Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
Annapurna Base Camp Trek in the foothills of Annapurna massif is one of the best trekking routes in the world. You can take this spectacular trek any time of the year, but having said that September is one of the best times for this adventure. Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September is the peak time as for most of the trekking in Nepal.
It also marks the end of the monsoon season providing stable and dry weather conditions. Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) located at an altitude of 4130 meters is our ultimate destination. September brings the ideal temperature for trekking which reduces the difficulty of the trek. The green vegetation, colorful wildflowers, and vibrant environment welcome you along the trails.
Since September is in the transition between monsoon and autumn, you can experience some late monsoon showers in the early part of September. However, if you plan your trip in mid and late September, you will have a stable climate and you can observe the beautiful snow-capped mountains in all its glory.
Moreover, this trek in September also allows you to enjoy unobstructed views of other natural beauties of the region. There are various itineraries for this trek in foothills of Annapurna massif. You can add side trips to Poon Hill, Ghorepani and Ghandruk or reduce acclimatization days based on your preference.
Furthermore, we are offering this spectacular trek at a reasonable price. Read further to know more about Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September and other relevant information in detail.
Highlights of the Trip
- Awe-inspiring views of snow-capped mountains of Annapurna region
- Gorgeous Himalayan Sunrise overlooking the snow-capped mountains from Poon Hill Viewpoint
- Spotting and exploring the flora and fauna of Annapurna region
- Exploring the culture, tradition, heritage and lifestyle of the local community
- Relaxing at the Jhinu Danda hot springs
- Incredible hospitality and tasting delicious cuisine of local people
Trekking Route
The Annapurna Base Camp Trek itinerary starts from either Kathmandu or Pokhara. After taking an early morning flight or scenic bus drive along the Prithvi highway you will arrive at the lake city of Pokhara.
After arriving at Pokhara you will drive to Syauli Bazar from where you trek to Ghandruk. In no time, the trek gradually takes you to the settlement of Sinuwa Danda via Chomrong. Also, you can observe the gorgeous Himalayan sunrise overlooking the snow-capped mountains from the viewpoint.
From Sinuwa Danda, you can trek to Deurali and stay in one of the tea houses. After trekking for around 5-6 hours you will arrive at Annapurna Base Camp via Machhapuchhre Base Camp. In fact, ABC located at an altitude of 4130 meters is also the highest point of the trek.
After staying overnight and exploring the camp area, you will trek back to Bamboo. Likewise, we then start our downhill trek from Bamboo, passing through the settlements of Jhinu Danda hot water springs. Thereafter, we will then trek to Kyumi and drive to Pokhara. Thereafter, we will return back to Kathmandu, and celebrate the completion of the trek.
Weather Conditions Along with Annapurna Region In September
September is the first month of the Autumn season which is the peak season of trekking in Nepal. Similarly, the skies are clear in autumn and the spectacular view of the snow-capped mountains is the prime attraction of this trek. However, September is the first month of Autumn so you can still experience some occasional monsoon rain. Hence, this blend of seasons makes this trek in September a unique adventure.
However, it is not as rainy as the monsoon. So, you should carry raincoats and waterproof jackets and trousers. Mid-September is the ideal time to Trek as there are a vibrant atmosphere and cool breezes along the trail. By mid and late September, the monsoon will have subsided and you can trek with ease.
There are few chances of rainfall with clear and suitable weather in the Annapurna Region. Besides, temperatures remain cold during the mornings and the nights, therefore you should pack well with proper winter clothing. Hence, the favorable temperatures throughout the month are ideal for ABC trek.
You will have an exciting and comfortable adventure as the average temperature of the Annapurna Region ranges around 25 degrees Celsius. Also, the days are warm and breezy in September but the temperature can drop to 5 degrees celsius in the morning and night. Therefore, sleeping bags are essential along the trail in this trek.
Difficulties of Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
Annapurna Base Camp Trek is moderately challenging. Some of the difficulties of this trek are as follows:
Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness is a common difficulty in high altitude treks. You should take proper measures to tackle it. Also, alcoholic drinks can cause dehydration which leads to altitude sickness. Usually, the most important aspect of this trek is proper acclimatization and regular hydration throughout the journey.
