Everything you need to plan the Annapurna Base Camp trek, built around the questions trekkers ask most: how long it takes, how hard it is, the avalanche zone between Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp, the best months, ACAP permits and the guide rule, and what it really costs.
14 min read
The Annapurna Base Camp trek climbs from Pokhara up the gorge of the Modi Khola into the Annapurna Sanctuary, a glacial basin at 4,130 m surrounded by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna and Machhapuchhre. Most people need 10 to 12 days from Pokhara. It is a moderate, non-technical teahouse trek with one night at 4,130 m, and the only permit you need is the ACAP entry permit.
We run two versions from our base in Pokhara. The ten-day Annapurna Base Camp Trek starts at Nayapul and goes over Poon Hill before turning up the gorge. The 12 Day Annapurna Base Camp Trek goes straight up the valley from Siwai in shorter stages and returns through Landruk and Australian Camp.
This guide answers the questions trekkers ask us most, from the itinerary and difficulty to avalanches, permits and cost.
Annapurna Base Camp sits at 4,130 m inside the Annapurna Sanctuary, north of Pokhara in central Nepal. The only way in is the narrow Modi Khola gorge between Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre. The trek climbs from terraced farmland through rhododendron, oak and bamboo forest into the gorge, then opens onto grass, moraine and ice in the Sanctuary.
Every route to base camp meets at Chhomrong (2,170 m), the last Gurung village. From there a single trail climbs through Sinuwa, Bamboo, Dovan, Himalaya and Deurali to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m), and two more hours over grassy moraine bring you to the lodges at base camp, facing the south face of Annapurna I.
Below Chhomrong the routes vary: over Ghorepani and Poon Hill, through Ghandruk, from the roadhead at Siwai, or from the east bank through Landruk. That is why ABC itineraries range from about six days to two weeks.
Most itineraries take 10 to 12 days from Pokhara. Our ten-day trek goes via Poon Hill and Chhomrong; our twelve-day trek includes a hotel night in Pokhara at each end, climbs the gorge in shorter stages and returns by a different trail. Shorter trips straight up from Siwai exist, but they gain height faster and leave no slack for weather.
Add travel to Pokhara: a 25-minute flight or a six to eight hour bus ride from Kathmandu. Allow a spare day before any international flight home.
It runs Pokhara to Pokhara: a drive to Nayapul, two days up to Ghorepani, sunrise on Poon Hill (3,210 m), then across Tadapani to Chhomrong and up the gorge to base camp on day seven. The descent stays at Bamboo and Jhinu Danda, for the hot springs, before a short walk to Siwai and the drive back.
Day | Route | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
1 | Drive to Nayapul, trek to Ulleri | Ulleri, 2,070 m |
2 | Ulleri to Ghorepani | Ghorepani, 2,874 m |
3 | Poon Hill (3,210 m) at dawn, trek to Tadapani | Tadapani, 2,630 m |
4 | Tadapani to Chhomrong | Chhomrong, 2,170 m |
Going via Poon Hill adds a second great viewpoint and takes you above 3,000 m before the gorge, which helps acclimatisation. The trade-off is the climb from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri on day one: several thousand stone steps.
We leave Pokhara early and drive about an hour and a half to Nayapul. After the ACAP checkpoint at Birethanti the trail follows the Bhurungdi Khola past waterfalls and terraced fields to Tikhedhunga. From there a long stone staircase of several thousand steps climbs to the Magar village of Ulleri, where the first views of Annapurna South open up.
It starts and ends with a hotel night in Pokhara, drives to Siwai, then climbs to base camp over five gentle walking days via Jhinu Danda, Sinuwa, Dovan and Deurali. The return crosses to the quieter east bank of the Modi Khola through Landruk, Tolka and Pothana and ends with a night on the ridge at Australian Camp.
Day | Route | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
1 | Arrive in Pokhara, briefing | Pokhara |
2 | Drive to Siwai, trek to Jhinu Danda | Jhinu Danda, 1,780 m |
3 | Jhinu Danda to Sinuwa via Chhomrong | Sinuwa, 2,360 m |
4 | Sinuwa to Dovan | Dovan, 2,600 m |
Walking days are mostly four to six hours, and you get the Jhinu hot springs twice.
Choose the 10-day trek if you want Poon Hill as well as base camp and can handle a big staircase on day one. Choose the 12-day trek if you prefer shorter days, want Pokhara hotel nights arranged, or would rather come back on a different trail. Both reach base camp with a night at Deurali first.
