18/06/2026
ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK
ITINERARY
Day 1: Kathmandu 1,400m → Besisahar 820m → Chame 2,670m
Drive: 7-8 hrs jeep/bus
Long day but saves 3 trekking days. Scenic drive along Marsyangdi River, through villages + gorges. Overnight Chame with first Manaslu views.
Permit check: ACAP + TIMS at Besisahar.
Day 2: Chame → Pisang 3,300m
Trek: 5-6 hrs, +630m
Enter proper Himalayan terrain. Pine forest, dramatic cliffs, views of Annapurna II + Lamjung Himal. Pisang has upper + lower village – great cultural stop.
First real mountains today.
Day 3: Pisang → Manang 3,540m
Trek: 6-7 hrs, +240m
Follow “Upper Trail” for desert views + Tibetan villages. Pass Braga with 500-year old monastery. Manang = big valley town, best acclimatization hub on AC.
Altitude gain is small but crucial.
Day 4: Manang – Acclimatization Day
Hike: 3-4 hrs to Bhojo Gompa 4,150m or Gangapurna Lake
Active rest day = key for Thorong La success. Hike high, sleep low. Visit monastery, ice lake, meet locals.
Skip this day and 40% get AMS at the pass.
Day 5: Manang → Yak Kharka 4,050m
Trek: 3-4 hrs, +510m
Short day, gradual climb. Landscape changes to alpine + dry. Yak Kharka = last big settlement before pass.
Start feeling the altitude here.
Day 6: Yak Kharka → Thorong Phedi 4,450m
Trek: 3-4 hrs, +400m
Slow pace. Thorong Phedi sits at base of the pass. Early dinner, pack for summit day, sleep by 7pm.
Mentally prepare clients here.
Day 7: Thorong Phedi → Thorong La Pass 5,416m → Muktinath 3,800m
Trek: 8-9 hrs, +966m up / -1,616m down
Summit day. Start 4am with headlamps. 4-5 hrs steep climb to pass with prayer flags + 360° views of Dhaulagiri + Annapurna. Then 3-4 hrs steep descent to Muktinath.
Hardest + most rewarding day. Cry, celebrate, collapse – all normal.
Day 8: Muktinath → Jomsom 2,720m
Trek: 4-5 hrs, -1,080m OR jeep 30 min
Visit Muktinath Temple – sacred for Hindu + Buddhist pilgrims with 108 waterspouts. Then downhill through Kali Gandaki Gorge, world’s deepest. Jomsom = windy airport town + apple country.
Hot shower + cold beer night.
Day 9: Jomsom → Pokhara 820m
Flight: 20 min OR jeep 7-8 hrs
Morning flight over mountains = epic finale. If road, it’s bumpy but scenic along Kali Gandaki. Pokhara = lakeside, mountains, civilization.
Clients decompress here.
Day 10: Pokhara – Rest/Explore Day
Sleep in, Phewa Lake boat, World Peace Pagoda, massage. Buffer day for flight delays too.
Don’t skip this – clients need recovery day.
Day 11: Pokhara → Kathmandu 1,400m
Drive/Flight: 25 min flight OR 6-7 hr bus
Back to Kathmandu. Last-minute shopping in Thamel, farewell dinner. Trip ends.