Thorong La Is Open Again After the Late September Snow, Here’s What Annapurna Circuit Trekkers Should Check Before They Go

The Annapurna Circuit is open again across Thorong La, the high pass between Manang and Mustang. Heavy snow from 24 to 27 September blocked the trail completely and stopped tourist movement, and on Monday 5 October the route reopened after snow was cleared, according to Nepal News, which published the report on 6 October. If you are booked on the circuit this autumn, this is good news, but it is not the same as a guarantee for your own crossing day.

Who cleared the pass, and is the route officially open?

The pass was cleared by 20 people, on the initiative of the Muktinath Hotel Association, and the association says trekking from Manang over Thorong La to Mustang is now unobstructed. That is a local statement, not a government notice, so treat it as a strong sign rather than a permit. Its president, Suraj Gurung, is the named source in the report. Conditions at 5,416 metres can change within hours, which is why we never fix a crossing date without a weather margin.

Is the Annapurna Circuit still a good choice this autumn?

Yes, October and November are described as the ideal months for the Thorong La trek, and the Manang to Mustang route runs for about five months a year. The late September snow was an early-season event, and what matters now is the forecast on the days you cross. Be honest with yourself about the risk: the circuit is long, the pass day is cold and early, and a storm can close it for a day or more.

What should you check before you fly to Nepal?

Ask your operator three questions: what is the plan if the pass closes on your day, how many spare days are built into the itinerary, and who decides to turn the group around. A trek with no spare day is a trek that pushes people over the pass in bad weather. Check that your travel insurance covers trekking up to 5,500 metres, and that it includes helicopter evacuation, because a closed pass makes a walk-out much longer.

It is also worth knowing that tourism is thin in places. Ghandruk can host 2,500 guests a day, yet one hotel owner, Laksin Gurung, said only five to seven guests arrive daily compared with full bookings in previous years. Lodges are keen for you to come, so you will have plenty of room, but smaller crowds also mean fewer people on the trail if something goes wrong.

How should you plan around Dashain?

Dashain festival travel is the other pressure point. Buses and domestic flights are busy in the days around the festival, and Sneha Gurung of Nirmal Villa in Ghandruk said that with the festival season round the corner, the tourist season has also started. Book your internal transport early and keep a flexible day at each end of the trek.

Look at our 14-day Annapurna Circuit trek or the shorter Jomsom Muktinath trek, and tell us your dates and we will tell you honestly whether the weather window suits you.

Cover photo: Nadim Shaikh via Pexels (Pexels License). Section photos: Harsh Kukadiya via Pexels (Pexels licence); Roshan Pokharel via Pexels (Pexels licence); Ashok J Kshetri via Pexels (Pexels licence); Quang Nguyen Vinh via Pexels (Pexels licence); Abdul Kayum via Pexels (Pexels licence).