Rough and rugged terrain
As the trek moves up the altitude, you will pass through rough and off the beaten paths. Likewise, the trail has many twists and turns. Also, the wet conditions in early September will increase the level of difficulty. Therefore you should trek with proper trekking gear and boots to tackle this difficulty.
Occasional showers
September is a blend of two seasons, Autumn and Spring. There might be some monsoon showers in the early parts of the month. So, if you are planning to trek the region in early September, you might face difficulty along the terrain due to light showers. With heavy rains comes slippery trails, landslides, and avalanches which add difficulty in this trek.
Accommodation and meal facilities
If you are planning to trek in mid and late September, you might face difficulty in finding rooms as it is the peak season. You might also need to get in a queue for meals and toilets. However, in early September, you will not face any such issues. Therefore, you should always book your meals and Accommodation facilities in advance.
Why Choose Annapurna Base Camp Trek In September?
Breathtaking views of the mountains
There are clear blue skies and unobstructed views of snow-capped mountains in September. You can observe the glorious views of snow-capped mountains like Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and others. Besides, the September makes the trail vibrant with magical scenarios of a mountain vista, green hills, serene rivers, glacial lakes, and other natural beauty.
Peak trekking season
September is the peak season for trekking and traveling in Nepal. There are incredible routes with scenic views and cool pleasant temperatures. The climatic condition is friendly for trekking in Autumn.
Favorable weather and temperature
The Annapurna region has an ideal temperature in September. The temperature in Autumn is neither too hot and humid like summers or too cold like winters. Similarly, the average temperature ranges around 25 degrees celsius, and there are no heat stokes or freezing conditions along trails.
Peaceful and Quiet trails
September is the peak season for trekking in the Annapurna Region. However, it is not crowded in the early parts of September. Also, the trails are relatively empty in early to mid-September. Overall, trekkers can trek the beautiful landscapes of the Annapurna region in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
Cultural exploration
September is not just a beautiful season naturally, it has significant cultural importance in the Nepalese calendar as well. There are major festivals in Nepal including Dashain and Tihar this month. Therefore, trekkers can go on cultural exploration and celebrate these unique festivals with the locals.
Food and Accommodations – Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
The basic food item you can get in tea houses along the trail in September is “Dal Bhat”. The food choices in cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara are great but it gets limited as you move along the trail.
You can get pizza, burgers, momos, noodles, and other cuisines in some of the tea houses. The Nepalese traditional dish “Dal Bhat” is quite common as it is nutritious and delicious at the same time. It consists of rice, dal (pulses), lentils, vegetables, meat, Gundruk, pickles, and others.
You can buy bottled waters along the trail or carry water purification tablets which you can use to purify water from the tea shops. Beverages like tea, coffee, garlic soup, and others are available along the trail and you can also carry tea bags, and coffee powder to save costs.
ABC trail includes many tea houses and lodges along the terrain. Before the start of the trek, you can stay in hotels, guest houses, or hostels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. You can choose to stay in any of these based on your budget and the total cost of the trek. However, once you start your trek in high altitude conditions there are only tea houses and lodges available.
These accommodations are of basic quality and provide standard facilities of twin sharing rooms, beds, mattresses, Pillow, and a warm blanket. You can get facilities like hot showers, Wi-Fi, electronic charging, and others at an added cost. Also, in early September, you can get single rooms as it is less crowded. You will have to share toilets and dining rooms. You should book the rooms in advance as it can get packed during mid and late September.
Related Trips:
- Annapurna Base Camp Trek 10 Days
- Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking
- Annapurna Circuit Trek
- Short Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September – Detailed Itinerary
Day 01: Fly to Pokhara and drive to Syauli Bazar (1,100 m), Hike to Ghandruk village (1,930 m).
Flight duration: 35 minutes
Maximum altitude: 1,930 m
Trekking hours: 06 hrs
After breakfast, we will take a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Pokhara is a beautiful city of blue lakes, serene waterfalls, ancient caves and provides you magnificent views of snow-capped mountains including Annapurna and Machhapuchhre Himal.
