Annapurna Base Camp Trekking is the ideal example of trekking in Nepal. The elements that allow you to enjoy the best trekking in Nepal experience are all present in this unbelievable trekking journey. Annapurna Base Camp trekking is a mellow trek, and so, it can prove to be the perfect choice for anyone, whether they’re a trekking expert or a first-time trekker. During the trip, you will come across numerous natural and cultural sights that would make you absolutely fall in love with the region. For any trekking enthusiast, it is a must-try trekking based trip.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Annapurna Base Camp trek takes you to the base camp of Mt. Annapurna. It is one of the prominent mountains in Nepal, and Annapurna Base Camp happens to be one of the most splendid viewpoints in the entire country, almost matching an amphitheater, where you’re at the center and in front of you are these majestic peaks. On the trek, you also get to visit Machhapuchhre Base Camp, which happens to be in small proximity from the Annapurna Base Camp. The former one doesn’t just act as a viewpoint, but also, it is treated as a place of accommodation and overnight stay by the trekkers who come for Annapurna Base Camp trek.
Annapurna Base Camp Trekking is the journey that extends for a duration of 12 days. During this time, you cover places such as Chhomrong, Bamboo, Deurali, Jhinu Danda, Nayapul, and so on. All these settlement areas are situated in the lap of nature. In these places, you’re not just offered excellent food and accommodation services, but also, you’re able to enjoy some of the most outstanding views of mountains such as Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Machhapuchhre, Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Nilgiri, Mt. Manaslu, and so on. All of these are prominent peaks of Nepal.
The major attraction of the trek is Annapurna Base Camp. The place also happens to be the highest altitude location of the entire journey. Its elevation is 4130 m. The journey doesn’t take you to a lot of high altitude places. You hardly spend around 3 days above 3000 m, which makes it an ideal trek for individuals who have problems staying in high altitude places. Annapurna Base Camp trekking is a moderate level trek, which makes it an ideal one for people of all age groups, and especially the first time trekkers. Even the trekking experts can go for this amazing journey. They generally tend to have a very relaxing time during this trekking trip.
Yet another significant attraction of the trek is Annapurna Conservation Area. It is the largest and probably the richest protected area in Nepal when it comes to the number of animals, birds, plants, and other creatures that call the area their home. During the trek, you will find different sorts of vegetation. There is also a very high chance for you to come across rare and endangered birds and animal species during the journey. It’s moments like these that make Annapurna Base Camp trekking an absolutely worthwhile trip to go for. You must try it for once.
One of the best things about Annapurna Base Camp trekking is the fact that it can be modified up to a great extent. By simply adding a couple of days to your itinerary, you could cover trekking routes such as the Mardi Himal trek, which happens to be quite identical to the Annapurna Base Camp trekking route in terms of attractions. Also, you can make the trek shorter by avoiding Ghorepani and Poon Hill trekking route. The villages of Ghorepani and Ghandruk happen to be two of the most beautiful villages in the region, and Poon Hill is regarded as the most fantastic viewpoint, offering you a 360-degree view of the hills and peaks from 3210 m.
Why Annapurna Base Camp Trek
There are so many reasons why you’d want to go for Annapurna Base Camp trek. First of all, it takes you close to nature in a way that no other trek does. You make your way through beautiful forests that are laden with flowers such as rhododendron and magnolias most times in a year. During the trek, you’ll get to enjoy the most amazing views of peaks in the Annapurna region. Now, this is the main reason why trekkers generally prefer trekking in the mountains. Apart from these two, you will also come across numerous other natural spectacles during your trip.
