Highlights

• Most popular long duration trekking in Nepal

• Jaw-dropping mountain sceneries along the way

• Very flexible trekking trail and can be shortened to only one week of journey if needed to

• Ice Lake and Tilicho Lake are the rare sights to see

• The highest pass, Thorang La Pass is a lifetime adventure

Annapurna Circuit Trekking is usually popular as the most classic trek which will let you experience the unique and well preserved trails and see the biodiversity of Nepal. Annapurna circuit trek offers an astonishing panorama of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machapuchare, Lumjung, Tukuche and more peaks. This trek mostly follows the very old paths which were used as business route between Nepal and Tibet. Apart from the awesome landscapes of northern and southern Himalaya, you will also see thick fir and rhododendron woods to the kind atmosphere of the Tibetan upland.

Trekking Annapurna round goes from 10 days to 3 weeks depending on the amount of time a visitor has. If you want to enjoy full trekking over the Annapurna circuit, you can do so but with the time tight schedule you can take the vehicle ride to Manang first then a flight from Jomsom to Pokhara and then to Kathmandu. This route demands a bit of physical endurance though since you have to cross a high pass, Thorang La pass.

As the day progress with the daily views of Annapurna, you pass through a lot of interesting villages and the people inhabiting them dry region of Nepal. The spectacular landscapes are the major attraction of Annapurna circuit journey.

Annapurna Circuit Trekking Outline Itinerary

Day 01:Warm welcome at the airport by the team and transfer to hotel, D, Hotel

Day 02:Preparation and leisure day, B, Hotel

Day 03:Drive to Jagat (1290m) via Besisahar (800m) 8hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 04:Trek to Dharapani (1920m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 05:Trek to Chame (2670m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 06:Trek to Pisang (3230m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 07:Trek to Manang village (3519m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 08:Rest day at Manang for local hike, BLD, Teahouse

Day 09:Trek to Tilicho Base Camp (4150m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 10:Trek to Tilicho Lake (4920m) 3hrs and back to Shree Kharka 7hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 11:Trek to Yak Kharka (4110m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 12:Trek to Thorang High Camp (4600m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 13:CrossThorang La (5416m) and to Muktinath (3800m) 8hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 14:Trek to Marpha (2670m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 15:Trek to Lete (2480m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 16:Trek to Tatopani (1190m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 17:Trek to Ghorepani (2750m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 18: Poon Hill (3210m) hike early morning and trek to Tikhedhunga (1500m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Day 19:Trek to Nayapul and drive to Pokhara, B, Hotel

Day 20:Drive back to Kathmandu, BD, Hotel

Day 21:International departure, B, Flight

Annapurna Circuit Trekking Detailed Itinerary

***BLD denotes breakfast lunch and dinner

Day 01:Warm welcome at the airport by the team and transfer to hotel, D, Hotel

Welcome to Nepal. Here's where you will start feeling as your own home and experience the unity in diversity. Don't let the poor exit to the Kathmandu airport fool you. The natural miracle is waiting for you at the other side. Airport pick-up and hotel transfer. Welcome dinner.

Day 02:Preparation and leisure day, B, Hotel

Our guide will meet you to brief regarding the whole journey. Documentation and all other things are also sorted out today.

Day 03:Drive to Jagat (1290m) via Besisahar (800m) 8hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Lot of options to choose from today since you can drive only to Besisahar and start trekking from there or continue driving further as far as Manang and start trekking from the point you choose. But keeping AMS in mind and as per our perfect plan, we are going to drive only to Jagat and stay the night.

Day 04:Trek to Dharapani (1920m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Our first day of trekking begins with a normal walking. From Chyamje, a short walk will bring us to a suspension bridge over the raging Marsyangdi river. Crossing the bridge, we will go a couple of hours uphill climbing to get to Tal and further continue to the big village Dharapani. 

Day 05:Trek to Chame (2670m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

As we continue our trek further, we can feel the changes already, most of all the air starts getting cooler and the landscape varies. By the time we arrive in the headquarter of Manang district, Chame village, the towering Lamjung Himal and Annapurna II will be accompanying us time and again. Some interesting villages Bagarchhap, Danaque, Timang and Koto on the way.

Day 06:Trek to Pisang (3230m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Another interesting day walk leads you through the pine woods and the small villages via the big apple gardens in Bhratang and takes you to Dhikur Pokhari at the top of the ridge. The view is already charming as you can see 'Swargadwari Danda' and Annapurna II from your lunch place. When you come out of the tree lines, you will start seeing the Pisang and Chulu peaks on the north side. The windswept village Pisang will be our overnight stop.

