Annapurna Circuit Trek — Self-Launched 15-Day Version

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport and take a prepaid taxi to Thamel (Rs 800-1,000 / ~£5-6) rather than a private transfer. Check into a budget guesthouse in Thamel. Spend the afternoon buying your TIMS card and ACAP permit (Nepal Tourism Board office, Bhrikutimandap, or via the Nepal Trekking Agencies office) and picking up last-minute gear — Kathmandu has cheap rental down jackets and sleeping bags (£1-2/day). Arrange your licensed guide here (legally required for the Annapurna region since 2023): expect roughly £18-22/day for a guide, or £15-18/day for a porter.

🚌Prepaid airport taxi to Thamel, ~£5-6

🛏Budget guesthouse in Thamel (dorm/private, £6-12)

• →Prepaid taxi to Thamel
• →Buy TIMS card + ACAP permit at Nepal Tourism Board
• →Rent down jacket/sleeping bag
• →Book guide via Kathmandu trekking agency

Take an early tourist bus or local bus from Kathmandu's Gongabu (Machha Pokhari) bus park to Besisahar, roughly 6-7 hours, ~£6-9. From Besisahar catch a shared jeep or local bus up the dirt road to Bhulbhule, about 2 hours, ~£3-5. Overnight in a teahouse above the Marsyangdi River. Meals are now on the teahouse menu — dhal bhat (unlimited refills) is the cheapest and best fuel at ~£3-4.

🚌Public bus ~£7 + shared jeep ~£4

🛏Teahouse in Bhulbhule (twin room, £3-5, sometimes free with meals)

• →Public bus Kathmandu to Besisahar
• →Shared jeep Besisahar to Bhulbhule
• →Teahouse dinner by the Marsyangdi

A steady trekking day of about 6-7 hours along the Marsyangdi valley, crossing long suspension bridges and passing waterfalls. The trail works through rice fields and terraced hillsides with villages like Ngadi and Jagat for lunch stops. Pay the ACAP checkpost fee at Jagat if not done earlier and have your TIMS card checked. Chamje sits just before the trail turns steeply up towards Tal.

🚌On foot, ~6-7 hours

🛏Teahouse in Chamje (twin room, £3-5)

• →Suspension bridge crossings
• →Waterfall viewpoints
• →ACAP/TIMS checkpost at Jagat
• →Rice terrace and hillside walking

Climb steeply to Tal, the first village inside the Manang district, where the valley opens dramatically. Continue via Tal Phedi, Karte and Naje to Dharapani, then on to Bagarchhap among apple orchards and pine. Roughly 6-7 hours walking. Bagarchhap is a lovely quiet teahouse village — try the local apple brandy in the evening.

🚌On foot, ~6-7 hours

🛏Teahouse in Bagarchhap (twin room, £3-5)

• →Climb to Tal village
• →Marsyangdi River trail
• →Walk through Karte, Naje and Dharapani
• →Apple orchards at Bagarchhap

Continue through Danakyu and into rhododendron and oak forest, with a lunch stop at Timang Danda offering the first sweeping views of Mt. Manaslu. Pass Latamarang, Thanchowk and Koto before reaching Chame, the administrative headquarters of Manang district. Expect your first real cold nights from here — check your sleeping bag rating. About 5-6 hours walking.

🚌On foot, ~5-6 hours

🛏Teahouse in Chame (twin room, £4-6)

• →Forest trekking via Danakyu
• →Lunch at Timang Danda with Mt. Manaslu views
• →Walk via Koto to Chame
• →Hot springs at Chame (optional)

A dramatic day — the valley narrows into a gorge and Annapurna II looms directly overhead. Trek through Telekhu, cross a bridge over the Marsyangdi, then walk through pine forest to Pisang. About 5-6 hours. Upper Pisang (Ghyaru side) is quieter and has better views; Lower Pisang is cheaper and sunnier. Either works as a base.

🚌On foot, ~5-6 hours

🛏Teahouse in Pisang (twin room, £4-6)

• →Marsyangdi bridge crossing
• →Pine forest trekking
• →Annapurna II and Pisang Peak views
• →Choose Upper or Lower Pisang for the night

A short, easy day — walk up to Braga (or nearby Manang) and use the spare hours to acclimatise gently. Visit Braga Gompa, a 500-year-old monastery perched on the cliff above the village. Afternoon is for resting, hydrating and eating well at altitude. Only 3-4 hours walking, deliberately light before the acclimatisation day.

🚌On foot, ~3-4 hours

🛏Teahouse in Braga or Manang (twin room, £4-6)

• →Walk Pisang to Braga
• →Visit Braga Gompa monastery
• →Afternoon rest and hydration at altitude

Essential rest day before the pass. Take a day-hike to Mt. Khangsar viewpoint (3,756m) or climb to the Gangapurna Lake viewpoint behind Manang — both help your body adjust without gaining sleeping altitude. Manang has bakeries, a small Himalayan Rescue Association clinic giving free altitude talks (worth attending), and shops for last-minute supplies. Don't skip this day; most altitude problems on the Circuit are caused by rushing past Manang.

