# Trek Annapurna Without Flying to Jomsom – The Overland Route Guide
Why Skip the Flights
Most visitors reach the Annapurna region by air – a short hop from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then sometimes a dramatic flight up the Kali Gandaki gorge to Jomsom. But flying is not mandatory, and for many travellers an overland approach is better in every way that matters: no flight anxiety, no weather cancellations that strand you for days, and a slower immersion into the hills that begins the moment you leave the city rather than the moment you land.
Driving also lets you carry more, see more, and keep your carbon footprint and your costs lower than a pair of internal flights. Rolling Adventure Holidays runs fully overland Annapurna trips from our Pokhara base, and this guide shows you exactly how to reach Jomsom and the upper Kali Gandaki without stepping on a plane – by road from Kathmandu, and by 4×4 or local bus up the valley. It is a genuine adventure in its own right, and it dovetails with the walking routes once you arrive. Start with our [how to get to the Annapurna region guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/how-to-get-to-annapurna-region/) for the big picture and the road map.
The Two Flights Most People Take – and Why to Avoid Them
Two flights dominate the usual itinerary. The first is Kathmandu to Pokhara, about 25 minutes, which skips a scenic six-to-seven-hour drive through river valleys and ridge-top towns you would never see from the air. The second is Pokhara to Jomsom, about 20 minutes, which flies straight up the Kali Gandaki past the tilted peaks of the Nilgiri – thrilling, but the most weather-cancelled flight in Nepal, often grounded for days in poor visibility when the clouds sit in the gorge.
Skipping both buys you reliability and scenery in equal measure. The road from Kathmandu to Pokhara climbs through terraced hills, suspension bridges, and distant white peaks; the drive up to Jomsom is one of the great mountain roads on Earth, threading the deepest gorge on the planet. The [getting-there guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/how-to-get-to-annapurna-region/) compares the options side by side, and the [best-time guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/best-time-to-trek-annapurna/) notes that road travel is least disrupted in the dry seasons when the slides are dormant and the sky is clear.
Kathmandu to Pokhara by Road
The Prithvi Highway connects Kathmandu and Pokhara in roughly six to seven hours by tourist bus or private jeep, covering about 200 kilometres of winding road along the Trisuli and Seti river valleys. The drive is beautiful in stretches – terraced hills terraced for a thousand years, roaring rivers far below, and the first distant white peaks appearing as you near the lake – and it is the classic overland entry to the region that most flyers miss entirely.
We arrange a private 4×4 or a comfortable bus with a reliable driver, so the long day is relaxed rather than cramped against a stranger’s elbow. The [getting-to-Annapurna guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/how-to-get-to-annapurna-region/) has the timings and operators we trust, and the [most popular trekking area guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/nepals-most-popular-trekking-area/) explains why Pokhara is the natural base for everything Annapurna. From Pokhara you are already at the trailhead for most routes, and the [things to do page](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/things-to-do-in-annapurna-region/) shows how to fill the pre-trek days in town.
Pokhara to Jomsom Overland – The Options
From Pokhara there are two ways up the Kali Gandaki without flying. The public option is a local bus or jeep that runs Pokhara to Baglung to Beni, then up the gorge through Tatopani, Ghasa, Marpha, and Jomsom – a long, bumpy, wonderful day or two on a road that clings to the cliff. The private option is a 4×4 transfer we arrange, which is faster, more comfortable, and stops where you want rather than where the conductor whistles.
Either way you follow the Kali Gandaki, the deepest gorge in the world relative to the surrounding peaks, with Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I towering on either side like the walls of a cathedral. The [4×4 drive to Manang and Tilicho package](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/7-days-4×4-drive-manang-tilicho/) covers the vehicle approach, and the [4×4 jeep safari activity](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/activities/4×4-jeep-safari/) explains the thrill of the drive and the driver skill it demands. We help you choose bus or jeep based on budget and time, and the [Manang and Mustang guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/manang-mustang-annapurna-circuit-trek-nepal/) gives context on where the road eventually leads.
