The short version
The Annapurna Circuit in 2026 costs $900–2,500 depending on style. Here's what you'll actually spend on permits, teahouses, food, and guides — day by day.
The Annapurna Circuit is Nepal's most celebrated long-distance trek — 160+ kilometres of trail that winds through subtropical river valleys, alpine meadows, and over the 5,416m Thorong La Pass. It crosses more climate zones, cultural groups, and landscape types than almost any other trek on earth. Yet when it comes to money, the Circuit is frequently misunderstood: some travellers budget far too little and run short, others overbuild and miss the genuine local experience. This guide gives you the honest, 2026-current numbers so you can plan with confidence.
- Total cost: $900–$1,200 budget solo, $1,400–$1,800 guided all-inclusive, $1,800–$2,500 comfortable solo.
- Permits: ACAP $30 + TIMS $20 = $50 total — cheaper than the $74 needed for Everest Base Camp.
- On-trail daily spend: roughly $40–$70/day for food, lodging and drinks combined.
- Best value meal: dal bhat, $6–$9 with free refills — fuels the 3,000–4,500 calories you burn at altitude.
- Best months: October–November and March–April for stable weather and a safe Thorong La crossing.
Total Cost Ranges
Here's the headline summary before we break down each component:
| Style | Estimated Total (USD) |
|---|---|
| Budget solo (basic teahouses, dal bhat diet, no guide) | $900 – $1,200 |
| Guided with Travel Himalaya Nepal (all-inclusive) | $1,400 – $1,800 |
| Comfortable solo (better lodges, mixed menu, some extras) | $1,800 – $2,500 |
Our guided 10-day Annapurna Circuit package sits in a competitive middle ground — you get a licensed guide, all permits, teahouse accommodation, and meals, often at a lower combined cost than a comfortable solo attempt once you factor in guide hire and permit logistics. If you want the long, fully acclimatised version that adds the side-trip to Tilicho Lake (4,919m), our 17-day Circuit with Tilicho Lake is the gold-standard itinerary.
Permit Costs
The Annapurna Circuit requires two permits, totalling $50 USD — noticeably cheaper than the $74 required for the Everest route. Full details are on our Annapurna permits page, and you can compare every Nepal trekking permit on our permit hub.
- ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit): $30 (NPR 3,000), issued by the Nepal Tourism Board / NTNC
- TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System): $20 (NPR 2,000) for individual foreign trekkers, $10 via a registered agency
Both permits are obtained in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you start the trek. ACAP checkpoints along the route verify your permit at multiple points, so keep the original accessible. If you're on a guided package, your guide collects these on your behalf.
TIMS enforcement on Annapurna trails has been inconsistent in recent seasons, but ACAP is checked rigorously at every gate. We always issue both so there are no surprises at a checkpoint — a missing ACAP can mean being turned back or paying a doubled on-the-spot fee.
Accommodation on the Circuit
Teahouses run the length of the Circuit, from the trailhead at Besisahar all the way to Jomsom and beyond. Prices vary considerably by location and altitude:
- Lower valleys (Besisahar to Chame): $10–$15/night for a basic twin room
- Mid-circuit (Pisang to Manang): $12–$20/night; attached bathrooms available at $20–$30
- High altitude (Yak Kharka, Thorong Phedi): $15–$25/night; facilities are simpler here
- Mustang side (Muktinath, Jomsom): $15–$30/night; this section has more lodge competition and some comfort options
As with most Himalayan trekking, teahouse owners expect guests to eat at least dinner and breakfast in-house. This arrangement subsidises the low room rate — it's fair and feeds you well. Budget $180–$400 for 13 nights of accommodation depending on your chosen comfort level.
Food on the Circuit
Budget $25–$35 per day for food if you eat smartly. Dal bhat — the Nepali staple of lentil soup, steamed rice, seasonal vegetables, and pickle — is your best value meal on the trail. Most teahouses offer unlimited refills for $6–$9, recognising that trekkers burn 3,000–4,500 calories per day at altitude.
