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Hike the Annapurna Circuit over the Thorong La pass

Your breath fogs the inside of your buff before dawn even breaks over Thorong Phedi. The trail up to Thorong La climbs to 5,416 metres, the true high point of the Annapurna Circuit, past prayer flags stiff with frost. Porters know to carry a spare pair of gloves, because the wind off the pass will find any gap in your kit. You cross a windswept saddle of scree, crossed more in relief than triumph, thighs burning, lungs thin. At the teahouse that evening, someone hands round a bottle of water they'd left outside — frozen solid, a small clear brick of the day's cold.

Practical

Cost
$900–1,500 (permits, guide, food)
Best time
Spring (Mar–May) or autumn (Sep–Nov) for clear skies and stable weather
Difficulty
Hard
Time it takes
12–18 days of trekking, plus travel to and from the trailhead
What people get wrong
People push through acclimatisation days to keep pace with a group, which is the main cause of altitude sickness on the pass. Many also underestimate the cold at higher teahouses and the cost of everything, from batteries to chocolate, rising with the altitude.
With
A group

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