Annapurna Camp Trek Blog: A Day by-Day Guide

Overview

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure filled with breathtaking scenery. The mighty Annapurna massif towers above its surroundings in the heart of Nepal’s largest conservation area. Climbing the world’s tenth highest peak is a physically demanding and technically difficult feat, but it is far from the only way to appreciate the region’s breathtaking beauty. 

The Annapurna Conservation Area, which hosts one-third of all trekkers visiting Nepal in any given year, is home to a half-dozen of the country’s most popular treks. The Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek is by far the most popular of these treks, allowing visitors to experience the country’s sublime natural beauty, meet local people.

 

About the Trek

While visiting ABC should be on every traveler’s bucket list, Annapurna Base Camp is approximately 4,130 meters (13,550 feet) above sea level, which is approximately 1,250 meters (4,100 feet) lower than Everest Base Camp. Some guides, however, provide abbreviated versions that last only one week. 

The typical 2-week itinerary includes 10 days of trekking from Nayapul to the base camp and back, as well as two days at the start and end to get trekkers from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is most popular in October. Most guides, however, offer expeditions from September to May. 

 

Weather

The trek is most popular from September to November because the weather is generally clearer at this time of year. As a result, the area is frequently crowded. During the autumn, average temperatures hover around 15 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) and drop as elevation is gained.

Trekkers looking to avoid crowds frequently visit ABC in the winter or spring. Winter, as expected, is the coldest season for the trek, which may be disrupted by snowstorms. However, there are far fewer people in the conservation area.

 

The Flora & Fauna

The flowers are starting to bloom in the spring, which is considered the most beautiful time of year to visit. Temperatures rise to around 17 oC (63 oF). However, this is also the haziest season in the Himalayas, so views may be obscured. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is a moderately difficult trek that requires no technical mountaineering skills. 

The following is a typical 14-day itinerary for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek. Remember that the trek has several variations. However, they all tend to congregate at Chomrong around the fifth day and then follow the same route to ABC from there.

 

Day-Trip Planning

1: Arrive in Kathmandu. 

2: Travel to Pokhara, with an elevation of 820 m. 

3: Drive to Nayapul and trek to Ulleri; you need to walk around 15 km and the altitude is 1430 m. 

4: Ulleri to Ghorepani, which is around 10.5 km. 

5: Ghorepani to Poon Hill (3210 m) to Tadapani, which takes around 10 km and has an elevation of 2610 m. 

6: Ada Pani to Sinuwa, 11.5 km of walking, and an altitude of 2340 m. 

7: Sinuwa to Deurali is 11 km and has an elevation of 3230 m. 

8: Deurali to ABC, a distance of approximately 9 kilometers and an elevation of approximately 4130 meters. 

9: From ABC to Bamboo, you need to walk around 16 km and have an altitude of about 2050 m 

10:  Bamboo to Jhinu-Danda  you have to walk around 12 km  and has an elevation of 1700 m 

11: Jhinu-Danda to Nayapul to Pokhara is round 13 km and 820 m altituide.  

12: Pokhara’s elevation is around 820 m.

 

Conclusion

The ABC trek is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world. The journey begins with terraced slopes and continues through picturesque villages. Trekkers will have the opportunity to meet locals and learn about their history and culture along the way. This is especially true if you stay at one of the local tea houses. 

There are, however, options to camp for a more immersive experience in nature. Most ABC treks include a pre-dawn ascent of the hill to view the sunrise over the Himalayas. The word sublime is overused, especially in the adventure tourism jargon, but watching the sunrise from the top of Poon Hill is truly sublime.