Return gear and recovery massage at Seeing Hands

Belated thanks for all precious info :-)

You could get out to Phedi (translates as Lower) by Dhampus from Pokhara, and go Pothana/Tolka/Ghandruk/Meshar/ Bayeli/Khopra ridge/Chitre or Paudwer/overnight in Tatopani(translates as 'cold beer in hot spring'), then public transport back toPokhara in the morning. This will give some stunning vistas, walk through high meadow and large tracts of Rhodedendron forest too. Important!y, it gives great preparatory gains in altitude & gets you accustomed to trekking a main (red) Ghangruk loop trail before you cut off onto a minor (blue) trail at Tadapani to stay high and go on. I did this in the reverse order as an alternative end to the AC last Dec, what a gem! So glad I didn't go to Ghorepani again.

Don't go to Ghorepani/Poon Hill, IMHO it's crowded and not what you want as a 1st time experience.

Nepa Maps NA504, can be found anywhere, has major/minor trails.

Watch your weights. Killer day would probably be Landruk - Ghandruk, the bridge between them is way down in the valley below. I usually take 1 hiking pole but you might like 2, none is not advisable.

Don't walk straight up or down the centre of ascents/descents, instead look for where you can utilise the whole width of the trail/staircase with a zig zag to lessen the incline and save your knees.

@igreilly thanks a lot!
Do you mean that the route you above suggested is OK in terms of recommended daily ascend (500 m/day)?
I actually never used hiking poles, might be an interesting idea to try :-)
Thx