Annapurna Base Camp Trek - 16 Days

Pre- and post-monsoon months are the best periods to trek in the Annapurna Base Camp. It means spring and autumn are excellent spells to tour. Trekking in the episodes above, excursionists get a better chance to have magnificent views of the panoramic Himalayas, lush greeneries, lustrous landscapes, diverse wildlife, and unique Himalayan lifestyles. 

Annapurna base camp trek can be organized in the winter and Summer as well. But in the winter, trekkers may be affected by snow heaps in the upper part of the journey. In the Summer, there is a monsoon, and rainfall can affect the trip. 

Travelers will taste novice experiences each day. They will witness from the bustling city of Kathmandu to peaceful Gurung villages and further quite Annapurna Base Camp. Concrete cities to pristine nature inside the protected lands, crowded vehicles of Kathmandu / Pokhara, and chirping sounds of birds inside deep jungles.

Religious, cultural, and historical shrines of Kathmandu / Pokhara to monasteries, chortens, alleys, and fluttering prayer flags around Annapurna Base Camp. The busy lifestyle of Kathmandu to the traditional way of living in the Himalayan foothills. Sharp horns of vehicles to the musical sound of river gorges/waterfalls. All in all, it will be a wonderful vacation.

While trekking Annapurna Base Camp, you will be accompanied by a well-experienced, knowledgeable, kind, hospitable, and qualified trekking leader of Holy Mountain Treks and other supporting members. A porter will help you carry all your accessories throughout the trek (we provide a porter for two trekkers). You will take only your items (money, passport, important documents, camera, etc.) in your day pack.

A day begins with a sip of tea/coffee at your hotel/lodge/teahouse. Then, with the beautiful first rays of the sun, you get your breakfast. Afterward, you will hand over your duffle bags to your porter and begin your hiking at around 7-9 am, depending on the distance, duration, and nature of the day’s walk.

After walking for 3-4 hours (around midday), lunch will be served in one of the lodges/restaurants. Getting rest for an hour will begin another part of the trek. As you arrive at the desired destination, you will check-in in the lodges and get refreshed with some drinks.

After the three to four hours’ walk, lunch will be served at around midday. Then, getting rest for a while, you will continue your tour for your daily destination. Upon reaching the desired place, you will check in, get refreshed with some drinks. Now, you will have free time to explore the shrines nearby. Then, go around and visit religious, historical, and ethnic monuments of the Annapurna region before dusk.

Dinner will be ready somewhere around 6–7 pm. After dinner, your trip leader will explain a further plan for an upcoming day. After this briefing, you can enjoy board games like chess, cards, read books or watch available mountaineering documentaries before heading off to bed.

Most of the lodges/teahouses during the trek are facilitated with a WIFI connection. Most of them offer free of cost while some small charge amount (especially in the high elevations). The speed of the internet might not be as in the cities, but it will be helpful to use social media, exchange photos, videos, and texts either.

Otherwise, you can add a SIM card to your cell phone and purchase a data pack and use internet service whenever you like. It is the most convenient way of using the internet where users can buy the volume of data according to their needs.

Travelers can buy SIM cards from nearby shops. The SIM cards provided by Nepal Telecom (Namaste) and Axiata (NCELL) are used throughout. While trekking to the Annapurna region, both SIM cards work correctly. Personally saying, Namaste is faster and easier for this trek. To obtain a SIM, you need to have:

• Two passports sized photos
• The original passport with its copy
• NPR 100 cash (approx. US$ 1)

In the shop, you need to fill a form provided by telecommunication keeping your detail. Then the shopkeeper gives you a SIM card, and it will be activated after half an hour. After adding the amount to the respective number, you can buy the desired data pack.

While trekking Annapurna Base Camp Trek, most lodges/teahouses have electricity (either hydro or solar) to recharge your electronics. Some of them (especially in the lower parts of the trek) have kept charging stations in every room, but some have a charging station in the lobby, and they charge a certain amount to recharge (per hour basis). The amount may differ from place to place ranging from US$ 2-US$ 7 per hour.

