Kang La Pass Trek

Kang La Pass is a high mountain crossing on the Nar Phu Valley Trek in Nepal’s Manang district. At around 5,320 metres, it connects Nar Village with Ngawal on the Manang side of the Annapurna region and is the highest point on this route.

The pass is not just another stop on the itinerary. The climb from Nar takes you into much colder and more exposed landscape, with thin air and snow becoming real factors near the top. Weather can change quickly at this altitude, so the season, acclimatization and trail conditions can make a visible difference to the crossing.

Kang La Pass Trek Overview

Opened to foreign trekkers in 2003, the Nar Phu Valley trek takes you into a remote part of northern Manang, where Nar and Phu sit beyond the main Annapurna Circuit route. The valley is home to the villages of Nar and Phu, where Tibetan Buddhist culture and mountain life remain an important part of everyday life.

This restricted area trekking in Nepal shows you the genuine culture and nature of Manang district. Although these villages are in Nepal, they are culturally influenced by that Tibetan culture and tradition. Despite their location close to the Annapurna Circuit Trek, it is a less visited place. The lack of infrastructure development and publicity are the prime reasons for this.

The people of Nar and Phu also have their own local language and cultural traditions, influenced by the Tibetan communities that have lived in this part of the Himalayas for generations.

Kang La Pass (5,320 m) also connects Nar Phu Valley with the Annapurna Circuit trek. Nar Phu Trek connects the Nar Phu basin with three important Bhotia villages of the Neyshang Valley. You can have the beautiful mountain panorama, ancient villages, and pasturelands of the Himalayas. This valley is a station point for Nepal trekking to other peaks such as Ratna Chuli, Kang Guru, Himlung, and Gyajing Kang.

Kang La Pass Trek Highlights

• Cross the high pass between Nar Village and the Manang side of the Annapurna region
• Walk through Nar and Phu, two of the main villages in the Nar Phu Valley
• See stone houses, Buddhist monasteries and the distinctive architecture of the valley
• Visit Tashi Lhakhang Gompa at Phu
• Follow the trail through dry valleys, rocky slopes and high grazing areas
• See mountain views that include Annapurna II, Gangapurna, Tilicho Peak and the Chulu range
• Experience the change in landscape as the route leaves Nar Phu and reaches the Manang Valley
• Continue towards Ngawal and connect with the Annapurna Circuit

Kang La Pass Trek Cost

The Kang La Pass trek price with Nepal Trekking Routes is USD 1,590 per person for the 15 day itinerary. The journey begins and ends in Kathmandu and follows the Nar Phu Valley route before crossing Kang La Pass into the Annapurna region.

The quoted price is for the standard Kang La pass package. Personal expenses such as drinks, snacks, travel insurance and purchases made along the way are not included. Extra nights, private arrangements or changes to the planned itinerary are also charged separately.

The Nar Phu Valley trek cost includes expenses linked to traveling through a remote part of Manang, where transportation, accommodation, food and permits all form part of the overall budget. Food and other supplies can cost more inside the valley because they have to be brought in from outside.

Kang La Pass Trekking Permits

Two permits are needed for the Kang La Pass trek in Nepal: the Nar Phu restricted area permit and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). There is no separate permit required just to cross Kang La Pass.

The Nar Phu restricted area permit must be obtained before entering the restricted area. The permit is arranged through a registered trekking agency, and trekkers must follow the current restricted area rules while travelling through Nar and Phu.

The route also lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so an ACAP permit is required. The current fee is NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, including tax.

Together, the restricted area permit and ACAP cover the permit requirements for the Nar Phu route. There is no separate permit issued specifically for crossing Kang La Pass.

Kang La Pass Trek Route

The journey begins with the drive from Kathmandu to Dharapani and a walk to Koto. From Koto, the trail turns towards the Nar Phu Khola and enters a quieter part of Manang. Dharmasala and Kyang come next, followed by Phu Village, where Buddhist sites and the surrounding cliffs give the walk a very different character.

After a day around Phu, the trail heads to Junam and then continues to Nar Village. Another day here gives you time to explore the village and prepare for the highest crossing of the trip.

From Nar, the Nar to Kang La Pass part is the toughest part of the Kang La Pass itinerary. The trail climbs to roughly 5,300 metres before dropping towards Ngawal. The following walk reaches Manang, bringing the journey back to the established trails of the Annapurna region.

The final route of Kang La Pass is by road through the Marsyangdi Valley and Besisahar to Kathmandu. It is a less familiar side of Nepal trekking, combining the old villages of Nar and Phu with a high Himalayan pass and the return to Manang.

