12 Day Annapurna Base Camp Hike

Your adventure begins in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. The urban sprawl of this vibrant metropolis sits right in the lap of the Himalayas, and it’s one of the most unique places in the world. Known as the “city of temples,” Kathmandu is peppered with pagodas, shrines, and monasteries where people of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and other religions gather to practice their faith. You’ll get your first glimpse of this enchanting capital as your plane touches down at Tribhuvan International Airport. One of the welcoming representatives from Alpine Ramble Treks will be waiting to greet you and take you on the short drive to your hotel in town. There, you’ll get to meet your trekking guide and learn more about the Annapurna Base Camp Trek before settling in for the night.

After breakfast at your hotel this morning, we’ve arranged transportation to Pokhara in a comfortable tourist bus. This ride should take approximately six or seven hours, but you certainly don’t have to worry about getting bored along the way. As we leave the capital city behind, you’ll enjoy watching the rural landscapes of Nepal pass by your window: lush jungles, terraced fields of barley, glacial rivers sparkling in the sun, and icy mountains towering over it all. When we arrive in Pokhara, you’ll quickly understand why it’s popular with adrenaline junkies. You could easily spend a week hang gliding, bungee jumping, zip-lining, and whitewater rafting here. But Pokhara is also the gateway to the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, and tomorrow morning our hike will get underway in earnest. For tonight, we’ll pick out one of the best available hotels and enjoy a hearty meal before turning in.

Lace-up your hiking boots! Today we’ll make the short drive to Nayapul after breakfast, where the Annapurna Base Camp Trek begins. We’ll start by crossing a bridge and approaching the Modi river, moving through the verdant greenery of the Nepali forest. Our trek today will be characterized by suspension bridges, terraced hills, and cascading waterfalls. We’ll pass through a few small villages where we can grab some refreshments before eventually arriving at Tikhedhunga after about four or five hours of walking. We’ll pick out one of the many lovely teahouses available here for our overnight accommodations. After dinner, you can spend some time strolling about town—and if the weather is clear, you’re sure to enjoy marvelous views of the fishtail-shaped mountain known as Machapuchare.

Are you ready for a workout? Our second real day of hiking on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek is well-known for its long stone staircase that we’ll find just after crossing the Tikhedhunga Khola river this morning. In fact, there are alleged to be anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 steps here—see if you can keep count! We’ll take our time to ascend at a gentle pace, climbing through terraced cornfields to reach the little hillside village of Ulleri. This is a great place to stop and eat lunch while chatting up the local villagers. Moving on, we’ll continue through flourishing rhododendron forests where colorful birds abound. But it’s the Himalayan mountains that are sure to draw your eye as we approach Ghorepani, best known for the beloved nearby viewpoint of Poon Hill. But we’ll save that fabulous mountain panorama for tomorrow; this afternoon, we’ll content ourselves with a hot meal and a comfortable bed at our trekking lodge here in Ghorepani.

This morning, we’ll climb to the well-known vantage point of Poon Hill to watch the sun rise over a panorama of Himalayan mountains, including Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri. If you’re trekking in the springtime, the rhododendron blooms are especially brilliant from here. After enjoying a cup of tea while soaking up the view of these towering 8,000-meter summits, we’ll begin our overland journey to Tadapani. Our path today leads through forests of rhododendron and pine, with some spectacular views along the way. When we arrive in Tadapani itself, you’re sure to be blown away by the up-close-and-personal views of Machapuchare and Hiunchuli. We’ll pick out the best available trekking lodge or teahouse to spend the night here in Tadapani.

Our next day on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek brings us along a stone trail that descends through the forest from Tadapani, passing vivid prayer flags and mani walls. Mani walls are comprised of many smaller stones, each of which is inscribed or painted with Buddhist mantras. They’re a staple of the Himalayas and are sure to feature in more than a few of your favorite photographs. Our descent continues to reach a suspension bridge spanning the Khumbu Khola river before climbing through a small Gurung village. At the top of the trail, we’ll be rewarded with another remarkable look at the snowy summit of Machapuchare. After a total of about four or five hours on the trail, we’ll reach the town of Chhomrong; at 2,210 meters, it’s one of the highest populated villages in the Annapurnas. There are a few lodges to choose from here; we’ll pick the best available accommodations and enjoy some hard-earned rest.

