The Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek is one of Nepal’s most popular trekking routes, offering stunning views, diverse landscapes, as well as a cultural experience. During our self- study week, most students spent their time trekking. This blog post is dedicated to the Annapurna base camp trek, which I and seven other students experienced for a week. Others hiked the Khopra Ridge trek and Mardi Himal also had a great adventure!

Lucky for Kulturstudier’s students, the best time to go trekking in Nepal is in the Autumn (September to November) and during Spring (March to May), as it is the same time as both semesters are conducted in Nepal.

The Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek offers a variety of route options based on your chosen starting and ending points; along with many tea houses, this makes for a flexible and customizable adventure. Whether you want to take a slower pace and enjoy more time on the trail or push for longer distances each day, you’ll find an itinerary that suits your style. Most people complete the trek in 5 to 8 days, depending on their preferences for daily walking distances and time spent in villages. ABC is considered a moderately challenging trek. It doesn’t require technical mountaineering skills but involves some long, steep ascents and descents.

Once you’ve decided to go trekking and are considering hiring a guide, it’s wise to compare prices at several trekking companies, as rates can vary significantly. While many treks legally require a guide, we met people who trekked alone, indicating limited enforcement. Still, I recommend hiring a guide. A guide can teach about the history and culture of the region, while also ensuring greater safety on your trek. Our package included a guide and porter, transportation to and from the trailheads, accommodation in tea houses, and three meals a day with hot tea. The teahouses offer simple rooms and Nepalese meals like dal bhat and momos, as well as international items like pasta or noodles.

Here’s a quick look at our seven-day itinerary on this trek:

On Day 1, we departed at 8 a.m. from Lakeside and headed to Kimche, our starting point for the trek. From Kimche we hiked to Upper Ghandruk for our first overnight stop.

Day 2 took us from Upper Ghandruk to Sinuwa, a long and warm day with steep ascents and descents.

On Day 3, we continued from Sinuwa to Deurali, which also was a long and steep day hiking about 17km with 1400m of ascent.

By day 4, it was time to hike up to Annapurna Base Camp (4130m). Westopped about halfway at Machapuchare base camp (MBC) for a cup of tea and cookies. Thanks to our early start, we reached ABC by 1 p.m., just before it started raining and snowing. We spent the afternoon and evening enjoying lunch and dinner, relaxing, and playing cards. Unfortunately, due to overcast skies, we missed out on the mountain views that day. We went to bed with the surrounding peaks hidden in fog and clouds, still unsure of the views around us.

On Day 5, we woke up at 5.30 a.m. to catch the views of the Himalayas in the sunrise. It was cloudy in the first 20 minutes, but then it started clearing up! Wow, what amazing views! We spent over an hour just soaking in all the stunning views and taking pictures for memories! After some breakfast, we started our descent from Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo, a 1800m descent.

On Day 6, we continued from Bamboo to the relaxing hot springs at Jhinu Danda, a perfect place to bathe in the warm natural spring water and relax our tired muscles.

Finally, on Day 7, a short 20-minute hike led us to a swaying suspension bridge. On the other side, our rides awaited to take us back to Lakeside. We walked across feeling content and accomplished watching the many horses loaded with supplies for the teahouses on their way up to the trailhead.

Packing list (suggestion):

Departure essentials

• Backpack (minimum 35 liters) with a rain cover. Packing items in dry bags can help with
• organization.
• Sturdy, waterproof trekking boots (well broken-in).
• Comfortable trekking clothes (e.g., T-shirt and shorts or pants).

Clothes

• T-shirts (2-3)
• 1-2 pairs of shorts
• 1-2 pairs of trekking pants. Convertible trekking pants are convenient.
• Water and windproof jacket (Gore-Tex or similar) and a down jacket
• Wool clothing (thermal base layers, socks and sweater)
• Underwear and socks. 1x per day.
• Hat, gloves, and a buff

For sun protection

• Sunscreen. Should be re-applied if you are sweating a lot and the UV index is high.
• Sunglasses
• Cap

Other

• Water bottle(s), minimum 1,5 liters. Filtered or boiled water is available for purchase at tea houses along the route. Bringing your reusable bottles helps reduce waste and lessens the burden on porters who would otherwise need to carry plastic bottles up the trail.
• Toiletries, any personal medications, and water purification tablets.
• Power bank. At most tea houses you may charge your phone for a fee.
• Camera (if you have)
• Headlamp
• Toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer and/or wet wipes
• Snacks like energy bars, trail mix, or electrolyte powder. Some snacks may be bought along the way but become more expensive the higher up you get.
• Quick dry towel. Some team houses offer showers!
• Trekking poles are especially useful for hiking downwards.
• Trekking permit. Our guide fixed this for us.
• Passport or other identification. We did not need this, but it can be good to have it just in case.
• Cash for snacks, filtered water, WIFI, phone charging, and tips for your guide.
• Flip flops or other light-weight sandals can be nice for the evenings at the tea houses.
• Sleeping bag liner. Some chose to take a sleeping bag, but it is not necessary. I just used a liner and slept in clothes to minimize weight and space.

In addition, it is a good idea for one person to bring a first aid kit (band-aids, blister tape, pain relievers) and a deck of cards.

The trek was filled with unforgettable highlights, from stunning close-up views of towering mountains to the thrill of getting closer to our goal each day. Exploring the diverse landscapes,from subtropical forests and jungle trails to alpine terrain was also amazing. Relaxing in the teahouses in the evenings with our group was also a highlight, where we spent evenings playing cards, sharing stories, and enjoying meals and tea together.

The Annapurna Base Camp trek is accessible and rewarding, making it an ideal option to experience Himalayan trekking without extremely high altitudes and difficulty. It was so worth it for the stunning views and trekking experience and is definitely a trek I would recommend.

 

Best,

Julia