12-Day Annapurna Base Camp Trek in Nepal with Poon Hill Sunrise

Meet your Annapurna tour guide at your hotel around 6:30 am in Kathmandu.

Drive for around 6 hours through lush green forests, along roads meandering through the hills and beside gracefully flowing rivers.

See lively markets and clusters of villages on the way.

Have lunch at one of the roadside restaurants.

After arriving in Pokhara, take some rest and explore Pokhara City and Lakeside in the evening.

After breakfast, take an early morning 1-hour drive to Nayapul.

Start trekking by following the Bhurungdi Khola River.

Pass through lowland rice fields and orange groves along an easy trail with a gentle incline.

Follow the trail to reach the first teahouse, where you will spend the night.

Leaving Tikhedhunga, begin the journey with a steep climb to Ulleri, ascending a stone staircase of 3300 steps. It is a difficult challenge, but one that rewards you with excellent views of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail Mountain), Gandharba Chuli, and Annapurna II and III.

Pass through a huge, dense forest of rhododendron and oak trees before reaching Ghorepani, home to langur monkeys and musk deer.

Before breakfast, take an early morning climb to the top of Poon Hill for spectacular panoramic sunrise views of the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri mountain range.

After breakfast, head out for an uphill trek through the jungle to Durali, followed by a slight descent to Tadapani.

From Tadapani, make a steep descent through a dense, dark forest to the beautiful village of Chhomrong.

Trek past farmland and local traditional Gurung villages, enjoying marvellous views of Annapurna South and the sacred Mount Machhapuchhre before reaching the teahouse for your overnight stay.

Descend for 1 hour to the Chhomrong Khola River and cross its waters on a suspension bridge.

Ascend for the next 2 hours to Sinuwa. Bamboo grows wild in this area, and there are many beautiful rhododendron and walnut trees along the trail.

After lunch, pass through an area named after all the bamboo before reaching Dovan and your teahouse for the night.

Gradually ascend along the banks of the Madi River, passing through a sacred valley. No meat or fish is allowed in this area in order to comply with Buddhist and Hindu beliefs.

Continue past bamboo trees and, if you are lucky, spot the Lophophorus bird, the national bird of Nepal.

Continue the ascent to Machhapuchhre Base Camp and the teahouse for the night.

After leaving Machhapuchhre Base Camp, enter a desert wilderness known as the Annapurna Sanctuary, an area of pristine natural beauty surrounded by the glorious Annapurna Himalayas and the glistening Annapurna glacier.

Stay overnight in the teahouse.

Wake up early to enjoy the wondrous sunrise views of the Annapurna Sanctuary.

Begin the descent following the Modi Khola River to Bamboo Hut.

Start the day with an uphill trek to Sinuwa and then descend to meet the Chhomrong Khola River.

Ascend to Chomrong before the final descent of the day to Jhinu.

Visit the natural hot springs and bathe in the relaxing warm waters.

Descend to the banks of the Modi Khola River and continue on to Nayapul.

Take a private car for a one-and-a-half-hour drive back to Pokhara and stay overnight in a hotel.

Arrive back in the capital and spend some time relaxing in Thamel.

A farewell dinner is served at a cultural restaurant in Kathmandu.