The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is one of the most popular trekking routes of Nepal. Along this trek, you will face the grandeur of the Mt. Annapurna from the foothills of the Annapurna Range. Multi-ethnic people ranging from Brahmins, Chettris, Gurungs and Magars reside along the trekking route so you will get to experience a variety of cultures in each and every place you stay overnight. Experience rural Nepal while enjoying the breathtaking wonders of the Himalayas. We recommend you take this trek during the spring when the forests have the vibrant pink rhododendrons in full bloom.
Your journey will begin in Pokhara, a wonderful city consisting of caves, lakes, temples and museums. After a short drive, you will reach a place called Naya Pool (New Bridge) from where your trekking will begin. Our major destinations involve Poonhill, where you will witness the glory of the Annapurna Range as the sun touches its peaks, and Annapurna Base Camp, where you will literally be surrounded from the above by the Annapurna Range, a truly magical experience. Believe us, the Annapurna Base Camp, or famously dubbed the Annapurna Sanctuary is just serene, with the pristine snowcapped peaks all around you.
Trip Highlights
- Visit the beautiful city of Pokhara where you can visit the Phewa Lake, World Peace Pagoda, Pame Beach and other notable attractions
- Get familiar with the Gurung culture and get to know their way of their life during the trek
- Explore the beautiful village of Ghandruk with the hospitable locals
- Watch the sunrise behind the glorious Annapurna mountains from a vantage point in Poon Hill
- Sit beneath the laps of the Annapurna Range in the base camp and enjoy the panoramic views
Trip Itinerary
Pokhara
Today, we will be travelling from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Our guide will pick you up from your hotel at 6:15 AM and take you to the bus terminal. Our bus departs at 7:00 AM in the morning. We will stop mid-way to Pokhara to have lunch and will probably arrive at Pokhara at about 2:00 PM in the afternoon.
You will notice Pokhara approaching when you see panoramic views of the Annapurna Himalayan Range. You will also notice Mt. Macchapuchre looming in the distance. After we reach Pokhara, you can roam around Lakeside, visit the tourist markets and try out the different cuisines around the area.
Tirkhe Dhunga
Today, we will travel to Tirkhedhunga from Pokhara. After breakfast at about 7:30 AM, we will take a drive to Naya Pool, or New Bridge for about 2 hours, where we will start our journey. The trail follows the main street of Birethanti, from where we will go through bamboo forests past a large waterfall and a swimming hole. Beyond a pasture used by pony caravans, the trail reaches Sudami where we will have a short lunch break. After lunch, buckle up to climb steadily up the side of the valley, reaching Hile at 1495m close to Tirkhedhunga. We will stay here for today.
Ghorepani
After breakfast is served in the morning at 7:00 AM, we will move to Ghorepani from Tirkhedhunga today. The trail crosses a stream on a suspension bridge near the camp site at Tirkhedhunga and ascends a steep stone staircase to the large Magar village named Ulleri at 2070m. Above the village, the trail climbs gently through pastures and cultivated fields. These parts are blessed by the serenity of nature, surrounded by oak trees, and if the season is right, by rhododendrons.
We will also go past a small hut at about an hour long walk from Ulleri, where you can refill your water and take a short break. The trail crosses two sparkling streams before ascending to Nangethanti where we will take a lunch break. After about an hour long climb from Nangethanti, we will reach Ghorepani. We will climb up to the top and stay the night there.
Poon hill
After a good night's rest, we will start our day as early as 5:30 AM to witness the beautiful sun rise above the mountains to Poon Hill (3195m). It takes about 45 minutes hiking uphill to Poon hill, where you will see unobstructed views of the sunrise above the high Himalayas. Take photos, etch the beautiful view into memory, because it is truly magical.
After returning back and having breakfast at Ghorepani, we will begin climbing southwards on muddy trails through deep forests. The trail changes from lush forests to grassy meadows, where you will be able to see glimpses of Mt. Machhapuchhre and a wonderful view of the plains to of south. We will then climb along a ridge amongst pine and rhododendron forests to an altitude of about 3000m then descend to a second pass also called Deurali, at 2960m.
