Annapurna

The Annapurna region of central Nepal is the country's largest protected area and its most varied trekking ground. Within a few days of Pokhara you can walk through terraced Gurung villages and rhododendron forest to the Poon Hill sunrise, climb the Mardi Himal ridge, reach Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m, or commit to the Annapurna Circuit, which crosses Thorong La (5,416 m) between the Marsyangdi and Kali Gandaki valleys. Trails are served by teahouses, and most start a short drive from Pokhara, so even a four-day walk is possible. Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are best. Choose by time and altitude: Poon Hill needs four days and stays below 3,300 m, while the Circuit needs two weeks and demands careful acclimatisation. Whatever you choose, book permits in Pokhara or Kathmandu, travel light, and leave a spare day for road or flight delays on the way out.

Overview of the region

The Annapurna Conservation Area covers about 7,629 km2 across the districts of Manang, Mustang, Kaski, Myagdi and Lamjung, and it is the largest protected area in Nepal. It runs from low subtropical valleys at about 800 m up to Annapurna I at 8,091 m, so a single trek can cross rice terraces, oak and rhododendron forest, alpine meadow and the dry, windswept country of Manang and Mustang. The conservation area is managed under the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, which has run since the mid-1980s and which has helped to shape lodges, trail upkeep and waste rules.

The region is home to Gurung and Magar villages in the south (Ghandruk, Chhomrong, Tadapani), Thakali communities in the Kali Gandaki (Marpha, Tukuche), and Tibetan-influenced people in Manang and Mustang. Many lodges are family-run, and local food is part of the experience: apples and apple brandy in Marpha, millet raksi, buckwheat bread and Gurung dishes lower down.

Best time to trek, month by month

• March: cool, clear mornings and early rhododendron. Higher passes may still hold snow.
• April: the spring peak. Rhododendrons flower on the southern slopes (Ghorepani, Ghandruk), skies are mostly clear and lodges fill.
• May: warmer and hazier, with a good window before the monsoon. Cloud often builds by afternoon.
• June to August: monsoon. The southern routes (Poon Hill, Annapurna Sanctuary) are wet, leech-prone and cloudy. The northern Circuit sections beyond Chame and Mustang sit in the rain shadow and stay far drier.
• September: the monsoon fades; trails are green and the air clears toward the end.
• October: the most popular month, with the steadiest weather and views.
• November: colder but very clear; lodges are quieter, and passes get more snow late in the month.
• December to February: cold, with deep snow on the high routes. Poon Hill and Ghandruk stay walkable; the Sanctuary has an avalanche risk, and Thorong La can be closed.

Routes compared

If you have only a long weekend, Poon Hill is the answer. If you have a week and want to see the Annapurna massif up close, choose Annapurna Base Camp (ABC); for fewer people and a ridge walk, Mardi Himal or Khopra.

Permits and rules

Most routes require an Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit, obtainable from the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu or Pokhara, and a TIMS card where your agency or the checkpoint requires one. Permits are checked at gates such as Birethanti, Besisahar and Chame. Restricted areas such as Nar Phu and Upper Mustang need separate permits and are covered in their own guides. Check the current fees and where to buy them with the issuing offices, not a third-party price list.

Solo trekking and guides. The Nepal Tourism Board April 2023 rule requires foreign trekkers to use a licensed guide in national parks and conservation areas, and 2026 operator reports say checkpoints enforce it in Annapurna (ACAP), Langtang (the strictest) and most other parks, but not in Khumbu, where the municipality opted out (checked 19 October 2026). See the guide rule by region. Reports since then conflict on enforcement, so confirm the current rule with the Tourism Board or a registered agency. A guide or guide-porter is useful for the Circuit's pass day and for any trek in winter or after snow, and is sensible on every route.

Getting there: road and air

Most treks start from Pokhara, about 6 to 8 hours by road or 25 minutes by air from Kathmandu. From Pokhara, a taxi or jeep reaches Nayapul (for Poon Hill and Ghandruk), Phedi or Kande (for Mardi Himal and Dhampus), and Siwai or Jhinu for the Sanctuary. The Circuit usually starts from Besisahar, around 7 to 9 hours from Kathmandu by road, with jeep roads now reaching Dharapani, Chame, Manang and beyond. The southern end finishes at Jomsom, from where you can fly to Pokhara (morning flights, weather permitting), take a jeep, or walk on to Tatopani and Ghorepani.

Roads have changed the Circuit. Jeep tracks follow much of the Marsyangdi valley and the Kali Gandaki, so many trekkers skip the road sections by driving the first day or two, or walk higher variants such as the upper Pisang to Ngawal route. Check which sections are on trail and which on road before you plan.