The 4×4 Drive to Jomsom and Beyond
A private 4×4 is the most flexible overland route and the one we recommend for comfort and control. Leaving Pokhara, you climb to Baglung, drop to Beni at the river, then begin the serious ascent up the Kali Gandaki gorge. The road is rough in sections – landslides, washboards, the occasional ford across a side stream – but a good mountain driver makes it a highlight rather than a hardship, with stops at waterfalls, monasteries, and viewpoints you would miss on a plane.
The drive reaches Jomsom at 2,740 metres and can continue to Muktinath at 3,800 metres or north toward the Mustang border, depending on your permit and your appetite. The [4×4 drive package](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/7-days-4×4-drive-manang-tilicho/) is built for exactly this, and it pairs with the [Manang and Mustang Circuit guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/manang-mustang-annapurna-circuit-trek-nepal/) for context on where the road goes and what lies beyond the last village. We use drivers who know every switchback and every seasonal washout on the route, because on this road local knowledge is the difference between a story and a stranding.
The Kali Gandaki Corridor – Road Geography
Understanding the corridor explains why the drive is worth the effort. The Kali Gandaki river has cut the deepest gap between two 8,000-metre mountains on the planet – Dhaulagiri to the west and Annapurna I to the east – and the road threads that gap in a way no flight path can appreciate. As you climb, the climate swings from green subtropical lowlands to the arid, windswept rain shadow of Mustang in a single day, a transition you feel in your skin.
That transition is the magic of the overland route: you watch the forest thin, the villages turn Tibetan in style with flat roofs and prayer wheels, and the air dry out until your lips crack. The [region geography guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-region-geography-landscapes/) explains the rain-shadow science that makes Mustang a desert behind a wall of monsoon, and the [Thakali culture guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/thakali-culture-kali-gandaki/) covers the people of the corridor who have traded along this gorge for a thousand years. The [getting-there guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/how-to-get-to-annapurna-region/) maps the whole approach from the Kathmandu side step by step.
Beni to Jomsom – The Drive Breakdown
Beni, around 830 metres at the river confluence, is where the paved highway ends and the mountain road begins in earnest. From there it is roughly 80 kilometres to Jomsom, but plan four to six hours because the road is slow, the surface is rough, and the stops are many – and you should want them, because each one is a viewpoint or a village worth meeting. Tatopani at 1,191 metres offers hot springs; Ghasa is the gateway to the deep gorge; Marpha is the apple capital; Jomsom is the district hub and the usual flight turnaround.
We break the drive with an overnight at Tatopani or Marpha so you acclimatise gradually and actually enjoy it rather than white-knuckling the wheel all the way through. The [Manang and Mustang guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/manang-mustang-annapurna-circuit-trek-nepal/) notes the onward connections to the Circuit, and the [Muktinath guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/muktinath-temple-sacred-site/) covers the final climb north. The [teahouse guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/tea-house-vs-camping-trekking-annapurna/) applies to the lodges you use en route just as on a trek, and the [food guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/traditional-food-annapurna-villages/) tells you what to eat in each town – the apple pie in Marpha is legendary.
Tatopani and the Hot Springs
Tatopani means hot water, and the natural thermal springs here are the perfect mid-drive reset. At 1,191 metres, after hours of rough road and switchbacks, soaking in the warm mineral pools with the gorge walls around you is a genuine Annapurna highlight and a taste of the wellness the region offers to anyone who slows down long enough to take it.
We time the drive to overnight at Tatopani when we can, because a sore back in a jeep is real and the springs fix it. The [Lakeside wellness base](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/lakeside-pokhara-wellness-base/) is the Pokhara equivalent for recovery at the end of the trip, and the [Ayurveda recovery guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/ayurveda-recovery-after-trek/) extends the idea into proper treatment. A soak here also loosens the legs you will use walking – a small, perfect luxury on an overland day, and a fine preview of the [Jhinu hot springs](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/abc-via-jhinu-vs-landruk-route/) on the ABC route if you are headed there next.
Marpha, Jomsom, and Kagbeni
Marpha is a pristine Thakali village of white houses and apple orchards, famous for apple brandy and a sheltered microclimate created by wind-breaking alleys that any architect would admire. Jomsom is the windy administrative town and the usual turnaround for flights – but arriving by road, you simply continue past the airstrip without a second glance. Kagbeni, a little north, is the gateway to Upper Mustang and a frozen-in-time village at the river’s edge with a medieval feel.