The trail then turns into a steep, sometimes treacherous, descent on a narrow path alongside the stream, so make sure to watch your steps! The steep descent becomes gentler as we reach Banthanti where we will stop for lunch. From Banthanti, the trail follows the stream down to a bridge where it starts climbing. From here, we will leave the moist forests and enter fields of cane. We will then make some ups and downs past a vantage point Tadapani (2540m) where we will stay the night.
Chhomrung Village
Today, we will start our day from Tadapani after breakfast at 7:30 AM. From Tadapani, the trail goes down through rhododendron and oak forests. The trail offers good views of the mountains on the way to Chhomrung. It takes approximately 4 hours to reach the village where we will be having lunch and dinner. Chhomrung is a Gurung Village that has essentially evolved into two separate villages and is the highest permanent settlement in the valley.
Our trek today will consist of a lot of uphill climbs and descents, so we recommend you catch your breath when you can. Upon reaching Chhomrung, you will be offered tremendous views of Annapurna South and Macchapuchre.
Majestic Waterfall around Bamboo
Today, we will walk longer than usual, so buckle up! We will start our journey from Chhomrung, where the trail descends on a stone staircase all the way down to the Modi Khola. After crossing the river, we will climb high above the river on its west banks, where the trail passes through a forest of bamboo, rhododendron and oak. Climbing further on a rocky trail, we will come across the villages of Lower Sinuwa and Upper Sinuwa (2340m).
The trail continues to a climb through a rhododendron forest, where we will reach Kuldi. From Kuldi, we will take a steep descent on stone staircases into deep bamboo and rhododendron forests. A short distance later, we will reach Bamboo, where we will have our lunch. From Bamboo the trail climbs steeply through forests of bamboo. Afterwards, the steep climb turns pleasant, and we will cross small streams, waterfalls, bridges. And after about 90 minutes, we will reach Dovan.
From Dovan, we will climb through muddy trails and stone steps to reach Himalaya. The trek from Dovan to Himalaya will take another 1:30 to 2 hours. On the way, make sure to look above the forests to find langoors hanging around in the trees. After walking through lush forests further, we will reach Himalaya where we will stay the night.
Annapurna Base Camp
Today, we will reach our final destination for the trip, the Annapurna Sanctuary. After a light breakfast in Himalaya, we will descend into a pleasant trail leading up to lush forests. After about 1.5 hours of walking through the serene forest, you will slowly notice the terrain changing. The terrain changes from lush forests to rocks and small shrubs.
After a while, we will climb further into stone steps where you will see a faraway establishment approaching. That faraway establishment is Deurali. On the climb, we will cross a suspension bridge through a beautiful waterfall to reach Deurali (3200m). You will also notice people herding some sheep in Deurali.
After taking a short break in Deurali, we will start climbing towards the Macchapuchre Base Camp (3700m). From Deurali, the terrain is mostly rocky, and since the altitude is slowly rising, we recommend you pace yourself. The walk towards MBC is somewhat pleasant, and along the way, we will catch glimpses of the majestic Annapurna. The views of the rugged hills with the majestic mountains towering above them is almost mystical.
On reaching MBC, make sure to take pictures of the mysterious Mt. Macchapuchre that looms behind you. Now is the final stretch from MBC to Annapurna Base Camp. The altitude rises from 3700m to 4130m, so make sure to catch your breath as you climb. On the way, we will witness clouds forming from atop the mountains slowly drifting below, and it is truly a magical experience. As we walk towards ABC, we will be able to witness the grand Annapurna range. After about an hour and a half, we will reach the Annapurna Base Camp.
Annapurna Range from ABC
Today, if you wish to, you can wake up after midnight at about 2 AM to witness the beauty of the Annapurna Range in the night. The sheer number of stars that glisten when you look up will be enough to make you feel baffled. Add that with the mountains shining with the moon's reflection, and you might just feel like you are in heaven.
Normally however, we will have our breakfast in the base camp, watch the sun rise atop the mountains and bid the mountains farewell. At about 9 AM, we will start our descent from the base camp towards Bamboo. We will follow the same trail which we came up from and reach Bamboo after about 6 to 7 hours of mostly descent.
Our destination for today is Jhinu Danda. We will begin our trek back today from Bamboo. The trail from Bamboo is short and muddy for a while, which then ascends uphill into steep stone steps through bamboo and rhododendron forests to Kuldi. The trail continues through lush forests and uphill climbs until you reach Upper Sinuwa. From here, you descend towards Lower Sinuwa (2250m) where lunch is served.
