Thorong La Pass Trekking: 13 Days Annapurna Circuit Trek

Autumn (late September to November) and spring (March to May) are the two reliable windows for the Thorong La Pass Trek, because the pass at 5,416 m requires settled, snow-free conditions to cross safely. Autumn gives the clearest skies after the monsoon, with stable temperatures at altitude and sharp mountain views. Spring is warmer lower down, with rhododendron in the Marshyangdi valley, though high-altitude snow can linger in March.

Winter (December to February) can close the pass with deep snow and whiteout conditions, so it is suitable only for experienced, fully equipped trekkers who accept the risk of a blocked crossing. The summer monsoon (June to August) brings heavy rain lower down, though the upper Manang and Mustang sections are drier because they lie in the rain shadow. The season cards above give a month-by-month picture of temperatures and conditions.

The Thorong La Pass Trek requires two permits: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and the Trekkers Information Management System card (TIMS). Both are issued in Kathmandu at the Nepal Tourism Board office in Pradarshani Marg or at the TAAN office in Maligaon, and cost NPR 3,000 each for non-SAARC nationals as of 2025.

Checkpoints at multiple points on the trail, including Besisahar, Chame and Manang, verify both permits, so carry originals rather than copies. A passport-size photo is required for each. Swotah arranges the permits once you provide your passport copy and photos, and will confirm current fee rates before your departure since these are revised periodically.

Accommodation on the Thorong La Pass Trek is teahouse lodges, which are better equipped on the Annapurna Circuit than on most other Nepal treks because of the high traffic volume. Villages like Chame, Pisang, Manang and Jomsom have comfortable lodges with hot showers, charging points and a wide menu, while the high camps at Ngawal and Thorong Phedi are simpler, with shared bathrooms and limited heating.

Muktinath has several mid-range lodges catering to both trekkers and Hindu-Buddhist pilgrims. A three- or four-season sleeping bag is useful for the cold nights above Manang, where temperatures drop below freezing even in autumn. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, Swotah uses comfortable three-star hotels.

Dal bhat is the staple on the Thorong La Pass Trek: lentil soup, rice and vegetable curry, refilled once at most lodges and the most reliable fuel for long days at altitude. Above Manang the menu narrows to noodles, pasta, potatoes, Tibetan bread and soups, and variety returns in Jomsom and Muktinath where apple products, including apple pie and apple brandy, are a local specialty.

Swotah includes three meals a day on the trek. For water, aim for 3 to 4 litres daily to support acclimatisation, and treat it rather than drinking untreated tap or stream water. Lodges sell boiled water; purification tablets, a filter or UV pen all work. Bottled plastic water is available at inflated prices higher up, so a reusable bottle with treatment saves money and waste.

The Thorong La Pass Trek starts with a jeep drive from Kathmandu to Jagat, the entry point to the Marshyangdi valley, cutting out the lower road-paralleled section of the circuit and saving roughly two days of walking on motor road. The drive takes around 8 to 10 hours on rough roads via Besisahar.

The trek exits via Muktinath, then a jeep covers the long Kali Gandaki gorge to Jomsom. From Jomsom, a 20-minute mountain flight to Pokhara connects to the drive back to Kathmandu, or a tourist bus covers the Pokhara-Kathmandu leg in around 6 to 7 hours. Swotah runs all road transfers by private jeep and books the Jomsom-Pokhara flight; mountain weather can delay the flight, so one buffer day is built in.

Thorong La at 5,416 m is the highest trekking pass on the Annapurna Circuit and one of the most accessible passes above 5,000 m in Nepal, crossed by thousands of trekkers every year in the two main seasons. The standard crossing goes west to east, from Thorong Phedi (4,420 m) on the Marshyangdi side to Muktinath (3,710 m) on the Mustang side, climbing 996 m and descending 1,706 m.

The start time is typically 3:00 to 5:00 AM to reach the top before afternoon winds and clouds build. The upper section crosses a broad, exposed ridge and can hold hard snow or ice in early spring and late autumn, so traction devices like microspikes are worth carrying. On the far side, the descent to Muktinath is steep and long on loose scree and switchbacks. Your guide sets the pace and calls a rest or a descent to Manang if altitude symptoms appear before the top.

Manang at 3,519 m is the main acclimatisation village on the Annapurna Circuit, a well-developed teahouse hub with bakeries, medical facilities, a cinema showing mountain films, and a Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) clinic that runs free altitude talks each evening during the season. The rest day here is not optional: skipping it significantly raises the risk of altitude sickness on the pass.

The standard acclimatisation protocol is to hike higher during the day and sleep at the same or lower elevation. From Manang, the walk to Gangapurna Lake (3,600 m) or higher toward Ice Lake (4,620 m) both follow this rule and give views of Annapurna III, Gangapurna and the Manang valley. Attending the HRA altitude talk is recommended, especially for first-time high-altitude trekkers.

Nepal's government requires trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit to use a licensed guide, a regulation introduced in 2023 to improve safety and support the local guiding industry. Swotah guides hold Ministry of Tourism licences and Nepal Mountaineering Association certification, and know the Thorong La crossing, the lodge network and the acclimatisation sequence.

A porter is strongly recommended for this high-altitude trek: carrying a heavy pack above 4,000 m adds significantly to altitude strain. One porter handles 20 to 25 kg, and we cap loads at that weight. Swotah provides a free duffel so you walk with a light daypack carrying only what you need for the day, warm layers and water included.

Mobile coverage on the Annapurna Circuit is better than on more remote treks but still inconsistent above Manang. Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell both reach the main villages including Chame, Pisang, Manang and Jomsom, with dead spots on the high trail between Thorong Phedi and Muktinath. Swotah provides a tourist SIM at the start.

Wi-Fi is available at most lodges in Chame, Manang and Jomsom for a small fee; above Manang, it is unreliable or absent, and Thorong Phedi is effectively off-grid. Charging costs a few rupees per device at lower lodges and rises with altitude. A power bank rated 20,000 mAh or a small solar charger covers two to three days at altitude, where cold temperatures drain batteries overnight.

The Annapurna Conservation Area is a living landscape shared by Gurung, Manangi and Thakali communities whose livelihoods depend partly on trekking. Carry a reusable bottle and treat your water to cut plastic waste, pack out all non-biodegradable rubbish, stay on marked trails to protect vegetation above the treeline, and ask before photographing people or monastery interiors.

Tipping is customary at the end of the trek: a common guideline is 10 to 15% of the trip cost, divided among the guide, porter and driver proportional to their days worked. Tips go directly to the seasonal workforce. Booking through a registered agency like Swotah also means ACAP and TIMS permits, staff insurance and legal porter loads are handled correctly from the start.