The 9 Days Annapurna Base Camp Trek (ABC Trek) isn’t just a hike; it’s an experience for the soul.
But what exactly makes the ABC Trek a must-do adventure?
Witnessing the sunrise paint the snow-capped peaks with a golden hue or soaking in natural hot springs after a day’s hike are experiences you won’t soon forget. The ABC Trek is suitable for trekkers with a moderate level of fitness. The well-defined trails take you through diverse terrains, from gradual inclines to steeper sections that test your endurance. Reaching the base camp at 4,130 meters offers a profound sense of achievement and showcases the rewards perseverance brings.
Why Choose Us for Your Annapurna Base Camp Trek in Nepal?
Planning an unforgettable trek requires a reliable partner. Here’s why we’re the perfect fit for your ABC adventure:
- Expertise and Experience: Our team comprises seasoned guides with an intimate knowledge of the Annapurna region. They ensure your safety, navigate the trails with ease, and share their passion for the Himalayas, enriching your experience.
- Unwavering Support: From pre-departure guidance to providing top-notch equipment and cozy accommodation, we handle every detail. Our support ensures a smooth and hassle-free trek, allowing you to focus on creating memories.
- Sustainable Practices: We prioritize responsible tourism. We partner with local communities, minimize environmental impact, and promote cultural preservation, ensuring the magic of the Himalayas is sustained for generations.
Permits Required for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek
To embark on the ABC Trek, you’ll need two permits:
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): This permit costs around USD $40 and grants access to the Annapurna Conservation Area, which protects the region’s unique ecosystem.
- Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS): This permit costs around USD $20 and helps track trekkers on the route, ensuring safety.
Difficulty of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek
The ABC Trek is classified as a moderate-to-difficult trek. The high altitude and daily ascents demand a good level of fitness. However, the well-maintained trails and the gradual increase in elevation allow most enthusiastic hikers to acclimatize comfortably. Our experienced guides will set a pace that optimizes acclimatization and ensures a safe and enjoyable journey.
Travel Insurance
Investing in comprehensive travel insurance is crucial for any trek. Unexpected situations like altitude sickness, injuries, or flight cancellations can disrupt your plans. Travel insurance provides financial security, covering medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and helicopter evacuation if needed. Consider factors like medical coverage limits, emergency evacuation provisions, and trip cancellation clauses when choosing your travel insurance plan.
When to Experience the 9 Days Annapurna Base Camp Trek
The ideal window to embark on the ABC Trek is during spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November). These seasons offer clear skies, stunning mountain views, and pleasant temperatures for trekking. Spring boasts vibrant wildflowers adorning the trails, while autumn showcases the Himalayas draped in golden hues. Monsoon season (June-August) offers lush landscapes, but trails can be slippery, and visibility might be limited.
Accommodation and Meals During the Trek
On the ABC Trek, you’ll stay in comfortable teahouses along the route. These teahouses offer basic but cozy rooms with shared bathrooms and provide delicious meals prepared with fresh, local ingredients. Typical meals include hearty breakfasts of porridge, eggs, and toast, followed by lunches of rice, lentils, and vegetables. Dinners often include options like pasta, stews, and momos (Nepalese dumplings).
Trekking Gears You’ll Need:
- Backpack (40-50 liters): Choose a comfortable backpack that fits your torso length and can hold all your essentials.
- Hiking boots: Waterproof, sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support are crucial for navigating uneven terrain.
- Trekking poles: These poles improve stability, especially on descents, and help distribute weight evenly.
- Warm clothing: Pack layers of thermals, fleece jackets, and a waterproof outer layer to adapt to changing weather conditions.
- Sleeping bag: A good quality sleeping
Itinerary
Today you will wake up early in the morning and have breakfast in the hotel. Your guide will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the airport that flies you to Pokhara. The journey provides spectacular views of mountain ranges. It takes 30 mins to reach Pokhara airport.
After arriving in Pokhara airport, you will drive directly to hille and trek to Ulleri. When you reach Birethati, first your guide will show your permit to the check post. You continue from here where you will past local houses via stone stairs, passing rivers, streams and beautiful waterfalls along the way. Walking through Hille you will see terrace farming with Nepali village lifestyle as you make your way to Tikhedhunga. From here, you will cross two long suspension bridges, taking you to the bottom of the Ulleri steps where you will stop for Lunch.
Wake up and have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel in Ulleri village with the view of Mount Annapurna South (7219m) and Hiuchuli (6441m). When you have packed and feel ready we will begin our second day of trekking.
Your trek will begin by exploring Ulleri village and ascending stone steps all the way to the village of Banthati where you can see another Mountain name Fishtail (Machhapuchre 6993m). You will pass local homes, restaurants and tea houses. Following more stone steps you will begin to enter into a forest filled with Rhododendron flowers, moss covered trees and a myriad of wildlife. You may spot some mox deer, monkeys or even a mongoose.
Whilst trekking through the forest we will stop for tea and snacks as we admire the surroundings. As you continue your journey you will encounter small Hindu Shivha lingas as well as trees with Buddhist prayer flags hanging from their branches. You will reach Nangethati village where you will stop for lunch and enjoy the views of the forest you have just walked through. After lunch, you will continue to trek through the forest and shortly reach the entrance to Ghorepani, where you can take photos of the beautiful blue village in front of you. From here, it is a quick walk to your hotel where you can relax and refresh with a spectacular view of Dhaulagiri (8167m), Dhulagiri range, Nilgiri (7061m), Tukuche, Annapurna Fang, Annapurna South (7219m), Hiuchuli (6441m).