These are the cultural heart of the overland route, and arriving by road means you actually see them rather than flying over them at 3,000 metres. The [Thakali culture guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/thakali-culture-kali-gandaki/) explains the food and architecture, and the [Muktinath guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/muktinath-temple-sacred-site/) covers the sacred site just above. The [monastery stays guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/monastery-stays-annapurna/) notes where you can respectfully visit a gompa and maybe join a morning puja, and the [festivals guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/festivals-annapurna-villages/) tells you when the apple harvest and the Losar new year light these towns up.
Reaching Muktinath by Road
Muktinath at 3,800 metres is one of the most sacred sites in the Himalaya, honoured by Hindus and Buddhists alike, and it is reachable by a steep but paved side road from Kagbeni or Jomsom. The climb winds through the arid Mustang landscape – red cliffs, white stupas, and not a tree – to a temple complex with the eternal flame and 108 water spouts that have drawn pilgrims for centuries, a profound place to arrive, especially overland after a day in the jeep.
The [Muktinath temple guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/muktinath-temple-sacred-site/) covers the rituals and the visit etiquette so you do not offend where you came to honour, and the [Thakali culture guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/thakali-culture-kali-gandaki/) adds context on the people who serve the pilgrims. From Muktinath you can connect to the upper Circuit on foot or descend by road – the overland approach makes the sacred site accessible without the high-pass trek, ideal for travellers short on time or fitness, and the [monastery stays guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/monastery-stays-annapurna/) rounds out the spiritual circuit.
Connecting to the Annapurna Circuit on Foot
Reaching Jomsom or Muktinath by road does not mean missing the walk – it means starting the Circuit from the top instead of the bottom, which many seasoned trekkers now prefer. You walk the upper Circuit: Jomsom to Kagbeni to Muktinath, over the Thorong La, and down the Manang side, finishing at Besisahar or Pokhara by road. This reverses the classic route and skips the long, hot, dusty lower Marsyangdi walk that nobody remembers fondly.
The [Annapurna Circuit trek package](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/annapurna-circuit-trek/) can be arranged this way, and the [Circuit guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-circuit-trek-guide/) explains the full loop from both directions. The [Manang and Mustang guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/manang-mustang-annapurna-circuit-trek-nepal/) covers the northern half you reach by road, and the [two-week day-by-day plan](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/two-week-annapurna-circuit-day-by-day/) shows the reversed schedule with the drive in at the start. Driving the lower, duller section saves your legs for the high, beautiful part – a smart use of the 4×4, and the [acclimatisation strategy](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/acclimatisation-strategy-tilicho-thorong/) explains how the road approach actually helps your pass crossing by banking altitude slowly.
Permits for an Overland Trek
Even travelling by road, you need the standard Annapurna permits: the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) entry permit and the TIMS card, exactly as a fly-in trekker does. If you continue into Upper Mustang beyond Kagbeni, you also need the restricted-area RAP permit and a licensed guide – that is a separate, regulated trip with a minimum-group rule and a higher fee, and we handle it as its own booking.
We handle all permits as part of the booking, so the paperwork never slows your departure or your dawn start. The [Annapurna trekking permits 2026 guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trekking-permits-2026/) explains costs and where to get them, and the [guide requirement guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/do-you-need-a-guide-annapurna-2026/) covers the Mustang rule in detail. The [cash and ATM guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/money-cash-atms-annapurna-trek/) reminds you to carry rupees for the permit counters in the smaller towns where the card machine is a rumour, not a reality.
Money, Fuel, and Logistics
Overland travel has its own logistics that a flight hides from you. ATMs are reliable in Pokhara and Jomsom but thin in between, so carry enough Nepali rupees for the gorge towns where the only bank is a man with a notebook. Fuel is available but prices rise with altitude as the truck that brought it earns its fare; a private 4×4 includes fuel in the quote, while buses are paid in cash stage by stage at each stop.
