The Everest trek goes higher (5,364 m at base camp, 5,545 m at Kala Patthar) and costs more because of the flight to Lukla. The Annapurnas can be reached by bus from Pokhara, offer more varied scenery and are better suited to a first trek. The Sanctuary tops out at 4,130 m, the Circuit crosses a pass at 5,416 m.
This is the question we are asked most often. Both ranges are magnificent. They are not alike. This comparison puts the figures side by side so that you can choose according to your time, your budget and your experience of altitude.
The comparison table
| Criterion | Annapurna Sanctuary | Annapurna Circuit | Everest Base Camp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking days | 11 days | 12 to 15 days | 12 days |
| Maximum altitude | 4,130 m | 5,416 m (Thorong La) | 5,364 m (base camp), 5,545 m (Kala Patthar) |
| Access | Bus or jeep from Pokhara | Bus or jeep from Pokhara or Kathmandu | Flight to Lukla, often from Ramechhap in high season |
| Crowds | Busy in October and April | Moderate, busy in Manang and at the pass | Very busy in October and April |
| Scenery | Rice terraces, forests, glacial amphitheatre | From subtropical to high-altitude desert | High mountains from day 3, glaciers |
| Culture | Gurung, Hinduism and Buddhism | Gurung, then Manangi and Thakali with Tibetan influence | Sherpa, Tibetan Buddhism, Tengboche Monastery |
| Relative cost | The cheapest | In between | The most expensive (Lukla flight, pricier lodges) |
| Risk of altitude sickness | Low | Real on the day of the pass | Real, 4 nights above 4,300 m |
Duration and altitude
The Annapurna Sanctuary takes 11 days of walking. You enter an amphitheatre of ice surrounded by 7,000 and 8,000 m peaks. You sleep there at 4,130 m, for one night only. The Annapurna Circuit takes 12 to 15 days and crosses the Thorong La pass at 5,416 m. It is the highest point of the three treks.
The Everest Base Camp trek takes 12 days of walking from Lukla. You sleep in Gorak Shep, at 5,164 m, and climb Kala Patthar (5,545 m) for the view of Everest. The difference with the Annapurna Circuit is not the highest point. It is the time spent high up: on Everest, you spend 4 nights above 4,300 m. On the Circuit, only one, at Thorong Phedi or High Camp.
Access: bus or plane
The Annapurnas are reached by road. From Pokhara, 1 to 3 hours by jeep is enough to reach the start of the trail. No weather risk, no cancelled flights.
Everest goes through Lukla airport, at 2,840 m. The flight takes 30 minutes. In high season (from 25 September to 30 November and from 15 March to 15 May in 2026), planes do not take off from Kathmandu but from Ramechhap, 4 to 5 hours away by road. You have to leave at around 2 am. Flights depend on the weather: one day of fog in Lukla grounds everyone. We advise keeping 2 spare days for the return.
Cost: why Everest works out more expensive
Three items widen the gap. The return Lukla flight, around $180 to $240 per person each way in 2026. The lodges in the Khumbu, where everything arrives on the back of a yak or a porter, are more expensive than in the Annapurnas. And finally the permits: Sagarmatha National Park (3,000 rupees) and Khumbu municipality (3,000 rupees), compared with the ACAP permit (3,000 rupees) and the TIMS card in the Annapurnas. The details are in our guide to the budget for a trek in Nepal and our guide to permits.
Scenery and culture
The Annapurnas change scenery every day. You start among terraced rice fields, cross rhododendron forests, then stone villages, and end up in a high-altitude desert that looks like Tibet. On the Circuit, you even go from a monsoon climate to the dry Kali Gandaki valley. The villages are Gurung in the south, Manangi and Thakali in the north.
The Khumbu is more rugged and rocky. From Namche Bazaar (3,440 m), you are walking in the high mountains: moraines, glaciers, the walls of Ama Dablam and Nuptse. Tengboche Monastery and the Sherpa villages give the trek a strong identity. Those who dream of seeing Everest for real will not be disappointed. Those who love greenery will prefer the Annapurnas.
Crowds
In October and April, the Everest trail is very busy between Lukla and Namche. The lodges in Gorak Shep are full. In the Annapurnas, the Sanctuary faces the same pressure. The Circuit stays quieter, except in Manang and on the morning of the pass. For solitude, choose the Circuit in November or March, or the Gokyo trek on the Everest side.
Which trek suits whom
- First high-altitude trek, 12 to 14 days in the country: the Annapurna Sanctuary. Reasonable altitude, simple access, 360-degree panorama.
- You love variety and you have 3 weeks: the Annapurna Circuit, with acclimatisation days in Manang.
- Everest has been a dream since childhood: base camp, in 14 to 16 days in the country, including spare days for the flight. If you have already slept above 4,000 m, the version via Gokyo and the Cho La avoids going up and down the same trail.
- Tight budget or fear of flying: the Annapurnas, without hesitation.
The third option: Langtang
Many people forget the Langtang valley. It is 3 hours by road from Kathmandu, with no flight. The trek lasts 8 days, climbs to Kyanjin Gompa (3,800 m) and lets you climb Kyanjin Ri (4,773 m) for the view. You meet fewer people than in the Annapurnas, Tamang culture is very much alive and the price is the lowest of the three. If you are still unsure, it is often the answer.
Our verdict
There is no best trek. There is a trek that suits you. For a first time, the Annapurnas win on almost every criterion: access, budget, altitude, variety. Everest wins on only one, but it carries a lot of weight: seeing the roof of the world with your own eyes. Mohan has been guiding in both ranges for 26 years. His advice to the undecided: do the Annapurnas this year, and come back for Everest. Nepal is not a place you visit only once. All our routes are on the treks page, and choosing the season is covered in when to go.
Frequently asked questions
What is the altitude of the Annapurna Sanctuary?
Annapurna Base Camp is at 4,130 m. You spend one night there, after a stop at Machapuchare Base Camp (3,700 m). It is the highest point of the trek and you start descending the next day.
How long does Everest Base Camp take?
12 days of walking from Lukla back to Lukla, including 2 acclimatisation days in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche. Add the flights and 2 spare days: allow 15 to 16 days in Nepal.
How do you get to Everest Base Camp?
By plane to Lukla, then 8 days of walking. In high season, the flight leaves from Ramechhap, 4 to 5 hours by road from Kathmandu. There is also a walking option from Jiri or Salleri, which adds 5 to 7 days.
Annapurna or Everest for a beginner?
The Annapurnas, and first of all the Sanctuary or the Annapurna Balcony. The altitude stays below 4,200 m, access is by road and the risk of altitude sickness is lower than on Everest.
