Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Rhododendron forest, stone stairways and a sanctuary ringed by peaks - the best short trek in Nepal.
- Duration 9 days
- Region Annapurna
- From ₹49,999 per person
- Max altitude 4,130 m at Annapurna Base Camp
- Group size 2 - 14 travellers
- Best time Mar - May and Oct - Dec
- Pickup Pokhara, or Kathmandu with a transfer day added
Overview
The Annapurna Sanctuary is a glacial basin surrounded on every side by mountains, and the last hour of the walk into it is one of the great arrivals in trekking. You go from subtropical forest to a snow bowl at 4,130 m over four days, which is quick, but the sleeping altitude stays low enough that most people manage it comfortably.
Expect stone staircases. Thousands of them, up and down, through Gurung villages that have been on this route for generations. In spring the rhododendron forest above Ghandruk turns red and the whole trek changes character.
It is shorter, cheaper and warmer than Everest Base Camp, and for a first Himalayan trek we usually recommend it first.
Destinations covered
- Pokhara
- Ghandruk
- Chhomrong
- Annapurna Base Camp
Highlights
- Sunrise at the Sanctuary Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli lit up from every direction at once.
- Rhododendron forest The climb above Ghandruk in March and April, when the whole hillside is in flower.
- Jhinu hot springs Natural pools by the river on the way down, and the best twenty minutes of the trek.
- Gurung villages Ghandruk and Chhomrong - slate roofs, terraced fields and a mountain wall behind them.
Day by day itinerary
Day 1 – Pokhara to Nayapul, trek to Ghandruk
Short drive to the trailhead, then a climb through terraced fields into the first big Gurung village of the route.
Day 2 – Ghandruk to Chhomrong
Down to the Kimrong Khola and up the other side. A day of stairs, with Machhapuchhre appearing whenever the trees allow.
Day 3 – Chhomrong to Dovan
Into the Modi Khola gorge proper - bamboo forest, waterfalls and a trail that narrows as the valley closes in.
Day 4 – Dovan to Deurali
A short, steady day to keep the altitude gain sensible, arriving with the afternoon free for tea and altitude checks.
Day 5 – Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp
Past Machhapuchhre Base Camp and into the Sanctuary. The last thirty minutes, when the bowl opens out, is the whole reason for the trek.
Day 6 – Sunrise at ABC, descend to Bamboo
Out in the cold for first light on Annapurna I, breakfast, then a long descent back into the trees.
Day 7 – Bamboo to Jhinu Danda
Back up to Chhomrong and down to Jhinu, where the hot springs are a twenty minute walk below the lodges.
Day 8 – Jhinu to Pokhara
An easy last morning to the road head, then the drive back to the lake and a hotel with a hot shower and a real bed.
Day 9 – Depart Pokhara
Free morning by the lake and transfer to the airport or the onward road.
What is included
- Seven nights tea house accommodation and one night hotel in Pokhara
- All meals on trek and breakfast in Pokhara
- Licensed English speaking trekking guide and one porter per two trekkers
- Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card
- All ground transfers between Pokhara and the trailheads
- First aid kit, oximeter and daily altitude monitoring
- Government taxes and service charges
What is not included
- Travel and rescue insurance, which is compulsory
- Personal trekking gear and hire of sleeping bag or down jacket
- Hot showers, charging and wifi at tea houses
- Tips for guide and porters
- Any cost arising from early descent or evacuation
Photos
Frequently asked questions
- How does this compare to Everest Base Camp?
- It is shorter, lower, greener and considerably cheaper, with no mountain flight to worry about. The views at the top are arguably better - you are surrounded rather than looking across.
- How bad are the stairs?
- Honestly, they are the hardest part. The stretch between Chhomrong and Sinuwa is famous for it. Trekking poles help more here than on any other trek we run.
- Is there avalanche risk?
- There are two known avalanche stretches above Deurali which are safe in the seasons we operate and are crossed early in the day. We do not run this trek in heavy winter snow.