Annapurna Base Camp Trekking

We will start our trek with a half hour flight to Pokhara. The flight introduces us to the gigantic mountain peaks of Nepal. Right after taking off from Kathmandu we will be greeted by the peaks of Langtang and the Lakpa Dorje Range. Going slightly westward we will see the mountain peaks of the Annapurna Massif and the Dhaulagiri range. We will land at  the Pokhara airport with the view of beautiful blue lakes like Rupa, Begnas and Fewa in the foreground.

A jeep will be waiting for us at Pokhara Airport. We will waste no time and hop into the jeep, which will take us to Ghandruk Fedi. The road from Pokhara to Nayapul is the main road connecting Pokhara with Parbat, Beni and Baglung. Therefore the road is black topped and the ride is comfortable. We will leave the main trail from Nayapul and head on an off road towards Ghandruk Fedi. We will drive through beautiful villages and picturesque fields of rice, barley, millet, potatoes and other vegetables.

The view of mount Machhapuchre from Ghandruk Fedi is stunning. We will carry our luggages and start our trek from Ghandruk Fedi. We will take a short trek to Jhinu Danda today, wherein lies the natural hot water spring. The road leading up to Jhinu is pleasant with the beautiful view of the Landruk village to our right.

We will cross a long and high suspension bridge over Komrong Khola after walking for a short while from Ghandruk Fedi. Another hour of walk takes us to Jhinu Danda. We will unpack our luggage at a guest house there and head 15 minute downwards to the bank of Modi river. Here lies the hot spring of Jhinu. It is believed that bathing at these springs cures people from skin and bone related ailments.

We will spend some time relaxing at the hot water spring in Jhinu and climb back towards Jhinu Danda. We will rest by the fireside for some time and slip into our bed after dinner.

We will start our trek from Jhinu Danda following breakfast. The first part of the trek from Jhinu Danda to the village of Chhomrong is uphill. This uphill trek along paved track takes about one and a half hours. Chhomrong is the largest village in the region and provides a unique blend of the local tradition of the Gurung people with modernity. The traditional houses converted into modern restaurants, eateries, hotels and shops for trekkers and climbers provide a distinct look and vibe to the village.

Chhomrong village is divided into two parts – upper Chhomrong and lower Chhomorong. Once we reach the top of Chhomrong we will climb down towards lower Chhomrong, which lies at the bank of the Chhomrong River. We will cross a suspension bridge over Chhomrong and again take a steep climb up from Chhomrong to the top of the hill. The road ahead moves through dense forests of rhododendron, pine and fir.

Numerous waterfalls are on our way which are often frozen during peak winter. The path from here goes up and down frequently in the canopy of the woods. We will rest at lower Sinuwa for tea and continue our trek. About an hour of trek from lower Sinuwa will take us to upper Sinuwa which will be our abode for the day.

We will start our trek from Sinuwa after early morning breakfast. The settlements are far flung now except for some small clusters of guest houses and homes of the local people. Places like Bamboo, Khuldi Ghar and Dovan provide us welcome respite with hot teas served by the people of the hotel. We will also have our thermos and water flasks filled with hot water during these breaks. The road is steadily upwards and the forest starts to get more deep as we move along. Sunlight is scarce because it is often blocked by the mountains and the canopy.

The view of the deep glacial valley on our right is astounding. The Annapurna Massif projects towards the sky like a magical wall of snow ahead of us. The view of Machhapuchhre (fish tail) from our trekking tail is particularly noteworthy. We will encounter dense bamboo forest after reaching the place known as Bamboo. We will also see pipes used for hydroelectricity projects in Modi river during our trek. We will reach Deurali in the evening and rest at a guest house there.

We will start our trek towards the Annapurna Base Camp today. The first part of the trek up to Himalaya passes through forests which gets sparser as we move along. The road goes up and down a little and can often be slippery. We will rest for some time at Himalaya and take our lunch. We will reach the banks of the Modi river after walking for a short while from Himalaya. There are two route options from here – cross the Modi river and walk along the other bank or walk along the same bank.

The two routes are almost parallel and converge near Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m/ 12,139 ft). However, if you are trekking during peak winter it is better if you walk along the opposite bank because the near bank has risk of avalanche. A narrow passageway between Machhapuchhre and Himchuli mountain is located near Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC). This passageway is the only route towards the Annapurna Base Camp from the valley below.