You have time to explore the Ghorepani village, drink some warm tea or coffee and soak in the views before dinner. Before you sleep your guide will brief you on the itinerary for your third day of trekking and answer any questions you may have.
Today you will wake up early and hike from your hotel to Poonhill in order to see the sunrise. You will see an outstanding panoramic view of the mountains; Dhaulagiri (8167m), Nilgiri (7061m), Annapurna Fang (7000m), Annapurna South (7219m), Hiuchuli (6441m) and Fishtail (6993m). You can have tea and coffee and relax with the morning sun as we admire the mountains.
You will return back to your hotel where your breakfast will be waiting for you. Once again you will eat with the view of mountains. When ready, your trek will begin by leaving Ghorepani and climbing stone steps all the way to Thapla Danda (3165m), where you can admire the mountain ranges from an elevation close to Poonhill.
You will then begin your journey into the Rhododendron forest. You will pass moss covered trees with curved branches, fluttering prayer flags and many fuchsia pink rhododendron trees that bloom all along the trail. The forest is enchanting. We will stop for tea before re-entering the forest , this time filled with bright and lush green ferns. We will continue to trek until we reach Banthati village (2600m) where you can have your lunch and rest among the trees.
After lunch we trek downhill towards our final destination of the day. Rainbow hotel in Chuile village. Along the journey you will hear various bird songs, bump into donkeys and enjoy the silence of the forest once more.
Your hotel for the night has an otherworldly view of Fishtail mountain (6993m) and the deep mountain valleys beneath it. Here you can refresh, relax and have dinner as you watch the sunset behind the mountain. After you eat your guide will prepare you for the day ahead.
After breakfast overlooking Fishtail mountain (6993m), you will head down many stone steps through lower Chuile until you reach a suspension bridge that crosses over the famous Kimrong river.
After crossing the river you will climb up stone steps until you reach Gurjung village. You will trek through Gurjung village with panoramic views of neighbouring villages, terraced farming and Buffalo. Lots of Buffalo. You will reach Chomrong where we will have lunch with dramatic views of the snowy mountains. After lunch we will descend through the scenic lower Chomrong. The village is lined with prayer flags, various flowers, local houses, shops and even a cafe! During our journey, we will also pass a large Stupa laden with gold, red and blue colored details. We will continue down Chomrong, passing any decorated donkeys until we reach another suspension bridge that passes over a beautiful waterfall and fast running river.
After crossing we will climb stone steps up to our hotel in Sinuwa, where we can relax before dinner with a view of the mountains and the valley beneath us.
After breakfast, we begin the ascent via stone steps to Upper Sinuwa from where you can see the beautiful snow capped mountain. From Upper Sinuwa you will enter the beautiful Rhododendron and Bamboo forest where you will hear bird songs, see vast and curving tree branches and of course, lots of rhododendrons. We will pass through the village of Bamboo before reaching Dhovan where we will have our lunch.
After having lunch in Upper Dhovan, we continue the trek through the jungle. We will reach a clearing where we see a large Hindu temple and an even larger waterfall. We will continue to pass long waterfalls for the rest of the day. We will reach the Himalaya which is known for its delicious coffee. From here you will ascend to Deurali where we will sleep for the night. You will follow stone steps, explore more of the bamboo forest and walk past huge waterfalls by crossing the modi river.
Today is the main destination of our trek. After having breakfast, you will ascend to MBC with the view of Mount Gangapurna and Fishtail. Along the journey you will pass many waterfalls alongside a fast following river lined with pebbles and rocks. You will stop in MBC for a tea break and enjoy the vast mountain view, marvelling at how far you've come.
Now begins the final ascent to ABC. The path is vast, providing overwhelming views of both Fishtail and the Annapurna range. You will quickly reach the base camp where you can relax, eat, and explore the 360 degree views from the camp.
You will wake up early for the sunrise and will be greeted with clear skies from all angles. After an early breakfast your trek will begin. We will take the same route back to Sinuwa. The journey back will be filled with many different landscapes. You will pass spectacular views of Fishtail, panoramic views of the valley, enchanted paths through the jungle, large gushing waterfalls and misty rhododendron forests.
You will arrive in Sinuwa in the afternoon for a well deserved rest, hot showers and gorgeous views of the valley beneath you and the villages around you.
After dinner, your guide will brief you for the last day of trekking.
Today is a shorter day of trekking, and sadly your last. We will trek down to the suspension bridge that crosses Chomrong river and follow the stone stairs through the beautiful village of Chomrong that you will remember from day 5 of trekking. You will have the option to stop at a German Cafe which serves espresso coffee and the best apple crumble your mouth has ever tasted! All with a postcard view of Fishtail and Annapurna.
From here, the trek is downhill all the way down to Jinhu Hot Springs where you can relax in warm, healing waters. Make sure to bring your swimmers.
From here we will get the Jeep stop and head back to Pokhara.
Once in Pokhara you can freshen up in your own hotel room or head out on the town!
After having a complimentary breakfast at he hotel you will get on the cab with your guide and drive to the airport.
You will arrive in Kathmandu and check in to your hotel. You will have time to freshen up and head into the town if you please. Farewell dinner at evening.
