Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas

Tripoto
8th Oct 2021
Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

The Annapurna base camp (ABC) and Everest base camp (EBC) are two popular treks in Nepal. If one is scouting for a 10 day trek in the Greater Himalayan range, the Annapurna base camp would be the most fulfilling of choices. People who have done both treks have said that ABC is far more beautiful owing to the shifting landscape and terrain that is trekked.

The trek to the base camp nestled at a height of 4,130m (13,550 ft) offers a panoramic view of 7 peaks in the Annapurna massifs, namely, Annapurna - I (8091 metres), Annapurna - II (7937 metres), Annapurna - III (7555 metres), Annapurna - IV (7525 metres), Gangapurna (7455 metres), Annapurna South (7219 metres) and Machapuchare (6997 metres).

View of the trekking path and the mountains from a tea house at Chhomrong

Photo of Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Annapurna, Nepal by Vignesh Venkat

Best time to trek:

March to May (Spring) - If snow and wild rhododendrons in bloom are your captivation, this would be the apt time as there is snow in the base camp and view of the peaks all bathed in snow would be remarkable. The weather though is unpredictable (some rains) and there are more chances of the peaks being covered in a blanket of clouds.

Mid September to Mid December (Autumn) - If lush forests and perfect unobstructed views of the peaks are your priority, this period would be a good choice. Rains have just stopped, the forest foliage is dense with lush greenery, cascading waterfalls at many turns & the mighty peaks are visible in all their glory throughout the path.

Happiness comes in rushes!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

A view of Annapurna South from Ghandruk

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Time out!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Cold, crisp air and the break of dawn!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

A tea house in Lower Sinuwa

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

With all the walking, snooze sets in before you count to three

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Kids playing kitchen!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. — Albert Einstein

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Frigid, crystal clear streams and cascading waterfalls dot the path!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Trek distance, difficulty level & trip duration:

Moderate-difficult trek of approximately 68 Kms requiring at least a decent level of fitness. Many sections are steep, so be prepared for some sweat and to walk 7 - 8 hours each day.

The trek portion alone requires a bare minimum of 8 days (10 days would be ideal so as to not rush it). In addition to this, you would need 1 extra day in Pokhara and 2 days in Kathmandu (one day on your way to Pokhara and one on your return) before taking your flight out from Nepal.

Visa & Currency:

Nepal does not require a visa for Indians. A central government issued ID card would suffice if entering the country by road. If entering by flight though, a Passport is mandated (Voter ID alone being the alternative to a passport). To avoid any hassle, a passport would be a better choice.

Indian currency is accepted at all shops throughout the Country. ATM's are mainly available in the city. Cash therefore is still king. 1 INR fetches you a pegged rate of 1.60 NPR.

How to get there & duration:

Pokhara, a quaint city is the gateway to the Annapurna conservation area. There are quite a number of flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara (Buddha air and Yeti air being the dominant domestic players) with a one way ticket costing around 3000 INR. Travel time is 30 minutes as opposed to an uncomfortable bus ride (750 - 1200 INR depending on the bus luxury) of approximately 7 - 8 hours across neither scenic nor good roads.

It has to be kept in mind that these being smaller planes, schedules are totally dependent on the local climatic conditions and delays are to be expected. A suggestible option would be to reach Pokhara a day earlier, thus providing a buffer day and also time to shop for trek necessities in the umpteen shops dotting 'Lakeside road'.

Booking the Trek:

* On your own - One needs to have a (1) Trekking permit and, (2) TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) permit. Both these permits can be obtained directly in 15 minutes by visiting the Nepal Tourism Board office at Kathmandu or Pokhara. Its fairly simple and all that's required is a copy of your passport, 4 passport size photos, travel insurance and a trek itinerary. Trekking permit costs 625 INR and the TIMS permit costs 375 INR.

This being a popular route, a guide is not required. Just take a private taxi (Approx. 1200 INR) or a bus (200 INR) from Pokhara to Nayapul (or Birethanti) from where the trek commences and follow other trekkers / ask the super friendly locals for directions as you go along. There are signboards in each village and very low chances of getting lost. Stay for the night can be booked upon arrival at the tea houses (Peak seasons however are tricky since the tea houses would be running full. The owners were reciting stories of pre-covid peak times where trekkers were happy to sleep even under the dining table). You can factor in an average cost of 2000 INR per day towards stay, tea, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

** Porter & Guide (optional): You can hire them in Pokhara and their cost would be an all inclusive approximation of 700 INR per person per day.

* Guided trek booked through travel portals - Indian Travel companies such as www.indiahikes.com and www.thrillophilia.com are predominant players. Group size would be 2 - 6 persons. Approximate cost of an 8 - 10 day trek (including permit fee, guide, porter, stay and 3 meals per day) commencing from Pokhara would be around 28,000 - 33,000 Inr. There would be an additional charge of approx. 5000 INR in case you wish to offload your backpack entirely to the porter. The guide and porter do expect a tip at the end (Approx. 1,500 and 1,000 Inr respectively). Permits, return transport to Pokhara, stay and food are all organized by these companies saving you the hassle.

The ABC trek permit

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Insurance:

This being a high altitude trek across steep mountainous terrain, It would be prudent to insure oneself appropriately. There are regular cases of trekkers either developing altitude sickness or suffering an injury and needing to be taken down urgently. Altitude sickness also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) should not be taken lightly. It affects people differently and can have severe consequences if not handled correctly. The only solution to AMS is to descend to a lower altitude. If an incident or injury does take place, there are only two options - helicopter evacuation (costing upwards of 1,00,000 INR) or walking down the mountain.

