The Annapurna Circuit Trek - 12 Days

In short: the Annapurna Circuit suits fit, experienced walkers who want a classic pass crossing and big changes of scenery. It runs 12 days from Kathmandu, crosses the Thorong La at 5,416 m and is graded strenuous. Prices start from USD 995 per person on Budget, USD 1,575 on Standard and USD 2,690 on Luxury for two guests. A solo traveller pays USD 1,450, USD 2,075 and USD 4,350.

Road note: as of 14 October 2026 the Beni–Jomsom road we use from Muktinath back to Pokhara and the Besisahar–Chame road are repaired and open to vehicles again. We check 48 hours before departure; if it is not open we move your dates free.

Annapurna Circuit trek day by day

1. Day 1: Drive Kathmandu to Bhulbhule (845 m)
2. Day 2: Bhulbhule to Jagat (1,300 m)
3. Day 3: Jagat to Dharapani (1,860 m)
4. Day 4: Dharapani to Chame (2,670 m)
5. Day 5: Chame to Upper Pisang (3,300 m)
6. Day 6: Upper Pisang to Manang (3,540 m)
7. Day 7: Rest and acclimatisation day at Manang
8. Day 8: Manang to Ledar (4,250 m)
9. Day 9: Ledar to Thorong High Camp (4,900 m)
10. Day 10: Cross Thorong La (5,416 m) down to Muktinath (3,800 m)
11. Day 11: Drive Muktinath to Pokhara via Jomsom
12. Day 12: Drive Pokhara to Kathmandu

How much does the Annapurna Circuit trek cost in 2027?

Prices checked 25 Oct 2026, per person, in US dollars. Every trek is private, with your own licensed guide, and only the size of your group changes the price.

Your permits and your guide are in the price on every tier. Not in the price: your international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days on arrival), travel insurance bought at home that covers the highest point of the trek and helicopter evacuation, your Kathmandu hotel (I quote it separately), on Budget your meals in the teahouses (about USD 15 to 25 a day), and tips for your team (our tipping guide suggests about USD 15 to 20 a day for a guide and USD 10 to 15 for a porter). A 10% deposit confirms your dates and we cover the 3.5% card charge on it. The balance is paid when you arrive in Kathmandu: cash has no charge, and a card payment carries 3.5%.

Trek Highlights

• 12-day private trek crossing the Thorong La Pass (5,416m), the high point of the classic Annapurna Circuit and one of the highest trekking passes in Nepal.
• Anti-clockwise rotation: the proven direction for acclimatisation. You walk up gently, cross the pass once, and descend to Muktinath through the dry Mustang-side landscape.
• Honest 12-day routing: the road has changed this trek. We drive to Bhulbhule on day 1 and start walking from there, so you spend your time on trail, not in vehicles, while still respecting the time-budget of working travellers.
• A private trek with your own licensed guide. Porters by tier: none on Budget, one for every two trekkers on Standard, one each on Luxury.
• 10% deposit to lock dates, balance paid in person in Kathmandu.
• Every booking helps fund our Nagarjun Learning Center work at Saldum, where 70 children are taught by one dedicated teacher.

Why I built this trek the way I did

I am Shreejan, the founder of The Everest Holiday. The Annapurna Circuit is the trek that taught me the most about what trekkers actually want. The road that now reaches Manang has changed this route. Operators argue about it, trekkers complain about it, and what we did was figure out how to use it without losing the experience.

The 12-day version we run starts the walk at Bhulbhule after a day 1 drive from Kathmandu. The road still goes higher, but we leave it behind early, and by Chame on day 4 the mountains arrive. From there to Manang you are walking through villages, apple orchards, prayer wheels, and high-altitude pasture, with the Annapurna II and III walls filling the sky on your left for three full days. We take a full rest day at Manang (3,540m). The day hike towards Ice Lake (about 4,600m) takes you higher for a few hours and back down to sleep, which is what helps you across Thorong La (5,416m) three days later.

We cross Thorong La in the usual anti-clockwise direction. The descent to Muktinath is where you finally see the dry side of the Annapurnas, the Tibetan-plateau-style landscape that surprises people who only know the green Nepal side.

We run this as a private trek by default, and we never add strangers to your booking. If you would rather have company on the trail, you can choose to join one of our fixed departures instead. Either way the price per person is the same. Your guide is with you whether you are one person or twenty. Porters depend on the tier: none on Budget, one for every two trekkers on Standard, one each on Luxury.

Every booking on this trip helps us pay the teacher’s salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum, where 70 children get free education. The salary is currently funded out of my own pocket. Your trek is what makes that sustainable.

