Annapurna Base Camp Trek: EVERYTHING You Need to Know

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek (ABC), also known as the Annapurna Sanctuary, is one of Nepal’s most popular treks. This magnificent trek leads hikers to the remote Annapurna Base Camp, passing through dense forests, rice terraces, local villages, and snow-capped mountains.

Hiking in Nepal has always been at the top of my bucket list. In 2023, the stars finally aligned, and I took on one of the world’s most incredible hikes as part of my solo trip to Nepal.

In this FAQ-style guide, I’ve attempted to share everything you need to know about hiking to Annapurna Base Camp via the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. This includes an overview of the hike, how to book it, what the food is like, where you stay during the trek and how much to budget. If I’ve missed anything you want to know, feel free to email me.

Note: Since 2023, you are legally required to have a local guide when trekking in Nepal’s mountains. This guide is based on hiring a local guide or joining a group tour with a local guide. Hiring local guides helps to put money back into the economy.

Do you need a guide to hike to Annapurna Base Camp?

Let’s answer this big question before we discuss the trek’s details! Yes, you need a guide to hike the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek.

In 2023, the Nepali government introduced a law requiring foreigners to hire a licenced guide when trekking in the mountains. This guide can be a private one or a group tour. Many online articles say it’s possible to do it by yourself, but they haven’t been updated since the law changed or simply suggest you should ignore it.

Granted, we did see many people still hiking without a local guide. My guide explained it’s not as strictly enforced in the Annapurna Region, although this will likely change in the future.

Having a local guide is important for several reasons. Firstly, the mountains in Nepal can be dangerous. The local Nepali guides know what to do in an emergency, who to contact, and alternative routes through the Sanctuary area. They will also be able to book all of your accommodation and ensure you’re not left without a bed for the night.

Arguably, the most important reason to hire a registered local guide is to put money back into the local economy. Over-tourism is becoming a huge issue on the treks in Nepal, and this is one way to ensure your money is going to the right place.

An overview of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

How many days: 6 – 12 days depending on your route
Total distance: This will depend on your route, but around 110 km (68 miles)
Highest elevation: 4,130 metres (13,550 feet)
Also known as: The Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, or ABC

The stunning Annapurna Base Camp Trek weaves its way through incredible scenery. Pass through rhododendron forests, jungles, rice fields, rural villages, snow-capped mountains, waterfalls and mountainous terrains.

This diverse trek is known to be one of the ‘easier’ hikes in Nepal, at least compared to Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit. This is mainly due to the lower altitude, but it’s still not a trek to take lightly.

Different tour operators offer different routes to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC). All tours begin with a short drive from the lakeside city of Pokhara, but then there are several routes to take. Most routes are loops, but there will be some out-and-back when in the Base Camp Area.

The first main highlight of the trek for all routes tends to be Ghorepani Poon Hill. Most itineraries include a hike here to watch the sun rise above the famous Annapurna Range, including Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare (Fishtail). Poon Hill is actually a trek in itself, and if you’re looking for a shorter trek, this could be a good idea.

The trek then leads hikers towards Annapurna Base Camp, passing incredible scenery and Machhapuchhare Base Camp. After admiring some of the world’s most powerful mountains, hikers partly return the way they came before taking a new route.

On the way back, most itineraries include a stop at the Jhinu Danda Natural Hot Springs and a crossing of a 287-metre-long suspension bridge before returning to Pokhara.

Note: Throughout this guide, I’ll refer to the trek as the Annapurna Sanctuary and ABC.

How difficult is the Annapurna Base Camp Trek?

The trek to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) is considered one of Nepal’s ‘easier’ treks. Compared to hikes such as Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit, the trek through the Annapurna Sanctuary is at a lower altitude.

The trek’s highest point is Annapurna Base Camp, which lies at 4,130 metres. You generally only spend one night here before returning to lower altitudes. Granted, you will still feel the effect of the altitude and altitude sickness is still very much a possibility. However, the Annapurna Base Camp trek tends to have a much higher success rate than Everest Base Camp (5,364 metres).

This is a great option if you want to trek in Nepal but are worried about altitude sickness.

Despite the lower altitude, the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek is not one to take lightly. While it’s considered ‘easier’, it’s still a tough multi-day trek which takes most people around 9 or 10 days. I consider myself relatively fit and have done lots of hiking, but I still found this hike challenging.