An epic journey to Annapurna Base Camp completes in 16 days, including arrival and departure day. Trekkers will spend 11 days on the trek, a day in Kathmandu for sightseeing and trek preparation, and two days on a drive (Kathmandu – Pokhara – Kathmandu), two days for international arrival and departure.

During the ABC trip, we offer you hotel accommodation in Kathmandu (3 nights) (in Kathmandu Sunny Hotel or a similar one) in Kathmandu and Pokhara (2 nights) (in Hotel Mount View or Similar one). During the trek, you will be provided three nights’ accommodation in a cozy room with an attached bathroom at Tikhedhunga, Ghorepani, and Jhinu Danda and seven nights in a standard room at Tadapani, Chhomrong, Dovan Deurali Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC), Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) and Bambo (mostly twin sharing rooms with shared bathroom)

Note: Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu, Pokhara, or other places (if trekkers wish to extend their trip), luxurious accommodations (Luxury hotels are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara) is excluded from this package.

Annapurna Base Camp trek is considered a high elevated journey that takes you on the foot of Mt. Annapurna, the 10^th tallest peak. During such high altitude hikes, your body requires enough nutrition, carbohydrate, protein, and other food fuel to reenergize your body. Food is available sufficiently during your ABC hike, but you may not find the varieties in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Fifteen breakfasts, eleven lunches, and eleven dinners will be provided during our Annapurna Base Camp tour.

Some of the popular menu items include:-

Breakfast: The most popular breakfast items during the Annapurna Base Camp trek are;  toast with jam/butter/honey, Tibetan bread or Chapati, local tsampa porridge, egg items (boiled, fried, omelet (plain, vegetable), scrambled, sunny side up), pancakes, noodles, muesli, seasonable fruits, vegetable (grilled), rice pudding, oat porridge, potato items (steamed, fried, chips), etc.

Lunch: Dal Bhat (a set of rice, lentils, vegetables, pickles – the most popular food item), Tibetan bread / local chapatti, momo (dumplings), spring roll, spaghetti, macaroni, cake items, sandwiches, burgers, potato dishes, noodles items (soup, fried), thukpa, pasta, Pizza (Tomato, Mushroom, Mixed), rice pudding, porridges and more.

Dinner: Dal Bhat Tarkari (a set of rice, lentils, vegetables, pickles, and salads), various soup items (noodle, chicken, tomato, egg drop, potato, daal, onion, garlic (highly recommended), mixed vegetable), pizza (mushroom cheese, tomato cheese, and hybrid), noodle items (soup, fried), spaghetti, salad items, Thukpa, rice puddings, apple pie, pancakes, Korean Raman and many more.

Note: The menus can be different according to the place and elevations. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, you have plenty of choices. During the trek, as we go up, the menu list will be shortened, and there might be limited choices.

Although the meat items are available even in the Annapurna Base Camp, we recommend you avoid them for a healthy purpose. The meat above Pokhara  / Nayapul is not guaranteed to be fresh, healthy, and hygienic. We also advise you to get rid of dairy and cheesy items while trekking. In addition, smoking and tobacco items are strongly recommended not to consume.

Water is the best liquid for drinking. You should drink at least 3-4 liters of water every day. You should drink water even you are not thirsty. Dehydration is the leading cause of altitude sickness. Boiled water is open in the teahouses at extra costs. As consuming plastic water bottles is prohibited inside Annapurna Conservation Area, trekkers cannot buy and use them. Thus, it is ideal for carrying water purification tablets/systems and a refillable water bottle. You can refill (from the taps or streams) and purify water whenever you wish to drink.

Green tea, lemon tea, hot lemon, soup items (tomato, mushroom, mixed vegetables, garlic soup (highly advised)), ginger tea are other drinking items for the Annapurna trek.

Note: Highly caffeinated items (strong coffee), hot chocolates, alcoholic drinks, cold drinks are not recommended while in the trek.

