Annapurna Circuit Trek Itinerary: 7, 10, 12, or 15 Days?

Search for an Annapurna Circuit itinerary and you will find five websites with five different day counts for the same trek. One says 7 days, another says 22, a third throws in Tilicho Lake and calls it 16!

None are lying actually. They describe different versions of a route that has changed a lot over the past decade. The right length depends on your vacation days, and how much of the trail you want to walk versus drive.

Why Annapurna Circuit Itineraries Vary So Much?

Two roads changed this trek permanently:

• One climbs the Marsyangdi valley toward Chame.
• The other runs up the Kali Gandaki side through Jomsom toward Muktinath.

Neither is paved end to end, but both let jeeps cover ground that used to take three or four days on foot.

That is why total distance figures range from around 122 km to over 200 km. Every version below still crosses the same 5,416 m Thorong La pass!

The 7-Day Itinerary: Fastest Way to Thorong La

This route skips the Marsyangdi valley by driving straight to Chame. From there it treks Pisang, Manang (one rest day), and Thorong Phedi, crosses the pass to Muktinath, and drives out to Pokhara.

Starting acclimatization at 2,670 m instead of gradually from Besisahar’s 760 m is a fast jump, especially flying in from sea level. This schedule also allows only one rest day before the pass.

We recommend it mainly for trekkers with recent high-altitude experience, or those willing to add a spare day in Manang if headaches or poor sleep appear. Never push through those symptoms just to stay on schedule.

Itinerary:

1. Drive from Kathmandu to Chame (2,760 m), 8-9 hours
2. Trek from Chame to Pisang (3,300 m), 5-6 hours
3. Trek from Pisang to Manang (3,500 m), 5-6 hours
4. Acclimatization day at Manang
5. Trek from Manang to Thorong Phedi (4,600 m), 5-6 hours
6. Trek to Muktinath via Thorong La Pass (5,416 m), 7-8 hours
7. Drive from Muktinath to Pokhara, 7-8 hours

The 10-Day Itinerary: A More Balanced Trade-Off

Adding three days back buys a second rest day and a slower approach to Manang.

The route runs Kathmandu, drive to Besisahar then Chame, trek through Pisang and Manang (rest day), Yak Kharka, and Thorong High Camp, then crosses the pass to Muktinath and drives out to Pokhara.

The extra Manang night is usually spent on a short hike to Ice Lake or the Gangapurna Lake viewpoint rather than complete rest.

Light movement generally helps altitude adjustment more than sitting still. With arrival and departure days, this itinerary is often sold as 12 days total.

Itinerary:

1. Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (760 m), 7-8 hours
2. Drive to Chame (2,670 m), 5 hours
3. Trek to Pisang (3,230 m), 5 hours
4. Trek to Manang (3,450 m), 5 hours
5. Rest day in Manang for acclimatization
6. Trek to Yak Kharka (4,110 m), 4 hours
7. Trek to Thorong High Camp (4,600 m), 4 hours
8. Cross Thorong La (5,416 m) and reach Muktinath (3,800 m), 7 hours
9. Drive to Pokhara by local bus, 10 hours
10. Drive to Kathmandu by tourist bus, 7-8 hours

The 12-Day Itinerary: Room to Breathe

This version adds Ngawal, a village shorter itineraries skip, and finishes through Tatopani instead of driving straight out from Muktinath.

It runs Besisahar, Chame, Pisang, Ngawal, Manang (rest day), Yak Kharka, and Thorong Phedi, then crosses the pass and drops through Jomsom to Tatopani and Pokhara.

Ngawal sits on the upper route and offers clearer views of Annapurna II and IV than the busier lower path through Braga. It also connects to the Kang La pass trail from Nar Phu valley. Ending at Tatopani’s hot spring is a nicer close than a Kathmandu-bound bus seat.