The [cash and ATM guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/money-cash-atms-annapurna-trek/) is essential reading for the upper valley, and the [trek cost guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-cost-2026/) puts the drive in context with the whole trip so you are not surprised by the rupee math. We brief guests on exactly how much cash to carry and where the next machine is, because a stranded traveller without rupees is a stranded traveller. The [operator-choice guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/booking-annapurna-trek-how-to-choose-operator/) explains why booking a rooted Pokhara operator keeps these details off your plate and onto ours.
Time Budget – How Many Days Overland
A pure overland transfer from Kathmandu to Jomsom takes two long days with an overnight in Pokhara or Tatopani. But the better plan is three to four days, treating the drive as part of the holiday rather than a chore: night in Pokhara, night in Tatopani or Marpha, arrive Jomsom or Muktinath refreshed and partly acclimatised instead of frazzled and altitude-sick from a rushed push.
The [10-day plan](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/10-day-annapurna-plan/) and [one-week itineraries](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/one-week-annapurna-itineraries/) collections include overland versions, and the [3-day escape](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/3-day-annapurna-escape-pokhara/) is the quick Pokhara-and-gorge sampler for those with only a long weekend. Build in buffer days – mountain roads throw the occasional closure, and a missed connection is not a disaster if the schedule expected it – and the trip stays relaxed. Rushing the gorge is the one mistake we steer guests away from, because the gorge is the point.
Comfort and Motion Sickness on Mountain Roads
Nepal’s mountain roads are winding, and the Kali Gandaki drive has long stretches of switchbacks that can test the strongest stomach. If you are prone to motion sickness, take the private 4×4 (you can stop and breathe at any viewpoint), sit front, and go easy on the heavy food at the roadside stops where the temptation is fried everything.
The views are frequent and the stops many, which helps the queasy traveller more than any pill. We brief guests on the road reality before departure so there are no surprises when the road turns to ledge, and the [wellness base](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/lakeside-pokhara-wellness-base/) in Pokhara is where you recover if the drive was rough. The [packing list](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-packing-list-essentials/) suggests a small medical kit including remedies for nausea, and the [why local guides matter](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/hiring-local-guides-why-it-matters/) page notes the value of a driver who knows the rhythm of the gorge and where to pull over for the photo that makes the sickness worth it.
Best Seasons for Overland Travel
The dry seasons – autumn (October-November) and spring (March-May) – are best for the drive: stable roads, clear peaks, and open lodges all the way up. Winter is drivable on the lower gorge but cold up high, and the high road to Muktinath can ice over after a snowfall, narrowing the window. Monsoon (June-September) brings landslides that regularly block the Kali Gandaki road for hours or days, and we do not recommend it for a tight schedule.
The [best-time overview](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/best-time-to-trek-annapurna/) and the [month-by-month planner](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/best-time-trek-annapurna-month-by-month/) help you pick a window, and the [weather-by-altitude guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-weather-by-altitude/) shows how conditions shift with elevation along the climb. We never schedule a tight overland connection in monsoon – buffer is everything when the hills are wet – and the [monsoon guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/monsoon-in-annapurna-quiet-trails/) explains the rain-shadow exceptions if you must travel in summer and stick to the dry north.
Road Conditions and Landslides
The honest truth: the Kali Gandaki road is occasionally blocked by slides, especially after rain, because the mountain above is always shedding. Most blockages clear within hours with a loader or manual labour and a queue of patient travellers, but a big slide can mean an unscheduled night in a village you had not planned to love. This is part of overland life and, frankly, part of its charm – you meet people and eat food you would never meet on a flight.
We monitor conditions daily and build buffer days into every overland itinerary so a slide is an anecdote, not a crisis. The [trek safety guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-safety-altitude/) philosophy – prepare, verify, never rush – applies to the drive too, and the [trekking emergency guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trekking-emergency-annapurna-what-to-do/) covers the response if a road closure strands a group overnight. A patient traveller finds the gorge delays are among the best stories they bring home, and the [why local guides matter](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/hiring-local-guides-why-it-matters/) is why our drivers know the unblocked alternates.