“I started the Annapurna Circuit Trek from Kathmandu with two guys that I met at a hostel. We met Ganesh and he invited us to his family home for dinner where we then signed up to start the adventure!”

— Conor O · TripAdvisor, March 2025 · ★★★★★

The wind at Thorong La hits you before the view does. At 5,416 metres (17,769ft), the air is so thin that every breath feels earned, and the cold bites through every layer you are wearing. Then you look up. The entire Annapurna range stretches across the northern horizon. Annapurna I (8,091m), Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Gangapurna, and more peaks, white against the sky. Behind you, the trail you have climbed since before dawn disappears into shadow. Ahead, the long descent to Muktinath drops into a landscape so different from where you started that it feels like crossing into another country. You are standing on the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit.

The 12-day Annapurna Circuit Trek takes you around the entire Annapurna massif through scenery that changes almost every day. You will walk through subtropical rice paddies and banana groves in the Marsyangdi valley, climb through dense rhododendron forests where Gurung and Magar villages cling to terraced hillsides, cross the high-altitude desert of the Manang valley where Tibetan Buddhist monasteries stand against barren brown cliffs, summit Thorong La Pass at 5,416 metres, and descend through the deepest gorge on earth into the apple orchards and whitewashed streets of Marpha and Jomsom. You will sleep in teahouses warmed by wood stoves, eat dal bhat cooked by families who have lived in these mountains for generations, and wake each morning to views that shift from jungle canopy to glacial moraine to arid Mustang plateau.

What Makes This Trek Special

• Cross Thorong La Pass (5,416m / 17,769ft), one of the highest trekking passes in the world, with 360-degree views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges
• Walk through four distinct climate zones in twelve days, from subtropical lowlands to alpine meadows, high-altitude desert, and the world’s deepest gorge between Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri I
• Visit Muktinath Temple (3,710m), a sacred pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists, where 108 water spouts and an eternal natural flame burn side by side
• Acclimatise in Manang (3,540m), a centuries-old trading village set below Gangapurna Glacier, where yak herders and Tibetan Buddhist monks share the same stone streets
• Explore Chame, the district headquarters of Manang, with hot springs, apple orchards, and your first close-up views of Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal
• Walk through Marpha, often called the most beautiful village on the Circuit, famous for apple brandy, cobbled streets, and flat-roofed whitewashed houses
• Trek the Kali Gandaki gorge between Annapurna I (8,091m) and Dhaulagiri I (8,167m), the deepest gorge on earth, where the wind funnels through with a roar you feel in your chest
• Experience Gurung, Magar, and Thakali cultures in villages where traditional customs, dress, and hospitality have remained largely unchanged for centuries
• All permits included (ACAP and TIMS), so you spend zero time queuing at government offices in Kathmandu
• Every booking directly supports education for 70 children in rural Nepal through the Nagarjun Learning Center

12-Day Annapurna Circuit Overview

Twelve days. That is all it takes to walk a complete loop around one of the highest mountain massifs on earth, crossing a 5,416-metre pass and dropping into a landscape that looks nothing like where you started.

Your journey begins and ends in Kathmandu. Day 1 is a drive via Besisahar to Bhulbhule (845 m), and the walking starts there. From here, the route climbs steadily through terraced hillsides and Gurung villages, past waterfalls and suspension bridges, through Chame (2,670m) and onward into the high dry valley around Manang (3,540m). You spend a rest day in Manang to acclimatise before the big push to Thorong La. The pass day begins in darkness, climbing from Thorong High Camp (4,900m) to the prayer-flag-draped summit at 5,416 metres. The descent to Muktinath drops nearly 1,600 metres in a single day. From Muktinath you drive down the Kali Gandaki valley through Jomsom and Marpha, past apple orchards and the yawning depth of the world’s deepest gorge. You return to Pokhara by vehicle and then back to Kathmandu.

One acclimatisation day is built into the itinerary at Manang, because rushing altitude is dangerous and we will never compromise your safety for schedule. This rest day is not wasted. You can hike to Gangapurna Lake, visit the ancient Braga Monastery, or simply sit on a rooftop terrace with a cup of hot lemon and look up at the Gangapurna Glacier.

The pass day is the summit of your trek, literally and emotionally. You leave Thorong High Camp before dawn, headtorch on, and climb the switchbacks to the pass. The altitude is real. The cold is real. But when you stand at the top, surrounded by prayer flags snapping in the wind and the Himalayas stretching in every direction, every hard step is worth it.

