Introduction to Annapurna Trekking

Annapurna treks are the most popular Nepal treks. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is the busiest trekking route in Nepal. But, if you don't know the difference between the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek vs Annapurna Circuit Trek vs ABC Trek or Annapurna Base Camp Trek then you really need to read our guide!

Firstly the Annapurna region is most often referred to as "The Annapurna's" as a trekking area.

So, trekking in the Annapurna's is considered anything in between the peaks of Manaslu and Dhaulagiri.

Annapurna itself is a Himalayan mountain. The tenth highest in the world at 8091m and one of the most dangerous to climb. But just to confuse you this peak would also be referred to as Annapurna 1.

Just to confuse you even more there are actually four peaks called Annapurna!

As well as Annapurna 1, there is Annapurna 2, Annapurna 3 and Annapurna 4 and even more confusingly Annapurna 2, 3 & 4 are some distance from Annapurna 1. Oh....there's also Annapurna South too. That's a satellite peak of the Annapurna 1 massif.

Right, now that is cleared up we can tell you about all the different Annapurna treks. Although all the different treks in the Annapurna's often intersect with one another or can be combined with one another to make an even longer trek.

So, there are probably more trekking options in the Annapurna than any other region of Nepal.

If you're new to trekking then our First Nepal Trek blog tells you everything you need to know about trekking in Nepal.

The start of the trek to Annapurna Base Camp

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is also known as the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek.

It's also sometimes abbreviated to the ABC Trek.

But, whatever name you use it's all the same trek. Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) lies within one of the most spectacular mountain amphitheatres in the world, which is known as the Annapurna Sanctuary.

It is on this trek that you get the best close up views of Annapurna 1, with its notorious, but seriously impressive south face wall.

At Annapurna Base Camp in the Annapurna Sanctuary

An itinerary for the Annapurna Base Camp trek can vary. This is because there are a couple of options to start the hike up through the lower Modi Khola Valley.

The traditional start/end points for this trek used to be Naudanda Phedi, or Nayapul, which are on opposite sides of the valley and easily reached by road from Pokhara.

So, the duration of this Annapurna trek can be varied and because of the encroachment of jeep roads, this trek can be done in a shorter amount of time now.

Thus the Annapurna Base Camp hiking cost will depend on the duration of your ideal travel itinerary. ABC trek cost factors you should also take into account are trekking lodges, a guide, porters, meals, transport, trekking permits, trail snacks, drinking water, Annapurna Conservation Project fee's (a bit like a National Park fee) etc.

A licensed Annapurna Base Camp Trek tour operator (like Snow Cat Travel is) can usually include everything in your ABC trek cost. Not just the trek to ABC, but getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back again and hotels in both cities.

But, if you've got the time then it's worthwhile doing an Annapurna Sanctuary Trek with Poon Hill combined. This detour route up to Poon Hill first has two big benefits. The first is that it affords you better acclimatisation. The second is that you get views from Poon Hill over to another valley system (the Kali Gandaki) and Dhaulagiri too.

Ghandruk is where most people now start an Annapurna Base Camp Trek

The Annapurna Circuit Trek

Once upon a time the world famous Annapurna Circuit Trek was justifiably one of the best treks in the world.

It was as its name suggests a trek around the Annapurna range. Actually it was never a proper circuit. It started in Besisahar and finished at Nayapul near Pokhara. It was a "horse shoe" trek.

Sadly, perhaps more than any other trek in Nepal it has suffered from the construction of jeep roads. Much of those roads being built over the original trail and often there is now no alternative but to walk on those roads, although they aren't exactly busy with traffic.

All the same in some ways it has become a "Nepal round tour with Annapurna trekking" thrown in. In other words if you wanted to you could actually do the majority of the Annapurna Circuit in a jeep and trek for just a couple of days, although those couple of days trekking would be seriously tough!

So, whether you're considering undertaking the Full Annapurna Circuit Trek or a much abridged and shorter Best of the Annapurna Circuit Trek before you do so please read this: The problem with the Annapurna Circuit Trek and decide for yourself whether it's what you were actually dreaming of.

