12 Days Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Annapurna Base Camp is one of the most famous trekking destinations in Nepal. Annapurna (8,091m/26,545ft) is among the world’s 10th highest mountains. The 12 days Annapurna base camp trek introduces you to a wide variety of the most magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks of the Annapurna Range.
The trek to the Annapurna base camp goes upstream along the Modi Khola to the heart of Sanctuary and is surrounded by the Annapurna conservation Area. You will have a 360-degree panoramic view of mountains including Machhapuchhre North Face, Annapurna South Face and Annapurna I. Surrounded by the beautiful mountains, you will also get to explore the Gurung, Thakali and Manangba villages and know more about their culture.
This itinerary is specially designed for those who are planning to trek Annapurna Base camp in 12 days. The trail will take you through Poon Hill. Poon Hill is the most popular viewpoint for sunrise and sunset in the Annapurna region.
Why 12 Days Annapurna Base Camp Trek?
Annapurna Base Camp, a 12 days trek, is a fantastic opportunity for those people who want to complete this trek in a short time. This route will take you through the Gurung, Thakali and Manangba villages hence, you get to explore their unique culture.
As the trek gradually ascends, you will be able to tackle altitude sickness. You will get a beautiful view of the mountains like Annapurna, Manaslu, Himchuli, Dhaulagiri, etc. during the route. You will also walk through the beautiful rhododendrons, bamboo and oak forests with few settlements.
Journey To Annapurna Base Camp
The journey to Annapurna Base Camp trek for 12 days begins by exploring the beauty of different heritage sites around the Kathmandu valley. We go through a scenic drive to Pokhara and drive towards Nayapul, which is the starting point of our trek. We trek to Tikhedhunga and spend a night. The next day we ascended our trek to Ghorepani. On the next day we trek to Poon Hill for a Sunrise view then head towards Tadapani.
We continue our journey towards Annapurna Base Camp via Chhomrong, Sinuwa, Dovan, Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp. While returning, we trace our way back to Deurali and trek back to Chhomrong. The journey ends with a fantastic drive back to Pokhara. Everything you will encounter on your way will remain a beautiful memory for the rest of your life.
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Detail Itinerary for Annapurna Base Camp in 12 days
Day 1: Arrival to Kathmandu
On your arrival to Kathmandu, our representative will welcome you at the airport and take you to your hotel. You will rest for some time in the hotel and meet your tour guide who will give you the brief plans for your tour.
In the evening, you can stroll around the hotel and try Nepali Cuisine for dinner.
Day 2: Drive to Pokhara
On the first day of your 12 days Annapurna Base Camp trek will drive to Pokhara from Kathmandu. The drive from Kathmandu takes about 6-7 hours. You will travel through the roads surrounded by greenery and rivers.
After you reach Pokhara, you go to your hotels. You can meet your tour guide and prepare for your trek after getting some refreshment at your hotel. You can also have your dinner by the beautiful lake while getting to experience the nightlife of Pokhara.
Day 3: Drive from Pokhara to Nayapul and trekking to Tikhedhunga
You will have a scenic drive from Pokhara to Nayapul, which is about a 1-hour drive from Pokhara. Nayapul is at the altitude of 1070m.
After walking west for 3 hours, we reach Tikhedhunga, which has an elevation of 1540m. You will spend your night in a Tea house, dinner and breakfast are available for you in the tea house.
Day 4: Trek to Ghorepani
The day begins with an early morning hike to Ghorepani. It is at an altitude of 2750m. It takes about 5-6hours walk to reach Ghorepani.
It is one of the essential Gurung settlements and offers excellent views of the Himalayas in the Annapurna range. There you can experience the culture of the local people. You will have an overnight stay in Ghorepani, and all meals are available in the tea house.
Day 5: Trek to Poon Hill and Tadapani
The hike ascends to Poon Hill, where you can get a glimpse of the beautiful sunrise. The hill is at an altitude of 3210m.
Enjoying the Himalayan morning, we drop down to Ghorepani for a lovely Himalayan breakfast before setting off towards the hamlet of Tadapani. The journey to Tadapani is around 6 hours walk with an altitude of 2610m.
Day 6: Trek to Chhomrong
The trail continues from Tadapani to a place called Chhomrong. A beautiful village Chhomrong is located on the lap of the giant Annapurna massif at an altitude of 2250m and takes about 5 hours to reach.
It is a village of Gurung people who treat you with great hospitality. You will spend your night in Chhomrong and have a little experience of living in a Gurung Community.
Day 7: Trek to Chhomrong to Dovan
We resume our trip early in the morning and move towards Dovan via Bamboo as the trail ascends towards the village and reaches Dovan at an altitude of 2600m.
