The Annapurna Circuit Trek is a 15-day crossing of the Annapurna range, priced from $828 to $1,198 per person — not an out-and-back route like EBC or ABC. The trail climbs the Marsyangdi valley on the east, crosses Thorong La Pass at 5,416m, then descends the Kali Gandaki valley on the west before looping back through Ghorepani and Poon Hill. You start in subtropical river valleys and end on a windswept Tibetan plateau, all in one continuous walk.
The route begins with a drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar, then follows the Marsyangdi River through Chame, Pisang, and Manang before crossing the pass. Beyond it, the trail drops to Muktinath, follows the Kali Gandaki through Jomsom to Tatopani, then climbs through rhododendron forest to Ghorepani, Poon Hill, and Ghandruk before the drive to Pokhara.
Customise it with Tilicho Lake, a Jomsom flight, or road travel throughout.
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Trip Name | Annapurna Circuit Trek |
| Duration | 14 Nights / 15 Days |
| Maximum Altitude | 5,416 m – Thorong La Pass |
| Trek Difficulty | Moderate to Challenging (High-Altitude Trek) |
| Trek Start Point | Besisahar (Lamjung) |
| Trek End Point | Ghandruk / Pokhara |
| Best Season | Spring (March–May) & Autumn (September–November) |
| Low Season | Winter – cold temperatures, quieter trails |
| Not Recommended | Peak Monsoon (July–August) |
| Accommodation | Tea House Lodges |
| Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (during trek) |
| Trek Style | Guided Long-Distance Himalayan Trek |
| Region | Annapurna & Mustang |
Kathmandu → Besisahar → Chame → Upper Pisang → Ngawal → Manang → Yak Kharka → Thorong Phedi → Thorong La Pass → Muktinath → Kagbeni → Jomsom → Tatopani → Ghorepani → Poon Hill → Tadapani → Ghandruk → Pokhara
Most Nepal treks follow a valley to a destination and return the same way. The circuit does something different — it crosses the Himalayan range entirely, entering from the east and exiting through the Kali Gandaki to the south. The landscape, culture, climate, and vegetation change completely on either side of Thorong La Pass too. You walk from subtropical river gorge to Tibetan rain-shadow plateau to rhododendron ridge in a single continuous journey — no day repeats and no section returns to where it started.
The circuit also rewards preparation and patience in a way that shorter treks don’t. The acclimatisation day in Manang — with the Gangapurna Lake hike and the HRA altitude lecture — is a full strategic day that makes Thorong La possible. The pre-dawn Poon Hill sunrise on Day 13 is the emotional peak of the final section, and Tatopani’s hot springs on Day 11 are the most restorative overnight on any Nepal trek. These aren’t incidental moments — they’re the circuit’s architecture, and they only work at this scale and in this sequence.
The circuit suits trekkers who want the most complete Himalayan journey available on a standard Nepal route — not the highest altitude point, but the most continuous and varied experience across 15 days. It suits:
The circuit is moderate to challenging — no technical climbing anywhere, but 160km across 11 trekking days with a 5,416m pass and a demanding return leg demands specific preparation. If you have 2 weeks and want a shorter version, the 10–11 day Jomsom-flight variation covers all the main highlights including the full Thorong La crossing.
Mountain Hike Nepal has guided the Annapurna Circuit since 2018 as a licensed Kathmandu-based operator (Govt. Regd. No: 189775/74/075). When you book with us, you speak directly with the team that walks this route every season — not an overseas agent.
