Planning a family trip to the Annapurna circuit next spring and hope to also climb Chulu far east +/- Pisang. Wondering if anyone has suggestions for a good agency? Don't need fancy bells and whistles and would like to keep costs reasonable, while having a good time.
Thanks,
Mark

Check out Dan Mazur. He has a good rep, and many of his expeditions have "ala carte" options.

www.summitclimb.com/new/default.asp

I agree, Dan has a good rep, but it looks like his trips are in the Khumbu and we are looking at the Annapurna area. Plus it'd cost $12,000 for the 4 of us, which isn't happening! I'm thinking more of a Katmandu based Nepali agency.

www.asian-trekking.com/

We used them on a trip this season to Ama Dablam - awesome to deal with, top notch crew, and best of all local. Pretty happy to give our business to a Nepali company and these guys fit the bill. Fair pay to their sherpas, and a great Kathmandu crew who worked very hard for our expedition.

www.windhorse-trek.com/

My friends and I used Windhorse in 2006 and I've recommended them time and again since then, and everybody has been super impressed with their outfit. Ang Karma Sherpa is the owner and is an outstanding guy - 6yrs now after my trip and we still exchange emails a couple times a year. The entire crew at Windhorse is super helpful and accommodating to whatever your needs/wants for a trip are. You can have them kit out a fully supported trip for you, or you can have them go bare-bones and just take care of permits and such.

Let's put it this way, if my dear grandmother wanted to go to Nepal, I'd recommend Windhorse; and if my dirtbag best climbing pal had plans for an expedition in Nepal I'd recommend Windhorse.

Have fun out there. It's the coolest place I've ever been on the planet, and I'm looking forward to getting back in the next year or two.