Annapurna Base Camp Trek (12 Days) — Kathmandu to Kathmandu, Nepal

Annapurna Base Camp Trek — 12-Day Itinerary (Kathmandu to Kathmandu)

Route: Kathmandu — Pokhara — Nayapul — Ghandruk — Chhomrong — Bamboo — Deurali — Machhapuchhre Base Camp — Annapurna Base Camp — Bamboo — Jhinu Danda — Nayapul — Pokhara — Kathmandu

Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu (1,400m) — Orientation & Permit Preparation

• Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) and private transfer to hotel in Thamel.
• Afternoon reserved for permit processing — your guide will coordinate the TIMS Card and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). Both are required before the trek departs Pokhara.
• Evening trek briefing: 12-day route overview, altitude profile, tea-house logistics, what to expect above 3,700m on Days 6–7, and packing recommendations for the trail.
• Optional early-evening walk around Thamel — gear shops, restaurants, and currency exchange are all within walking distance of most Kathmandu hotels if any last-minute items are needed.
• Overnight: Hotel Amaryllis or similar, Kathmandu
• Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Drive to Pokhara (820m)

Drive: ~6–7 hours by tourist bus or ~25 minutes by domestic flight

• Morning departure for Pokhara (820m) — Nepal's second city and the gateway to the entire Annapurna region. The overland route follows the Prithvi Highway west through the Trishuli and Marsyangdi river valleys; the flight option offers a scenic approach with Himalayan views on the starboard side in clear conditions.
• Afternoon free in Pokhara. An evening walk along the Phewa Lake promenade is recommended — from the lakefront, on clear evenings, the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre massifs are visible above the city, their snow-capped summits reflecting on the water. This is the best preview of what waits at the top of the route.
• Final gear check before the trek begins tomorrow. Pokhara has the best selection of trekking equipment outside Kathmandu — last opportunity to hire poles, pick up a sleeping bag liner, or replace worn boots.
• Overnight: Hotel Celestyinn or similar, Pokhara
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3: Drive to Nayapul — Trek to Ghandruk (1,940m)

Drive: ~1.5 hours | Trek: ~10–12 km | 5–6 hours | Altitude gain: ~870m from Nayapul

• Early morning drive from Pokhara to Nayapul (1,070m) — the roadhead from which the Annapurna Base Camp route begins on foot. The drive west along the Modi Khola corridor takes roughly 1.5 hours through scattered market towns and paddy fields, with the Annapurna South wall increasingly visible ahead.
• The trek climbs steadily through terraced fields, oak and rhododendron forest, and a succession of small Gurung and Magar settlements before reaching the Gurung village of Ghandruk (1,940m) — one of the largest and best-preserved traditional communities in the Annapurna region. Stone-paved lanes, slate-roofed houses, and the extraordinary panorama of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail, 6,993m) and Annapurna South (7,219m) above the village make Ghandruk a destination in its own right.
• Time permitting, a short walk to the Gurung Museum in Ghandruk is worthwhile — a well-curated introduction to the culture, dress, and military history of the Gurung people, many of whom serve or have served as Gurkha soldiers.
• Overnight: Tea house, Ghandruk (1,940m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Trek Ghandruk to Chhomrong (2,170m)

Trek: ~10–12 km | 5–6 hours

• A day of contrasts — the trail descends from Ghandruk through forest to the Kimrong Khola (river crossing), then climbs steeply back up the opposite side of the valley to reach Chhomrong (2,170m). The net altitude gain is modest, but the cumulative up-and-down makes this one of the more physically demanding days on the lower section.
• Throughout the day, views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli (6,441m) to the north become progressively clearer and closer. Chhomrong sits on a broad ridge with an unobstructed view directly into the entrance of the Annapurna Sanctuary — the gorge narrows dramatically ahead, channelled between Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre, with the glacier world visible above.
• Chhomrong is the last significant settlement on the route. There are lodges, hot showers, phone charging facilities, and a small medical post here — useful as a final check-in point before the deeper gorge sections above.
• Overnight: Tea house, Chhomrong (2,170m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Trek Chhomrong to Bamboo (2,310m)

Trek: ~10 km | 4–5 hours

• The trail drops from Chhomrong on a long staircase descent to Chhomrong Khola, then begins the sustained climb into the Modi Khola gorge — the deep, steep-sided canyon that is the only access route into the Annapurna Sanctuary. The valley narrows progressively as altitude is gained, the walls closing in on both sides.
• The environment changes dramatically above the river crossing — dense bamboo and rhododendron forest replaces the open terraced landscape of the lower valley. In spring, rhododendron blooms cover the forest canopy. In autumn, the bamboo groves are golden and the light through the canopy is extraordinary.
• Camp at Bamboo (2,310m) — a cluster of lodges in a clearing in the forest. The atmosphere here is quiet and enclosed; the gorge walls rise steeply on both sides, and the sound of the Modi Khola running below is constant. A good night's rest before the longer altitude days ahead.
• Overnight: Tea house, Bamboo (2,310m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Trek Bamboo to Deurali (3,230m)

