If Khumbu is Nepal’s most famous trekking region, Annapurna is its most versatile. Based out of Pokhara, a lakeside city a short flight or drive from Kathmandu, Annapurna offers routes for nearly every timeframe and fitness level: the short, teahouse-supported Poon Hill trek for a weekend sunrise view of the range; the week-long push into the Annapurna Sanctuary itself; and the multi-week Annapurna Circuit, historically considered one of the greatest long-distance treks in the world.
The region’s defining feature is the Kali Gandaki valley, the deepest gorge on Earth measured from peak to riverbed, which the Annapurna Circuit follows for part of its route before crossing Thorong La — at over 5,400m, one of the highest trekking passes regularly crossed by non-technical trekkers anywhere. Quieter alternatives like Mardi Himal, Tilicho Lake, and the Khopra Ridge offer similar scenery with noticeably fewer trekkers.
Trekking season runs March–May and September–November. Most routes require a TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card and an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) permit, both arranged easily in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
