Annapurna Circuit in May 2027: Heat, Haze, Thorong La and the Monsoon Risk

Updated 26 October 2026.

Short answer: May is a risky month for the Annapurna Circuit, and the first ten days are the only part I am happy to sell. Low down it is hot and hazy (Besisahar runs about 26 to 32°C in our spring figures), the afternoons bring cloud and sometimes thunder, and Thorong La (5,416 m) is usually free of deep snow but cold and windy. Nepal's normal monsoon onset for the east is 13 June, and in 2025 it came on 29 May. Our 12-day Annapurna Circuit costs USD 995 Budget, USD 1,575 Standard and USD 2,690 Luxury per person for two to four people.

I am Shreejan. Every spring guests ask me whether they can squeeze the Circuit in during May because their leave starts then. The answer is yes, if you start early in the month and understand what you are trading away. This page is only about May. For March and April, read the Annapurna Circuit in spring guide.

Annapurna Circuit in May at a glance

Question	Answer for May 2027
Trek	Annapurna Circuit, 12 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu, strenuous
Highest point	Thorong La, 5,416 m, on day 10
Best part of May	The first 10 days
Weather pattern	Clear mornings, cloud by midday, showers or thunder possible in the afternoon
Thorong La	Usually little snow, but cold, windy and exposed. Cross at dawn
Low-altitude heat	Hot and humid below about 2,000 m
Crowds	Fewer than April, but May is still a popular month
Price, 2 to 4 people	USD 995 / 1,575 / 2,690 per person (Budget / Standard / Luxury)
Solo price	USD 1,450 / 2,075 / 4,350
Permits	ACAP NPR 3,000 and TIMS NPR 2,000, both in our price

What is the weather like on the Annapurna Circuit in May?

The pattern is simple. Mornings are the good part. The sky is clear, the peaks are sharp, and you want to be walking. By late morning the cloud builds, and by the afternoon you may get a shower, or thunder on the higher ground. So we start early and aim to be in the lodge by early afternoon.

Temperatures vary a lot with height. Published ranges vary, so treat these as a guide. These are the May figures from our own spring guide:

Place and height	May, day and night
Besisahar, 760 m	26 to 32°C by day
Manang, 3,540 m	10 to 16°C day, -2 to 3°C night
Thorong La, 5,416 m	-3 to 2°C day, -12 to -7°C night

I would plan for the colder end at the pass and the hotter end at Besisahar. The Circuit is one of the few treks where you sweat in a T-shirt on day 2 and wear a down jacket on day 9.

How hot and hazy does it get low down?

This is the part people forget. The first days run through the Marsyangdi valley, from Bhulbhule (845 m) to Jagat (1,300 m) and Dharapani (1,860 m). In May this is humid, sticky walking, and the haze takes the edge off the views. Our Besisahar to Chame road is repaired and open to vehicles as of 14 October 2026, and we check it 48 hours before every departure. Expect dust from vehicles on the road sections.

Below about 2,500 m, leeches can appear when the ground is wet. In May they are a late-month problem, not an early-month one. I wrote about that in the May in Nepal guide.

Above Chame (2,670 m) the valley dries out and the heat eases. By Upper Pisang (3,300 m) and Manang (3,540 m) you are in the rain shadow, and the days are comfortable.

What are the conditions on Thorong La in May?

Most of the winter snow has gone by May, so the problem is rarely depth. Wind is the usual trouble. The pass is a saddle, and by mid-morning it can be cold and gusty. Pass guides online say the same: start before dawn and be across by about 10 am. We do it that way every month.

The other May risk is thunder. Our spring guide says the pass itself may be clear in May but afternoon storms are a real risk, and lightning at 5,400 m is not something I want a guest to meet. So on pass day we leave High Camp (4,900 m) in the dark, usually between 3 and 4 am. You reach the pass in the morning and drop about 1,600 m to Muktinath (3,800 m). Pass day is long, usually 7 to 10 hours.

If the morning is bad, the guide holds you at High Camp for a day. This is why a 12-day plan has little slack in May, and why I would rather you added a spare day.

When is the latest I should start in May?

On our 12-day plan, Thorong La is day 10. Count nine days forward from your start and you have your pass date. This is my own rule of thumb, not a published figure.