The Machhapuchhre mountain has never been climbed as the locals hold the mountain sacred and it is considered ominous to climb the peak. The Base Camp is therefore only symbolic and is a resting spot for trekkers on their way to Annapurna Base Camp. The walk from Machhapuchhre Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp takes about one and a half hours (two hours at most).

Deep snow mark our track and if we are trekking during spring we can see Danphe (the national bird of Nepal) in the mountain slopes to our right. Annapurna Base Camp is located in the middle of a small valley like circle formed by mountains like Annapurna, Himchuli, Machhapuchhre, Gangapurna, Annapurna II, Annapurna III and Gandharva Chuli. The rare sight of Machhapuchhre from its northern slope is visible from Annapurna Base Camp. We will rest at a guest house in Annapurna Base Camp for the night.

We will wake up early so that we can catch the first glimpse of the sun rising over the gigantic peaks of the Annapurna Massif. There is a spot at a few minutes walk from Annapurna Base Camp, which provides a stunning view of the mountains including the view of the glacier in the ravine below. The sun lighting over the two fins of Fish Tail mountain provides a view to cherish for a lifetime.

We will come back to our guesthouse after enjoying an early morning spectacle with the mountains. We will begin our return trek after breakfast. The first part of the trek is to the narrow escapeway between Fish Tail and Himchuli mountain. We will go further down from here, walking along the banks of the Modi river, until we reach the small settlement of Bamboo. We will warm ourselves by the fireside in a guest house at bamboo and slide into our bed following dinner.

We will head back towards Jhinu Danda today. Today’s part of the trek is a pleasant downward stroll among the silent woods of the Annapurna Sanctuary. One particular climb – from the base of Chhomrong Khola to Upper Chhomrong – is difficult otherwise today is one of the easiest days of our trek. The view of Chhomrong village on the other hill across the river right after crossing Sinuwa is spectacular.

We will go down to the river through wide stone pavements and again climb up to the top of Chhomrong village, from where Jhinu Danda is clearly visible in the foot of the Modi river on the other side of the hill. We will often come across mule caravan which are the sole means of transport in this region. After reaching Chhomrong, we will begin a forty five minute descent towards Jhinu Danda. We can again go back to the Jhinu hot spring if we are willing and have time to spare. We can see light coming out from the Landruk village in distance during the evening.

We will bid farewell to Jhinu Danda after breakfast and start our trek. The trek is easy and takes us through level hillsides. We will cross the suspension bridge over Kimrong Khola after walking about an hour from Jhinu Danda. The view of the gorging Kimrong Khola below from the suspension bridge is spectacular. We will also see the meeting point of the Kimrong and Modi river from the suspension bridge.

We will rest for tea upon reaching Ghandruk Phedi. The Ghandruk village, which is known for its homestays and beautiful view of the mountains, is located at ten minutes of hike from Ghandruk Phedi. We can explore the village and learn more about the culture of the local Gurung people if we have enough time. We will board a jeep to Pokhara from Ghandruk Phedi. Please note that Jeep might not always be readily available upon return to Ghandruk Phedi from Jhinu Danda. In such cases we might also need to board on a local bus to Pokhara.

We will reach Pokhara after three and hours of drive. We will check into our hotel and walk along the Fewa lakeside. Pokhara is a beautiful tourist town with a vibrant nightlife. We will enjoy a pleasant evening in the lake side and go back to our hotel.

The view of the mountains from Pokhara during sunrise, especially the reflection of fishtail on the Phewa Lake is spectacular. We will wake up early to catch this spectacular sight and board on a tourist bus back to Kathmandu following breakfast. The bus ride is a joy ride along the Prithvi highway which serpents along the banks of the Marsyangdi and Trishuli river for most part. These two rivers are among the main tributaries of the Narayani river, the deepest river in Nepal.

You will see the mid-altitude parts of the Mahabharata range during the ride back. Beautiful classical Nepali villages are seen along both banks of the river during the ride. We will also come across some highway towns like Damauli, Muglin, Gajuri, Malekhu and Naubise. The last part of the highway, just before entering Kathmandu valley, goes up from Naubise to the Nagdhunga Pass like a swirling snake. You will see the wide and clustered Kathmandu valley after entering Nagdhunga Pass. We will transfer you to your hotel after boarding off the bus near the tourist town of Thamel. Our trip ends after you check in to your hotel.