The ABC trek is known for its steps. Stone steps. Thousands and thousands of them. I don’t think there was a single day on the trek where we didn’t spend a good chunk of time walking up or down steps. The most notorious are the steps up to the village of Ulleri. This steep climb involves around 3,500 neverending steps. It’s tough. I still shudder when I think back to how many steps I climbed during those two weeks.

Climbing up steps can be challenging, but climbing down them can really strain your knees. Even the fittest people in my group were struggling by the end.

Ensure your training plan involves some steps. I know it can be boring, but using a Stairmaster at the gym could really make a difference. I also recommend using hiking poles.

Overall, the ABC trek is a tough multi-day hike. While considered slightly easier than Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit, it’s not one to take lightly.

When is the best time of year to do the hike?

The best time to hike to Annapurna Base Camp is October and November. The rains have mostly passed, the temperatures are ideal, and there is the best chance of clear skies.

These months are considered the peak season and when the trail is busiest. I did the trek in mid-October and didn’t find the trail too busy, other than around the Annapurna Base Camp area. However, I was a little unlucky with the weather. The monsoon season had run into October, so we still had a few cloudy and rainy days. Our guide told us this was unusual for October, but it goes to show that the weather can never be guaranteed.

February, March, and April are also good months for hiking. The temperatures are normally good for hiking, and the mornings tend to have clear skies.

Hiking to ABC in December and January is possible, but heavy snow can disrupt the route. If you’re keen on a winter hike, ensure you are with a responsible and experienced local guide who can provide you with all the correct winter equipment, such as crampons.

A note about the weather

The mountains are unpredictable so it’s important to be prepared for all types of weather. We had rain, wind, humidity, high temperatures, freezing temperatures, heavy snow, ice… we really went through all four seasons.

How to book the trek?

There are several ways to book the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. As one of Nepal’s most popular hikes, many local guides and tour operators are ready and waiting to help.

Option 1: Book in advance with a known operator
For those who are set on doing the Annapurna Base Camp hike and know when they want to do it, it’s a sensible idea to book in advance.

While you might get cheaper deals in Nepal, there’s no guarantee you will be able to find a tour starting on the dates you need. It’s also a little harder to verify a tour operator who is selling last-minute deals on the street.

I hiked to ABC with G Adventures, one of the world’s biggest tour companies. G ensures that the local guides are paid fairly and supports local communities, putting money back into the local economy.

Other great options include Much Better Adventures or Intrepid. There are also several options on Viator, but verifying the company is important.

Most of these tours begin in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city.

Option 2: Book in Nepal
Another option is to book your tour in Nepal. The Thamel area of Kathmandu is filled with tour operators selling last-minute deals to Annapurna Base Camp, and the same is true in Pokhara.

This can certainly be a cheaper option (although I have to say I didn’t notice a huge difference). However, not all tour companies are created equally, and verifying the company you are booking with can be hard.

Before handing over any money, check Google Reviews for the company or speak to your accommodation to verify its quality.

Option 3: Find a local guide
If hiking with a group doesn’t appeal to you, you can hire a local guide. This tends to cost around $30 USD for the guide and around $20 USD for a porter (if you need one). You’ll also need to pay for your accommodation.

Finding a registered local guide can be challenging. I posted in a Nepal Facebook group and was overwhelmed by the number of people who contacted me to offer their services.

I’d suggest doing some research online and speaking to your accommodation in Kathmandu as they may know someone licensed.

Accommodation on the ABC Trek

Throughout the trek, you’ll stay in tea houses. Each village you pass through has several tea houses of varying quality.

Most of the tea houses are very basic. The rooms are normally just a couple of beds and the bathrooms and showers are shared with other guests. There’s also a common area and dining room where you can eat and socialise.

The tea houses vary in quality. Some have hot water, electricity to charge devices, and internet, while others are very basic and not the cleanest. Most of the tea houses I stayed in also had blankets and pillows. It’s up to you whether you want to use them, but I used the blanket as an extra layer on cold nights. Towels weren’t normally provided, but occasionally, you could hire them.

I booked my trek with G Adventures and the quality of accommodation exceeded my expectations. It was basic, but a lot better than what I was prepared for.

Note: For most tours, you will need to take your own sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner, pillow case, and towel.

Food on the trek

All the tea houses on the way to Base Camp also serve meals, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. We would eat breakfast and dinner in our accommodation for the night and lunch at a tea house on route.