The descent through the Kali Gandaki is a study in contrasts. The day after the pass you drive down the Kali Gandaki through Marpha, with its apple orchards, and on to Pokhara. You sleep in Pokhara on day 11 and drive to Kathmandu on day 12. If you want a lakeside rest day first, tell me and we add it.

Before You Arrive

Please arrive in Kathmandu the day before your trek starts. This gives you time to recover from your international flight, meet your guide, and do any last-minute gear shopping in Thamel if needed. Make sure your Nepal visa and trekking insurance are in order before you fly, and bring enough Nepali rupees for personal spending on the trail. ATMs are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara but not beyond Besisahar, so draw cash before you leave civilisation behind.

Online Briefing

Think of this as our first conversation together. After you book, we schedule a video call where we walk you through everything: what to wear and pack, what the teahouses are really like on the Circuit, how acclimatisation works on this route, what to expect on pass day, and anything else on your mind. No question is too small.

This is also when we learn about you. Our trek itinerary does not include your hotel in Kathmandu. During the briefing, share your preferences and budget, and we will arrange accommodation that fits. Whether you want a simple guesthouse in Thamel or a five-star hotel with a rooftop pool, we will set it up for you.

Transport

All three tiers travel the same route. The outbound journey goes directly from Kathmandu to Bhulbhule via Dumre (approximately 7–8 hours by road, no Pokhara stop on the way out). On the return, you drive from Muktinath via Jomsom to Pokhara (Day 11, approximately 8–10 hours), spend a night in Pokhara, then drive Pokhara to Kathmandu the next day (approximately 7–8 hours). The difference between tiers is the vehicle itself. Budget trekkers travel by local tourist bus, which is safe and well-used by Nepalis and travellers alike. Standard trekkers ride in a shared tourist vehicle with more legroom and air conditioning. Luxury trekkers get a premium private vehicle. There are no internal flights on this itinerary; everything is by road, which keeps costs down and gives you more of Nepal’s countryside through the window. For a full breakdown of what trekking in Nepal actually costs, see our complete cost guide.

Your Trek, Your Way

Every trek we run is arranged privately for your group. You will not be paired with strangers unless you choose to join a public departure. Whether you book as a solo trekker, a couple, or a group of friends, this itinerary belongs to you. Want to add a rest day? Extend to include Tilicho Lake? Spend an extra night in Manang? We can adjust. Our three tiers (Budget, Standard and Luxury) give you genuine choice over accommodation, meals, porter support and transport without affecting the route itself. Same guides. Same safety standards. Three comfort levels. Read more about what the price difference actually buys or explore budget trekking in Nepal.

Difficulty: Strenuous

This trek is rated Strenuous. Thorong La Pass at 5,416 metres is the highest point most trekkers will ever reach on foot. The pass day usually involves 7 to 10 hours of walking, depending on weather, snow and your walking pace. You start before dawn from Thorong High Camp at about 4,900 metres, climb around 500 metres to the pass and then descend about 1,600 metres to Muktinath. Altitude sickness is a genuine concern above Manang, and the combination of cold, thin air, and sustained effort on pass day demands real physical and mental resilience. Daily walking ranges from 5 to 8 hours over uneven terrain, river crossings, and steep ascents. Our guides carry a pulse oximeter and monitor your oxygen levels daily. We also recommend consulting your doctor about Diamox before departure. If you can comfortably walk 6–8 hours a day on hilly terrain and have a reasonable level of fitness, you can do this trek. If you have concerns, read our beginner’s guide.

Annapurna Circuit at a glance

Best time to trek the Annapurna Circuit

Month by month: when to go

Rain and the Manang temperatures are 1991 to 2020 averages from the national weather stations. The Thorong La figures are from a weather model for 2015 to 2024, so treat them as a guide to the cold and not a forecast. Wind makes the pass feel colder than the figures. The full detail is in Annapurna Circuit best time, month by month.

Permits

The Annapurna Circuit is not a restricted area, so there is no special permit. You need the two below, and we arrange both and include them in your trek price.

What the price covers, and what it does not

You need two permits: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP, NPR 3,000) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000), so NPR 5,000 per foreign trekker. The Annapurna Circuit is not a restricted area. We arrange both and include them in your price.

Not in the price: your international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days on arrival), travel insurance bought at home with cover to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation, your Kathmandu hotel, tips for your team, and on Budget your meals (about USD 15 to 25 a day, and more near Thorong Phedi and High Camp).

A 10% deposit (about USD 100 on Budget) confirms your dates. You pay it by card through Himalayan Bank's secure gateway, and you pay the balance when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card (card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge). If your plans change we move your trip to any date within a year, free, with 72 hours' notice. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel. If we cannot run the trip ourselves, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent for you on permits and flights.

