Adverse Weather Halts Trekkers on Annapurna Circuit as 246 Turn Back
Severe rainfall and treacherous trail conditions have forced 246 foreign trekkers to abandon the Annapurna Circuit from Manang, prompting authorities to impose strict safety measures.
Incessant monsoon rainfall and hazardous mountain trail conditions have forced hundreds of foreign trekkers to abort their journeys on the Annapurna Circuit, turning back from Manang instead of attempting the high-altitude Thorong La pass.
According to Bhupendra Gurung, the Dharapani post in-charge for the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 246 foreign visitors—151 men and 95 women—abandoned their treks and retreated toward Lamjung between Asoj 6 and Asoj 12 (September 22 to 28), local outlets Onlinekhabar, Setopati, and Nagarik News reported.
Before the weather turned, Dharapani had been logging between 100 and 150 international trekkers heading up to Manang each day, Gurung noted. In recent days, however, incoming traffic dropped to merely one or two hikers daily, while the vast majority turned back due to deteriorating route safety and severe rain.
The Annapurna Circuit traditionally starts from Besisahar in Lamjung and passes through Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, and Kaski districts. The route peaks at Thorong La pass at an elevation of 5,416 meters, where heavy precipitation can quickly trigger landslides, flash floods, or high-altitude blizzards.
Heightened Safety Protocols Across Protected Areas
The widespread disruption follows precautionary curbs enforced by conservation authorities over the weekend. As Nepal Watch reported on September 27, the National Trust for Nature Conservation's ACAP office instituted strict safety rules across three conservation regions: Annapurna, Manaslu, and Gaurishankar.
Those measures came in response to warnings from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, which had forecast heavy downpours across several parts of Nepal between Asoj 8 and 12. Consequently, authorities withheld trekking permits across the three protected areas until the afternoon of Asoj 11 (September 27).
Under the directive, even visitors holding valid permits were barred from entering the conservation zones until trail inspections and weather checks were conducted on the morning of Asoj 12 (September 28). ACAP also made licensed trekking guides mandatory for anyone venturing beyond short-haul destinations such as Jomsom, Muktinath, and Ghandruk, urging travelers to check ground conditions and defer itineraries if risks persist.