The food was a little more varied than I thought it would be, but it doesn’t differ much between tea houses. Our guide would ask us to pre-order our lunch each day so he could call ahead and order. By the third day, we didn’t even need a menu as everywhere had the same menu.

As you get closer to Base Camp, the variety decreases slightly. Few tea houses served meat once at higher altitudes (although it’s not recommended to eat meat anywhere on the trek).

So, what type of food can you expect on the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek? Breakfast tends to be various forms of eggs, pancakes, chapati bread and porridge. For lunch and dinner, expect meals such as Momos, fried rice, noodles, Thukpa, soups, Dal Bhat and even chips.

Many of the tea houses also served snacks such as chocolate and crisps and sweet desserts such as apple pie.

The tea houses at lower altitudes (towards the start and end of the trek) had a lot more variety. This included burritos, pizzas, and several varieties of fruit. For cheese lovers, most of the cheese served was buffalo cheese. I’ll leave you to make your own mind up, but it didn’t go down well with our group.

Overall, the food was as good as you’d expect it to be in the middle of the mountains. It always sufficient and kept us going. I always looked forward to my warm noodle lunch soup with Momos.

By the end of the trek, we were starting to get a bit creative with the menus. For my fellow Brits craving a chip butty, try chapati bread and chips—game changer!

If you can, consider taking some protein bars with you. I really struggled to get any protein. Other than eggs, most of the food is very carb-heavy. When your muscles are tired after hiking all day, your body will likely appreciate some protein.

Related read: 12 Helpful Tips for Hiking to Annapurna Base Camp

Cost of Annapurna Base Camp Trek

The overall cost of the ABC trek will vary depending on several factors, such as the tour company you choose, the quality of accommodation, any extras and how much you eat or drink.

Most tour companies charge between $800 and $1000 USD for the trek itself. This normally includes a tour leader/registered guide, porters, a private vehicle to Pokhara for the group, your permits, and all your accommodations on the tour itself.

Things such as food, drink, tips, hot showers and WiFi are normally at an additional cost.

Disclaimer: The prices below are based on my experience trekking in 2023. Prices can change, and they are likely to increase going into the 2024/2025 season.

How much to budget for food and drink

The cost of food and drink on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek took me by surprise. Some of the prices were almost on par with some Western countries. However, it takes a lot of manpower and effort to get supplies up to the tea houses in remote areas, and it’s important they pay the porters who do it fairly.

On average, expect to pay between $25 and $35 USD on food and drink per day. This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, and one or two warm drinks. Of course, if you have a big appetite or want to drink beer, you may end up spending more money.

The food gets a lot more expensive as you climb to higher altitudes, but here’s a rough idea of prices:

• Breakfasts such as pancakes or eggs: $3 – $4 USD
• Hot drinks and filtered water: $1 – $2 USD
• Soft drinks: $2 – $4 USD
• Soups or small lunches: $5 – $8 USD
• Larger dinners: $10 – $15 USD
• Beer: $5 – $8 USD (it’s not cheap in Nepal!)

How much to budget for extras

You also need to consider a budget for hot showers, electricity to charge devices, hiring a sleeping bag, and tipping your porters and guide.

Most of the showers, WiFi and electricity were very reasonably priced at around $2 USD per item (or even less). I also paid $30 USD to hire a sleeping bag for the entire trek.

I went into the hike thinking I wouldn’t need hot showers or WiFi. However, after long cold days of trekking, this just wasn’t the case so I’m glad I had some extra budget.

I’ve discussed tipping more below, but it’s generally advised to tip $5-10 USD for porters (per day) and $7-10 USD for your guide (per day).

Overall budget for the ABC Trek

I budgeted $50 USD per day to cover food, drinks, showers, WiFi, electricity and to have some spare in case of an emergency (excluding tips). This was more than enough and if you can be strict with yourself, you can do it for less.

However, you don’t know how your body is going to react on the trek. I went in thinking I wouldn’t buy hot drinks, I wouldn’t need a hot shower and there was no way I would be ordering two dishes for dinner. But that just wasn’t the case. I needed hot drinks to warm up, was often so hungry that I needed more food and the hot showers were too good to resist.

So, I spent a lot more on the hike than I expected, but I don’t think I splurged by any means. On average, I spent around $35 USD per day. The rest of the money went to tipping the porters (with some extra).

Note: You will need to change USD into Nepalese Rupees before starting the trek. You can do this in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Health, hygiene and altitude sickness

Staying healthy on the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek can be a challenge! You’ll be faced with high altitudes, long trekking days, food you might not be used to and lower hygiene standards. Here are a few things you can do to help stay healthy.

