Annapurna Circuit Trek Distance
Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the best long-distance treks in Nepal. It starts at the low hills of Bhulbhule in the Marshyangdi River Valley at an altitude of 923 meters to the alpine mountains of an altitude of 5416 meters and ends at Pokhara.
The total distance of the Annapurna Circuit Trek varies based on the route and the transportation method you chose. The total Annapurna circuit trek distance ranges from 160km-260 km. With many of the trekking trails being turned into roads, the traveling distance now depends on whether you decide to walk through the road or drive through the main roads.
The highest point on the Annapurna Circuit Trek is Thorong La pass at an altitude of 5416 meters. This is the major tourist attraction of the Annapurna Circuit Trek because of the miraculous view of the mountains and the valley from the pass. The distance of Annapurna Circuit Trek is worth every second because of what it has in store for us. From the beautiful tropical vegetation to the snowy alpine vegetation, diverse culture from the Brahmins to the lifestyle of remote villages of the Sherpas, this trek has it all.
The Annapurna circuit trek not only shows us the mountainous view from the best points but also takes you to the religious Muktinath Temple and the natural hot springs. The distance covered by Annapurna Circuit Trek is nothing compared to the all-rounder trip you get out of the trek. The Annapurna Circuit trek is 16 days long. The 16 days Annapurna Circuit Trek is a journey of you basking in the natural beauty and diverse culture of Nepal.
Highlights
- Thorong La Pass
The main highlight of the Annapurna Circuit Trek is the Thorong La Pass at an altitude of 5416 meters. This is the maximum altitude the trek will stretch. The pass bestows upon you the most beautiful and mesmerizing view of the highest mountains and the river valleys beneath them. The hike to this pass covers most of the Annapurna Circuit Trek distance but delivers the beauty everyone expects from this pass.
- Tilicho lake
At an elevation of 4919 meters, Tilicho lake is the highest lake in Nepal. Surrounded by mountains, Tilicho lake gives the trekkers a sense of calm and thrill along the way.
- Muktinath Temple
A popular destination for the pilgrims and the tourists, Muktinath temple is famous for its sacred 108 water sprouts. The temple is popular among both Hindus and Buddhists.
- Natural hot spring- Tatopani
The natural hot springs in Tatopani is another famous attraction for the tourists during the Annapurna Circuit Trek. The trek takes you to a ride of the natural hot springs of Nepal close to the border of Nepal with cheap Chinese products overflowing the market.
- Sunrise at Poonhill
The trek ends with the all so popular sunrise view at Poonhill before reaching Pokhara. The sunrise view from Poonhill is very popular among tourists because the rays of the morning sun hitting the mountains and the lakes are sensational.
Best time for Annapurna Circuit Trek
Like any other trek, the first thing you should do is know what time is best for you to visit the destination. To cover such a daring trek, you should be fully prepared. And by prepared, I mean to know the best time to visit the place.
With every hiking or uphill trek, the weather is the main determinant of how your experience of the trek is going to be. With the Annapurna Circuit Trek being mostly uphill with sudden alleviation, climate and weather should be minded.
The best time for the Annapurna Circuit Trek is autumn and spring. Each season has something special to provide you. Different seasons have different specialties although all aren’t positive. Learn more about why these seasons are considered the best time to set on the Annapurna Circuit Trek below:
Autumn Season
After the monsoon season has ended, the autumn season arrives with the best temperature and climate for trekking. The months from late September to November are the best months to travel during the autumn.
With the temperature not being too harsh on you or rainy, the trails are in the perfect condition to trek. Also, another reason for Annapurna Circuit Trek in the autumn season is the occurrence of major Nepali festivals. The festive season envelops the trails of Annapurna Circuit Trek making you feel the spirit and culture of Nepali people.
This season also bestows upon you the best views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges which would be covered with fog in the winter.
Spring Season
The second best time for Annapurna Circuit Trek is the spring season. Spring is good for anything and everything. The freshly blooming flora and fauna to the animals coming out from hibernation. Spring season offers you not only a clear view of the mountains but also unique flowers, animals and clear weather. The spring season is also helpful in the matter of luggage. With the temperature being moderate till halfway, you don’t have to carry heavy luggage.
The months from March to May mark the beautiful spring season with plenty of things to watch from flowers to animals to the glorious mountains.
Daily Travels and Distances
Kathmandu to Bhulbhule
Total Distance: 186.8 km
Estimated time: 10-11 hours
Max Altitude: 923 m
This is the most distance you will be covering in a day throughout the whole trek. The actual starting point of the circuit trek is reached today. More than half of the journey is a bus ride.
You will be driving from Kathmandu to Besisahar on a bus which takes around 7-8 hours. You can enjoy the views on the way there.
