Self-Launched Annapurna Circuit & Thorong La Pass Trek

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport and take a prepaid taxi to Thamel (NPR 800-1,000, ~£5-6). Use the afternoon to sort trek admin: get your TIMS card and ACAP permit at the Nepal Tourism Board office (about £35 combined for most nationalities, plus passport photos) and pick up any gear. Cash is king on the trail — withdraw NPR 40,000-50,000 here. If you want a licensed guide or porter, agencies in Thamel can arrange one for roughly £20-25/day (guide) or £15-18/day (porter).

🚌Airport prepaid taxi to Thamel, ~£5-6

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Thamel with private room and hot shower (~£10-15)

• →Arrive Tribhuvan International Airport
• →Explore Thamel
• →Apply for TIMS card and ACAP permit at Nepal Tourism Board
• →ATM and gear shopping

Head to the Machhapokhari or Gongabu bus park for the public bus to Besisahar (5-6 hours, ~£4-6). From Besisahar, pick up a shared local jeep or the onward bus up the Marsyangdi valley to Syange (2-3 hours, ~£3-5) — the unsealed road can be rough in monsoon season. Tea houses in Syange are basic but cheap; the river views and first mountain glimpses make up for it.

🚌Public bus Kathmandu to Besisahar ~£5, shared jeep to Syange ~£4

🛏Tea house in Syange, twin room with shared bathroom (~£5-8)

• →Public bus through the Annapurna foothills
• →Scenic views of the Annapurna range
• →Check in at ACAP checkpoint

Your first full trekking day: roughly 6-7 hours up the valley past Chamje and Tal, crossing several long suspension bridges over the Marsyangdi River and passing waterfalls. Gradient is moderate but steady. Dal bhat (unlimited refills) at your tea house is the best value meal on the trail at around £3-4.

🚌On foot, ~6-7 hours

🛏Tea house in Dharapani (~£5-8)

• →Cross suspension bridges over the Marsyangdi River
• →Waterfall viewpoints
• →Pass through Chamje and Tal

A 5-6 hour day through pine forest and Gurung and Manangi villages including Bagarchhap and Thonje, with the first big mountain reveal: Manaslu (8,163m) and the surrounding peaks. Chame is the district headquarters of Manang, so it has hot springs, a health post and better-stocked shops — a good place to check your altitude symptoms and buy snacks.

🚌On foot, ~5-6 hours

🛏Tea house in Chame (~£6-9)

• →Trek through Gurung villages
• →Views of Mt. Manaslu
• →Soak in Chame's riverside hot springs

A shorter 4-5 hour day through pine and juniper forest above the river, then the dramatic entrance to the upper Manang valley. Take the high route via Upper Pisang if you're feeling good — it's steeper but the views of Annapurna II are far better. Optional side trip up to the Paungda Danda rock face viewpoint behind Upper Pisang.

🚌On foot, ~4-5 hours

🛏Tea house in Pisang (~£6-9)

• →Trek through pine and juniper forest
• →Views of Annapurna II
• →Optional high route via Upper Pisang

The classic scenic variant: from Upper Pisang climb steeply to Ghyaru (lunch stop) then Ngawal, with mani walls and Tibetan prayer flags along the ridge and huge views of Annapurna II, III and IV and the Gangapurna glacier. Descend through Humde, Bhakra and Braga to Manang. This is a long 7-8 hour day but the best walking of the circuit — start early.

🚌On foot, ~7-8 hours

🛏Tea house or guesthouse in Manang (~£7-10)

• →Lunch in Ghyaru village
• →Ngawal mani wall and prayer flags
• →Views of Annapurna II and IV and the Gangapurna glacier
• →Walk through Bhakra and Braga villages

Essential rest and acclimatisation day at 3,540m before going higher. Walk to Bhojo Gumba monastery, Gangapurna Lake, the old Vraga (Braga) village and the Himalayan Rescue Association talk on altitude sickness (donation-based, usually 3pm — highly worth attending). If you're feeling strong, push up to the Chonkor viewpoint at ~3,800m for the panorama of Annapurna II, III, Gangapurna, Tilicho and Chulu West and East.

🚌On foot, 3-5 hours of easy walking

🛏Same tea house in Manang (~£7-10)

• →Bhojo Gumba monastery
• →Gangapurna Lake
• →Himalayan Rescue Association altitude talk
• →Chonkor viewpoint (3,800m)

A short 4-5 hour day climbing gradually above the tree line via Gunsang village and the Gundang River crossing, with views back to the Annapurnas, Peak 29 and Himchuli. Keep the pace slow and drink plenty of water. Ledar is cold and basic — bring a warm layer and a headtorch for the night.

