Annapurna Base Camp | 13 Days
Difficulty: Easy/Normal (Beginner/Novice trekking)
2021/22 Annapurna Base Camp Departures . . .
Autumn 2021
25th October - 7th November
(Bookings for Autumn closes on 30th August 2021)
Spring 2022
4th April - 16th April
Autumn 2022
19th September - 2nd October
3rd October - 16th October
*Note - You can request your own travel dates. Minimum 2 bookings required. Guaranteed departure.
All-inclusive trip. Guaranteed departure. No extra hidden costs.
Cost . . .
$2200| £1700 | €1950 p/p
Deposit required: $200 | £150 | €150 p/p
OVERVIEW
Annapurna range is one of the majestic mountain massif in the Himalayas. Reaching the heights of 8091m, Annapurna is also the 10th highest mountain in the world. Consequently, conquering Annapurna can be a formidable task and not one for the light-hearted. However, the task can be lightened for the aspiring mountaineer by undertaking the 10 days Annapurna Base Camp expedition where climbers can not only trek but can also take in the cultural insights, participate in moderate adventures and absorb the spectacular Himalayan views.
The Annapurna Base Camp route has become one of the most popular trekking trails among solo and adventure trekkers. It is also known as the Annapurna Sanctuary trek which has an extraordinary variety of ecosystems because of its unique combination of heights and depths. This oval-shaped high glacial basin is situated at an altitude of over 4000 meters surrounded by a ring of mountains-the Annapurna Himalayan range, most of which are above 7000 meters including two eight thousand: Annapurna (8,091m/26,546ft) and Dhaulagiri (8,167m/26,796ft). Annapurna Sanctuary is also a natural amphitheater and has been sacred to the local people for centuries. The entire sanctuary was held as sacred to the Gurung tribe, one of the many native inhabitants of the area.
Our Annapurna Base Camp trek starts at Nayapul, about an hour scenic drive from Pokhara. We continue our trek towards the west trail from Birethanti, followed by trails that lead to Tikhedhunga and Ghorepani. Early next morning, our guide will wake you up to hike to Poonhill, the popular viewpoint where you can enjoy panoramic views of the 32 snow-capped mountains that comprise the Annapurna Himalayan range. The views at sunrise from Poonhill are simply stunning. We then trek towards Chhomrong and commence our journey into the Annapurna Sanctuary and further to Annapurna Base Camp.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival
Day 2 Pokhara
Day 3 Drive to Dhampus and Trek Pritam Deurali (4 - 6 hours)
Day 3 Climb to Landruk (6 hrs / 2,800 m)
Day 4 Trek to Chhomroong (5 hrs / 2,100 m)
Day 5 Trek to Dovan (2,400 m / 6 hrs)
Day 6 Climb to Machhapucchre Base Camp (5 hrs / 3,300 m)
Day 7 MPC/ Annapurna Base camp / Bamboo (6 hrs)
Day 8 Bamboo / Chomrong
Day 9 Chomrong / Ghandruk Day 10 Ghandruk to Pokhara(Drive)
Day 11 Rest Pokhara
Day 12 Pokhara to Kathmandu Drive
Day 13 Departure
+ How many in a group?
Min 1 - Max 8
+ When is the best time to trek Annapurna Base Camp?
Spring March - May. Note* - Annapurna region is busy during the month of April.
September - November. October is the busiest month during autumn.
+ Who is this trip for?
Adventure is for 18 - 30 years old.
+ Can I request another trekking date?
Sure, we would be more than happy to arrange trekkings for your on your prefered date. email us at - namas@namasadventure.com
+ Included in the trip
- Local Sherpa and Guide leaders
- $200 Individual tip pool. * Tip pool will be fairly distributed among all Namas staff
- Arrival hotel in Kathmandu
- All trekking permits (Annapurna Region Permit and TIMS)
- All internal-local transportation to and from the trekking trail head
- Lodge accommodation during the trek
- One porter for 2 trekkers
- Arrival pick up and departure
- Internal flights
- Basic First aid kit
- Welcome/Farewell leave Dinner
+ Not included in the trip
- Meals throughout the trip
- Visas and travel insurance
- Entertainment and food (Kathmandu and Pokhara)
- Bottled drinks and beverages
- Evacuation (will be done in your account)
- Tips (Service Charge in Hotel and Restaurants are included)
- Single supplement Charges
- Laundry, Phone services, Personal expenditure transactions
- Optional trips
- Tea breaks, chocolates or other snacks and any meals beside breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Delay and cancellation because of natural phenomenon
- International flights to Kathmandu
FAQ’S (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
When is the best time to trek Annapurna base camp?
