Windhorse
Prayer-flagged cairns atop the Thorong La at 5,416 metres, Annapurna Circuit

Manang & Mustang Districts

Annapurna Circuit

A full circle around the Annapurna massif

Sixteen days that change landscape almost daily: rice terraces and waterfalls in the low villages, pine forest into Manang, then the bare, wind-scoured approach to Thorong La itself. The pass crossing is long and cold, usually started before dawn, and it drops you into Mustang's high desert on the other side, a different country in every way but the passport. Natural hot springs at Tatopani take the edge off the descent.

Duration
16 days
Max altitude
5,416 m · Thorong La Pass
Difficulty
Strenuous
Best seasons
Mar – May, Oct – Nov
Group size
2 – 12 trekkers
Route
Kathmandu to Kathmandu (drive Besisahar out, fly Jomsom back)

Trip highlights

  • Cross the Thorong La at 5,416 metres, above the cloud line
  • Natural hot springs at Tatopani after the pass
  • The Kali Gandaki, the deepest gorge on earth
  • Landscape shifts from jungle to high desert in a week
Suspension bridge over the glacial Marsyangdi river

Annapurna Circuit · 16 days

The route, day by day

This is the exact itinerary our Annapurna Circuit groups follow, built around real acclimatisation, not a rushed schedule.

  1. 1

    Drive to the trailhead

    Kathmandu → Syange 1,400 m → 1,100 m

    A long, scenic drive along the Trisuli and Marsyangdi rivers to Syange, where the road ends and the trail begins.

  2. 2

    Into the Manang valley

    Syange → Dharapani 1,100 m → 1,960 m

    Waterfalls and rice terraces give way to pine as the valley narrows, entering the Manang district proper.

  3. 3

    Toward the high villages

    Dharapani → Chame 1,960 m → 2,710 m

    A forested climb with the first real views of Annapurna II, ending in Chame, the district headquarters.

  4. 4

    The Paungda Danda rock face

    Chame → Pisang 2,710 m → 3,300 m

    Apple orchards and a dramatic curved rock wall mark the approach into Pisang, the valley opening wide.

  5. 5

    The high route to Manang

    Pisang → Manang 3,300 m → 3,540 m

    The upper trail via Ghyaru and Ngawal, slower but far better for acclimatisation, with constant views of Annapurna III and Gangapurna.

  6. 6

    Acclimatisation day

    Manang 3,540 m

    A side hike up to the Gangapurna viewpoint or Ice Lake, high enough to matter, low enough to sleep safely afterward.

  7. 7

    Above the tree line

    Manang → Yak Kharka 3,540 m → 4,050 m

    A short, deliberately easy day, the trees thinning out completely as the valley turns to scrub and rock.

  8. 8

    To the foot of the pass

    Yak Kharka → Thorong Phedi 4,050 m → 4,525 m

    A steep, exposed climb to the staging point for tomorrow's crossing, with an early dinner and an early night.

  9. 9

    Crossing the Thorong La

    Thorong Phedi → Thorong La → Muktinath 4,525 m → 5,416 m → 3,760 m

    A pre-dawn start for the pass itself, the trek's high point in every sense, then a long knee-testing descent into Mustang and the pilgrimage town of Muktinath.

  10. 10

    Into Mustang's high desert

    Muktinath → Jomsom 3,760 m → 2,720 m

    Wind-carved cliffs and a completely different palette, following the Kali Gandaki downstream past Kagbeni's medieval alleys.

  11. 11

    Down the gorge

    Jomsom → Kalopani 2,720 m → 2,530 m

    Following the Kali Gandaki, the deepest gorge on earth, with Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I visible on either bank.

  12. 12

    Hot springs at Tatopani

    Kalopani → Tatopani 2,530 m → 1,190 m

    A long descent rewarded by natural hot springs, the first real chance to soak tired legs since Syange.

  13. 13

    Into the rhododendron forest

    Tatopani → Ghorepani 1,190 m → 2,860 m

    The trek's steepest sustained climb, through forest that turns solid red and pink when the rhododendron blooms.

  14. 14

    Sunrise from Poon Hill

    Ghorepani → Poon Hill → Tikhedhunga 2,860 m → 3,210 m → 1,540 m

    A pre-dawn climb for the classic panorama of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range, then a long final descent through terraced farmland.

  15. 15

    To Pokhara

    Tikhedhunga → Nayapul → Pokhara 1,540 m → 950 m

    The last trekking morning ends at the Nayapul trailhead, with a short drive to Pokhara's lakeside for a proper rest.

  16. 16

    Return to Kathmandu

    Pokhara → Kathmandu 950 m → 1,400 m

    A short flight or scenic drive back to the capital, with the afternoon free before your onward journey.

Cost & what's included

per person, twin-share teahouse

$1,590

Included

  • Airport pickup and drop-off in Kathmandu
  • Kathmandu to Besisahar transport, Jomsom to Kathmandu flight
  • Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card
  • Teahouse accommodation for the full trek
  • Three meals a day while on the trail
  • A licensed English-speaking guide and porters (1 porter per 2 trekkers)
  • Guide and porter wages, insurance, and equipment
  • First-aid kit carried by your guide

Not included

  • International airfare to and from Kathmandu
  • Nepal entry visa fee (available on arrival)
  • Travel and evacuation insurance
  • Personal trekking gear
  • Meals in Kathmandu outside the welcome dinner
  • Hot springs entry fee at Tatopani
  • Tips for your guide and porters

Upcoming departures

Start dateSpots left
October 11, 20266 open
November 8, 20263 left
March 14, 202712 open
April 11, 20278 open

Don't see a date that works? We also arrange private departures for groups of 2 or more.

Ready to walk among giants?

Tell us which trek and which season. A guide, not a call centre, will write back within two working days.

Plan Your Trek

Or call +977 98-0123-4567 , Kathmandu office hours