Day 07:Trek to Manang village (3519m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Bravo! You've done it well so some surprising views for you in this amazing day. Go via Lower Pisang or Opt to go via Upper Pisang if you crave for panoramic mountain views as well as seeing the traditional Tibeta style houses and cultures. Ghyaru and Ngawal is both at around 3700m altitude which offers the gorgeous vistas of the valleys down below and the snow-capped mountains too. Descend down to the flatland and continue via old-Tibetan village Braga to get to the scenic Manang village, the last well-developed town in the district.

Day 08:Rest day at Manang for local hike, BLD, Teahouse

Very necessary acclimatizing day is here. You have many choices which you can do today. Visit to Gangapurna glacier and the lake, Ice lake, Milareppa Cave and more. Later in the night, go to see the movies about mountaineering or learning about the AMS.

Day 09:Trek to Tilicho Base Camp (4150m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

After having a nice rest in Manang, continue your journey to get to Tilicho base camp. After crossing Shree Kharka with some uphills, we will also get through the landslide slopes and some narrow paths to go further. Don't forget to look out for the falling stones. It may be caused by the Himalayan musk deer or the blue sheep.

Day 10:Trek to Tilicho Lake (4920m) 3hrs and back to Shree Kharka 7hrs, BLD, Teahouse

It's going to be a tough day. The highest lake situated at the top of the mountains is, but worth to visit. After coming down to the camp, we will continue further to Shree Kharka for the overnight stop.

Day 11:Trek to Yak Kharka (4110m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Seriously! This is going to the be the easy day for the hardy trekkers like yourself. Gradual up first then gradual down followed by the little bit up again to get to Yak Kharka.

Day 12:Trek to Thorang High Camp (4600m) 5hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Nearly approaching the day when we are crossing the highest pass in the world. It's mostly uphill but slightly except the part when we arrive at the bottom of Thorang High Camp. If all is well, we will climb the steep ascent part of our journey which will last only an hour. And yeah we're at the altitude of 4600m already. Kudos to you all.

Day 13:Cross Thorang La (5416m) and to Muktinath (3800m) 8hrs, BLD, Teahouse

We're pretty sure you didn't have proper sleep last night because of the altitude and also thinking of the tough day next day. Don't worry. You're not the only one. Just the matter of 2 hours and we're done. Means, after climbing uphill for 2 hours, we will get to the main highlight of our whole journey, the Thorang La Pass. After getting the sips of the tea/coffee and taking the whole lot of snaps, we will put a halt to our celebration and start getting downhill towards Muktinath. The rest is the easy part though longer to get to our hotel. Time for the celebration. Bottoms up at the end of the day.

Day 14:Trek to Marpha (2670m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Relaxing easy walk it is to get to our destination today. After visiting the Muktinath temple early morning and getting the blessings, we will descend to Jomsom mostly passing through the wide Kali Gandaki river valley via Kagbeni. The windiest place in whole Nepal, Jomsom is the headquarter of Mustang region. Set your mind to face the wind. Further couple of hours to get to Marpha village, the apple haven. Apple brandy, apply juice, fresh apple fruits and other apple delicacies you choose to taste. The apple in here is famous in whole Nepal.

Day 15:Trek to Lete (2480m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

The enjoyable day walk will take us through Tukuche, Kobang and down to Lete today. The fine villages offering nice teahouses and lunch en route, you will come across with and enjoying the panoramas of Annapurna, Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri massifs our journey will continue.

Day 16:Trek to Tatopani (1190m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

As we are arriving by the natural hot spring place called Tatopani, the vegetation, landscapes and the weather will change dramatically. We will pass through a beautiful waterfall, Rupse waterfall and the deepest gorge in the world, Dana to get to our overnight stop.

Day 17:Trek to Ghorepani (2750m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

Leaving the farmed terraces and fields behind, we will hike uphill towards Poon Hill today just to be welcomed by the rhododendron (national flower of Nepal) forests and the amazing mountains scenery. The last difficult trekking day for the whole journey.

Day 18:Poon Hill (3210m) hike early morning and trek to Tikhedhunga (1500m) 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse

It's better to wake up early morning if you wish to follow the trend of watching first sunrise over the panoramic Himalayan ranges. One hour uphill walk and you are at the most popular viewpoint in whole Nepal, the Poon Hill viewpoint. Back to the lodge and after having breakfast, trek downhill all the way to Tikhedhunga. 

