Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Sunset on Annapurna
Sunset on Annapurna I (Photo: Jwalant)

Annapurna Base Camp Trek (16 days, 15 nights)

The trek is through several Gurung villages to the Annapurna Sanctuary – a natural amphitheatre surrounded by some of the most spectacular Himalayan peaks. The Gurung people are one of sixty ethnic groups in Nepal and are the predominant race recruited in the famous Gurkha regiment of the British and Indian army. On this trek, you will slog up and down the infamous Gurung staircases along the Modi Khola, through terraced rice fields and bamboo forests to, first, the Machhapuchare base camp and, then, to the Annapurna base camp. Come join us on this spectacular trek and experience the culture and hospitality of the Gurung people!

The trek is rated mildly strenuous but is moderately paced. No technical climbing is involved and you do not have to be an experienced hiker to participate. But it is important that you come with an open mind and be very patient.

Trip format: Lodge trek – sleep and eat in local family-owned lodges. You must provide your own sleeping bag and personal clothing.

Before you choose a trekking company, make sure you know what is included and what is not. Read suggested questions you should ask our competitors at the bottom of this page.

 

Itinerary

Day 01 - Kathmandu (4,400 ft/1,250m)

Arrive Kathmandu. Transfer to Hotel. Rest of day free. Welcome dinner at a Nepali Home. (Dinner)

Day 02 - Kathmandu (4,400 ft/1,250m)

Visit Pashupatinath, Nepal's most sacred Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, with its two-tiered golden roof and silver door. Here, you'll probably witness a Hindu cremation along the banks of the Bagmati River.

Then drive to Bhaktapur, the City of Devotees, for lunch and a tour of the royal palace square. Bhaktapur is a medieval city in the Kathmandu valley and is least disturbed by modern life. Here, you can absorb the architectural splendor of the five-storied Nyatapola temple, or the sculptural delight of the Peacock Window. (Breakfast and Lunch)

Day 03 - Kathmandu to Syauli (4,000 ft/1,220m)

Transfer to the domestic terminal at Kathmandu airport. Fly to Pokhara (approx 30 minutes). After arriving at Pokhara (2,640ft/800m), transfer by road (private vehicle) to the starting point of the trek at Naya Pul. Trek through terraced rice fields to Syauli. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 04 - Syauli to Ghandrung (6,400 ft/1,950m)

Steadily ascend to Ghandrung. Trek to the large Gurung village of Ghandrung. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Annapurna South
Pesal Rai with Annapurna South in the background (Photo: Lindsay)
Day 05 - Chomrong (6,900 ft/2,090m)

Trek through terraced fields to Kimrong Danda (7,425ft/2250m). Descend steeply through forest, to the Kimrong Khola. After lunch ascend steeply to another Gurung village of Chomrong. Chomrong is the highest permanent settlement in the valley, although there are tea-houses beyond this point. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 06 - Bamboo (7,600 ft/2,310m)


Leaving behind permanent settlements, follow the Modi Khola valley towards the Annapurna Sanctuary.  Overnight Lodge. (All  meals)

Day 07 - Himalaya (9,375 ft/2,840m)

Enter rhododendron and oak forest and continue to ascend gradually. The trail continues through stands of bamboo, and beyond avalanche chutes and a few landslides to Himalaya Hotel. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 08 - Himalaya to Machhapuchhare Base Camp (12,200 ft/3,700m)

Today, you will find yourself above tree-line. The mountain views from here are marvelous: Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Annapurna I (8,091), Annapurna III (7,555m), Gangapurna (7,454m), and

Machhapuchare are all visible from here. Spend your afternoon enjoying the spectacular scenery of these peaks. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 09 - Machhapuchare Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp (13,625 ft/4,130m)

Annapurna Base Camp
Annapurna I from Annapurna Base Camp (Photo: Lindsay)

It is approximately 2 hours hike to Annapurna Base Camp – a collection of four hotels on a hillock. The views of the south face of Annapurna are fabulous from Annapurna Base Camp. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 10 - Bamboo (7,600 ft/2,310m)

Today is all downhill. After lunch, you re-enter the bamboo forest. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 11 - Chomrong (6,900 ft/2,090m)

Continue down through the forest to Chomrong. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 12 - Chomrong to Jhinu

Today is a short day of about 2 hours to Jhinu. We start out late and arrive Jhinu for lunch in time to take a dip in the Jhinu hot-springs. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 13 - Jhinu to Pothana (9,100 ft/2,775m)

Descend to the river and begin ascent to the Pothana ridge. Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Day 14 - Pothana to Pokhara (6,800 ft/1,250m)


Phewa lake and the Annapurnas (Photo: Sunil)

Descend to Phedi. Drive back to Pokhara. Overnight at Hotel Fairmount. (Breakfast and Lunch)

Day 15 - Pokhara to Kathmandu

Mid-afternoon flight back to Kathmandu. Day free in Kathmandu. Farewell dinner in the evening. (Breakfast and Dinner)

Day 16 - Final Departure

After breakfast, transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your final departure. (Breakfast)

 

 

 

 

 

Price includes:

Price does not include:


Fishtail - Macchapuchare - from Pothana (Photo: Jwalant)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO BOOK THIS TRIP:

A completed reservation form must be either faxed to us or scanned and emailed as an attachment.

