Annapurna Circuit in April 2027: Weather, Thorong La and Flowers

Updated 26 October 2026.

Short answer: April is the best spring month for the Annapurna Circuit, and it is busier than March. At Manang (3,401 m) the average April day reaches 14.3 degrees and the average night is -0.5, which is warmer than March, and Thorong La (5,416 m) is usually clear of deep snow, though it can still say no on a bad morning. Rhododendrons are in flower in the forests between about 2,500 and 3,000 m. Our 12-day private trek costs USD 995 Budget, USD 1,575 Standard and USD 2,690 Luxury per person for two to four people.

I am Shreejan. March has its own blog on this site, and so does spring as a whole. Here I want to cover only April 2027: what the numbers say, what the pass is like on crossing day, what changes on the calendar, and what to book early.

Annapurna Circuit in April: the facts

The station figures come from the Nepal Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (Manang and Jomsom, 1991 to 2020 normals) and from Agricultural Extension in South Asia and JICA for Chame (1976 to 2005, an older record). They are averages, not a forecast for any day in 2027.

What is the weather on the Annapurna Circuit in April?

Compared with March, Manang gains about 3 degrees by day (11.2 to 14.3) and about 3 degrees by night (-3.4 to -0.5). Night frost is still normal above Chame. Do not pack as if April means warm.

Rain is low in the rain-shadow villages. Manang gets 38.5 mm in the whole month, and Jomsom 21.4 mm. Chame on the wetter side gets 49.5 mm, so you may see an afternoon shower there.

No station records Thorong La. I take Manang's April averages and cool them by 6.5 degrees per 1,000 m (the ICAO standard atmosphere), over the roughly 2,000 m between Manang and the pass. That gives about 1 degree at midday and about -14 degrees at night. It is a calculation, not a measurement. Wind at the pass makes it feel far colder, and you will be there at dawn, not midday.

By the end of the month the air gets hazier as the monsoon season gets closer. My own view, from guiding, is that the clearest mornings are in the first half of April. That is experience, not a published figure.

Is Thorong La open in April, and is it easy?

In most years the pass is open and the trail is worn in by the many people who cross. I cannot promise it. Snow can fall in any month, and a guide will turn you back if the weather or your body says so. Spring is one of the two safest seasons for the crossing, along with autumn.

Crossing day is long. From Thorong High Camp (4,900 m) you climb to 5,416 m, then drop to Muktinath (3,800 m). Expect an alpine start, in the dark, with a head torch. The wind builds later in the morning, which is why we leave early. I have more on the pass in my Thorong La pass guide.

Insurance matters more than weather on this day. Your policy should cover the highest point of the trek rounded up to the next 500 m, so 5,500 m, and helicopter evacuation. A helicopter cannot land on the pass itself, so rescue happens from lower ground on either side.

When do the rhododendrons flower in April?

This is the reason many people choose April. There is no published elevation-by-date guide, so I will tell you what our guides see and call it that. Below 2,500 m the flowers peak earlier, in March. Between about 2,500 and 3,000 m, around Dharapani, Chame and the approach to Upper Pisang, they peak from late March to mid April. Above 3,000 m the bushes are smaller and flower into late April. The tree rhododendron, lali gurans, is Nepal's national flower, in red, pink and white.

The bloom moves with the winter. A cold, late spring pushes it back by a week or more. If flowers matter most to you, aim for the first three weeks of April, and ask me closer to your dates what the guides are seeing.

How busy is the Annapurna Circuit in April?

Busier than March, quieter than October. I do not have a published trekker count for April, so I will not put a number on it. One Manang guide I read calls October the busiest month on the circuit. In my experience the first half of April is when lodges in Manang and the high camps fill.

The calendar adds one thing. Nepali New Year (Baisakh 1, 2084) falls on Wednesday 14 April 2027, according to Kathmandu panchang calendars, and it is a national holiday. Buses and offices in Kathmandu can be affected for a day or two around it. We drive you in a private vehicle, so for us it is mainly a reason not to plan a tight same-day connection, and an extra day in Kathmandu before you start is sensible.

Do I need to book teahouses for April?

You do not book them yourself with us. We arrange the lodges and tell the guide your dates, and the lodges are in the price. There is no published list showing which lodges are open or full on which date, so I will not claim one. What I can say is that the bigger villages (Chame, Pisang, Manang, Muktinath) are working in spring, and the high camps are the tightest. If you want a particular night in Manang, or a particular lodge, tell me early. For where people stay, read best teahouses on the Annapurna Circuit.