Spring March - May. Note* - Annapurna region gets extremly busy during the month of April from mountaineering expedition teams.
We do not recommend travelling to everest region during the month of June, July or August due to heavy rainfall in Nepal with Monosoon season.
September - November. October is the busiest month during autumn.
How tough/difficult is Annapurna Base Camp trekking?
Annapurna Base Camp is classed as a novice/beginners trekking route. However, you will need to be in a good shape physically (read out training for trekking blog post). If you never have been exposed to high altitude before then elevating slowly is recommended which we follow in all our itineraries. It will be challenging for all novice trekkers but the fitter you are the more you can enjoy the trek and your holiday.
Annapurna Base Camp with helicopter?
Yes, when it comes to helicopter services for Annapurna base camp there are a range of possible options. (For arrangements or more info email us at namas@namasadventure.com)
Annapurna Base Camp alternative/extension treks?
Annapurna base camp being the most famous trail welcomes global travellers all over from the world. You can definitely expect traffic on the normal route. How ever if you happen to choose alternative/extended routes to Poon Hill or Mardi Himal trek for additional 5/6 Days.
Baggage allowance for EBC?
We allow 25kgs of personal weight for this trip
Tips for our guides and porters.
Most of our guest gives tips during the end of the trek. We suggest tips of $100 per person for the whole trip. Your guide leader will fairly distribute the tips among your assistant guides and porters. Guest also donates trekking equipments like jackets, trek poles, gloves or hats to porters which is greatly appreciated. Guest can also buy our porters dinner, during the final day of the trek for all their hard work and for making their trek possible.
Can I see Mt. Annapurna from Base Camp? . . .
Yes, the base camp lies very close and in between the Annapurna massif ranges. You will have 360 views of the mountains.
Contingency Days during Annapurna trek? . . .
We do not have contingency day added in our itinerary and we do not think is necessary as 95% of the time the trek can be completed.
Guides /Sherpas for Annapurna Base camp trek? Ratio : clients. Qualification and level of English? . . .
On this trek, we aim to have max 8 climbers, we have 1 Main guide and other assistant guides. Local guides are a joy to trek with as they will show you the local culture and help you better understand the essence of Nepal and the experience it offers.
Sherpa Guide ratio 1:4. Our Sherpas are NMA (TAAN trained/certified ). Personal Sherpa for 1:1 can be arranged who will be solely responsible for the clients but extra additional charges apply. Our Sherpas have an intermediate level of English. Can understand, reply and instruct very well.
Is Annapurna Base Camp suitable for beginners and what level of fitness do I need? . . .
Yes, Annapurna base camp trek is 100% suitable for all beginner/novice travellers. The peak itself is a non-technical high altitude trek/climbing mountain. There are some uphill and rugged terrains since it is so far away from normal civilisation but anyone with a good level of fitness can complete this trip.
Physically it can be a bit demanding but our as long as you are in a good/average physical condition you will be able to enjoy and complete the trek. On a day expect to walk about 10KM.
How do I know this is the right trip for me? . . .
Ever wanted to see the great Himalayas, trek in one of the most beautiful region, see Everest, challenge yourself to 5300M above sea level, visit Nepal, see the yaks and explore beautiful Nepal. If YES then Annapurna trek is the right trip for you.
How many guides/ Sherpas will be assigned to our group? . . .
For this trek 1:4 Sherpa guides are assigned to our group.
How many in a group? . . .
Min 2 - Max 8
Who is this trip for? . . .
Everyone keen on travelling. 15-17 years old must be accompanied by adults
Who goes to Annapurna Base camp trek? . . .
Traellers from all over the globe with different backgrounds, interest and adventure enthusiast.
Can my friends and family join me on this trek? . . .
Yes, it is possible. Please email us about this and give you relevant informations.
Is it possible to organise a private Annapurna Base Camp trek? . . .
We will be more than happy to organise private trip for you and your group. As long as it is with in the suitable season. Extra cost will apply as we will have to organise a seperate logistical and planning for private request. Please contact our team for any private trips or expeditions.
What fitness/conditioning level is needed for this climb? . . .
You need to have some moderate level of fitness to be able to enjoy and complete the trek. Please expext to carry about 5-10kgs of personal weight and walk 10km a day on uneven surfaces.
How hard is it to complete Annapurna trek? . . .
Annapurna trek is one of the most doable trek. Moderately difficult but anyone with good fitness level will be able to complete the trek. We have 100% success with all our trek departures.
How heavy will my bagpack be? . . .
You will just need to carry your personal items and most of your heavy gears are carried by our porter team. Your personal pack will be 5-10kgs
How do you I train for a trip like this? . . .
