The standard Annapurna Circuit Trek runs 14 days on the trail, crossing Thorong La at 5,416m on roughly day 11. A 16-day version adds acclimatisation and a side trip to Tilicho Lake, while a condensed 12-day plan uses jeep transfers to skip the lower road sections. This guide compares all three.
An Annapurna Circuit itinerary is the sequence of villages, altitudes, and rest days that carries you safely from subtropical valleys to the high pass and down into the Mustang desert. The right length depends on your time, fitness, and acclimatisation margin.
The standard 14-day itinerary
Fourteen days is the route most trekkers walk, with an acclimatisation night around Manang at 3,540m.
- Day 1: Kathmandu to Chame (2,650m), drive
- Day 2: Chame to Pisang (3,300m)
- Day 3: Pisang to Manang (3,540m)
- Day 4: Manang, acclimatisation day
- Day 5: Manang to Yak Kharka (4,050m)
- Day 6: Yak Kharka to Thorong High Camp (4,850m)
- Day 7: Cross Thorong La (5,416m) to Muktinath (3,760m)
- Day 8: Muktinath to Marpha (2,670m)
- Day 9: Marpha to Tatopani (1,190m)
- Day 10: Tatopani to Ghorepani (2,870m)
- Day 11: Poon Hill (3,210m) sunrise, descend and drive to Pokhara
The pass day is the crux. We leave High Camp before dawn to beat the midday wind, a tactic covered in our Thorong La crossing guide.
The 16-day itinerary with Tilicho Lake
Sixteen days suits trekkers who want stronger acclimatisation and the side trip to Tilicho Lake at 4,919m, one of the highest lakes in the world. The extra days sit between Manang and the pass, which spreads the climb and lowers altitude-sickness risk. Our altitude sickness guide explains why slower is safer above 3,000m.
The 12-day fast itinerary
Twelve days is possible for fit trekkers by starting higher at Chame or Pisang and using a jeep on the lower sections. The trade-off is a tighter acclimatisation margin, so we recommend it only for trekkers with recent high-altitude experience.
Which length should you choose?
Most first-time trekkers should book the 14 or 16-day plan, where acclimatisation days protect both safety and your chance of crossing the pass. Costs scale with length, broken down in our Annapurna Circuit cost guide, and the best months are in our best time guide. Tell us your dates and fitness and we will build the itinerary around you.