It is a moderate trek. There is no technical ground and no climbing, but you walk four to seven hours on most days on uneven trail with thousands of stone steps, and the last day up reaches 4,130 m. If you can walk five or six hours on hilly ground and repeat it the next day, you can do it.
The hardest parts are:
Stone steps. The staircase from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri, and the steps down to the Chhomrong Khola and up to Sinuwa, which you walk in both directions.
Long descents. Base camp to Bamboo is one of the longest days, almost all downhill.
The last day up. Thin air above 3,700 m slows everyone down.
Yes. ABC is one of the best first treks at altitude in Nepal. You need good general fitness and two to three months of training, not experience. Many of our ABC trekkers have never trekked before. If you want something lower and shorter first, the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek tops out at 3,210 m.
Start eight to twelve weeks before departure. Do weekly hill walks of five to six hours with a light daypack, stair or step sessions for the climbs and long descents, and two or three cardio sessions a week such as running, cycling or swimming. Squats and lunges protect your knees. See your doctor first if you have a heart or lung condition.
Our beginner's guide compares ABC with lower treks.
Most trekkers feel the altitude at base camp as a mild headache or a restless night, and it passes once they descend. You sleep above 3,000 m for only two nights, at Deurali (3,200 m) and base camp (4,130 m). Serious altitude sickness is uncommon on ABC, but it can happen, so know the warning signs.
The jump from Deurali to base camp is 930 m of sleeping height in one day, more than the 500 m a night the Wilderness Medical Society suggests above 3,000 m. It works for most people because you spend one night that high and descend straight afterwards.
Normal: a mild headache, poor sleep, breathlessness on the climb, less appetite.
Not normal: a headache that worsens despite rest and fluids, vomiting, confusion, loss of balance, or breathlessness at rest. These mean going down, at once.
Your guide checks your oxygen saturation every evening. Descent is quick because the trail drops steeply back down the gorge, and for serious cases we call a helicopter, which is why your insurance must cover helicopter evacuation to at least 4,500 m. Our altitude sickness guide has more.
Yes, in one section. Between Himalaya (2,920 m) and Machhapuchhre Base Camp the trail runs below steep slopes that release avalanches after heavy snowfall, mainly from December to April. The most dangerous stretch is around Hinku Cave and Deurali. In October and November the risk is low because there is rarely heavy snow on the slopes above.
On 17 January 2020 an avalanche near Hinku, between Himalaya and Deurali, swept away four South Korean trekkers and three Nepali staff. Some were not found until months later.
If you are trekking from late December to March, build a spare day into your plans.
October and November give the clearest skies and are the busiest months. March to May is warmer, with rhododendrons flowering below Deurali and around Ghorepani in March and April, but more afternoon cloud. Winter is clear and cold but snow can close the upper gorge, and the June to September monsoon brings rain, leeches and cloud.
Months | Conditions | Our view |
|---|---|---|
October–November | Clear, stable, nights below freezing at base camp; lodges at the top can be full | Best |
March–May | Warmer, rhododendrons in March–April, afternoon cloud, spring snow possible high up | Very good |
December–February | Clear and cold, fewer people; snow at Ghorepani, can close the trail above Deurali | Possible with spare days |
June–September | Monsoon rain, leeches, slippery steps, cloud, landslides on roads |
Our best time to trek in Nepal guide goes month by month.
You need one permit: the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) entry permit, NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals. Children under ten do not need one. A TIMS card is not checked on Annapurna routes in practice. On our treks we arrange the permit in Pokhara before you start.
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Permit | ACAP entry permit |
Fee | NPR 3,000 foreign nationals, NPR 1,000 SAARC nationals, free under ten |
Where issued | Pokhara or Kathmandu, or online (adds a 2.9% card charge) |
At a checkpoint | Double the fee if you arrive without one |
Checked at | ACAP checkpoints, starting at Birethanti on the Nayapul route |
What we need from you |
No, not in practice. Nepal Tourism Board rules still describe a TIMS card, and some websites tell you to buy one, but checkpoints on Annapurna routes check the ACAP permit and have not checked TIMS cards since 2023. You do not need to arrange one for this trek.
Yes. Since 1 April 2023, Nepal Tourism Board rules require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered trekking agency. Enforcement on Annapurna routes has been uneven, and you will meet independent trekkers. Every trek we run is led by a licensed guide, so you meet the rule as it stands.
A guide who knows where the avalanche paths run and can recognise altitude sickness also makes this trek safer. For the wider picture, read Nepal trekking permits and do you need a guide to trek in Nepal.