Western-style dishes (pizza, pasta, burgers, apple crumble) are available throughout the Circuit and cost $8–$14 per dish, without the calorie density or cost efficiency of dal bhat. Save them for rest days or celebratory dinners.
Hot drinks above Manang cost $2–$4 per cup. Carry a water filter or purification tablets — the Circuit has clean stream water at many points and you can dramatically reduce your bottled-water spend. Total food budget for 13 days: $325–$455.
Two habits cut your on-trail spend the most: eat dal bhat once a day (free refills mean it out-values everything else on the menu), and treat your own water rather than buying bottled — bottled water climbs to $3–$4/litre above Manang, so a filter pays for itself within a few days.
Daily Budget at a Glance
Here is what a typical day on the trail looks like for an independent trekker, by section:
| Section | Lodging | Food & drinks | Daily total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower valleys (Besisahar–Chame) | $10–$15 | $22–$30 | $32–$45 |
| Mid-circuit (Pisang–Manang) | $12–$20 | $25–$33 | $37–$53 |
| High altitude (Yak Kharka–Phedi) | $15–$25 | $30–$40 | $45–$65 |
| Mustang side (Muktinath–Jomsom) | $15–$30 | $25–$35 | $40–$65 |
Guide vs Solo: The Real Calculation
Solo trekking the Annapurna Circuit is permitted and many people do it successfully. But hiring a guide from our Annapurna team can actually save you money over the course of a trek, not just add to it. Here's how:
Our guides have long-standing relationships with specific teahouses and negotiate better room and meal rates, especially in shoulder season.
A guide who knows the right acclimatisation schedule keeps you from pushing too hard and needing evacuation — a helicopter rescue from Manang runs $2,500–$4,000.
Guides read the weather and know which passes are safe on a given day, saving you costly extra nights waiting out bad conditions.
Permits, TIMS logistics and village entry fees are handled for you, so there's no scramble or doubled on-the-spot charge at a gate.
Licensed guide rates: $35–$45/day. Porter rates: $20–$30/day. For a 13-day trek with a guide and shared porter, budget $650–$975 in staff costs — or let our all-inclusive package absorb this cleanly. Whatever you decide, please hire through an outfit that pays fair wages and insures its porters; see our responsible trekking commitments.
Thorong La Pass Day: Planning Your Summit Push
Crossing Thorong La (5,416m) is the physical and emotional centrepiece of the Circuit. Most trekkers spend 2 nights in Manang (3,519m) for acclimatisation before attempting the pass — this is strongly recommended and can prevent costly, dangerous situations.
Cost implications of the Thorong La section:
- Extra rest nights in Manang: $12–$20/night each
- Acclimatisation day hike to Ice Lake or Gangapurna Lake: free (guide recommended)
- Thorong Phedi accommodation night before the push: $15–$25
- Pre-dawn start: no extra cost, but pack snacks the evening before ($5–$8)
- Teahouse near the top: hot drinks and a celebratory meal, budget $15–$20
Thorong La is high enough that altitude sickness is a real risk if you rush the ascent. Never skip the Manang acclimatisation days to save money — a delayed crossing costs a few teahouse nights, but a forced evacuation costs thousands. Read our altitude sickness prevention guide before you go.
If weather forces a multi-day delay at Phedi, accommodation and food costs accumulate — budget a 2-day buffer in your itinerary and funds. This is exactly the kind of scenario where having a guide who monitors forecasts pays off.
Transport: Getting to and from the Circuit
The Circuit starts in Besisahar (or Bhulbhule for many itineraries) and finishes in Nayapul or Pokhara. Transport logistics are simpler and cheaper than Everest:
- Pokhara → Besisahar by jeep/bus: $15–$25 (3–4 hours by jeep, 5–6 hours by local bus at $8)
- Jomsom → Pokhara by flight (optional): $100–$120 one way — skips the lower Mustang section but saves 2–3 days
- Nayapul → Pokhara (if finishing via Poon Hill branch): $8 by local bus or $15 by jeep
- Pokhara → Kathmandu (tourist bus): $15–$20 / (flight) $80–$110
Total transport to/from the Circuit: $50–$150 depending on whether you fly any legs.