We will be walking for about 3 hours to reach Bhulbhule from the last stop, Besisahar. The trail from Besisahar to Bhulbhule is filled with beautiful waterfalls and views of mountains like Manaslu and Himalchuli.
Bhulbhule to Chamje
Total Distance: 22.2 km
Estimated time:5-6 hours
Max Altitude: 1400 m
The distance from Bhulbhule takes an estimated time of about 5-6 hours of walking. The trails take you to the brahmin village called Bahun Dada. This village is the home for the Brahmin inhabitants of this place.
The trail past Bahun Dada is yet another whimsical journey through all the waterfalls, farmland and the beautiful Marsyangdi river.
The hills with the terrace farming on display look beautiful from cliffs. After around 5-6 hours of walking, you will reach Chamje.
Chamje to Bagarchhap
Total Distance: 15.1 km
Estimated time:4-5 hours
Max Altitude: 2160 m
The road from Chamje to Bagarchhap starts to go uphill. The trail is a steep climb with many suspension bridges and magnificent views from the bridges. Traveling through these trails in summer allows you to walk through some exquisite waterfalls on the way.
Following the Marsyangdi river, you will reach the Manang district and continue to trek both uphill and downhill along the way. This path takes you to Dharapani. Dharapani has many historical Lama shrines on the way. The place gives off a religious mystical vibe with all the historical chortens.
A short uphill hike and you will reach the Bagarchhap village from Dharapani. The village is influenced by Tibetan culture with widespread Buddhism. The houses here are made of stones with a flat roof.
Bagarchhap to Chame
Total Distance: 13.5 km
Estimated time: 3-4 hours
Max Altitude: 2630 m
The distance from Bagarchhap to Chame is a short walk through the rocky trails. The rocky trail ends at Tyanja. From Tyanja, you will walk through a forested trail.
You will have to cross through a river called Kapar at an altitude of 2590 meters. From there, you will trek to Chame, the headquarter of Manang district. This stop has beautiful markets and views of Annapurna. With two small hot springs nearby, you can enjoy the view and treat yourself to some extra self-care.
Chame to Pisang
Total Distance: 13.6 km
Estimated time: 3-4 hours
Max Altitude: 3300 m
Crossing over the Marshyangdi bridge, you will walk through the whimsical forests of pine and tsuga and views of beautiful meadows. At the end of the trail, you will reach Bhartang.
The trail from Bhartang is an uphill to Dhukur Pokhari with the first sight of the popular Paungda Danda rock face. After a short hike from Dhukur Pokhari. You will reach lower and then upper Pisang with the majestic view of the Annapurna II mountain.
Pisang to Manang
Total Distance: 17.2 km
Estimated time: 3-4 hours
Max Altitude: 3500 m
Today you will have to trek for about 4 hours to reach Manang from Pisang. After enjoying the views of the mountain peaks as the first sunrise hits the peak, you will now walk towards the dry regions of Manang district. Choosing between the two routes that take you to Barga, you can see the dryer parts of the district. The northern route is difficult but lets you enjoy aesthetic views of the villages around and the mountains and the forests.
At the end of the trail, Barga village stands with a 900-year-old monastery. Trekking for an hour from here, you will reach Manang village.
Acclimatization day in Manang. (hike to Tilicho)
Total Distance: 32.4 km
Estimated time:2 hours
Max Altitude: 4,919 m
Reaching Manang is a great achievement, so treat yourself to a rest day. Today, you will stay in Manang to acclimatize to avoid any altitude sickness ahead of you. You can visit the highest lake, Tilicho lake with a small hike from here along with the Gangapurna Glacier Lake. Why not visit these magnificent landscapes to utilize your rest day.
If you reach Tilicho lake you will reach the maximum altitude of 4919 meters for the day. Tilicho lake is one of the best highlights of the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Manang to Ledar
Total Distance: 9.1 km
Estimated time: 4-5 hours
Max Altitude: 4250 m
The path from Manang to Ledar is a steady climb. Following the trail to Thorong La Pass, you will reach the Jarsang Khola river. You will walk alongside the river, through the river valley and reach Ledar. This will take you 4-5 hours of walking. Ledar presents you with beautiful views while the greenery slowly disappears from this point on.
Ledar to Phedi or High camp
Total Distance: 7.3 km
Estimated time:4-5 hours
Max Altitude: 4,600 m
You have traveled more than half the distance of the total Annapurna Circuit trek by now. From Ledar, you will now walk towards Phedi which is also called High Camp. The trek from Ledar to Phedi makes you cross through a river and walk uphill towards Phedi.
