Annapurna Circuit Trek: 12 Days Itinerary, Cost & Best Time

5,416 m

Thorong La Pass

Why This Trek

Why Choose the Annapurna Circuit Trek?

Choose the Annapurna Circuit if you want to walk from the lower valleys into the high mountain pass and cross Thorong La. The route takes you through farmland and forest, high mountain villages, the Manang Valley, and the dry Kali Gandaki Valley on the other side of the pass. It is a longer trek, but you see much more of the Annapurna region than on a short route.

A Complete Trek, Not a Short Route

The Circuit takes you from the lower valleys into the high mountains and back down through another valley, giving you time to walk, stay in mountain villages, and adjust to the changing altitude.

A High-Altitude Challenge Without Climbing

You reach 5,416 m without rope work or technical climbing. The main challenges are altitude and long walking days, making proper acclimatization, pacing, and fitness important.

Different Terrain Throughout

The route moves from green farmland and forest to alpine valleys and open high mountain terrain. The scenery changes as quickly as the altitude.

Stay in Mountain Communities

You spend nights in villages where people farm, keep animals, run lodges, and trade between valleys. Staying there gives you more than a daytime stop.

Is This Trek For You

Is Annapurna Circuit Trek Right for You?

If you want to cross Thorong La Pass and see the Annapurna region from different sides, the Annapurna Circuit Trek is a good choice. You start in the Marsyangdi Valley and walk through villages, forests, waterfalls, and farmland before reaching the drier landscape around Manang and the high pass at 5,416 m.

I have seen many trekkers enjoy this route because the trail changes as you gain height. After Manang, the walking gets harder, especially as you approach Thorong La. You should be ready for simple teahouses, cold conditions at higher elevations, and early starts on some days.

Perfect For:

Want to cross Thorong La Pass
Enjoy walking through different types of terrain
Interested in Gurung and Thakali culture
Want to explore Manang and its villages
Like reaching challenging high points on foot

Not ideal for:

Want a short and easy trek
Prefer hotels with modern facilities
Don’t enjoy long uphill and downhill walks
Want to avoid high-altitude trekking
Prefer comfortable travel with little walking

How to Book

How We Arrange Your Annapurna Circuit Trek

From your first inquiry to your arrival in Nepal, we handle the main arrangements for your Annapurna Circuit Trek.

01

Send an Inquiry

Share your dates, group size, and trek requirements.

02

Get Your Plan & Quote

Receive your itinerary, price, and trip details.

03

Confirm Your Booking

Pay the deposit to secure your trek and receive confirmation.

04

Prepare for Your Trek

Get packing advice, arrival details, and key trip information.

Alternative Itinerary

Annapurna Circuit Trek via Tilicho Lake: 14 Days with Cost

14 Days Challenging From USD 1099

TREKKING SEASON

For the best time to do the Annapurna Circuit, I recommend March to May and September to November. These months are better suited to the high sections and the Thorong La crossing. Spring brings warmer weather and rhododendron flowers to the lower trail, while autumn follows the monsoon with drier air and clearer mountain views. Winter brings snow and freezing temperatures around the pass, while monsoon rain mainly affects the lower Marshyangdi side.

Best

Spring Season

Mar · Apr · May

March can still be cold around Thorong La, but conditions improve as spring moves on. The lower trail warms up, rhododendrons begin to flower, and April and May are generally more comfortable for walking. Snow can still remain on the higher sections early in the season.

Weather: Mild days, Colder nights
Crowds: Busy
Visibility: Usually clear in the mornings

Possible

Summer Season

June · July · August

The monsoon brings frequent rain to the lower Valley. Roads & trails can become muddy, and landslides are possible on some sections. The weather changes once you reach Manang & the Kali Gandaki side, where the Annapurna range blocks the monsoon rain.

Weather: Warm and wet
Crowds: Low
Visibility: Cloudy

Excellent

Autumn Season

Sep · Oct · Nov

By late September, the monsoon usually starts to withdraw and the trails become drier. October is the busiest month, while November is quieter and colder. The mornings are often clear, which is useful for the high sections and the Thorong La crossing.

Weather: Cool and dry, with colder nights
Crowds: High
Visibility: Usually clear

Good

Winter Season

Dec · Jan · Feb

Temperatures drop sharply once you reach the higher villages. And heavy snowfall can make the pass unsafe or close it for a period. The lower valleys are much quieter and can have clear, dry days, but the high sections require careful planning.

Weather: Cold dry, & snow
Crowds: Low
Visibility: Often clear

Feature	Annapurna Circuit Trek: 12 Days Itinerary, Cost & Best Time	Annapurna Circuit Trek via Tilicho Lake: 14 Days with Cost
Duration	12 Days	14 Days Days
Highest Point	5,416 m at Thorong La	5,416 m at Thorong La
Difficulty	Moderate to challenging	Challenging
Best For	Trekkers who want the classic Circuit experience, including Thorong La,	Trekkers who want to add Tilicho Lake and Longer high-altitude walking
Mountain Highlights	Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri & Thorong La	Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Thorong La & Tilicho Peak
Landscape	River valleys, forests, high mountains & dry valleys	The same landscapes plus the alpine terrain around Tilicho Lake
Culture	Gurung, Manang, Thakali & other mountain communities	Gurung, Manang, Thakali & other mountain communities
Crowds	Moderate to High on the Peak Season	Moderate to High on the Peak Season
Trek Experience	Classic Annapurna Circuit with one high-pass crossing	Longer route with an additional high-altitude lake and extra walking

Explore the Full Guides

The Annapurna Circuit Trek starts in the lower Marsyangdi Valley and climbs through Manang towards Thorong La at 5,416 m. The guides below focus on the parts of the trek that need planning before and during the walk, including training, insurance, permits, weather, Manang, Thorong La, daily expenses, and trekking solo.