Day 19:Trek to Nayapul and drive to Pokhara, B, Hotel

The last trekking day for our interesting 3 weeks journey around the Annapurna. We cannot emphasize more how great the journey has been and it's going to be in your memory for a long time to come. Final descend to Nayapul just to be picked up by our drive to drive back to the panoramic valley, Pokhara.

Day 20:Drive back to Kathmandu, BD, Hotel

Early morning after breakfast, our staff will drive you towards Kathmandu. Enjoy the bumpy Himalayan rides in this overland journey today. Farewell dinner in the night. Final meeting and greeting with all the team members of our memorable journey.

Day 21:International departure, B, Flight

It's been a tough yet interesting journey with you all. We tried to give our best and how much we succeeded in serving you, we'd love to hear feedback from you before bidding farewell. Goodbye and see you again. Thank you for giving us such an wonderful opportunity to showcase our natural and cultural beauty of Nepal. SEE YOU AGAIN.

Cost for 1 PAX: $1660 /-

Cost for 2 or more PAX: $1499 per person

Note: Trip cost varies with the group sizes.

Annapurna Circuit Trekking Cost Breakdown

Cost Include

• Airport pickup, drop and other ground transports

• Welcome and farewell dinner at typical Nepali restaurant

• 3 nights hotel in Kathmandu and 1 night in Pokhara on BB basis

• 16 nights teahouse lodge on mountain

• Breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea / coffee in cups for 17 days

• Clean drinking water and proper look after

• Experienced English speaking trekking guide, his salary, equipment and insurance

• Porter service (1 for 2 trekkers)

• ACAP permit fee (Annapurna Conservation Area Project)

• TIMS card fee (Trekkers Information Management System)

• Company T-shirt and letter of appreciation

• Sleeping bag, duffel bags and down jacket (if necessary and to be returned after)

• Route maps

• First Aid medical kit

• All government Tax and VAT

Cost Exclude

• Nepal visa fee

• International flight (airfare)

• Meals and sightseeing in Kathmandu

• Extra drinks as alcoholic and non-alcoholic

• Personal expenses as phone bill, chocolate, bakery, battery charge, hot shower, laundry and extra porter

• Extra accommodation and meals behind schedule

• Travel and rescue insurance

Annapurna Circuit Trekking Useful Information

Kathmandu airport pick up and drop services

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours’ staffs will pick you up from the airport as per your flight arrival time and similarly drop you off in the airport for international departure according to your flight schedule. During arrival, please don’t forget to look for your name placard hold by the team, outside the airport arrival gate. Our staff will be impatiently waiting for your arrival to greet you and warmly welcome you in Nepal. ‘NAMASTE’ is the foremost and the most commonly used greeting word in Nepal which you will hear from our staff at the very first moment you meet him.

Customized Trips and Trip departure

Annapurna Circuit Trekking departs from Kathmandu as per our fixed departure dates. You can join any available fixed departure groups if you are a solo or small group travelers if you wish to, when the trips cannot be customized.

But if you are in a private group, fixed departure dates are not suitable for you and so you need to choose your own dates and packages, when you can customize the trek as per your travel needs. For further information, please kindly contact your own friendly neighbor, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.

Accommodations in Kathmandu, Pokhara and during trek

You will be staying in the 3 star hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara while in the teahouse lodges or guesthouses during the trek.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best accommodation arrangement for you from the beginning to the end. We believe after the tough walking day, everyone deserves the proper rest and the right ambience to relax and chill. Therefore, our choice of accommodation is the best when it comes to the trekking days. The rooms will be clean and comfy. Our entire accommodations will be on twin-sharing basis as you can see, so you have to let us know if others; let’s say if you want triple or quadruple sharing or if you want a double bed, etc. There will be extra charge for the single supplement.

If you wish to change the accommodation category to a better ones in Kathmandu and Pokhara, please let us know and we can change it for you on added cost.

Route Map and Company T-shirt

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers you a complimentary trekking map and the company t-shirts.

Safe Drinking Water during Annapurna Circuit Trekking

Hydrating yourself is the most important thing to do during the trek. You should drink at least 3 liters of water every day or more. The main reason is to avoid the altitude sickness and to avoid other health issues. Nature Lovers Treks and Tours provides you water purification tablets or liquids to purify the water in the mountains. You can even buy mineral water or boiled water on extra cost.

