Thorung La
Encyclopedia
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
located 5416 metres (17,769 ft) above sea level in the Damodar Himal, north of the Annapurna
Annapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
Himal, in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. It connects the village of Manang
Manang
Manang is a town in the Manang District of Nepal. It is located at 28°40'0N 84°1'0E with an altitude of . At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 391 people living in 120 individual households....
(3540 m), in the Manang district
Manang District
Manang District of 9,587.The pass of Thorung La at 5415 meters above the sea connects the district to Mustang District by providing a route between the towns of Manang and Muktinath....
to the east, with the temple of Muktinath
Muktinath
Muktinath is a sacred place both for Hindus and Buddhists located in Muktinath Valley at an altitude of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass , Mustang district, Nepal...
(3800 m) and the village of Ranipauwa (3700 m), to the west in the Mustang district
Mustang District
Mustang District, a part of Dhawalagiri Zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Jomsom as its headquarters, covers an area of 3,573 km² and has a population of 14,981....
. It is regularly used by local traders.
Tourism
Thorong La is the highest point on the AnnapurnaAnnapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
Circuit, a 300 km trek around the Annapurna mountain range. The pass is high enough to cause Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) in trekkers who have not acclimatised to the altitude. While it is possible to cross Thorung La from Manang to Muktinath in one day, the doctors of the Himalayan Rescue Association (http://www.himalayanrescue.org/) post in Manang
Manang
Manang is a town in the Manang District of Nepal. It is located at 28°40'0N 84°1'0E with an altitude of . At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 391 people living in 120 individual households....
recommend that trekkers spend five nights between their arrival in Manang and the crossing, although 2 or three nights are enough.
The safest seasons with a clear weather window for crossing the pass is between March and April and between October and November. Attempting to cross the Thorung La in winter is dangerous due to avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
s, the risk of frostbite
Frostbite
Frostbite is the medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas...
and the chances of losing one's way in the snow.
Most tourists cross the pass from east to west (Manang to Muktinath and Ranipauwa), which is the easiest and safest direction. Before the pass, trekkers can spend the night either in Thorung Phedi (at 4420 m) or at Thorong High Camp (4800 m), meaning that they will have to climb a maximum of 1000 m and descend about 1600 m. The way from Muktinath does not offer opportunities for altitude acclimatisation, with the last spot where it is possible to spend the night being at 3700 m (Ranipauwa, all year round) or at 4200 m (Muktinath Pedhi with a very basic seasonal lodge), meaning that a trekker going from west to east will have to ascend 1700 m or 1200 m and descend at least 600 m in one day.
If crossing the pass in October/November, an early start (at least a few hours before sunrise) in going over the pass is recommended as strong winds typically begin a few hours after sunrise.