Reti and I are serial travellers who have been on many adventures. Still, the Annapurna Circuit Trek was a true highlight of our lives. Despite a constant tired body, leeches and a bout of altitude sickness we would return to do the Annapurna circuit in a heartbeat.
We want to share our tips so that you can experience the beauty of this Himalayan region as well. So we have written this article to help you plan your Annapurna trip and decide how many days you need to complete the circuit.
How Many Days to Trek the Annapurna Circuit? The Annapurna Circuit Trek can be made as short or as long as you like. However, an ideal number of days to complete the Annapurna Circuit is 21 days. Allowing 21 days gives you plenty of time to acclimatise and explore side treks such as Tilicho lake.
Although 21 days is an ideal number to trek the Annapurna Circuit, you can lengthen or shorten this depending on your travel dates and time limitations. Due to road developments and an airport in Jomsom, trekkers can now shorten their trek to as little as 10 days. Every traveller will have unique time restraints, so we have listed a variety of Annapurna circuit itineraries of various lengths for you to check out.
Why we recommend the 21 Day Annapurna Circuit Itinerary:
Acclimatisation: We noticed a few people rushing through the trek and some did not cope well with acclimatisation. One man who was aiming to complete the trek within 10 days had to rush back down via jeep because he become seriously ill with altitude sickness.
Another friend of ours had to turn back at Manang due to altitude sickness, he too was trying to complete the trek too fast. Everyone’s body handles altitude slightly differently, so giving your body adequate time to adjust slowly is your best chance at avoiding getting struck by altitude sickness.
Rest: Having 21 days to complete the Annapurna circuit gives you ample time to take rest if your body needs it. It was definitely nice to be able to listen to our bodies and take rest days now and then. The 21 day itinerary below suggests rest days that made sense to us, but there is no reason you can’t choose when and where you decide to take your rest.
Take it all in: The scenery along the Annapurna Circuit is incredible and the historic villages feel as though they have been taken straight out of a story book. Why rush past and not take the time to enjoy it all? The best aspect of having 21 days to complete the circuit is that you can take your time and absorb your surroundings, rather than rushing past looking at your feet the entire time.
Limit your time in a vehicle: Travelling via vehicle through the Annapurna circuit is extremely uncomfortable and can be very draining and dangerous. Road conditions are poor and journeys are long and arduous. By giving yourself 21 days to complete circuit you are reducing the amount of hours that you will need to travel by bus or jeep. Trust us, we would choose to walk any day!
Take side treks and off the beaten path routes: Having plenty of time allowed us to take side treks such as Tilicho lake. Tilicho lake is an absolutely unmissable natural beauty, so having the few extra days needed to do this side trek made our trip that much more memorable.
Other incredible locations such as Ngawal, Ghyaru, Marpha, Terri & Kagbeni are just some of the other off the beaten path villages that we were able to enjoy. Many trekkers miss out on seeing these incredible villages due to time limitations…don’t let that be you if you can help it.
Annapurna Circuit Itineraries:
10 Day Annapurna Circuit Itinerary
Keep in mind, this shortened version of the trek involves some uncomfortable driving on pretty precarious roads. We would only recommend this itinerary if you have limited time. If you have any spare days up your sleeve we highly recommended using them and opting for a longer version of the trek.
Jagsat to Muktinath = 93km
Day 1: Travel by bus or jeep from Pokhara to Jagat
Day 2: Jagat – Tal 15km 9km
Day 3: Tal – Chame 25km
Day 4: Chame – Lower pisang 14km
Day 5: Lower pisang – Manang 15km
Day 6: Manang Acclimatisation day
Day 7: Manang – Yak Kharka 9km
Day 8: Yak Kharka – Thorung Phedi 7km
Day 9: Thorung Phedi – Muktinath 15km
Day 10: Muktinath – Jomsom via Jeep – Then fly to Katmandu same day.
14 Days Annapurna Circuit Itinerary
Bhulbhule to Tatopani = 188km
Day 1: Bus or Jeep from Pohkara to Bhulbhule then trek to Ngadi Lamjung
Day 2: Ngadi – Jagat 15km
Day 3: Jagat – Karte 15km
Day 4: Karte – Chame 16km
Day 5: Chame – Pisang 13km
Day 6: Pisang – Manang 17km
Day 7: Manang Acclimatisation day
Day 8: Manang – Yak Kharka 9km
Day 9: Yak Kharka – Thorung Phedi 7km
Day 10: Thorung Phedi – Muktinath 15km
Day 11: Muktinath – Marpha 22km
Day 12: Marpha – Ghasa 23km
Day 13: Ghasa – Tatopani 20km
Day 14: Bus back to Pokhara
21 Day Annapurna Circuit Itinerary
Our recommended Itinerary!