Trek: ~10 km | 4–5 hours

• The gorge continues to narrow above Bamboo — the trail passes through Doban and Himalaya Hotel, climbing steadily through bamboo and then into more open alpine scrub as the treeline approaches. The walls of the gorge are dramatic at this section, with waterfalls dropping from the cliffs above on both sides in spring and after monsoon.
• Above Hinku Cave, the trail enters terrain that is susceptible to avalanche activity in winter and early spring — these sections are clearly signed, and your guide will assess conditions and advise on timing for any exposed crossings. By late March and in autumn the risk is minimal.
• Camp at Deurali (3,230m) — a small grouping of lodges at the edge of the open snowfield that leads into the upper Sanctuary. At this altitude, nights are cold and the mountain walls around the camp are close and imposing. First signs of altitude (mild headache, reduced appetite) are common here — report any symptoms to your guide.
• Overnight: Tea house, Deurali (3,230m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Trek Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m) via Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m)

Trek: ~10–12 km | 5–6 hours

• The defining day of the trek. From Deurali the trail climbs out of the gorge and into the open snowfield of the upper Sanctuary — one of the most dramatic landscape transitions anywhere in Nepal. The enclosed, forested gorge of the previous three days gives way suddenly to a vast, open glacial bowl ringed by 7,000m and 8,000m peaks in every direction.
• The first major milestone is Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC, 3,700m) — a cluster of lodges at the base of the iconic Fishtail peak, which rises directly above the camp in an almost vertically tapered silhouette. Machhapuchhre is a sacred peak and has never been climbed; its presence directly above MBC gives the camp a particular atmosphere.
• From MBC the route continues across open snowfield — following cairns in winter, clear path in autumn — to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m). The final approach reveals the full scale of the Sanctuary: the camp sits at the centre of a 360-degree amphitheatre of peaks including Annapurna I (8,091m) — the world's tenth-highest mountain — Annapurna South, Annapurna III, Gangapurna (7,455m), and Hiunchuli. On clear afternoons the light on the surrounding walls turns golden and then crimson as the sun sets.
• Arrive at base camp in time for afternoon tea and acclimatisation before a warm dinner. The sunset and sunrise views from ABC are among the finest anywhere in Nepal trekking.
• Overnight: Tea house, Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Descend from Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo (2,310m)

Trek: ~16–18 km | 6–7 hours

• An early start is recommended to catch the sunrise alpenglow on the Annapurna massif from base camp before descent — one of the most photographed moments in Nepal trekking. The mountains catch the first light while the Sanctuary floor is still in deep shadow; the colour progression from gold to white takes less than fifteen minutes and is not to be missed.
• The descent retraces the route through MBC, back into the gorge at Deurali, and down through Himalaya Hotel and Doban to Bamboo (2,310m). This is the longest day by distance and includes over 1,800m of altitude loss — knees and trekking poles earn their keep on Day 8.
• The descent through the gorge offers a completely different perspective from the ascent — the valley widens below, the vegetation thickens, and the sound of the Modi Khola grows louder as the trail drops back into the forest.
• Overnight: Tea house, Bamboo (2,310m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Trek Bamboo to Jhinu Danda (1,780m)

Trek: ~12–14 km | 5–6 hours

• The trail climbs from Bamboo back through the lower gorge and ascends the long stone staircase to Chhomrong (2,170m) — a reliable lunch stop with the best views on the return route. From Chhomrong, the descent continues down through terraced fields and forest to the riverside settlement of Jhinu Danda (1,780m).
• The reward for the day: natural hot springs on the bank of the Modi Khola just below Jhinu Danda — a 10-minute walk from the lodges. After eight days of trekking and a long descent day, the hot pools are a genuinely welcome luxury. The springs are open until evening and are a highlight of the return leg for almost every group.
• Overnight: Tea house, Jhinu Danda (1,780m)
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Trek to Nayapul — Drive to Pokhara

Trek: ~12 km | 4–5 hours | Drive: ~1.5 hours

• A gentle final trekking day — the trail descends from Jhinu Danda through lower forest and terraced farmland, passing the village of Siwai before joining the road at Nayapul (1,070m). The transition from mountain trail to roadside marks the end of the trekking section.
• Private vehicle from Nayapul back to Pokhara (~1.5 hours). Arrive in time for a late lunch along the lakeside, a hot shower, and an evening to celebrate the completion of the trek.
• Pokhara's Lakeside district offers the best restaurants and café options of the entire trip — a fitting close to ten days on the trail. Farewells, final photos, and a proper meal at a table.
• Overnight: Hotel Celestyinn or similar, Pokhara
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11: Fly Pokhara to Kathmandu — Sightseeing

Flight: ~25 minutes

• Morning domestic flight from Pokhara Airport back to Kathmandu (1,400m). The flight is scenic in clear conditions — the Annapurna and Manaslu ranges are visible from the starboard window on the eastbound routing, offering one final aerial perspective on the terrain just walked.
• Afternoon at leisure in Kathmandu. Optional visits to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), the Boudhanath Stupa, or the medieval squares of Patan — all within easy reach of the main hotel district. The evening is well-suited to souvenir shopping in Thamel, final meals, and an early rest before departure.
• Overnight: Hotel Amaryllis or similar, Kathmandu
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12: Departure from Kathmandu

• After breakfast, private transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) for onward departure. International flights depart throughout the day to Delhi, Dubai, Doha, Bangkok, Singapore, and beyond.
• Meals: Breakfast