Start from Kathmandu	Thorong La on	How I see it
1 May	10 May	Good. The pre-monsoon pattern is settled and the pass is cold but workable
5 May	14 May	Fine, with a morning start and a spare day if you can
10 May	19 May	Possible. You are betting on a late monsoon
15 May or later	24 May or later	I would not sell it. Wet and unpredictable, and the monsoon can arrive early

The monsoon does not follow our calendar. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology gives 13 June as the normal onset for eastern Nepal. In 2023 it came on 14 June, in 2024 on 10 June, and in 2025 on 29 May, fifteen days early. The earliest onset on record that I found is 29 May or 31 May, depending on which DHM bulletin you read. A late-May start on the Circuit is a bet on a year like 2023, and a bad year can leave you on the wrong side of the pass.

Who should do the Circuit in May, and who should wait?

May suits someone who is already fit, can start in the first week, and does not mind a hazy first few days. It also suits people who like quieter lodges. May is still a busy month, so book lodges ahead and do not expect an empty trail. The Annapurna Circuit difficulty guide explains what the strenuous grade means day by day.

If your leave only starts after mid-May, I would suggest something else. Upper Mustang sits in the rain shadow and stays dry, as I say in the May guide. Or move the Circuit to October and November. I have written about the pass in the October pass conditions guide.

What does the Annapurna Circuit cost in May 2027?

Prices are from the live package page, checked 25 October 2026, per person in US dollars. Every trek is private, and only the group size changes the price. There is no extra charge for May.

Group size	Budget	Standard	Luxury
1 person	USD 1,450	USD 2,075	USD 4,350
2 to 4 people	USD 995	USD 1,575	USD 2,690
5 to 8 people	USD 930	USD 1,465	USD 2,540
9 to 12 people	USD 880	USD 1,390	USD 2,370
13 to 20 people	USD 840	USD 1,325	USD 2,260

Permits and your guide are in the price. The Annapurna Conservation Area permit is NPR 3,000 and the TIMS card is NPR 2,000 (Nepal Tourism Board figures). Not in the price: international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days on arrival), travel insurance, your Kathmandu hotel, tips, and on Budget your teahouse meals, about USD 15 to 25 a day on our page.

The porter rule is simple. Budget has no porter. Standard has one porter for every two guests, so 10 kg each, because the legal limit is 20 kg per porter. Luxury has a porter each, and your bag can go up to 20 kg. A solo Standard guest has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg.

Insurance must cover helicopter rescue to 5,500 m, which is Thorong La rounded up to the next 500 m. A helicopter cannot land on the pass itself, so rescues happen from lower ground on either side.

Packing for May

You need kit for two climates, and May makes it more so. Bring a sun hat and sunscreen for the first days, insect repellent, and a rain jacket with a pack cover. For the pass you need a proper down jacket, warm hat and gloves, because the night at High Camp is below freezing. Poles help on the 1,600 m drop to Muktinath. The Annapurna Circuit packing list has the full list.

Is the Annapurna Circuit open in May?

Yes, the trail and teahouses are open in May. The risk is weather, not closure. The monsoon guide covers what happens once the rain sets in.

Frequently asked questions

Is May a good time for the Annapurna Circuit?

It is acceptable in the first ten days and a gamble after that. You get warmer nights and fewer people than April, but more haze and afternoon cloud.

Is there snow on Thorong La in May?

Usually not deep. The pass can still be icy at dawn, and a late storm can leave fresh snow. Wind and cold are the real issues.

When does the monsoon start in Nepal?

The normal onset for eastern Nepal is 13 June, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. It came on 29 May in 2025 and on 10 June in 2024.

Are there leeches on the Annapurna Circuit in May?

They can appear below about 2,500 m after rain, mostly late in the month. Early May is usually dry enough to avoid them.

How hot is it at the start of the trek in May?

Hot and humid. Our spring figures give 26 to 32°C by day at Besisahar. It cools quickly above Chame.

How much does the Annapurna Circuit cost in May 2027?

USD 995 Budget, USD 1,575 Standard and USD 2,690 Luxury per person for two to four people. Solo guests pay USD 1,450, USD 2,075 and USD 4,350.

Can I add Tilicho Lake in May?

It adds days, and May has no spare weather margin. I would not add it to a May start. The Tilicho Lake guide explains the extension if you can go earlier in the year.

How do payment and rescheduling work?

You pay a 10 per cent deposit to book, and the balance in Kathmandu in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries 3.5 per cent on the balance, and cash carries none. The deposit is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel yourself. I can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year, with at least 72 hours notice. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent.

What is the next step?

The trip page is the Annapurna Circuit trek, 12 days. Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your start date and your fitness, and I will tell you whether May works for your dates.

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