When to Go — and How Season Affects Cost
The best windows are October–November (autumn) and March–April (spring), when the weather is stable and Thorong La is reliably crossable. October is the single best month: clear skies, firm trails, and little or no snow on the pass. Manang sees daytime highs around 8–14°C and nights of −5 to −10°C, so the pass itself is well below freezing at dawn in any season.
Avoid the monsoon (June–August) on the lower sections — landslides, leeches and cloud-blocked views — though the upper Manang and Mustang valleys lie in a rain shadow and stay relatively dry. Winter (December–February) is cheaper and quiet but Thorong La can close with snow. Peak-season trekking costs a little more (lodges fill, rates firm up), so if budget matters more than crowds, the shoulder weeks of late November or early March give you good weather at softer prices. For the full picture, see our best time to trek Nepal in 2026 guide.
Group Pricing & Discounts
Travelling with friends? Our Annapurna Circuit group packages offer meaningful discounts for groups of 4 or more trekkers:
- 4–6 people: 8% discount per person
- 7–10 people: 12% discount per person
- 10+ people: Custom pricing — contact us directly
Group bookings also benefit from a dedicated lead guide plus one assistant guide for larger groups, private jeep transfers, and preferred teahouse reservations during peak season. For groups celebrating milestones — anniversaries, retirements, corporate retreats — we can build bespoke itineraries with private lodge upgrades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Annapurna Circuit cost in total in 2026?
Plan on $900–$1,200 as a budget solo trekker, $1,400–$1,800 for a fully guided all-inclusive package, and $1,800–$2,500 if you trek solo but choose better lodges and mixed Western menus. The single biggest variable is guide and porter hire, followed by how often you eat Western dishes instead of dal bhat.
What permits do I need and how much are they?
Two: the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) at $30, and the TIMS card at $20 for individual foreign trekkers ($10 through a registered agency) — $50 total. ACAP is checked rigorously at gates along the route. Both are issued in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or by your guide if you book a package. See our Annapurna permit guide.
Do I need a guide for the Annapurna Circuit?
Solo trekking the Circuit is permitted and common. A guide isn't legally mandatory on this route, but it adds real safety on Thorong La and often saves money through negotiated teahouse rates, avoided mistakes, and efficient route choices. For first-time high-altitude trekkers we strongly recommend one.
How much should I budget per day on the trail?
Roughly $40–$70 per day for lodging, food and drinks combined, rising in the high-altitude and Mustang sections where everything is carried in by mule or porter. Eating dal bhat and treating your own water keeps you near the bottom of that range.
When is the cheapest time to trek the Circuit?
Late November and early March — the shoulder weeks of the good seasons — give you stable weather with fewer crowds and slightly softer lodge prices than peak October. Winter (December–February) is cheaper still but Thorong La can close with snow, so it's a gamble.
How does the Circuit compare to Annapurna Base Camp on cost?
The Circuit is longer (10–17 days vs 6–7 for ABC) so the total is higher, but its daily costs are similar and permits are the same $50. If you have less time or budget, the shorter 6-day Annapurna Base Camp trek reaches a 4,130m amphitheatre of peaks for less. Compare numbers in our ABC cost guide.
Travel Himalaya Nepal has run Annapurna Circuit treks since 1998 — 5,000+ treks, zero fatalities. Our team knows every teahouse, every shortcut, and every cloud pattern above Thorong La. Get a transparent, all-inclusive quote with no hidden costs.
View the 10-day Annapurna Circuit →Prefer to talk it through? WhatsApp us at +977 985 602 3917 for a personalised quote, or browse our full tour list. We respond within a few hours, every day of the week.
See also: Annapurna permit guide · Meet our Annapurna guide team · Best time to trek Nepal 2026
Featured image: Vyacheslav Argenberg via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
Use our free Nepal permit cost calculator for the 2026 total in NPR and USD, or read the full Annapurna ACAP and TIMS permit guide.
Written by
Travel Himalaya Nepal
Pokhara-based, NMA-certified trekking guides. We’ve led 5,000+ treks across the Annapurna and Everest regions since 1998 — every word here comes from the trail. Meet the team →
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