Tourist arrivals on Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit are picking up again after floods, landslides and snowfall disrupted travel, with the route to Thorong La Pass now cleared and accessible. The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Tourist Check and Information Centre in Dharapani is receiving about 150 to 200 tourists daily, according to Bhupendra Gurung, who oversees the centre.
Travel disruption followed heavy rain and snowfall
Heavy rain and snowfall between September 24 and 27 blocked roads and trekking trails along the route, interrupting travel and causing a sharp fall in visitor numbers. The weather-related obstructions affected access to the circuit, which includes the crossing at Thorong La Pass. With routes blocked, tourists could not travel as they normally would, and arrivals at the Dharapani centre dropped.
The current increase marks a recovery from that disruption. The reopening of the route to Thorong La Pass has restored access along an important part of the trekking journey, allowing visitors to resume travel. The improvement is reflected in the daily number of tourists now being recorded at the ACAP centre in Dharapani.
Gurung’s estimate of 150 to 200 visitors a day gives a snapshot of the circuit’s renewed activity. It follows the sharp decline caused by the blocked roads and trails, but the available figures describe arrivals at the centre rather than a complete count of all visitors across the Annapurna region. The report does not specify how those daily numbers compare with arrivals before the weather disruption.
Route reopening brings visitors back
The reopening is a significant change from the period when rain, landslides and snowfall obstructed movement. The route to Thorong La is now reported to be clear and accessible, easing the immediate travel barrier that had affected trekking on the circuit. For visitors, the change means that travel along the route can resume after the interruption; for the Dharapani check and information centre, it has coincided with a return to daily arrivals.
The sequence is clear: severe weather blocked roads and trails between September 24 and 27, visitor numbers fell sharply, and arrivals began to rebound after access improved. The daily flow reported by the centre suggests that tourists are again making their way onto the route, although no broader total or forecast for future arrivals has been provided.
Recovery after a sharp drop
The latest figures point to a recovery, but the information available does not establish whether arrivals have returned to their earlier level. Nor does it provide details about the full extent of damage from the floods, landslides or snowfall, or whether other sections of the route remain affected. The confirmed change is that the way to Thorong La Pass has been cleared and that the Dharapani centre is now receiving about 150 to 200 tourists each day.
The rebound follows a period in which access problems directly curtailed travel on the Annapurna Circuit. With the route open again, daily arrivals have resumed at the centre, offering a sign that trekking activity is recovering from the weather disruption. The update was reported by Khabarhub.
