- Length
- 12 days
- Highest point
- 5,416 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–May
- Starts
- Besisahar (drive from Pokhara)
- Group size
- 2–12 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
Complete the full Annapurna Circuit over Thorong La Pass at 5,416m and fly out of Jomsom — saving three days while gaining a Himalayan aerial finale.
- Thorong La Pass (5,416 m) — crossing the highest trekking pass in Nepal
- Jomsom–Pokhara scenic mountain flight — 20-minute Himalayan panorama
- Muktinath Temple — the Circuit's most sacred religious site
- Kali Gandaki Gorge — world's deepest gorge viewpoints
- Manang Valley acclimatisation with Annapurna IV and Gangapurna backdrop
- Tatopani natural hot springs on the descent after the pass
- Kagbeni and Marpha — the Circuit's most charismatic villages
- Save 2–3 trail days vs full walk-out: more altitude, less Jomsom road walking
The climb, day by day
Day 1Drive Kathmandu → Besisahar (760 m)760 m
Early morning departure from Kathmandu by private vehicle or tourist bus, driving west through the Prithvi Highway along the Trishuli and Marsyangdi river valleys to Besisahar — the traditional starting point of the Annapurna Circuit. Approximately 7–8 hours by road.
- Distance
- 185 km
- Walking
- Drive
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Besisahar → Bahundanda (1,310 m)1,310 m
Begin trekking north along the Marsyangdi River valley, crossing suspension bridges through rice paddies and subtropical forest. Pass through Khudi (790 m) and Bhulbhule (840 m), climbing through terraced farmland to the Brahmin and Chhetri village of Bahundanda perched on a ridge with fine valley views.
- Distance
- 22 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3Bahundanda → Chame (2,670 m)2,670 m
Trek through Syange, Jagat (1,300 m), and Dharapani (1,860 m), entering the restricted Manang district and Annapurna Conservation Area. The valley narrows dramatically past Bagarchhap and Danaque. Chame is the district headquarters of Manang, with hot springs and the first clear views of the Annapurna range.
- Distance
- 28 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Chame → Pisang (3,300 m)3,300 m
Trek past the dramatic curved rock face above Chame and through dense pine forest. Reach Dhukur Pokhari and continue to Lower Pisang, with the stunning pyramid of Pisang Peak (6,091 m) dominating the skyline. Upper Pisang, perched on a ridge above, offers commanding views across the wide Manang valley.
- Distance
- 18 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Pisang → Manang (3,519 m)3,519 m
Cross the wide Manang valley with the spectacular backdrop of Annapurna II (7,937 m), Annapurna III, and Gangapurna (7,455 m). Pass through Humde (with its small airstrip), Bhraka, and the ancient walled village of Ngawal. Manang is the last major settlement before the Thorong La and offers strong mountain views and acclimatisation facilities.
- Distance
- 22 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Manang · Acclimatisation Day3,519 m
Rest day in Manang for acclimatisation — essential before the Thorong La crossing. Options include hiking to the viewpoint above Gangapurna Lake, visiting the local monastery, or walking up to Milarepa Cave (4,000 m). The Himalayan Rescue Association clinic in Manang provides free altitude sickness lectures in the afternoon.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Rest Day
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Manang → Thorong High Camp (4,925 m)4,925 m
Trek through Tenki and Gunsang to Yak Kharka (4,018 m), then continue up to Thorong Phedi (4,450 m) and the final steep climb to Thorong High Camp. The altitude is demanding; drink plenty of water and ascend slowly. The camp sits at the foot of the final Thorong La approach.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8Thorong High Camp → Thorong La (5,416 m) → Muktinath (3,800 m)3,800 m
The great crossing. Depart well before dawn (3–4 am) for the 2-hour pre-dawn ascent to Thorong La Pass at 5,416 m — the highest point of the entire trek. Prayer flags and a stone cairn mark the summit. The panorama extends across the Himalayan divide. Descend steeply for 4–5 hours through dramatic scree and yak pasture to the holy temple town of Muktinath, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists.
- Distance
- 20 km
- Walking
- 7–9 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Muktinath · Fly Jomsom (2,720 m) → Pokhara827 m
Morning at leisure to visit the sacred Muktinath temple complex — 108 water spouts and an eternal flame fed by natural gas make this one of Nepal most spiritually significant sites. Transfer to Jomsom (30 min drive or 3-hour trek). Take a short morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara over the dramatic Mustang gorge and Kali Gandaki canyon. Arrive Pokhara by mid-morning.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Flight
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
Day 10Rest Day in Pokhara827 m
Full day at leisure in Pokhara to recover. Explore the lakeside, visit the International Mountain Museum, take a boat on Phewa Lake, or enjoy a lakeside massage. Evening celebration dinner overlooking the water.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Rest Day
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
Day 11Pokhara · Fly to Kathmandu1,400 m
Morning flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu (25 minutes) with views of the Himalayan chain. Afternoon at leisure in Kathmandu — last-minute shopping in Thamel, visit Pashupatinath or Boudhanath. Farewell dinner at a traditional Newari restaurant.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Flight
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
Day 12Departure from Kathmandu1,400 m
Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for departure. The Annapurna Circuit complete — one of the world great trekking achievements.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
The price includes
- Government-registered English-speaking trek guide
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- ACAP permit and TIMS card
- Kathmandu–Besisahar bus and local jeep to Jagat
- Jomsom–Pokhara scheduled mountain flight
- Pokhara–Kathmandu tourist bus
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Altitude sickness kit and pulse oximeter
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International flights
- Nepal visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal gear
- Tips
The 12-day Annapurna Circuit with Jomsom Flight is the modern standard for the circuit — taking the bus and jeep to Chame to bypass the lower jeep-road sections, completing the full highland circuit over Thorong La (5,416 m), and exiting from Jomsom by mountain flight to Pokhara. This is the itinerary that delivers the Annapurna Circuit's best elements — the Manang Valley, Thorong La, Muktinath, and the Kali Gandaki gorge — in the shortest responsible timeframe.
The Jomsom flight exit is a highlight in its own right: a 20-minute mountain flight above the Kali Gandaki gorge, with Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) and Annapurna I (8,091 m) on either side, descending into Pokhara — one of the most dramatic short commercial flights in the world. It eliminates the Muktinath-to-Beni descent (which is now largely on jeep road) and delivers you to Pokhara's lakeside in time for dinner on the same day you crossed the pass.
This itinerary is appropriate for trekkers with general fitness and no prior altitude experience, provided the acclimatisation days at Manang (3,519 m) are respected. The Thorong La crossing at 5,416 m is the high point — steep but non-technical, with no fixed ropes required in normal conditions.
Thorong La in Context
The Thorong La Pass is crossed by over 60,000 trekkers per year and is well-maintained with teahouse support to High Camp (4,849 m). The crossing takes 5–7 hours from High Camp to Muktinath on a typical day. Our guides carry emergency medication and supplemental oxygen as standard. The descent from the pass to Muktinath (1,600 m drop in 3 hours) is steep on the knees — we recommend trekking poles, which are available for rent in Manang.
Best seasons: October–November and March–May. Thorong La: Closed December–February in heavy snow. Max altitude: Thorong La 5,416 m.