Annapurna Base Camp Trek (ABC Trek)
Rainbow Mountain Treks offers exclusive treks with an adventure in the high alpine highlands of the Annapurna region over the course of a week.
You will have a fascinating and pleasurable experience as you stroll from warm low agricultural areas to cooler green slopes amid gorgeous forested areas abounding with tall rhododendron (Nepal’s national flower), Magnolia, oaks, pine and fir tree lines, as well as bamboo groves.
As the walk progresses, we will visit the impressive Gurung villages of Ghandruk and Chomrong, as well as routes rich in ancient heritage traditional farm life and interesting Buddhism religion culture, before arriving at our main goal and highlight, Annapurna base camp, which is set within a scenic Sanctuary surrounded by an array of mountain views.
Annapurna Base Camp Trekking is one of the shortest base camp adventures in the Himalayas, as well as the only one that provides guests with a comfortable and cozy lodge with rooms overlooking spectacular views of the Annapurna peaks.
Annapurna Base Camp Trekking is a fantastic Himalayan adventure that takes you to the foot of Mt. Annapurna-I, the world’s tenth highest mountain at 8,091 meters / 26,545 feet, and the first 8,000 meter peak to be climbed even before Mt. Everest in 1950 by a French expedition.
A trip without problems or the possibility of contracting AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), where you walk on a moderate trail, gradually gaining elevation as you acclimate during the treks with overnight stops at various heights and locations.
The Annapurna Base Camp Trek starts and ends in scenic Pokhara, where a drive takes you into the green mid hills around nice farm Gurung villages, then into the Modi River gorge for a few days, and finally into a picturesque open wide area at Annapurna Sanctuary, where the base camp is located at 4,130 meters.
Enjoy a spectacular panorama of the entire Annapurna peaks, including the majestic Machhapuchre, the fish-tail peaks, before heading downhill into green vegetation and farm areas, where a short exciting drive brings you into Pokhara’s famous and popular touristic spot, the calm Phewa Lakes, to cap off a fantastic adventure with an enjoyable experience on Annapurna Base Camp Trekking with great service from Rainbow Mountain Treks.
Overview
An extensive network of paths connects the Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp or Sanctuary hikes in the Annapurna Base Camp Wilderness. It’s a shorter trek than the Annapurna Circuit, which can be shortened by flying from Jomsom to Pokhara. The hike ends at Annapurna Base Camp, at 4,130 meters, with a 360-degree vista of the range. The eight-day walk starts in the rain forest and then heads into the high highlands. There are several paths that lead to this interesting trekking site. This journey is also known as an Annapurna Sanctuary trek, as it includes multiple paths that eventually converge to a junction where a single major trail leads the way. The trek, which begins virtually on the plains of Pokhara, passes through a diversity of terrain, cultures, and landscapes in a short amount of time while avoiding altitude problems.
Note: This is Nepal’s only major trekking route with significant avalanche danger, so if you’re going solo, make sure to follow safety precautions.
Highlights
- Enjoy amazing views while climbing through the Annapurna Range.
- Trek through Gurung villages to get a taste of Nepali life.
- For spectacular panoramic vistas, travel into the heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary.
- Between Kathmandu and Pokhara, take two breathtaking Himalayan mountain flights.
You can also check out one of the other trek of Annapurna Region, The Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Itinerary
Rainbow Mountain Treks’ representative will pick us up from the airport and transport us to our hotel once we arrive in Kathmandu. We may rest or visit Rainbow Mountain Treks' office in the afternoon. A welcoming supper will be hosted by Rainbow Mountain Treks in the evening. You will be served real Nepalese cuisine for supper, which will introduce you to the country's culinary culture. Overnight in Kathmandu.
A 30-minute flight is followed by a 5 to 6 hour walk. We fly to Pokhara, a lovely lake city, early in the morning and have spectacular views of the Himalayas from the right side of our plane. We drive to Naya Pul (1 hour and 20 minutes) after arriving at Pokhara airport and begin the hike. We trek from Birethanti to Ghandruk, a lovely settlement dominated by the Gurung population. Today, if time allows, we can also go to the Gurung museum. Overnight in Ghandruk.
We ascend up to Kimrungdanda for about an hour at this point. The views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Fishtail Mountain (Machhapuchhre), and Gangapurna are spectacular along the journey. The Kimrong Khola is reached after a steep descent. We drop for a while after another hard ascent from Kimrong Khola to Chere Danda, and then it's an easy trek to Chhomrong. Chhomrong is a lovely town nestled in the shadow of the mighty Annapurna. Overnight in Chhomrong.
We cross the bridge over Chhomrong Khola after descending 2500 stone stairs. Sinuwa is an uphill trek from here. After that, we walk through a magnificent forest to Kuldihar, then downhill to Bamboo. Overnight in Bamboo.
We continue through a damp and cold bamboo jungle before gradually ascending with a few difficult stretches. Only after arriving at Hotel does the forest open up and we are once again out in the light, with breathtaking views of the glacial river below. Before reaching Hinku Cave, there is a difficult walk up through a much drier forest. The trail drops closer to the river from here before going back up to Deurali, the most spectacular part of the day. The foliage is sparser, allowing for breathtaking vistas of the valley, the river below, and the steep rock-face cliffs above, complete with bands of wispy waterfalls. Overnight in Deurali.
Climb gradually via a riverbed before ascending to the mountainside through a hard trail. The trek from Bagar to Machhapuchhre Base Camp is difficult. We have fantastic views of the spectacular Machhapuchhre as well as Mt. Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Annapurna III, Gandharvachuli, and Gangapurna from Machhapuchhre base camp, which is a truly gratifying experience. On our way to ABC, the foliage fades and the trail expands as we enter the Annapurna sanctuary. From here, we get spectacular views of Annapurna's near-vertical south face, which towers above us. The sanctuary boasts a stunning 360-degree panorama with nothing blocking it. We get to enjoy stunning views of the Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Hiunchuli, and other peaks from the base camp once more. Overnight at Annapurna Base Camp.
We retrace our travels back to Bamboo from the Annapurna base camp. Because today's hike is downhill, it shouldn't be too challenging. Aside from that, we'll always have the company of the magnificent scenery to cheer us up. Overnight in Bamboo.
It's an uphill climb from Bamboo to Kuldighar, then a downhill stroll to Chhomrong Khola. Then we make our way to Chhomrong via the stone steps. After that, the trail descends to Jhinu Danda, where we will spend the night. Today we will have the opportunity to relax and rejuvenate in the hot springs, which are only a 15-20 minute downhill stroll from Jhinu Danda. Overnight in Jhinu Danda.
We get to see the spectacular hill landscape of western Nepal on our route to Naya Pul from Jhinu Danda. On the way, we stop for lunch. Our hike will come to a close in Naya Pul, where we will board our van for Pokhara. Pokhara is where you'll spend the night.
* Driving from Jhinu Danda to Pokhara could be an option once the road connecting Jhinu Danda and Naya Pul is completed.
In the afternoon, we fly to Kathmandu. We will be escorted to our hotel after arrival in Kathmandu. We take it easy for the rest of the day, catching up on some last-minute shopping or exploring any monuments we missed on our first day in Kathmandu. In the evening, we will enjoy a farewell meal to commemorate the successful conclusion of our voyage. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Today is the last day of our Nepalese adventure! We'll be dropped off at the airport by a Rainbow Mountain Treks employee around 3 hours before our flight. We'll have plenty of time on the way home to plan our future excursion in Nepal's magnificent land.
