The Annapurna Circuit is one of the few high-altitude treks in Nepal that can be walked almost any month of the year. But "walkable" and "good" are not the same thing. The experience varies enormously depending on when you go — and the decision will shape your photographs, your physical effort, the number of strangers you'll share the trail with, and whether you'll cross Thorong La Pass or be turned back by snow. Here is what each season actually looks like on the trail.
The two prime seasons: October–November and March–April
If you ask any guide in Pokhara when they'd choose to walk the Circuit, the answer is autumn — specifically the window from late September to late November. The monsoon has cleared. The skies are at their most stable. The dust hasn't yet settled in for the dry season. The trails have been freshly maintained by tea house owners returning after the rains.
Mid-October to mid-November is the absolute peak. Trekkers who have been planning this for years arrive in droves. Tea houses in Manang and Muktinath book out three nights ahead. The path between Thorong Phedi and Thorong La can have 200 trekkers crossing on the same morning. You'll see other groups every twenty minutes. This is the trade-off for the best weather of the year.
Spring — March to early May — is the second peak season and arguably the more beautiful one. The rhododendron forests below Manang explode in red, pink, and white blossom. The lower sections (Besisahar to Chame) feel almost tropical. The air is warmer than autumn but visibility is sometimes hazier in the afternoons as moisture begins to build toward the monsoon. April is the perfect month — the rhododendrons are at peak bloom and the high passes have shed most of their winter snow.
The quiet shoulders: late November, December, and early March
If you don't mind cold and you genuinely want solitude on the trail, these are the months to choose. Late November sees the major autumn crowd dissipate but the weather remains excellent until late in the month. By December, night temperatures at Manang routinely drop below -10°C and the upper section of the trail (Yak Kharka to High Camp) is often dusted with snow. Thorong La is still crossable — many groups complete it through December — but you need to be properly equipped for serious cold and there is no margin for weather delay.
Early March is the same story in reverse. The snow is melting but hasn't fully cleared. The tea houses are reopening. You can walk for hours without seeing another foreigner. The price you pay is unpredictable weather: spring snowstorms can close the pass for days at a time.
The closed window: January and February
Thorong La is generally closed during January and February. Heavy snow accumulates at altitude and the pass becomes a serious mountaineering objective rather than a trekking one. The lower sections of the Circuit (Besisahar to Manang) remain walkable but most tea houses above 3,000 metres are shuttered for the season. Unless you have winter mountaineering experience and are travelling with proper equipment, plan for spring or autumn.
The monsoon: June, July, and August
Monsoon trekking is a polarising topic. Officially, June through August is the wet season — daily rainfall, leeches in the lower valleys, blocked roads, and frequent landslides. Visibility of the high peaks is often poor. The flight to Pokhara from Kathmandu is regularly cancelled. Many trekking companies simply close their books for these months.
But the Annapurna Circuit has a unique feature that makes monsoon trekking viable: the trans-Himalayan section from Manang through Mustang lies in the rain shadow of the Annapurna massif itself. From the moment you cross Thorong La, you are in semi-arid terrain that gets almost no monsoon precipitation. So while the lower trail is wet and lush, the upper section — the most photogenic and most challenging — is dry, clear, and stunningly beautiful with empty trails.
If you can tolerate wet feet for the first three or four days, monsoon Annapurna offers something special: green terraced fields you simply don't see in October, dramatic cloud formations clearing in late afternoon to reveal snow peaks, and tea houses that are genuinely happy to see you.
Month-by-month summary
January: Avoid for the full circuit. Lower trails viable for short treks.
February: Avoid. Possible to do Manang-and-back as a side trip with proper gear.
March: Early March is cold and quiet. Late March is excellent. Rhododendrons start blooming below 2,500m.
April: Peak spring. Rhododendrons spectacular. Days warm, nights cool. Some cloud build-up in afternoons.
May: Late spring. Hot in the lower sections. Pre-monsoon humidity. Visibility hit-or-miss.
June: Monsoon begins. Wet below 3,000m. Dry and beautiful above 4,000m. Quiet trails.
July: Peak monsoon. Most trekkers stay home. The trans-Himalayan zone (Manang to Muktinath) is excellent.
August: Monsoon continues. Late August clearing begins.
September: The seasonal turn. Early September can still be wet; late September is glorious.
October: The classic month. Stable weather, peak views, peak crowds.
November: Cold but clear. The most photogenic light of the year. Lighter crowds.
December: Cold, quiet, demanding. For experienced trekkers only.
Our honest recommendation
If we had to pick a single two-week window for a first-time trekker on the Annapurna Circuit, we would choose 10–24 October or 1–15 April. Both windows give you the highest probability of completing Thorong La in good weather, beautiful trail conditions, and full tea house infrastructure. October gives you slightly clearer mountain views; April gives you the rhododendrons.
If you want fewer people and you accept the trade-off of colder nights, mid-November to early December is excellent. If you want genuine adventure and don't mind getting wet, late June through August above 4,000m is a different but equally valid experience.
Whatever month you choose, the most important variable is acclimatisation — not the weather. Build in two rest days. Walk slowly. Drink water. The mountain does not care what month it is. It cares whether you respect it.