Drinking water on the ABC

Number 1 rule on the trek: don’t drink the tap water. No really, don’t! Being in the mountains and close to glaciers, it’s fair to assume the water would be fresh. However, much of the water is contaminated with bacteria and parasites.

Many pipe systems are old and poorly maintained, and waste can be dumped into the rivers. When it comes to drinking water, you have a few different options.

Option 1 – LifeStraw
Purchasing a LifeStraw is a sensible idea for hiking in Nepal. These crafty water bottles also have a filter which claims to remove most parasites and bacteria. I used my LifeStraw throughout the trek and absolutely loved it. It was so easy to fill my water up whenever I needed to.

While a LifeStraw can be expensive, the cost of purchasing water on the trek adds up, so it is more cost-effective. I found several shops in Kathmandu selling LifeStraws.

Option 2 – water purification tablets
Another option is to use water purification tablets. These tiny tablets dissolve in the tap water making it safe to drink. Even if you have a LifeStraw, carrying these is a sensible idea.

Tap water isn’t safe for brushing teeth, and a LifeStraw isn’t much use. Having some of these tablets to hand will solve that problem. You can fill up a water bottle, add a tablet, wait for it to work its magic, and then brush your teeth.

The purified water can sometimes taste like chlorine, but you’ll get used to it. (I added electrolytes.)

Option 3 – purchase water on the go
The other option is to purchase water as you go. Most of the tea houses sell mineral water and filtered water. Once you get closer to Annapurna Base Camp, the tea houses aren’t allowed to sell single-use plastic bottles, so your only option is to buy filtered water and put it into a reusable water bottle. This water is usually boiled and then filtered.

This ends up being very expensive. A litre of water can set you back around $2 USD, and you’ll be drinking a lot.

Altitude sickness

The Annapurna Sanctuary Trek to ABC reaches an altitude of 4,130 metres. While this is lower than hikes such as Everest Base Camp, altitude sickness is still something to take seriously.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, no matter how much you prepare for it or how fit you are. I didn’t feel the altitude too much except the day we went to Base Camp. The air is much thinner here, so even the smallest of steps feels tough.

You can do a few things to help deal with altitude sickness. These include staying hydrated and ensuring you are well-rested. You can also take medication, but speaking to your doctor about this is important as the medicine has many side effects.

Food on the trek

The food at the tea houses is very tasty but can be very carb-heavy. This is great for hiking, but after a few days, my body was craving some vegetables and protein. I’d suggest taking some snacks with you if you can. I wish I had taken some protein bars or dried fruit.

It’s generally advised to avoid meat while on the trek. Many of the tea houses don’t have the facilities to store meat correctly so it can easily spoil. There were a couple of tea houses where our guide told us it was safe to eat the meat, but the group avoided it.

I ate meat once and it made me very sick. I had ordered a vegetarian curry but it came out with chicken. I didn’t want to waste it or be rude so I ate it anyway. The following morning was not fun…

Other questions about hiking to Annapurna Base Camp

Are there toilets on the hike?

Each day, you will pass through rural villages which tend to be where the toilets are. Whenever anyone in the group needed to go, our guide would find a tea house that they could use. Some of these “toilets” were more like holes in the ground, but they did the job. Make sure to have your own toilet paper.

Can you shower?

Contrary to some information on the internet, you can shower on the Annapurna Base Camp trek. Some online articles tell you not to shower as the water can contain harmful bacteria.

However, our guide told us that sanitation standards have improved recently and showering on many treks, including Everest Base Camp, is now safe.

Of course, you’ll need to make that decision for yourself as there is still a risk. But my group showered daily, and there were no issues. I was still mindful not to swallow any of the water and kept it away from my face, just in case.

We were spoiled with hot showers on most days of the trek. This came at an extra cost, and there was also no guarantee there would be hot water. However, most days there was no problem.

The cost of warm showers ranged from $1 to $3 USD.

WiFi on the trek

Surprisingly, WiFi was available on most days of the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. It was an extra cost but normally quite reasonable ($2 USD). In fact, I don’t think there was a single tea house we stayed in that didn’t offer WiFi.

Do you need any specialist equipment?

This will depend on the time of year you hike. For example, you may need to take crampons and other winter hiking equipment if hiking in winter. Your tour operator should be able to provide this for you.

