14-Day Annapurna Base Camp Trek from Kathmandu with Poon Hill

1

Day 01

Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara

• Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara for around 8 hours by road and enjoy views of the farmland, greenery along the highway, and the local life that makes the journey interesting. You may also travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara by tourist bus, which usually has air conditioning. The bus will normally stop twice along the way, for breakfast and lunch.

2

Day 02

Pokhara to Nayapul and Trek to Hile

• Today, we will drive from Pokhara to Nayapul in the morning. It will take approximately 2 hours by private vehicle.
• After reaching Nayapul, we will start our hike for another 4 hours to get to Hile. Hile is a small village with a few local guesthouses.

3

Day 03

Trek from Hile to Ghorepani

• After breakfast at a local lodge, we will head towards the stunning viewpoint of Ghorepani.
• At the beginning of the hike, up to Ulleri Village, the trail has stone stairs. Keep calm and walk slowly.
• Once we get to Ulleri, the trail slowly changes from a village trek to jungle trekking. We will be walking for 3 hours literally inside the jungle. Ghorepani is one of the loveliest viewpoints during the entire hike, as we can see the complete ranges of Annapurna Himalaya and Dhaulagiri Himalaya in a single sight.

4

Day 04

Poon Hill Sunrise and Trek to Tadapani

• Today, hike up to Poon Hill to catch the sunrise. It takes around 1.5 hours to get to the hilltop of Poon Hill at an altitude of 3200 meters. The stunning sunrise above the mountains is amazing, as the sun rises behind the Annapurna Mountain Range. Poon Hill is a perfect place to see sunrise in the Nepal Himalaya. The changing sunlight and colours on the mountain tops look unreal, so make sure you have your camera ready. There is a tea shop at Poon Hill, and a cup of tea might help keep your fingers warm enough to click some great pictures of the sunrise.
• After the sunrise hike, we will return to our guesthouse for breakfast.
• After breakfast in front of the beautiful views of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges, we will head towards Tadapani village. We stay overnight at Tadapani with great mountain views, mainly Annapurna South and Fishtail.

5

Day 05

Walk through Villages to Chhomrong

• Walk from Tadapani to Chhomrong through local villages. One of the villages on today's hike, Gurjung village, has a school right on the side of the ABC trekking trail. If you would like to make a small donation or distribute stationery to the children, ask your trekking guide to manage it.
• Once we get to Chhomrong, the mountain views come even closer. Chhomrong is a big village along the ABC trekking trail and has a few bakeries and shops if you are willing to buy something.

6

Day 06

Jungle Trek from Chhomrong to Himalaya

• The trek from Chhomrong to Himalaya village will take approximately 7 hours. The trail goes through the jungle, mainly bamboo forest. The real jungle trekking starts right after the town of Upper Sinuwa.
• We will trek along the side of the river and sleep overnight at a local guesthouse in Himalaya. Himalaya village is on the riverside, inside the jungle.

7

Day 07

Trek to Annapurna Base Camp

• After breakfast at Himalaya, we will hike towards Annapurna Base Camp. We will take the day easy and slow enough to adjust to the altitude. The trail to Deurali village goes through the jungle, but once we get to Deurali, the "NO TREE" zone starts.
• After crossing the village of Deurali, the trekking becomes fantastic with mountain views.
• Once we get to Machhapuchre Base Camp, we get very close to Mt. Fishtail (6993 meters). If you are trekking during the monsoon season, the trail from MBC to ABC will look like a garden with all those wildflowers.
  We will sleep at Annapurna Base Camp, but sleeping at the base camp does not mean we sleep on the glacier. There are a few guesthouses for the night, and they are packed most of the time throughout the year. If you are trekking in winter, do not forget to take warmers, as it might get freezing during the night and morning. Do not miss the sunrise, star watching, moonset, and the big glacier.

8

Day 08

Descend from Annapurna Base Camp to Sinuwa

• After a sunrise view and a warm breakfast, we will start heading back to Sinuwa, the last village. Walking downhill is always easier because of gravity and the descent in altitude.
• We will be trekking back to Sinuwa from Annapurna Base Camp along the same route.

9

Day 09

Trek to Jhinu and Visit the Hot Springs

• Follow the same trail until Chhomrong village and then take a new path towards Jhinu village. Jhinu is famous for Jhinu Hot Springs. Entry to the hot spring costs around $2. It is fun to soak yourself in the super-cold water of the flowing river and then get back into the hot water of the spring, feeling the tickling sensation on your skin.

10

Day 10

Trek from Jhinu to Pothana

• After breakfast at Jhinu village, we will start our trek towards Pothana village. The trek passes through many towns, and we will be able to see local lifestyle, traditions, and some of the culture.
• Before descending to Pothana, there is a good viewpoint over Pokhara Valley. Pothana has a magnificent view of the mountains, and Mt. Fishtail looks amazing from here.

11

Day 11

Pothana to Phedi and Return to Pokhara

• After breakfast in Pothana, with close views of the mountains, we start our hike towards Phedi.
• Once we get to the road, we take a private vehicle to Pokhara. Tonight in Pokhara, enjoy the nightlife, Phewa Lake, relaxing at Lakeside, boating, or walking along the streets of Lakeside.

12

Day 12

Pokhara Sightseeing Tour

• Today we will tour the major landmarks of Pokhara. It includes a cave, waterfall, Mountaineering Museum, and Tibetan refugee camp. Sightseeing will be by private vehicle with a local guide who will share local information.

13

Day 13

Return from Pokhara to Kathmandu

• After breakfast at the hotel in Pokhara, we will take a bus back to Kathmandu. The same road and the same kind of bus will bring us back to Kathmandu in approximately 8 hours.

14

Day 14

Kathmandu UNESCO Heritage Sightseeing

• Go for a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, which includes four major UNESCO World Heritage sites. Kathmandu, being the capital of Nepal, has its own unique character. Among the 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Nepal, Kathmandu has 7 major UNESCO-listed monuments.
• We will tour Kathmandu Durbar Square, famous as the landmark of the Living Goddess, Swayambhunath Stupa, recognised as the Monkey Temple, Boudhanath, a Buddhist temple, and Pashupatinath, identified as a cremation place for Hindus.
• Our tour guides will take you far beyond the general tourist activities. We want you to taste local food, feel the local culture, and dive into it as deeply as possible.
• We will tour the monuments with local insight and take you to alleys and local restaurants to show you the real Nepal. Feel free to ask any questions, and our guide will be happy to share their knowledge.