11,800 trekkers cross Thorong La Pass in a year

By Hari Krishna Sharma, Muktinath (Mustang), July 22: More than 11,800 foreign trekkers crossed the iconic Thorong La Pass on the Annapurna Circuit during the last fiscal year, underscoring its enduring appeal as one of the world’s premier trekking destinations despite changing travel patterns.

According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Area Office in Jomsom, a total of 11,806 foreign trekkers entered Mustang via the 5,416-metre-high Thorong La Pass in fiscal year 2025/26.

The figures include 404 trekkers from SAARC countries (325 men and 79 women), 11,400 from other countries (6,446 men and 4,954 women), and two visitors categorised under other nationalities.

Rajesh Gupta, chief of the ACAP Area Office in Jomsom, said the route remains active throughout the year, including the winter season.

“Foreign trekkers use this trail regularly even during winter. Nepali trekkers also increasingly choose the route, although their numbers are not officially recorded,” Gupta said.

Thorong La is the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit and is widely regarded as one of Nepal’s most challenging and rewarding high-altitude trekking passes.

The trekking route also generated employment for 5,739 porters during the year, excluding trekking guides.

Traditionally, the full Annapurna Circuit trek from Besisahar in Lamjung to Thorong La took around 21 days. However, expanding road networks have reduced the journey to about one week, allowing many foreign trekkers to complete the circuit quickly before moving on to other trekking destinations.

Trekkers generally approach Thorong La through Yak Kharka, Ledar, Thorong La Phedi and Thorong La High Camp in Manang before descending to Muktinath in Mustang, where the major section of the trek concludes. Raju Lalchan, president of the Mustang Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Tilicho Lake-Thorong La-Muktinath route is considered one of Nepal’s most adventurous trekking experiences.

He expressed concern that road construction along the traditional trekking trail has shortened visitors’ stays.

“Road expansion has diminished sections of the original trail and reduced the length of the trekking experience. If we want visitors to spend more time in the region, the road network along the classic trail should be limited,” Lalchan said.

He added that improving facilities around Yak Kharka, Thorong La Phedi and Thorong La High Camp would further enhance the trekking experience.

Besides Thorong La, Mustang is also connected to two other popular trekking routes, the Dhaulagiri Circuit, linking Marpha via Dhaulagiri in neighbouring Myagdi, and the Saribung Pass, which connects Upper Mustang with Manang near the Nepal-Tibet border.

Among these three routes, Thorong La remains the busiest.

Opened to international trekkers in 1970, the pass has increasingly attracted domestic visitors as well. Most Nepali trekkers visit during April-May and October-November, while foreign trekkers use the route throughout much of the year.