• Updated on Dec 26, 2023

Notice: Nepal bans solo trekking for foreigners which came into effect on 1st April 2023

Annapurna a region with the most diverse and multiple trekking trails is one of the most trekked Himalayas in the world. It is also a popular trekking destination for any age group and gender.

Outline Itinerary to Short Annapurna Circuit Trek 6-Day

Day 1: Drive From Kathmandu to Besisahar by deluxe Tourist bus then Sharing Jeep to Chame (2710M/8,892Ft) 8-9 hours

Day 2: Trek to Pisang (3310M/10,859 Ft) 5-6 hours

Day 3: Trek to Manang (3519M/11,545 Ft) 6-7 hours

Day 4: Trek to Throng Phedi (4540M/14,895Ft) or Thorang High Camp 4880M/16,010 Ft) 5-6 hours

Day 5: Cross Thorang La pass 5416M/17,769Ft) and reach Muktinath 3762M/12,343Ft) then drive to Jomsom for an overnight stay of 2,743m (8,999ft)

Day 6: Early morning flight from Jomsom Airport to Pokhara (35-minute flight) / Kathmandu ( you can trek end in Pokhara or Kathmandu as you wish )

Annapurna Circuit Trek Map

What to expect in Short Annapurna Circuit Trek:

Included:

  • Pick up from the international airport or respective hotel in Kathmandu by private car/van/jeep
  • Deluxe Touristic Bus to Beshisahar
  • Jeep drive to Chame
  • Discover Altitude Trekking T-Shirt and Route Map
  • Experienced Government license holder English Speaking Trekking Guide
  • Accommodation in a Tea house/ Lodge during the trek
  • 3- Time full board meals (Breakfast/Lunch and Dinner) during the trek
  • Seasonal fruits during the trek
  • All required permits during the trek (ACAP Permits and TIMS Permits)
  • Food, accommodation, salary, and insurance of Guide
  • Trip Achievement Certificate after the trek
  • Required trekking gear (upon request)
  • Duffle Bag during the trek
  • First-aid medical kits
  • Oxi-Meter to measure the level of Oxygen and Pulse rate
  • Jomsom to Pokhara Flight ticket
  • Deluxe Bus drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu
  • All government tax and service charges

 

Cost Exclude:

  • Nepal Visa Fees (USD 25 for 15-Days)
  • Porter (Optional) 
  • Extra accommodation and food (if the itinerary becomes longer due to health issues or any unpredictable conditions)
  • All alcoholic beverages (Beer, Coke, Bottled Water, etc.)
  • Personal Expenses during the trek (Shopping, Snacks, Tips, WiFi, Hot water Shower, etc.)
  • Travel Insurance
  • Tipping to your guide                                                              

 

COST FOR SHORT ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK 6 DAYS

For booking click the book now option and for more information please send us Inuiry at info[@]discoveraltitude.com or a direct message on WhatsApp at +977 9841161593

Table of Contents

The Short Annapurna Circuit Trek 6-days will take us to the mountain ranges of north-central Nepal, taking us from the lowest altitude of Besisahar 823m to the highest point of Thorung La Pass 5416m, crossing two different popular snow-melted rives of Marshyandi and Kali Gandaki river.

annapurna thorang la pass

This Annapurna Circuit Trek (11-Day) covers an area of 230km, and encircles the Annapurna massif, but can be extended or shortened depending upon the interest and time frame of trekkers. Apart from this, the Annapurna Circle treks will take us to the highest point at Thorung La Pass (5416m), touching the Tibetan Plateau for the magnificent views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Manaslu Himalayas.

The Annapurna Circuit Treks (13-Day) mainly begin from Besisahar or Bhulbule and end with Nayapul, Beni, Kade, Phedi, or Jomsom. Now with the means of transportation and availability of an airstrip on the trail, the Annapurna Circuit Trek which used to be of 18-25 days has been shortened to 6-10 days and Short Annapurna Circuit Trek is just a 3-day hike into the highest Annapurna region, starting from Manang and ending in Jomsom.

