Annapurna Circuit in 12, 14 or 16 Days: Which Length to Choose and What Each Costs

Last updated 13 October 2026.

Short answer: We run the Annapurna Circuit in three lengths, and each one is Kathmandu to Kathmandu. The 12-day Annapurna Circuit crosses the Thorong La (5,416 m) and costs from USD 1,175 per person (Budget, two to four guests). The 14-day version adds Tilicho Lake (4,919 m) and costs from USD 1,335. The 16-day version adds Tilicho and a finish through Tatopani and Poon Hill, from USD 1,495. Every step up is two more days and USD 160 more on Budget, USD 290 more on Standard. If you have twelve days and want the pass, take the 12. If you can find two more, I would spend them on Tilicho.

I am Shreejan. People who write to me about the Circuit have usually chosen the trek. What they cannot decide is the number of days, because the road has changed the route and every operator quotes a different length. This page puts our three side by side, using the live itineraries and prices as I read them on 13 October 2026.

Annapurna Circuit in 12, 14 and 16 days at a glance

Kathmandu hotel nights are not in any of the three prices. Our family homestay is USD 15 per person a night, and I can book you a hotel if you prefer.

What do the extra days actually buy?

Here is the route through all three, from the itineraries on our pages. The first six days are nearly the same. The 12-day trip walks from Bhulbhule to Jagat on day 2, which is a full day on the lower trail. The 14-day and 16-day trips drive straight to Jagat on day 1 and use that day elsewhere.

So the difference between 12 and 14 days is Tilicho, and it is exactly three extra days between Manang and Ledar, less the day you save by driving to Jagat. The difference between 14 and 16 is the finish. On 14 days you cross the pass, sleep in Muktinath, and take a 4WD jeep through Jomsom to Pokhara the next day (8 to 9 hours). On 16 days you drive to Tatopani, walk to Ghorepani (6 to 7 hours), climb to Poon Hill (3,210 m) for sunrise and walk down to Nayapul before the drive to Pokhara.

Is 12 days enough for the Annapurna Circuit?

It is enough if you are fit and you accept what it is. The 12 days include three days in vehicles (the drive in on day 1, the drive to Pokhara on day 11, and the drive to Kathmandu on day 12), so you walk for eight days with one rest day in Manang. Your sleeping heights go 3,540 m (two nights), 4,250 m, 4,900 m. The jump from Manang to Ledar is about 710 m, and from Ledar to High Camp about 650 m. Many people do it, but I will not tell you it is gentle. The pass day is 7 to 10 hours and starts in the dark.

It suits a fit walker with a hard limit on leave who wants the pass more than the side trips. My honest difficulty guide says what the days feel like.

Is Tilicho Lake worth two extra days?

I think so, for three reasons. First, the lake itself: at 4,919 m it is one of the highest accessible lakes on any trekking route. Second, you sleep at Siri Kharka (4,060 m) and Tilicho Base Camp (4,150 m) before you go up, which gives your body time at altitude before the Thorong La. That is how I think about it, but altitude is personal and no itinerary guarantees you will feel well. Third, it breaks the walk into a different shape, with a side valley and a night each at Siri Kharka and the base camp.

It is also a hard side trip, and I will not dress it up. The path is narrow in places and rockfall is possible under the cliffs. The day to the lake and back to Siri Kharka is about 15 km and 5 to 6 hours as listed on our page. Read the Tilicho Lake guide before you decide, and the notes on Tilicho Base Camp and Siri Kharka.

What does each length cost?

Prices below are per person and the same whether you trek privately or in a group of that size. They are read from the live package pages on 13 October 2026, and the pages say they hold for 2027.

For two to four guests, 12 to 14 days adds USD 160 on Budget, USD 290 on Standard and USD 350 on Luxury. From 14 to 16 days it adds USD 160, USD 290 and USD 300. Budget has no porter and trail meals are yours to pay, about USD 5 to 8 a meal in the lower valleys and USD 10 to 15 for dal bhat above Manang, so a longer Budget trip costs more in food too. Standard has all meals and one porter for every two trekkers. A solo Standard trekker has no porter and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Luxury has a porter for each trekker and private vehicles. An extra porter is USD 25 a day plus 13 per cent VAT and the 3.5 per cent bank charge. For the whole cost of the trip, including flights and visa, read my Annapurna Circuit cost guide.

Which length should you choose?

One piece of honest advice. Do not let the price per day push you into the shorter trip if you have never been above 4,000 m. Read my altitude guide, and be ready to take the Manang rest day seriously, because the 12-day trip has no spare days built in. Whichever you choose, keep a day at the end of your Nepal plan for a delayed jeep or flight. On the pass itself, read my Thorong La guide.

When should you go in 2027?

The figures below come from the weather stations at Manang and Pokhara (1991 to 2020 averages) and a weather model for the pass (2015 to 2024). They are a guide to the cold, not a forecast.

For 2027 the classic window is mid October to mid November, and late March to April. Dashain is expected around 6 to 10 October 2027 and Tihar around 29 to 31 October, though the government confirms the dates each year, so avoid the Dashain days. My longer notes are in the best time guide.

What about the roads?

The Circuit has two road sections that matter: the drive up the Marsyangdi valley, and the Beni to Jomsom road we use from Muktinath. As at 13 October 2026 the Besisahar to Chame road is being repaired and should be open to vehicles within about a week, and the trail itself is already fine for trekkers. The Beni to Jomsom road was still being repaired, so we check it before every departure. We check both 48 hours before departure, and if a road is not open we move your dates free. A blocked road is not a blocked trail. My guides to road versus trail and the road changes explain it, and I update both when the position changes.

Questions people ask

How many days do you need for the Annapurna Circuit? Twelve days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu is the shortest we run, and it includes three days in vehicles. Fourteen days adds Tilicho Lake. Sixteen adds a walking finish through Tatopani and Poon Hill. Add a day at each end for your flights.

Is the 12-day Annapurna Circuit too fast? It is fast, but fit walkers do it. You sleep at 3,540 m for two nights, then 4,250 m, then 4,900 m. If you have never been above 4,000 m, I would give you the 14 days.

How much does Tilicho Lake add to the price? USD 160 per person on Budget, USD 290 on Standard and USD 350 on Luxury for two to four guests, for two extra days. There is no extra permit.

What does the 16-day trip add that the 14-day does not? The walking finish: a drive to Tatopani, a walk to Ghorepani, Poon Hill at sunrise and a walk to Nayapul. It adds two days and, for two to four guests, USD 160 on Budget, USD 290 on Standard and USD 300 on Luxury.

Can I do it solo? Yes. Solo prices are in the tables, and a solo Standard trekker has no porter. A licensed guide is with you throughout. See my guide to single supplements for how solo pricing works.

What permits do I need? The Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). Both are in every price, and Tilicho has no separate permit.

Is the pass crossing guaranteed? No. Weather and snow decide, and your guide makes the call on the morning.

How are the terms for this trek?

Group size is 1 to 20, and you can also trek solo. The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and how many days you can spare. I will tell you which length and which tier I would choose, and send you the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.