What is altitude sickness on the Annapurna Circuit Trek?

The higher you go, the more time your body needs to adjust. On the Annapurna Circuit, this becomes especially important after Manang at about 3,540 m, with the highest point at Thorong La, 5,416 m. A headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness, poor appetite, or trouble sleeping can mean your body is not adjusting well. If you develop these symptoms, tell your guide and do not keep climbing until you feel better. Worsening symptoms mean you should descend.

If you become seriously unwell: Your guide will assess you and decide whether you should stay at the same altitude, descend, or get medical help. If an evacuation is needed, our team will help arrange it and coordinate your transfer for treatment.

For more practical information on altitude sickness, acclimatization, symptoms, and what to do if you feel unwell on the Circuit, see our Annapurna Circuit Altitude Sickness Guide.

Nepal Visa Guide

Visa-on-arrival requirements, documents, fees, and the process for entering Nepal.

Permit Rules

The permits required for the circuit, including ACAP and TIMS, and where they are checked during the trek.

Travel Insurance

Choose insurance covering trekking up to 6,000 m, medical care, and emergency helicopter evacuation.

Weather by Month

Weather around the Annapurna Circuit and Thorong La throughout the year, including temperature, rainfall, snowfall, visibility, and trail conditions.

Manang Guide

What to do during the rest day in Manang, including the Himalayan Rescue Association altitude talk and short walks to Gangapurna Lake and the surrounding hills.

Thorong La Pass Guide

The early start from Thorong Phedi, the climb to Thorong La at 5,416 m, weather around the pass, and the long descent to Muktinath.

Solo Travel Guide

What changes when trekking alone, from guide & porter to accommodation, transport.

Extra Costs & Tipping

What changes when trekking alone, from guide & porter to accommodation, transport.

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Complete Guide

The route follows the Marsyangdi Valley from Besisahar through Chame and Pisang to Manang. After acclimatizing in Manang, the trail continues through Yak Kharka and Thorong Phedi, then crosses Thorong La at 5,416 m before descending to Muktinath. From there, the route follows the Kali Gandaki Valley through Jomsom before the drive or flight to Pokhara. The Annapurna Circuit Trek guide covers the itinerary, best time to trek, difficulty, altitude and acclimatization, Thorong La, food and accommodation, trekking gear, permits, transport, and costs.

★★★★★

verified reviews

Annapurna Circuit Trek (ACT)

This was my first trekking experience in Nepal, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better one. The six of us joinedMWT for the Annapurna Circuit Trek, with two guides and three porters looking after us throughout the 14 days. The trek was definitely not easy, especially the climb to Tilicho Lake at 4,919m and crossing Thorong La Pass at 5,416m. There were moments when we were tired and wondering what we had signed up for, but making it to both places felt so rewarding.

The Annapurna mountains, the villages, the changing landscapes, all of it was incredible. You can take hundreds of photos and videos, but somehow they still don’t show what it actually feels like to be there. What I’ll remember most, though, is our guides and porters. After 14 days together, they honestly felt more like family than a trekking crew. If you want to get away from the usual busy city life and spend some time in the mountains, I’d definitely recommend the Annapurna Circuit. Let Mountain World Treks handle the planning, and just enjoy the journey. You’ll be in good hands. 10/10! 🏔️❤️

A Danish

Malaysia

Amazing Annapurna Circuit Trek with Mountain World Treks

I had an incredible experience trekking the Annapurna Circuit with Niraj from Mountain World Treks. From start to finish, he was professional, attentive, and genuinely cared about making the journey comfortable and enjoyable.

Niraj has a great balance of experience and knowledge, but he is also easygoing and fun to be around. He adjusted to our pace without any fuss, shared interesting things about the local culture and mountains, and made sure everything went smoothly along the way. I always felt safe and well looked after, which made a big difference on the longer and more tiring days.

The Annapurna Circuit is an amazing trek with so much to see, and having Niraj with us made the experience even better. I would definitely recommend Mountain World Treks and Niraj to anyone planning to explore the Annapurna region.

Dennis

Bucharest, Romania

Excellent trip to Annapurna Circuit trek

This is now my fourth trip to Nepal and each time I have used Mountain World Treks. Saligram always makes sure that every thing is well organised and that all needs are met. My guide Sudip was very attentive and looked after me throughout the trip, helping whenever needed and making the Annapurna Circuit trek fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the trek, and definitely would use this company once again. I would not doubt recommend using this company ( having used them several times now, now that speaks volumes.)

Robnob Tours

Somerset

Annapurna Circuit Trek: 12 Days Itinerary, Cost & Best Time