🚌On foot, day hike ~4-5 hours

🛏Teahouse in Manang/Braga (twin room, £4-6)

• →Day hike to Mt. Khangsar (3,756m)
• →Gangapurna Lake viewpoint
• →Altitude sickness talk at HRA clinic, Manang
• →Resupply and rest

Leave the tree line behind and climb through juniper scrub to Yak Kharka, about 10.4 km / 4-5 hours. If you feel strong and are well-acclimatised you can push on to Letdar for a slightly shorter next day — but don't force it. Nights are cold from here (below freezing possible), so a good sleeping bag is essential and many teahouses charge for extra blankets.

🚌On foot, ~4-5 hours

🛏Teahouse at Yak Kharka (twin room, £4-6)

• →Trek through juniper forests
• →Walk to Yak Kharka (10.4 km)
• →Optional continuation to Letdar
• →Thorong Khola valley views

A short acclimatisation-friendly day along the east bank of the Jarang Khola to Thorong Phedi (4,450m), only 3-4 hours. Keep an eye out for blue sheep, and occasionally snow leopard tracks, on the slopes above. Arrive early, eat a big early dinner at 4-5pm and sleep early — you'll be starting the pass before dawn. Consider high-camp (Thorong High Camp, 4,850m) instead if you want a shorter summit morning, but it's colder and can worsen sleep.

🚌On foot, ~3-4 hours

🛏Teahouse at Thorong Phedi or High Camp (twin room, £5-7)

• →Trek east bank of Jarang Khola
• →Wildlife spotting (blue sheep, lammergeyer)
• →Early dinner and early night at Thorong Phedi

The big day. Start at 4-5am with headtorch and microspikes (useful Oct-Nov) to reach Thorong La Pass (5,416m) in about 4 hours, then descend roughly 1,600m over 3-4 hours to Muktinath. Views of Annapurna, Gangapurna, Khatungkang and Dhaulagiri from the pass. Watch for symptoms of AMS — descend immediately if you feel bad. At Muktinath, visit the pilgrimage temple complex (Hindu and Buddhist) and its 108 water spouts, then sleep low in Ranipauwa or Muktinath village.

🚌On foot, ~7-8 hours

🛏Teahouse/guesthouse at Muktinath/Ranipauwa (twin room, £5-8)

• →Dawn ascent to Thorong La Pass (5,416m)
• →Long descent to Muktinath
• →Muktinath temple complex and 108 water spouts
• →Annapurna and Dhaulagiri viewpoints

Descend through Kagbeni, a fascinating medieval village with a red gompa and the gateway to Upper Mustang — worth an hour's wander. Try the local apple cider or apple brandy (Marpha's produce is famous further down the valley). Continue down the windy Kali Gandaki Valley to Jomsom, about 5-6 hours walking. Jomsom is a dusty, windy town with bakeries, airstrip and ATMs — a good place to rest and recharge.

🚌On foot, ~5-6 hours

🛏Guesthouse in Jomsom (twin room, £5-8)

• →Explore Kagbeni village and gompa
• →Optional apple cider tasting
• →Kali Gandaki Valley walk to Jomsom

Fly Jomsom-Pokhara with a local airline (Yeti/Tara/Summit, ~£80-100, 20-minute dramatic flight) or take the far cheaper two-day shared jeep route via Beni if you're on a tight budget. In Pokhara, check into a Lakeside guesthouse near Phewa Tal. Spend the afternoon visiting the Peace Pagoda (short boat + uphill walk), Matepani Monastery, the International Mountain Museum and Devi's Falls, then catch sunset over Phewa Lake from a Lakeside rooftop bar.

🚌Domestic flight ~£90 or shared jeep via Beni ~£15

🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara (private room, £8-14)

• →Scenic flight Jomsom to Pokhara
• →Peace Pagoda and Phewa Lake boat
• →International Mountain Museum
• →Devi's Falls
• →Sunset by Phewa Tal

A rest day with travel. Take a tourist bus Pokhara-Kathmandu (7-8 hours, ~£9-12) or grab a cheap domestic flight if you'd rather save the day (~£70-90). Back in Thamel, enjoy a hot shower, a proper meal and explore the alleyways of Thamel for souvenirs, trekking gear and bookshops. Optional: a farewell dinner at a Nepali restaurant with live folk music.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara-Kathmandu ~£10 (or flight ~£80)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Thamel (private room, £6-14)

• →Tourist bus or flight to Kathmandu
• →Thamel shopping and exploration
• →Optional Nepali folk-music dinner

Depending on your flight time, go for a final Thamel breakfast or walk to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) if you have a late departure. Take a prepaid taxi back to Tribhuvan International Airport, about £5-6 and 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Leave extra time — Kathmandu traffic is unpredictable.

🚌Prepaid taxi to airport ~£5-6

🛏N/A

• →Optional Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) visit
• →Last Thamel breakfast
• →Prepaid airport taxi