Bhulbhule to Tatopani = 188km
Day 1: Bus or Jeep from Pohkara to Bhulbhule then trek to Ngadi Lamjung
Day 2: Ngadi – Ghermu 9km
Day 3: Ghermu – Tal 15km
Day 4: Tal – Chame 25km
Day 5: Chame rest day / enjoy hot pools
Day 6: Chame – Upper Pisang 14km
Day 7: Upper Pisang – Ngawal 19km
Day 8: Ngawal – Manang 10km
Day 9: Manang Acclimatisation day
Day 10: Manang – Khangsar 11km
Day 11: Khangsar – Tilicho Lake return 8km
Day 12: Khangsar – Yak Karta 7km
Day 13: Yak Karta – Thorung Phedi 6km
Day 14: Thorung Phedi – Muktinath 16km
Day 15: Rest day in Muktinath
Day 16: Muktinath – Kagbeni via Jhong 12km (Visit Terri Village optional)
Day 17: Kagbeni – Marpha 14km
Day 18: Marpha Rest Day
Day 19: Marpha – Ghasa 23km
Day 20: Ghasa – Tatopani 20km
Day 21: Bus back to Pokhara
25 Days Annapurna Circuit Itinerary
Bhulbhule to Pothana = 240km
Day 1: Bus or Jeep from Pohkara to Bhulbhule then trek to Ngadi Lamjung
Day 2: Ngadi – Ghermu 9km
Day 3: Ghermu – Tal 15km
Day 4: Tal – Chame 25km
Day 5: Chame rest day / enjoy hot pools
Day 6: Chame – Upper Pisang 14km
Day 7: Upper Pisang – Ngawal 19km
Day 8: Ngawal – Manang 10km
Day 9: Manang Acclimatisation day
Day 10: Manang – Khangsar 11km
Day 11: Khangsar – Tilicho Lake return 8km
Day 12: Khangsar – Yak Karta 7km
Day 13: Yak Karta – Thorung Phedi 6km
Day 14: Thorung Phedi – Muktinath 16km
Day 15: Rest day in Muktinath
Day 16: Muktinath – Kagbeni via Jhong 12km
Day 17: Kagbeni – Marpha 14km
Day 18: Marpha Rest Day
Day 19: Marpha – Ghasa 23km
Day 20: Ghasa – Tatopani 20km
Day 21: Tatopani to Ghorepani
Day 22: Ghorepani – poon hill return 1km
Day 23: Ghorepani – Ghandruk 15km
Day 24: Ghandruk – Pothana 15km
Day 25: Pothana to Phedi 6km then catch jeep or bus to Pokahara
Annapurna Circuit Length
To trek the full Annapurna Circuit from Bhulbhule to Pothana you will be walking just over 240km. This will take you approximately 21 days to walk.
How do I get to the Annapurna Circuit?
The best way to reach the Annapurna Circuit is via Pokhara, and mant trekkers use use Pokhara as a base for the trek. Pokhara is a beautiful, small city located on a lakes edge and is a great place to spend a few days before and after your trek.
You can leave your luggage at your guest house in Pokhara as well as arrange your trekking permit and purchase any trekking equipment you might need. From Pokhara you can catch a four hour bus or jeep to Besisahar and then onto Bhulbhule where you can begin your Annapurna Circuit trek.
Where to Stay in Pokhara?
If you are trekking in high season it’s best to book your Pokhara accommodation in advance as the tourist numbers swell and guest houses book out fast. Below is our list of suggested guesthouses in Pokhara.
 Nepali Cottage Guest House $8USD/ NPR900 This is where we stayed during our time in Pokhara and it was a great budget stay with clean rooms and friendly service. The best things about Nepali Cottage Guest House is its excellent location centrally located and across the road to the most amazing sandwich shop in Pokhara! |
 Peace Eye Guest House $17USD/ NPR2000 A peaceful family run guest house with friendly service and well decorated rooms. Most importantly Peace Eye features lovely hot showers & strong Wi-Fi two things that can be hard to find at this price in Nepal. |
 Three Jewels Boutique Hotel $25USD/NPR2800 Some reviewers have called this best-kept secret in Pokhara. Three Jewels is a family run hotel with attentive and caring service. This hotel is located centrally to the main tourist area of Pokhara and features clean and cosy rooms, lovely garden area and buffet breakfast is available every morning at its on-site restaurant. |
 Hotel White Himal $41USD/NPR4600 An elegant stay in Pokhara for those wanting a bit of luxury. A quiet escape but also located close to the main tourist areas. Featuring The lake, mountain and city views this hotel pays extra attention to detail to make your stay memorable. |
Cheers, Native Travellers
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