Yak Kharka: The Herding Settlement Between Manang and Ledar

Last updated 10 October 2026.

Yak Kharka is a seasonal herding settlement at 4,018 m on the Annapurna Circuit, on the open ground between Manang and Ledar. On our walking circuits you pass through it at lunchtime without staying the night. On our mountain-bike tour you do sleep there, and I think it is one of the best places on the trail for a first night above 4,000 m. The Annapurna Circuit Trek, 12 days walks through it on day 8.

Short answer: Yak Kharka is at 4,018 m (13,182 ft), about 480 m above Manang. By bike it is a short day of 3 to 4 hours and about 10 km. On foot you pass it on the 5 to 6 hour walk from Manang to Ledar (4,250 m), 9.1 km in all. It is a cold, windy place with stone corrals and a few teahouses.

Yak Kharka at a glance

Where does Yak Kharka sit on our Annapurna Circuit trips?

• Annapurna Circuit Trek, 12 days: passed on day 8, between Manang and Ledar. You sleep in Ledar.
• Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake, 16 days: passed on day 10, on the walk from Siri Kharka to Ledar.
• Annapurna Circuit Mountain Bike Tour, 12 days: the night of day 6, then Thorong Phedi on day 7.

Before it comes Manang, where the acclimatisation day sits. After it comes Ledar on foot, or Thorong Phedi on the bike tour. Read my Thorong Phedi guide for the next stop.

What is the walk from Manang to Yak Kharka like?

The apple orchards and pine forest of Manang are behind you. The trail climbs steadily through an increasingly barren landscape: dry scrub, wind-scoured ridges and the occasional yak herd on thin grass. It follows the Jharsang Khola valley northwards, and the mountains close in on both sides. To the east the Chulu peaks rise in a line of ice. To the west the Annapurna massif blocks the sky. On the Tilicho route you come from Siri Kharka and rejoin the main trail on the way to Ledar, passing Yak Kharka.

At Yak Kharka you find stone corrals and a few teahouses on a plateau with nothing to stop the wind. The air is noticeably thinner now. The pace that felt easy at 2,000 m needs thought here, so your guide sets it and stops often.

Why does the bike tour sleep at Yak Kharka?

On the bike tour the road ends at Manang and the trail begins. From Manang we ride single track through Tenki and Gunsang, riding the stretches that can be ridden and pushing the others, up onto the open pasture where the yaks graze. It is a short day on purpose, about 10 km and 480 m, three to four hours. The short day protects the long ones. The next day is mostly pushing, past Ledar and across the landslide section above the Jarsang Khola to Thorong Phedi, and the porters who carry the bikes over the pass join us there. I would rather you arrived at the foot of the pass rested than tired from a hard day before it.

How do we handle the altitude at Yak Kharka?

Yak Kharka is above 4,000 m, so take it seriously. The acclimatisation day in Manang comes first, and on the bike tour it includes a ride to the Gangapurna lake and, if everyone is strong, on to Khangsar. Drink water through the afternoon, eat properly and tell your guide about any headache, nausea or unusual tiredness. Nights are cold. Your guide checks your oxygen levels. Buy travel insurance at home that covers helicopter evacuation to 6,000 m. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.

What are the lodges like at Yak Kharka?

A few teahouses, simple and warm in the dining room and cold in the bedroom. On the bike tour the tiers work like this. Budget means shared rooms and no meals included. Standard means private rooms and breakfast, lunch and dinner. Luxury means private deluxe rooms, all meals plus fruit and nuts and unlimited soft drinks. At this height the room is the least of the day, and the sleeping bag matters more.

When is the best time to be at Yak Kharka?

For 2027, October and November are the best months. The weather is clear and dry and the Thorong La is usually open. March to May works too, with more wind and a chance of late snow on the pass. December to February the pass is often closed by snow, and we do not run the bike tour in those months. The monsoon, June to September, makes the lower valley unrideable. See my Annapurna Circuit best time guide. For the road side of the trip, read whether the Circuit is open. A landslide that blocks the road is not a closed trail.

Questions people ask

How high is Yak Kharka on the Annapurna Circuit? Our itineraries give 4,018 m, which is 13,182 ft.

Do you sleep at Yak Kharka on the Annapurna Circuit trek? On our walking circuits, no. We pass through it on the way to Ledar. On the mountain-bike tour, yes.

How far is Yak Kharka from Manang? About 10 km by the bike route, and 3 to 4 hours, with about 478 m of climbing.

Is Yak Kharka higher than Ledar? No. Ledar is higher, at 4,250 m.

Is there a risk of altitude sickness at Yak Kharka? Yes, as at any stop above 4,000 m. The rest day in Manang and a short walking day help, and your guide watches you closely.

What is the next stop after Yak Kharka? Ledar on foot, Thorong Phedi (4,525 m) on the bike tour.

Do I need a permit for Yak Kharka? You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and a TIMS card. We arrange both. It is not a restricted area.

How are the terms for these trips?

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 whether you want to walk or ride, and the month you have in mind. 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.