Is September a good month for the Annapurna Circuit?

The second half is very good. From about 15 September you get clearing skies, a reliable road, a mild pass and far fewer people than October, on a route that is still green from the monsoon.

Is September or October better for the Annapurna Circuit?

October is more reliable and much busier. Late September gives nearly the same conditions with a fraction of the traffic at Thorong Phedi, which is the circuit's only real accommodation bottleneck.

When does the road to the trailhead become reliable?

Generally after the first ten days of September, once monsoon rain eases. Before that a spare day is worth carrying for landslide delays on the Besisahar and Dharapani stretch.

What are conditions like on the pass in September?

Good throughout. No snow on the approach, pre-dawn temperatures around -9 to -5°C, and long daylight for the 1,600m descent to Muktinath.

Annapurna Circuit Trek in September: Weather & Crowds

September temperatures, valley to high camp

Waypoint	Elevation	Day	Night
Chame	2,670m	21 to 25°C	9 to 13°C
Manang	3,519m	16 to 20°C	4 to 8°C
Thorong Phedi	4,450m	10 to 14°C	-2 to 2°C
Thorong La	5,416m	4 to 8°C	-9 to -5°C

The monsoon retreats through September and usually clears the Annapurnas in the third week. Rain days roughly halve against August on the eastern side, while the Mustang half continues as it has all summer. The air quality change is the thing people notice: three months of rain have scrubbed the atmosphere, and a clear mid-September morning from the Ghyaru high route is as sharp as anything October produces.

On the trail

Trail conditions in September

Early September walks like August on the approach, wet and slow with leeches below Chame. From about the 15th the eastern side dries quickly and the whole circuit comes into its own.

The pass is in excellent shape all month: no snow, mild pre-dawn temperatures, long daylight for the descent. September crossings are among the most comfortable of the year and carry a fraction of October's traffic at Thorong Phedi.

The greenest version of this circuit is the late-September one. The Marsyangdi is still lush from the monsoon, the Manang meadows still carry colour, and the Mustang side is dry and bright as always. Two weeks later the eastern side has begun turning brown.

Crowds & teahouses

Who else is up there

Quiet for the first fortnight and building from about the 20th. Lodges that ran thin through the monsoon are all back to full operation by mid-September, including Thorong Phedi, and Manang comes back to life with the Himalayan Rescue Association post reopening for the autumn season.

Getting in & out

Flights, roads and logistics

The road improves markedly through the month. The first ten days still carry monsoon landslide risk on the Besisahar and Dharapani stretch; after that the approach is generally back to normal. Vehicle demand climbs from mid-September.

Some mountains
don't wait

Permits close. Weather windows narrow. The best Everest region teahouse beds fill by October, and spring season opens again in March. Our Kathmandu team is already booking for autumn. If you have been planning a trek, this is the window.

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Annapurna Circuit Trek in September

September temperatures, valley to high camp

Trail conditions in September

Who else is up there

Flights, roads and logistics

What changes this month

September questions