Getting there and what it costs

The plan is the same as on our Annapurna Circuit trek, 12 days. Day 1 is the drive from Kathmandu to Bhulbhule (845 m). Then Jagat (1,300 m), Dharapani (1,860 m), Chame (2,670 m), Upper Pisang (3,300 m), Manang (3,540 m) with a rest day, Ledar (4,250 m), Thorong High Camp (4,900 m), then the pass and Muktinath on day 10. Days 11 and 12 are the drive via Jomsom to Pokhara and on to Kathmandu. There are no flights.

These are per person and were checked on the package page on 25 October 2026. Budget has no porter and no meals. Standard has one porter for every two trekkers and all meals. Luxury has your own porter and all meals. A porter carries 20 kg at most, so on Standard that is 10 kg each, and a solo Standard trekker has no porter, as the guide carries a share. Kathmandu hotels are not in the price. Budget teahouse meals run about USD 15 to 25 a day, according to the package page. Your permits, ACAP (NPR 3,000) and TIMS (NPR 2,000), are arranged by us, per the Nepal Tourism Board fee page and its TIMS page.

A 10% deposit holds your dates, and we cover the 3.5% card charge on it. You pay the balance in Kathmandu in USD or EUR. Cash has no charge and a card payment carries 3.5%. For the full cost breakdown see Annapurna Circuit trek cost.

On the road, our package page says that as of 14 October 2026 the Besisahar to Chame road and the Beni to Jomsom road are repaired and open to vehicles. We check 48 hours before you leave. The live position is on Is the Annapurna Circuit open, road or trail.

What should I pack for the Annapurna Circuit in April?

You need two wardrobes. Light clothes and sun cream for the first three days, when Bhulbhule and Jagat are warm. Then a down jacket, thermal layers, warm gloves and a hat for Manang and the pass. We provide a sleeping bag rated to -15 degrees and a down jacket on every tier. Add a rain jacket for the lower valley and poles for the long descent from the pass to Muktinath. My full list is in what to pack for the Annapurna Circuit.

March or April for the Annapurna Circuit?

Choose April for warmer nights, a firmer pass and the main flower season, and accept more people on the trail. Choose March for emptier lodges and accept colder nights and a pass that may need a waiting day. I wrote that side up in Annapurna Circuit in March, and the whole season is in Annapurna Circuit in spring. For other treks in the month, see trekking in Nepal in April 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Is April a good time for the Annapurna Circuit?

Yes. It is one of the two best seasons. You get warmer nights than in March, flowers in the middle forests and a pass that is usually clear. The cost is more people on the trail.

How cold is Thorong La in April?

No station measures it. My estimate from Manang's averages is about 1 degree by day and about -14 at night, before wind. You will cross at dawn, so dress for the cold end.

Will there be snow on Thorong La in April?

Usually little on the trail, but snow can fall in any month. The decision is made on the morning by the guide, and sometimes that means waiting a day.

When do the rhododendrons bloom on the Annapurna Circuit?

From our guides' experience, the middle forests around 2,500 to 3,000 m flower from late March to mid April, and higher bushes in late April. A cold spring delays it. No published elevation-by-date guide exists.

Is the Annapurna Circuit crowded in April?

It is busier than March and quieter than October. I have no published April count. The first half of the month is the busiest in my experience.

Do I need to book lodges in advance for April?

We book them for you. Give me your dates early if you want a set night at Manang or a particular lodge.

Can I add Tilicho Lake in April?

Yes, our 16-day Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake reaches the lake at 4,919 m. It costs USD 1,195 Budget, USD 2,005 Standard and USD 3,340 Luxury per person for two to four people, solo USD 1,835, USD 2,660 and USD 5,295. I do not have a published figure for ice on the lake in April, so ask me closer to your date. The highest point is still Thorong La, so the insurance rule is the same.

What does the Annapurna Circuit cost in April 2027?

The price does not change by month. It is USD 995, USD 1,575 or USD 2,690 per person for two to four people, plus flights, visa, insurance, Kathmandu hotels and tips.

If you have a date window in April 2027, message me on WhatsApp at +977 9810351300 and I will tell you what the road and the pass look like when you ask.