A couple of years ago I flew to Nepal and trekked the Annapurna Circuit in February. The trails were beautiful and quiet at this time of year (perfect, actually). Before the trip, I kept hearing that 'the roads' were eroding the charm of this route and while I can see that point, in practice it wasn't really an issue at all. There are only a few places where the trail follows the road and it's generally possible to route around it (road in this context is a low-traffic, narrow dirt track).

The scenery was incredible as expected. The circuit route takes in everything from lush forests (lower sections) to arid valleys and of course the infamous 'Thorung La' (pass) at over 5400m!

If anyone is interested in this classic trek, I wrote a full trail guide on my travel blog.

Along the way I met a guy riding the circuit on a Surly Pugsley. I'd love to head back some time and ride it on a mountain bike!