The Annapurna Circuit was once the most famous long trek on Earth — a three-week loop around the entire Annapurna massif, climbing from subtropical valleys to a 5,416 m Himalayan pass. A road has since reached deep into both sides of the loop, and the trek that survives is shorter, smarter, and still spectacular. Here is how it works now, day by day.
The route at a glance
- Highest point: Thorong La pass, 5,416 m (higher than Everest Base Camp)
- Typical duration: 10-14 days walking (down from the classic 18)
- Start/end: Besisahar side in; Jomsom/Pokhara side out
- Season: October-November or March-April
- Permits: ACAP + TIMS — see the permits guide
- Style: tea-house trek (no camping needed); cash only on the trail
How the road changed the trek
For decades the Circuit started with days of walking up the Marsyangdi valley and ended with days walking down the Kali Gandaki. A motorable road now runs up both sides. Purists mourn it; pragmatists adapt. The modern approach: jeep past the road-affected lower sections and spend your trekking days on the high, road-free, scenic core — roughly Chame or Manang up over Thorong La to Muktinath, then jeep or fly out via Jomsom.
The result is a tighter trek that keeps almost all of the drama (the high valleys, the pass, the transition from green hills to Tibetan-plateau desert) and sheds most of the dusty road-walking. Newer trekkers sometimes add the Nar Phu valley or the Tilicho Lake side trip to put wildness back in.
Day-by-day (a practical 12-day version)
Day 1 — Kathmandu/Pokhara to Chame (2,670 m)
A long drive (jeep) up the Marsyangdi valley to Chame, the district headquarters of Manang. This skips the lowest, most road-affected walking. Apple orchards and the first views of Annapurna II.
Day 2 — Chame to Upper Pisang (3,300 m)
The walk proper begins, through pine forest past the dramatic curved rock face of Paungda Danda. The valley opens and the air dries.
Day 3 — Upper Pisang to Manang (3,540 m)
Take the high route via Ghyaru and Ngawal — harder, but the Annapurna views are the best of the trek and the extra altitude helps acclimatization. Arrive in Manang, the trek's hub village.
Day 4 — Acclimatization day in Manang
Do not skip this. Day-hike to Ice Lake or the Gangapurna viewpoint — climb high, sleep low. Attend the free afternoon altitude-sickness talk run by the Himalayan Rescue Association. The single most important day for crossing the pass successfully.
Day 5 — Manang to Yak Kharka (4,050 m)
A gentle, deliberate climb above the tree line. Slow is the goal now; the landscape turns high and stark.
Day 6 — Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi (4,540 m)
A short day to the base of the pass. Rest, hydrate, sleep early — tomorrow starts in the dark.
Day 7 — Thorong La (5,416 m), descend to Muktinath (3,760 m)
The big day. A pre-dawn start to cross the pass before the wind builds, prayer flags snapping at the top, then a long knee-testing descent into the sacred temple town of Muktinath, holy to both Hindus and Buddhists.
Days 8-9 — Muktinath to Jomsom, exit
Walk or jeep down through the wind-scoured Kali Gandaki gorge — the deepest in the world — past Kagbeni's medieval lanes to Jomsom. From Jomsom, fly to Pokhara or take the jeep/bus.
Days 10-12 — buffer + Pokhara
Build buffer days for weather (Jomsom flights are wind-dependent) and decompress on the lake in Pokhara before heading back to Kathmandu.
What it costs
| Item | Approx. (independent) |
|---|---|
| ACAP + TIMS permits | ~$40 |
| Jeep transfers (in/out) | $15-40 per leg |
| Tea houses + food | $25-45/day (rising with altitude) |
| Guide (optional/required) | $25-35/day |
| Porter | $18-25/day |
| Jomsom-Pokhara flight | ~$120 |
Budget roughly $700-1,200 for an independent 12-day trip, more with a guide and porter. Everything above the road is cash only — bring all the rupees you need. Full breakdown in the budget guide.
Altitude: the thing that actually matters
Thorong La is higher than Everest Base Camp, and the Circuit climbs to it faster than the EBC trek climbs to its high point. That makes acclimatization the make-or-break factor:
- Take the Manang rest day. Non-negotiable.
- Walk slowly above 3,000 m and hydrate hard (3-4 litres daily).
- Know the symptoms of acute mountain sickness and never cross the pass with worsening symptoms — descend instead.
- Discuss Diamox with a travel doctor before the trip.
Best time to go
Autumn (October-November) is prime: stable weather, clear views, reliable pass crossings. Spring (March-April) adds rhododendron forests lower down. Late September catches the start of the autumn window with fewer trekkers. Avoid the monsoon, when the lower trail is wet and landslide-prone and the pass can be socked in.
How it compares to Everest Base Camp
The Circuit offers more landscape variety — you walk from subtropical valley to high-desert plateau and cross a major pass — and it is generally a touch cheaper and less flight-dependent than EBC. EBC offers the singular pull of standing beneath the world's highest mountain. Many trekkers do the Circuit first; it is the more complete journey, EBC the more iconic destination.
Sort your permits, pack for the full range of altitudes (packing list), respect the pass, and the Annapurna Circuit still delivers one of the great walks of the world.