You can train by focusing mostly on your endurance as you be hiking daily 6 hours on average. Train by running 5 km or walking 1-2 hours 3 to 4 times a week with 5-10kgs.
Which adventure or Mountain climbing trip can I aim for after Annapurna Base Camp? . . .
If you want to explore just trekking adventure then we suggest adding Gokyo on the itinerary or you can go for trek Annapurna Circuit, Everest Base Camp, Upper Mustang some of the world's beautiful trek.
Peak climbing adventure: If you are feeling more adventerous and want to go higher then we suggest beginner/novice level peak climbing trips. Mera Peak 6476M, Island Peak 6189M, Chulu West Peak 6419M.
Click here - Please read our Top 5 peaks for beginner/novice climbers - Nepal.
Hotels and Foods
What sort of hotels do we stay at in the city? . . .
All Namas adventure team stays at the Hotel Manalsu or Tibet in Kathmandu. Arrivals hotels are only 15 minutes walk from the tourist centre of Thamel. Our chosen hotel provides swimming pool, restaurants, spa and massage near by and plenty of local shops near by to buy souviners.
What are the lodges like? Can I have my own room? . . .
Lodges or tea houses we use during trekking days are local Sherpa tea houses. You will love the cultural ambience of the tea houses. Places we book are kept tidy, clean, modern lodges—the best that are available in each village. They are well-known locations to us and we have a good relationship with the lodge owners. Private rooms can be booked at additional cost. Our standard trips are based on shared rooms, usually twin-share and sometimes triple-share. On the mountain you will share a tent with one, or sometimes two other climbers.
How many nights in small houses on the way, are those heated? . . .
Once we arrive in all the way to Landruk we will be sleeping in Tea houses. Almost all the houses in every trekking routes of Nepal are built the same way. The Dining hall is warm and heated but all the rooms aren't so once we are in our rooms we will have to depend on our clothes, blankets and sleeping bags to keep our self warm.
Will Showers and laundry be available? . . .
On our trekking days tea houses we stay will offer hot showers and laundry services for a small fee.
Is foods included in our booking fees? . . .
This trip is all-inclusive. Breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as ample hot and cold drinks during trek and expedition days are included. We can cater for vegetarians as well as many other special diets as long as we are informed of this prior to the trip.
What are the food like? . . .
During the trekking days in tea houses mostly foods are prepared according to your choice in the menu. Rice and Lentils (Dal bhat being the famous diet) to pasta, soups, pizza, mash potato, dumplings etc.
Mostly Rice/lentils/veg/ pasta for cooked foods and freezed dried foods, chocolate/energy bars, biscuits, hydration tablets. We will have varieties of freezed dried foods (chicken, veg, spaghetti etc ) which are specially made for expeditions.
Will you provide all the equipment to produce drinking water? . . .
Bottled waters can be bought everywhere. Boiled waters are also available on the lodges. Or we would recommend bringing your own water treatment kit or filtered water bottle. (Lifestraw filtered bottles). Water Treatment: Iodine tablets (Potable Aqua or similar) or iodine crystals (Polar Pure)
Visa Informations / Flights / Pre and post climb
What is the best way to get to Nepal? . . .
You will need to search for flights to Kathmandu Tribhuvan Intn'l airport. Regular flights operate into Kathmandu via Bangkok, Doha, Dubai, Trukey, Hong Kong, Singapore and Delhi.
Do I need to get a visa for Nepal? . . .
Yes. For most nationalities, a visa can be obtained on-arrival into Kathmandu airport or border entry points or can be issued prior through an Nepalese embassies or consulated abroad. Upon arrival, be sure to have the correct USD amount in cash for your visa application and photos can be take through the kiosk machine available at the airport. Currently, a 40-day visa costs $40 and 90-day visa costs US$100. Please dp make sure that your passport has at least six months validity.
Do I need to arrive the day before the trip starts? And when should I book my flight to leave? . . .
We have got you all covered. All our trip programme itinerary already have an arrival day and a departure day built into them. Please plan to arrive at early hours on Day 1 of the itinerary. If you plan to come early and explore Kathmandu then you are welcome as Kathmandy offers tons of culutral experiences. If you would like a 1-2 days tours please do let us know and we can provide suggestions. Namas Nepal representative will meet and pick you up at the airport and the first of many team briefings will take place on the evening of Day One. Please do not book to depart before the scheduled final trip itinerary day. All the details will also be sent on the final email.
When should I book my ticket? . . .
