Annapurna Base Camp Trek is one of the most beautiful short base camp trekking. It is also low altitude base camp trekking in Nepal Himalaya. ABC trekking makes you travel through different climatic range, diverse landscapes, and culturally enriched villages. This Annapurna basecamp trekking blog gives details about accommodation, detailed menu of food, 11 days trekking itinerary & generalized information of Annapurna base camp trekking as a whole.
During the Annapurna Base Camp trekking, you can witness the stunning views of Fishtail, Hiunchuli, Annapurna Massif, Dhaulagiri, Tilicho, Pisang, Pungda Danda, in addition to numerous other peaks. These are the name of major mountains you can see from 2 ranges of Himalaya seen during the ABC trek.
2 range seen during the trek are Annapurna Himalaya range and Dhaulagiri Himalaya range. In the beginning of Annapurna basecamp trekking, you will be visiting the famous Poon Hill, a perfect viewpoint for both of these Himalaya range. Towards the end of the ABC trekking you will be relaxing in the natural hot water pool (natural hot spring) at Jhinu Danda.
Mt. Annapurna (8091m) of Nepal is the 10th highest mountain in the world and the tallest mountain of Annapurna range. ABC trek is journey to its base camp, which is at 4130m/13549ft height, is one of the most popular nature journey in the world.
Moreover, we travel Annapurna base camp along the base of Mt. Machapuchhre (Fishtail) which is well known by the Nepalese & trekkers who have been to ABC for its unique beauty. Fishtail is a holy mountain.
Furthermore, itinerary illustrated below for the Annapurna Base Camp trekking package is popular choice among diverse outdoor enthusiasts, from a solo female traveler to hikers traveling in groups join tours in Nepal.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek has a long but complete trekking of 11 Day Itinerary. This completes most of the walks in Annapurna base camp region leading up to the base camp.
5 days ABC trekking itinerary routes are designed for trekkers who want to hike to Annapurna base camps but have limited time. In this short Annapurna base camp option you will not be hiking to Poonhill. Not getting to Poonhill means – trekkers will not be able to see any of the Dhaulagiri range. However, Dhaulagiri can be seen from Pokhara.
Travelers who want to reach Annapurna Base Camp in a more relaxed way can try alternative routes like Annapurna Sanctuary Trek – 14 days which is a better choice. The itinerary can be somehow managed according to your will by increasing or decreasing the days of the camping.
Table of Contents
Highlights of Annapurna Base Camp trekking in Nepal
- Stroll at lakeside Pokhara, which is a Tourist Center
- Sunrise view on the mountains of Annapurna Himalaya range, including Dhaulagiri range(8167 m / 26795 ft.). Namely Annapurna (8091 m / 26545 m) and Nilgiri (7061 m / 23166 ft.), Dhampus peak, Fishtail, Tukche himal from the perspective of Poon Hill
- Annapurna Base Camp at an altitude of just 4,130 m
- Rich flora and fauna along the trekking trail of Annapurna basecamp
- Jhinu danda with natural hot springs by the riverside
- Lively villages and farmlands with Gurkhas village Ghandrunk
- Insights of Annapurna Glacier
11 days ABC trekking OUTLINE ITINERARY
| Day 01:-Arrival in Kathmandu and trip preparation by choosing the best itinerary | 1,350m/4,429ft | |
| Day 02:-Fly to Pokhara trek to Ghandruk | 1,940m/6,365ft | 5-6 hrs |
| Day 03:-From Ghandruk to Chhomrong | 2,170m/7,120ft | 5-6 hrs |
| Day 04:-From Chhomrong to Bamboo | 2,310m/7,579ft | 4-5 hrs |
| Day 05:-From Bamboo to Deurali | 3,230m/10,598ft | 3-4 hrs |
| Day 06:-From Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp via Machhapuchhre Base Camp | 4,130m/13,551ft | 5-6 hrs |
| Day 07:- From Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo | 2,310m/7,579ft | 7-8 hrs |
| Day 08:- From Bamboo to Jhinu Danda | 1,760m/5,775ft | 5-6 hrs |
| Day 09:- From Trek to Naya Pul then drive to Pokhara | 827m/2,713ft | 6 hrs |
| Day 10:- Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu | 1,350m/4,429ft | |
| Day 11:-Final Departure | – |
Accommodation during ABC Trek
ABC Trekking includes 8 nights stay at mountain lodge of Annapuran base camp trekking area and 2 nights at the hotel in Pokhara.