Across the market, a guided ABC trek of 10 to 14 days with guide, porter, permit, lodging, meals and transfers commonly sells for roughly USD 800 to 1,300 per person, with budget offers lower and private trips higher. The main components are guide and porter wages, teahouse rooms and meals, the ACAP permit and transport from Pokhara.
For our own price on either itinerary, ask us for a quote. It depends on your dates, group size and whether you travel as a group or privately.
Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
ACAP permit (foreign national) | NPR 3,000 |
Kathmandu to Pokhara | Tourist bus about USD 15–25; flight about USD 105–150 one way |
Pokhara to the trailhead | Shared jeep about USD 10–30; private jeep about USD 80–150 |
Teahouse room, below Chhomrong | About USD 5–10 a night |
Teahouse room, Deurali to ABC | About USD 10–30 a night, highest at ABC in peak season |
Main meal (dal bhat, noodles, momos) |
Prices rise as you climb because everything above the road is carried up by porters or mules.
Both our versions include a licensed guide, one porter for every two trekkers, the ACAP permit, teahouse rooms, three meals a day, road transfers, a loaned down jacket and sleeping bag, and a first aid kit with pulse oximeter. The 12-day trek adds two Pokhara hotel nights and transfers. Budget extra for drinks, snacks, showers, charging, wifi and tips.
There are no ATMs on the trail once you leave the road, so draw rupees in Pokhara. Our Nepal trekking cost guide and what's included in a trekking package explain how to compare offers.
Every night is in a teahouse: simple twin rooms with beds, mattresses and blankets. Below Chhomrong most lodges have hot showers and some attached bathrooms. Above Bamboo rooms are basic and unheated and bathrooms are shared. At base camp the lodges are small, and in October and November you may share a larger room.
Teahouses cook to order: dal bhat with free refills, noodles, pasta, momos, fried rice, eggs, porridge and pancakes. Menus get shorter and prices higher the further up you go. Dal bhat is the best value and the best fuel. Three meals a day are included on our treks; drinks and snacks are extra.
Most lodges charge a small fee to charge devices and sell wifi by the hour; mobile signal is patchy above Sinuwa. Do not drink untreated water. Lodges sell boiled water and many villages have refill stations. Above Chhomrong plastic bottles are not sold, so bring a filter, tablets or a UV pen and two one-litre bottles.
Pack broken-in waterproof boots, layers for cold mornings at base camp, a waterproof jacket, a 25–35 litre daypack and water treatment. On our treks we lend you a down jacket and sleeping bag, and your porter carries your main bag. Our trip pages list a full packing list.
Base layers, a fleece, waterproof jacket and overtrousers, two pairs of trekking trousers.
Warm hat, sun hat, buff, liner and insulated gloves, four pairs of trekking socks.
Boots with ankle support and light shoes for evenings.
Head torch, sunglasses, sunscreen, power bank and a small personal first aid kit.
Trekking poles: they save your knees on the steps.
The Ghorepani Poon Hill, Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda treks share the same mountains with shorter or quieter routes. Poon Hill is lower and shorter, Mardi Himal follows a ridge to the foot of Machhapuchhre, and Khopra Danda is a less-walked ridge facing Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South.
Weighing ABC against Everest? Read Everest Base Camp vs Annapurna Base Camp.
By a 25-minute domestic flight or a tourist bus of six to eight hours. Arrive the day before the 10-day trek, because we leave Pokhara early on day one. On the 12-day trek, day one is your arrival in Pokhara and we meet you at the airport or bus park.
Yes. Machhapuchhre rises to the east of the base camp lodges, and its fluted west face is right above Machhapuchhre Base Camp, where we stop for tea on the way up. Sunrise lights it up from the lodges.
Yes, by the Modi Khola about 20 minutes below Jhinu Danda. Our 10-day trek stays at Jhinu Danda on the way down, and the 12-day trek stops there on the way up and again on the way down. There is a small entry charge.
It is possible but we do not recommend it. From June to September the steps are slippery, leeches are common, cloud usually hides the mountains and landslides can block the road to the trailhead.
Not in autumn or most of spring. From December to February, snow and ice above Deurali can make micro-spikes useful, and your guide will tell you before you set off. Heavy snow can close the upper gorge altogether.
Route guides
Make the most of two or three days in Kathmandu with a realistic mix of heritage, food, neighborhoods and time to recover before heading into the mountains.
