Annapurna Circuit

★★★ The World's Most Diverse Trekking Route

The Annapurna Circuit is a complete circuit of the Annapurna massif and is considered one of the most beautiful long-distance hikes in the world. In 14–21 days, you traverse subtropical valleys, Tibetan-Buddhist villages, barren high plateaus, and cross the Thorong-La Pass at 5,416 m — one of the highest walkable passes in the world.

What Makes the Annapurna Circuit So Special

• Scenic Diversity: From rice fields at 800 m through rhododendron forests, deep gorges, pine forests, and Tibetan high plateaus to the icy pass at 5,416 m — no other trek offers this range. You cross five climate zones in three weeks!
• Cultural Diversity: Hindu villages in the south with terrace farming, Gurung settlements in the middle (the people of the famous Gurkha soldiers!), and Tibetan-Buddhist communities in the north (Manang, Muktinath) with prayer flags, Mani walls, and yak herds
• Muktinath: The sacred temple at 3,800 m, where Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims pray side by side — 108 water spouts and an eternal flame that burns on water (a natural gas outlet that has flamed for centuries)
• Less Crowded: Since a jeep road has opened parts of the route, fewer trekkers are on the move than to the EBC. Away from the road, it is wonderfully quiet
• Cheaper than EBC: No expensive Lukla flight, cheaper tea houses, no Sagarmatha NP entry

Route & Daily Stages in Detail

The classic route counterclockwise (the recommended direction for better acclimatization):

Day 1: Besisahar (760 m) → Bahundanda (1,310 m)
5–6 hours, ↑550 m
Start in the subtropical lowlands. Rice terraces, waterfalls, Hindu villages. Warm and humid. First impressions of the Annapurna landscape.

Day 2–3: Bahundanda → Jagat (1,300 m) → Dharapani (1,860 m)
5–6 hours each
Through the dramatic Marsyangdi Gorge. The vegetation becomes denser, the mountains steeper. Suspension bridges, waterfalls, and first Mani walls (always pass on the left!). Many trekkers now start by jeep in Dharapani or even Chame — do not skip the lower stages if you want to experience the full diversity of the circuit!

Day 4–5: Dharapani → Chame (2,670 m) → Upper Pisang (3,310 m)
5–6 hours each
The landscape changes: pine forests, first views of the Annapurna range and Manaslu. In Chame: last larger settlement with mobile reception, bakeries, and a hot spring bath (perfect after days of hiking!). Upper Pisang offers one of the most beautiful Himalayan sunrises of the trek.

Day 6–7: Upper Pisang → Manang (3,540 m)
4–5 hours each
The Tibetan-Buddhist world begins: prayer flags, chortens, yak herds, flat stone wall houses with firewood stacks on the roofs. Manang is the main village of the region — with a cinema (yes!), bakeries, internet cafes, and the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) Post, which holds a free lecture on altitude sickness daily at 3:00 pm. Attend this lecture!

Day 8: Acclimatization Day in Manang
Day trip to the Ice Lake (4,620 m), 5–6 hours
Mandatory rest day! The day trip to the Gangapurna Ice Lake is spectacular: An emerald green glacial lake with views of Gangapurna (7,455 m), Annapurna III, and the Marsyangdi Valley. Alternatively: Praken Gompa (old monastery at 3,900 m) or Milarepa's Cave (meditation cave of the Tibetan saint).

Day 9–10: Manang → Yak Kharka (4,018 m) → Thorong Phedi (4,525 m)
3–4 hours each (slowly! Acclimatization!)
The last inhabited places before the pass. Barren moraine landscape, no more trees, only grass and rocks. In Thorong Phedi (or the 300 m higher High Camp, 4,850 m) you spend the night before the big pass crossing. Sleep little, eat light, drink a lot. The excitement is palpable.

Day 11: Thorong La Pass (5,416 m) → Muktinath (3,800 m)
8–12 hours, ↑900 m / ↓1,600 m — THE day!
4:00 am departure — in the dark, with a headlamp, at -15 to -25°C. The ascent to Thorong La takes 4–6 hours in increasingly thin air (at the pass, the air contains only 50% of the oxygen at sea level). At the top: prayer flags, a tea stall, and the view of the Dhaulagiri range. Then the endless descent (1,600 meters!) to Muktinath — your knees will feel it, but the relief and pride are overwhelming.

In Muktinath awaits a sacred temple where Hindus and Buddhists pray together: 108 stone water spouts (the water comes directly from the glacier) and a flame that eternally burns on water — one of Nepal's wonders.

Day 12–14: Muktinath → Jomsom (2,720 m) → Pokhara
2 hiking days + flight or bus
Descent through the dry, windy Kali Gandaki Valley — the deepest gorge in the world (between Annapurna I, 8,091 m, and Dhaulagiri, 8,167 m). Jomsom is the terminus: From here, fly to Pokhara (20 min., from 100€) or by jeep/bus (8–10 hours over an adventurous track).

Costs

Significantly cheaper than the EBC trek: 800–1,800€ total

• Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): ~22€
• TIMS card: ~15€
• Tea Houses: 20–35€/day × 18 days
• Guide: 25–30€/day (optional, but recommended at Thorong La)
• Transport to/from trailhead: 20–40€
• Flight Jomsom–Pokhara (optional): ~100€