Itineraries for Nar Phu are mostly the same trail with different numbers of stops. The version below is the pace we recommend to guests who are fit but have not been to altitude recently. It starts at Koto and ends in Manang, assumes good weather, and includes the rest day and the buffer day that experienced guides consider non-negotiable. Altitudes are approximate and lodge names can change between seasons.
The shape of the route
Distances and heights are rounded, and a slow day or a snowfall can change the times.
Think of the trek in three blocks. The first block (days 1 to 3) is the gorge and the climb to Kayang and Phu. The second block (days 4 to 6) is Phu, a rest day, and the walk across to Nar. The third block (days 7 to 9) is the Kang La crossing and the descent to Ngawal and Manang. The block structure matters because each one has a different risk: the first has long days and weather in the gorge, the second has altitude, the third has the pass.
Day by day, Koto to Manang
- Day 1: Koto to Dharamsala area (about 2,600 m to 3,000 m). Permit check at Koto, then into the gorge. A shorter first day lets the body settle. Expect 4 to 5 hours of walking, a few suspension bridges and a rest in a simple lodge.
- Day 2: Dharamsala to Meta (about 3,560 m). A longer day through forest, with the valley widening as the afternoon goes on. Meta is a seasonal settlement; lodges are basic and the nights are cold even in October.
- Day 3: Meta to Kayang (about 3,800 m). A shorter day on purpose. You gain only about 250 m, and the early finish gives your body time to adjust. The big views of the Phu valley begin here.
- Day 4: Kayang to Phu (about 4,080 m). A moderate day across the high river terrace. Visit the village in the afternoon, and, if time and energy allow, walk up toward the gompa area.
- Day 5: Rest and acclimatisation at Phu. A day hike toward the glacier viewpoint or the upper pastures, then return to sleep at the same height. Do not skip this day; it is the one that makes Kang La possible.
- Day 6: Phu to Nar (about 4,110 m) via Nar Phedi (about 3,490 m). A long day, usually 6 to 8 hours: back down the valley to the junction at Nar Phedi, then up the second valley to Nar.
- Day 7: Nar to Kang La base (about 4,500 to 4,900 m). Some guides break the climb here for a shorter pass day. If you can sleep high, you wake with 400 to 800 m of ascent instead of 1,200.
- Day 8: Kang La (about 5,320 m) to Ngawal (about 3,660 m). The crux day, 9 to 11 hours depending on where you slept. Start before dawn. After the pass, the descent is long, loose and hard on knees.
- Day 9: Ngawal to Manang (about 3,540 m). A gentle, scenic finish along the upper Marsyangdi valley, with the Annapurna range overhead, and a hot meal in Manang.
Where to add buffer days
Add one spare day before the pass, ideally at Nar or the Kang La base, and keep another day in reserve at Manang. If heavy snow falls, pass crossings can be delayed by a day or two, and if anyone in the group shows signs of altitude trouble, a buffer day is the difference between rest and an evacuation. Operators who quote a Nar Phu itinerary without spare days are quoting the best case, not the plan.
Shorter and longer variants
- Out-and-back to Phu only (6 to 7 days). Walk to Phu, rest, and return the way you came. This avoids Kang La and suits walkers who want the culture and gorge but not the pass. Nar is not visited.
- Nar Phu in a full Circuit (about 20 days). Walk from Besisahar, make a Nar Phu loop from Koto, rejoin at Manang and cross Thorong La. This gives the best acclimatisation because Nar Phu is the high-altitude warm-up for Thorong La.
- Nar Phu plus Tilicho (about 22 days). Add the lake side trip from Manang. See our Tilicho Lake itinerary.
Getting to Koto
The usual route is a drive from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Besisahar, followed by a jeep that follows the Marsyangdi road as far as Chame or even Koto when the road allows. The state of the road changes with monsoon damage and construction, so your operator should confirm the drive on the week you travel. The road has made walking from Besisahar optional rather than necessary; walk it if you want the lowland villages and extra acclimatisation, drive it if you are short of days. Our guide to which road sections to walk covers the choice.
Pace tips from the trail
- Eat and drink more than you think you need. Dry air at altitude dries you out faster than you notice.
- Do not skip the afternoon rest on the short days. They are short for a reason.
- Leave each morning with your daypack already organised, because lodge floors are cold and dark.
- Treat the pass day as a go/no-go decision made at 4 a.m., not the night before.
A word on lodging stops
Stops vary: some groups sleep at Chyakhu, Dharamsala, Meta, Kayang or Phu, depending on conditions, season and group size. Do not be alarmed if your guide changes the stop; it usually reflects the state of the trail, the availability of beds or the group's pace.
Common questions
How many days does Nar Phu take from Koto?
About 9 walking days from Koto to Manang including a rest day at Phu, plus one or two buffer days for the Kang La.
Can I do Nar Phu in a week?
Only as an out-and-back to Phu, or by using a jeep to shorten the lower approach. A full loop over Kang La in under 8 days leaves little margin for weather or altitude.
Where do I sleep before Kang La?
Usually in Nar, or in a high camp or simple lodge near the pass base. Sleeping higher shortens the pass day but raises altitude risk, so the choice depends on how the group is acclimatising.