We recommeend you to book 90-60 days prior to your trip start date to ensure your trip has met the minimum numbers and will operate. If you see a good deal and want to book your flights, then ensure that you can make changes to your ticket or you run the risk of losing it if we do have to cancel the trip. In such situations, we are usually able to help you book on to an alternate departure, either with us or another operator.
Can I get a cheap ticket online? . . .
Yes, please make sure you have a flexible departure date on your ticket. With the nature of our expedition and the places we do are not straight forward as we due to unforseen cisrumstances we might have to add 1-2 days extras to complete our expedition which will lead to extension of our itinerary. In those circumstances you do not want to end up paying extra for your departures.
Where do we meet? Will I be picked up? . . .
As you arrive in Kathmandu, Namas guide or representative will receive you at the airport with our shuttle car/van. If you are arriving before the scheduled trip start date and want to be receiced at airport then please do let us know in advance and we can make the arrangements to pick you up. Or there are airport taxies to help you.
What if I am arriving early or departing late? . . .
Namas team can make necessary arrangements or recommendations should you want to explore more of Nepal. Please do let us know in advance or even to our team in Nepal to help you with these matter.
Climbing Gears and Equipments / Internet / Power
Will you provide clothing and trekking equipment list? . . .
Upon trip inquiry and confirmation email we will email you all the necessary documentation needed, including detailed equipment lists. If you have questions you have after reading through our equipment list you can always reach out to us and we can assist you in preparing for the trip as well as recommending and sourcing a range of clothing and equipment suitable for the climb. Our list are prepared with recommendation from our past trip experiences.
Do I really need all the gears provided on the list? . . .
Yes, these lists have been carefully prepared and please bring everything on the list!
How heavy will my bagpack be? . . .
You will need to carry your personal items with you which we estimate will be around 8-10 kgs. All your other luggages will be carried by our porter team.
What type of sleeping bag is recommended for Annapurna trek? Will extra blankets available if required? . . .
3 to 4 season goose downfilled sleeping bag that can handle upto -20C is recommended. This will be clearly stated in your recommended gear list but for the trip. We suggest buying a sleeping bag big enough to allow you to wear extra clothes in if it is especially cold .
What high altitude medication will be available during the trip? Do we need to take tablets before/ during the trek? . . .
All our guides carry extensive medical kits including various medications for altitude illness. If you have a previous history of altitude illness then please discuss this with us and your physician, otherwise there is no need to take preventative medication before or during your trek.
You need to bring any medications you regularly use (don’t forget to tell us about them), plus extras. Also bring a small first aid kit including a blister kit and mild headache medication for the normal altitude headaches.
Is there internet throughout the expedition? . . .
Once you get hold of local Nepalese sim card, internet can be accessed throughout the trail all the way to some areas of Gorakshep village. Internet speed wont be as reliable once we go higher but we can expect some internet coverage.
Will there be any power source for charging batteries, etc. available throughout the trip? . . .
While on trek, tea houses will also have power available with with Asian plugs (needed) and offer recharging for a fee.
What is the best equipment for photography in alpine environments? . . .
As camera technology is changing and getting smaller and better, we recommed light and durable cameras for photography. If you are a serious photographer then you will have your preferences on camera gears but just for enthusiast to record and document your memory mirrorless cameras from SONY, Cannon and small action camera like gopro or insta 360 are recommended. Drone is gaining its popularity but please ask us information for drone use rules and regulation. For safety reason Nepal is very stict with drone use and we do not want it to be a hassle during our expedition days.
Insurance
What insurance do we need to get? . . .
Insurances are mandatory in all our trips, there is a requirement for each expedition member to have insurance to cover any personal or medical mishaps that may occur before or during the expedition. [Click here for more information on expedition insurance.][2]
Do I need evacuation insurance? . . .
Yes, it is very important and a must. Many of our treks are in remote places with no roads and third world medical services. In an unlikely event scenario, we would want you to be evacuated asap and get you the right medical attention. Upon evacuation travellers will cover the cost when in Nepal. Evacuated travellers should ask for a receipt from the heli services and also issue letter from hospital confirming its legitimacy and ask for the refund from their insurance provider.
Who do you recommend for insurance? . . .
Insurances varies on your nationality but there are a handful of insurances that cover most of the countries especially for trekking in Nepal. [Please click the link here][2], we have a list of recommended insurance providers that we tust and which our clients have previously used.
What is Trip Cancellation Insurance? . . .
For very unknown and unforeseen circumstances you may be forced to cancel their trips for reasons such as family illness, injury to one’s self, business issues, etc. In times like this you want to have a peace of mind protecting your investments on trips, flight tickets. So trip cancellation insurnace should gurantee protection of your money that you have paid for.
