Thorong La is the reason people walk the Annapurna Circuit. At 5,416 m it is one of the highest trekking passes in the world, and crossing it is a genuinely big day — eight to ten hours, most of it above 4,500 m.
The day itself
You leave Thorong Phedi or High Camp between 4 and 5 am, in the dark and usually well below freezing. The climb is a relentless series of false summits over four to five hours. The pass itself is a broad saddle marked with prayer flags and a small teahouse. Then comes the part people underestimate: a 1,600 m descent to Muktinath, which is punishing on the knees.
Why the early start
Wind. Thorong La is reliably calm at dawn and reliably ferocious by late morning. Parties that leave late find themselves crossing an exposed saddle in a gale. The early start is not tradition, it is safety.
Acclimatisation
Spend at least two nights at Manang (3,519 m) with a day walk to Ice Lake or Milarepa Cave before going higher. Sleep at Thorong Phedi (4,540 m) rather than pushing to High Camp unless you are well adapted. The 2014 disaster on this pass, which killed more than forty people, was a combination of an unseasonal storm and parties that were poorly acclimatised and poorly equipped.
What to carry
- Down jacket, windproof shell, warm hat and two pairs of gloves.
- Microspikes if there has been recent snow.
- Head torch, and spare batteries — cold destroys battery life.
- Two litres of water and more food than you think you need.
Weather
Check the forecast and be willing to wait a day. The pass is not going anywhere. Reputable guides carry a satellite communicator and will call it off if conditions turn — take that advice.
Ask about our Annapurna Circuit departures, all of which build in acclimatisation days before the pass.