Annapurna Base Camp Expedition is graded as a Moderately arduous journey; you can complete this journey if you have a sound physical condition. Although travelers encounter ups and downs in some areas, trekkers can rest in the basic teahouses established throughout the journey before marching ahead. 

Annapurna Base Camp elevates at 4,130m/13,545ft; there is a bit possibility of Acute Mountain Sickness; your guide will support every hazard. They will maintain proper pace, which helps them to be acclimatized to the atmosphere around them. Next, this elevation is much less than the famous Everest Base Camp Trek, which elevates 5 545m (Kalapatthar).  

Trekkers who follow the proper instruction of their leaders, stay hydrated, stroll, and steadily maintain a comfortable pace can complete this trek without any hazards. However, it is recommended to have some Cardiovascular exercises before the journey.

Annapurna Base Camp trek is a moderately difficult journey that takes you at 4130m above sea level. Although it reaches lower elevations compared to other high altitude treks as EBC Trek, Everest High Passes Loop, Gokyo Lakes, Annapurna Circuit, Manaslu Circuit, etc., it passes some stone steeps, several ups and downs, rocky ridges, and narrow trails (somewhere).

Trekkers need to walk 5-6 hours each day (depending upon the destination) following the Himalayan trekking routes, with regular breaks. Trekkers can capture each moment in their cameras from the surrounding landscapes to snow-clad peaks. Annapurna conservation area offers you many things; from ethnic villages, lustrous green forests to diverse flora and fauna and amazing views of Annapurna Himalayas.

Previous hiking experiences, cardiovascular exercises, gym training will be beneficial for trekking Annapurna Base Camp. Trekking having good physical conditions and mental determination success this trek. However, you need not have advanced technical climbing skills for this trek.

Note: Trekkers suffering from acute medical conditions such as heart and lung are not recommended for this trek.

Annapurna Base Camp trek is one of the high elevated treks that take you to 4130 m / 13550 ft above sea level. Above 2750 m, there might be the potential risk of high altitude sickness or unforeseen events due to sudden climate changes, landslide avalanches, etc. Therefore, travelers must have a travel insurance policy covering medical and emergency helicopter rescue and evacuation expenses at high altitudes (up to 4500m) for all trekking members.

While booking “ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP TREK,” travelers must send a copy of their insurance with other details. In case of emergency, we will use the insurance policy and other informational documents you sent us to arrange a quick and effective rescue operation, shift to the hospital for emergency medical support, etc. So please be sure that your insurance company includes the cost spent for mountain rescue at the highest elevation of the trek.

Every single traveler expects Indian nationals must obtain a visa to enter Nepal. Visas are available in both ways; On Arrival and before their Arrival. On-arrival visas are available at Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). If you want to skip a queue at the airport, you can obtain a visa from Nepalese Diplomatic Missions stationed in your country.

For an arrival visa, you must file a form, should have a passport having at least six months validity, a passport-sized photo, and cash. The fee for On Arrival Visa is US$ 30 for 15 days, US$ 50 for 30 days, and US$ 125 for 90 days. The visa fee must be paid in cash on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport. However, SAARC citizens (expect Afghans) and Chinese people get a free visas.

Citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria, and the Refugees with travel documents are requested to acquire visas before they arrive from their nearby Diplomatic missions (Embassies/consulates) of Nepal Government.

Trekking Annapurna Base Camp is possible in a group, privately or solo. We organize a trip according to your interest and budget. If you are in a group, you will get a group discount as well. The price for a private trip can be a bit higher than joining a group. You will be provided a guide, a porter for every two trekkers, and an assistant guide if the group has more than six people.

Annapurna Base Camp trek is possible to trek without a guide, porters, and other crew members. Obtaining permits (ACAP and TIMS) from the office of Nepal Tourism Board at Kathmandu / Pokhara, trekkers can walk themselves.

However, trekking in any Himalayan trail is safe, convenient, and accessible with a guide and porter. Therefore, you need not be stressed regarding the route, accommodation, food, backpack, possible hazards, etc., if you are with them.