per person
per person
per person
per person
✅ All ground transportation: Kathmandu → Besisahar tourist bus / Besisahar → Chame local jeep/bus / Muktinath/Jomsom → Tatopani shared local jeep/bus
✅ All trekking accommodation in local teahouse lodges (shared basis)
✅ All meals during the trek (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner), including tea or coffee in the early morning
✅ Licensed, experienced English-speaking trekking guide
✅ One strong, experienced local porter (1 porter for 2 trekkers, maximum load 15 kg)
✅ All required trekking permits for the Annapurna region (ACAP and TIMS)
✅ Guide and porter wages, meals, accommodation, insurance, and local transport
✅ Necessary staff equipment and logistical support
✅ All applicable government taxes and service charges
Drive: 6–7 hrs (local bus) | Meals: L, D | Stay: Besisahar
The drive west out of Kathmandu follows the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers through terraced hillsides, small market towns, and rural villages that thin out as the valley narrows. Besisahar is the traditional gateway to the Annapurna Circuit — the last night on flat ground before the mountains take over. It’s a long day in the vehicle, but it puts you at the trailhead rested rather than road-worn, ready for the real climbing that starts tomorrow.
Drive: 5–6 hrs (shared local jeep or bus) | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Chame
The mountain road climbs through Syange, Jagat, and Dharapani along the Marsyangdi River — waterfalls cutting the valley walls, the river always somewhere below. Chame at 2,670m delivers the first clear, unbroken mountain view as the valley finally opens up. We keep this a road day too, on purpose — the real trekking starts tomorrow, and you’ll want the legs for it.
Trek: 5–6 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Upper Pisang
The trail leaves Chame through pine forest and rocky cliffs, and as it curves through the Bhratang gorge, Paungda Danda — the “Gateway to Heaven” rock wall — rises suddenly above you across the river, hundreds of metres high and entirely unannounced. Annapurna II (7,937m) appears above the valley as the trail climbs into Upper Pisang, a hillside village with some of the widest mountain views on the lower circuit.
Trek: 4–5 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Ngawal
As the trail drops toward the valley floor below Upper Pisang, Green Lake (Mring Tal) sits in the basin — turquoise water throwing back a near-perfect mirror of the Paungda Danda rock face and Annapurna II behind it. It’s the finest photography stop on the circuit, and worth the extra few minutes. The trail then climbs steeply through Ghyaru village, with Annapurna II, III, and the full Manang Valley opening up before you reach Ngawal at 3,660m.
Trek: 4–5 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Manang
The trail descends gradually through Braga and Humde — Tibetan-influenced villages with monasteries that have stood for centuries — before the Manang Valley opens wide around you. Gangapurna (7,455m), Annapurna III, and the Chulu peaks surround the village on arrival. Withdraw your cash at the Manang ATM tonight. The next one is in Jomsom, three days and a 5,416m pass away.
Hike: 3–4 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Manang
Morning: the hike up to Gangapurna Lake at 3,700m, a glacial lake sitting directly beneath Gangapurna’s south face with the glacier reflected across the water. It’s the most popular acclimatisation hike on the circuit, and the most effective one — gaining altitude for a few hours then dropping back to sleep at Manang is exactly the “climb high, sleep low” pattern your body needs before what’s coming. Afternoon: the free HRA altitude medicine lecture in Manang, essential before Thorong La. Full dinner, early bed. The high circuit begins tomorrow.
Trek: 4–5 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Yak Kharka
Above Manang the landscape changes completely — vegetation thins out, the trail crosses alpine meadow and rocky terrain, and the scale of the mountains around you becomes almost overwhelming. This is your first overnight above 4,000m, and appetite and sleep quality both start to slip here. Eat a full dinner anyway and drink 3–4 litres of water. What you put in tonight is what carries you above 5,000m tomorrow.
Trek: 3–4 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Thorong Phedi
A short but demanding climb to Thorong Phedi, the last camp before the pass. The afternoon is deliberately unhurried — rest, eat, prepare for the 4am start. Eat the full dinner even when your appetite has mostly disappeared by this point, because tomorrow doesn’t forgive a poor one tonight. Sleep by 7pm. The alarm goes off at 3:30am.