Nowadays people also mountain bike the Annapurna Circuit Trek, or you could even make it an Annapurna Circuit multi-activity adventure by combining some hiking, with mountain biking and rafting.

See Ultimate Annapurna Adventure

If there is one difference between Annapurna Sanctuary vs Annapurna Circuit it's that although the trek to ABC is now a few days shorter at least you're trekking on trails AND the views of Annapurna 1 itself are loads better and far more dramatic. In fact if you only do a short Annapurna Circuit Trek you might not see Annapurna 1 at all!

Climbing up to the Thorung La, the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit Trek

The Poon Hill Trek

Poon Hill is one of the most famous view points in the entire Himalayas.

The classic Himalayan sunrise and panoramic view point. With just 5 days of walking, this is often described as the ideal first time trek in Nepal to do, particularly if you're short on time too.

From Poon Hill itself you can marvel at a Himalayan sun rise over Annapurna and across the Kali Gandaki to mighty Dhaulagiri. As far as Himalayan trekking goes, it's often described as an easy Annapurna trek as it's short in duration. But there are two days of stiff and tough ascent before heading down and meandering out of the Modi Khola Valley. Your legs, particularly your knees may well disagree with the easy trek description. It may well be a short Annapurna trek, but the views on the Poon Hill Trek are simply breathtaking. It's tea house trekking all the way too, so there's no roughing it camping.

Not surprisingly this is a very popular "Himalayan quick fix" trek, so you might find yourself sharing the sunrise from Poon Hill with hundreds of other trekkers.

The sign says, Poon Hill, so Poon Hill it is with Dhaulagiri as the backdrop

Tilicho Lake Trek

Although Tilicho Lake is claimed to be the highest lake in the world (it isn't), at over 4900 m, there’s no doubt it’s a high-altitude lake. It rather depends on what lake classification is used, though. For example, Lake Titicaca is a good 1100m lower than Tilicho Lake! Both spectacular, remote, and wild, Tilicho is the realm of the snow leopard too. Indeed, the snow leopard population above Manang and in the Tilicho area is the subject of an ongoing study. 

The Tilicho Lake Trek deviates from the Annapurna Circuit Trek at Manang before heading higher and higher into a wild mountain wilderness from Manang. So, both can be combined.

In fact so long as you allow at least a days acclimatising in Manang and travel all the way to Manang by jeep (2 day drive from Kathmandu) you could combine a hike to Tilicho Lake and then cross the Thorung La to Jomsom as part of a short, but challenging Annapurna trek.

Tilicho Lake

Khopra Danda Trek

Although Poon Hill has long been one of the most famous viewpoints to enjoy a spectacular Himalayan sunrise, in recent years a few intrepid trekkers “discovered” that the Khopra Danda ridge afforded equally (if not even better) spectacular panoramic views across the Kali Gandaki Valley to magnificent Dhaulagiri and was even closer to Annapurna than Poon Hill.

Thus, for some time, Khopra Danda remained a bit of a secret, but now this route is served by a handful of strategically located (simpler) trekking lodges, often community-run, that help form a meaningful mini-circuit trek and a “double whammy” way to combine two fantastic viewpoint objectives and, from leaving Poon Hill, a sense of being a little “off the beaten track”, until rejoining the main route at Tadapani. 

Khopra Danda Lodge, not a bad view to wake up to!

Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek

It's unfortunate this route became commonly known as the Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek. It's not as if Mardi Himal is a well known peak. 

It should be called the Fishtail Trek, as it is this iconic peak that is the star of the show. Incidentally it would never have been right to call it the Fishtail Base Camp Trek, as although climbing Fishtail is now prohibited its original base camp lies on the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. 

Although the Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek is relatively brief in duration, the stupendous views it affords still involve some stiff days of trekking mixed with shorter walking days. Ascent and descent are a natural feature of this trek, and in some instances, they are both steep and relatively sustained.