Combining Drive and Trek
The smartest Annapurna trip often blends both modes: drive up the gorge to Jomsom, trek the upper Circuit over Thorong La, then descend the Manang side and drive out from Besisahar or Pokhara. You get the drama of the high pass on foot and the ease of the vehicle for the long, less scenic stretches where walking would just be a slog through dust.
The [Circuit trek](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/annapurna-circuit-trek/) and the [4×4 drive package](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/7-days-4×4-drive-manang-tilicho/) combine neatly, and the [Circuit versus Base Camp guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-circuit-vs-annapurna-base-camp-which-trek-is-right-for-you/) helps you decide the walking objective if you are choosing between the two headline routes. The [three-week grand traverse](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/three-week-grand-annapurna-traverse/) is the full version for those with time to do the drive, the pass, and the descent without a single flight. Driving the dull bits and walking the glorious bits is the seasoned traveller’s optimisation – and it is exactly what we design when a guest tells us they hate sitting in buses but love a good viewpoint.
Why a Local Driver and Guide Matter
On the gorge roads, a local driver is worth more than a map or a GPS that cannot see the slide ahead. He knows which switchback washed out last week, where the police checkpoint is, and which tea stall has a clean toilet and a hot plate. A guide adds the cultural layer – explaining the stupa, the apple cooperative, the reason Marpha’s alleys are so wind-sheltered that the village grows fruit in a desert.
The [why local guides matter](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/hiring-local-guides-why-it-matters/) and the [guide requirement guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/do-you-need-a-guide-annapurna-2026/) explain the value, and the [operator-choice guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/booking-annapurna-trek-how-to-choose-operator/) helps you book a team rooted in Pokhara rather than a faceless online listing that has never driven the gorge. Your fee also supports [local communities](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-supports-local-communities/) along the corridor – the [conservation area guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/is-annapurna-conservation-area/) explains why that matters when the road and the trail compete for the same thin mountain economy.
Responsible Overland Travel
A 4×4 up the gorge burns fuel and the road scars the hillside, so overland travel is not automatically greener than flying – but a shared jeep with several trekkers is efficient per head, and driving lets you spend in the small gorge towns that see fewer trekkers than the main trails and need the rupees more. Offset where you can, and travel in a way the place can absorb.
The [footprint-offset guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/offsetting-trek-footprint-nepal/) and the [plastic-reduction guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/reducing-plastic-annapurna-trail/) show the habits – refill a bottle, carry out waste, share the vehicle rather than taking a private one solo. The [community page](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-supports-local-communities/) shows how your teahouse and fuel spend in Tatopani or Marpha stays local and circulates through the village. Travel slowly and spend widely, and the overland route becomes a force for good rather than just a way to avoid the airport and its cancellation board.
Overland for Families and Older Travellers
The overland approach is a gift for families and seniors who want the Annapurna experience without the physical demand of a long trek. Driving to Jomsom or Muktinath lets grandparents, younger children, and anyone with a knee that complains at altitude reach the sacred sites, the apple villages, and the big-peak viewpoints in comfort, then walk an hour or two where they want rather than committing to fourteen days on foot.
We build overland family trips around short, flat village walks, museum visits, and hot-spring soaks, with the 4×4 doing the hard climbing. The [family trek guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-with-kids-family-trek/) and the [senior-friendly treks guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/senior-friendly-annapurna-treks/) cover the adaptations, and the [Ghandruk family loop](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/8-days-ghandruk-loop-trek-child-friendly-family-itinerary/) is a gentle walker we can bolt onto the drive for those who do want a taste of the trail. The [wellness base](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/lakeside-pokhara-wellness-base/) in Pokhara is the recovery town at both ends, and the [Australian Camp walk](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/australian-camp-dhampus-walk/) is the easy ridge we use to test little legs before the gorge.
What to Pack for an Overland Annapurna Trip
Packing for the drive is different from packing for the walk, and the two combine when you trek from the top. For the road, prioritise layers you can shed as the gorge climbs from subtropical warmth to Mustang cold, a small daypack for the stops, motion-sickness remedy, and a power bank because the vehicle charging is unreliable and the photo opportunities are constant. For the walk, the full trekking kit applies once you leave the jeep.