We’ve already been trekking in the western Himalayas for a few days, so perhaps the name of our next destination on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek should come as no surprise. Our sights are set on a tiny group of lodges collectively known as Himalaya. To get there, we’ll descend from Chhomrong and cross a suspension bridge over the Chhomrong Khola before following the trail to Sinuwa. The trail will bring us through lush green forests and past iridescent waterfalls, and the ridgeline at Sinuwa affords beautiful mountain views that rival anything we’ve seen so far. From here, the trail alternately ascends and descends through bamboo woodlands, where lucky trekkers might be able to spot langur monkeys. Upon reaching Himalaya at last, we’ll make sure to get plenty of rest—tomorrow is a big day!

Without a doubt, today is the most exciting day on our Annapurna Base Camp Trek itinerary. We’ll visit not one, but two separate base camps within the space of just a few hours. Our path sets out across ancient glacial moraines and through small stands of birch to approach the coveted Annapurna Sanctuary. There is some risk of encountering an avalanche here, and we’ll check with locals to assess the condition of the trail before proceeding. Soon we’ll find ourselves at Machapuchare Base Camp, where the soaring summits of Annapurna I, Annapurna III, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli dominate the scene. It’s hard to imagine that the spectacle could get any better than this—but we still have a couple of hours to trek and a few hundred meters to climb.

Our ultimate goal is Annapurna Base Camp, and it’s nothing short of superb. The Annapurna massif itself stretches across 50 kilometers of Himalayan territory, and the Annapurna Sanctuary gives you a front-row seat to witness the sheer majesty of its grandeur. Take all the time you’d like to celebrate our accomplishments so far—the photography opportunities here are limitless. When you’re ready for a break, we’ll settle into our lodge here at base camp and sit down to a hot meal before bed.

Our return journey from Annapurna Base Camp is much easier than our trek to get here, so we’ll have plenty of time this morning to savor our breakfast as the sun rises over the mountains. Watching the peaks of Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Annapurna III, and Machapuchare turn briefly to gold in the light of the rising sun is a spectacle you’ll never forget. After breakfast, we’ll begin our descent to the aptly named Bamboo. This little settlement can be found near a forest of rhododendron and bamboo, and it’s where we’ll stop for the night after about five or six hours of trekking.

Just in case you thought your days of climbing were over, the Annapurna Base Camp Trek has a surprise in store for you! Today, we’ll ascend through shade-dappled woodlands to return to Chhomrong. Our destination for today is the small village of Sinuwa, where we’ll pick out a cozy teahouse to spend the night. Of course, the best part about visiting Sinuwa has to be the nearby natural hot springs at Jhinu Danda. There’s nothing better than resting your tired muscles in the soothing water as you relax in the peaceful ambiance of the forest along the banks of the Modi Khola. After luxuriating in the hot springs to your heart’s content, return to your trekking lodge for a tasty dinner.

Our last day of hiking on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek will bring us over some familiar terrain. After breakfast, we’ll begin our descent towards Nayapul by crossing suspension bridges, passing through terraced farmlands, and following the bank of the Modi Khola. We’ll be on the trail for approximately four hours, ascending gradually through a few small villages before returning to Nayapul at last. When we arrive, we’ll take a well-deserved break for lunch—we’ve completed the Annapurna Base Camp Trek! We still have some ground to cover, but we’ll travel by road to get back to Pokhara. It’s a short drive that should only take about an hour, and you can look forward to plush accommodations and a hot shower in your Pokhara hotel. Since today is our last full day together, we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner with our trekking crew this evening, reminiscing upon our favorite moments of the epic Annapurna Base Camp Trek.

Linger over your breakfast this morning before saying goodbye to the sparkling lakeside city of Pokhara. The final leg of our journey will bring us back to Kathmandu on a tourist bus or a commercial flight, according to your own preference and travel arrangements. When we arrive in Kathmandu, you’ll have one last chance to look for unique souvenirs and mementos in the popular travelers’ district known as Thamel. If you’re staying in Nepal for any length of time, we’d be happy to arrange a tour of the city’s many historical and cultural attractions, as well as any number of potential extensions to your trip. If you’re heading home, we’ll make sure to bring you back to the Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your outgoing flight. We hope you’ve fallen in love with Nepal, and Alpine Ramble Treks will be ready to welcome you back with open arms!

Remark: we will have a free airport transfer offer for you on your arrival and departure days, for this you are asked to provide your flight scheduled details to us through email!