We had to take our own sleeping bag and sleeping bag liner, but we could also hire them through the tour operator.

Are there suspension bridges?

During our trek to ABC, we crossed several suspension bridges, including one of the longest in Nepal. I was terrified of the bridges, but they’re honestly not as bad as they look. Most of the suspension bridges were built with the aid of Swiss engineers, so they’re very safe.

Can you do laundry?

Sort of! Some of the tea houses have a heater with space to hang damp clothes. One of the bigger tea houses I stayed in even offered to do your laundry for you. However, even with the heater, there’s no guarantee it will dry overnight.

Assume you won’t be able to do any laundry, but it’s there in an emergency.

Charging devices

Some tea houses offer electricity to charge your devices. This is sometimes free, but it’s mostly an extra cost.

It’s a sensible idea to take a portable charger with you. I took one that could charge my phone seven times. Once it was nearly empty, I paid to recharge it at a tea house. The fee is normally around $1 – $2 USD.

Where to store your extra luggage?

Every tour will be different, but we were able to store our excess luggage in the start/end hotel in Kathmandu.

We could also store valuables such as laptops and iPads in a dedicated locker. You’re responsible for keeping the key safe, so don’t lose it!

It might be worth checking in with your tour operator beforehand in case they have a different policy.

What to pack

You can read my full packing guide for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek here. However, here are a few essentials not to forget:

• Sleeping bag
• Travel towel
• Trekking poles
• Day bag
• Sensible hiking boots
• Sun protection
• Waterproof clothing
• Waterproof cover for bag
• Reusable water bottle

Do you need to train for the Sanctuary trek?

It’s a sensible idea to do some training before taking on the ABC hike. So many articles online said this was an “easy” hike, so I think I underestimated just how difficult it was going to be.

Granted, it might not be at the higher elevations of EBC or the Circuit hikes, but you’re still hiking consecutively for at least ten days. As there’s no need to acclimate on the Sanctuary trek, the days tend to be much longer than on other treks. Then, there’s also the steps. I don’t think anything can prepare you for the amount of steps you’re going to be climbing, it’s neverending.

Having said that, I don’t think you need to overthink the training. Other than a few hikes in New Zealand, I did very little and was fine. The main thing is that you’re comfortable hiking for up to ten hours at a time while carrying a daypack and doing this for at least ten days straight.

Should you take trekking poles?

Trekking poles are really a good idea on this hike! I regretted not having any, but thankfully, I could buy some in Chhomrong.

The steps on this hike can put a lot of strain on your knees, and hiking poles can help manage this. Even if you’ve not used them before, I’d consider some for this trek.

Tipping on the trek

Tipping your guide and porters at the end of your trek is common practice. Our guide helped to arrange the tip for the porters to ensure it was split evenly. We then tipped our guide individually.

Our guide suggested tipping the porters $5 – $10 USD per day (which they split between themselves), and our tour operator suggested $7 – $10 USD a day for our local guide.

You can tip in USD or Nepalese Rupees.

How to pay for things while trekking

None of the tea houses accept credit card, so you’ll need to carry cash when completing the Annapurna Base Camp Hike. You’ll be able to withdraw money in Kathmandu or Pokhara before starting the hike.

Our guides kept a tally of everything we bought when we arrived at each tea house. This included our meals and drinks, hot showers, and WiFi. We would then pay for everything in one go before leaving the tea house.

I’ve discussed the budget more above, but you’ll need to carry enough cash to cover items such as hot drinks, filtered water, meals, snacks, toilet paper, warm showers, and WiFi.

I carried $500 USD with me on the trek (in Nepalese Rupees) as we were advised to carry some extra in case of an emergency. This was more than enough and it also covered part of my tip at the end.

Note: It’s best to carry Nepalese Rupees. You can exchange USD in several places in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Travel Insurance

Disclaimer: The information below is based on my experience with travel insurance as a UK citizen. Different countries have different policies, so it’s important to do your own research.

Having the correct travel insurance policy when trekking in Nepal is important. The mountains can be unpredictable, and with the added risk of altitude sickness, you want to make sure you’re covered in an emergency.

Finding an insurance policy which covers trekking in Nepal isn’t as simple as it sounds. Most travel insurance policies will cover policy holders up to a certain altitude (you can check this in the policy document). However, many of the hikes in Nepal, including the Annapurna Sanctuary, go above these altitudes.

