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Annapurna Region

Gandaki Province, Western Nepal

Annapurna I was the first 8,000 m peak ever climbed, in 1950. The massif around it holds Nepal's two best-known trails, the Circuit and Base Camp, and drops from high desert at Thorong La to subtropical valley in a few days' walk.

8,091 mHighest Peak
10thWorld Ranking
7,629 km²Conservation Area
474+Bird Species
Explore Trips
Annapurna Region
8,091 mAltitudeWestern NepalRegion
ANNAPURNA REGION TRIPS

Trips Starting from Annapurna Region

Hand-crafted itineraries that start in Annapurna Region, from a single sunrise day-trip to multi-week Himalayan expeditions.

Annapurna Region
About Annapurna Region

The First 8,000-Metre Summit

Annapurna I is an 8,091 m peak in western Nepal and the first mountain above 8,000 m that anyone climbed. Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the summit on 3 June 1950, three years before Everest, and both paid for it with frostbitten fingers and toes on the descent. The mountain still carries the highest fatality-to-summit ratio of any 8,000 m peak, which is why the trekking routes around it, and not the summit, are what draw people here.

The Annapurna Conservation Area covers 7,629 km², making it the largest protected area in Nepal. It runs from subtropical valley floor at around 800 m to the summit itself, and that spread is the point: 474 recorded bird species, 102 mammals, and villages belonging to Gurung, Magar, Thakali and Manangba communities. Six summits here pass 7,200 m. Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), the fishtail peak above Pokhara, is closed to climbing on religious grounds and has never been officially summited.

Which Annapurna trail suits you comes down to how many days you have. The Annapurna Circuit Trek crosses Thorong La at 5,416 m and passes through every climate zone Nepal has, though road building has now reached both ends of it and most itineraries jeep past the dullest sections. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek climbs into a glacial amphitheatre at 4,130 m ringed by peaks, and it is the better choice on a shorter budget of days. If you only have a week, the Poon Hill trek gets you a sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South without going above 3,210 m.

8,091 mHighest Peak
10thWorld Ranking
7,629 km²Conservation Area
Highlights

Things to do in Annapurna Region

Standout experiences hand-picked by our local guides.

  • 01
    Annapurna Base Camp
    A glacial sanctuary at 4,130 m enclosed by ten peaks above 6,000 m. Seven to twelve days out of Pokhara.
  • 02
    Thorong La
    The 5,416 m pass on the Circuit, crossed before dawn to beat the afternoon wind.
  • 03
    Poon Hill Sunrise
    A 3,210 m ridge with Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre in one line. Nepal's best short trek.
  • 04
    Manang
    A trans-Himalayan village at 3,540 m with its own dialect and a mountaineering school. The Circuit's acclimatisation stop.
  • 05
    Tilicho Lake
    At 4,919 m, among the highest lakes of its size anywhere. A side trip across genuine avalanche terrain.
  • 06
    Muktinath
    Sacred to Hindus and Buddhists both, at 3,800 m. 108 water spouts and a natural gas flame burning over water.
  • 07
    Mardi Himal
    A quiet five to seven day ridge walk under Machhapuchhre, topping out near 4,500 m.
  • 08
    Gurung Villages
    Ghandruk and Sikles, stone-built and terraced, home to the communities the Gurkha regiments recruited from.
When to visit

Best time to visit Annapurna Region

October to November is the clearest window, and March to May brings the rhododendron out below 3,000 m. The Circuit's high crossing at Thorong La is the part that weather actually closes.

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Best Good Avoid trekking Avoid
  • ★ BEST SEASON
    Spring
    March – May
    Rhododendron forest in flower between 2,000 and 3,000 m, and long warm days. Haze builds through May and can flatten the distant peaks by afternoon. Temperatures shown are Chomrong (2,170 m).
    4°C – 18°C
  • MONSOON
    Summer
    June – August
    Monsoon on the south side, with leeches and cloud. Manang and Mustang sit in the rain shadow behind the main range, so the upper Circuit stays walkable when Base Camp does not.
    12°C – 24°C
  • ★ BEST SEASON
    Autumn
    September – November
    The clearest and busiest season. Thorong La is reliably open and the sanctuary at Base Camp is at its sharpest. Book Chomrong and Deurali lodges ahead in October.
    2°C – 16°C
  • GOOD
    Winter
    December – February
    Fine for Poon Hill and the lower trails, which stay green and empty. Thorong La is frequently snowbound and the sanctuary carries avalanche risk after any heavy fall.
    -4°C – 11°C
Good to know

Annapurna Region questions, answered

Annapurna Circuit or Annapurna Base Camp: which should I choose?
Base Camp if you have 7 to 12 days and want the mountains close and steep around you. The Circuit if you have 15 to 20 and want variety, because it crosses from subtropical valley to Tibetan high desert and over Thorong La at 5,416 m. Base Camp is the easier trek and reaches 4,130 m; the Circuit is longer and goes 1,300 m higher.
Has road building ruined the Annapurna Circuit?
It has changed it rather than ruined it, and you should know that before booking. Roads now reach Manang on one side and Muktinath on the other, so walking the full classic line means sharing sections with jeeps. Most operators, us included, drive past the dullest stretches and walk the good ones, or route you onto the parallel NATT footpaths where they exist. The high section over Thorong La is untouched.
How hard is the Annapurna Base Camp trek?
Moderate. It tops out at 4,130 m, which is well below Everest Base Camp, and no day is technical. The sting is the staircases: the climb to Chomrong and the steps up to Deurali are relentless. Expect 5 to 6 hours walking a day.
What permits are needed in the Annapurna region?
An ACAP entry permit for the Annapurna Conservation Area, plus a TIMS card. Upper Mustang and Nar Phu sit inside the same region but are restricted areas needing a separate, far more expensive permit and a registered guide. Swotah arranges all of these and includes the standard ones in the trip price.
Is Annapurna I dangerous to climb?
Yes, and it is a different proposition entirely from the trekking routes. Annapurna I has the worst summit-to-fatality record of the fourteen 8,000 m peaks, driven by avalanche exposure on its faces. Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp carries none of that risk; the two activities share a name and nothing else.
Why can't Machhapuchhre be climbed?
It is sacred to Shiva and closed to climbing by the Nepali government. A 1957 British expedition led by Jimmy Roberts reached about 150 m below the top and stopped, honouring an agreement not to set foot on the summit. No one has been granted permission since, which makes the 6,993 m fishtail one of the few unclimbed peaks visible from a major city.
When is the best time to trek in Annapurna?
October and November for clarity, March to May for rhododendron and warmth. December and January are underrated on the lower Poon Hill and Ghandruk trails, which stay open, sunny and almost empty, though Thorong La often closes with snow.
Can I trek Annapurna without a guide?
The Nepal Tourism Board moved in April 2023 to require a licensed guide for independent trekkers in the conservation area, and Annapurna is where that rule has been applied most consistently. Assume you need one. Restricted zones inside the region, such as Upper Mustang and Nar Phu, have always required a guide and a minimum party size.