A twelve-day round trip from Pokhara up the Modi Khola gorge to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m, returning on a different trail through Landruk, Tolka, Pothana and Australian Camp. Gentle daily stages, a night beneath the south face of Annapurna I and the Jhinu hot springs twice on the way.
A twelve-day round trip from Pokhara up the Modi Khola gorge to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m, returning on a different trail through Landruk, Tolka, Pothana and Australian Camp. Gentle daily stages, a night beneath the south face of Annapurna I and the Jhinu hot springs twice on the way.
Annapurna Base Camp sits at 4,130 m in the Annapurna Sanctuary, a high glacial basin enclosed by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna and Machhapuchhre. The only way in is the narrow gorge of the Modi Khola, and this trek follows it from the roadhead at Siwai, through the Gurung village of Chhomrong and the bamboo and rhododendron forests of the upper valley, to the open meadows of Machhapuchhre Base Camp and the base camp itself.
We have paced this version so that no day gains much height. After a night in Pokhara we drive to Siwai and walk to Jhinu Danda, then move up the valley by Sinuwa, Dovan and Deurali before the final climb into the Sanctuary. Sleeping at Deurali at 3,200 m before the push to 4,130 m gives your body time to adjust, and the walking days are mostly four to six hours.
On the way down we stop again at Jhinu Danda for the hot springs, then leave the main trail and cross the Modi Khola to the east bank. The return through Landruk, Tolka and Pothana is quieter, passes working farms and ends with a night at Australian Camp, a ridge-top viewpoint over the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre. A short walk down to Kande brings you to the road and back to Pokhara the same morning.
Expect a lot of stone steps, especially around Chhomrong and Jhinu Danda, and a steady climb through forest in the upper gorge. Teahouses along the route are simple but comfortable, with hot meals cooked to order and rooms that get more basic and colder above Dovan. Your guide checks your health each evening and adjusts the pace if anyone is struggling with the altitude.
This trek suits fit walkers with no previous high-altitude experience. There is no technical ground, but you walk four to six hours most days on uneven trail, with long stone staircases around Chhomrong and Jhinu Danda and a steady climb through forest up the gorge. The highest night is at 4,130 m, so take the altitude seriously and walk at your guide's pace. Start training eight to twelve weeks before you travel: regular hill walks of four to six hours carrying a light daypack, stair climbing or step workouts for the descents, and two or three sessions a week of cycling, running or swimming for stamina. Squats and lunges help your knees on the long downhill days. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with your doctor before booking.
Make your way to Pokhara, by the short flight from Kathmandu or by road, and we meet you at the airport or bus park and take you to your hotel near Phewa Lake. In the evening your guide briefs you on the route, checks your kit and collects what we need for your ACAP permit. If the sky is clear you will see Machhapuchhre above the lake.
We leave Pokhara after breakfast and drive west towards Nayapul, then follow the rough road up the Modi Khola valley to the roadhead at Siwai, about three hours in all. The walk follows the river on a mix of track and trail to New Bridge, then climbs a long stone staircase to Jhinu Danda. Spend the late afternoon at the hot springs by the river, about 20 minutes below the village.
A steep climb on stone steps brings us to Chhomrong, the largest Gurung village in the valley, with Annapurna South and Hiunchuli filling the view up the valley. We drop down hundreds of steps to the suspension bridge over the Chhomrong Khola and climb again to Sinuwa. It is a day of steps rather than distance, so take it at a steady pace.
The trail contours through oak and rhododendron forest to Kuldhigar, then drops on a stepped path into the bamboo groves around Bamboo. From here we follow the Modi Khola gorge upstream to the small lodge settlement of Dovan. The valley narrows and the forest is cool and damp, with langur monkeys often seen in the trees.
The forest thins as we climb to Himalaya, then pass the rock overhang at Hinku Cave and enter the narrow upper gorge to Deurali. Above Hinku the trail crosses several avalanche paths, so your guide keeps the group moving through these sections and checks conditions with the lodges each morning. A shorter day keeps the gain in height gentle before the Sanctuary.
We start early and follow the Modi Khola past Bagar into the Sanctuary. The valley opens out at Machhapuchhre Base Camp, where we stop for tea beneath the fluted west face of Machhapuchhre. The last two hours climb gently over grassy moraine to Annapurna Base Camp, ringed by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna and Machhapuchhre. Walk slowly and drink plenty; this is the highest night of the trek.
Get up before dawn to watch the first light reach the summit of Annapurna I and the south face above the glacier. After breakfast we retrace our steps past Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Deurali and Dovan to Bamboo. It is a long day, but losing height quickly helps you sleep well.
We climb back to Kuldhigar and Sinuwa, cross the Chhomrong Khola and make the last climb of the trek up the steps to Chhomrong. From there it is downhill to Jhinu Danda, with time to soak tired legs in the hot springs.
Instead of returning the way we came, we descend to New Bridge and cross to the east side of the Modi Khola. The trail runs past terraced fields and small farms to Landruk, a spread-out Gurung village looking across the valley to Ghandruk. An easier day with time to look around the village.
We walk through Tolka and climb through forest to Bhichok before dropping to Pothana. From Pothana a short walk brings us to Australian Camp, a grassy ridge with open views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre and the Lamjung Himal. On a clear evening this is one of the best viewpoints in the Pokhara foothills.
Watch the sunrise over the mountains from the ridge, then walk down through forest to the road at Kande, about an hour. Our vehicle drives you back to your Pokhara hotel, normally before lunch, leaving the afternoon free by the lake.
The trek ends after breakfast. We take you to Pokhara airport or the tourist bus park for your onward journey, or help arrange extra nights if you want to stay on.
