- Length
- 9 days
- Highest point
- 4,130 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–May
- Starts
- Nayapul (drive from Pokhara)
- Group size
- 2–12 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
Poon Hill at sunrise, then Annapurna Base Camp — 9 days that hit every highlight of the Annapurna circuit at a pace you will actually enjoy.
- Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m) — glacial amphitheatre surrounded by 3,500 m walls
- 360° close-up views of Annapurna I, Machapuchare, Hiunchuli, and Gangapurna
- Modi Khola gorge — one of Nepal's most dramatic river-valley approaches
- Bamboo and rhododendron forests alive with colour in spring (March–May)
- Machapuchare Base Camp (3,700 m) — the sacred Fish Tail mountain up-close
- Jhinu Danda natural hot springs — perfect trail-tired-leg recovery on descent
- Ghorepani Poon Hill sunrise add-on option on the return leg
- Chhomrong — the largest Gurung village on the trek with spectacular views
The climb, day by day
Day 1Pokhara — Nayapul — Tikhedhunga1,540 m
Drive from Pokhara (820m) to Nayapul (1,070m), the trailhead for the Annapurna Sanctuary. Trek through terraced fields and Gurung villages, crossing the Modi Khola suspension bridge to Birethanti, then climbing through subtropical forest to Tikhedhunga (1,540m).
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani2,860 m
Ascend the famous stone staircase — over 3,000 steps — through rhododendron forest to Ulleri (2,070m), then continue uphill through magnificent forest to the ridge village of Ghorepani (2,860m). Superb views of Dhaulagiri from the ridge.
- Distance
- 13 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3Poon Hill Sunrise — Trek to Tadapani2,610 m
Pre-dawn hike to Poon Hill (3,210m) for the iconic Annapurna sunrise — Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Nilgiri, and Machhapuchhre blazing gold at dawn. Return for breakfast then trek east through dense rhododendron forest to Tadapani (2,610m).
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Tadapani to Chhomrong2,170 m
Descend steeply through forest to the Modi Khola valley floor, then climb up to Chhomrong (2,170m), a large Gurung village that serves as the gateway to the Annapurna Sanctuary. Excellent views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre from the village.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Chhomrong to Bamboo2,310 m
Descend the long stone steps from Chhomrong, cross the Chhomrong Khola, and enter the restricted Annapurna Sanctuary zone. Trek through increasingly lush bamboo and rhododendron forest past Sinuwa to Bamboo (2,310m).
- Distance
- 11 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Bamboo to Deurali3,230 m
Trek deeper into the Sanctuary through dense forest past Himalaya (2,920m) and the ancient glacial terminal moraine at Hinku Cave to Deurali (3,230m). The valley narrows dramatically as towering 7,000m and 8,000m peaks close in on both sides.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Deurali to Machhapuchhre Base Camp3,700 m
Trek above the treeline across the glacier moraine to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m), set in the dramatic amphitheatre at the foot of Fish Tail Mountain. The sacred peak of Machhapuchhre towers above at 6,993m — it has never been climbed.
- Distance
- 7 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8Machhapuchhre BC to Annapurna Base Camp4,130 m
Final climb to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m), the inner sanctum of the Annapurna Sanctuary. Stand at the foot of the towering south face of Annapurna I (8,091m) — the world's 10th highest mountain. 360° panorama of thirteen peaks above 6,000m. Overnight in the sanctuary.
- Distance
- 5 km
- Walking
- 2–3 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9ABC — Jhinu Danda Hot Springs — Pokhara820 m
Early start from ABC to catch the morning alpenglow on the peaks. Descend rapidly through the Sanctuary, passing Bamboo and Chhomrong to Jhinu Danda (1,780m) for a well-deserved soak in the natural hot springs beside the Modi Khola river. Continue to Nayapul and drive back to Pokhara.
- Distance
- 25 km
- Walking
- 7–8 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- –
The price includes
- Government-registered English-speaking trek guide
- Porter (1 porter per 2 trekkers)
- ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area) permit
- TIMS card
- Kathmandu–Pokhara–Kathmandu tourist bus (or flight option at extra cost)
- Pokhara–Nayapul private jeep (both ways)
- All teahouse accommodation throughout
- 3 meals per day on trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Altitude sickness kit and pulse oximeter
- Kathmandu hotel airport transfers
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International flights
- Nepal visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal gear
- Tips
The Annapurna Base Camp trek delivers one of the most spectacular mountain amphitheatres on earth in just 9 days. At 4,130 m, the Annapurna Sanctuary is a glacier-ringed bowl encircled by thirteen peaks over 6,000 m — Annapurna I (8,091 m), Machapuchare (6,993 m, the sacred "Fishtail"), Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, and the South Face of Annapurna, widely considered the most dramatic wall in the Himalaya. No other accessible trek puts you this close to this many high peaks simultaneously.
The approach from Nayapul climbs through the Modi Khola valley past Tikhedhunga's famous stone staircase, through the rhododendron forests of Ghorepani (spectacular in March–April bloom), and up to the Chhomrong ridge — one of the finest viewpoints in the Annapurna region — before entering the sanctuary itself through the narrow Modi Khola gorge. The final ascent to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m) and then ABC is steep but short; the reward at the top is immediate and overwhelming.
After the overnight at ABC and the morning light show on the surrounding peaks, the route descends to Jhinu Danda for a soak in the natural hot springs — one of the best endings to any Himalayan trek.
9 Days, Not 12: Why the Pacing Works
Some ABC operators add 3 extra days for "flexibility." Our 9-day itinerary is deliberately optimised: the altitude gain is gradual enough for proper acclimatisation (maximum gain of 700 m/day), stages are 5–7 hours of active walking (manageable for anyone with regular fitness), and two nights at Chhomrong provide natural acclimatisation before the Sanctuary. Our completion rate on this itinerary is 94% — the highest of any ABC operator we're aware of — because the pacing is right, not because the itinerary is padded with rest days.
Best seasons: October–November and March–May. Start: Pokhara (private jeep to Nayapul included). Max altitude: Annapurna Base Camp 4,130 m.