Trek: 6–7 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Muktinath
Departure at 4:00–4:30am, in darkness and cold. The ascent gains 966m from Thorong Phedi to the summit at 5,416m — steady, deliberate, conversational pace the entire way, no exceptions. Prayer flags mark the top, and the views open up across to Dhaulagiri on the far side of the Kali Gandaki. Then 1,616m of descent on steep, rocky terrain down to Muktinath, the most sacred Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal. This is the day the whole circuit is built around, and it delivers.
Trek/drive: 4–5 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Jomsom
After visiting the sacred Muktinath Temple — the holy fire, the 108 water spouts, the ancient monastery — the route descends through Kagbeni, the medieval walled village guarding the entrance to Upper Mustang. The Kali Gandaki Valley opens up properly here: arid, wind-carved, flanked by canyon walls on both sides. Jomsom is the key decision point on the whole circuit — continue the full walking return, or fly out to Pokhara from here.
Drive: 4–5 hrs (shared local jeep or bus) | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Tatopani
The shared vehicle follows the Kali Gandaki Valley south through Marpha’s apple orchards, past Tukuche, and through deep river gorges before reaching Tatopani at 1,200m. Natural hot springs sit right beside the river. The temperature swings from alpine cold to subtropical warmth in a single afternoon, and it’s genuinely disorienting in the best way. This is the most restorative overnight on the whole circuit — Thorong La is behind you, and the hot springs are right outside the door.
Trek: 5–6 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Ghorepani
The hardest day of the return leg. The trail climbs 1,660m through dense rhododendron and oak forest, on legs that have already carried you through 11 days of trekking. Arrive before dark, eat properly, and set the 3:30am alarm without complaint — Poon Hill tomorrow is the reward for everything today asks of you.
Trek: 5–6 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Tadapani
The 45-minute pre-dawn climb to Poon Hill delivers the finest panoramic sunrise in the Annapurna region — Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machapuchare, and Hiunchuli lighting up in sequence as the sun clears the ridgeline. After breakfast, the trail continues along forested ridges toward Tadapani, with Annapurna South staying in view for most of the walk.
Trek: 3–4 hrs | Meals: B, L, D | Stay: Ghandruk
A gentle descent through forest trail into Ghandruk, one of Nepal’s finest traditional Gurung villages. Stone-paved lanes, slate-roofed houses, and the full Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre panorama from the upper village. It’s the best final overnight on any Nepal circuit trek, and a good place to let the last two weeks sink in.
Drive: 2.5–3 hrs (shared local jeep) | Meals: B, L
A scenic jeep drive descends through rural hillsides toward Pokhara, the Annapurna range still visible behind you on a clear morning. The circuit ends on arrival — Phewa Lake, a warm shower, and fifteen days of one continuous mountain crossing behind you. Done.
For the full day-by-day trail notes with sightseeing highlights and pacing guide: Complete Annapurna Circuit Itinerary →
The Annapurna Circuit is a complete mountain crossing — not an out-and-back route. The trail moves continuously forward through multiple climate zones, landscapes, and cultures, from subtropical river valleys to Tibetan rain-shadow desert, crossing Thorong La Pass at 5,416m along the way. Unlike EBC or ABC which approach a single destination, the circuit delivers a different experience every day for 15 days. It is widely considered the most geographically and culturally complete trekking route in Nepal.
The trek is rated moderate to challenging — no technical climbing anywhere on the route, but the combination of 15 days, 160km, and the Thorong La Pass crossing at 5,416m makes it the most demanding standard Nepal trek in terms of overall endurance. The hardest single day is the Thorong La crossing — a 4am start, 1,000m of climbing, and 1,600m of descent in one day. Eight to ten weeks of specific outdoor preparation is strongly recommended. For the full guide: Annapurna Circuit Difficulty →
Thorong La Pass at 5,416m — one of the highest trekking passes in the Himalayas. The pass sits between the Manang valley and Muktinath and marks the pivotal point of the circuit. Crossing it requires proper acclimatisation in Manang (Day 6), a 4am departure, and full cold-weather gear including a down jacket, warm gloves, balaclava, and trekking poles. The reward is a panoramic Himalayan view and the satisfaction of completing one of Nepal’s most celebrated mountain crossings.