We can see different types of Rhododendron and bamboo forests on our way. The journey takes 6 hours from Chhomrong to Dovan.
Day 8: Trek To Deurali
In the morning, we begin our ascending journey heading towards the hamlet of Deurali for the night. It is at an altitude of 3200m and takes about 4 hours to walk from Dovan.
You move one step closer to Annapurna Base camp conquering the rugged mountain trail. All the meals and accommodation in Deurali are available in Teahouse.
Day 9: Trek To Annapurna Base Camp
At an altitude of 4130m and trekking for 4 hours from Deurali brings us to our final destination. On our way to ABC, we also go through Machhapuchhre Base Camp. The trail continues upwards, on the right path, to the south of the moraine.
The highlight of the trip is it affords us marvelous close-up views of the mountains. We get a superb picture of the near-vertical south face of Annapurna that towers above the Sanctuary to the north-west. Feel free to enjoy the surroundings as we spend the rest of the day in the lap of Annapurna.
Day 10: Trek To Bamboo
Early in the morning we will enjoy the view of sunrise and have a warm breakfast at the Annapurna Base Camp.
Later we retrace our steps to Bamboo from Annapurna base camp. On this day, the trek is downhill, so it shouldn’t be tough.
We will always have the company of the incredible landscape to cheer us up. You will walk for 7-8 hours downwards at an altitude of 2310m.
You can have a pleasant meal in bamboo and spend the night there.
Day 11: Trek to Jhinu to Nayapul and Pokhara
On this day, we descend towards Jhinu Danda. The altitude at Jhinu Danda is 1780m, and it takes 6 hours from bamboo to this place.
Exiting Jhinu Danda, the trail begins its descending run heading towards the hamlet of Matkyu. You will drive back to Pokhara from Matkyu and spend your night in a hotel. You can also visit some pubs if you still wish to enjoy the nightlife in Pokhara.
Day 12: Drive back to Kathmandu
This is the final day of your tour. After having the last breakfast in Pokhara, you will drive back to Kathmandu. As the trip comes to an end you will have a farewell dinner in Kathmandu and go back to your country on the next day.
If you like to explore more of Pokhara then you can also book a flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu. The duration of the flight is only 35min which gives you more time to explore the beauty of Pokhara.
We can organize your tour directly from Kathmandu to the starting point of the trek Nayapul using Bus or Microbus. The journey from Kathmandu to Nayapaul takes about 10 hours by driving.
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What is the main attraction in Annapurna Base Camp?
The trek begins at the low elevations and then follows valley floors gently winding through tropical vegetation, forests, along with waterfalls and stunning views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.
The combination of picturesque farmlands and scattered traditional Gurung villages during the trek to Annapurna Base Camp offers you fantastic scenery. You will get to see the culture and tradition of Gurung in this region, which is very difficult to find elsewhere. The locals in all the places you go are quite hospitable and cheerful.
You may also encounter the variety of endangered species and wild animals like Deer, Wild Goat, Himalayan Thar, Blue Sheep, and so on can be explored on your trek to ABC. You may explore the other endangered bird species and the Giant Vultures besides the scenery.
When would be an excellent time to trek to ABC?
October to November is the beginning of the dry season and is the most appropriate time to visit Nepal. As the Monsoon wrapped up, you will get to experience fresh air, green and lavish views, and clear views on the Himalayan.
The temperature is freezing during late December and January. However, visibility is still excellent. With a smaller number of travelers on the trails, this can be the favored time to visit. But a few treks can get disrupted because of snow.
April to May is the second most prevalent time to visit. The climate is getting hotter, and the visibility is excellent. But the views are not as bright as between October to November.
June to September is the monsoon season. Due to rain and heat, the choices are limited, but you can still trek at this time.
Difficulties During Annapurna Base Camp in 12days
The total length covered by Annapurna Base Camp is around 115 km. You will walk for 9 days out of 12 days except the arrival and the driving days to Pokhara and Kathmandu.
You must walk for 5 to 7 hours to cover the total distance in 9 days. If you are not used to long walks, this trek might be challenging for you. You can go to practice on regular tails starting a month before you go.
There will be several ups and downs during the trek. You will be walking mostly over the stone steps. So, you need to prepare a strong mindset and a healthy body.
Maintain a steady pace of walking. Take small water breaks from time to time. Get knowledge on symptoms and preventive measures of altitude sickness before you go. There is always a risk of altitude sickness above 2500meters.
Finally,
The trek to 12 days Annapurna Base Camp is considerably more comfortable trek than other high altitude treks in Nepal. For those who wish to go on an even more adventurous trip in Annapurna regions can extend their trek to 15 days. You can explore more about different places and have an incredible journey.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the packages.