Annapurna Base Camp trekking is known not just for the amazing natural attractions, but also the cultural elements that it offers. During the journey, you will cross many villages, and in these places, you will find people belonging to numerous backgrounds and following different cultures. It is an absolute pleasure to get to know them and learn about their lifestyle. You’ll surely love interacting with them. Annapurna Base Camp trekking is a balanced journey overall. These reasons are only the tip of an iceberg. Annapurna Base Camp trekking is an ideal trek option.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost
Quite like any other journey, there are variations when it comes to Annapurna Base Camp trek cost. Overall, the Annapurna Base Camp trek cost can range between $1200 and $2100 per person. The differences in the Annapurna Base Camp trek cost is caused by factors such as the length of the journey, the level of luxury offered during the trek, especially in case of food, accommodation, and other services, the level of remoteness with regards to the places that you visit and so on. But most importantly, the Annapurna Base Camp trek cost depends on the travel agency. Generally, if it’s a local travel agency, based in Nepal, they tend to charge much lower than the international travel agencies that are based in other parts of the world, or the continent.
Now, before you choose an ideal package for your trip, you have to seriously consider your budget. Never compromise with your budget. There are so many travel agencies that tend to offer amazing services at quite a low cost. You’re sure to get surprised. It is recommended that you hire local travel agencies as they don’t just offer warm services, but also it helps support the local economy. As a matter of fact, a lot of trekkers who’ve tried the services offered by both the international and local travel agencies don’t really find much difference between the two kinds.
How Many Days Does It Take To Trek To Annapurna Base Camp
It is crucial for the trekkers to find out the answers to questions like how many days does it take to trek to Annapurna Base Camp. By finding the answers to questions as such, the trekkers are fully aware of the trip. It allows them to prepare for all the challenges that come their way. So, to answer the question, how many days does it take to trek to Annapurna Base Camp, well, it’s a 12 days long journey overall, and during this time, the trekkers walk for around 8 days.
The rest of the time is spent traveling from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back, and Pokhara to Nayapul and back. The trekkers also tend to spend at least an additional day each in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Now, since Annapurna Base Camp trekking doesn’t take the trekkers to high altitude places, the trekkers rarely spend an additional day acclimatizing on the route. While this process is crucial during other trekking journeys, on this one, it’s not as much important. Annapurna Base Camp trek duration can be further increased by adding side treks to the main itinerary. A popular side trek in the region, quite close to this route, is Mardi Himal trek.
Best Season for Annapurna Base Camp Trek
The best season for Annapurna Base Camp trek is between the months of September and November. During this time, the weather is ideal, neither too hot nor too cold. Also, there are almost no clouds in the sky, allowing you to enjoy the most amazing mountain views. If you’re not able to make it during this time, well, the second-best season for Annapurna Base Camp trek is between the months of March and May. The climate profiles of the two seasons are quite similar, however, in the latter case, you might need to compromise with the mountain views.
You can go for Annapurna Base Camp trekking any time of the year. However, make sure to follow the rule of thumb, that is, don’t trek at the time when there’s rainfall and when it’s extremely cold. During these times, it might get quite challenging, not to mention risky, to trek on those uneven routes. The trekkers, as a result, land up having a bad trekking experience, and on top of that, they might also invite a lot of dangers, especially concerning their overall health. For a great trekking experience, make sure to stick to the best season for trekking here.
Annapurna Circuit Trek
If you’re done with Annapurna Base Camp trekking, the next trek you can go for in the Annapurna region can be Annapurna Circuit trek. The journey is a more sophisticated form of Annapurna Base Camp trekking in every way, whether you talk from the perspective of the difficulty level, the trek duration, or something else. Annapurna Circuit trek is a 22 days long journey, and during this time, the trekkers get to cover places such as Dharapani, Jomsom, Manang, Chame, Pisang, and so on. You will come across so many attractions on this trip.
One of the most popular attractions on the trek is Muktinath. It is a temple dedicated to the Hindu God Lord Vishnu. The area is considered significant by not just the Hindus, but also the Buddhists. In the same way, Thorung La is yet another crucial spectacle that you’ll come across on the trek. It is a high altitude mountain pass situated at an elevation of 5416 m. It is only by crossing this pass that you can reach Muktinath. On top of all these, you will get to explore the Annapurna Conservation Area and have outstanding views of the mountains in this region.
