Three riders, one ridgeline, and the wall of the range behind.Wind-carved country — the dry side of the range.
The Quiet Side
Riding clockwise means starting high and turning north with the valley wind behind you. The approach is short and the climbs are steep, but they are spent in the rain shadow between the Kali Gandaki and Muktinath — three days above 2,700 metres with a whole day given to one descent — so the altitude is earned somewhere worth the time, and you come under Thorong La acclimatised rather than arriving at it. The lodges on this side are quieter, the mornings are your own, and the longest descent of the circuit is the last thing you do rather than the first.
High ground is holy ground here.
The Kali Gandaki
The riding begins at Jomsom, where the Kali Gandaki runs between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I — eight-thousanders both, the deepest gorge on Earth by that measure. Kagbeni is a barley-field junction of stone lanes at the gate of Upper Mustang; above it the trail climbs the Lupra valley, past one of the last Bon villages in Nepal, to Muktinath, where an eternal flame burns over spring water and Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims arrive by the same path. A full day is given to the Lupra descent — the region's benchmark technical trail, shuttled and ridden again.
◆ Thorong La, 5,416 metres — the sign says so, and so do the legs.
The Pass
From Muktinath the route climbs east to a high camp under the pass, and crosses Thorong La — 5,416 metres — at dawn. Pack animals take the luggage; you take the bike. The reward is the long run down the eastern side into Manang, the mountain amphitheatre where the expedition spends four nights at altitude, three of them in the town. Braga's gompa stands in the cliffs above the valley, older than anything else on the route; from the town the days run out to Tilicho Base Camp and the lake at 4,919 metres, and up to Ice Lake, before the valley tilts downhill.
Pine forest, loose dust, and the gradient finally on your side.
The Long Descent
The final act runs the Marsyangdi: Manang to Lower Pisang past caves and stone villages, the high shelf above Pisang for those who ride it, Chame, and at last the full-day descent to Besisahar — nearly two vertical kilometres in a single run, more than four and a half below the pass. Juniper gives way to blue pine and then to rhododendron; tahr watch the gorge from ground no bike will ever reach; and the Manangi villages of the upper valley give way to Gurung and Magar country as the mountains let you go.
Mangal points out the line to a rider.
Who Leads It
Mangal Krishna Lama leads this tour. In 2022 he made the first solo mountain-bike traverse of the Great Himalaya Trail high route. It was 88 riding days from Kangchenjunga to Hilsa, over twenty-two passes above 5,000 metres, as his log shows. He has guided on this circuit for more than ten years. The guides who plan your trip are the guides who ride with you.
The measures
High point
5,416 m
Riding distance
about 145 km
Group
2–12 riders
Grade
Advanced
High point
5,416 m
Riding distance
about 145 km
Group
2–12 riders
Season
Spring (Mar–May) · Autumn (Oct–Dec)
Grade
Advanced
High point
5,416 m
Riding distance
about 145 km
Group
2–12 riders
Season
Spring (Mar–May) · Autumn (Oct–Dec)
Grade
Advanced
Hardest day
TECH 4/5 · FLOW 2/5 · PHYS 5/5
Technical — 4 of 5, Flow — 2 of 5, Physical — 5 of 5
Hardtail 29er or full-suspension trail bike · dropper post recommended
When to ride
Over a decade of running expeditions through these valleys, working alongside the communities who call them home, has shown us a changing climate at first hand — more disruption, less predictable weather. We schedule our own departures around the window that is actually opening rather than the one the calendar promises, because most of the circuit's seasons are, in fact, rideable. What follows is the honest account of each.
JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
Recommended
Spring
Mar · Apr · May
March to May is one of the two recommended windows, clear of the monsoon's rain and the cold of winter — the season, alongside autumn, that most riders choose.
Rideable
Monsoon and late monsoon
Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
Much of the circuit lies in the rain shadow of the range, and riding through it stays dry and rideable while the lowlands take the rain. Fewer people are on the trail, and the trade is a readiness for the odd delay — a road washed out, a cloud sitting on a pass — that becomes part of the experience for a rider prepared for it. Fewer lodges are open here too, and our trips are prepared accordingly.
Recommended
Autumn
Oct · Nov · Dec
October to December is the other recommended window, sharing spring's settled trail conditions on the far side of the monsoon. It is also the season where, over more than a decade of watching the weather shift, we have seen that unpredictability reach even here — the reason every departure is planned around the window that is actually opening, not the one the calendar promises.
Rideable
Winter
Jan · Feb
January and February are quiet in a different way — few other riders, cold mornings, and trails and villages that empty out. A pass can hold snow and the plan may need a day or two to let it clear, but the reward is sharp, clear visibility by day and clear night skies. Fewer lodges are open along the route here too, and riders should be ready for the cold and for an unhurried, intimate pace.