Permits we arrange: Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
You sleep above 3,000 m for two nights and reach 4,130 m at Annapurna Base Camp. The itinerary climbs gradually, with nights at Dovan (2,600 m) and Deurali (3,200 m) before the Sanctuary. Mild headaches and poor sleep are common; vomiting, confusion, severe breathlessness at rest or loss of coordination are not, and mean descending straight away. Your guide checks your oxygen saturation each evening, and descent is always quick on this route because the trail drops steeply back down the gorge.
The trail between Himalaya and Machhapuchhre Base Camp runs below steep slopes that release avalanches after heavy snow, mostly from December to April. In January 2020 an avalanche near Deurali swept away trekkers and guides. Your guide checks conditions with lodges and the ACAP office before entering this section, moves the group through the marked danger zones without stopping, and will hold the group at Dovan or Deurali if there has been fresh snowfall.
The whole route lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so every trekker needs an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) entry permit. The fee for foreign nationals is NPR 3,000 per person; children under ten do not pay. We apply for it in Pokhara before you start, so we need a clear scan of your passport photo page and one passport photo. Your guide carries the permit and shows it at the ACAP checkpoints along the trail. Nepal Tourism Board rules introduced on 1 April 2023 require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. A separate TIMS card is not checked on Annapurna routes at present; ACAP is the permit that matters here. Every trek we run is led by a licensed guide, so you meet the rules as they stand and nothing changes for you if enforcement tightens.
There are no ATMs on the trail once you leave the road, so draw Nepali rupees in Pokhara for drinks, snacks, hot showers, battery charging, wifi and tips. Prices rise the higher you go because everything is carried up by porters or mules. Most teahouses charge a small fee for charging phones and cameras, and a power bank saves money and worry. Mobile signal is patchy; many lodges sell wifi by the hour.
Do not drink untreated tap or stream water. Many villages have refill stations selling treated water, and lodges will fill your bottle with boiled water for a small charge. Bring a filter, purification tablets or a UV pen and two one-litre bottles. Refilling instead of buying bottled water keeps plastic out of the conservation area.
October and November bring the clearest skies and cold nights at base camp, often below freezing. March to May is warmer, with rhododendrons flowering in the forest below Deurali, but afternoons are often cloudy and spring snow is possible high up. The monsoon from June to September brings leeches, slippery steps and cloud that hides the peaks. December to February is cold and clear, but snow can close the trail above Deurali.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Base layers: two moisture-wicking tops and one pair of thermal leggings
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacketWe provide
On loan from us for the trek
Waterproof jacket and overtrousers
Showers are common in spring and the trail can be wet into early October
Two pairs of trekking trousers and a pair of shorts
Warm hat, sun hat and buff
Liner gloves and insulated gloves
Trekking socks (four pairs) and underwear
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
The stone staircases are hard on new boots
Sandals or light shoes for the evenings
Daypack of 25 to 35 litres with rain cover
Your porter carries the main bag
Duffel bag for the porter, kept to about 10 kg per trekker
Sleeping bagWe provide
On loan from us; a liner adds warmth and hygiene
Trekking polesRent locally
Easy to hire in Pokhara; they save your knees on the descents
Head torch with spare batteries
Needed for the pre-dawn walks
Two one-litre water bottles
Water filter, purification tablets or UV pen
Power bank and charging cables
Sunglasses with UV protection
Altitude medicine such as acetazolamide, after advice from your doctor
Sunscreen (SPF 50) and lip balm with SPF
Personal medicines, blister plasters and rehydration salts
Hand sanitiser, quick-dry towel and toiletries
Passport, with a photocopy and two passport photos
Travel insurance policy details
Your guide keeps a copy with the emergency contacts
Nepali rupees in cash for the trail
No ATMs once you leave the road
Snacks such as energy bars or nuts
It is a moderate trek. The walking is non-technical, but you spend four to six hours a day on stone steps and forest trail, and the last day up reaches 4,130 m. Anyone who can walk five or six hours on hilly ground on consecutive days, and has trained for a couple of months, should manage it.
Annapurna Base Camp is at 4,130 m. Machhapuchhre Base Camp, which you pass two hours below it, is at 3,700 m. You will see slightly different numbers quoted in some places; these are the most widely used figures.
Since 1 April 2023 Nepal Tourism Board rules require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. Enforcement on Annapurna routes has been uneven, but the trek is safer with someone who knows where the avalanche zones are and can recognise altitude sickness. All our treks include a licensed guide.
No. On Annapurna routes the checkpoints check the ACAP permit, and a TIMS card has not been checked since 2023. We arrange the ACAP permit for you.
Returning through Landruk, Tolka and Pothana means you see new villages on the way out, walk a quieter trail on the east side of the Modi Khola and end with a night at Australian Camp, one of the best viewpoints near Pokhara. It also finishes with an easy hour's walk to the road at Kande.
In Pokhara you stay in a comfortable hotel. On the trek you sleep in teahouses: simple twin rooms with beds, mattresses and blankets. Lower down most lodges have attached or shared bathrooms with hot showers; above Dovan rooms are basic, unheated and bathrooms are shared. In October and November the base camp lodges can be full, and you may share a larger room.
October and November for clear views, then March to May for warmer days and flowering rhododendrons. We run the trek in December to February too, but snow can block the upper gorge, so we keep spare time in mind. We do not recommend the monsoon months of June to September.
Most teahouses have solar or mains power and charge a small fee to charge devices, more as you go higher. Wifi is available in most lodges for a fee and mobile signal comes and goes. A power bank is worth bringing.
Your guide checks you every evening. If symptoms are mild, we rest or slow down; if they get worse, we descend immediately, which is quick on this route. For serious cases we call a rescue helicopter, which is why your insurance must cover helicopter evacuation to at least 4,500 m.
12 Day Annapurna Base Camp Trek
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