On the Annapurna Circuit you'll have mobile signal in most villages, but which network you're on decides how far it lasts. Both Ncell and Nepal Telecom (NTC) give strong 4G at Besisahar. From Chame onward Ncell weakens, and above Pisang it's patchy to absent, while NTC still gives 4G in Manang and usable data at Yak Kharka. Neither network reaches Thorong Phedi, High Camp or the 5,416 m Thorong La; signal comes back at Muktinath. Most travel eSIMs that name a Nepal network use Ncell, so the useful setup is a travel eSIM for the lower valley plus a physical NTC SIM for the high villages.
We haven't trekked the Circuit for this site. The village table below comes from two Kathmandu trekking companies' 2025 and 2026 guides, quoted and linked; where they disagree, we say so.
Signal by village
In walking order from Besisahar, over Thorong La to Jomsom:
| Village | Altitude | NTC | Ncell | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Besisahar | 760 m | Strong 4G | Strong 4G | Last easy place to sort out SIMs |
| Chame | 2,710 m | Good 4G | Moderate, patchy | Both "can be unstable at times" |
| Pisang | 3,200 m | Good 3G/4G | Weak or absent | "Ncell starts dropping out" |
| Manang | 3,519 m | Solid 4G | Patchy | Acclimatisation stop; the best hub above Chame |
| Tilicho Base Camp (side trip) | 4,150 m | 3G/4G, functional | None | NTC good enough for texts and weather |
| Yak Kharka | 4,018 m | Moderate | None | The sources disagree; see below |
| Thorong Phedi | 4,525 m | None | None | "Complete blackout" |
| High Camp | 4,850 m | None | None | |
| Thorong La | 5,416 m | None | None | |
| Muktinath | 3,760 m | Strong 4G | Good 3G | Network "fully restores" |
| Jomsom | 2,720 m | Strong 4G | Strong 4G | Flights and buses out |
Sources: Best Heritage Tour, "Mobile Network Coverage on Annapurna Circuit Trek: 2026/27 Update", 8 Jun 2026 (ratings and altitudes); Himalayan Masters, "Annapurna Circuit Mobile Network, Wi-Fi and Charging", 11 Aug 2025 (Chame stability note, Yak Kharka, Muktinath). Quotes are the sources' words.
Where the sources disagree. Himalayan Masters says of Yak Kharka that "both NTC and Ncell do not have any network above this area". Best Heritage Tour rates NTC "moderate" there. Treat Yak Kharka as the point where you might get your last message out before the pass, not one where you will. Himalayan Masters also says Ncell "has strong coverage" in Chame, where Best Heritage rates it patchy; both agree NTC is the better of the two from Upper Pisang up.
What the blackout means in practice
The no-signal stretch runs from Thorong Phedi or High Camp over Thorong La to Muktinath. Best Heritage Tour puts it at "roughly a 15 to 20 hour digital blackout" in one place and "a day and a half" off the grid in another; the difference is whether you count the night at Phedi or High Camp. Either way:
- Send your "crossing tomorrow" message from Manang or Yak Kharka, with the date you expect to reach Muktinath.
- Lodge Wi-Fi isn't a fallback here. Best Heritage Tour says tea-house Wi-Fi is sometimes free and sometimes NPR 200–500; Himalayan Masters notes charging at Thorong Phedi can cost extra and is limited to certain hours. Don't plan on either at the high camps.
- Your phone's satellite SOS won't help. Nepal isn't on Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite list (5 Oct 2026), and we don't see it in Google's Pixel Satellite SOS table either. If you want a way to call for help on the pass, carry a satellite messenger; inReach vs ZOLEO vs SPOT compares the cost.
Which eSIM for the Annapurna Circuit
We've priced 18 days at 0.5 GB a day, enough for the trek with a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara either side:
eSIM prices · Nepal
18 days at 0.5 GB a day (9 GB)
| Provider and cheapest fit | Price |
|---|---|
| Nomad10 GB · 30 daysNetwork: Ncell | $24 |
| Maya MobileUnlimited · 30 daysNetwork not named | $49.99 |
| Airalo2 × Unlimited · 10 days, 3 GB/day full speedNetwork: Ncell | $86 |
| Saily3 × 3 GB · 30 daysNetwork not named | $89.97 |
| Lotso TravelOurs2 × 5 GB · 10 daysNetwork not named | $209.98 |
Public USD prices checked 31 Oct 2026. Lotso Travel is run by the team behind this site. Full data and method: price index; change the trip length in the calculator.
Nomad ($24 for 10 GB, valid 30 days) is the cheapest in our data and lists Ncell. Maya Mobile ($49.99 for 30 days unlimited) is the pick if you'll stream or upload video in Pokhara. Airalo's Ncell unlimited plans cost far more for the same network. Lotso Travel, which our team runs, isn't competitive in Nepal at about $210 for this trip; buy Nomad or Maya instead.
Because almost every eSIM here that names its network uses Ncell (Holafly lists both Nepal Telecom and Ncell, but its unlimited Nepal plans cost $117.90 for 15 days and $270.50 for 30 in our data), the eSIM is your low-valley and Pokhara connection. For the stretch above Chame, buy an NTC SIM in Kathmandu and put it in your phone's physical slot alongside the eSIM. Our Nepal SIM card vs eSIM guide covers where to buy one, Ncell's tourist packs and what you need to register.
How this compares with Everest Base Camp
Both treks lose signal above about 4,500 m, and on both NTC lasts longer than Ncell. The difference is what fills the gap. On the Everest Base Camp trek, a commercial Wi-Fi network (Everest Link) covers most villages above Namche; the Circuit has no equivalent across Thorong La, so the blackout is total until Muktinath. On the other hand, Manang, at 3,519 m, still has the solid NTC 4G that Everest trekkers lose after Namche, which makes it the natural place for a last long call home.
- A Nepal eSIM (Nomad or Maya Mobile), installed at home
- An NTC SIM from Kathmandu for the physical slot; passport needed to register
- Offline maps of the whole Circuit, including the Tilicho side trip
- A power bank big enough for two days: charging is limited and paid at the high camps
- A satellite messenger if you want SOS on Thorong La; phone satellite SOS doesn't work in Nepal
Questions people ask
Is there phone signal on the Annapurna Circuit?
In most villages, yes. Best Heritage Tour's June 2026 table lists strong 4G on both networks at Besisahar and Jomsom and solid NTC 4G in Manang. Both Ncell and NTC disappear at Thorong Phedi, High Camp and on Thorong La, and come back at Muktinath.
Ncell or NTC for the Annapurna Circuit?
NTC. Two Kathmandu trekking companies' guides agree that NTC holds on better above Chame: one lists Ncell as weak or absent at Pisang and with no service at Yak Kharka and Tilicho Base Camp, where NTC still works. Most travel eSIMs that name a Nepal network use Ncell.
How long is the signal blackout around Thorong La?
Roughly from Thorong Phedi (4,525 m) or High Camp (4,850 m) over the 5,416 m pass to Muktinath, so about a day and a half for most trekkers who sleep at Phedi or High Camp. Best Heritage Tour estimates 15 to 20 hours.
Does iPhone satellite SOS work on the Annapurna Circuit?
No. Nepal isn't on Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite list (5 Oct 2026). Carry a satellite messenger such as a Garmin inReach or ZOLEO if you want a way to call for help on Thorong La.