After arriving at Pokhara, you will drive to Syauli Bazar for 2 hours. You will start your trek along stone-paved trails to arrive at the beautiful village settlement of Ghandruk. Ghandruk provides magnificent views of Annapurna peaks and is a community village of the Gurung ethnic group. You will spend the night at a teahouse in Ghandruk.
Day 02: Trek from Ghandruk to Sinuwa Danda (2,355 m) via Chomrong (2,170 m).
Trek duration: 06 hrs
Maximum altitude: 2,355 m
After breakfast early in the morning, we will start trekking from Ghandruk. A short climb on a stone-paved climb will take you to Kimrong Danda, a ridge. Thereafter, a downhill descent into a deep forest will take you to the Kimrong River valley.
You will pass through many terraced farm fields along the trail. You can climb a steep hill to arrive at the village settlement of Chomrong, which is a beautiful village with scenic views of snow-capped mountains.
Moreover, after descending downhill for some time, alongside the Chomrong river, we will take a sharp uphill ascent to arrive at Sinuwa, a high ridge. Trekkers can observe the Annapurna Himalaya range in all its glory from Sinuwa which will make you fall in love with the place. Finally, we will stay overnight at a tea house in Sinuwa.
Day 03: Trek from Sinuwa Danda to Deurali (3,235 m).
Maximum altitude: 3,235 m
Trek duration: 06 hrs
After breakfast, we will start our trek from Sinuwa to Deurali. A forested trail will take you on a winding path with many dense bamboo trees that you need to cross to arrive at Bamboo. Bamboo is a small temporary settlement where you can find many tea houses and lodges.
This scenic settlement remains located at a river gorge. There are many rhododendrons, pines, and bamboo trees along the trail. We will then descend gradually to forested trails from Bamboo to Dovan, near the Modi River gorge. We will then trek to the Himalaya Hotel passing through a large Hinko cave.
Himalaya Hotel is located just below the Annapurna South and Himchuli mountain peaks. Thereafter, we will then continue our trek alongside the Modi River gradually descending to arrive at the Deurali. In short, there are many Alpine bushes and tree lines in Deurali and we spend the night at a teahouse.
Day 04: Trek from Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp height (ABC) (4,130 m).
Maximum altitude: 4,130 m
Trek duration: 06 hrs
We will start our trek after having a sumptuous breakfast. Thereafter, we will continue our trek on the Modi Khola trail to arrive at Machhapuchhre Base Camp in the north face of Machhapuchhre. Later, we explore around Machhapuchhre Base Camp and take incredible pictures before trekking to the Annapurna Base Camp.
Furthermore, we will pass through the Annapurna Sanctuary and can also spot some diverse flora and fauna of the region. We climb an up and down trail that leads us to a huge plateau. We will arrive at the ABC (4,130 m), after trekking for a few hours.
You can observe snow-capped mountain views of Vara-Shikhar, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, and others from the Base Camp. ABC also includes tea houses nearby and you can spend the night at the Base Camp after exploring the area.
Day 05: Trek from Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo (2,345 m)
Maximum altitude: 2,345 m
Trek duration: 06 hrs
After observing a beautiful Himalayan sunrise overlooking the Annapurna range of mountains, we will start our trek. We will pass through incredible scenic landscapes of the region and arrive at bamboo after a trek of around six hours along the tree lines and forest trail. We will stay overnight at a teahouse in Bamboo.
Day 06: Trek to Kyumi via Jhinu village (1,780 m) and drive to Pokhara.
Maximum altitude: 1,780 m
Trek duration: 07 hrs
We will start our trek from Bamboo to Chomrong early after breakfast. Chomrong located on a hill is a small village settlement along a trail. We will continue our trek passing through Jhinu hot water springs where you dip and relax your muscles after a long trekking journey.
After descending alongside the Modi-River, we will arrive at the Kyumi village. Finally, our Annapurna base camp trek comes to an official end as we will drive back to Pokhara and spend overnight at a hotel in Pokhara.
Day 07: Drive or Fly back to Kathmandu and transfer to hotel.
