Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu

   Private airport pickup and transfer to your hotel; an easy first evening to adjust after the flight.

   Overnight: Kathmandu
2. 2

   Day 2: Fly or drive to Pokhara

   A short domestic flight (around 25–30 minutes) or a scenic 6–8 hour drive to Pokhara, with the rest of the day free lakeside.

   Overnight: Pokhara
3. 3

   Day 3: Trek briefing & drive to the trailhead, trek to Ghandruk

   A final gear check and route briefing, then a drive to the trailhead area (commonly via Nayapul/Kimche) and the first walking day through terraced farmland and forest to the Gurung village of Ghandruk.

   Overnight: Ghandruk (teahouse, ~1,940m)Walking: 4–6 hours
4. 4

   Day 4: Ghandruk to Chhomrong

   A mix of descent and climb through forest and smaller villages, with Annapurna South and Hiunchuli visible for much of the day, to Chhomrong — the last larger village before the trail narrows into the Modi Khola gorge.

   Overnight: Chhomrong (teahouse, ~2,170m)Walking: 5–6 hours
5. 5

   Day 5: Chhomrong to Dovan (via Sinuwa & Bamboo)

   A descent to the Chhomrong Khola and a long climb into increasingly dense bamboo and rhododendron forest, passing Sinuwa and Bamboo villages.

   Overnight: Dovan (teahouse, ~2,580m)Walking: 6–7 hours
6. 6

   Day 6: Dovan to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC)

   The forest thins into alpine shrub as the valley narrows further; the trail runs along avalanche-prone slopes in places, which is why guide judgement on timing and route matters on this stretch.

   Overnight: Machhapuchhre Base Camp (teahouse, ~3,700m)Walking: 5–6 hours
7. 7

   Day 7: Machhapuchhre Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp

   A short but high, slow-paced morning walk — vegetation gives way to rock, moraine and (season-dependent) snow — arriving at the Sanctuary with Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre around the amphitheatre. We build in time to acclimatise and simply be there before starting back down.

   Overnight: Annapurna Base Camp (teahouse, ~4,130m)Walking: 2.5–3.5 hours up, plus descent back toward Bamboo the same or following day depending on pace
8. 8

   Day 8: Descend to Bamboo (or Jhinu)

   A long descent — this is the day most people feel in their legs — retracing the route back down through MBC and Dovan toward Bamboo or, with an earlier start, as far as Jhinu.

   Overnight: Bamboo (teahouse, ~2,310m)Walking: 6–7 hours
9. 9

   Day 9: Bamboo to Jhinu Danda, hot spring stop

   Continue the descent via Chhomrong to Jhinu Danda, with time at the natural hot spring beside the Modi Khola — a genuinely welcome stop after a week of walking.

   Overnight: Jhinu Danda (teahouse, ~1,780m)Walking: 5–6 hours
10. 10

    Day 10: Jhinu to trailhead, drive to Pokhara

    A final, mostly gentle walking stretch to the trailhead, then a private transfer back to Pokhara for a shower, a proper bed and a well-earned rest day feel.

    Overnight: PokharaWalking: 2–3 hours trek, plus driveMeals: Breakfast
11. 11

    Day 11: Departure

    A free morning depending on flight timing, then private transfer to the airport or onward connection.

    Overnight: —

Optional upgrades

• Add a porter (typically carrying a set maximum load per trekker — confirmed in your quotation)
• Extend with a Poon Hill side-route or an extra Pokhara lakeside recovery day
• Upgrade specific nights to a higher-comfort lodge where one genuinely exists on that stretch of the route

Travelling responsibly

• We favour locally owned and registered accommodation and transport partners wherever standards allow.
• Wildlife activities follow national park rules and avoid animal performance-based experiences.
• We favour teahouses and guides based in the villages the trail passes through, so trekking income stays largely local to the Annapurna Sanctuary communities.

Fitness, preparation & terrain

No technical climbing or scrambling skill is required, but this is a genuine multi-day trek with sustained stone-staircase climbs and descents, several consecutive 5–7 hour walking days, and cold nights above 3,000m. We recommend building up regular walking or stair fitness for several weeks beforehand if you don't already walk/hike regularly, and being honest with us about any joint, cardiac or respiratory condition when you enquire, so we can give an honest view of whether this specific route — rather than a shorter alternative like Poon Hill or Mardi Himal — is the right fit.

