The Annapurna Circuit is one of the top ten trekking routes in the world. The Short Annapurna Circuit Trek is a combination of mountain scenery, unique culture, and an amazing landscape with lowland civilization from Besisahar to Manang village, where highlander people live. The highest point of this trip is Thorong La Pass, at an elevation of 5,416 meters, which is the main attraction of the trip. As there is simple road access at the beginning and end of the trip, a day’s Annapurna Circuit Trek can be done in 7 days.
People here are following Buddhism; they have strong faith and believe in their culture and tradition. The culture here is untouched by modernization, so it remains uniquely like ancient Tibetan culture. The polyandry marriage system has proven how it has conserved its culture and tradition for centuries. As a Rapid Annapurna Round Trek in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, it conserves rare wildlife and vegetation and its inhabitants from the lowland to the high Himalayan area. Snow leopards, Himalayan goats (Naur and Jharal), and deer live in the lap of the Himalayas. Mountain scenery, a century-old monastery, a cave, and Chhorten are the main attractions during the short Annapurna Circuit Trip; similarly, the icefall, the glacier lake, and the glacier also make your trip remarkable.
The Annapurna Circuit Short Trek is the same route as the classical Annapurna Circuit Trek, but with fewer days of hiking. It is also known as the Mini Annapurna Circuit Trek. The trip starts in Chame after the drive from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Besisahar and continues with the drive to the city on the same day. The road from Kathmandu to Besisahar is 173 kilometers, Besisahar to Chame is 65 kilometers, Chame to Manang is 25 kilometers, and Manang to Khangsar is 6 kilometers. It is possible to drive further than Chame, but it is best to start the trip from Chame with adequate acclimatization, such as at high elevations. Then, walk through the high Himalayan villages with their beautiful mountain scenery and culture. Mostly the trail goes through the bank of the Marsyangdi River till Thorung La Pass via Dhukur Pokhari, Pisang, Upper Pisang, Ghyaru, Ngwal, Braga, Manang, Tanki Manang, Ghunsang, Yak Kharka, Chuli Leader, Thorang Phedi, High Camp, and finally gets on top of Thorung La Pass (5,416 m). Some people walk through Humde village, but for the best mountain scenery, we at Nepal Mother House suggest taking a higher route from Ngwal Village. During rest days at Manang, batters are proposed to visit Gangapurna Lake, Ice Lake (Kicho Tal), or Milarepa Cave for acclimatization. Manang itself is a lovely village with traditional houses, farmland and animal husbandry, and mountain scenery such as Annapurna II (7,937 m), Annapurna IV (7,525 m), Gandarbha Chuli (6,250 m), Annapurna III (7,555 m), Gangapurna (7,544 m), Glacier Dome (7,193 m), Khangsar Kang (7,485 m), and Tilicho Peak (7,134 m) that make you joyful. It is possible to visit Tilicho Lake (a lake situated at the world's highest elevation of 4,920 m) if you can add one more day to your trip.
After Thorung La Top, you will descend to the holy place of Muktinath, which is essential and serene for Buddhists and Hindus. They are naming the same God by a different name. It is a wonderful example of good hormones for different religions and communities. The main attractions of Muktinath are the 108 water spots, Jwala Mai, Shaligram (fossil), and the Muktinath temple. The Annapurna Circuit Short Trek brings out people's lives, cultural shows, mountain scenery, and the natural beauty of the Manang and Mustang districts. The trek ends in Muktinath, and we drive to Jomsom (16 km) via Kagbeni.
The next day, fly back to Pokhara early in the morning, collecting a bunch of memorable experiences from the Himalayas. Nowadays, there is road access from Muktinath to Pokhara (173 km). We recommend you do the Annapurna Circuit Trek in 7 days, but it can be done in 5 days as the shortest time, even for first-time trekkers who need to be physically fit for such a short trek at a high elevation. Nepal Mother House is glad to organize the Thorong La Pass Short Trek during your short holiday in Nepal with expert local guides and porters in 2026 and 2027. It is possible to do these treks year-round, but March to May in spring and September to November in autumn are the best times for this trip. Why are you not joining us for your short trip to Nepal?