We have 4-night booked rooms in Ulleri, Ghorepani, Chomrong, and Jhinu Danda, and four nights booked standard rooms at Tadapani, Himalayan, ABC, and Bamboo.
For Solo Trekkers, offering single rooms is not possible at least for 4 nights. Toilest are indoor but not attached with rooms. If asked for the arrangement of separate private accommodation elsewhere is possible with most of the trekking agencies in Nepal.
You need to stay in a hotel for 2 nights in Kathmandu before and after trekking, but it is not always included in the package, which can be customized as per ones preference. However, booking hotel in the city by yourself will surely work, Kathmandu offers a range of hotels to suit your budget and tastes.
Hot showers and Wi-Fi are available at the hotel / lodge with an additional fee.
Food during ABC Trek
During the trekking you need plenty of nutritious food but availability of great taste with food is not possible. However you will be able to taste different taste from what you are used to. This different taste of rice, potatoes, noodles and bread will surely work for a week’s food.
You will get plenty of food in trek regions, but you will not have as many options as in the cities.
In general – your trekking organizer from Nepal will provide breakfasts, lunches, and dinners during the trek.
Some of the popular menu items for Annapurna basecamp trekking blog readers….
Breakfast items – Oatmeal, Corn Flakes, French toast with Jam, Butter, Cheese, Honey Tibetan bread or Chapati, Local Tsampa porridge, Eggs, Pancakes, Muesli Breads, Fruits, Vegetables, Hot drinks (varieties of teas and coffees, hot chocolates, etc.)
Lunch options – Dhal, Bhat, Tarkari, Tibetan Bread, Various Soups, Sherpa Stew, Steaks, Sandwiches, Momo (dumplings), Macaroni dishes, Tenduk Spaghetti Noodles, Thukpa, Pasta, Vegetable curry, Potatoes, Vegetables, Salad Pizza (Tomato, Mushroom, Mixed), Snacks (Papad, Prawn), Desserts, (Rice Pudding, Apple pie), etc
Dinners Menu- Dhal, Bhat, Tarkari, Tibetan Bread, Various Soups, Sherpa Stew, Steaks, Sandwiches, Momo (dumplings), Macaroni, Tenduk Spaghetti, Noodles Thukpa, Pasta, Vegetable curry, Potato items, Vegetable and salad Pizza (Tomato, Mushroom, Mixed), Snacks (Papad, Prawn), Korean Raman, Desserts items (Rice Pudding, Apple pie), Hard Drinks Steaks, etc
The menu items in trek regions include – local, Asian, and western cuisine in local taste, but parallel with altitude price of the food hikes.
We highly recommend you to eat fresh vegetables and take liquids such as – green tea, lemon tea, hot lemon, ginger tea, and garlic soup. Ginger lemon honey is a common and favorite drink, ginger keeps your body warm.
Non-veg (meat) items will also be available in the Annapurna trekking regions, we recommend you to avoid them for hygiene concerns. But places above Sinuwa do not sale meat food as the region is considered holy.
Moreover, we also encourage you to avoid dairy items, cheese items, alcoholic drinks, caffeinated items, and hot chocolates. This is to make sure you do not get stomach issue while trekking.
In general the cost given by trekking agencies has all personal bills (alcoholic, hot (tea, coffee), and cold drinks) in tea houses/ Lodges or cafes except standard meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner with seasonal fruits) are excluded, unless in Luxury trekking package of Nepalgram.
Best Time to Hike ABC
Weather is the most important factor while trekking in the Himalayas, so as in Annapurna base camp. Best time to hike to ABC is spring and autumn. However, if you are for adventure and tasting different than normal, you can trek during winter or monsoon season also.
Nepalgram Adventures conducts trek throughout the year.
Here is the description of weather conditions at high elevations in the ABC regions during different seasons.
March-May (spring)
Spring in Nepal is March-May. In this season, the climate is mild, the rainfall is low, and thus Annapurna basecamp trekking adventures is perfect. The mean daily temperature at Basecamp of Annapurna itself is between 10 to 0°C. Lower Annapurna regions are warmer.
The temperature starts rising from mid-March up to mid-May. Spring weather is cool & the sky clear with the clearest mountain views. Major Trekking season in Nepal begins after March and stays crowded till May. On April, the Annapurna base camp trek route is full of red, pink, and white rhododendron flowers.
June to August (monsoon/summer)
June to August is summer in Nepal, but it is similar with the monsoon. The rain makes the trails wet and slippery.
