The Annapurna Circuit covers approximately 200 kilometres (124 miles) if you walk the complete route from Besisahar to Jomsom. Most trekkers cover this in fourteen to sixteen days, averaging 13 to 15 kilometres per day. Some days are shorter, some are longer, and one day — the Thorong La crossing — is the longest and hardest single trekking day most people will ever do.
What Is the Total Distance of the Annapurna Circuit?
The classic Annapurna Circuit from Besisahar (760m) to Jomsom (2,720m) via Thorong La Pass (5,416m) is 195 to 210 kilometres depending on route variations. The range exists because some trekkers take the road sections by jeep (shortening distance by 30-40 km), while others walk every metre including the Tilicho Lake detour (adding 25 km).
If you walk the full trail without jeeps and include the Tilicho Lake side trip, total distance is approximately 225 kilometres — making it the longest standard trek in Nepal.
How Far Do You Walk Each Day?
| Day | Route | Distance | Altitude | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Besisahar to Bahundanda | 17 km | 760m → 1,310m | 6-7h |
| 2 | Bahundanda to Chamje | 12 km | 1,310m → 1,430m | 5-6h |
| 3 | Chamje to Dharapani | 15 km | 1,430m → 1,860m | 6-7h |
| 4 | Dharapani to Chame | 14 km | 1,860m → 2,710m | 5-6h |
| 5 | Chame to Upper Pisang | 15 km | 2,710m → 3,310m | 5-6h |
| 6 | Upper Pisang to Manang | 18 km | 3,310m → 3,540m | 6-7h |
| 7 | Manang rest day (acclimatisation) | 5-8 km | 3,540m → 4,000m → 3,540m | 3-4h |
| 8 | Manang to Yak Kharka | 10 km | 3,540m → 4,050m | 4-5h |
| 9 | Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi | 8 km | 4,050m → 4,525m | 3-4h |
| 10 | Thorong La to Muktinath | 16 km | 4,525m → 5,416m → 3,800m | 8-10h |
| 11 | Muktinath to Jomsom | 20 km | 3,800m → 2,720m | 5-6h |
| 12 | Tilicho Lake detour (optional) | 25 km | Side trip from Manang | 2 extra days |
Which Day Is the Hardest?
Day 10 — Thorong La crossing is the defining day of the Annapurna Circuit. You leave Thorong Phedi (4,525m) at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, climb 891 metres to the pass at 5,416m, then descend 1,616 metres to Muktinath (3,800m). Total distance: 16 kilometres. Total time: eight to ten hours. You start in darkness, cross the highest point in freezing wind, and finish in warm afternoon sun. It is exhausting, exhilarating, and the reason most people do the Annapurna Circuit.
The pass itself is not technically difficult — no ropes, no scrambling, just a steep trail. But at 5,416 metres, every step requires effort. The last 200 metres of ascent before the pass feel like the longest 200 metres you have ever walked.
What About the Road Sections?
The Annapurna Circuit has a road problem. The eastern approach from Besisahar to Chame (Days 1-4, about 58 km) now shares long sections with a jeep road. Some trekkers find this frustrating — walking on a dusty road with occasional jeeps is not what they imagined when they booked a Himalayan trek.
Options for dealing with the road:
- Walk it anyway. The road sections pass through beautiful villages and the Marsyangdi river valley. The scenery is good even if the surface is not.
- Jeep to Chame. Skip the first 58 km by jeep (4-5 hours) and start walking from Chame. This saves four days but misses the gradual altitude gain that helps acclimatisation.
- Jeep to Dharapani. A compromise — skip the lowest road sections (2 days by jeep) and start walking from 1,860m. This is what most guided groups do.
West of Thorong La, the descent from Muktinath to Jomsom also follows a road. Most trekkers walk this section (one day, downhill, easy) but you can jeep it if your legs have had enough.
How Does the Annapurna Circuit Compare on Distance?
The Annapurna Circuit is the longest standard trek in Nepal. It is 70 km longer than EBC, 90 km longer than ABC, and 20 km longer than the Manaslu Circuit. But it also has the most variety — you pass through five climate zones from subtropical to arctic, which no other single trek in Nepal offers.
If distance is your concern, the Annapurna Base Camp trek (110 km, 10 days) gives you the Annapurna experience in half the distance and time.
How Many Hours Do You Walk Each Day?
Most days are five to seven hours of walking. The Thorong La day is eight to ten hours. The acclimatisation day at Manang is three to four hours of optional hiking. The descent from Muktinath to Jomsom is five to six hours but feels easy because it is entirely downhill.
Walking hours do not include lunch breaks (one hour), tea stops, photo stops, or the time spent staring at the Annapurna massif and forgetting you are supposed to be walking. A realistic trekking day starts at 7:00 in the morning and ends between 2:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon.
Is the Distance Manageable for Beginners?
The Annapurna Circuit is not a beginner trek. The combination of 200 kilometres over two weeks at altitudes up to 5,416 metres requires good baseline fitness. You should be comfortable walking 15 kilometres on hilly terrain with a daypack before attempting the Circuit.
That said, the daily distances are manageable because the trek is well-paced. You never walk more than 20 kilometres in a day, and the hardest altitude days (Days 8-10) have the shortest distances. The route was designed for human feet long before it was designed for trekkers — the village spacing naturally creates reasonable daily stages.
If 200 kilometres over two weeks sounds intimidating, start with the Poon Hill Trek (50 km, 5 days) or ABC Trek (110 km, 10 days) to build confidence. Then come back for the Circuit when you know what your legs can do.
See our Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake for the complete itinerary, or contact us to discuss which route suits your fitness and timeframe.
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Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday and third-generation Himalayan guide. TAAN Member #1586.