Way to Thorang Phedi

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek will be through the same trail from Besisahar to Jomsom, but the main trek will start from Manang, trekkers can now drive to Manang which makes the treks shorter instead of hiking from Besisahar mainly with the driveable road adding 5-6 days extra to Manang.

Driving through the Marshyandi River with the magnificent views of hills, farmland, rivers, and the Himalayas will be a memorable journey until we reach Manang on the same day at an altitude of 3540 meters for our overnight stay.

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek

Further, on the very next day, we start our hike through the well-maintained trail to Yak Kharka and then to Thorung Phedi, and finally to Jomsom via Thorung La Pass and Muktinath.

This makes Short Annapurna Circuit Trek feasible for any age group and gender in a short span of time with the mountain scenery of Annapurna I, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Gangapurna, Manaslu, Tilicho Peak, Pisang Peak, Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri, Paungda Danda and numerous other peaks ranging from 6000-8000 meters of Annapurna, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri ranges of Himalayas.

As we all know Annapurna Circuit Trek has always been voted as the best trekking trail in the world by trekkers, this is so because of the diversity of the trail and feasibility for the trekkers. Trekkers have multiple options when they are in the Annapurna region, they can trek all the way for 2-3 weeks or can drive to make it shorter, or can take a flight to Pokhara from Jomsom.

way to Manang

There are multiple trekking trails to the Annapurna Circuit for trekkers, some of the popular long-day trails are the Annapurna Circuit Trek-17 days and the Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake (16-Day)and for those who want to skip the high altitude Jomsom- Muktinath Trekking (7-Day) can be a possible option.

Apart from all this Annapurna Circuit trek will bless trekkers with the majestic view of three eight-thousand(ers) Himalayas, including Annapurna (8,091m), Manaslu (8,153m), and Dhaulagiri (8,167m).

Along with the two popular and religious significant rivers i.e. Marshayandi and Kali Gandaki and also the deepest river gorge Kali Gandaki. This trail will take us to the holy pilgrimage site of Nepal which is Mukti Nath.

The Short Annapurna Circuit Trek covers a wide variety of climatic zones and cultures, from the tropics to the Arctic and from Hindu villages at the low foothill to Tibetan villages at the high foothills bordering the highest plateau of Tibet.

Highlights of the trek

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek will take us to the diverse and most desirable land in the Himalayas. This will be a short 6-day Annapurna Circuit Trek starting from the Marshyandi River through the hills, and valleys, into the Himalayas, which will take us to the highest existing pass on earth i.e. Thorung La Pass (5416m) to descend into the holy pilgrimage site in Mukti Nath, a site for pilgrimage to attain ‘Moksha’ or ‘Liberation’ before taking a short flight from Jomsom to Pokhara.

This will be a lifetime memorable journey for adventure lovers, as the trail starts from the lowland tropic climate into the artic in Thorung La which is also the upper Manang region before descending into the lower Mustang region in Jomsom.

 

Apart from the trail and climate, Short Annapurna Circuit Trek is filled with varied colorful settlements from Hindu dwellers to Tibetans at the upper foothills. So, visiting temples, monasteries and gambas will add an extra flavor. The trail will be through the border of Tibet before ending the trek on the bank of the deepest river gorge which is Kali Gandaki famous for ammonite or fossils.

Moreover, trekkers can explore the exotic Himalayas of the Annapurna region by hiking just 3 days from Manang to Jomsom. This will be an incredible trek for travelers who are on a tight schedule but want to explore the hidden treasure of the Annapurna massif.

High Camp to Thorang La Pass

Best Time of the year

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek can trek throughout the year but when it comes to talking about the view of the Himalayas, flora, and fauna of the Himalayas, and suitable weather condition in the Himalayas, Spring and Autumn is the best time of the year to trek into the high altitude, which also counts to Annapurna Circuit treks.

