Nepal / Annapurna & Mustang / ManangManang
Annapurna Circuit Acclimatisation Base Below Thorong La
A stone village at 3,540 m on the Annapurna Circuit, the place every trekker stops for a day or two to acclimatise before the Thorong La pass (5,416 m) to Muktinath. Jeeps now drive up the Marsyangdi valley from Besisahar (7-9 rough hours, more after rain), so you can reach it without walking the lower circuit; the days here are walks to Ice Lake, Gangapurna glacier lake and the Braga monastery. Crossing the pass to Jomsom is 3-4 days on foot and is the trek itself.
Highlights
- Acclimatisation hike to Ice Lake (4,600 m)
- Gangapurna glacier lake
- Braga's cliffside monastery
- Annapurna II, III and Gangapurna from the village
- Thorong La crossing to Muktinath
- Altitude talk at the Himalayan Rescue Association post
Things to do
- Acclimatisation hike to Ice LakeMorning · 6h
- Gangapurna glacier lake viewpointAfternoon · 2h
- Braga MonasteryMorning · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: March – May, October – November
Worth knowing
Monsoon: Landslides on the Jeep Roads
Jomsom and Manang lie in the Annapurnas' rain shadow and stay fairly dry, but the jeep roads up to them (Beni–Jomsom, Besisahar–Manang) are cut by landslides for hours or days in June–September, and Pokhara–Jomsom flights are often cancelled. Keep two spare days.
Heads up
Peak Trekking Season
October–November (clearest skies) and March–May (warmer, rhododendrons in bloom, some haze) are the trekking seasons. Trails and teahouses are at their busiest: book flights and lodges in advance, walk early, and expect higher prices for rooms with attached bathrooms.
Worth knowing
Thorong La Often Closed by Snow
From December to February snow often closes the Thorong La (5,416 m) between Manang and Muktinath, and crossing it then is dangerous; many lodges above Manang shut. Manang itself is reachable by jeep when the road is clear, but bitterly cold. Cross the pass from mid-October to November or March to April.