Annapurna Circuit Trek — Self-Launched

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport, grab a prepaid taxi (~NPR 700–1,000 / £4–6) to Thamel and check into a hostel or guesthouse. Spend the afternoon sorting practicalities: buy a local Ncell/Namaste SIM with data (~£3–5), draw rupees from an ATM, and pick up any last gear on New Road or in Thamel (down jackets and sleeping bags are cheap to buy, or rent for ~£1/day). Eat dal bhat at a local bhojanalaya for ~£2.

🚌Airport prepaid taxi to Thamel (~£5)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Thamel (£8–14)

• →Thamel orientation walk
• →Buy SIM card and trekking gear
• →Evening aarti at Boudhanath (optional)

Morning at the Nepal Tourism Board office (Bhrikutimandu, near Ratna Park) to get your ACAP entry permit (NPR 3,000 / ~£18) and TIMS card (NPR 1,000 / ~£6) — bring passport photos and cash. Then self-guide the valley's big four: Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, ~£4 entry), Kathmandu Durbar Square (~£8), Boudhanath Stupa (~£3) and Pashupatinath (~£8). Local buses or Pathao/InDrive rides between them cost £1–3 each. Alternatively pre-book a small-group day tour via GetYourGuide or Klook for ~£25–35 if you'd rather not navigate.

🚌Local buses and ride-hailing apps around the valley (~£6)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Thamel (£8–14)

• →ACAP + TIMS permits at Nepal Tourism Board
• →Swayambhunath Stupa
• →Kathmandu Durbar Square
• →Boudhanath Stupa
• →Pashupatinath Temple

Early local bus from Kathmandu's Gongabu (Machha Pokhari) bus park to Besisahar — roughly 6–7 hours, ~NPR 600–900 / £4–6 (tourist buses are ~£10). From Besisahar take a shared jeep up the rough road to Syange (~2–3 hours, ~£3–5 per seat; a private jeep is ~£35–45). Walk the last stretch into Syange (1,100m) and settle into a tea house. From here on, dal bhat power 24-hour and garlic soup are your friends.

🚌Local bus Kathmandu–Besisahar (~£5) + shared jeep Besisahar–Syange (~£4)

🛏Tea house in Syange (£8–12, meals extra)

• →Scenic drive through the Marsyangdi valley
• →First tea-house night on the trail

A short, steep warm-up day: ~5–6 hours walking up the gorge past waterfalls and the Jagat checkpoint where your ACAP/TIMS gets stamped. Chamje (1,430m) has a cluster of tea houses on the river. Pay each tea house cash for room and food — there are no ATMs beyond Besisahar, so carry enough rupees (NPR 40,000+ / ~£230 is a sensible buffer for the trek).

🚌On foot (~10km)

🛏Tea house in Chamje (£7–10)

• →Trek Syange–Chamje
• →Jagat permit checkpoint

A gentle 4–5 hour day to Tal (1,700m), a small village set in a wide sandy river basin below a waterfall. Take it slow — this is the pace-setting stretch where your body starts adapting. Afternoon card games in the dining hall with other independent trekkers is the classic tea-house social scene.

🚌On foot (~11km)

🛏Tea house in Tal (£7–10)

• →Trek Chamje–Tal
• →Waterfall viewpoint above the village

Roughly 4 hours along the river to Dharapani (1,860m), where the trail meets the Manang and Annapurna II massif views and the checkpost logs your permit. Refill water bottles from the safe drinking water stations (NPR 50–100) rather than buying plastic — or use purification tablets.

🚌On foot (~9km)

🛏Tea house in Dharapani (£7–10)

• →Trek Tal–Dharapani
• →First views of Annapurna II

A longer day (~7–8 hours) climbing through pine and rhododendron forest to Danakyu, then on to Chame (district HQ, hot springs at the far end of town) for lunch at Dhukur Pokhari. Above Chame the valley opens up with Paungda Danda's huge rock face and Pisang Peak ahead. Sleep in Lower Pisang (3,200m).

🚌On foot (~15km)

🛏Tea house in Pisang (£8–12)

• →Trek Dharapani–Pisang
• →Chame hot springs
• →Paungda Danda viewpoint

Choose the high route via Ghyaru and Ngawal (spectacular, +2 hours, passes through Upper Pisang's gompa) or the flat valley floor route through Humde with its little airstrip. Either way you end in Manang (3,540m) — a proper village with bakeries, a clinic run by the Himalayan Rescue Association and shops. Don't skip the free HRA altitude talk at 3pm; it's genuinely useful.

