Annapurna Base Camp, one of the most famous trekking destinations in Nepal, also known as the Annapurna Sanctuary trek brings you close to the 10th highest mountain in the world, the Annapurna I (8091 meters) and Annapurna South (7219 meters) and of course one of the most Iconic mountains of Nepal the Machchapuchhre (6993 meters).
The trail is a decent one, there are sections which are extremely beautiful, but the view from the base camp is absolutely amazing. Regardless of how the trail leading up to the base camp is, the view alone is worth the trip.
This is going to be a descriptive blog about the trails and how to go to the Annapurna Base Camp and what essential information you need to know:
Let’s start!!
First thing first, let’s talk about How to get there?
The Annapurna Sanctuary trek can be done in so many different ways. I will describe the two common routes, the rest of which are a little extensive routes usually done by foreigners with many days to spare.
The primary gateway to Annapurna Base Camp trek is Nayapul, about 2 hour’s drive from Pokhara. A better option would be to get a Microbus to Baglung or Beni early in the morning, rather than to get a microbus to Pokhara and then find another one to Nayapul.
Or else you can take bus to Ghandruk from Pokhara from Hari Chowk or even from Nayapul. Unless you want to start trekking from Nayapul, in that case you can take a direct bus to Nayapul (Micro fare-Nrs 550). From Nayapul you can head off to Ghandruk, which takes about 4-5 hours. To be honest, I don’t recommend you to trek up to Ghandruk! You’ll just have to walk along the road and then follow small stony steps trail from Syaauli Bazar onwards. So basically just get a bus to Ghandruk!
Another option could be going to Landruk and then heading off to Chhomrong from there but, I will get back to it later on. I would suggest Ghandruk-Chhomrong route.
** You can do the longer version from Birethanti to Ghorepani-Ghandruk-Chhomrong route as well. Also, starting from Tatopani in Myagdi.
So here’s an itinerary I would suggest and I will follow this while explaining the rest of the route.
Day 1: Kathmandu-Nayapul-Ghandruk
Day 2: Ghandruk-Chhomrong- Sinuwa
Day 3: Sinuwa-Bamboo-Dovan-Himalaya-Deurali
Day 4: Deurali-MBC-ABC
Day 5: ABC-Deurali-Bamboo-Sinuwa
Day 6: Sinuwa-Jhinu Dada
Day 7: Jhinu Dada to Landruk
Day 8: Landruk-Pokhara or Kathmandu
So, where were we?
Yes! Ghandruk!
Day 2: Ghandruk-Chhomrong- Sinuwa
For those who haven’t been to Ghandruk, it’s quite a nice place. Old traditional houses and a mixture of modern houses blended together in the lower side of the village overlooking a good view of Annapurna South and Machchapuchhre. While you’re there do not forget to roam around the narrow alleys of Ghandruk and of course the Gurung museum! You can wear Gurung dresses and enjoy the cultural festival as well. There are plenty of hotels in Ghandruk price ranging from 500-4000, with Wi-Fi and hot shower in almost every single hotels.
Day 2nd starts with a short descent down to a small river and then a climb up to the Komrong dada. From Komrong dada, you go down steeply to the Komrong river and then again climb steeply for the first half and then gradually for most period of time until you reach Chhomrong. You can stop at the Komrong river for the Lunch, because it’s relative long climb up to the Chhomorong and there’s only one hotel which is almost near to Chhomrong village so it’s better to have the lunch there. Upon reaching Chhomrong, you can refill your stomach yet again before heading off to Sinuwa. A fun descent down to the river and then a descent climb about 1.5 hours will take you to upper Sinuwa, if your energy and legs give in you can stay at the lower Sinuwa as well. There are few hotels in Sinuwa as well so you don’t have to worry at all. At Sinunwa Nrs 1000 nrs a day will be enough! (Alcohol excluded).
Warm yourself with a warm cup of tea and then it’s time to call it a day!
Day 3: Sinuwa-Bamboo-Dovan-Himalaya-Deurali
Start early in the morning, have some Gurung bread and few cups of tea, start your day! Sinuwa Deurali is a long day’s walk, well not that long but it’s fairly good days walk. As you reach Bamboo, you start to see Machchapuchhre towards the right side, just the peak. The trail from Bamboo to Dovan is fun, one of the few trails that I actually liked along the whole route. You do climb on after Himalaya as well, from there it won’t take you very long to reach Deurali. The cost from Deurali onward could rise upto Nrs 1500-1700 per day.
Wildlife watch: If you enjoy the occasional wildlife watch then you can see some Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Monal, Himalayan Langurs along the way, from Bamboo to Himalaya.