The rewards for the strong and experienced trekker are some of the most incredible views to be found anywhere in the Nepal Himalayas on a trek of such short duration. From the principle objective of Mardi Himal Base Camp, the towering, almost vertical, iconic Fishtail Peak looms right over you, seemingly “close enough to touch”. Even nearer is the impressive Mardi Himal Peak, and there’s more, with Annapurna 1 to the west and Annapurna 4 to the east to behold in all their magnificence.

Add to this the pleasure of beginning the trek at low elevation, passing up through forests and small villages before emerging into a more open, sub-alpine landscape where there’s no discernible permanent habitation, and to enjoy some fine open ridge walking with mountain views to accompany you as you go. It’s only in recent years that this trek has featured a couple of enterprising, but simple trekkers lodges along the way. Yet some aspects of this trek still retain a sense of wildness. 

This could be the best Annapurna trek you've never heard of.

Fantastic views of iconic Fishtail Peak on the Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek

The Nar Phu Trek

Trekking to Nar and Phu is like travelling back in time.

The hidden valleys of Nar and Phu are a restricted area, and to enter this 'lost' Himalayan Kingdom requires special permits. That this deters most trekkers is a blessing, and thankfully, very few people undertake this true Himalayan connoisseur trek into the remote, isolated mountain area where a distinctly Tibetan way of life is preserved. 

It's tough trekking, but there's a real sense of discovery and exclusivity on this very, very special journey on foot to a very 'off the beaten track' part of Nepal. Here, the local way of life is by and large unchanged, with many families still migrating to temporary winter settlements to graze their yaks and trade across the border with Tibet. Reaching Nar is possibly the romantic idyll of Himalayan life and culture, seemingly a 'shangri-la' of snow-covered mountains, colourful fields, and picturesque traditional homes. The challenge of crossing the Kang La (5320m) adds to the nature of the adventure. 

The Nar Phu Trek both begins and ends on the jeep road up to Manang at Koto village.

Entering a "lost world" on the Nar Phu Trek

The Starlight Trek

This lesser known, alternative Annapurna trek route is also known as the Sikles Trek. Sikles being one of the villages this more off grid Annapurna trek follows.

We call it the Starlight Trek because one of the two viewpoints this trek reaches is called Tara and that means star in Nepali and guess what? At night on the top of Tara (where you camp) there are lots of stars visible at night.

Although short in duration and at relatively moderate altitudes, this mini-trek has some challenging days with sufficient ascent and descent to determine it to be one not to be under-estimated. One appeal is that it's a quiet trekking route. However, the rewards for those undertaking this trek are commensurate with effort, as this is not only hiking off the beaten track in Nepal, but it also affords panoramic views that rival and exceed the 'usual suspects'.

Along the way, you'll encounter tiny villages that see few foreign visitors, hike through forested hillsides, and camp at scenic locations. For many, the highlight will be Tara (Starlight) hilltop and Cormshing Hill camps, from where there are expansive views of most of the Annapurna Massif, Machhapuchare (Fishtail), and down to where Nepal drops into India.

Breakfast at Tara Top Camp

The Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

Hang on a minute isn't Dhaulagiri an 8000m peak and massif in its own right?

Well yes. Yes it is and Dhaulagiri is in fact even higher than Annapurna 1 as well as being the highest mountain in the world that is entirely within one country.

But Dhaulagiri (and much of the region) lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area and the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek requires the same Annapurna permit, so we think that classes it as part of "the Annapurna's". Not only that but the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek ends at Marpha, which lies on the Full Annapurna Circuit Trek too.

However, the Dhaulagiri trek is a more serious and committed undertaking than the Annapurna Circuit. It's more challenging and with more very tough trekking days at high altitudes. It's the realm of the experienced trekker only, but a  journey into a true Himalayan wilderness that goes beyond the definition of spectacular.

There are no permanent settlements for several days on this trek and the crux is the crossing of the 'French Pass' at 5370m.

High and wild on the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

Easy Annapurna Treks

Whilst we would always maintain that there is no such thing as "easy" when it comes to trekking in the Himalayas, there are quite a few possibilities for relatively easy Annapurna treks.

