Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Upon arrival at the airport, an Altitude Trips & Expedition representative will meet you and escort you to your hotel in Thamel, a vibrant tourist hub in Kathmandu. Thamel is surrounded by various outdoor shops, from local vendors to well-known brands such as Mountain Hard Wear, The North Face, and Sherpa Gear. You'll also find hotels, bars, restaurants, spas, and a few pharmacies and music shops in this area. Spend your evening strolling through the streets of Thamel, and feel free to shop for souvenirs if you wish.

You can travel to Pokhara by land or air. A flight takes about 25 minutes, allowing you to drive to Nayapul and begin trekking to Ulleri on the same day. However, if you choose to drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, it will take approximately 7-8 hours, and you will spend the night in Pokhara.

After breakfast, we will head to the bus stop to drive to Pokhara along the Prithvi Highway. Leaving Kathmandu behind at Thankot, we will descend toward Naubise and then travel along the Mahesh Khola and Trisuli River to Muglin. We will cross a bridge over the Trishuli River and continue our journey along the Marshyangdi River to Dumre, followed by another two-and-a-half-hour drive to Pokhara. Along the way, you will pass through various hamlets, rivers, and scenic green hills, with occasional views of the mountains from the bus.

In the early morning, our driver will pick us up from the hotel and take us to Nayapul, which typically takes about an hour and a half. Our trek begins at Nayapul. After crossing an old, rusty suspension bridge, we will enjoy an undulating walk along the Modi Khola River, leading us to Birethanti, Sudame, and Hile. We will have lunch in Hile before continuing our trek.

A short walk from Hile takes us to Tikhedunga, where we will cross another suspension bridge over the Modi Khola. From there, we will hike steep stone stairs for approximately one and a half hours to reach Ulleri, where we will overnight.

After breakfast, we will depart from Ulleri and gradually ascend to Banthanti. Our journey involves a combination of gentle and steep climbs through pine and rhododendron forests, eventually leading us to Nangethanti, where we will stop for tea. We will continue to Gorepani for another hour and a half, passing through beautiful rhododendron forests, where we can admire small waterfalls and cross two metal bridges. We will spend the night in Gorepani.

Today, we start early in the morning with a hike to Poon Hill, located at an elevation of 3200 meters. This spot offers one of the best panoramic views of the Dhaulagiri range (8167 m), Annapurna I (8091 m), Annapurna II (7937 m), Annapurna III (7855 m), Annapurna IV (7525 m), Annapurna South (7219 m), Nilgiri (6940 m), Tukuche Peak (6920 m), Lamjung Himal (6931 m), and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), among others. The walk from Gorepani to Poon Hill takes about an hour and a half. After enjoying the scenic views of the Himalayas, we return to the hotel for breakfast.

As we leave Gorepani, we enter a rhododendron forest and hike uphill along the Gurung Hill ridge. This ridge provides breathtaking views of the Dhaulagiri massif and its surrounding peaks. The undulating trail leads us to Deurali. We then gradually descend to Banthanti, where we stop for lunch.

The downhill trail through the oak and rhododendron forest takes us to the river. From there, we follow a zig-zag path to Tadhapani before descending steeply to Chuile, a beautiful Gurung village surrounded by terraced paddy fields. We will stay overnight in Chuile.

After breakfast, we walk through the village and descend to the river, crossing a bridge before ascending uphill through the moist atmosphere to another Gurung village, Gurjung. We hike progressively uphill for about two hours to Chhomrong, stopping for lunch and enjoying an impressive view of the Machhapuchhre massif.

After lunch, we descend through narrow stone stairs to the river. A steep uphill trail through a light oak forest leads us to Tilje. A short, gradual ascent then takes us to Banuwa, Lower Sinuwa, where we will stay overnight.

Leaving Banuwa behind, a short uphill walk takes us to Sinuwa. We then enter a deep, dense forest of rhododendrons and oak, cross a river, and arrive at the Khuldigar hamlet. The downhill trail over stone stairs through a deep bamboo forest leads us to Bamboo. We continue through the cool, shaded bamboo forest to Dovan, hiking steadily through the forest with a few steep sections. We will stop for lunch in Dovan and stay overnight at Himalaya. 

Departing from the Himalaya, we walk through an open forest and enjoy amazing views of a white glacier river below us. We then hike steeply through a dry forest to Hinku Cave. A short walk from Hinku Cave takes us to Deurali. The trail follows a rocky gorge along the Modi Khola River, eventually leading us to Machhapuchhre Base Camp. The trail between Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp is relatively easy, except for a half-hour steep ascent before crossing the bridge.

We will have excellent views of Mt. Machhapuchhre, Annapurna I, Annapurna III, Annapurna Gandarva Chuli, and Gangapurna, and the surrounding vegetation will gradually diminish.

Today’s trek is easy and short, lasting about 2-3 hours, and leads us to Annapurna Base Camp. After a gradual ascent, the valley opens up into a wide meadow. The trail follows the riverbanks and ultimately takes us to Annapurna Base Camp, where we are greeted by breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, including the massive face of Annapurna I South, Tent Peak, Machhapuchhre, and others.

We begin our day before sunrise, heading to a nearby viewpoint to catch the stunning sunrise over the Himalayas. After enjoying the view, we return to the lodge for breakfast. Once ready, we retrace our steps back to Machhapuchhre Base Camp. The trail then winds through a gorge, leading us past Deurali, Himalaya, and Dovan, with a lunch stop in Bamboo. From there, we ascend to Khuldigar and descend through the forest to Sinuwa, where we will stay overnight. Lunch will be either in Dovan or Bamboo, depending on our appetite.

Leaving Sinuwa behind, we follow the trail along the cliff that leads us to Banuwa, Tilje, and Chhomrong Khola. We cross a bridge and ascend steeply through the village via stone stairs to Chhomrong. Afterward, we make a steep descent to Jhinu Danda.

After lunch, we will visit the hot springs on the banks of Modi Khola, a half-hour downhill walk from the hotel. It is believed that the hot springs help heal sore muscles and joint pains.

Our day starts with crossing a newly built suspension bridge to Samrung, followed by a short downhill walk through the forest to the New Bridge. After crossing another suspension bridge over Modi Khola, we enjoy a pleasant walk to Himal Pani to see beautiful waterfalls. We then steadily ascend to Landruk, a community consisting of Gurung, Magar, and Brahmin people, and continue to Tolka for lunch. We cross several streams and pass through green terraced fields along the way.

Leaving Tolka, we follow an undulating trail through the forest to Bherikharka. We then steeply ascend to Deurali through an oak forest before gently descending to Pothana, a beautiful Gurung village surrounded by terraced fields. It offers mesmerizing views of the Dhaulagiri range, Annapurna range, Lamjung Himal, and Manaslu.

On our final day, we gradually descend to Dampus, then steeply downhill via stone stairs to Phedi. The stunning green landscapes and magnificent views of the Himalayan range and Pokhara city enchant us along the way. Our driver will be waiting for us at Phedi, and we’ll drive to Pokhara, where we will transfer to our hotel for the night. 

It is our last day of trekking. We will have a farewell dinner with the Nepali staff. It is customary to leave a tip for the staff at the end of the trip. The guide and trip leader will collect the tips from the previous night and distribute them accordingly.

After breakfast, we head to the bus stop. We will leave the beautiful city of Pokhara and drive along the Marshyangdi River first, then continue beside the Trishuli River from Muglin to Naubise. After that, we will drive uphill to Thankot and enter the Kathmandu Valley. We will spend the night at a hotel.

Depending on your flight schedule, our staff will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to the airport for your final departure.