After a short lunch break, we will descend down to Modi Khola and climb steep stone step to Chhomrung, which takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. The climb to Chhomrung is long, so make sure to power through it! From Chhomrung, we will take a new route. Instead of returning back to the trail we came up from (towards Tadapani), we will follow the trail to the left, following downhill towards Jhinu Danda.
The trek towards Jhinu Danda takes about 1.5 hours where you can enjoy a natural hot spring bath, taking all the stress your body has been taking for the past few days away. If time permits, we will take a jeep back to Pokhara today, else we will stay here for the night.
Pokhara
From Jhinu Danda, we will take a bus or shared jeep back to Pokhara. The entire trip takes about 5 hours. After reaching Pokhara, we will be transfer you to your hotel. Upon reaching your hotel the Amazing Annapurna Trek is officially over! Thank you for trusting us with this trek, and hope you enjoy Nepal more.
Services
Services Included in the Package
- Pickup/drop off from airport
- One night hotel accommodation plus breakfast in Pokhara
- Transportation via Tourist coach bus or Jeep
- A professional guide
- Accommodation in twin sharing basis (Extra fares for private accommodations)
- Daily breakfast package during trip
- A trek map
- First aid kit and Emergency evacuation arrangements
- Government taxes
- Service charges and fees
- Necessary Conservation permits
- Equipment and Insurance for guide
- Accommodation, meals & daily allowance for guide
Services Excluded in the Package
- Daily lunch and dinner during trip
- All drinks (Hot/cold/bottled) during trip
- Emergency Evacuation costs
- Personal nature expenses
- Emergency evacuation fee
- Travel/Medical Insurance
- A porter (Arrangeable upon arrival)
- Hot shower costs
- Electronic device recharge costs
More Info
Trekking Permits
Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) are compulsory for trekking in Annapurna and TIMS are issued by Nepal government through Registered Trekking agencies like “Adventure Speed (P) Ltd”. Beside TIMS, Annapurna conservation Entry permit is also required to trek in Annapurna because the trekking routes are inside Annapurna conservation Area.
Altitude and Acclimatization
Since we will be reaching high altitudes during the trek, acclimatization will be crucial to avoid potential altitude sickness. We have designed our itinerary hence with gradual altitude gains and included rest days for acclimatization. Further, if you think you have contracted potential symptoms for altitude sickness, make sure to relay the information to your guide.
Pickup from airport during arrival
Our team offers the service of picking you up from the international airport in Kathmandu when you arrive in Nepal after you have booked your trip with us. Our team will contact you via email, phone or text after your booking, and after sharing details, our team will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel upon arrival.
Trek Site Map
Frequently asked Questions
Annapurna Base Camp is a Grade B or a moderately difficult trekking route. So, any fit person can do this trek, even if you do not have any previous experience. You should be aware of what to expect and mentally prepare for it. And the rest is, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
On average, you will walk about 4 to 6 hours per day. Somedays, you will walk only for about 3 hours and some days, you will walk for as long as 7 hours.
Yes, you can charge your batteries, smartphones en route. However, you should bring your own chargers. On higher altitudes like Annapurna Base Camp, you will need to pay extra fees for charging services. There are hot shower facilities available on most of the route as well. You may have to pay certain amount for it however ($1-$2). Also, hot water facilities are mostly free at lower elevations.
No. There are no ATMs on this trek route. You will have to draw enough cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu. There are a number of ATMs in these cities. On the trek, all services are paid with cash.
For Annapurna region, pay for guides range from $20 to $30 per day and porters take $15 to $25 per day.
Not really. It totally depends on you. If you want to, you can finish the trek independently. You could hire a guide and a porter by yourself instead of going through an agency or not hire a guide at all. Although, not having a guide can be a little problematic during off season.
Is it your first time in Nepal? How confident are you of being able to find your way around? How pressed on time are you? If you go through an agency, it will be costlier, but everything will be planned. You will only have to come, trek and return.
Yes. Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you might be used to, and in these high elevations, internet is even slower. Atop the Annapurna Base Camp, you might have to pay for internet services.