Therefore, you need to find an insurance policy that covers you to at least 4,200 metres (the highest altitude reached on the ABC Trek). This normally requires a specific add-on at an extra cost.

Annoyingly, there’s another catch. Trekking in Nepal is deemed less safe than in some other countries. This is due to the risk of accidents, the cost of a helicopter evacuation, and the difficulty for emergency services to access some of the trekking regions. World Nomads have a great explanation as to why the insurance for Nepal is more expensive.

It’s vital to ensure your policy covers you in Nepal. Some companies, such as World Nomads and True Traveller, have a much higher excess for helicopter evacuations in Nepal.

I went with True Traveller as their policy had everything I was looking for. I’ve had to make a claim with them before and they were so easy and great to deal with.

Is hiking to Annapurna Base Camp dangerous?

Hiking in the mountains always comes with risks. From extreme weather to avalanches and landslides, the mountains are very unpredictable.

Annapurna Base Camp is considered one of the safer hikes in Nepal, especially when hiking in the autumn months. There is a low avalanche risk on much of the trail, and the weather tends to be a bit calmer at the lower elevations.

However, it’s still not something to take lightly. In 2020, a rare avalanche hit Annapurna Base Camp, killing several trekkers. In 2014, a heavy snowstorm also killed 43 people across the region. Earthquakes are also frequent in Nepal and can cause avalanches or landslides.

These incidents are rare and only tend to occur in extreme circumstances. Your local guides are trained to recognise when there might be an avalanche risk and know the alternative routes to keep you safe.

Overall, the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek is one of the safest in Nepal.

Annapurna Sanctuary vs Annapurna Circuit vs Everest Base Camp

These three hikes are the most popular treks in Nepal, and choosing between them can be difficult. I’ve only done the Annapurna Sanctuary (Base Camp) Trek myself, but have close friends who have hiked the other two.

After speaking with my friends and local guide, here are some of the main differences.

Everest Base Camp
This is arguably the most popular and one of the hardest treks in Nepal. This beautiful 12-16 day hike leads trekkers through the mountains with the goal of reaching Everest Base Camp. The spot has an elevation of 5,364 metres (17,598 ft), much higher than Annapurna Base Camp’s.

I have dreamed of trekking to EBC for years. However, there are some real issues with overtourism in the area. Much of the trail is crowded, with long queues for certain viewpoints and lots of litter around.

My guide told me it’s getting worse every year and believes there needs to be stricter rules about how many people can take on the trek each day.

My friend hiked to Everest Base Camp in 2023. They loved it and said the crowds didn’t spoil the overall experience. However, there were days when the number of people was slightly overwhelming. They also highlighted the amount of litter along the track.

Pros: Get to see Mount Everest, well-trodden, spectacular scenery
Cons: Very busy, high altitudes, expensive, longer trek

Annapurna Circuit
The Annapurna Circuit trek takes place in the same region as the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, except you climb to much higher elevations and don’t visit Base Camp.

The Circuit trek crosses the Thorung La pass at 5,416m (17,770 feet), a significant increase in elevation from Base Camp. The Circuit trek is also known to offer one of the best opportunities to experience local culture, passing through several very remote villages.

I was very tempted to do the Circuit Trek but was a little nervous about the elevation, so I opted for the Sanctuary instead. It’s worth noting there is also some construction work happening on the Circuit Trek as they are building a road along much of the trail.

Someone in my group who had also done this hike pointed out that you get much closer to the mountains on the Sanctuary Trek, but the views are still spectacular on the Circuit.

Pros: A bit quieter than EBC, lots of local cultural experiences, reaches higher elevations
Cons: Not as close to the mountains, road construction, higher elevation

Annapurna Sanctuary
I’ve discussed the trek extensively in this post, but the main difference is your proximity to the mountains and being at a lower, more manageable altitude.

Pros: You get very close to the mountains, it tends to be cheaper, there are different routes so the trails are a bit quieter, lower altitude
Cons: So many steps

Final thoughts

I hope you’ve found this Annapurna Base Camp trek guide useful. Trekking in Nepal remains one of my favourite travel experiences. There is something so special, serene and almost spiritual about the trek.

I can’t recommend the hike enough if you’re considering it. While many articles say it’s ‘easy,’ it’s still not one to take lightly. You’ll be trekking on back-to-back days for at least 10 days.

I loved my trek so much that I’m already planning my return to Nepal to hike either the Annapurna Circuit or the Manaslu Trek.

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