🚌On foot (~14–20km depending on route)

🛏Tea house or guesthouse in Manang (£10–15)

• →Trek Pisang–Manang
• →Upper Pisang gompa and Ghyaru village (high route)
• →HRA altitude sickness briefing

A rest day at 3,540m is non-negotiable before Thorong La. Walk the ridge north of the village for Annapurna IV, II and III panoramas (2–3 hours), or amble to Gangapurna Lake and the icefall viewpoint (1–2 hours). In the afternoon visit the 100 Lama monastery and the small Gangapurna conservation office. Hydrate, eat well, and if you feel unwell speak to the HRA clinic.

🚌On foot (short acclimatisation walks)

🛏Tea house or guesthouse in Manang (£10–15)

• →Ridge hike for Annapurna IV/II views
• →Gangapurna Lake hike
• →100 Lama Monastery

A short 4-hour day climbing to Yak Kharka (4,050m) past meadows and grazing yaks — deliberately short so you gain altitude slowly. Eat a light lunch in Gunsang en route. Tonight will be cold; a rented or bought down sleeping bag and a hot water bottle filled at the kitchen are worth their weight.

🚌On foot (~10km)

🛏Tea house in Yak Kharka (£8–12)

• →Trek Manang–Yak Kharka
• →Yak pastures and blue sheep spotting

Three to four hours of steady climbing to Thorong Phedi (4,450m). If you're feeling strong, push another 1–1.5 hours up the switchbacks to High Camp (4,850m) — it shortens tomorrow's summit day considerably, though it's colder and you sleep higher. Ask your tea house to arrange an early breakfast (4–5am) for the pass.

🚌On foot (~8km)

🛏Tea house at Thorong Phedi or High Camp (£10–15)

• →Trek Yak Kharka–Thorong Phedi
• →Optional climb to High Camp

The big one. Leave by 4:30–5am with a headtorch, climb steadily to Thorong La (5,416m) in 3–4 hours — expect wind and cold, so layer up and keep moving. Prayers flags, a sign and pure high-altitude elation at the top, then a long 4–5 hour descent to Muktinath (3,800m). Visit the temple complex and its 108 water spouts (free, small donation). Shorter and much better value than any organised add-on — just walk it yourself.

🚌On foot (~16km, 8–9 hours)

🛏Tea house or guesthouse in Muktinath/Ranipauwa (£8–14)

• →Cross Thorong La Pass (5,416m)
• →Muktinath Temple and 108 spouts
• →Jwala Mai eternal flame

A gentle downhill day on the windy Kali Gandaki valley floor — you can walk the whole way (~6–7 hours) via Kagbeni's fortified red gompa and Jomsom, or hop a shared jeep for stretches (~£2–4). Marpha (2,670m) is famous for apple orchards, apple brandy and the Marpha apple pie. The Thakali kitchen here is the best food on the circuit.

🚌On foot (~16km) with optional shared jeep segments (~£3)

🛏Family guesthouse in Marpha (£8–14)

• →Kagbeni gompa
• →Jomsom bazaar
• →Marpha apple orchards and monastery

Walk to Jomsom (~1.5 hours) and either take a shared jeep down to Pokhara (~9–11 hours on a rough road, £8–12) or — much faster — fly Jomsom–Pokhara with Tara Air or Summit Air (~£90–120, book direct, weather dependent, morning flights). In Pokhara check into a Lakeside hostel and eat a proper steak or a wood-fired pizza by Phewa Lake.

🚌Walk to Jomsom + shared jeep to Pokhara (~£10) or Jomsom–Pokhara flight (~£100)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Lakeside, Pokhara (£10–16)

• →Jomsom to Marpha morning walk
• →Jeep or flight out of the mountains
• →Lakeside evening in Pokhara

Morning optional: paddle a boat on Phewa Lake (£3) or hike up to the World Peace Pagoda for free. Then a tourist bus Pokhara–Kathmandu (~7–8 hours, £10–14) or a 25-minute flight (~£55–80). Back in Kathmandu, treat yourself to a rooftop dinner in Thamel and a hot shower.

🚌Tourist bus or domestic flight to Kathmandu (~£12 bus / ~£65 flight)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Thamel (£10–16)

• →Phewa Lake boating
• →World Peace Pagoda hike
• →Rooftop dinner in Thamel

Last momos and a coffee, a final wander through Asan Tole's spice market, then a prepaid taxi to the airport (~£5). If your flight is late, most Thamel hostels let you leave bags and shower before you go.

🚌Taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport (~£5)

🛏—

• →Asan Tole market walk
• →Souvenir shopping