What a trek price often leaves out

Prices checked 20 Oct 2026, per person, 2-4 people: Budget 995 / Standard 1,575 / Luxury 2,690.

I have just lowered the Budget and Standard prices on this trek, and they still carry the taxes, permits and your guide. Standard and Luxury include all trail meals. The Kathmandu hotel is quoted separately. You pay a 10% deposit, and if your plans change we reschedule free with 72 hours' notice, to any date within a year.

We are a family company since 2016, with three generations of family guides. We are a four-time TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice winner (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024), rated 4.9 from 208 reviews (16 Oct 2026). Our guides are licensed, and we never use elephants for rides.

All taxes included: 13% VAT and our 10% service charge are already in the price you see. A 3.5% card charge applies only if you pay the balance by card; cash in Kathmandu has none.

Getting there

No flights are needed. Day 1 is the drive from Kathmandu to Bhulbhule (845 m), usually 7 to 8 hours via Besisahar. After the pass you finish at Muktinath (3,800 m) and drive on day 11 via Jomsom to Pokhara, then to Kathmandu on day 12. As of 14 October 2026 the Beni–Jomsom road is repaired and open to vehicles again. We check 48 hours before departure; if it is not open we move your dates free. Our Thorong La timing guide and Chame guide explain how the road has changed the trek.

Safety and altitude

Altitude is the real test. You climb to Manang (3,540 m) and rest there a full day, then sleep at Ledar (4,250 m) and Thorong High Camp (4,900 m) before the pass at 5,416 m, and drop to Muktinath (3,800 m). The pass day starts in the dark with head torches and usually takes 7 to 10 hours, depending on weather, snow and pace. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter, checks you daily and decides on the morning whether the pass is safe. Snow can close the Thorong La for days, and there is no way round it on foot. If you feel unwell at High Camp, we do not cross, and we go down. Read the Thorong La guide and the honest difficulty guide.

Packing basics

Layers for hot lowlands and a freezing pass: a down jacket, a windproof shell, thermal layers, warm gloves, a hat, sunglasses, sun cream and a head torch for the pre-dawn pass. A sleeping bag rated to -10 C is best, and if you do not own one or a down jacket, tell us at your online briefing and we will lend you ones. Poles help on the steep sections, and shoes with good grip help on ice. We send the full list when you book.

Budget, Standard or Luxury: what actually changes

If you are going alone, Luxury still gives you your own dedicated porter. On Standard there is no porter, because porters are shared one between two trekkers, so your guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag instead. Budget never has a porter. You can add a porter of your own on any tier for USD 25 per day, plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge on top.

Kathmandu hotel nights are not included in any trek tier, so tell us your budget at the online briefing and we will book them for you. We name your guide once you have booked.

Trekking as a group?

Bring your own group — friends, family, a club, a university society, your workplace, or a cause you are raising money for — and any of the three comfort levels can run as a private group on your own dates. Private or group, the price per person is the same; we never put strangers in your group. The more of you there are, the less each person pays:

The organiser treks free. Get fourteen or more paying trekkers together and whoever organised the group joins the trek free. The one thing the organiser still pays is their own flights and permits, since those are fixed costs we pay out for every person and cannot absorb, and we cover the rest. Your departure is guaranteed on your own dates — from a solo traveller up to a group of twenty, and we never merge you into another trip.

Planning a group? Message me on WhatsApp with the trek, roughly when, and how many of you, and I will send you a price and a plan.

Compare Our Three Packages

Himalayas for Every Budget. Same guides, same safety, three comfort levels. Every tier includes all permits, a Nepal government well-trained guide, airport transfers and 24/7 emergency support. The only things that change are the comfort details. Read our full comparison of what the price difference actually buys or explore luxury trekking in Nepal. Note: in Pokhara, only breakfast is included at your hotel across all tiers; other meals in Pokhara are at your own expense, giving you the freedom to explore the city’s lakeside restaurants. Check our guide on WiFi and charging on the trail so you know what to expect beyond Chame.

Why we keep the prices honest

Our prices include enough margin to pay porters fairly and to send a fixed share of every booking to the Nagarjun Learning Center, our charity school in Saldum village. The school serves seventy children with free year-round classes and two daily meals, and it is registered with the Nepalese government and verified and listed on the UN Partner Portal. The trek you book funds the school directly — no separate donation form, no surprise add-on at checkout.

More to read before you book

• Annapurna Circuit trek cost 2027
• Manang village guide
• Thorong Phedi guide