For thirty years the Annapurna Circuit was the Nepal trek. Then the road came. Ask around and you will hear the circuit is finished. That is overstated — but it has changed, and you should plan around the change rather than pretend it has not happened.
What the roads did
Vehicle tracks now run up the Marsyangdi valley on the eastern side and down to Muktinath and Jomsom on the western side. Sections that were once quiet walking are now dusty roadside. If you walk the classic route unmodified, you will spend several days beside traffic.
What is still excellent
- Upper Pisang to Manang via Ghyaru. The high route stays well above the road with continuous Annapurna II and IV views. This is still world-class trekking.
- Manang to Thorong Phedi. No road, big alpine scenery, and the acclimatisation walks around Manang are superb.
- Thorong La itself (5,416 m). Untouched, and one of the great pass crossings in Nepal.
- The Nar Phu valley side trip. Restricted, remote, and largely unvisited.
How to trek it now
Most good operators, ourselves included, now drive the dull lower sections and start walking at Chame or Dharapani. You lose two days of road-walking and lose nothing of value. On the western side, finish at Muktinath and drive or fly out from Jomsom rather than walking the windy road down to Tatopani.
The NATT trails
Look for the red-and-white NATT waymarks. These are alternative footpaths deliberately routed away from the road, and they make a substantial difference to the experience. A guide who knows them is worth paying for.
Verdict
Walked as a purist end-to-end trek, it is diminished. Walked selectively — driving the roads, taking the high routes, crossing Thorong La — it remains one of the finest two weeks in the Himalaya.
Ask us how we route it to keep you off the road.
