Thorong La is a 5,416-metre saddle between Yakawa Kang (6,482 metres) and Khatung Kang (6,484 metres), and the highest point on the Annapurna Circuit. You cross it in one long day. Up from Thorong Phedi (4,450 metres) or High Camp (4,850 metres), over the top, then 1,616 metres down to Muktinath (3,800 metres). Most groups leave between 4 and 5 a.m., reach the pass three to five hours later, and spend another three to four hours descending on legs that are already spent.
In a normal October or April you won't need a rope, crampons or any climbing experience, and that's exactly why people underestimate it. What makes the day hard is cold, wind and air holding roughly half the oxygen of sea level. Altitude sickness is a bigger threat here than a fall. Every part of a sound Circuit plan, from the Manang rest day to the choice between High Camp and Phedi, exists to get you over this one saddle.
High Camp or Thorong Phedi: where to start
Where you sleep the night before shapes the whole morning. High Camp cuts about 400 metres and an hour from the dawn climb. The price is a night 400 metres higher, which can mean a worse headache and less sleep before the hardest day of the trek. Phedi gives you a longer, colder morning and usually a better night.
| Option | Sleep altitude | Climb to pass | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorong Phedi | 4,450 m | ~966 m, 4-5 hr | Better sleep, longer cold morning |
| High Camp | 4,850 m | ~566 m, 3-4 hr | Shorter climb, higher and harder night |
Most of our groups sleep at Phedi. We move up to High Camp only when everyone is sleeping well and showing good oxygen readings, because a proper night beats a saved hour. Either way the alarm goes off early. Our standard 14-day Annapurna Circuit itinerary puts the crossing on day 7, after the Manang rest day has done its job.
The climb and descent profile
From High Camp the trail climbs 566 metres over a string of false summits, zigzagging up frozen scree by head-torch until daylight shows you the real saddle. A tangle of prayer flags and a small tea shack mark the top, a broad and exposed shelf where the wind strips heat from you within minutes. Don't linger. Then you go down 1,616 metres to Muktinath, three to four hours on loose, steep switchbacks. Poles earn their weight here.
Start between 4 and 5 a.m. with a head-torch on. Carry 1.5 to 2 litres of water, because there's nothing to refill above camp. Take your photos at the top, then move, since sitting still is how people get chilled. On the way down, mind your footing on the scree.
Tiredness hits on the descent. Most pass-day injuries are rolled ankles and wrecked knees in the last two hours down. Pace matters as much going down as going up, and a guide who keeps the group together stops one stumble becoming a rescue.
Weather, wind and timing
Wind decides the day. It builds all morning and can reach gale force by early afternoon, and that, more than daylight, is why everyone starts in the dark. By 9 or 10 a.m. in autumn the wind chill on the saddle can feel well below minus 15°C.
Snow can close the pass outright. On 14 October 2014 the tail of Cyclone Hudhud dropped up to 1.8 metres of snow around Thorong La, Manang and Mustang in about 12 hours. Avalanches and exposure killed around 43 trekkers, guides and porters, Nepal's worst trekking disaster. That storm changed how agencies read a bad forecast. When a guide holds a group at Phedi or High Camp for an extra day, 2014 is the reason.
Late September to November is the steadiest window, with clear mornings and little snow, as our best time for the Annapurna Circuit guide explains. March to May also works, though early spring can carry leftover winter snow. In January and February you need settled weather and full winter kit, and the pass can stay shut for days.
Gear for the crossing
Even in peak season you start in the dark at minus 10°C or lower, and it takes hours to warm up. Layers do the work. A base layer, an insulated mid layer, a windproof shell and a down jacket for the top, plus warm gloves, a hat and a buff. This is the minimum kit our guides check before a group leaves camp.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Down jacket | Summit cold and wind chill below minus 15 C |
| Windproof shell + warm gloves | Gale-force wind on the pass |
| Trekking poles | 1,616 m descent to Muktinath |
| Head-torch + spare batteries | 4 a.m. start in the dark |
| Microspikes (seasonal) | Snow or ice on the approach |
| 1.5-2 L water + snacks | No resupply above High Camp |
Microspikes are the item people forget, and after fresh snow they're the one you need most, when the switchbacks above camp freeze to glass. The medical side of the day, which no gear can fix, is in our altitude sickness prevention guide.
