- Length
- 14 days
- Highest point
- 5,190 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Starts
- Koto / Chame
- Group size
- 2–8 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
Venture into one of Nepal's most isolated restricted valleys to encounter ancient Tibetan villages and cross the dramatic 5,190m Kang La Pass in the heart of the Annapurna region.
- Nar and Phu hidden valleys — ancient Tibetan cultural enclave in a restricted zone
- Kang La Pass (5,322 m) — dramatic crossing between Phu valley and the Annapurna Circuit
- Phu village (4,080 m) — completely Tibetan-style walled settlement rarely seen by outsiders
- Snow leopard and Himalayan wolf habitat — some of Nepal's last true high-altitude wilderness
- Restricted area permit limits visitors: fewer than 1,500 trekkers per year
- Integrates seamlessly with the Annapurna Circuit for a 20–22 day mega-trek
- Pristine Himalayan valleys: Phu Khola and Nar Khola meet below Kang La
- Ancient Buddhist monasteries and chortens in the Nar village complex
The climb, day by day
Day 1Arrive Kathmandu (1,400 m)1,400 m
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Evening briefing covering the Nar Phu Valley Restricted Area permit (required in addition to the Annapurna Conservation Area permit), the combined Nar Phu and Annapurna Circuit route, and high-altitude acclimatization strategy.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- –
- Night
- Hotel
Day 2Drive Kathmandu → Besisahar → Koto (2,600 m)2,600 m
Drive to Besisahar then continue by jeep along the Marsyangdi valley to Koto, the entry point to the Nar Phu Valley restricted zone. Permit checkpoint at Koto — all trekkers must register. Koto sits where the Nar Valley joins the main Marsyangdi.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 6–7 hours drive
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3Koto → Meta (3,560 m)3,560 m
Enter the Nar Phu Valley restricted area from Koto checkpoint. The trail climbs steeply through pine and juniper forest with views of Pisang Peak. Meta (also called Meta Gaun) is a small settlement in a hanging valley — the landscape grows increasingly remote and dramatic.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Meta → Nar Phedi (4,080 m)4,080 m
Continue up the valley through glacial moraine terrain past Junam. The Nar Khola river cuts through narrow gorges flanked by massive peaks. Nar Phedi (meaning 'foot of Nar') is the base camp below the final climb to Nar village.
- Distance
- 13 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Nar Phedi → Nar Village (4,110 m)4,110 m
Short but steep climb to Nar village, a high-altitude Tibetan enclave virtually unchanged for centuries. Stone houses, flat roofs stacked with firewood, ancient gompa, and locals in traditional Tibetan dress. The village sits on a plateau with views of Kang Guru (6,981 m).
- Distance
- 6 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Nar Village — Acclimatization & Phu Excursion4,110 m
Rest and acclimatization day in Nar. Optional hike toward Nar La (4,600 m) for panoramic views across the Nar Valley and toward Tibet. In the afternoon explore Nar's 800-year-old monastery and interact with the semi-nomadic Narpa people.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Nar → Phu (4,080 m)4,080 m
Trek west from Nar through a high plateau to Phu, an even more remote Tibetan village accessed by a dramatic stone-carved trail through a narrow cliff gorge. Phu Gaun is one of Nepal's most isolated inhabited settlements — a cluster of flat-roofed stone houses below a towering fort gompa.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8Phu — Rest & Monastery Visit4,080 m
Explore Phu village and its remarkable Tashi Lhakhang monastery perched on a cliff. The Khampa-style fort ruins and spectacular views of Himlung Himal (7,126 m), Ratna Chuli, and Gyaji Kang provide spectacular photo opportunities. This village receives fewer than 500 trekkers per year.
- Distance
- 5 km
- Walking
- 2–3 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Phu → Nar → Kang La Base (4,700 m)4,700 m
Return to Nar then begin the ascent toward Kang La pass. The trail climbs over boulder fields and moraines through increasingly Arctic-feeling terrain. Camp at the base of the pass under a spectacular star-filled sky.
- Distance
- 16 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 10Kang La (5,320 m) → Ngawal (3,657 m)3,657 m
Cross the demanding Kang La pass at 5,320 m — one of the highest trekking passes in the Annapurna region. Magnificent panorama of the Annapurna and Gangapurna range from the summit. Long descent through glacial terrain and rhododendron forest to Ngawal on the Annapurna Circuit.
- Distance
- 16 km
- Walking
- 7–8 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 11Ngawal → Manang (3,519 m)3,519 m
Descend along the Annapurna Circuit to Manang, the main acclimatization hub on the circuit. Excellent views of Annapurna III, Gangapurna, and the Marsyangdi valley. Rest here and hydrate well before the Thorong La crossing.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 2–3 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 12Manang — Acclimatization Day3,519 m
Critical rest day before Thorong La. Hike to Gangapurna Lake (3,700 m) or climb toward Ice Lake (4,600 m) for acclimatization. Attend the afternoon altitude awareness lecture at the Himalayan Rescue Association clinic in Manang — strongly recommended.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 13Manang → Thorong Phedi (4,450 m)4,450 m
Short walk up the valley past Tenki Manang and Gunsang to Thorong Phedi (High Camp). Many trekkers stay here to get an early start on Thorong La — the 5,416 m pass requires a pre-dawn departure to avoid afternoon winds and weather.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 14Thorong La (5,416 m) → Muktinath (3,760 m) → Jomsom (2,720 m) · Fly Pokhara820 m
Pre-dawn start to cross Thorong La at 5,416 m — the highest trekking pass in Nepal regularly crossed by trekkers. Breathtaking summit panorama before the long descent to Muktinath (3,760 m), one of Hinduism and Buddhism's holiest sites. Drive or walk to Jomsom for evening flight to Pokhara.
- Distance
- 20 km
- Walking
- 7–9 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Hotel
The price includes
- Nar Phu Restricted Area Permit (US$100 per person for 7 days Sep–Nov, US$75 Dec–Aug)
- ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area) permit
- TIMS card
- Government-registered guide (mandatory for restricted area)
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- Kathmandu–Besisahar jeep and local transport
- Jomsom–Pokhara mountain flight and Pokhara–Kathmandu bus
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to/from Kathmandu
- Nepal entry visa fee ($30–$50 on arrival)
- Comprehensive travel insurance with emergency evacuation
- Meals not listed in daily itinerary
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Tips for guides and porters
- Beverages, hot showers, and battery charging at teahouses (payable direct)
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Any costs arising from illness, injury, or early departure
The Nar Phu Valley Trek enters one of Nepal’s most restricted and least-visited valleys — a hidden enclave of Tibetan-influenced culture north of the Annapurna Circuit. The ancient villages of Nar and Phu have barely changed in centuries.
Highlights
- Restricted area — maximum authenticity, minimum crowds
- Kang La Pass (5,306m) crossing
- Ancient Gompa monasteries in Nar and Phu villages
- Khampa horsemen culture
- Combines perfectly with Annapurna Circuit
Restricted area permit required — included in our package price.