September To November

This month of the year is regarded as the best time for trekking into the Annapurna Circuit trek, it counts with a suitable climate, a magnificent trail after the monsoon, and a great and fair view of the Himalayas. The weather remains extremely good, with a clear blue sky and spotless clouds in the Himalayas. Even the Thorung La Pass (5416m) will have doable snow, so nothing to worry about on the trail.

December To February

This is the coldest month of the year, making the temperature decline to minus at night and the days are extremely cool. This makes the trail less crowded and it is regarded as the off-season for only high mountain treks, but trekking is possible at the lower altitudes, only the question here is how easy is it to accomplish the Thorung La Pass (5416m). As the winter brings heavy snowfall, sometimes even blocking the trail at high altitudes, teahouses and lodges remain open but a few of them.

March To May

This is another best time for Annapurna Circuit Trek, as we bid farewell to winter and the temperature goes on increasing, making the trail clear with less snow to block, and above all, the sky remains crystal clear with the magnificent views of the Himalayas.

Moreover, there will be abundant flora and fauna on the trail, this time of the year brings beautiful Himalayan flowers to bloom and rhododendron is one of the favorites in the Annapurna Circuit trail.

June To August

This month of the year brings winter to Nepal, at the lower altitude we may encounter some rainfall but as we ascend to Manang from Basisahar, we will not experience rainfall. This is due to the high altitude and also the reason is upper Manang and lower Mustang areas are within a rain shadow. This means the Himalayas block the rain-falling cloud to enter these areas.

Trekkers can enjoy Short Annapurna Circuit Trek even during June-August, because the trekking point and the ending point of the trail come under rain shadow areas, keeping the monsoon away.

 Short Annapurna Circuit Trek difficulty

En route to Thorung-La pass and stunning look of Thorung Peak. 

 

The difficulty of the Annapurna Circuit Trek is mainly determined by the time duration and also the month of the year of the trek. It can be an easy-going to moderate to strenuous trek, all are determined by the number of days one is supposed to spend and also the season.

Now the Short Annapurna Circuit Trek, which is a strenuous trek into the highest pass of Thorung La (5416m), starts with a moderate hike at the beginning is all determined by the number of days and physical fitness level.

This is so because the starting point of the entire trek is Manang (3540m) which is itself a high altitude. This short Annapurna Circuit Trek is reducing the number of days required for the Annapurna Circuit Trek to a great extent for those trekkers who are physically fit into the high terrain but lack time to accomplish the Annapurna circuit in an allocated time frame of 2 weeks.

The trail to Annapurna Circuit trek will add a lot of rocky, steep, and slippery stairways along with high-altitude risk but it doesn’t mean trekking Annapurna Circuit in a short span of time is impossible. It is possible and a lot of trekkers do as well, but physically and mentally one has to be fit for this short Annapurna circuit trek.

Apart from the trail, trekkers will gain altitude in a short span of time starting from 3540 meters in Manang on the first day to Thorung La Pass at 5416 meters on the fourth day. This gain in altitude might create trouble for some trekkers who are physically not fit to gain high altitude in a short time. So, better consult your doctor before the trek.

Food and Accommodation

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek or Annapurna Circuit Trek is to the same destination and trail; only the difference is time duration. Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the globally popular trekking destinations.

Every year hundreds of trekkers accomplish the Annapurna Circuit Trek, which made the locals operate numerous trekking lodges and tea houses along the trail. There are sufficient numbers of lodges and tea houses throughout the Annapurna Circuit Trail. This tea house or lodge has sufficient rooms to accommodate trekkers.

Normally, all the rooms are on twin sharing beds along with a small table, rooms will have two beds separately, with a thick mattress, bedsheet, pillow, and a blanket. Some rooms might have an attach-bathroom at the lower altitude but normally they will have a common toilet on every floor, this is the best way of accommodation on every trekking trail in Nepal.