Day 4: Deurali-MBC-ABC
The trail from Deurali to ABC is awesome! Finally you get to see the Annapurna III. As you walk for about 20 minutes, you see the most unusual form of Machchapuchhre to the right, which is very hard to identify from there. Also if you are heading off to ABC during the post winter season, you might want to start the day early because there are few places in between Deurali and MBC which is very prone to small scale Avalanche. So it’s better to reach to the other side before the snow starts to melt. MBC is about 1.5-2 hours from Deurali. There are 4 lodges at MBC. You can have your lunch at MBC, while enjoying the stones throw away view of Machchapuchhre. An easy and a gradual climb for about 2 hours will take you to Annapurna Base Camp.
The hotels at the base camp will be visible way before your each that place, almost 45 minutes apart. But the hotel sits beautifully just on the base of the mountain! Almost as if it’s attached to the mountain. The view from the Base Camp itself looks absolutely amazing, offer an excellent 360 degree views of mountains!
Warm yourself with a hot cup of tea and may be a bowl of noodles, and then head off outside to see the majestic sunset of the Annapurna Base Camp.
I don’t need to go on about those stuff, you guys know that better than me!
Day 5: ABC-Deurali-Bamboo-Sinuwa
After the early morning photos and sunrise views, start descending down to the MBC, it should take less than an hour, from there head off to Duerali. You can eat your lunch at Deurali or if that will be too early for you, you can walk down to Himalaya or even Dovan. You can easily reach Sinuwa by the end of the day.
Day 6: Sinuwa-Jhinu Dada
Remember that I had told you that I’d come back to the whole starting from Landruk part a bit later? This is what I was talking about, so here’s the catch! The reason I suggested the Ghandruk-Chhomrong trek is that, well it’s not much of a reason but what mean is, after you’ve done the crazy Annapurna Base Camp trek and you’re tired as hell and you’re in the mood to relax, in that case you can go to Jhinu Dada and relax in the Hot-Spring there. But if you had started from Landruk instead you’d go to the Hot-Spring at first and then take shower in the hot water of Ghandruk. Well you might as well have gone back the same way as well but I’m just giving options here with probable valid reasons! Well that’s completely up to you thought!
So then, you start from Sinuwa in the morning, drop down to the river cross a bridge and then climb a long way to the top to the Village of Chhomrong and then descend down to the Jhinu dada. There’s a Hot-Spring at Jhinu dada where you can go relax and then either stay there or walk down to Landruk, you could definitely reach Landurk but it would a long days walk so I’d recommend staying at Jhinu dada that day or dropping down to the New Bridge (A village just below Jhinu dada) so that the next day you can reach Landruk and head off to Pokhara.
Day 7: Jhinu Dada to Landruk
But let’s just say that you have enough time and then you’d want to stay at Landruk too. In that case, you can stay at Jhinu dada on the 6th day and then head off to Landruk. From Jhinu dada, you descend down steeply to the settlement of new bridge and from there just a flat trail for about 10 minutes and then a short climb up to Landruk. Landruk is similar to Gandruk, less crowded, similar view of the mountains, if you feel like you’d have enough of the trek and want to head home, you can take the jeep and head home the same day. But if you feel like staying and enjoying your last day of the trip at Landruk you might as well stay there!
Day 8: Landruk-Pokhara or Kathmandu
From Landruk you can take Jeep to Pokhara, either stay in Pokhara or head off to Kathmandu, that you can decide on your own! To be honest, I have no idea about fare of the jeep from Landruk to Pokhara, because I didn’t take the jeep, I went to Pitam Deurali and then to Australian Camp and then to Kaadey and then went back to Pokhara!
Regarding phone networks and charging points, you will get phone networks up to Deurali. There’s a small tower on the last hotel, as we go towards MBC. Below that point, there’s no problem with phone networks. And regarding charging, there’s electricity up to MBC so no problem with that either
Happy trekking guys!! And please don’t throw plastics or any rubbish on the trails!!
Hotels and Phone numbers:
Kalpana Guest House- Chhomrong: 9846086194, 9746007618
Shangri-la Guest House- Deurali: 9746041597, 061-696482
Photos
Early morning view from Landruk
Foreigners resting on one of the Tea-Houses
Hitting the trails
Stopping to admire the beauty
Machchapuchhre Base Camp 
Machchapuchhre in the background (Doesn’t look like it right?)
The Amazing Annapurna Base Camp
Lodges at the base of Annapurna
View point
The golden light of the sun hits the Annapurna South
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