Day temperatures in high elevations range from 10°C to 23°C and get relatively colder at night ( 5°C to 10°C). Mornings has very short window period. Clouds build up in the afternoon and might as well disappear at night.
During summer, the beautiful scenery with wild garden blooms and provides lush views that you cannot catch in other seasons.
September to November (autumn)
Autumn (September, October, November), is colder than spring. Autumn is a good season to trek to the ABC due to decent temperatures, mild wind, and low precipitation.
The monsoons will be over by early September and begins autumn. Daytime temperatures can reach up to 20°C even in high altitudes – the nights are colder with temperatures around 5°C.
Greenery flourished during the monsoon fades to golden/amber providing a spectacular contrast against the crystal blue skies. The lowlands of Annapurna base camp trail has golden colored paddy fields. The biggest festivals of Nepal – Dashain & Tihar- also fall during these seasons.
December to February (winter)
Winter is from December to February. Trekking to the ABC in winter is interestingly increasing as a winter trek in Nepal. ABC Trekking regions are cold during this season, but this excites adventurous trekkers. At the ABC, the temperature can get as low to -10°C.
The coldest time is from December to 1st day of February. Day is relatively warm with plenty of sunshine. Sky is usually clear, mountain views are at their best beauty with snowy caps. Winter trekking to EBC trails are the least busy throughout the year. It may not be the best trek season for beginners & cold haters, but experienced trekkers will have no problem.
The weather in the Himalayan region is unpredictable and can change suddenly at any time.
Equipment list for ABC Tour Package
Depending on the season, you need different gear for ABC Trekking, but here is a suggested packing list for you to make more comfortable ABC trekking. We advise you to bring essentials as follows:-
For Head
- Sun hat or scarf
- Winter hat or a wide-brimmed hat
- Headlight with extra batteries
For Face
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Face/body wipes
For Hands
- Lightweight gloves
- Heavyweight winter gloves
For Body
- Hiking shirts
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Hooded rain jacket
- Fleece jacket
- Lightweight cotton pants
- T-Shirt
- Polypropylene underwear
- Down jacket
- Sweater
- Waterproof jacket and pants
For Foot
- Hiking Boots
- Thick wool socks
Other Essential gear during trek
- Backpack or daypack
- Thermal bottle
- Water purification
- Trekking pole
- Sleeping bag
Toiletries
- Medium size drying towel
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Toilet paper
- Deodorant/ floss
- Biodegradable bar soap
- Nail clippers
- Small mirror
Personal accessories
- Money
- Watch
- Cell phone
- Camera
Other items
- First aid kit
- Extra passport photos and photocopies of passport
- Notebook and pen
- Binoculars
You can find the details here, about the packing list for any trekking in Nepal.
Tipping in Nepal
Nepali culture accepts tipping and considers it a sign of providing great service. Tipping a trekking guide & porter empowers service quality and makes the trip enjoyable, safe, appealing & once in a lifetime experience. We advise you to tip as a group towards the end of the trip.
Nepalgram – An excellent rated Trekking agency in Nepal
While trekking to ABC, our qualified, certified and experienced trekking guides will accompany you to make your ABC trip full of enjoyment and unforgettable memories, while considering safety atop. Porters will be carrying your luggage, and if a group has more than 8 members, most of the trekking agency in Nepal will add an assistant guide.
Nepalgram’s crew members are the local Himalayan people with high physical endurance and can easily digest the high altitudes.
In addition to trekking trip pay to the porter & guide, we bear the cost of their insurance, clothing, food, lodging, and equipment.
We always make sure that our staff are happy as we believe that only happy people can make others happy.
Trip Extensions after your ABC Tour
After completing the ABC Trek, if you have extra days in Nepal, we can arrange sightseeing tours. You can also choose to go for nature safari like Chitwan jungle safari, Bardia National park safari, Kositappu bird watching, rafting. One tours including any of the adventure activities including paragliding, rafting, cannoning could be another option. Other treks or expedition or hiking trips with rock climbing can be an option.
If you are looking for anything to do in Nepal – Nepalgram is here to help you to get the best customization from the thing inside your head.
More destination from Nepal
Explore Nepal with us – to the deep in those nook and corners of Nepal Himalaya. Suggestions other than Annapurna basecamp trekking .
Annapurna Conservation Area (46 Trips)
Nar Phu Valley (3 Trips)
Annapurna Base Camp (5 Trips)
Thorong La pass (8 Trips)
Tilicho Lake (2 Trips)
Deference to op, some good entropy.