The Annapurna Circuit takes you through a stunning array of landscapes, from lowland subtropical forests and terraced fields to alpine meadows and high desert plateaus. The trek typically begins in Besisahar and winds its way through picturesque villages, allowing trekkers to experience the rich cultural tapestry of the region, including encounters with various ethnic communities such as Gurungs and Thakalis.

As you ascend, the trail provides awe-inspiring views of towering peaks, including the majestic Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. The trek crosses the Thorong La Pass, one of the world's highest trekking passes at an elevation of 5,416 metres (17,769 feet), providing a challenging yet rewarding experience.

Throughout the journey, trekkers are treated to the hospitality of teahouse lodges, where they can rest, refuel, and connect with fellow adventurers. The trail also passes through the sacred Muktinath Temple, a significant pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists.

Annapurna Circuit Day to Day Itinerary
Day
1
Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (760m / 2492ft) west of the Kathmandu Valley
Itinerary Facts
Driving Hours
(190km / 118miles) 6-8 hrs
Early morning after breakfast, we take a local bus to Besishar, which takes about 6-7 hours (190 Km). The route passes out of the valley along the picturesque Trishuli river to Besisahar, situated along the Marsyangdi River. Throughout your ride, you will see amazing terraced farms, beautiful villages, gorgeous Ganesh and Manaslu snow peaks.

Day
2
Drive From Besisahar (760m / 2492ft) to Chame (2,710m / 8,890ft)
Itinerary Facts
Driving Hours
(66.5km / 41.3miles) 7 - 8 hrs
We take a local bus to Chame. The bus route passes through several jungles and terrace farms along the Marsyangdi River. We will be passing through the peaceful Jagat Bazaar and stopping briefly at Dharapani (1860m) to register our permit. Dharapani is the main entry point for Annapurna Trek. Then, we continue our bus ride until we reach Chame.

Chame has a busy bazaar and rejuvenating hot springs along the Marsyangdi river- where we can relax. From Chame, you can witness the fantastic views of Annapurna II (7,937m) and Lamjung Himal (6,932m) up the valley, and if you look back, you will be able to see the Manaslu (8,154m) and Peak 29 (7,833m)

Day
3
Trek from Chame (2,710m / 8,890ft) to Upper Pisang (3,300m / 10,826ft)
Itinerary Facts
Trek Distance
13.2km / 8.2miles
Highest Altitude
3,115m / 10,200ft
Trek Duration
5 - 6 hrs
Our actual steps on the trail start from Chame, first, we walk through a steep and narrow valley to catch the views of Paungda Danda Rock face, a curved rock face rising 1500m from the river. Along with Paungda Danda Rock, you will also get clear views of Annapurna II in the south and Pisang Peak in the northeast. Then we descend to the Manang Valley floor to reach Pisang - the destination for this day.

Day
4
Trek from Pisang (3,115m / 10,200ft) to Manang (3,540m / 11,300ft)
Itinerary Facts
Trek Distance
17km / 10.6miles
Highest Altitude
3,540m / 11,300ft
Trek Duration
5 - 6 hrs
This day we continue our trek on the upper trails of Pisang via Geru. We choose this trail as it offers the outstanding northern face of Annapurna II, III, IV, Gangapurna, Tilicho, and Pisang Peak. As we ascend, you will feel the air turn cold, dry, and harsh. This trail will take you through several Tibetan-style settlements from where you get a chance to explore Buddhist culture before reaching Manang. In Manang, we will pay a short visit to Barge Monastery - the largest monastery in Manang.

Day
5
Trek from Manang (3,540m / 11,300ft) through Yak Kharka (4,050m / 14,275ft) to Ledar (4,200m / 13,779ft )
Itinerary Facts
Trek Distance
9.4km / 5.8 miles
Highest Altitude
4,050m / 14,275ft
Trek Duration
3-4 hrs
The fifth day on our trail is challenging as we will be gaining an elevation of more than 500 metres. We first make our way to reach Tanki Manang (upper Manang Village). At Tanki Manang, you can see stone-built houses with flat roofs, and as you move ahead, you will realise that you are nowhere near any other settlements. The place is desolate. As you continue further, you will reach a tiny village - Gunsang, and shortly after, you will arrive at a peaceful meadow known as Yak Kharka. The path to Yak Kharka might have been challenging, but from Yak Kharka, the trail to Ledar is easy. We will spend our night at Ledar.