Altitude and acclimatisation

Poon Hill, Ghandruk and the lower Sanctuary stay below 3,300 m, but Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m), Mardi Himal's upper ridge (up to about 4,500 m) and Thorong La (5,416 m) require care. The same rules apply as elsewhere in the Himalaya: ascend gradually, add a rest day every few days above 3,000 m, climb high and sleep low, drink fluids, and never ascend with symptoms. In Manang the Himalayan Rescue Association post gives daily altitude talks in season, and the village is built around a rest day. Thorong La is the highest point and a long day, so sleep at Thorong Phedi or High Camp and start before dawn.

Lodges, costs and food

Teahouses are simple but plentiful. The Sanctuary and Poon Hill routes have lodges every hour or two, while Khopra and parts of Mardi Himal have fewer, more basic places. Rooms are inexpensive and meals are the main cost; menus include dal bhat, noodles, pizza and apple pie in Marpha. Prices climb with altitude and distance from the road. In many villages, community-run lodges and hot springs (Jhinu Danda, Tatopani) are welcome rest stops. Carry rupees, because ATMs exist in Pokhara, Besisahar, Manang and Jomsom but are unreliable.

Connectivity

Mobile signal covers the lower valleys and many of the main villages, and Wi-Fi is available at most lodges, usually for a fee. Signal drops in side valleys and on high passes. Download offline maps and tell someone your daily plan; do not rely on a call for safety.

Safety

• Avalanches are a real risk in the Sanctuary between Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp after snowfall, especially in spring and winter. Ask lodge owners before moving.
• The Thorong La crossing is long and cold. A blizzard in October 2014 killed dozens of people near the pass; start at dawn, watch the weather and turn back if conditions worsen.
• Stone steps on the Ulleri and Ghorepani trails are steep and slippery when wet.
• Landslides can close roads in the monsoon; leave time in your plans.
• Keep your insurance details with you, and use boiled or treated water.

What to pack

Waterproof boots, merino or synthetic base layers, a fleece, a warm down jacket, a shell jacket and trousers, warm hat and gloves, sun hat, sunglasses, strong sunscreen, trekking poles, a headlamp, a water bottle with purification, a first-aid kit with blister care, and a sleeping bag if you will be above 3,500 m (lodges provide blankets but they vary). For Thorong La add insulated gloves, goggles and a thick hat.

Culture and etiquette

Southern Annapurna is Gurung and Magar country, with villages such as Ghandruk, Chhomrong and Tadapani. Many Gurung men served in the British and Indian armies, and the Gurung Museum in Ghandruk explains the culture and history. In Manang and Mustang, communities are Tibetan Buddhist and in the Kali Gandaki the Thakali people run apple orchards, distilleries and some of the best lodges in Nepal. Muktinath, below Thorong La, is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists and draws pilgrims who bathe at the 108 water spouts.

Walk clockwise around mani walls and stupas, dress modestly in religious sites and ask before photographing people. In Marpha, try apple brandy and fresh apple pie, and buy local products to support the community.

Responsible trekking and the conservation area

The Annapurna Conservation Area has been a model for community-based conservation since the mid-1980s. Entry fees help fund trail maintenance, schools and clinics, and lodges follow rules on firewood, waste and kerosene. Carry out your plastic, use refill stations where available, take only photographs and do not feed animals. The popular trails show signs of heavy use, and spreading your visit to quieter months or routes such as Khopra and Mardi Himal helps share the benefit more widely.

Choosing a trek by time and fitness

With two to four days, choose Poon Hill. With five days and a love of ridge walks, choose Mardi Himal. With seven days and reasonable fitness, choose Annapurna Base Camp. With eight days and a taste for quiet, choose Khopra Ridge. With two weeks and a good record at altitude, choose the Annapurna Circuit, or shorten it by starting at Chame or Pisang. If you are doubtful about altitude, start with Poon Hill or ABC and move up to the Circuit later.

Money, insurance and logistics

Permits, transport and lodging are straightforward to arrange in Pokhara, which has gear shops, an airport, buses and a lakeside tourist district. Buy permits at the Nepal Tourism Board office, or have your agency do so. Insurance should cover trekking to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation, because Thorong La is the highest point. Carry rupees, and keep a small amount in small notes for lodges that do not give change.

Wildlife and nature

The conservation area spans a huge range of habitats, and more than 1,200 plant species, a long bird list and animals such as Himalayan tahr, musk deer, langur monkeys and, rarely, snow leopard have been recorded. In the forests below Ghorepani look for rhododendron, oak and, in spring, calling cuckoos and colourful pheasants. In the dry upper Marsyangdi and Mustang, blue sheep graze on the slopes and lammergeiers glide above the passes. Do not feed or approach animals, and keep your distance from yaks and mules on narrow trails.