Apart from accommodation, all lodges will have a menu card to select different food items, ranging from breakfast to lunch to dinner. Foods are hygienic and well-cooked, as these lodges and tea houses are mainly operated by local people, who are professional cooks as well.

Every year Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) and the local government provide special hospitality and cooking training to locals to maintain the standard of the food and lodges.

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek

Foods vary from Nepali to Indian to Chinese to Italian to Continental cuisine all from the menu card of the lodges and teahouses.

Communications and electricity accessibility

Annapurna region which is blessed with diverse trekking trails and destinations had no access to the internet, electricity, and telecommunication in the past. As, Annapurna Circuit Trek is a Multi-district trekking trail starting from Lamjung and entering Mustang, and further going to the Myagdi and Kaski districts of Nepal.

All these areas now have access to electricity and the Internet. In some areas of the upper Manang region, electricity is used through solar panels but the internet can be accessed through mobile data while trekking and Wi-Fi in the tea houses and lodges.

Trekkers will be able to charge their electronic gadgets and use Wi-Fi internet upon paying a certain sum of money or if you want to use the internet cheaply, it is better to use the local SIM card mobile and buy a data pack which is feasible everywhere.

Permits Required for Annapurna Circuit Trek

Normally, every region of the Himalayas is a protected area, with the popular name of the Himalayas and Annapurna Circuit Treks falls under the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). Trekkers need two different permits to enter Annapurna Circuit Trek:

  • Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Permit: USD 30 or Rs. 3000 Per Person
  • Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) Permit: USD 20 or Rs. 2000 Per Person

Day To Day Trekking Distance for Short Annapurna Circuit Trek

KATHMANDU TO BASI SAHAR 176KM/109Mile - DRIVE 

BESI SAHAR TO CHAME 67.7KM/42Mile - DRIVE

CHAME TO PISANG 13.7KM/8.5Mile - TREK

PISANG TO MANANG 17.2KM/10.6Mile - TREK

MANANG TO THORANG PHEDI 14KM/8.6Mile - TREK

THORANG PHEDI TO MUKTINATH 16.4KM/10Mile - TREK

MUKTINATH TO JOMSOM 20KM/12Mile - DRIVE

JOMSOM TO POKHARA 20 - MINUTE'S - FLIGHT

 

Alternative Itinerary of Short Annapurna Circuit Trek

This itinerary is for those who are fit enough to cope with the high altitude and are ready to drive to Manang (3540M) from Kathmandu (850M). 

Day 01: Kathmandu to Beshisahar (823m/2700ft/7-hours)

The first day of our Annapurna Circuit Trek will be a long drive from the main city of Kathmandu to Besisahar, the headquarters of the Lamjung district. Passing by hills, river views, villages, and terrace farmland we will reach Besisahar late afternoon.

Overnight at Besisahar.

Day 02: Beshisahar to Manang (3540m/11614ft/5-hours)

Manang village with Gangapurna Glacial Lake (right) and Mount Gangapurna is pictured from above the Nearby Hill.

This will be another exciting jeep drive journey all through the off-road. The drive to Manang will start from the bank of the river Marshyandi River, passing by villages, terrain, hills, and mountains to reach Manang.

This will be roughly 70 km, taking a time of around 5 hours all the way. This will allow us to spend some time exploring the town of business hub Manang for acclimatization.

But make sure this is an off-road drive in a jeep on a sharing basis.

Overnight at Manang

Day 03: Manang to Yak Kharka (4018m/13182ft/ 5-6 hours)

This will be our first hiking day on the Annapurna Circuit trail into the Himalayas. The last road to the Manang will be over and we will head through a hiking trail to reach Yak Kharka.

As we ascend uphill to the upper Manang area, we will encounter different Himalayan flora and fauna. These areas are mostly inhabited by Tibetan origins, so passing villages like Tangki and Ginseng will give us a picture of Tibet.