Route profile
near Jomsom2,759 m
Jomsom 2,720 m · Kagbeni 2,804 m · Muktinath 3,710 m · Thorong La 5,416 m · Manang 3,540 m · Lower Pisang 3,250 m · Chame 2,670 m · Besisahar 760 m
Arrive Kathmandu (about 1,400 m). Airport transfer, bike build and gear check. The mountains can wait a day; the jet lag cannot.
Day 02
Kathmandu
Night
Hotel, Kathmandu
Meals
B/L/D
Culture day in the capital — Swayambhunath and Durbar Square on foot — then the full expedition briefing: route, altitude profile, weather and the plan for the pass.
Day 03
To Pokhara
flight
Night
Hotel, Pokhara
Meals
B/L/D
Fly Kathmandu → Pokhara (822 m). A lakeside afternoon by Phewa Lake with the Annapurnas standing on the horizon — the last easy day for a while.
Fly Pokhara → Jomsom (2,720 m); ride north up the Kali Gandaki to Kagbeni (2,804 m), the wind-blown barley-field junction at the gate of Upper Mustang.
The group, the crest, and the wall of the western horizon.
Kagbeni → Muktinath (3,710 m) by way of the Lupra valley, riding the valley and taking a shuttle up the last of the climb. Muktinath is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike; the lodges sit just below the shrines.
The villages are not scenery — people live along this route.
A full day on the Lupra descent — the region's benchmark technical trail, dropping through a dry canyon of switchbacks and rock. Shuttle back up; a second run for those with the legs.
Wind-carved country — the dry side of the range.
Day 07
To the High Camp
ridden → hike-a-bike
Night
High camp below Thorong La
Meals
B/L/D
Technical
Flow
Physical
alpine trail · hike-a-bike · scree
Muktinath → high camp below Thorong La. A short day by distance and a long one by effort — rideable at first, then long stretches with the bike on your shoulder — and it ends early: dinner, water bottles filled, alarm set for the dark.
Where the trail out-climbs the gearing, the bike rides you.
Over Thorong La (5,416 m) at dawn, the highest point of the trip — pack animals ahead with the luggage, prayer flags hard in the wind — then the long eastern descent into Manang: nearly 1,900 metres lower, and more than 2,500 metres of downhill on the way.
The last metres before the pass go on foot, the bike pushed over the scree.
◆ Thorong La, 5,416 metres — the sign says so, and so do the legs.
Day 09
To Tilicho Base Camp
ridden → hike-a-bike → ridden
High point
4,150 m
Night
Lodge, Tilicho Base Camp
Meals
B/L/D
Technical
Flow
Physical
exposed traverse · landslide zones (walked) · high singletrack
Manang → Tilicho Base Camp (4,150 m) on a rugged singletrack traverse beneath the Grande Barrière. The landslide zones are crossed on foot — the trail is the reward either side of them.
The high amphitheatre, where the expedition slows down to climb higher.
Day 10
Tilicho Lake
High point
4,919 m
Night
Lodge, Manang
Meals
B/L/D
Technical
Flow
Physical
alpine climb · moraine · fast return trail
Morning at Tilicho Lake (4,919 m) — among the highest alpine lakes anywhere — then back along the traverse to Manang for the night.
Glacial water holds a colour the camera undersells.
The Ice Lake ride from Manang, climbing to roughly 4,600 m on acclimatised legs. The whole Annapurna range stands across the valley; the descent back to town is the payback.
A tarn at altitude, holding the whole range upside down.
Day 12
Down-valley to Pisang
Distance
16 km
Gain
+377 m
Loss
−768 m
High point
3,540 m
Night
Lodge, Lower Pisang
Meals
B/L/D
Technical
Flow
Physical
valley trail · village lanes · fast dirt road
Manang → Lower Pisang (~3,250 m), descending the upper Marsyangdi past caves and stone villages. The gradient is finally, reliably, in your favour. The high shelf — Ngawal, Ghyaru, Upper Pisang, with Annapurna II, III and IV across the valley — is there for anyone who wants the climb.
High ground is holy ground here.
Day 13
Down the Marsyangdi to Chame
Distance
15 km
Gain
+859 m
Loss
−1,348 m
High point
3,250 m
Night
Lodge, Chame
Meals
B/L/D
Technical
Flow
Physical
stone-paved village lanes · river-gorge trail · pine-forest trail
Lower Pisang → Chame (2,670 m) down the Marsyangdi past Bhratang and its apple orchards, the gorge tightening as the trail drops. The luggage goes by road; you take the trail.
Shelf singletrack through autumn scrub, valley floor far below.
Chame → Besisahar (760 m): the full-day run out of the mountains, following the Marsyangdi through forest and gorge. Nearly two vertical kilometres of descent to close the riding.
Pine forest, loose dust, and the gradient finally on your side.