Sometimes these are described as Annapurna Foothills Treks and as such are pretty much all low altitude Annapurna treks too.

Some of these Annapurna hikes seem to have been given names e.g. The Ghandruk Trek, but really they are just ways of linking up various trails that connect villages primarily within the Modi Khola Valley system.

There are trekking lodges just about everywhere in the Annapurna foothills and in a handful of villages a select (but limited) number of luxury trekking lodges too.

Consequently it's straightforward to arrange a trek in the Annapurna Foothills and just walk for a couple of hours, stop for lunch along the way and then walk another couple of hours to an overnight halt affording plenty of time to soak up the scenery and explore along the way.

And there's certainly plenty of breathtaking scenery to admire.

As the Lower Modi Khola is a valley it's a good idea to follow trails that allow you to walk on either side of the valley as the views are affording you a different perspective.

Those views can include the likes of Fishtail, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli towering right above you. In some places you can also see the summit of Annapurna 1.

As these are low level Annapurna trekking routes (usually below 2000m) the climate is almost sub-tropical. Often warm during the day and there's no need to worry about altitude or having to acclimatise either.

A typical example of an easy Annapurna trek is: Annapurna and Fishtail Delights which combines hikes on either side of the valley.

You can even "throw in" the additional view point of Poon Hill and make it an Annapurna and Dhaulagiri panorama trek.

If you need the addition of greater comfort an Annapurna Luxury Lodge Trek might be just the thing for you.

Enjoying a little bit of luxury on an Annapurna Trek

Pokhara

We'll finish our Beginners Guide to Annapurna Treks with the city of Pokhara.

It's often referred to as the "Gateway to the Annapurna", as most treks either start or finish with Pokhara as the gateway.

The main city of Pokhara itself is actually of little interest to tourists. It's rather ordinary, if not a bit dull.

So, when we think and talk about Pokhara it's the two main tourist areas of Lakeside and Damside primarily.

As these areas names suggest, they are by or close to the lake known as Phewa Tal.

Pokhara enjoys a balmy sub-tropical climate and has uninterrupted panoramic views to the mountains.

Both Lakeside and Damside are a mish mash of hotels, guest houses, cafes, bars, restaurants and now nightclubs.

There's been so much development in Pokhara over the years it's not the laid back place it used to be.

Nowadays it's very popular with both Indian and Nepali tourists as well as trekkers. Still, it remains more peaceful than Kathmandu that's for sure and you can still find some of the original cafes with gardens stretching down towards the lake where you can find a nice quiet place to relax and enjoy some gentles vibes.

A "must do in Pokhara" is to get up early and hire a rowing boat and paddle across to the opposite side of the lake. The lake is still peaceful at this early time of day and the views across the lake to the Annapurna's are mesmerising.

The views across Pokhara Lake to the Annapurna's

As well as describing itself as "Nepal's Number One Tourist Resort", Pokhara is also Nepal's self-styled "adventure capital".

So, if chilling out in the sunshine by the lake for a couple of days isn't your thing after a trek, you've got a range of activities to choose from.

Paragliding in Pokhara is very popular, particularly from Sarangkot hill above the city.

There's some good mountain bike trails in the hills around Pokhara to be found too.

Pokhara claims to have the world's longest, fastest zip wire line too. It's neither, but it is pretty zippy.

A micro-light flight to get closer to the Annapurna range is rather exciting.

If Pokhara sounds like it's a bit too busy and buzzy for you, then just 40 minutes away is the much more peaceful Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake.

How to get to Pokhara

Although Pokhara has a recently opened "shiny" international airport, it's fair to say that with regard to international airlines it hasn't exactly taken off.

So, it's unlikely you'll find an international airline serving Pokhara. That means you're more than likely to be travelling to Pokhara from Kathmandu.

There are numerous daily flights to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Flight time is a mere 25 minutes.

Or you can spend 6-7 hours travelling overland. Even in the better tourist class buses or a private vehicle and a careful driver it's not a very pleasant journey.

One option if you decide to travel overland to Pokhara is to spilt the journey into two halves and overnight at a lovely hill town called Bandipur.