Thorong High Camp: The Night Before the Thorong La

Last updated 9 October 2026.

Thorong High Camp is the last place you sleep before the Thorong La, the 5,416 m pass that is the high point of the Annapurna Circuit. It is a stone teahouse at about 4,900 m, an hour above Thorong Phedi, and on our Annapurna Circuit Trek, 12 days you spend day 9 getting there. I choose it over the lower lodge for one reason: it makes the crossing day shorter.

Short answer: Thorong High Camp is at about 4,900 m (16,076 ft). From Ledar (4,250 m) the walk takes 4 to 5 hours and covers about 7.3 km. Thorong Phedi, at 4,525 m, is about an hour lower. You reach the pass in roughly 3 to 5 hours the next morning, and the whole day to Muktinath usually takes 7 to 10 hours.

Thorong High Camp at a glance

Where does High Camp sit on our Annapurna Circuit treks?

It is the night of day 9 on the 12-day Annapurna Circuit, between Ledar and Muktinath. On the Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake, 16 days it is the night of day 11. After it comes the pass on day 10 or day 12, then a descent of about 1,600 m to Muktinath.

Why do we sleep at High Camp and not at Thorong Phedi?

Phedi is the traditional base for the pass, a cluster of stone lodges in a hollow below the final climb. Some groups stop there. Our itinerary pushes on to High Camp, about an hour higher. The gain is simple: starting from High Camp means a shorter, less tiring crossing day and less altitude to climb when you are at your most tired. It does make the night harder, because you sleep higher. That is the trade-off. If you want to understand Phedi itself, read my Thorong Phedi guide.

What is the walk from Ledar to High Camp like?

It is short in distance and big in altitude. The trail follows the valley floor through rock and ice, with glacial streams cutting across the path, and the pass shows up as a snow-dusted notch in the ridge above. Every breath has a little less oxygen in it. You gain about 650 m in four to five hours, so the pace is slow and the stops are frequent. Drink water constantly and eat at lunch even if you are not hungry.

What are the lodge, food and facilities like at High Camp?

High Camp is exposed and basic. The teahouse is a stone building with a metal roof, and the wind can be relentless. Your sleeping bag and down jacket, included with all our tiers, matter tonight. Dinner is early, because you need to be asleep by seven or eight to be ready for a start between four and five in the morning. Budget means shared rooms, no meals included and no porter. Standard means private rooms, all trek meals and one porter for every two trekkers. Luxury means a dedicated porter for each trekker and all meals plus fruit and nuts. Do not expect comfort at this height.

How do you handle the altitude at High Camp?

You sleep at nearly 5,000 m, and most people sleep badly there. That is normal. Your guide briefs you on the crossing: head torch on, warm layers, a slow pace and an absolute commitment to turn back if anyone has serious altitude symptoms. The pass is not negotiable with the mountain. We go when conditions allow and your body cooperates. If you have done the Tilicho detour first, you will already have been near 4,900 m, at Tilicho Lake, and that acclimatisation helps. Travel insurance must cover up to 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation, bought at home.

What comes before and after High Camp?

My guide to crossing the Thorong La covers the pass itself, and Thorong La timing in October 2026 covers the pass conditions.

When is the best time to sleep at High Camp?

October to November is the clearest and most stable time, and the pass is normally open. March and April are the second season. December to February is very cold, and the Thorong La can be snowed shut, so we watch conditions closely. June to September is the monsoon. My Annapurna Circuit best time guide has the month-by-month view.

Questions people ask

How high is Thorong High Camp? About 4,900 m, which is 16,076 ft.

How far is Thorong High Camp from Thorong Phedi? About an hour of walking, and roughly 375 m higher. Phedi is at 4,525 m.

What time do you leave High Camp for the Thorong La? Between four and five in the morning, in the dark, with a head torch.

How long does it take to reach the Thorong La from High Camp? Roughly 3 to 5 hours. The whole pass day to Muktinath usually takes 7 to 10 hours.

Is it better to sleep at High Camp or at Phedi? We sleep at High Camp because it makes the pass day shorter. The price is a higher, colder night.

Do I need a permit for Thorong High Camp? You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000 for foreigners) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). We arrange both. It is not a restricted area.

What if the weather is bad on pass day? The guide decides. We go when conditions allow and your body cooperates, and we do not push if the pass is unsafe.

Group size is 2 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 the month you are thinking of. I will tell you which tier and which route 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.