🚌On foot, ~4-5 hours

🛏Tea house in Ledar (~£6-9)

• →Trek through Gunsang village
• →Cross the Gundang River
• →Views of the Annapurnas, Peak 29 and Himchuli

A short 3-4 hour climb to Thorong Phedi (4,450m), crossing the suspension bridge over the Chuli Ledar river, with Mt. Khatungkang and Syagang above you. Either sleep at Thorong Phedi to shorten tomorrow's pass day to ~6-7 hours, or push another 1-1.5 hours up to High Camp (4,850m) to shorten the summit morning. Tea houses here cost more and rooms are simple; eat an early, carb-heavy dinner.

🚌On foot, ~3-4 hours

🛏Tea house at Thorong Phedi or High Camp (~£8-12)

• →Suspension bridge crossing at Chuli Ledar
• →Views of Mt. Khatungkang and Mt. Syagang
• →Gear and altitude check before pass day

The big day: leave Thorong Phedi around 4am (or High Camp at 3am) with a headtorch for the 4-5 hour ascent to Thorong La (5,416m) — expect wind, cold and snow possible any month. Don't linger at the top. Descend about 4 hours to Muktinath, visit the temple and eternal flame, then take a shared local jeep or bus down to Jomsom (1-1.5 hours, ~£3-5). If you want to spot a snow leopard, Jomsom-based wildlife guides can be arranged but this isn't a realistic guarantee.

🚌On foot ~9-10 hours; shared jeep Muktinath to Jomsom ~£4

🛏Guesthouse in Jomsom (~£7-10)

• →Sunrise ascent to Thorong La Pass (5,416m)
• →Descend to Muktinath temple
• →Shared jeep to Jomsom
• →Optional snow leopard wildlife guide

A long but spectacular day on the road: shared jeeps or the local bus run down the Kali Gandaki gorge, past Marpha (worth a quick stop for apple brandy and pie) and through the world's deepest gorge to Tatopani (4-5 hours, ~£6-9). Reward yourself with the riverside hot springs at your tea house — the best soak in Nepal after a pass crossing.

🚌Shared jeep/local bus Jomsom to Tatopani, ~£6-9

🛏Tea house or guesthouse in Tatopani (~£6-9)

• →Scenic drive through the Kali Gandaki gorge
• →Stop at Marpha apple orchards
• →Tatopani hot springs

A hard, steady climb of about 1,600m through rhododendron and bamboo forest to Ghorepani (2,874m) — roughly 6-7 hours. Spring (March-April) means the rhododendrons are in full bloom. Ghorepani is busy, so arrive by mid-afternoon to secure a room. Set your alarm for the Poon Hill sunrise.

🚌On foot, ~6-7 hours

🛏Tea house in Ghorepani (~£6-9)

• →Climb through rhododendron forest
• →Village walks and tea-house stays

Up at 4:30am for the 45-60 minute climb to Poon Hill (3,210m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and the whole range — the Poon Hill entry fee is around £2-3. Back to Ghorepani for breakfast, then trek 4-5 hours through forest to Tadapani. Sunny days bring a good chance of spotting langur monkeys in the canopy.

🚌On foot, ~2 hours to Poon Hill plus ~4-5 hours to Tadapani

🛏Tea house in Tadapani (~£6-9)

• →Poon Hill sunrise viewpoint (3,210m)
• →Breakfast in Ghorepani
• →Forest trek to Tadapani
• →Wildlife spotting

A 5-6 hour descent through Ghandruk-area villages and terraced fields to Nayapul, then a shared jeep or local bus to Pokhara (1.5-2 hours, ~£2-4). Check your ACAP permit at the exit checkpoint. In Pokhara, head to Lakeside for a lakeside-café sunset over Phewa Tal and a proper shower — a private room here feels luxurious after two weeks of tea houses.

🚌On foot ~5-6 hours; shared jeep/bus Nayapul to Pokhara ~£3

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Lakeside, Pokhara (~£10-15)

• →Trek down to Nayapul
• →Lakeside sunset at Lake Phewa Tal
• →R&R in Pokhara

Take the standard tourist bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu (7-9 hours, ~£9-14) — book a day ahead through your guesthouse. Alternatively, a 25-minute flight is around £70-90 if the road is unappealing. Back in Kathmandu, treat yourself to a rooftop dinner in Thamel with your remaining rupees.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara to Kathmandu ~£12 (or flight ~£80)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Thamel, Kathmandu (~£10-15)

• →Scenic tourist bus through the hills
• →Rooftop dinner in Thamel

Prepaid taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport (NPR 800-1,000, ~£5-6) allowing 3 hours before an international departure. If your flight is late, squeeze in Boudhanath Stupa or Swayambhunath in the morning.

🚌Prepaid taxi to airport, ~£5-6

🛏None — onward travel

• →Optional morning visit to Boudhanath Stupa
• →Departure from Tribhuvan International Airport