Want the Annapurna Circuit hiking adventure in Nepal without using up all your vacation days? Boom—this is it! Six days, all gas, no brakes. We took the best of the legendary Annapurna Circuit, trimmed the fluff, and left you with nothing but the most jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, high-altitude goodness. In just six days, we’ll hike through rice terraces, cross Thorong La Pass at a sky-scraping 5,416 m (17,756 ft), and strut into Jomsom with that “Yeah, I did that” energy. The locals? Warmer than your morning cup of tea. The landscapes? Straight out of a dream. The adventure? Short and sweet, but packs a punch. It’s fast, it’s intense, and it’s 100% the right call for anyone who’s short on time but big on adventure.
When time is tight but adventure is non-negotiable, this trek delivers. The Annapurna Circuit short trek serves up six days of mountain magic—stunning forests, high-altitude passes, and teahouse stops where traditional meals such as dal bhat hit just right. We’ll cross Thorong La Pass at a breathtaking 5,416 m (17,756 ft), explore ancient villages, and experience the warmth of Nepal’s locals and its mountain culture. The days are trimmed, not the experience, so every step counts. Big trek, short time, zero regrets, are you ready?
The ride from Kathmandu to Chame is long but very scenic. We will use a private vehicle up to Besisahar. The highway follows lush hills and rivers, offering beautiful scenery. The first few hours of the drive are comfortable. The roads from Dumre get bumpy. In Besisahar, we will change our vehicle to a local jeep. You will then enjoy a thrilling, bumpy ride to Chame. The mountain views and landscapes are heavenly along the way.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Driving: 238 km / 148 mi, 8-9 hours
Maximum elevation: +2,650 m / +8,694 ft
Accommodation: Teahouse
We will start the trek from Chame. After a big breakfast, we’ll leave the teahouse, follow a steep, narrow valley, and walk up to Paungda Danda Rock. It is a huge rock rising from the Marsyangdi River. From here, we’ll follow a downhill route that leads to the Manang Valley floor. The trail then ascends to Upper Pisang, offering breathtaking views of Annapurna II and Pisang Peak on the way.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 13.2 km / 8.2 mi, 5-6 hours
Maximum elevation: +3,115 m / +10,200 ft
Accommodation: Teahouse
From Upper Pisang to Manang, we will follow a very scenic route via Geru. It is the upper trail. We will see spectacular views of mountains like Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Mt. Gangapurna, Pisang Peak, Tilicho Peak, etc. Manang is the biggest village in the area, with many modern services.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 17 km / 10.6 mi, 6 hours
Maximum elevation: +3,540 m / +11,300 ft
Accommodation: Teahouse
Today, we will ascend to Thorong Phedi. We have a very long day of walking ahead of us, so we will have a big breakfast and leave Manang early in the morning. The trail crosses a stream and ascends to Tenki village. From here, we will come out of the Marsyangdi River Valley and enter Jarsang Khola Valley.
Trekking through pastures, we’ll pass by Gunsan and Yak Kharka. We will see a huge shift in landscape because the trail leaves a treeline behind and enters the alpine zone. Yak Kharka onwards, the trail is mostly narrow and steep all the way to Thorong Phedi.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 18 km / 11 mi, 8 hours
Maximum elevation: +4,525 m / +14,525 ft
Accommodation: Teahouse
On this day, we will cross the Thorong La Pass. The day begins very early with a warm breakfast. We will start climbing to the top of Thorong La Pass, navigating steep, rocky tracks. The climb will be tough because of the high altitude.
Upon reaching the top of the pass, an outstanding mountain panorama will unfold ahead of us, making us forget all the pain. Enjoy the view and descend from the pass to Muktinath Temple. It is a pilgrimage site for Hindus. We’ll quickly explore the temple and take a jeep ride to Jomsom.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 15.6 km / 9.6 mi, 8-9 hours
Maximum elevation: +5,416 m / +17,756 ft
Drive distance: 23 km / 14.2 mi
Accommodation: Teahouse
We will take a morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara, enjoying stunning aerial mountain views. From Pokhara, we will take a bus to Kathmandu. Upon reaching Kathmandu, the guide will drop you off at the hotel, and this adventure in Nepal will come to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
WOW is all I can say about the trip. Narayan and staff were amazing throughout the entire process. Friendly, super knowledgeable, and handled everything for my trip. They were always concerned about my comfort and seeing that a memorable trip was had by myself and my partner. I had a medical issue that caused them to both work into the night to get resolution on. Of course being sick in a foreign country can be a scary ordeal, but it was handled professionally and worked out well. I can say with certainty that they’ll be at the top of my list for my next trip and I can say without reservation that I’d go with them again.
Included:
Add-ons:
Not included:
To do the short Annapurna Circuit trek, trekkers have to be physically and mentally strong. It is an offbeat trek with steep, rugged, and rocky terrain that constantly ascends and descends. You will cover approximately 65 km / 40 mi in 4 days of walking. The better your strength and stamina, the more you will enjoy the trek.
Crossing the Thorong La Pass is the toughest and highest part of this trek. It is also the longest walking day (up to 8-9 hours). You will reach 5,416 meters (17,756 ft) above sea level on this day. Note that you will gain this elevation in just 5 days after leaving Kathmandu, so you must be fine with the elevation gain.
There is no acclimatization break to offer the shortest itinerary for the Annapurna Circuit, so trekkers need previous high-altitude experience. Overall, the short Annapurna Circuit trek requires very good physical fitness, mental endurance, and previous trekking experience.
For more hiking adventures in Nepal, click here!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Head and hands:
Upper body:
Lower body:
First aid kit:
Toiletries:
Miscellaneous:
Travel documents:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and pricing
Hiking in Nepal can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
The starting point of your Annapurna Circuit short trek is Kathmandu. To get there, most people fly into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach Kathmandu.
Once you’re there, you will meet your guide in front of your hotel in Kathmandu. Your guide will provide more information before the adventure begins.
Medical and travel protection is mandatory on this trip. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
Deposits
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
A friend recommended Discover Altitude to me and trekking with them has been nothing short of amazing. They of course have all the basics of getting you out there, creating a wonderful experience, and returning you safely all covered. What sets them apart though is the quality of people that they are. They spent time that I personally needed with me to make sure I was ready to go, checked in with both me and the guide along the way, and were responsive at all hours of the day whenever I had a request. They are very competitively priced for solo trips with a guide or if you are going out as a group.Call or stop by to talk with them and even if you decide that you don’t need a guide they will still gladly set up jeeps and flights to ease the logistic burden for you like they did for one of my friends who went out a few days after me.I can’t recommend them highly enough! I know I will be returning to Nepal with some friends in the future and there isn’t another trekking company that I would trust with my trip more than Discover Altitude.