5 |
Chhomrong to Bamboo |
Bamboo, 2,310 m |
6 | Bamboo to Deurali | Deurali, 3,200 m |
7 | Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp via Machhapuchhre Base Camp | ABC, 4,130 m |
8 | Sunrise at ABC, descend to Bamboo | Bamboo, 2,310 m |
9 | Bamboo to Jhinu Danda | Jhinu Danda, 1,780 m |
10 | Walk to Siwai, drive to Pokhara | Pokhara |
The climb continues more gently through Banthanti and Nangethanti into thick forest of oak and rhododendron, which flowers red and pink in March and April. We reach Ghorepani, a ridge-top village of lodges, in the early afternoon, with Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South visible from the upper village in clear weather.
We set off by head torch at about 4.30 am for the 45-minute climb to Poon Hill (3,210 m), where sunrise lights up Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre. After breakfast back in Ghorepani we follow the forested ridge east past Deurali and down through Banthanti to Tadapani, a small lodge settlement facing Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre.
We descend through rhododendron forest past Chuile to the Kimrong Khola, climb over the ridge at Gurjung and contour round to Chhomrong, the largest Gurung village in the upper Modi Khola valley. From the village terraces Annapurna South and Hiunchuli stand straight up the valley, and Machhapuchhre rises to the east.
Hundreds of stone steps lead down to the Chhomrong Khola and up again to Sinuwa. Beyond, the trail contours through oak and rhododendron forest to Kuldhigar, then drops into the dense bamboo groves that give Bamboo its name. The gorge narrows here and the lodges sit close to the roar of the Modi Khola.
We climb steadily beside the river through Dovan to Himalaya, where the forest gives way to scrub, then past the overhang at Hinku Cave into the upper gorge at Deurali. Above Hinku the trail crosses avalanche paths, and your guide checks conditions with the lodges before we go on.
An early start takes us past Bagar into the Sanctuary. We stop for tea at Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m) beneath the west face of Machhapuchhre, then climb gently over grassy moraine for about two hours to Annapurna Base Camp, surrounded by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna and Machhapuchhre. Take it slowly and drink plenty of water.
Before breakfast, watch the sun reach the summit of Annapurna I and work its way down the south face. Then we descend past Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Deurali, Himalaya and Dovan to Bamboo. It is a long day, mostly downhill, and you will notice the thicker air.
We climb back to Kuldhigar and Sinuwa, cross the Chhomrong Khola and make the last big climb of the trek to Chhomrong. From the top of the village a steep descent brings us to Jhinu Danda. The natural hot springs by the river, about 20 minutes below the village, are the best way to end the trek.
A short walk down from Jhinu Danda to New Bridge and along the Modi Khola brings us to the jeep road at Siwai. Our vehicle drives you back down the valley to Pokhara, about three hours, arriving in the afternoon.
5 |
Dovan to Deurali |
Deurali, 3,200 m |
6 | Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp via Machhapuchhre Base Camp | ABC, 4,130 m |
7 | Sunrise at ABC, descend to Bamboo | Bamboo, 2,310 m |
8 | Bamboo to Jhinu Danda | Jhinu Danda, 1,780 m |
9 | Jhinu Danda to Landruk | Landruk, 1,640 m |
10 | Landruk to Australian Camp via Tolka and Pothana | Australian Camp, 2,060 m |
11 | Walk down to Kande, drive to Pokhara | Pokhara |
12 | Depart from Pokhara |
Not recommended |
About NPR 500–800 low down, NPR 900–1,500 above Chhomrong
Boiled or treated water | About NPR 150–300 a litre |
Licensed guide | About USD 25–35 a day |
Porter | About USD 15–20 a day |
Tips | Commonly 10–15% of the trek cost, shared between guide and porter |
Travel insurance with helicopter cover | About USD 80–150 for a two-week trek, more for older trekkers |
Nepal tourist visa | USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, USD 125 for 90 days |
In October and November nights at base camp are often below freezing and mornings are cold until the sun reaches the lodges. Days in the sun are pleasant. Winter nights are colder still.
Enough Nepali rupees for drinks, snacks, hot showers, charging, wifi and tips, since there are no ATMs once you leave the road. Draw cash in Pokhara. Prices rise the higher you go.
Yes. Your hotel in Pokhara can keep anything you do not need on the trek. Your porter carries your main bag of up to about 10 kg, shared one porter between two trekkers, and you carry a daypack.
Yes. The trail is busy in season and teahouse owners are used to solo travellers. With a licensed guide, which the rules now require, you also have someone handling lodges, permits and your health every day.