Acclimatisation before the pass
Two nights at Manang (3,540 metres), with a climb-high, sleep-low hike on the rest day, are what make a 5,416-metre crossing safe. Your body needs days to make more red blood cells. No amount of fitness speeds that up. People who arrive at Phedi already sleeping badly with a headache are usually the ones in trouble on summit morning.
| Stage before the pass | Altitude | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Manang night 1 | 3,540 m | Arrive, rest |
| Manang acclimatisation day | up to ~4,600 m hike | Climb high, sleep low |
| Yak Kharka | 4,050 m | Gentle gain |
| Phedi or High Camp | 4,450-4,850 m | Final night before pass |
The Yak Kharka night appears on our 10-day short Circuit and the longer versions. The 14-day standard plan walks from Manang straight to Phedi, a gain of about 900 metres, which is why the Manang rest day before it is never cut. Drop any of these stages and the pass turns from a hard walk into a gamble.
What the pass day feels like
The first hour out of camp is the worst. It's dark and cold, and your body is slow to wake up at altitude. As the light comes, false summits keep promising the top until the prayer flags finally appear at 5,416 metres. The moment at the top is real. You're still only halfway through the day.
Eating on the climb is hard because altitude kills your appetite, yet it's what keeps your legs working for the descent. Sip and snack every hour instead of forcing down a meal at the pass. Steady walkers get there. Fast starters fade halfway. Hold a pace you could keep up all day and the saddle comes sooner than you expect.
Safety and failure points
Poor acclimatisation and a late start cause most failed crossings, and both are planning problems. Trekkers who skipped the Manang rest day or walked on through a worsening headache are usually the ones turning back below the saddle or needing help over it. Our Manang acclimatisation guide covers the best preparation there is.
A guide with a pulse oximeter, a full first-aid kit and the judgement to turn back makes the difference between a hard day and a dangerous one on the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Our guides check oxygen saturation twice a day from Manang. If a reading falls below 80 percent at 4,500 metres, or signs of HACE or HAPE appear, the group heads down at once, even in the dark. No road reaches the pass. If something goes wrong, the options are a slow assisted descent or a helicopter, so make sure your insurance covers helicopter evacuation.
What lies on the far side at Muktinath
Muktinath waits at the bottom. 3,800 metres. It's a temple complex sacred to Hindus and Buddhists, set in the dry hills of lower Mustang. Pilgrims come year-round for its 108 water spouts and the natural gas flame that has burned in its Buddhist shrine for centuries. Arriving on foot feels different. You're still in the down jacket from dawn. Most trekkers get there exhausted and very happy, with the icy saddle of the morning swapped for a warm, dusty courtyard by mid-afternoon.
After Muktinath the Circuit changes quickly. The trail drops into the Kali Gandaki valley, through the apple orchards of Marpha and the Tibetan-style villages of lower Mustang. Many groups fly out of Jomsom (2,720 metres) the next day, or take the jeep to Pokhara down the same windy valley.
Cross Thorong La with a tested plan
We cross Thorong La with two nights at Manang, a Phedi-or-High-Camp call made on the day, and a guide who reads the weather before committing the group. Founder Ajay Kumar Shrestha and our TAAN-certified team have guided more than 1,000 trekkers since 2016 and know when to go and when to wait a day. See the Annapurna Circuit Trek page or contact us to plan your crossing.
Frequently asked questions
How high is Thorong La pass?
5,416 metres, the highest point on the Annapurna Circuit. The climb is about 570 metres from High Camp or 970 from Thorong Phedi, and the descent to Muktinath drops 1,616 metres.
How hard is crossing Thorong La?
The altitude and cold make it hard. The ground is a rough walking trail with no technical sections. Expect 8 to 10 hours from Phedi to Muktinath, fewer from High Camp.
What time should you start the Thorong La crossing?
Between 4 and 5 a.m. That gets you to the top before the wind builds and leaves daylight for the long descent. Starting late is one of the two most common reasons groups fail.
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Founder & Lead Guide, Annapurna Trekking
AJ founded Annapurna Trekking in 2016 and has personally guided treks across Nepal ever since. More about our team →