Your trekking guides and porters

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best guides and porters in the whole tourism industry. We can guarantee you on that. Ask yourselves a question. What do you look for in a guide and a porter? Are they fully insured and are they paid well? Well, they are the staffs of Nature Lovers Treks and Tours so they are hundred percent happy with their treatment by the company. They are experienced, licensed and knowledgeable in the field. They are well paid and fully insured for their journey as well as for the medicals.

Now, let’s talk about our backbones. The leader or a guide should have a significant knowledge in the climbing and trekking so that he can wonderfully and safely lead you, clearing any obstacles on the way. We, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours can proudly say that our guides (climbing, assistant, trekking guide) are highly qualified for the role. They are fully trained, experienced and licensed. They have undergone through a whole lot of training to make themselves useful in various situations and to make your journey a smooth and pleasant one.

Our guide knows the local areas, the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles much more than anyone do. Some of the things he tells you, might even be hard to find in the travel guide books. Depending upon the situations and weather conditions, the daily plans might change slightly which when happens, he will inform you beforehand. You should always be flexibly ready to accommodate to your guides’ instructions. Let him know if you have any health problems as well since he will act accordingly to the situation. Depending upon the group size, we will also provide you assistant guides and extra Sherpas if needed.

Our porters are always fully equipped with the gears they need and as per the company policy, they are always insured and completely looked after. They are our backbone. We allow maximum weight of 25/30 kg to be carried by one porter. They are the strongest in our group with less communication skills. We also closely work with IPPG {International Porter Protection Group} and follow their ethics and guidelines.

Your safety

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. We provide you our own comprehensive first aid medical kit bag along with the professional team of guides and porters. We are always in communication with our field team members to keep track of your safety and concerns. Your entire journey will be monitored by us and we make sure you enjoy your journey in full scale. We are available 24/7 for your health and safety checks during Annapurna Circuit Trekking.

Annapurna Circuit Trekking Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Annapurna Circuit Trekking cost?

The cost of the Annapurna Circuit Trekking varies from $1000-$2000 depending upon the number of days you choose to trek. The longer the trek, more expensive it will become. Similarly, the price will differ with the accommodation choices also. Normally, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers a comprehensive package which is inclusive of all the cost and expenses for the entire journey from the moment you land in Nepal till the moment you fly back home. However, you could also choose to buy only service-based package from us when we will be providing you only the supporting field staffs plus trekking permits and you have to arrange the rest by yourselves.

How is the Accommodation during the Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

In Annapurna Circuit Trekking, we will provide you the teahouse accommodations. A teahouse is typically a mountain lodge which is a combination of a lodge or a guest house and a restaurant or a café with basic furniture and interiors suitable for the social hangout. Many teahouses even have some attached bathrooms and the central heating furnace. Most of the teahouses provide the European toilets these days while Asian style of toilets are available in every teahouses. Hot showers are available but on extra cost. The same goes with the hot drinking water since they use the gas or solar to boil the water. Sleeping blankets are usually provided but we recommend you to carry your own sleeping bags for the hygienic purpose {can be arranged on request}. At the same time, it’s better to carry your own toiletries including the towels.

What are the permits that I need for Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

For Annapurna Circuit Trekking, you will need to make two permits: ACAP permit (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) and TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System).

How does this tipping system in Nepal works and do I have to tip?

Tipping is not compulsory for Annapurna Circuit Trekking however tipping is all about showing your gratitude and appreciation. We care about our staffs in the fields so we expect you to look after them in return for them looking after you throughout your journey. They are your closest friend in the remotest parts and also your protector whenever anything seems to happen to you. So tipping is highly expected and we’ve made it mandatory too. The amount of gratuities can be determined by yourselves. Normally, a guide expects around $5 or more per day per person while a porter expects $4 or more per day per person.

Can I charge my phones, batteries or other electronic devices in Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

You can easily charge your electronic devices during Annapurna Circuit Trekking but by paying small amount or fees for charging. Don’t forget to buy a plug adapter or socket fittings before you leave Kathmandu.

Is there WiFi and mobile signal on the Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

Annapurna Circuit Trekking route has good mobile network coverage these days {with few exception days}, thanks to the Nepalese telecommunication companies called Ncell and NTC. You can buy one of these Sim cards from any local phone shops in Kathmandu. It is wiser to buy a sim card with around 4 GB data in Kathmandu and use the mobile data in the trek to avoid paying extra by buying WiFi on the trek.

