Annapurna Circuit or Upper Mustang, here's how to pick between Nepal's two classic treks

If you have to choose one, choose based on what scares you more: thin air or a longer bill for a quieter trail. The Annapurna Circuit crosses Thorong La at 5,416 metres, high enough that altitude sickness is a real planning problem. Upper Mustang tops out around 3,932 metres on its standard route, well under the altitude where most people start feeling it, but it charges a daily fee that a longer Annapurna Circuit itinerary never does.

The altitude difference is the real decision

Annapurna Circuit is the harder trek on oxygen alone. Thorong La, the pass linking Manang to Muktinath, sits at 5,416 metres, where the air holds roughly half the oxygen of sea level. Most itineraries build in two acclimatisation days around Manang (3,540m) before the crossing, and altitude sickness is the single most common reason a trekker turns back on this route. Our 14-day Annapurna Circuit itinerary keeps those acclimatisation days in the plan rather than cutting them for speed.

Upper Mustang never gets that high. The standard trek to Lo Manthang and back tops out at Nyi La Pass, 3,932 metres, with the walled city itself sitting at about 3,840 metres. You will still feel the thin, dry desert air, but you are trekking in a range where serious altitude illness is uncommon rather than expected. If you would rather spend your energy on distance and culture than on watching for headaches, Upper Mustang is the gentler trek by a wide margin.

What each permit actually costs in 2026

Annapurna Circuit is the cheaper trek to permit, and it is a flat cost regardless of how many days you spend on the trail. Upper Mustang charges by the day, so a longer trip costs meaningfully more before you have paid for a single night's lodging.

A typical Upper Mustang itinerary spends 6 to 8 days inside the restricted zone beyond Kagbeni, which puts the permit bill alone at roughly US$300 to US$400 on top of the ACAP fee, before guide, lodging or food. Annapurna Circuit's entire permit cost is a one-time US$38 whether you take 10 days or 17 — see our 15-day Upper Mustang itinerary for how that fee is built into a real quote rather than added on afterward.

The guide rule is identical, the crowd is not

Neither trek can legally be done alone any more. Nepal's Department of Immigration made a licensed guide mandatory in every national park, conservation area and restricted area from 1 April 2023, which covers both the Annapurna Conservation Area and Upper Mustang. The one 2026 change is on the Mustang side: a solo trekker can now hold the restricted-area permit alone, since the two-person minimum was dropped on 22 March 2026 — you still need the guide, you just no longer need a second trekker.

Where the two treks really part ways is foot traffic. Annapurna Circuit is one of the busiest multi-day treks in Nepal, especially through Manang and the Thorong La approach, where teahouses fill up in October. Upper Mustang stays quiet by comparison — it only opened to foreign trekkers in 1992, the daily permit fee has always kept numbers down, and Lo Manthang's alleys rarely feel crowded even in peak season.

What this means for your trek

What this means for you

Pick Annapurna Circuit if you want a proper high-altitude trek with a real mountain pass, forest and farmland scenery on the approach, and you are comfortable with acclimatisation days built into the plan. Pick Upper Mustang if you want desert canyons, a living medieval Buddhist kingdom, and a trail that will not push your body near its limit — and you are willing to pay a daily fee for that quiet. If you have three weeks and want both, several itineraries link Jomsom to Muktinath and on to the Manang side of the circuit, so this is not strictly an either/or choice.

Can you actually do both treks on one trip?

Yes. Jomsom sits at the junction of both routes, so a longer itinerary can combine an Upper Mustang loop with a crossing over Thorong La into the Manang side of the Annapurna Circuit, rather than flying out after Muktinath.

Which one is better for a first-time trekker?

Upper Mustang is the gentler introduction on altitude alone. Annapurna Circuit is still achievable for a fit beginner, but expect two dedicated acclimatisation days and a harder final week around Thorong La.

Book through a registered agency for either route — the guide requirement means an unlicensed operator cannot legally take you into Upper Mustang at all, and a legitimate Annapurna Circuit quote should show ACAP and TIMS as separate, named line items rather than a bundled 'permit fee.'

Cover photo: Pratikshyabhatta via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Section photos: Ashok J Kshetri via Pexels (Pexels licence); Rubaitul Azad via Pexels (Pexels licence); Nepal Moto Tours via Pexels (Pexels licence); Deekshyant via Pexels (Pexels licence); Rajan Pun via Pexels (Pexels licence).