Annapurna Circuit After Road Construction: Is It Still Worth It in 2026?

Annapurna Circuit After Road Construction: Is It Still Worth Doing in 2026?

By Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday

The Annapurna Circuit has changed. Road construction over the past decade has replaced some sections of the old trail with gravel roads. Jeeps and motorbikes now share the path with trekkers in several areas. The internet is full of complaints about this.

But here is what most articles do not tell you: the Annapurna Circuit is still one of the greatest treks on earth. And with the right itinerary, you can avoid most of the road sections entirely.

What Has Changed

• A road now runs from Besisahar to Manang on the eastern side — replacing what was 5-6 days of walking with a jeep track
• On the western side, a road connects Jomsom to Muktinath and down to Beni
• Some sections of the classic trail now overlap with gravel roads used by jeeps and motorbikes

What Has NOT Changed

• Thorong La Pass (5,416m) — still entirely on foot, still spectacular, still the highlight
• The Manang Valley above the road — pristine trail, traditional villages, mountain views
• The high route between Ngawal and Manang — off-road, beautiful, quiet
• The Tilicho Lake side trip — completely road-free
• The descent from Thorong La to Muktinath — dramatic and road-free

How We Design the Itinerary to Avoid Roads

At The Everest Holiday, we skip the road sections entirely:

1. We drive from Kathmandu to Chame or Dharapani — skipping the dusty road section
2. We take the high route through Ngawal (3,657m) instead of the road through lower Pisang
3. We add Tilicho Lake as a side trip (world's highest lake at 4,919m)
4. After Thorong La, we fly from Jomsom to Pokhara instead of the long road descent

This gives you the best of the Circuit — Manang, Thorong La, Muktinath, Kagbeni — without the road sections.

Is It Still Worth It?

Absolutely. The Annapurna Circuit still takes you from subtropical jungle at 800m to a 5,416m pass in less than two weeks. The landscape changes from rice paddies to desert canyons. Tibetan Buddhist monasteries dot the trail. Machapuchare and Annapurna I dominate the skyline.

Many experienced trekkers still call it the greatest long-distance trek on earth. The road changed parts of it, but it did not ruin it — not if your itinerary is designed properly.

A trekker from Amsterdam told us: "I had read all the road complaints online and almost did not go. I am so glad I did. Our guide took us on the high route and we barely saw a vehicle for 8 days. Thorong La was the most dramatic day of trekking I have ever experienced."

Book the Circuit

• Annapurna Circuit — 12 Days from $572
• Annapurna Circuit + Tilicho Lake — 16 Days from $665

WhatsApp: +977 9810351300 | www.theeverestholiday.com

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