Quite like Annapurna Base Camp trekking, this one can also be modified up to a great extent. By only adding a couple of days to your itinerary, you can cover Tilicho Lake, which happens to be one of the highest altitude lakes in the world, and also Tilicho Peak Base Camp. Towards the north of the route, you could explore the valley of Nar and Phu. It is significant for its natural spectacles mainly the Kang La pass and the villages of Nar and Phu. You will come across so many religiously significant elements during this side trek. You should definitely try them out.
Annapurna Trek Difficulty
Annapurna Circuit trek is one of the most demanding treks in Nepal, and so, Annapurna trek difficulty level is marked at strenuous. There are so many factors that make a trekking journey tough. Some of them are high altitude places, extreme and uncertain climate, rough and uneven terrain, long trekking duration, and so on. Annapurna Circuit trekking happens to be a trekking trip that has all these factors, and that is why it is not a child’s play to go for this trek.
Annapurna Circuit trekking takes you to some of the highest altitude settlement areas in Nepal. It is tough to reach these places, and on top of that, it is extremely cold out there. There is always a chance for the trekkers to suffer from common cold, fever, and cough. Also, the higher one goes, the chances of the trekkers suffering from altitude sickness increases. There is nothing that can make the trek even tougher than the tourists suffering from all these conditions. On top of all this, the fact that the trekkers need to walk continuously for 14 to 15 days, with an exception of a maximum 2 days spent to acclimatize, makes the trek even more excruciating.
Annapurna Mountain Facts
A lot of people don’t realize it but Annapurna Mountain is not really a mountain, but a huge massif. Altogether, there are six peaks on this massif.
Annapurna mountain, which is the tenth tallest mountain in the world happens to be the tallest peak on this massif. Annapurna Mountain is also known as Annapurna I, and its height is 8091 m.
The peaks on the Annapurna massif are named Annapurna I, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Annapurna IV, Annapurna South, and Gangapurna. Annapurna South happens to be the shortest one of them all.
Also, this massif is a part of the Annapurna range. Some of the significant mountains that are parts of the Annapurna range are Machhapuchhre, Nilgiri, Hiunchuli, Tilicho, and so on.
Annapurna I is the one that the climbers generally dream to climb. Despite the fact that it is the 10th highest mountain in the world, it happens to be the most dangerous one out there, with a fatality rate of 32%.
The peak was successfully climbed for the first time in the year 1950. Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal were the ones to do so. They belonged to the French expedition team. Annapurna I also happens to be the first 8 thousand to climb successfully.
Till 2012, there had been 191 successful ascents on the mountain. However, 61 deaths have occurred on the peak, either during the ascent or during the descent. The most tragic year, in terms of death, has been 2014. In an avalanche caused by a snowstorm, around 43 people lost their lives on the mountain.
Annapurna Base Camp Trekking can prove to be an ideal trekking journey not just for the first time trekkers but also for the ones who are quite experienced in the field. The trip gives the trekkers a mellowed down feel, allowing them to enjoy every bit of the journey. Annapurna Base Camp trekking allows you to explore not just the major natural spectacles in the Annapurna region, but also the cultural and religious ones. Needless to say, you will have an amazing time interacting with the locals and getting to know their way of life. It’s surprising to see how they have learned how to peacefully coexist with nature. Annapurna Base Camp trekking is one of those trips that is mandatory for you to try in order to understand trekking completely. Make sure to go for this one during your upcoming vacation. You won’t repent it and that’s guaranteed.
Himalayan Trails Trekking is an outstanding travel agency with years of experience when it comes to offering travel services in Nepal. They specialize in trekking and expedition, however, they also offer packages featuring activities such as jungle safari, helicopter tours, food and cultural tours, and so on. Their itineraries feature the most amazing destinations in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. If you’re looking to visit these places and try out these activities during your upcoming holidays, make sure to choose Himalayan Trails Trekking as your travel partner. With them by your side, you’re going to have the most amazing time during your vacation.