Email: info@crystalmountaintreks.com
Fax: 977 – 1- 4412647

You must also send us a non-refundable deposit of GBP/EURO/AUS$ 300 per person through bank transfer. Wire details will be provided. The balance must be paid on arrival, either in traveler’s checks, cash or by credit card (VISA card only). If you plan to pay by credit card, the payable amount will be converted to US$ and a 3% surcharge will be added.

Download reservation form (Word)»

Cancellation policy:

- Cancel 30 days prior to the beginning of the trip, deposit valid for any trip undertaken within a year with us in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India.
- Cancel anytime prior to the beginning of the trip, forfeit trip deposit.
- No refunds once trek begins.

Currency of payment:

Prices are guaranteed for 2011. You may choose to pay in US$ or your country's currency. If you pay by credit card, you will be charged in US$.

North American clients:

Please book this trip with our US based sister company - Grand Asian Journeys. (Separate booking and cancellation policy applies.)

Grand Asian Journeys
PO Box 608
Indianola, WA 98342
Toll Free: 1-888-586-7750
Email: info@grandasianjourneys.com

Trek Rating:

This trek is rated moderately strenuous but is moderately paced. The trek involves daily hiking of between 5-8 hours but the entire trek involves lots of up and down. While the trek requires good physical fitness and involves walking through rocky terrain and landslides, no technical climbing experience is required nor do you have to be a very experienced hiker.

Physical conditioning is required. Nothing prepares you for hiking like hiking. So besides hitting the tread-mill or the stair-master at the gym, do include hiking in your training regimen which should begin at least two months prior to the trek if not earlier.

REFERENCES:

Crystal Mountain Treks organizes treks and tours in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Tibet for hundreds of satisfied travelers every year. Our previous trekking clients have included travellers from the USA, UK, Australia, France, Germany and Russia. Feel free to ask us for references who can tell you about their experience with us. We may be able to get you in touch with a previous client from your native country.

WHY BOOK WITH CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN?:

There are over 500 and counting trekking companies in Nepal plus numerous adventure companies based outside of Nepal selling treks in Nepal. We are aware that you have lots of options. But, we believe there are reasons we stand out from our competitors. Our most compelling argument is that we provide the BEST VALUE. When you book with us, cost of all your meals on your trek are included. And you may choose anything or any amount from the menu. A lot of trekking companies have hidden costs - cost of meals while on the trek are not included. Prices at lodges in the Annapurna region are highly inflated and each meal can cost GBP 5 per person on average meaning an additional GBP 150 per person on the Annapurna Trek. Also, we provide boiled water for your water bottles at breakfast, lunch and dinner. With other companies, this would be extra (GBP 2 for two liters of water). All these costs add up very quickly. We've listed more reasons why we are different here...

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK OUR COMPETITORS:

- Is boiled water for drinking provided? Is it included in the trek cost?
- Can I order as much water as I need or is the per day quantity limited?
- Are all my meals on the trek included?
- Can I order as many items from the menu? Or am I only limited to certain items?
- What if I am still hungry because the potions are small? And I need the extra fuel at altitude.
- Is a Gamow Bag (Pressurized altitude chamber) provided?
- Are the porters provided meals? Or do they have to buy their own meals?
- What kind of gear do you provide the porters?
- Are the porters provided with good hiking boots? Or do you only provide canvas or army shoes?
- Are the staff insured?
- If required will you pay for staff helicopter evacuation which I understand Nepali insurance companies don't cover?

While these issues may sound trivial on paper, these are all very important once you are on the ground and trekking. Ask our previous clients what they think about these issues and what we deliver. Upon request, we are glad to provide references from the UK, Australia, Germany, USA and Canada.

Other Treks in the Annapurna region:

EQUIPMENT:

No technical climbing equipment is required for participation on the Annapurna Base Camp trek. A clothing list will be provided to you. We are also happy to provide duffel bags, down jackets and sleeping jackets for our clients for no charge. We do only have a limited stock and will provide these on a first-come, first-served basis.

FLYING TO NEPAL:

Flying from the UK:
Most economical options are either flying through Abi Dhabi (Etihad Airlines) or through Delhi (Jet Airways and Air India). Other options include flying through Bahrain on Gulf Air and through Doha on Qatar Airlines.

Flying from Australia:
Your best options are either flying through Bangkok (Thai Airways), through Singapore (Singapore Airlines), or through Delhi (Jet Airways).

Check out the following sites to compare prices for flights to Nepal:

www.kayak.com
www.sidestep.com
www.cheapoair.com

NEPAL TREK PREPARATION:

Click on the link for useful information that should help you better plan/prepare for your trekking journey in Nepal. This page will be continually updated based on client feedback/experience: NEPAL TREK PREPARATION

QUESTIONS:

Email: info@crystalmountaintreks.com

Phone
Land Line: + 977 1 4416813

Mobile phone: + 977 98410-00724

Or feel free to provide us your Skype address/telephone number and a time convenient for you and we would be glad to call you from Kathmandu to answer your questions.