Nar Phu Valley and Kang La Trek Map

The Kang La Pass trek begins with the journey from Kathmandu towards Dharapani and Koto, where the trail turns into the Nar Phu Valley. You go past Ngadi, Jagat and Dharapani to reach Koto. Koto is the border between the Annapurna Circuit trekking region and the Nar Phu Valley trek. From Koto, the restricted Nar Phu route begins and the trail follows the valley towards Dharamsala, Kyang, Phu, Junam and Nar. Then, you move along Dharamsala, Kyang, Phu, Junam and Nar Village. These all stopovers lie in Nar Phu Valley.

After Nar, the trail climbs towards Kang La Pass before descending to Ngawal on the Manang side. From Ngawal, the route continues towards Manang and reconnects with the better established trails of the Annapurna region.  From Manang, you trek to Timang by crossing Pisang and Chame, the district headquarters of Manang district. Walking up to Chamje, you catch a bus or private jeep to drive back to Kathmandu.

In this way within two weeks, you can complete Nar Phu Kangla Pass trek from Kathmandu. You can even cut short the proposed itinerary by removing Kang La Pass. It makes this trek easier and shorter at the same time.

15 Day Kang La Pass Trek Itinerary

This is a 15 day itinerary with two acclimatization days in the Nar Phu Valley before the Kang La crossing. The first part takes you from Kathmandu through Dharapani and Koto into the restricted valley, followed by time in Phu and Nar before the highest day of the trek.

From Nar, the route crosses Kang La and descends to Ngawal before continuing towards Manang, Chame and Dharapani. The final part is by road back to Kathmandu, bringing the trip to an end without adding unnecessary trekking days.

Kang La Pass Trek Difficulty

The Kang La Pass trek difficulty is mainly linked to the altitude and the long crossing day. Kang La Pass reaches 5,320 metres, and the climb from Nar involves a steep uphill section before the trail drops towards Ngawal. No technical climbing skills are required, but the height makes this a serious high altitude trek.

The itinerary gives you an acclimatization day in Phu and another in Nar before the pass. That time matters when trekking above 5,000 metres, particularly because you have already gained considerable elevation by the time you reach Nar.

The crossing from Nar to Kang La and down to Ngawal is the hardest walking day. Cold temperatures, snow and wind can add to the difficulty, depending on the time of year. The trail can also feel demanding because of the length of the day and the altitude.

Altitude sickness is one of the main concerns on the Nar Phu Valley trek. Headache, nausea, dizziness and unusual tiredness should not be ignored. Tell your guide as soon as you notice something feels wrong rather than trying to continue.

You do not need mountaineering experience, but a reasonable level of trekking fitness and previous hiking experience will help. Regular uphill walks before the trip are particularly useful. This is a trekking in Nepal experience that suits people who are prepared for high elevations, long walking days and a demanding pass crossing. 

Kang La Pass Trek Altitude Profile

The Nar Phu trek altitude rises from 1,860 m at Dharapani to 2,600 m at Koto, then reaches the 4,000 metre range around Phu and Nar. The highest point is Kang La Pass at 5,320 m, followed by a descent to Ngawal at about 3,660 m. The figures below are approximate where published route records use different elevations for the same overnight stop.

What the Kang La Pass Trek Is Really Like

After leaving Koto, the trail enters the restricted Nar Phu area, where villages are smaller and services are limited. Phu and Nar deserve more than a quick overnight stop. Their stone houses, barley fields, old monasteries and Tibetan Buddhist traditions are part of what makes the Nar Phu Valley experience different from the busier trekking areas farther south. There are fewer places to eat, shop or charge devices, so the remote setting is something to prepare for rather than something to romanticise.

From Nar, the route heads towards Kang La Phedi before climbing to the 5,320 metre Kang La Pass and continuing down towards Ngawal. This section gives the Nar Phu to Ngawal trek its purpose, linking the villages of Nar Phu with the Manang side without retracing the entire valley. It is also the part that makes this a high pass trek in Nepal, combining village travel with one of the major mountain crossings in the area.

Kang La Pass Trek Distance and Walking Hours

The Kang La Pass trek distance is not the same every day because each stage covers a different part of the route. The shorter walking days take around three to five hours, while the longer ones take six or seven hours. The Nar to Ngawal trek is the longest day in your itinerary, with around seven hours of walking.

The route from Nar goes towards Kang La Phedi before climbing to Kang La Pass at 5,320 metres. After the pass, the trail heads downhill to Ngawal. The Nar to Kang La Pass distance and the full Nar to Ngawal distance are generally reported at around 15 to 18 km, depending on the route recorded. For this itinerary, around seven hours is a useful estimate for the Nar to Ngawal crossing, although the actual walking time depends on trail and weather conditions.