Both treks are in the Annapurna region, both use teahouses and both are at their best in spring and autumn. They are very different walks.
The short answer
- Choose Annapurna Base Camp for a shorter trek (8 days on our itinerary) into a ring of high peaks, starting and ending in Pokhara.
- Choose the Annapurna Circuit for variety: green valleys to high desert, and the challenge of crossing Thorong La at 5,416 m (11 days on our itinerary).
Altitude
| Annapurna Base Camp | Annapurna Circuit | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point | 4,130 m | 5,416 m (Thorong La) |
| Highest night | 4,130 m | 4,450 m (Thorong Phedi) |
| Nights above 3,000 m | 2 | 6 |
These come from our itineraries; see the compare page for all our treks side by side.
Scenery
Annapurna Base Camp climbs through Gurung villages, terraces and forest into a basin surrounded by peaks above you on every side. The Circuit travels around the massif, from the green Marsyangdi valley to the dry, wind-carved Kali Gandaki, with a high pass in the middle.
Roads
Roads now reach far up both sides of the Circuit, so good itineraries use trails away from the road where they exist. Annapurna Base Camp has roads only near the start and end.
Logistics
Annapurna Base Camp starts and ends in Pokhara. The Circuit starts at Besisahar and ends in Jomsom, with a flight or a long road journey back to Pokhara.