In short, you can take an early morning flight back to Kathmandu or take a scenic drive along the winding roads of the Prithvi Highway. Also, you can stroll around the city, the Thamel area or go shopping. Finally, you can stay overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Factors To Consider On Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
Book your accommodations in advance
Booking all your accommodation facilities is a must on a trek in September. You can book a room for a particular date by contacting the hotel and tea house owners. However, you do not have to worry if you take the services of a trekking agency.
Trekking service book all these facilities on your behalf. In peak season, you might have to share rooms with other trekkers or even sleep in dining halls if you don’t pre-book these accommodations in advance.
Acclimatize well and hydrate regularly
Proper acclimatization at high altitude treks like ABC is a must to tackle altitude sickness. Your guide can help you set acclimatization points along trails. Also, you should also drink a lot of water as dehydration is the main cause of altitude sickness. Hence, trekking at a slow pace with rest in the middle is also essential to tackle altitude sickness.
Moreover, you should not rest completely and keep moving even on acclimatization days. Likewise, you can go on a short hike at nearby hills and explore the surrounding region. So, hydrate regularly, and acclimatize properly in this exciting Annapurna Base Camp trek in September.
Always hire a professional guide
ABC Trek is one of the most popular treks. However, you should hire a professional guide as they will help you with navigation, finding accommodations, bargain, and others. Hence, if you trek solo, you will have to figure it all on your own which can be quite taxing, and difficult.
However, you will have no hassles, if you hire a professional guide. You can also get a local insight into the culture, heritage, and community of local people. A porter carries your load and according to your luggage’s weight. Also, Porter-guides are someone who works as both and can save you money. However, you can get any type of porter you like depending upon your luggage.
Pack light with necessary items
Trekkers need to pack lightly with only those things that are necessary. Similarly, trails of this trek move up and down a lot through rugged terrain and hence you should get a lightweight backpack that is easy to carry.
Trekkers in high altitude conditions should pack sleeping bags and warm clothes as temperatures drop significantly. Hence, proper packing and preparation are essential for the trek.
Train well with mental preparation
ABC Trek requires a basic level of fitness and stamina and you can achieve that through physical and mental preparation. In addition, hiking, cycling, jogging, swimming, are some cardiovascular activities that you can perform at least two weeks before the trek.
Likewise, having a strong mentality and a positive attitude is essential for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September.
Packing List For Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
Clothing
- Long-sleeved Trekking shirts
- Trekking boots
- Short-sleeved Trekking shirts
- Trekking Gloves
- Woolen cap
- Trekking pants and jackets
- Insulating down jackets
- Thermals underwear
- Raincoats
First Aid
- Diamox tablets
- Anti-nausea Medicines
- Band-aids
- Mosquito and insect repellents
Toiletries
- Soap
- Sunscreen
- Moisturizer
- Toilet Paper
- Shampoo
- Hand sanitizer
Accessories
- Cameras
- Sunglasses
- Sleeping bag
- Power Banks
- Solar Chargers
- Local SIM cards
- Water Bottle
- Hot water Thermos
Important Documents
- Passport
- Travel Permits
- Travel Insurance
Tips for Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
- Start your trekking journey early to arrive at your destinations before dark
- Book your meals and accommodations facilities in advance
- Acclimatization with regular hydration is essential
- Carry a water purifier tablets and a refillable water bottle
- A proper training regime is essential to gain basic fitness levels and stamina before the trek
- Carry tea bags, coffee powders to save costs
- Likewise, you can rent trekking equipment in Thamel in Kathmandu
- Carry your sleeping bag and wet wipes for hygiene
- Check weather conditions before starting on the trek
- Also, carry cash in Nepali rupees and be aware of pickpockets
- Carry snacks like protein bars, granola bars, chocolate bars, and others along the trail
Similar articles you may like:
- Everest Base Camp Trek in September
- Annapurna Base Camp Weather September/ October
- High Passes Trek in Nepal
Final Say – Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September
Annapurna Base Camp Trek is an outstanding adventure in Nepal. This trek passes through the beautiful landscapes of the Annapurna region. Similarly, September is one of the best months to take this trek. There are stable weather conditions and favorable temperatures for trekking in September. Contact us for details regarding this incredible Annapurna Base Camp Trek in September and book your trip now!