Annapurna Base Camp Lodge Trek

You will be trekking along the southern slopes of the Annapurna Himal offering dramatic close-up views of either the Annapurna range or the Dhaulagiri range. The reward to effort ratio is higher on this trek than any other Nepal trek. Our goal is the glacier-covered amphitheater of the 4200 m Annapurna Sanctuary. Here you will be ringed by the peaks of the Annapurna Himal including Annapurna I and the “Fishtail” peak of Machhapuchhare. You return to Pokhara by way of Birethanti. The 10-days trek is non-technical and suitable for anyone in good shape who likes to hike over mountain trail and stay at rustic lodges.

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
Day 03: Fly To Pokhara & Trek to Tolkla
Day 04: Trek Chomrong (2 170 m)
Day 05: Rest day Chomrong (2 210 m)
Day 06: Trek Dovan (2 500 m)
Day 07: Trek Deurali (3 140 m)
Day 08: Trek Annapurna Base Camp (4 130 m)
Day 09: Trek Bamboo (2 310 m)
Day 10: Trek Jhinudanda (1 780 m)
Day 11: Trek Birethanti and transfer to Pokhara (620 m)
Day 12: Sightseeing in Pokhara & Fly Back To Kathmandu (evening flight)
Day 13: Fly Back Home

Nepal is like not home. It is exotic, it is wonderful, but it is also different. Great elevation changes, differences in customs and language, menu variations, lodge limitations, and the many other mysteries and wonders of travel in Nepal are all conditions you must be physically and mentally prepared for. The itinerary may change. You may meet unknown hardships as well as unexpected pleasures. Come with an open mind and positive spirit.

For those of you new to trekking, you have a wonderful experience in store. Trekking is walking, generally on good trails, usually up and down (sometimes 900 m a day), carrying only a day pack, through magnificent scenery. The day starts early, and often the bulk of the day’s kilometers are covered in morning hours. The shorter afternoon hike brings you to the site of the lodge to be used that night.

You should be in good physical shape for this trip and feel comfortable hiking seven to twelve miles per day on a trail while carrying a day pack of about ten pounds. In general this is a moderate trek but with several long strenuous days. While the trip has been designed to gradually acclimatize you to altitude, two of our lodges will be above 3 300 m and our highest lodge will be at 3 700 m. One rest day is planned. Trails are often steep in Nepal and at 3 000 m any hiking can seem strenuous. On some days altitude gains and losses of up to 900 m can be expected. Strengthen your knee muscles and prepare for several days of steep descents of anywhere up to 900 m.

A program of cardiovascular conditioning such as running, swimming, biking or aerobics is essential, but try to supplement your exercise with hiking on steep hills or running up and down steps. The more you can condition by closely simulating the activities of trekking, the better off you will be. While the trip is rated as moderate overall, several days will be strenuous, and good conditioning is essential to your enjoyment of the trek.

The pace on the trek that will be leisurely and unregimented. You are encouraged to walk by yourself or in small groups. Take time to visit local houses and temples, share a cup of tea or rakshi with our porters and the locals in the many chiyaa houses. Pursue interests in photography, bird-watching and botany, and sample the culture of the area you are traveling through.

Remember that, the latitude of Nepal is between 26 °C and 30 °CN so it will warm at the lower elevations (short and T-shirt) while nights will be cool. For fall trips daytime temperatures will be between 10°C and 20°C at the lower elevations and between 5°C and 10°C at our highest elevations. Temperatures at night will in general be cool being mostly between 0°Cand 4°C except for our highest two nights where temperatures of -7°C to -12°C may occur at night. The weather this time of year is generally sunny, although an occasional storm could occur. During winter (December to February) it is about 10°C colder than in Autumn, but most of the time you will enjoy clear skies. In January though snow and snowstorms can occur which will make it harder to reach your destination or sometimes present avalanche danger. For spring departure expect temperatures to be 10 degrees hotter than fall trips. At the highest lodge the temperature could drop into – 7°C on spring trips. Spring trips should have most mornings cloudless, but during the afternoon clouds start to build up and occasionally lead to short spectacular thunder storms in the late afternoon or evening -sometimes with hail.

Should anyone have altitude problems at our highest lodge at 3 700 m, it will be possible to drop down to either 3 200 m (Deurali) or to 2 900 m (Himalaya). This could be done with one of our guides and a porter on the rest day at our highest lodge instead of proceeding on a day hike into the Sanctuary.

Personal gear will be carried by porters. Porters can carry two members’ duffel bags. Since their load is 25 kg, this means that your duffel cannot exceed twelve kilos. The group will stay in locally owned guest lodges and will receive an insight into family living that isn’t possible for those staying in tents. Additionally, you will enjoy comforts such as Western or Nepali food and beds with foam mattresses. All the guest houses have toilets and cold showers. Some of the guest houses have hot showers available, and few have electric lighting. The main common room of each lodge has charcoal of kerosene heaters-especially nice on cold nights. You will be expected to share a room with one or more persons depending on the number of beds in the room.

This is not a tour where everything can be planned in advance to run like clockwork. You probably won’t experience exactly what is written in the daily itinerary. Often adjustment must be made in the field. We want you to participate in the trip with the clear understanding that things can go wrong. Adventure travel does involve certain risks both emotional and physical. One has to be flexible when traveling in Nepal and have a cheerful attitude.

• Twin-sharing accommodation in a 3 star hotel in Kathmandu & a 3 star hotel in Pokhara.
• All airport transfers; all sightseeing in Kathmandu including guide, vehicle and entry fees for World Heritage Centers.
• Return domestic flight (Ktm-Phk-ktm).
• Trekking gear for our staff & their salary, food and trekking insurance.
• Annapurna Conservation Area fee & TIMS (Trekking Information Management System) card.

• International flights, airport taxes, visa fee for Nepal.
• Personal items, travelling insurance including emergency helicopter rescue/evacuation.
• Trekking gear including sleeping bag, appropriate clothing, meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara except welcome dinner in Kathmandu.
• Cold drinks or bottled/canned beverages including soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and water (bottled or boiled).
• Tipping and expenses of personal nature.