When the newly discovered trekking routes continue losing the interest of hikers, Annapurna still rules the list. It is the second most-liked trekking spot in Nepal falling only behind Everest Base Camp.
The long-distance trails parallelize with the dense forest and highland is what believed to be the beauty of Annapurna Base Camp Trek. As travelers dig deep into the region, the more they’ll be astounded to spot the fabulous view of the green pasture and wildlife.
Trekkers of all ages find Annapurna Base Camp Trek full of natural grandeur with dynamic landscape and geography. One never gets tedious walking the trail to the base camp having unfolded the scenic view of Annapurna and vibrant valleys.
Access to the Annapurna Base Camp will leave you with a little stress, unlike any hiking. By walking at most 7 hours a day for almost two weeks, you can easily reach the base camp.
The trek to the base camp won’t have you face lots of challenges unless the weather gets nasty. Since trekkers have to reach an altitude of 4130 meters, altitude sickness can be a major downturn.
Highlights of Annapurna Base Camp Trek
- Wandering old-style Gurung villages and interacting with the locals there
- Exploring dense forest adorned with mixed flowers and rhododendron in the Annapurna region
- Insight into the lifestyle and culture of rural Nepalese villages
- Put the traditional Nepali cuisine and national food, Dal Bhat to a test
- A glimpse of the magnificent Annapurna and breathtaking Machhapuchhre
- The dramatic route to scramble that summons you walk to a suspension bridge and perennial stream
- Relieve the stress by taking bath at natural hot spring
What is the best time for Annapurna Base Camp Trek?
Annapurna Base Camp trek is perhaps the only existing wonder that has left people head-scratching. Its natural allure with unique landscape and magical mountains tempts travelers throughout.
For the first-time trekkers, you ought to visit the base camp in Autumn when the weather is subtle. With the Monsoon just sparing, you get a pleasing atmosphere with a warm day and cold nights.
As wildflowers and tree leaves shove off the branch, you’ll have a multi-colored pathway to walk at this time. It’s much fun strolling the trails when the Autumn wind puffs the fresh air from Annapurna.
Autumn is a great time for Annapurna Base Camp trek but Spring isn’t bad either. The season has you stumble to new bud developed into flowers and Rhododendron.
Spring offers lots of memories to recollect alongside the sublime view of Annapurna and Machhapuchhre. With the winter just close away, you’ll have perfect weather, that’s neither searing hot nor too cold.
The scenes are opulent and eye-catching with full bloom rhododendron conferring its aroma. The only thing you’ll not be beaming about in spring is the crowd. With that sizable number of people traveling the region, you’ll struggle, finding accommodation.
Although winter isn’t best of the time for a trek to Annapurna Base Camp, most travelers still give it a try. It’s relatively cold at the higher elevations and near base camp with the temperature falling below -10 Degree Celsius.
The views are still majestic with the whole region covered in white snow. You can see all the rooftop of the village gleaming with the first sunrise in the early morning.
What are the difficulties of Annapurna Base Camp?
Trek to Annapurna Base Camp is much more difficult and challenging than it seems. The miles-long trail that walks the unbeaten and rocky path makes it super tricky to trace.
And with the monsoon frolicking in the region, it’s almost inconceivable to track the route. Following the continuous rainstorm, the roads get greasy making it unsafe to walk.
With the wake of the spring season, you’ll have a lot of companions to commune on the way to the base camp. On the contrary, there’ll be tussle amidst trekkers to get accommodation at lodges and guest houses.
Reaching above 4000 meters altitude can see you brawling with altitude sickness. The most common disorder witnessed in the base camp trekker includes breathing problems and nausea.
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As per the details of your flight, our officials will receive you at the airport at the exact time. They’ll be eagerly waiting for you at the arrival before even your flight takes down so that you don’t have a problem finding them.
With warm greetings, they’ll drive you to the hotel for a breath of fresh air. After the refreshing change, you can grab something to eat and refill the energy.
Before you unpack your bag, meet us in the lobby so that we can drive you to Pokhara. After about 7 hours of drive from Kathmandu, you’ll be gazing at the spectacular city of Pokhara.
As we started the trip from mid-day, it’ll already be late by the time we reach Pokhara. Therefore, without any delay, you’ll rush straight to your hotel. Get freshen and buck up before joining the rest of your companions on the dinner table. You can immediately go to bed then as it’s going to be a long day tomorrow.
With Pokhara’s city putting natural magnificence on display, your morning is hoped to be pleasant. Awakening with the beautiful morning, it’s time for breakfast now. After most of the morning hours spent sighting the scenic view of Pokhara, you’ll make a move to Hile.
The day starts with a 25.3 miles drive to Nayapul walking along the forest and working farms. For just a time, you’ll forget all the stress of hiking and catch the glorious sight of the village.
After almost an hour of driving in a private jeep, you’ll arrive at Nayapul which showcase traditional Nepali Villages. After scouring the region, you’ll continue walking above the terraced land and across the suspension bridge.
In a few hours, you’ll find yourself at the Annapurna Conservation Area and that’s when your actual trek starts. The Modi Khola on the left of the trail will be offering you a magical scene until you reach Birethanti.
To leap forward the village, you’re required to have your TIMS card and ACAP entry permit inspected. You then ascend the hills left to Birethanti and follow the trail that goes to Tikhedhunga/hile.
Upon getting across the villages resided by Magars and Gurungs, you’ll reach the foothills of Ulleri. Battering the exhaustion, you’ll keep hiking along the trail that puts up a hillock combined with countless stone stairs.
This might have got you tired. Hence, we’ll stop it for the day and continue trekking the next day. With the lodge pre-arranged in hile, you can get a good rest and even have dinner for the night.
Whatever the foregoing day was but the morning of hile will fill your heart with joy. The fragrant-fueled wind rushing through the villages of Hile celebrates your advent.
Pre-trekking Ghorepani, you’ll have breakfast at the lodge in Hile and enjoy the view there. Shortly after the traditional morning meal, you’ll take a plain route that goes from a suspension bridge to a waterfall.
The trail ahead has you walk through a dense forest where you can make time to explore flora and fauna. It takes almost four hours from Hile before arriving at Ghorepani.
Heading to the village, you’ll have to provide the permits for verification. Because we’ve already arranged accommodation for you, you can explore the village. However, the trip mustn’t last long as we await you in the lodge.
For dinner, there’s much to choose so you perhaps have to deal with the traditional Nepali food. On this note, call it for the day as we have a trek to Poon Hill the later day.
Hikers to set out from Ghorepani start their day with a delicious morning breakfast. That’s because it has them energetic until the time stop by another teahouse on the way.
You, however, won’t be able to make breakfast having to reach Poonhill for sunrise. You’ll make a quick move from the village and ascend upstairs heading to the forest. You’ll be walking the unbeaten path for about an hour till climb the hill.
Reaching on the ridge of Poonhill, you get the splendid view of Annapurna and varying topography. Most trekkers even connect with the distinctive villages and hillocks to be discerned from the scene.
Sometimes after outlooking the breathtaking vista of the sunrise from Poonhill, you start walking downhill. Without reaching the base, you’ll continue hiking on an exhilarating route that goes Tadapani.
It takes you a total of 5 hours to reach the village that has many mystical forests and terrains passing by. Because you’ve had enough for the day, we’ll stop the trek here and stay the night at a lodge.
If you’re sad for not getting enough time to explore Tadapani then pull it up as you’re about to sight this glorious village. Today you’ll be walking along the trails to Sinuwa from Tadapani that takes about 6-7 hours.
Guaranteed the route will blow your mind with the most imposing vista of green pastures and vegetation. The trail will have you walk a lush-green forest webbed with delicate rhododendron and wildflowers.
Your day passes strolling the walkway and villages that come across the way mostly settled by Gurung. You’ll have a lot of fun-time descending the trail and walking to Chhomrong as you’re provided with lunch here.
From here, you start walking swiftly and ascend the narrow hills with steep stairs to climb. After almost 4 hours walking the patchy route of Chomrong, you’ll reach Sinuwa. Stay overnight at one of the lodges in the village and get a much-needed rest.
One more day and you’ll be standing at Nepal’s most picturesque snow peak Annapurna. Although not a part of the trek, you’re to spend quality time at Sinuwa following its extravaganza.
Without missing any further time, you’ll trek to the Himalayan Hotel minute after having breakfast. The start of the trek will summon you to walk downhill up till meet the Chomrong Khola.
Across the river, you have a hill to ascend that goes to a deep forest a little further. Climb downhill after the animated trip of the forest and keep walking up until reaching Dovan.
Trekkers often ease off at the gorge and even stay the night but you won’t be resting here. You’ll keep heading up and only pull over after reaching the Himalayan Hotel.
It’s the last stop and you won’t be trekking any farther. Get a good sleep at the hotel promptly after having your dinner.
After so many forbearances, finally, the day has come when you’ll be glaring at the magnificent Annapurna. Best of all, we’ll even spend a little time at the hotel for breakfast and to scout the valley.
The early morning with birds twittering and fresh air breaking in, you’ll have great memories to look back on. After getting used to the weather, you’ll slow ascend to Deurali which lies at 3230m altitude.
Pass the time, you’ll walk the trail that leads to a ridge and scale to the Machhapuchhre Base Camp. It’s two hours of easy walk from here on before reaching the Annapurna Base Camp.
It won’t take you a second before you leap up to the edge of the base camp and see the gigantic Annapurna. Turning the base camp on the next day, you’ll see the dazzling sunrise embellish the snow peaks scattered in the region.
For the night, you’ll stay at the base camp. With this, you get a portrait of Annapurna and even Machhapuchhre.
Even though you’ve escalated the Annapurna Base Camp, there’s still a lot more to explore on the way home. Starting from the base camp itself, you view the snow peak that gleams with the early rise of the sun.
You then continue to make your way down to Bamboo which takes about 6-hours of hiking. The trail will clock you climbing down the hill up until the bank of Modi Khola. Along the way, you’ll climb uphill to Bamboo.
Since you made it on time to the village, you can search out Bamboo and even visit monasteries. Communicating with locals for socio-cultural exchange also sounds exciting to have while in the village. Take your time for exploration but make sure to return to the lodge overnight.
After resting at Bamboo the last night, you’ll climb down to Jhinu Danda today. Morning is passing, having breakfast and looking out the scenic view of the mountains.
Before long, you start climbing down to Khuldi Ghar which is famous for sheep farming. Following the stone stairs, you approach Sinuwa. Yet, forth the route, you’ll walk a trail that is stock with bamboos and Rhododendron.
Descending further, you’ll come to run across Chhomrong. Accessible through a steep walkway, your next stop point is Jhinu. To your interest, you can even take a hot spring bath here and ease the weariness.
Having come across such an unexacting journey, spring bath seems a perfect accompaniment for relaxation. Appreciating the service provided, you’ll stay the night at Jhinu Danda.
The trek starts early today with you only succeeding to take the morning breakfast. A short while after, you’ll carry on with the trek that crosses the Modi river.
With sloping hills to walk to, you’ll head towards the beautiful Landruk village next to Tokla village. The pathway up ahead offers you an eye-catching view with snow-capped mountains.
Walking to Pothana, you’ll be guided for how to stay cautious while traveling through the oak forest. Nearly after 7 hours of trekking, you’ll eventually turn up to the village.
For a sad part, your Annapurna Base Camp trek is about to wrap up with only a day left at Himalaya. For the 11th day of the trip, you’ll expedite to Phedi walking for almost 3 hours from Pothana.
Because it’s the end of the hike, you better explore the region one last time. People who want tranquility can walk through the jungle and even view the sublime beauty of the mountains.
Once you reached Phedi, we’ll be driving you back to Pokhara. Stay the night at the finest hotel in Pokhara and you can explore the city the next day.
Of course, you can’t traverse every corner of Pokhara or even rejoice in adventure sports. But you can still make time to visit the main attraction including Rara lake.
Enough you’ve onlook the Himalayas and explore the unique topography of the country. Looks like it’s time to wave goodbye now and head back to Kathmandu.
It takes approx 7 hours drive from Pokhara before reaching Kathmandu valley. We’ll keep accompanying you until we resettle you at the hotel. On reaching the hotel, you can relax in your room and schedule a flight back home.
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