The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is a 13-day route from Kathmandu to the heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary at 4,130 meters. The trail starts from Nayapul near Pokhara and climbs through terraced farmland, Gurung villages, and bamboo forests before entering the glacial amphitheatre surrounded by Annapurna I (8,091m), Annapurna South (7,219m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m), Hiunchuli (6,441m), and Gangapurna (7,455m).
The route follows the Modi Khola valley through Ghandruk (1,940m), Chhomrong (2,170m), and Sinuwa before climbing through dense bamboo forest to Deurali (3,230m). Above the treeline, the valley opens into the Annapurna Sanctuary, a glacial basin ringed by 8,000-meter peaks. Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m) sits in the middle of this amphitheatre with the twin-finned peak of Machhapuchhre directly above.
Sunrise at Annapurna Base Camp is the payoff. The first light hits Annapurna South, then sweeps across the entire sanctuary wall: Hiunchuli, Annapurna I, Gangapurna, and the Annapurna III ridge. The base camp sits on a flat moraine shelf with the south face of Annapurna I towering 4,000 meters directly above. Walking days average 5 to 6 hours on well-maintained trails.
Permits required: Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP, NPR 3,000) and TIMS card, both included in your trek cost. A licensed guide is mandatory in the Annapurna region for all foreign trekkers as of 2023.
For a shorter version of this trek, the Annapurna Base Camp Short Trek reaches the sanctuary in 10 days. For an easier, lower-altitude option with similar scenery, the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek reaches 3,210m in 8 days with Dhaulagiri and Annapurna sunrise views. The Mardi Himal Trek offers a quieter route to Mardi Himal Base Camp (3,900m) in 11 days with Machhapuchhre views.