We send a packing note with every booking, and the [trekking packing list](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-packing-list-essentials/) covers the walking half while the [Pokhara gear-rental guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/gear-rental-pokhara-annapurna/) covers what to hire rather than fly with. The [pre-departure checklist](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/pre-departure-checklist-annapurna/) is the master list you tick off at home, and the [cash guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/money-cash-atms-annapurna-trek/) reminds you to load rupees before the last ATM. A well-packed overland traveller is a happy one at the Marpha apple stall and the Muktinath viewpoint alike.
Scenic Stops Worth the Halt
Half the joy of the overland route is the unscheduled halt, and a good driver knows exactly where to pull over. The Rupse waterfall plunges off the ridge near Beni and is worth the photo stop; the narrowest choke of the Kali Gandaki at Ghasa is where you feel the depth of the gorge with the Nilgiri wall filling the windscreen; and the apple orchards of Marpha demand a tasting and a brandy. Above Kagbeni the wind-carved red cliffs of the Mustang entry are a geology lesson you cannot get from the air.
We build these stops into the day rather than racing the clock, because the drive is the trip, not a transfer. The [region geography guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-region-geography-landscapes/) explains the formations you are looking at, and the [Dhaulagiri photography guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/photographing-dhaulagiri-annapurna-i/) helps you frame the gorge walls. The [Thakali culture guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/thakali-culture-kali-gandaki/) points you to the right tea stall for the best sesame and buckwheat snacks, and the [food guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/traditional-food-annapurna-villages/) maps the must-try dishes of each town. Slow down, and the road shows you more than the runway ever could.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really reach Jomsom without flying at all?
Yes. Drive Kathmandu to Pokhara (six to seven hours), then take a local bus or private 4×4 up the Kali Gandaki gorge through Beni, Tatopani, and Marpha to Jomsom. The [getting-there guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/how-to-get-to-annapurna-region/) and the [4×4 drive package](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/7-days-4×4-drive-manang-tilicho/) cover both options, and the [Manang and Mustang guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/manang-mustang-annapurna-circuit-trek-nepal/) shows where the road ends.
How long does the overland route take?
Plan two long days minimum from Kathmandu, or three to four if you treat the gorge as part of the holiday with overnights in Pokhara and Tatopani or Marpha. We build buffer days for road closures – see the [best-time guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/best-time-to-trek-annapurna/) for the safest windows and the [monsoon guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/monsoon-in-annapurna-quiet-trails/) for the ones to avoid.
Is the Pokhara-to-Jomsom road safe?
It is rough and winding, with occasional landslide closures, but safe with an experienced mountain driver and a conservative schedule that does not chase the light. The [safety guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trek-safety-altitude/) philosophy applies to the drive, and we monitor conditions daily. Monsoon is the season to avoid for this road, and the [trekking emergency guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trekking-emergency-annapurna-what-to-do/) covers the stranding response.
Can I still trek the Annapurna Circuit if I drive up?
Absolutely – many trekkers drive to Jomsom and walk the upper Circuit over Thorong La, descending the Manang side. The [Circuit package](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/trip/annapurna-circuit-trek/) and [Circuit guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-circuit-trek-guide/) explain the reversed route, which saves the dull lower walk for the vehicle and banks altitude gently.
What permits do I need for the overland approach?
The standard ACAP and TIMS permits, same as any Annapurna trek. If you continue into Upper Mustang beyond Kagbeni you also need the restricted-area RAP and a licensed guide. The [permits guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trekking-permits-2026/) has the full detail and costs, and the [guide requirement guide](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/do-you-need-a-guide-annapurna-2026/) covers the Mustang rule.
Plan Your Annapurna Adventure
The Annapurna region rewards preparation. Rolling Adventure Holidays runs fixed-departure and fully custom Annapurna treks from our Pokhara base – licensed guides, community lodges, and transparent 2026 pricing. Browse our [Annapurna trekking guides & packages](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/annapurna-trekking-guides-packages/) or talk to a [local expert](https://annapurnacircuittreks.com/contact-us/) before you fly.
*— Rolling Adventure Holidays, Pokhara*