Day
6
Trek from Ledar (4,200m / 13,779ft) to Thorong Phedi (4,525m / 14,525ft)
Itinerary Facts
Trek Distance
8.5km / 5.2 miles
Highest Altitude
4,525m / 14,525ft
Trek Duration
4-5 hrs
Today's trek will be a short one - 3 to 4 hours as it also helps the acclimatisation process. We leave Ledar behind and continue our walk, which takes us across Jorsang river(4310m) and to Phedi at (4,525m/14,525ft). Phedi is a Nepali word for the foot of the hill.

Day
7
Trek from Thorong Phedi (4,525m/14,525ft) to Muktinath Temple (3,760m/12,623 ft) via Thorong La High Pass (5,416 m/17,756 ft)
Itinerary Facts
Trek Distance
15.6km / 9.6miles
Highest Altitude
5,416m / 17,756ft
Trek Duration
9 hrs
The most challenging part of the trip lies on our seventh day, as we will be crossing Thorong La Pass, one of the highest passes in the world, and the highest point of this trek. We wake up very early at 3 am to face this challenge and push ourselves against icy air and rough high-altitude trails, but the views from the pass are totally worth it.

From the Thorong La Pass, on your north, you will see a panorama of majestic Himalayan peaks extending to Tibet, and as you turn back, you can see the Annapurna massifs. After enjoying the views from the Thorong La Pass, We descend to Muktinath.

The descent is quite steep and will take between 3 to 4 hours. Muktinath is sacred for both Hindus and Buddhists - the Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means Hundred Waters. Muktinath Temple has 108 water sprouts with icy-cold water flowing from Kali Gandaki. Moreover, you can also see the eternal flame that has been burning there for more than 2,000 years.

Day
8
Drive from Muktinath (3,760m/12,623 ft) to Jomsom (2,720m) and then to Tatopani (1200m/3,940ft)
Itinerary Facts
Driving Hours
(113km / 70 miles) 6-7 hrs
On our eighth day, we take public transport from Muktinath. The road heads down the valley to Jomsom. We will soon find ourselves at the bottom of Kali Gandaki river valley and to Jomsom, district headquarters of Mustang. Jomsom's bustling marketplace provides a great change from the scenic farms and rural villages we had previously visited. We will stop and rest for a while in Jomsom and catch a local bus to Tatopani.

Our journey passes along the deepest gorge in the world, and it will take us from the arid high elevation terrain to the lowlands with lush jungle and farmlands. Throughout your bus journey, you get to enjoy the great views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan ranges until we finally reach Tatopani. At Tatopani, we can take a dip in the nearby hot springs before settling for the night. (Tatopani means hot water in Nepali.)

Day
9
Drive from Tatopani (1200m / 3,940ft) to Pokhara (850m / 2788ft)
Itinerary Facts
Driving Hours
(197km / 122miles) 6 –7 hrs
We wake up early in our hotel in Tatopani and take a local transport, and head to Pokhara. Your journey will take roughly seven hours, and before reaching Pokhara, you need to pass the beautiful Beni Bazaar town.
Pokhara is a tourist paradise with almost all the amenities you would ever require. We encourage you to explore Pokhara and arrange dinner for yourself. It must have been a long time since you missed your best food.

Day
10
Drive from Pokhara (820m / 2,690ft) to Kathmandu (1,350m / 4,450ft)
Itinerary Facts
Driving Hours
(200km / 124miles) 6-7 hrs.
Finally, on the tenth day, early morning, you will return to Kathmandu on a tourist bus. The 200 km route first goes along the Marsyangdi River and then the Trishuli River while letting you enjoy the natural scenery and farmlands. The bus makes one last climb, and you will be back in Kathmandu. We hope that you had a memorable journey.