Teahouses, meals, water & charging

Meals are ordered from each teahouse's menu — dal bhat (rice, lentils, vegetables) is the standard, filling trekking meal and often the best value and most reliably fresh option at altitude. Bottled water becomes more expensive the higher you go; we recommend a reusable bottle with a filter or purification tablets instead. Electricity for charging phones/cameras is usually available for a small per-device fee the higher you go, and is not guaranteed to be constant; a power bank is worth carrying. Wi-Fi or local SIM data coverage is patchy and often paid above Chhomrong — treat connectivity on this trek as occasional, not continuous.

Permits & guide requirements

Every trekker needs a valid Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), checked at entry points along the route — this is issued by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project and can be arranged in Pokhara or Kathmandu. Nepal's trekking-guide regulations (in force since 2023) require Annapurna-region routes, including ABC, to be accompanied by a licensed trekking guide arranged through a registered agency; independent, unguided trekking on this route is not permitted. Historically a separate TIMS card was also required for this route — permit requirements in Nepal have changed more than once in recent years and enforcement has not always been consistent across sources, so rather than quote a single fixed fee or rulebook here, we confirm the exact, current permit set and cost with you (and arrange it) once your trek is booked.

Packing essentials

• Broken-in, ankle-supporting trekking boots (not new out of the box)
• Layered clothing: moisture-wicking base layers, an insulating mid layer, and a waterproof/windproof outer shell
• A warm hat, gloves and a buff/neck gaiter for the colder upper stretches
• A 3-season sleeping bag or a liner for teahouse blankets, rated for below-freezing nights
• Trekking poles — genuinely useful on the steep stone staircases, both up and down
• A headlamp with spare batteries
• A personal first-aid kit, any regular medication, and basic altitude-sickness medication discussed with your doctor beforehand
• Reusable water bottle plus a filter or purification tablets
• A power bank (device charging is often paid and not always available)
• Sun protection — sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen (UV is stronger at altitude than it feels)
• Nepali rupees in cash — ATMs are not reliable beyond Pokhara and the lower trailhead towns

Frequently asked questions

How fit do I need to be for the ABC trek?

Reasonably fit, with some recent experience of multi-hour walking or hiking. There's no technical climbing, but several days involve 5–7 hours of walking with sustained ascents and descents on stone steps. If you're unsure, tell us about your current activity level and any health conditions when you enquire, and we'll give an honest view — including suggesting a shorter trek like Poon Hill or Mardi Himal if ABC isn't the best match.

Do I need a guide, and can I trek Annapurna Base Camp independently?

No — Nepal's trekking regulations require a licensed guide, arranged through a registered agency, for Annapurna-region routes including ABC. Independent, unguided trekking isn't permitted on this route, so a guide is included as standard in every ABC trek we arrange.

What's the difference between the trekking days and the total trip length?

The walking itself typically takes about 7–9 days trailhead-to-trailhead. Our sample itinerary above is 11 days total because it adds Kathmandu/Pokhara transfer days and one contingency day for weather or pacing — both numbers can be adjusted once we know your dates and fitness.

Is Annapurna Base Camp trek safe, and what about altitude sickness?

The route itself is well-established and teahouse-supported throughout, but 4,130m is high enough that altitude headaches, nausea or poor sleep are a real possibility for anyone, regardless of fitness. We brief every traveller on acclimatisation pacing and warning signs, build in a contingency day, and require insurance that covers evacuation from altitude. We don't guarantee against altitude illness — no operator honestly can — but we do take it seriously in how we plan and guide the trek.

What's the best time of year for this trek?

October–November and March–May are the most reliable windows for stable weather and mountain visibility, with spring also bringing rhododendron bloom at the mid elevations. Winter (December–February) is trekkable but colder, with snow possible on the higher stretches; the monsoon (June–September) brings heavier rain, leeches at lower elevations and reduced mountain views, so we generally steer travellers away from it for this specific route.

Does this page show a fixed price?

No. Cost depends on group size, season, guide-to-trekker ratio, whether a porter is added, and your chosen pre/post-trek accommodation in Pokhara, so we quote every ABC trek individually once we know your dates and group.