“Take NOTHING but Pictures

Kill NOTHING but Time and

Leave NOTHING but Footprints”

Holy Mountain Treks has a solid vow to environmental sustainability to protect our nature and ecosystem. We have promised our concerned authorities to implement every rule of “Leave No Trace” (LNT). Undoubtedly, tourism has empowered the lifestyle of many people, thousands of people are getting employment, and has brought several positive impacts in terms of opportunities, wealth generation, education, healthcare, infrastructure, way of living, and more.

However, there are some noticeable negative impacts on the environment and community. So, please be careful about sustainable tourism, preservation of nature and culture while trekking Annapurna Base Camp. If we preserve them, our next generations will also visit there and see such unique creations of Mother Nature.

Holy Mountain Treks always focuses on eco-friendly trips, which are environmentally sensitive and culturally rewarding, which will be beneficial for both travelers and the ethnic traditional communities.

Tipping is much appreciated by your guides, porters, and other crew members. Although it is not any part of wages, it is considered as a reward for good service. In Nepali, culture tip is accepted as a lovely way of saying thank you for their intense devotion to making their guests satisfied. In most of the trips, tips are offered at the end of the trek. The amount of the tips is a personal performance which can be more or less depending upon your budget, satisfaction, service quality, length of the trip, and more.

All the guides, porters, and other trekking crews of Holy Mountain Treks who professionally take exceptional care of every traveler, offer excellent service, provide sufficient information regarding the trip making your trip of once in a lifetime memory are paid well treated equally with respect.

Holy Mountain Trek is a government-registered, authorized, licensed, and dedicated trekking and tour operator in Nepal. We are members of Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), and have licenses from the Department of Tourism, and are registered on the Office of Company Registrar and all other concerned offices. All of our guides are license holders from the government of Nepal. Thus, you can book any trip to Nepal with confidence as we are reliable and with a strong dedication to tourism.

Our website is SSL enabled website. Our payment partners are Himalayan Bank Limited and Siddhartha Bank Limited.  While transferring the data, only banks receive them in a secured way. To make it easy and secure, you can directly transfer the trip amount to the bank.

While booking, trekkers need to pay only 20% of the total payment in advance online with the booking form. Necessary documentation like passport copy, passport size photos, and travel insurance policy, arrival, and departure flight details can be emailed later (within two weeks). The remaining trip costs can be paid either by cash or via bank transfer and credit cards upon your arrival in Nepal.

Holy Mountain Treks accepts last minutes booking for those who are not able to book in advance. For Annapurna Base Camp Trek, booking before at least 48 hours is taken. We have to arrange your permits, guide, porters, and other crews for you. We do our best to operate a trek at any time; however, we will not be responsible for any delays due to changes beyond our control, such as the weather, availability of lodging.

Upon completing your Annapurna Base Camp Trek, you can extend your journey to Chitwan National Park, Paragliding at Sarangkot, Kathmandu valley exploration (remaining shrines), Chandragiri Cable Car Ride, and Hiking around Kathmandu or Pokhara Valley, etc. if you have extra days in Nepal.

Once the Annapurna Base Camp trek is completed, there will be a farewell dinner organized by Holy Mountain Treks. Meantime, you will get a digitally printed certificate of trek achievement. As a service provider, we expect nothing in return but feedback (positive or negative) regarding our services and performances. Thus, we can improve our weaknesses and continue our strengths aspects. You can share your natural feeling and experiences via TripAdvisor.

Although Annapurna Base Camp Trek includes fixed departure dates from Kathmandu, we can customize the itinerary according to your schedule if our designated departure dates do not fit your calendar. It also depends whether you add Poon Hill to your trip or not, explore Pokhara city or not, add Dhampus in your trip or not, prefer sightseeing in Kathmandu or not, and so forth.

Sometimes, the aforementioned itinerary will be rescheduled due to unexpected circumstances; bad weather conditions, heavy snowfall or rainfall, availability of lodges, and some other natural hazards. In such cases, a new itinerary will be set in the best interest of the whole group making it suitable for every single traveler.