Most (if not all) Indian mainstream insurance companies have an exclusion clause in their fine print pertaining to "mountaineering (where ropes or guides are customarily used)". This trek does not have a mandatory guide requirement but the word "customarily" mentioned in the fine print can play havoc at the time of claim (if any).

Bajaj Finserv has a stand alone "Trek cover" & "Adventure cover" (without air evacuation). On the other hand, companies such as www.asc360.com and www.worldnomads.com primarily provide insurance for adventure activities including air evacuation (at higher premiums of course). Therefore, do spend some time on research and check with the insurer before finalizing a policy.

Majestic Annapurna - I (8091 metres) in all her glory taken from the base camp!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Trek essentials:

This would require a detailed write up of its own. However, I'm listing out the definite essentials that ought to form your backpack. My backpack weight came to 9 Kgs and I could carry it without porter assistance.

Clothes - Detachable hiking pants, Trekking t-shirts, Rain jacket with fleece lining, Down jacket (choose your thickness based on the season of travel. In October, a thinner down jacket is sufficient since you'd be carrying thermals), Face buff (prevents hacking cough that develops in the higher altitudes), Thermal top and bottom (Around 1200 - 1500 INR in Kathmandu / Pokhara), Beanie, Gloves, Regular socks, Woolen socks (night), Microfiber towel (Tea houses do not provide towels). [In the higher mountains, it is absolutely necessary to cover yourself and stay warm].

Others - 60 liter backpack, Trekking shoes that come with ankle protection, Backpack rain cover, Poncho, Reusable water bottles (1L x 2), Trekking pole (Bamboo sticks can be picked up during the trek) which is definitely helpful on your way down, Sunglasses, Sleeping bag liner, Toiletries (Sunscreen, lip balm, moisturizer, etc), First-aid kit, Diamox tablets for Altitude sickness and an optional sleeping bag liner (Tea houses provide thick washed blankets. But, as you go higher up in the mountains, regular washing / drying cannot be expected. If you are particular about this issue, a sleeping bag liner can be used to come between you and the blanket).

Potable water - Rivers are considered sacred in the country and are kept clean. Treated water can be purchased at the tea houses at 100 - 150 NPR. The second option would be to carry a portable water purifier (Steripen) or a water bottle which has a filter screen (Sawyer) from home. The third option would be to pop water purification tablets that are available at all shops (the annoying thing is you'd have to wait for 30 minutes after dissolving the tablets).

The items listed above can be purchased in Pokhara and need not necessarily be carried from home. It's affordable and they have a wide variety when it comes to trekking essentials. If you do not have a regular use for a 'down jacket', you could rather rent it from these shops instead of buying one (rental would be approx Rs.1,000 for 10 days).

Food:

All tea houses have more or less a similar menu comprising Pizza, pasta, eggs & toast combos, fried rice, etc. Prices are fixed by the local village council and tends to get expensive as you go higher up. A slightly more expensive option would be the traditional Dhal Bhat (Rice, lentils, potatoes and pappad) with unlimited refills. After an arduous trek, don't shy away from asking for extra servings.

Staple dhal bhat with potatoes and pappad!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Highly potent millet wine that is made in tea houses. A must try!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Mobile Coverage / Wi-Fi connectivity:

Ncell (Private) and Nepal telecom (State) are the main players. Do get a prepaid sim from Nepal Telecom for better coverage and connectivity. Ncell loses coverage as you go higher up the mountains and is not suited. All tea houses offer Wi-Fi (average cost of 125 INR per day).

Trek route / Itinerary:

There are different treks that commence from Nayapul / Nayapool leading to four destinations, namely, (a) Poonhill, (b) Khopra Danda, (c) Hidden lake (temporarily stopped) and (d) Annapurna Base Camp. The itinerary given below is for the Annapurna base camp involving a daily trek of 7 - 8 hours each day.

Trek routes commencing from Nayapool (The word 'Nayapool' is covered by the red flower)

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Day 1 : Arrive in Pokhara. Soak in the city and shop for travel essentials.

Day 2 : Pokhara to Nayapool by taxi / bus early in the morning. Trek commences --> Nayapool - Birethanti - Saulibazar - Kimiche - Ghandruk. Stay the night at Ghandruk.

Day 3 : Ghandruk - Komrong - Kimrong - Chhomrong - Sinuwa. Stay at lower Sinuwa.

Day 4 : Lower Sinuwa - Upper Sinuwa - Bamboo - Dovan - Himalaya. Stay overnight at Himalaya.

Day 5 : Himalaya - Deurali - Macchapuchare base camp (MBC). Stay overnight at MBC and enjoy stunning views of Macchapuchare and the surrounding giants.

Day 6 : Macchapuchare base camp - Annapurna base camp (ABC). Trek distance - 2 to 2.30 hours. Stay at ABC to take a stroll and catch a stunning sunset and a spectacular sunrise.

Day 7 : Descent --> ABC - Himalaya

Day 8 : Himalaya - Chhomrong

Day 9 : Chhomrong - Jhinu hot spring - Landruk - Saulibazar - Nayapool. Trek ends. Catch a taxi / bus back to Pokhara.

Day 10 : Fly out to Kathmandu

View of Macchapuchare (Fishtail peak)

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

The golden glint of Macchapuchare taken from Annapurna base camp

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Leave the road, take the trails!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

The peak of Annapurna South shrouded in clouds

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Sunset at 3700 metres

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

Winding valley views!

Photo of Annapurana Base Camp trek - All you need to know - A 10 day saga in the mighty Himalayas by Vignesh Venkat

This trek has been one of the most enthralling experience by far and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in search of goosebumps.

Have a wonderful trip! :)