Finally, we will be in Yak Kharka, a famous pastoral area but now popular for an overnight camp in Annapurna Circuit.

Overnight at Yak Kharka

Day 04: Yak Kharka to Thorung Phedi (4925m/16158ft/5-6 hours)

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek

Hiking to Thorung Phedi will be a bit difficult due to altitude gain but with the nominal pace, we will accomplish this. As we ascend higher, we will be into a bare Himalayan region with almost lost vegetation, this will provide us a far-sighted view of the Himalayas along with Tilicho Peak.

Passing by some villages in the mountains which are small temporary seasonal villages because during winter they moved towards the lower altitude.

We climb uphill through the steep and rocky trails to reach a broad pastoral area in Thorung Phedi, as the vegetation gets lesser, we will be able to view the Himalayan blue sheep, Thar, etc.

Overnight at Thorung Phedi

Day 05: Thorung Phedi to Jomsom (2720m/8924ft) via Thorung La Pass (5416m/17769ft) and Mukti Nath (3800m/ 12467ft)-9 hours

thorang la pass

Today will be our early morning day as we will be starting our hike towards Mukti Nath via Thorung La Pass in the twinkling star and moonlit, this will be an extra fabulous hike under the star where the white Himalayas shines under the moonlit.

We hike uphill to reach Thorung Phedi our final and most desired point of the entire Annapurna Circuit. This will be a magnificent point to explore the wide range of Annapurna, Manaslu, and Dhaulagiri Himalayas, with three eight-thousand(ers), to the other side lies Tibet.

We descend downhill all the way to reach Mukti Nath (3800m), a holy pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists. We will explore this popular temple and visit a Buddhist monastery enjoy our lunch in Mukti Nath and finally take a bus/jeep ride to Jomson through a well-paved road.

Jomson lies on the bank of the river Kali Gandaki and is the only airport in the entire Mustang district. Upon reaching Jomsom we can visit the Himalayan Museum and hike down to the bank of the Kali Gandaki River to find some ammonite/fossils. This Kali Gandaki river lies between the giant Himalayas and is also the deepest river gorge.

Overnight at Jomsom.

Day 06: Jomsom to Kathmandu via Pokhara (840m/2756ft)- 6 hours

A twin-otter plane is on the move back to Pokhara from Jomsom Airport Mustang.

this will be the last day of our Annapurna Circuit Trek, after breakfast, we will take an early flight to Pokhara. This will be around a 20-minute flight between the Himalayas, over the Kali Gandaki river.

On our arrival in Pokhara, we can spend some time exploring the lake city of Nepal and will take a domestic flight to Kathmandu which will be of 25-minute.

List of gears for Short Annapurna Circuit Trek 

Trekking equipment

  • Duffel bag
  • Sleeping bag
  • Daypack bag to carry frequently needed stuff
  • Water bottle

Upper body

  • Short sleeve synthetic t-shirts (while trekking you sweat a lot so, synthetic t-shirts are best to bring as they are light and dry fast)
  • Wind shirts
  • Long sleeve Merino wool t-shirts
  • Synthetic insulated jacket (you can use it for climbing as well)
  • Fleece glove
  • Insulated gloves
  • Buff (trail gets very dusty with trekkers and animals passing by you so, you can use it as a mask)
  • Sunglass
  • Sun hat
  • Fleece hat
  • Rain gear or poncho.