Day 15
Return to Kathmandu
drive
Night
Hotel, Kathmandu
Meals
B/L/farewell D
Drive Besisahar → Kathmandu. Bikes boxed, legs finished, appetite intact — the farewell dinner is earned.
Day 16
Departure
Meals
B
Airport transfer and departure. The circuit stays where you left it, turning the other way.
From the route
Wind-carved country — the dry side of the range.
Shelf singletrack through autumn scrub, valley floor far below.
The villages are not scenery — people live along this route.
Where the trail out-climbs the gearing, the bike rides you.
The last metres before the pass go on foot, the bike pushed over the scree.
◆ Thorong La, 5,416 metres — the sign says so, and so do the legs.
Glacial water holds a colour the camera undersells.
A tarn at altitude, holding the whole range upside down.
High ground is holy ground here.
The high amphitheatre, where the expedition slows down to climb higher.
The group, the crest, and the wall of the western horizon.
Pine forest, loose dust, and the gradient finally on your side.
Rider questions
? Which direction does the expedition ride the Annapurna Circuit?
Clockwise. You fly in high at Jomsom, ride north up the Kali Gandaki, cross Thorong La from the west at first light, and descend the Marsyangdi. Riding this way keeps the high days in the rain shadow, brings you under the pass acclimatised rather than arriving at it, and saves the longest descent of the circuit for the end.
? Can the circuit be ridden the classic anticlockwise way?
Yes, as a named variation on request — fourteen days from Besisahar, climbing the Marsyangdi valley to Manang, over Thorong La eastbound to Muktinath, then down the Kali Gandaki past Marpha and Tatopani. It is the same horseshoe read from the other end. Tell us at enquiry and we will price and date it for your group.
? How hard is the riding?
Graded advanced. Two days rate 5 of 5 for physical effort — the climb to the high camp and the crossing itself — and the Lupra descent is the region's benchmark technical trail. Days are paced between lodges, not against the clock.
? Do you ride or carry the bike over Thorong La?
Both. The final stretch to the 5,416-metre pass is hike-a-bike with the bike on your shoulder, while pack animals carry the luggage. The reward is the descent into Manang, nearly 1,900 metres lower, with more than 2,500 metres of downhill on the way.
? What bike should I bring?
A hardtail 29er or a full-suspension trail bike — 120–180 mm of travel, tubeless tyres of 2.2 to 2.4 inches, hydraulic discs, and a dropper post recommended. Bikes can be hired in Kathmandu — a hardtail at $20–30 a day, a full-suspension trail or enduro bike at $50–80. An e-bike ($100–150 a day) is by request; we arrange the logistics, charging and support included, where the route allows.
? What is included on the trail, and which permits are needed?
Full board — breakfast, lunch and dinner — every day from the road head to the road head, with teahouse and lodge accommodation on the route and hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. The permits the route needs are in the Included list below; they are arranged for you and carried by your guide.
? When does the expedition run?
Spring and autumn are the recommended windows — March to May, and October to December. The circuit is rideable outside them, and we ride the region the year round — much of the northern half lies in the rain shadow, so a monsoon or late-monsoon departure works for riders who will take rain and road delays as part of the going, and January and February are cold, quiet and clear with fewer lodges open. You choose your dates within a season window, and a guide confirms them with you when you reserve.
? How is a place confirmed and paid for?
A 30 per cent deposit holds your place, and the balance is due two months before departure, by bank transfer — nothing is taken through this site. How a cancellation is handled, and what comes back as credit or cash in Kathmandu, is set out in full in our booking terms.
? Is this the ride El Yak used to call Thorung Thrill?
Yes. The Annapurna Circuit by mountain bike was offered as Thorung Thrill on El Yak's earlier site; this is the same ride, clockwise from Jomsom over Thorong La.
Departures
2026 · October–Decemberopen
2027 · March–Mayopen
2027 · October–Decemberopen
Before you reserve
The detail a high-altitude expedition deserves — answered here, and talked through with you personally before your place is confirmed.
+ Safety, acclimatisation & evacuation
Every departure is led by experienced local guides who know this ground. Safety is more than equipment. It is close coordination with the villages, lodges and families along the route, and a local network that gets word and help moving fast. The pace is set by the slowest rider. Altitude is taken step by step. Where a tour climbs on the bike, there are nights at altitude before the high passes. Where a helicopter lifts riders high, they stay up only a short time and ride straight down. The rule on the mountain is simple: if symptoms do not ease, we go down. If a rider has to leave the mountain, the team arranges the rescue, and the rider's insurance pays for it.
+ Fitness & experience
These are graded rides at real altitude, with long days in the saddle and sustained descents. We talk through your riding history honestly before a place is confirmed. Be honest with us about how you ride; it helps us match you to the right trip.