Phedi to Mukti Nath
Total Distance: 16.4 km
Estimated time:7-8 hours
Max Altitude: 5416 m
If you are a religious pilgrim or a fanatic for culturally rich and historical landmarks, today will be a special treat for you. Today you will reach Muktinath. This is one of the main destinations for pilgrims all around the world- Buddhist and Hindus alike.
You will firstly hike to Thorong La pass, the highest point of the Annapurna circuit trek before 10 am. It is one of the main difficult trails in the circuit trek. The distance to cover is long and the roads are mostly steep and uphill. However, the pass is the main destination for people who want to see the best views of the Annapurna mountain range.
After passing through the Thorong La pass, another 4 hours walk will take you to your main destination, Muktinath Temple. The chortens and prayer flags along the way are enough to make you feel like you are in a historical religious place. With the religious cultures and the 108 water sprouts there, you will be stunned to see the devotees there.
Mukti Nath to Jomsom via Kagbeni.
Total Distance: 10.7 km
Estimated time: 4-5 hours
Max Altitude: 2750 m
Today you will take your time to visit the holy shrine of Muktinath and explore and learn more about the temple and its practices. After blessing yourself with the visit to the famous pilgrim site, you will now descend towards Jharkot and soon reach Kagbeni village.
Kagbeni village lies in the center of the two rivers kali Gandaki and Jhang Khola and is a popular destination for tourists.
An hour walk from the Kagbeni village will lead you to Jomsom through the Pandha Khola valley. Altogether, you will have to walk for about 4-5 hours to reach Jomsom from Muktinath.
Jomsom drive to Tatopani Natural hot spring.
Total Distance: 61.7 km
Estimated time: 3-4 hours
Max Altitude: 1190 m
Jomsom is best known for its apples and the wine made from their sweet apples known as Marpha. You can take a taste of the apples and Marpha while you’re there. The exciting ride from Jomsom to Tatopani starts today.
After a scenic ride from Jomsom to Tatopani for 3-4 hours, you will reach the natural hot springs of Nepal. This hot spring is believed to cure your pain and stress. Do give it a try but be careful not to burn yourself.
Trek down to Ghorepani
Total Distance: 13.1 km
Estimated time: 7-8 hours
Max Altitude: 2850 m
After being healed by the mystical powers of the natural hot springs in Tatopani, you will now trek down to the village of Ghorepani. With the ethnic and cultural diversity of the people in the village and the trail, you will learn a lot more about the people there.
Trek to Poonhill – trek down to Ghorepani and Nayapul – back to Pokhara.
Total Distance: 35.1 km
Estimated time:5-6 hours
Max Altitude: 3210 m
On the last day of the Annapurna Circuit trek, you will trek to Poonhill and enjoy the view of the mountains and the forest and villages in its full glory under the first rays of the morning sun. This is a view to make you forget all the problems and worries.
Later you will go back to Ghorepani and go back to Pokhara through Nayapul on a bus. The drive will take you about 2 hours with beautiful views surrounding you. You can also enjoy the lakes and sightseeing in Pokhara for the rest of the day and experience the nightlife in Pokhara.
Difficult Trails to Cover
Being marked as a challenging trek, there are some difficult trails throughout the trek that you will have to get over. The Annapurna Circuit Trek covers an enormous distance in a short amount of time. This being said, the trek distance covered in such a short time means hiking a lot. This results in a sudden increase in the altitude along the way. There is a chance of altitude sickness because of this sudden increase in altitude.
Apart from the altitude sickness, some trails along this trek are just hard to travel. The major difficult to travel trails while covering the 260 km Annapurna Circuit Trek distance are listed below:
- Thorong La Pass
At an altitude of 5415 meters, the Thorong La Pass is one of the most difficult yet stunning trails to cover in the circuit trek. On the day of traveling through the Thorong La Pass, you will have to walk almost 10 hours. The rise in altitude increases so, there is a chance of altitude sickness. Most of the Annapurna Circuit Trek distance is covered by the hike to Thorong La Pass. The hike to Thorong La pass should be made before 10 am to avoid strong winds which makes it even harder.
- Bhulbhule to Chamje
The trail from Bhulbhule to Chamje is a walk of 5-6 hours but the distance to cover is more than 22 kilometers. So, prepare yourself for a long walk ahead. The total Annapurna Circuit Trek distance has many hikes and treks and this one of the long ones. But through proper precautions and preparation, you can get through the Annapurna Circuit Trek distance without many difficulties and enjoy the true beauty of the Annapurna trek.
Getting through these difficult trails, you will be able to experience the most magical moment of your life. The accomplishment of successfully covering the Annapurna Circuit Trek distance and seeing the glorious mountain not only in pictures but through your own eyes in its natural habitat is a different kind of feeling. So, if you are in for an adventure of a lifetime pushing through all hardships and living life to the fullest, Annapurna Circuit Trek is the one for you.
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