Lower body

  • Trekking shoes (prober boots with grip is recommended as trail are rough so you might twist your ankle)
  • Slipper or lightweight shoes (it is handy to wear in the guest house when you did day trekking)
  • Cotton hiking shocks
  • Hiking pants
  • Fleece trouser
  • Underwear trousers
  • Underwear
  • Waterproof paint

Miscellaneous items

  • Items for drinking water treatments such as Steripen, iodine tablets, chlorine liquids, or water filters. (if you using liquids or tablets it might bring a different taste in water so you can bring some juice-powder to bring a nice taste)
  • Fast-drying camp towel (most guesthouses don't provide a towel for a shower so it's good to have one)
  • Body wipes (it comes in handy if you don't take a shower, especially in higher altitudes where there are no showers)
  • Toilet papers
  • Lip balm
  • Sunscreens (minimum of SPF 40 plus as in higher altitude sunlight are direct and more penetrating.
  • Earplugs (it is handy stuff as most of the guest house rooms are separated by plywood. So, sometimes your next-room trekkers might be noisy talkers or snores.
  • Mobile phone (you can use it as an alarm or there are internet services in most of the guesthouses so, you can use it if you want to communicate)
  • Diary (to keep note of everyday events)
  • Chargers with adapter (you can charge your gadgets along the trail with hydro-powered electricity in the lower region and sun-powered in the higher region)
  • Camera
  • Medical kit (Diamox, Imodium, ibuprofen, throat lozenges, tape, scissor,
  • Zip-lock plastic bag (Although you put your all stuff in a duffel bag, however a zip-lock bag can come in handy when you want to separate your items like toiletries, socks, underwear, and smelly clothes)
  • Headlamp or torchlight
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Trekking sticks (most people use them and it is very helpful while walking rocky trails and especially for knees going downhill.
  • Sandal
  • Pocket knife
  • Pee bottle (it's handy if you don't want to go out of the room during the night)

Benefits of Short Annapurna Circuit Trek:

Annapurna Circuit Trek itself is a marvelous trekking trail to one of the most deserved trails in Nepal and has always been listed as the most popular trekking trail in Nepal.

This used to be a 2-week long trekking tail, however, with the development of a drivable road, Annapurna Circuit can now easily be accomplished within a short period.

Short Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the popular trekking itineraries designed by Discover Altitude and is one of our best-selling packages. The entire package is a crux of the Annapurna region.

Trekkers will be able to explore the region, culture, nature, lifestyle, and religion of the Annapurna. This will be through visiting the unofficial capital of Annapurna i.e.Manang (3519M) and passing through the highest existing Pass, THROUNG LA PASS (5416M).

Descending all the way, you will be able to visit MUKTINATH (3800M), here lies the most important Pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists. Apart from this, you will descend towards Jomsom through the holiest Hindu river KALIGANDAKI and the river Gorge is the deepest in the world as it lies in between the giant two Himalayas i.e. ANNAPURNA (8091M) and DHAULAGIRI(8167M).

Moreover, throughout the trek, you will be escorted by a highly experienced trekking guide who will recount the history, culture, religion, etc of the region. Hiking with someone familiar with the trail, history, culture, religion, and locals will be one of the top benefits for travelers. This helps your safety foremost.

A guide will help in arranging transportation, logistic support, communicating with locals, and arranging all the permits, and will act quickly to respond in times of emergency. They are well-trained in handling first aid treatment and know high-altitude symptoms.

Overall, a guide will be your companion throughout the trek and will take you to all the places where you would have missed visiting if you trek independently. Their presence will be a great assist.

Suspension bridge in Annapurna Circuit Trek

Related Trekking Package :

Annapurna Circuit Trek - 13 Days 

Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake- 17 Days

Interested in Short Annapurna Trek, For more information WhatsApp: +977-9841161593 or Email: info@discoveraltitude.com

Kumar Lamsal

Kumar Lamsal

Kumar is one of the Co-founders and Managing directors of Discover Altitude holding 18 years of experience in the tourism sector of Nepal. He has trekked to almost all the popular regions of Nepal and is an authorized trekking and tour guide.

Started his career as a porter to support his study, now holds MPhil and LLB degree, and is doing his Ph.D. in religious studies. He loves traveling to the Himalayas and has deep knowledge about religion, culture, and history.

Kumar is also involved in the teaching sector as a part-timer to deliver his research related to the cultural and religious diversity of Nepal and is the one who mostly answers your queries giving them his personal touch through his decade-long experience.