+ Bikes, kit & support
Bring your own bike, or hire one from us. Hire is priced by the type of bike: a hardtail at $20–30 a day, a full-suspension trail or enduro bike at $50–80. An e-bike, at $100–150 a day, is by request: we arrange the logistics, charging and support included, where the route allows. We recommend the right type for each tour and for what you like to ride. If you fly your own, check your airline's rules for a bike box and declare the bike at customs in Kathmandu. Your bag, up to 15 kg, travels by vehicle, porter or mule while you ride. Spares and tools ride with the guides, and the kit list comes once your dates are set.
+ Rooms, food & water
In Kathmandu and Pokhara you stay in comfortable city hotels; on the route, in family-run lodges — simple, warm, shared washrooms at altitude — with breakfast, lunch and dinner included, and a serviced camp on the nights a tour sleeps beyond the lodges. Tell us about any diet when you reserve; dal bhat, noodles, eggs and fresh bread are on every menu. Bring a bottle and a filter or tablets — your guide shows you where to refill.
+ A day on the trail
Breakfast early, on the bike by eight, lunch in a village or on the trail, and at the lodge by mid-afternoon on most days — the light and the weather are kindest before noon. The vehicle or the mules carry the bags; your guide sets the pace to the slowest rider and briefs the next day over dinner. If you need a rest, you ride in the vehicle where there is a road, or walk with one of the team where there is not.
+ Insurance
Insurance is a condition of riding: it must cover mountain biking at the altitudes on your route, helicopter evacuation and rescue, medical treatment, and trip cancellation and delay. We check every certificate before departure.
+ Fees, deposit & cancellation
A 30 per cent deposit holds your place, and the balance is due two months before departure, by bank transfer — no card is entered here, and nothing is charged through this site. What happens if you have to cancel is set out in full in our booking terms. Read the booking terms →
+ Visas & permits
We guide you through Nepal entry and arrange every permit your route needs — park or conservation-area entry for the ground it crosses, any local permit the valley adds, and a restricted-area permit wherever the route enters a restricted area. They are carried by your guide, not by you.
One scale for every tour and ride, set by the hardest riding and the altitude together. If you are unsure where you sit, tell us what you ride at home; a guide will say plainly whether a trip suits you.
Intermediate
Red trails in the UK and Europe, blue to black in North America
Three to five hours a day, with most climbs shuttled
You ride red trails with confidence and can do it again the next day.
You have not yet ridden off-road for several days in a row.
Advanced
Red to black trails in the UK and Europe, black in North America
Four to seven hours a day, descents of a thousand metres or more, and some carrying
You ride black trails cleanly, are comfortable on loose rock and steep switchbacks, and can push or carry a bike for an hour at altitude.
Steep, exposed or loose ground still makes you walk.
Expert
Black and double-black in North America; the hardest natural trails in the Alps
Six to nine hours a day, remote, with long hike-a-bike over 5,000-metre passes
You have done multi-day trips in the mountains, ride technical descents tired and cold, and have been above 4,500 metres before.
This would be your first trip at altitude.
Where a day is graded, it carries three scores, each out of five.
Technical
How hard the trail is to ride — rock, steps, exposure and loose ground.
Flow
How much of the day runs as rideable descent with rhythm.
Physical
How hard the day is on the body — distance, climbing, altitude and carrying.
“I did the Thorong la thrill tour and it was the adventure of a lifetime. Mangal consulted with us about what kind of tour we were looking to do and then took care of all the details. … Needless to say, the riding was incredible and the views were incredible.”
The per-rider price falls as the group grows. Everything listed below is included; the figure is confirmed in writing when you reserve, and nothing is charged through this site.
Group size·Per rider
$2,750Group of 4 riders$2,350Group of 8 riders
Included
Airport transfers in Kathmandu and Pokhara
The Kathmandu–Pokhara and Pokhara–Jomsom flights for riders and crew
A support vehicle on hire for the whole trip, meeting the group wherever the road reaches
Four hotel nights in Kathmandu and Pokhara
Eleven nights on the route in lodges, with all meals
The meals the itinerary lists in Kathmandu and Pokhara, with a welcome dinner and a farewell dinner
A culture day in Kathmandu, on foot, to Swayambhunath and Durbar Square
A senior local guide throughout, with the crew's pay and insurance
Your bag, up to 15 kg, carried by a porter or horse over Thorong La
A group medical kit carried by the guides
The Annapurna Conservation Area permit and the paperwork for it
All local and government taxes
Not included
International flights to and from Kathmandu
Nepal visa fees, $30–125 depending on the length of stay
Travel and medical insurance, which is required, with helicopter evacuation cover to the route's altitude
Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara other than those the itinerary lists
Bike hire, from $20 to $150 a day by type of bike — or bring your own
Personal spending, such as laundry, phone calls, drinks and souvenirs
Tips for the crew, which are customary but voluntary
Extra costs from weather delays or other events outside our control
