Annapurna Circuit hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Annapurna Circuit is Nepal's classic teahouse trek around the north side of the Annapurna massif. It climbs the Marsyangdi valley from the green rice terraces of Lamjung to the dry, Tibetan-style villages of Manang, crosses the Thorong La pass at 5,416 m, and drops to the pilgrim town of Muktinath and the Kali Gandaki valley at Jomsom. This guide covers Besisahar to Jomsom, the section most trekkers walk in 2026. You sleep and eat in family-run lodges (teahouses) every night, so you carry no tent or stove, but the altitude makes it a serious mountain trek.

The route

A jeep road now runs up both valleys, so this guide follows the walking trails wherever they exist: the old trail and the Natural Annapurna Trekking Trails (NATT), waymarked blue and red, that keep to the far bank or the hillsides above the road. You still walk on the road in places, above all between Chame and Bhratang, for about 35 km of the 151 km in total.

From Besisahar (760 m) the trail climbs through Bhulbhule to the ridge-top village of Bahundanda, then follows the gorge of the Marsyangdi past waterfalls to Chamje, Tal and Dharapani. Above Dharapani it climbs through pine forest via Timang to Chame, the district headquarters, then past the great curved rock face of Paungda Danda to Upper Pisang. From there the high route via Ghyaru and Ngawal gives the best views of Annapurna II, III, IV and Gangapurna before it drops to Manang (3,540 m). After a rest day the trail climbs to Yak Kharka and Thorong Phedi (4,540 m), crosses Thorong La and descends steeply to Muktinath, then follows the Jhong valley to Kagbeni and the wide riverbed of the Kali Gandaki to Jomsom (2,720 m).

This guide splits the route into 11 stages, about 13.8 km each, from Besisahar to Jomsom on the line mapped from OpenStreetMap. Walking times allow for steep stone steps and the altitude.

Highlights

• The Marsyangdi gorge: waterfalls, suspension bridges and terraced villages between Bahundanda and Tal
• Upper Pisang, Ghyaru and Ngawal: old stone villages and monasteries on the high route, facing Annapurna II
• Manang: prayer wheels, Gangapurna glacier lake, the Ice Lake day hike and the daily altitude talk at the HRA aid post
• Thorong La (5,416 m): one of the highest trekking passes in the world, with prayer flags and a view over Mustang
• Muktinath: a temple sacred to Hindus and Buddhists, with 108 water spouts and an eternal flame
• Kagbeni: a medieval mud-brick village at the gateway to Upper Mustang

When to go

The best months are October and November: dry, clear and cold at night, and the busiest time. March to May is the second season, with rhododendrons in flower lower down and warmer days, but more cloud in the afternoon. In both seasons storms can bring heavy snow to the pass: in October 2014 a blizzard killed more than 40 people near Thorong La, and in late September 2026 floods in lower Manang and snow on the pass closed the route for about a week. The monsoon (June to September) brings rain, leeches and landslides below Chame and cancels Jomsom flights. In December to February the pass is often blocked by snow and some high lodges close.

How many days do you need?

From Besisahar allow at least 12 days: the 11 walking stages plus one acclimatisation day in Manang. Many trekkers add a second rest day, the side trip to Tilicho Lake (2-3 extra days), or a night at Thorong High Camp to shorten the pass day. In 2026 many people save two or three days by taking a jeep from Besisahar to Dharapani or Chame and start walking there; TAAN advised starting no higher than Dharapani after the 2026 storms, to keep the climb gradual. Plan one or two spare days for weather and for transport home.

Getting there and logistics

Buses run daily from Kathmandu (about 6-8 hours) and Pokhara (about 4-5 hours) to Besisahar, and shared jeeps go on to Dharapani, Chame and Manang. At the end, Tara Air and Summit Air fly from Jomsom to Pokhara in the early morning when the weather allows (no regular flights in the monsoon), and jeeps and buses run down the Kali Gandaki to Beni and Pokhara.

Permits: everyone needs the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) entry permit, NPR 3,000 for foreigners in 2026 (NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals). Buy it online or at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu or Pokhara; at a check post it costs double. Officially, since April 2023 foreign trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit must also have a licensed guide and a TIMS card issued through an agency (NPR 2,000). Enforcement has been uneven and many trekkers still walk independently, but officials can turn you back, especially after storms. Check the current rule before you go, and register your permit at every check post.

Teahouses are simple lodges with twin rooms, shared or attached bathrooms and a dining room heated by a stove. Rooms are cheap, sometimes free if you eat dinner and breakfast there, and food is the main cost; prices rise with altitude. In October you can usually find a bed without booking, except at Thorong Phedi and High Camp, where lodges fill early.

Money and phone signal: carry enough Nepali rupees in cash for the whole trek. The reliable ATMs are in Besisahar and Jomsom; Chame, Manang and Muktinath have one or two that often run out or fail. Most lodges charge for wifi, hot showers and charging. Mobile coverage (NTC and Ncell) reaches most villages, but not the pass.

Altitude and difficulty

The trail itself is a good path, but the altitude makes this a hard trek. You sleep above 3,500 m for four nights and cross 5,416 m on a day of 7-9 hours, with about 900 m of climbing and 1,600 m of descent. Follow the rule of no more than 300-500 m higher sleeping height per day above 2,500 m, take the rest day in Manang, drink plenty, and go down at once if headache, vomiting or breathlessness get worse. Start the pass at 4-5 am, never alone, and turn back in fresh snow or strong wind.

What to pack

A warm sleeping bag (lodges get well below zero at Phedi in autumn), a down jacket, hat and gloves, waterproofs, sturdy boots, microspikes for a snowy pass, sunglasses and high-factor sun cream. Add water purification, a first-aid kit with blister care, a headlamp, a power bank and your own medicines. There are no pharmacies above Chame.

Safety

In an emergency call 100 (police), 102 (ambulance) or 1144 (tourist police). There is no public mountain rescue: helicopter evacuations are arranged by your insurer or trekking agency, so your insurance must cover trekking to 5,500 m and helicopter rescue. The hospitals on the route are small district hospitals in Besisahar, Chame and Jomsom; serious cases go to Pokhara or Kathmandu. Each stage page lists the nearest help.