Annapurna Circuit: visitor guide

The classic circuit starts at Besisahar in the Marsyangdi valley, climbs through subtropical farmland and pine forest to the dry, Tibetan-style upper Manang valley, crosses Thorong La (5,416 m) to Muktinath, then descends through the Kali Gandaki gorge — the deepest in the world — to Jomsom and on toward Pokhara. Most trekkers walk counter-clockwise, which gives a slower, better-acclimatised climb to the pass.

A jeep road now runs much of the way, so you choose your own mix: walk the whole thing, or ride the lower and upper road sections and walk the middle. The middle — Chame to Muktinath — is the part worth protecting. Side trips to Tilicho Lake, Ice Lake above Manang and the Nar–Phu valley add days and altitude.

The trail is not technical: no ropes, no glacier travel, but long days at altitude. Expect 5–7 hours of walking on most days, more on the pass day.

October and November bring the clearest skies, stable weather and the biggest crowds. March and April are warmer and the rhododendrons are out, but haze and afternoon cloud build earlier. December to February is cold and quiet: Thorong La can close after heavy snow, and many teahouses above Manang shut. June to September is monsoon — leeches and landslides on the lower trail, cloud on the views.

Whatever month you pick, build in a spare day or two around the pass. If Thorong La is closed by weather, you wait, or you turn back to Manang and take a jeep out.

Fly into Kathmandu, then take a tourist bus or local bus to Besisahar (about 5–7 hours from Kathmandu, 4–5 from Pokhara). From Besisahar, shared jeeps run up the valley to Chame and Manang. At the far end, jeeps and buses connect Jomsom to Pokhara, or you can fly Jomsom–Pokhara when weather allows — flights are often cancelled in the morning wind.

Most trekkers finish at Nayapul and take a bus or taxi to Pokhara, which is the natural place to rest, eat and rebook. Pokhara is also where you buy or replace gear.

You need an ACAP entry permit and a TIMS card. Buy both in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you leave; checkpoints on the trail ask for them. Carry passport photos and cash in rupees.

On the trail, a night in a teahouse is cheap or free if you eat dinner and breakfast there; the food bill is where the money goes. Higher up, prices rise with the altitude because everything is carried or jeeped in. Budget Rs 3,000–6,000 per person per day (about US$22–45, 2026 estimate), more if you hire a guide or porter. Guides and porters expect a tip of roughly 10–15% of their fee.

Teahouses line the route every one to three hours, so you rarely need to carry much food. Rooms are simple: two beds, a blanket, a shared bathroom, and a dining room with a stove that becomes the social centre. Above Manang, expect pit toilets and no hot shower unless you pay for a bucket.

In October, the popular villages (Manang, Thorong Phedi, Muktinath) fill by mid-afternoon. Walk shorter days or send someone ahead. Bring a sleeping bag rated to at least −10 °C for the shoulder seasons and −20 °C for winter, plus earplugs and a headlamp.

Acclimatisation is the whole game. Follow the rule of sleeping no more than 300–500 m higher than the night before once you are above 3,000 m, take a rest day in Manang, and treat a headache that will not shift as a signal to stop climbing. Diamox is commonly used; talk to a travel doctor before you fly.

Pack layers, not bulk: base layer, fleece, down jacket, shell, gloves, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water purification, and a first-aid kit with oral rehydration salts. Boots should be broken in. Travel insurance must cover trekking to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation — check the wording before you buy.

The Annapurna Conservation Area is managed by the National Trust for Nature Conservation with ACAP checkpoints; pack out what you carry in and use the rubbish bins where they exist.