Itinerary:

1. Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (760 m), 5–6 hours

2. Drive from Besisahar to Chame (2,650 m), 5–6 hours

3. Trek from Chame to Pisang (3,250 m), 4–5 hours

4. Trek from Pisang to Ngawal (3,650 m), 5–6 hours

5. Trek to Manang (3,519 m), 5–6 hours

6. Acclimatization day in Manang

7. Trek from Manang to Yak Kharka (4,018 m), 4 hours

8. Trek from Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi (4,450 m), 4–5 hours

9. Trek from Thorong Phedi to Muktinath via Thorong La (5,416 m), 7–8 hours

10. Trek from Muktinath to Jomsom, drive to Tatopani (1,190 m), 7–8 hours

11. Drive from Tatopani to Pokhara (810 m), 5 hours

12. Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu

The Classic 15-Day Itinerary: Full Circuit With Poon Hill

The version most trekking books still describe: on foot from Jagat rather than a drive to Chame, finishing over Poon Hill instead of exiting through Jomsom. Jagat, Dharapani, Chame, Pisang, Ngawal, Manang (rest day), Yak Kharka, Thorong Phedi or High Camp, over the pass to Muktinath, Kagbeni, Tatopani, and up to Ghorepani.

Most operators add a sunrise hike up Poon Hill and the walk down to Nayapul, bringing the package to 15 days once arrival and departure are counted, which is why this route is sold as both 13 and 15 days.

Walking from Jagat also means passing through Tal, Bagarchhap, and Timang, villages the road-based itineraries drive straight past.

Itinerary:

1. Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar via Jagat (1,100 m), 7–8 hours
2. Trek from Jagat to Dharapani (1,950 m), 5–6 hours
3. Trek from Dharapani to Chame (2,650 m), 5–6 hours
4. Trek from Chame to Pisang (3,250 m), 4–5 hours
5. Trek from Pisang to Ngawal (3,650 m), 5–6 hours
6. Trek to Manang (3,519 m), 5–6 hours
7. Acclimatization day in Manang
8. Trek to Yak Kharka (4,200 m), 6–7 hours
9. Trek to Thorong Phedi or High Camp (4,800 m), 5–6 hours
10. Trek from Thorong Phedi to Muktinath via Thorong La (5,416 m), 8–9 hours
11. Trek from Muktinath to Kagbeni (2,800 m), 4 hours
12. Drive from Kagbeni/Muktinath to Tatopani (1,120 m), 4–5 hours
13. Trek from Tatopani to Ghorepani (2,860 m), 8 hours
14. Climb to Poon Hill (3,210 m), trek to Nayapul (6 hours), drive to Pokhara (2 hours)
15. Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu, 8–9 hours

Comparing the Four Options

Extending Past 15 Days?

A side trip to Tilicho Lake, one of the world’s highest lakes at close to 4,919 m, branches off from Manang and adds about three days.

From Kagbeni, a separate trail climbs into Upper Mustang toward Lo Manthang, a restricted area needing its own permit; a full loop pushes total length to 22 to 26 days.

Some also link the circuit into the Annapurna Base Camp trek past Ghorepani, typically 20 to 22 days!

Permits, Guides, and Timing

Every itinerary needs the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): NPR 3,000 (about USD 23) for foreign nationals, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, free under age 10.

TIMS rules have shifted often, so we sort out ACAP and any other paperwork as part of every package. A guide is not legally required here, but we include one, since real-time knowledge of conditions around Thorong La is worth more than most first-timers expect.

September to November brings the clearest, most stable weather, with October the strongest month. March to April is the other reliable window, though visibility can turn hazy by May.

Avoid June through August, when monsoon rain triggers landslides and washes out both approach roads; winter is possible but heavy snow can close Thorong La for days.

A 12 or 13-day itinerary absorbs a weather delay far better than a 7-day one, worth weighing for the less predictable shoulder weeks.

Choosing the Right Itinerary

If you have a week and recent altitude experience, the 7-day route gets you to Thorong La without wasted time.

In case you want a weather and altitude buffer without committing two full weeks, the 10 or 12-day itinerary is the more forgiving middle ground.

If seeing the full Marsyangdi valley and finishing through Poon Hill matters as much as the pass, the 15-day classic is still the one to book.

We build all four of these itineraries at Everest Trekking Routes, adjusting the day count to your actual time. Tell us your dates and fitness background, and we will tell you honestly which version fits, not just which one sells easiest.