WiFi is available on most of the teahouses in Annapurna Circuit Trekking route and cost some charges. However, the signal varies from place to place and please don’t expect to receive the fast data coverage in the trek.

When is the best time to trek to Annapurna Circuit?

Annapurna Circuit Trekking can be done throughout the year. However in average, Spring {March, April and May} and Autumn {September, October and November} are the best times or seasons to trek in Annapurna Circuit. Spring and Autumn are known as the Peak season or Busy season in Nepal. It’s because the temperature is moderate during these seasons and the best panoramic mountain views are guaranteed while during other Summer {June, July and August} and Winter {December, January and February} season, the clear weather is not guaranteed. But if you are an explorer, a photographer and a peace lover, less busy season can also be the right time to do Annapurna Circuit Trekking. The problem is the weather is harsh cold in winter and there’s snow everywhere while the summer has rainfalls and clouds obscuring the mountains and the views are not so great most of the time. Some of the villages in Annapurna circuit though is not affected by rain.

Do I have to worry about the altitude sickness in Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

The itinerary of our Annapurna Circuit Trekking is perfectly designed by Nature Lovers Treks and Tours and has separated enough time in the places to let the body acclimatize well in high altitudes. As long as you follow the guide, you should be fine. Altitude sickness in fact can affect anyone regardless of the age or the fitness level, so it is very important to walk slowly and gradually as you go higher. Learn more in details about Altitude Sickness to prepare yourselves for the upcoming Annapurna Circuit Trekking.

Do I need to be healthy and physically fit for Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

When it comes to trekking in the mountains, health and fitness of a person plays a vital role. If you are a healthy person without any serious medical problems, Annapurna Circuit Trekking is for you but if you have any sorts of medical issues, please consult to your doctor before coming to Nepal for the trek. We will be gaining the high altitude of 5416 m above the sea level which is not a joke. People normally start to have breathing problems above 3000 meters from the sea level, if they have pre-existing health conditions.

Now when it comes to the fitness level required, Annapurna Circuit Trekking demands high physical fitness. The trekking includes daily walks of about 4-8 hours and involves many ascents and descents including crossing of the highest pass in the world which means you need lots of practices before you start the trekking journey. You will be traversing through the forests, high passes and high hills. If you do not have the previous trekking experience, that’s fine but obviously if you have previous experiences, it will be lot easier. For those not having previous trekking experiences, please exercise regularly for at least one month prior to your trekking departure. Go for the morning walks, do some jogging as you get time, participate in some cycling activities, etc. This way, you will be good to go for trekking to Annapurna Circuit.

What kind of food items or meals can I eat on Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

Only breakfast is included in Kathmandu and Pokhara while full board meals or full meals are included during the trek. Tea and coffee will also be provided during the entire trip. During the trek, you will have your breakfast and dinner in the same teahouse where you spend the night while the lunch will be served en route towards the next destination of the day. There are a varieties of choices to choose from; Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, Continental, etc.

The most common and the highly recommended food during the Annapurna Circuit Trekking is typical Nepali Dal Bhat {rice and lentil}; even better without meat, means Nepali Vegetarian Dal Bhat. You can also eat other food items such as seasonal vegetables, noodles and spaghetti, pastas, pizzas and French fries, soups, etc. depending upon the availability. For the beverage, you can either choose warm, hot or cold beverages; soft drinks, beer and hard drinks. For the breakfast, you can order cereals, breads, noodle soups, egg dishes, etc.

Do I need a travel insurance for Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

Travel insurance is a must when you trek to Annapurna Circuit. Therefore before you come to Nepal, please make sure you have your insurance documents with you since our insurance companies cannot insure foreign nationals. Because of the reason that they cover all the expenses, if you face some unfortunate happenings and you have to be rescued or medically assisted during the trip or if your belongings are lost or stolen. We strongly advise you to take out an insurance which covers any medical risks up to 5500 meter as well as the medical evacuation from the mountains.

What gears and equipment do I need to pack for Annapurna Circuit Trekking?

Choosing the right gear and equipment is important as well for the successful trek to Annapurna Circuit. Pack the right gears and equipment but remember, packing as light as possible is the best way to go when trekking to Annapurna Circuit. You should read this What to take for travel to get all the details on what you need to pack or carry.