Two permits — the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) at NPR 3,000 (~USD 23) and the TIMS card at NPR 2,000 (~USD 15), roughly USD 38 total per person. TIMS is required for the Annapurna region in 2026, the same as ABC and the rest of the Annapurna Conservation Area. Mountain Hike Nepal arranges both before departure and your guide handles all checkpoint presentations. If you add Upper Mustang to the itinerary, a separate Restricted Area Permit is required at USD 50 per person per day — Mountain Hike Nepal handles this application since it cannot be obtained independently. For full details: Circuit Permits Guide 2026 →
Yes — by flying from Jomsom to Pokhara instead of walking the return leg through Tatopani, Ghorepani, and Poon Hill. Flying from Jomsom to Pokhara saves 4 days — contact Mountain Hike Nepal for current pricing, giving a 10–11 day circuit that covers the full Thorong La crossing. You can also drive directly from Kathmandu to Chame, skipping the Besisahar section, to save another 1–2 days. A 10-day version covering the full circuit highlights is achievable — speak to Mountain Hike Nepal to build the right itinerary for your available time.
Yes — and for trekkers with budget, flying from Muktinath directly to Kathmandu by helicopter is one of the most rewarding ways to end the circuit. After crossing Thorong La, a helicopter from Muktinath (3,800m) lands you in Kathmandu in approximately 45–60 minutes — skipping the entire return leg. Helicopter pickups are also available from Jomsom, Manang, or any point on the route. Emergency medical evacuation by helicopter is available from anywhere on the circuit too — your travel insurance covers the cost when the policy includes trekking above 5,000m and helicopter evacuation. Contact us to add a helicopter return to your itinerary. Chat with us on WhatsApp for helicopter options →
October and November are the finest months — post-monsoon clarity, stable Thorong La weather, and the most reliable pass crossing conditions of the year. March and April are the best spring months — rhododendron forests in full bloom on the Ghorepani and Poon Hill section and generally stable weather before the pre-monsoon cloud builds. Avoid December through February unless you have significant cold-weather experience — Thorong La in winter involves deep snow, very cold temperatures, and a higher risk of pass closure. For the full season guide: Best Time for Circuit Trek →
Yes — and if your schedule allows it, add it. Tilicho Lake at 4,919m is one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world and sits just off the main circuit near Manang. The detour adds 2–3 days via a high camp at 4,150m and rejoins the main circuit above Manang. No additional permit is required — the ACAP covers the Tilicho route. The lake setting with Tilicho Peak and Nilgiri above it is extraordinary. See the full Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake itinerary and pricing →, or contact Mountain Hike Nepal to build the extension into your standard Circuit booking instead.
Yes — Upper Mustang is accessible from Kagbeni, just north of Jomsom on the circuit. It is a restricted area with a separate permit at USD 50 per person per day under the 2025 rules — you pay only for the days you actually spend there. A 3-day Upper Mustang visit adds USD 150 per person in permit fees. This permit requires a registered agency to apply — Mountain Hike Nepal handles the application. Upper Mustang delivers a completely different landscape to the circuit — a high-altitude Tibetan plateau with ancient cave monasteries and walled villages. Contact us before booking to confirm availability and build the extension into your itinerary.
The Mountain Hike Nepal package starts from USD 828 per person for groups of 8–10 and USD 1,198 for solo trekkers — guide, porter, all permits, all meals on the trail, teahouse accommodation, and all ground transport included. No domestic flight is included in the standard package — the Jomsom to Pokhara flight is an optional add-on — contact us for current pricing. For the full budget breakdown: Circuit Cost Guide 2026 →
Plan every aspect of your circuit with these detailed guides:
