The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is a hike to the amphitheatre of the Annapurna Sanctuary surrounded by many famous Himalayan peaks – including Machapuchare (6,997m), Gangapurna (7,454m), Annapurna I (8,091m), Annapurna South (7,273m), and the unclimbed Fang (7,647m).

Our journey begins in the city of Pokhara, a short flight away from Kathmandu. Our trek starts from Birethanti (1,000m), a village by the Modi River, walking through forests and climbing a stone ‘staircase’ to Ulleri, Chomrong (2,060m) a local Gurung village.

We pass the Hinku Cave; we then reach the ‘gate’ into the sanctuary – a spectacular pass between the peaks of Machapuchhre and Himchuli. Highlights of the trek include the spectacular sunrise from Poon Hill, oak, rhododendron, and bamboo forests full of exotic wildlife, and trekking to Machapuchhre Base Camp (3,729m) and Annapurna Base Camp (4,620 m).

You will be met at the airport by our representative who and bring you to your hotel. You will get to meet the rest of the group during the briefing for the trip.

Fly to Pokhara and trek to Banthanti. 2300 meters. 3 hours. We go to the domestic terminal after breakfast to fly to Pokhara. We take a 30-minute flight to Pokhara. We have a drive of two hours to the starting point of our trek. Then, we have a steep ascent of two hours to the village of Ulleri, where we stop for lunch. We continue climbing (on a less steep gradient) to our stop Banthanti for the night. We stay in a lodge run by an amiable family. Most people do not stop at this village. 2300 meters.

We start our hike to Ghorepani after breakfast. The trail takes us through thick Oak and Rhododendron forests with cascading streams. We will be climbing at different gradients to Ghorepani. This is a lovely settlement at the top of a ridge. Wonderful panorama can be enjoyed when the weather is clear. If the weather is clear, you can hike up to Poonhill for sunset over Mount Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Barahi Shikhar, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli, Machapuchare, and numerous other peaks to the east. Thus, you can avoid the crowds who usually come for sunrise.

We will have an early-morning excursion to Poon Hill (3210m) for the fantastic sunrise and panorama of the high Himalayan peaks. It takes about 45 minutes to walk up the 400 meters. After that, we return to the lodge for breakfast and trek to Tadapani (2540m).

If you want to avoid the crowd at Poonhill, you can trek towards Tadapani and enjoy the sunrise in solitude from a high point on the trail. This will also make your trek shorter for the day. You can discuss this option with your trek leader the day before.

 The trail descends through the forest soon after leaving Tadapani. We can hear birds chirping and might even see Langur monkeys. The trail turns very steep after walking down about 45 minutes, passing through terraced fields to Kimrung Khola. Next, we cross a suspension bridge and hike towards Gurjung village. Finally, we reach Chomrong village after a series of ups and downs. We descend to the Chomrong river on steps and have an uphill climb for our final stop at Sinuwa at the elevation of 2170m. It takes about a 6-7 hours hike from Tadapani to Sinuwa 

We continue ascending the trail until the top of Sinuwa village. The path is a mixture of gentle ascends, flattish, and descends. We will be hiking in a thick forest and might see langur monkeys in the trees. The peaks will greet you when you come to the openings in the woods.

We have a steep downhill hike to Bamboo. We continue to Dovan for another hour and stop for lunch. We continue climbing after lunch through the rhododendron forest. We can see a waterfall on the opposite side of a small shrine45 minutes after lunch. These waterfalls look like a ‘weeping wall’.We reach the Himalayas in about one and a half hours after Doban. 

We start the day with another ascend, listening to the sounds of the raging Modi River. We make our way through streams and waterfalls until a steep ascends to Hinku cave, followed by a short descent and a short steep hike to Deurali.

You will notice the change in the flora from here on. The vegetation is drier and becomes sparse. Despite continuing our climb, the inclination is gentler. The afternoons can become covered by the fog coming from the lower valley. You might start to feel dizzy when you make sudden moves; respiration increases in the slightest exertion. You are advised to take it slowly and steadily for the next couple of days 

Your breath will be taken away by the proximity of Mount Machapuchare (Fishtail). Hiunchuli, Annapurna South at MBC. We start our hike to Annapurna Base camp after breakfast. The longer we walk and the higher we get, the mountain vista will leave you amazed.

The inclination becomes gentler after 45 minutes of steep climbing. The gentler and steady climb comes with a 360-degree view of Annapurna Base camp. We have the whole afternoon to enjoy the sights and relax. Sometimes the clouds roll up the valley during the afternoon and glide down the valley towards the evening. The sunsets are spectacular when the weather is cloudy.

We wake up early to witness the sunrise on Mount Machapuchare, Annapurna III, Singhuchuli, Annapurna I, Barahi Shikhar, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli from ABC.

We retrace our steps back to Bamboo after breakfast. We have a long day of descending today. For those with knee problems, it is advised to bring a good knee pad for support. You will find that observing the views is much easier downhill. We have a descent of 1600 meters and a long day of trekking.

We start with a 45-minute steep climb from Bamboo. This is good as it helps to warm your body and aching muscles from yesterday’s descent. The trail levels out from Kuldi Ghar with a series of flats and descends until upper Sinuwa. We have one long drop to the Chomrong river, and remember the steps we walk on our way to Sinuwa? Again, we have a 45-minute climb on steps until we reach the top of this village for lunch.

We have a steep descent of one hour to Jhinu danda. Most of you will be motivated by the thought of going down to the hot springs for a soak to relieve your aching muscles.

We descend steeply to Kimrong river and continue for 3 hours until we reach Landruk village in a series of descends and ascends in forests and terraced fields. The trail levels out for about one hour until the short uphill stretch to the village of Tokha, where we pause for lunch.

We have an uphill climb for about 2 hours to Deurali, followed by an hour of hiking to reach Pothana for the day.

You will have a last-night party with your support crew.

We have a short descent of 90 minutes to the village of Dhampus. Our vehicle will be waiting to drive us back to Pokhara. You will bid farewell to your support crew when you reach Pokhara.

Pokhara is a very relaxed place. You have the afternoon to walk around the lakeside area, shop, or sip coffee or cocktails in the countless cafes. There are many good places for food and music at the Lakeside in Pokhara.

We fly back to Kathmandu in the morning. You will have a few hours to do last-minute shopping or relax. Then, you will go out for a final dinner with your trek leader.

You will be brought to the airport 3 hours before your departure time for your international flight.