Annapurna Base Camp Trek

11 Days  |  Maximum Altitude: 4,130 m  |  Moderate

Introduction

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek leads into one of the most extraordinary natural settings in the Himalayas. The Annapurna Sanctuary is a high glacial basin completely enclosed by the peaks of the Annapurna massif, a natural amphitheatre of rock and ice at the foot of Annapurna I, the world's tenth highest mountain at 8,091 meters. At 4,130 meters, the base camp itself is fully surrounded by mountains on every side. Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Hiunchuli, and the sacred fish-tail summit of Machhapuchhre form a complete circle around you. There is nowhere else on a trekking route in Nepal where the mountains enclose you so completely.

The trail to the sanctuary passes through the traditional villages of the Gurung and Magar people, two of Nepal's most well-known ethnic groups. The Gurung people in particular have lived in the Modi Khola valley for centuries and their stone villages, slate-roofed houses, and warm hospitality are a central part of the experience on this trek. The Sanctuary is considered sacred in Gurung culture and entry into it carries a sense of something beyond ordinary mountain trekking. The trail passes through dense rhododendron and bamboo forests in the lower valleys, narrow river gorges, and wide glacial plains as it climbs toward the base camp. The forest in spring is covered in blooming rhododendrons. The mountain views build steadily and then reveal themselves completely when you walk out onto the glacial plain and Machhapuchhre appears directly ahead, filling the sky with its unmistakable twin-peaked summit. This is a trek for anyone who wants a genuine Himalayan experience without the length and altitude demands of the Everest region.

Trip Details

Duration:  11 Days

Maximum Altitude:  4,130 m (Annapurna Base Camp)

Difficulty Level:  Moderate

Best Season:  March to May and September to November

Start Point:  Kathmandu

End Point:  Pokhara to Kathmandu

Trek Style:  Tea House Trek

Average Walking Hours:  4 to 6 hours per day

Trek Region:  Annapurna Conservation Area, Gandaki Province

Major Highlights

•Standing Inside the Annapurna Sanctuary: The moment you walk out of the Modi Khola gorge onto the glacial plain and the entire Annapurna massif closes around you is unlike anything else in trekking. Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre, Gangapurna, and Hiunchuli form a complete wall of peaks in every direction. It is a truly overwhelming setting.

•Gurung Villages and Mountain Hospitality: The villages of Chhomrong, Ghandruk, and Jhinu Danda offer a genuine encounter with the Gurung people and their traditions. The hospitality here is warm and unpretentious, and the stone-paved lanes and traditional architecture of these villages are among the most photographed in Nepal.

•Rhododendron Forests and the Modi Khola Gorge: In the spring season the forests below the sanctuary are covered in blooming rhododendrons, Nepal's national flower. The narrow gorge above Deurali, where the trail squeezes between cliff walls before opening onto the sanctuary plain, is one of the most dramatic trail transitions anywhere on a Nepal trekking route.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrival in Kathmandu   (1,400 m)

Welcome to Nepal. Our team meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfers you to your hotel in Thamel. The rest of the day is free for you to settle in, explore the area, and enjoy a good first meal. Thamel in the evening is a lively and pleasant introduction to Kathmandu.

Day 2:  Briefing and Trip Preparation in Kathmandu   (1,400 m)

We meet at the Friendship Trekking office for a full route briefing. Your guide will take you through each day of the trek, discuss what to expect on the trail, confirm your gear, and sort out all permits. The afternoon is free. Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, and Swayambhunath are all close by and well worth visiting if this is your first time in Kathmandu.

Day 3:  Drive to New Bridge, Trek to Chhomrong   (2,170 m)

After breakfast you board a vehicle for the drive from Kathmandu to the New Bridge trailhead near Siwai. The drive takes around six hours through the Prithvi Highway and then into the foothills above Pokhara. From the road the trail climbs steeply through terraced farmland and lower forest to the large Gurung village of Chhomrong. This is one of the most attractive villages on the route. The views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli from Chhomrong are your first real encounter with the scale of what is ahead.

Day 4:  Chhomrong to Dovan   (2,600 m)

From Chhomrong the trail descends steeply to the Chhomrong Khola river and then climbs again into the lower Modi Khola valley. You pass through Sinuwa and then drop into the thick bamboo and rhododendron forest of Kuldi. The forest becomes denser and more jungle-like as you approach Dovan. In spring the canopy is alive with birds. Keep an eye out for langur monkeys in the trees and colourful pheasants in the undergrowth. Dovan is a small cluster of lodges surrounded by deep forest and the sound of the river.

Day 5:  Dovan to Machapuchare Base Camp   (3,700 m)

The trail climbs steadily past Himalaya Hotel and Deurali before entering the most dramatic section of the lower trail. The Modi Khola gorge above Deurali narrows to almost nothing, with cliff walls on either side and the river roaring below. The trail crosses several exposed sections where care is needed in wet weather. Above the gorge everything opens out at once. You walk onto a wide glacial plain and Machhapuchhre appears directly ahead, its twin peaks sharp against the sky. Machapuchare Base Camp sits at the edge of the Annapurna Sanctuary with stunning views in all directions.

Day 6:  Machapuchare Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp   (4,130 m)

The final approach to Annapurna Base Camp is a walk that stays with you. The trail crosses the glacier plain for two to three hours as the mountains draw closer with every step. As you enter the full sanctuary and the Annapurna massif closes in completely around you, the scale of the place becomes overwhelming in the best possible way. Annapurna I at 8,091 meters, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Hiunchuli, and Machhapuchhre fill the entire horizon. There is nowhere to look that is not a mountain. Take the full afternoon to sit in it. You have earned this view and it deserves time.

Day 7:  Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo   (2,310 m)

A final morning in the sanctuary before the descent begins. The trail retraces your steps past Machapuchare Base Camp, through the gorge, past Himalaya Hotel, and continues down to Bamboo. The descent covers nearly 1,800 vertical meters and the knees will feel it by evening, but the trail is well-graded and the forest is a pleasure to walk through on the way down. Bamboo is a small, quiet settlement with basic lodges and the sound of the forest all around.

Day 8:  Bamboo to Jhinu Danda   (1,780 m)

A shorter day that takes you back out of the forest to Chhomrong and then down to Jhinu Danda. The steep descent from Chhomrong to the Chhomrong Khola is followed by a short climb to Jhinu Danda. The main attraction here is the natural hot spring pool down by the river, about 20 minutes below the village. After the effort of the past several days, soaking your legs in the warm water for an hour is a genuine pleasure and a very fitting way to spend the last evening on the trail.

Day 9:  Jhinu Danda to Nayapul, Drive to Pokhara   (1,070 m / 820 m)

The final walking day. From Jhinu Danda the trail descends through Gurung farmland and small settlements to Nayapul, the road end. The views back up the valley toward Annapurna are with you until the end. From Nayapul a drive of around one hour brings you to Pokhara. The city sits on Phewa Lake with the Annapurna range visible across the water. Walk the lakeside this evening and take the time to let the whole trek settle in you properly.

Day 10:  Drive to Kathmandu or Fly   (1,400 m)

Return to Kathmandu either by tourist bus (around seven hours) or a 25-minute domestic flight. The rest of the day is free for shopping, sightseeing, or rest. In the evening, the Friendship Trekking team joins you for a farewell dinner.

Day 11:  International Departure   (1,400 m)

Our team transfers you to the airport. Eleven days in the Annapurna region, through forest, gorge, and sanctuary. The mountains will stay with you. Thank you for trekking with Friendship Trekking.

# Itinerary of  Annapurna Base Camp + Poon Hill Trekking

                       Thank you for visiting Nepal…….!