Boutique trekking in the Himalaya
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Short Annapurna Base Camp Trekking
Trip Facts
- Trip Destination: Annapurna Region
- Group Size: Min-2, Max 12,
- Highest Altitude: Annapurna Base Camp 4130M
- Grade: Moderate/ Strenuous
- Transportation: Private Vehicle, Domestic Flight, Helicopter charter
- Type of Tour: Trekking, Hiking, Walking, Culture
- Trekking Hour: Approximately 5-6 hours each day
- Total Days: 11 Days
- Trip Cost: Deluxe Package - USD 1500
- Helicopter Charter: USD 5,000 to be shared amongst trekkers. Maximum 4-5 trekkers per chopper
Trip Map
Trip Overview
This is a perfect trek if you do not have the time to do the regular trek to the Annapurna base camp. This trek is designed to hike to ABC and fly out in a chartered helicopter.
Unexplored before 1956, the Annapurna Basin has been a sanctuary for wildlife as well as the Gurung people of Nepal for centuries, and this short trek to Annapurna Base camp is designed for those who don't have the 2 full weeks or more to spare, as required by many other trekking firms.
Responsible Adventures has designed a trek into this dazzling natural amphitheater that takes only 10 days, and allows enough time to witness the staggeringly beautiful peaks of all the Annapurna giants that encircle the basin: Annapurna 1 (8091 m), Annapurna South (7273 m), the Glacier Dome, Gangapurna (7454 m), the unclimbed Fang (7647 m), and the fishtail peak of Machapuchare (6997 m).
Although there is only one entrance into the sanctuary itself, we follow the locally known, lesser-used approaches and exit routes on this premier Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
The approach follows the Modi Khola Valley through forests of oak, rhododendron and bamboo, and passes through many Gurung villages while entering this world of soaring peaks.
Even during the flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, we see no less then three 8000 m giants, and we begin the trek after a short drive from Pokhara to Nayapul. We walk through the villages along the Modi River in Birethanti (1000 m) that are flanked by huge oak forests and we cross several side valleys, which run into the Modi Khola, with a climb up the stone staircase to the Gurung village of Chomrong (2060 m). Trekking past Hinku Cave, we reach what is known as the “gate” of the Sanctuary - the mountain pass between the spectacular peaks of Hiunchuli and Machapuchare.
The glaciated and snow covered peaks of the Annapurna Sanctuary form a spectacular barrier with dazzling views as we trek up to the last permanent settlements of Machapuchare Base Camp (3729 m) where we are then rewarded with superb views of Fishtail Mountain. We also visit the Annapurna South Base camp before flying out of the Sanctuary on a chartered helicopter for our return trip to Pokhara.
Trip Information
Day to Day Outline Itinerary
| Day | Activities | |
| Day 1 | - | KATHMANDU Arrive and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2 | - | Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara and drive to Nayapul and then trek to Hille or Tirkhedhunga (1700 m) |
| Day 3 | - | Ghorepani (2850 m) |
| Day 4 | - | POON HILL - Chuile |
| Day 5 | - | Sinuwa (2,300m) |
| Day 6 | - | Himalaya (2,900 m) |
| Day 7 | - | MACHAPUCHARE BASE CAMP (3,600m) |
| Day 8 | - | ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP (4,100m) |
| Day 9 | - | Fly out by Helicopter to Pokhara |
| Day 10 | - | Fly back to Kathmandu |
| Day 11 | - | International Departure day |
Day to Day Detail Itinerary
| Day | Activities | |
| Day 1 | - | Arrive in Kathmandu, Check-in, and then attend an Adventure briefing with the group, led by your Expert Trek Leader. |
| Day 2 | - | Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara and drive to Nayapul and then trek to Hille or Tirkhedhunga (1700 m) and stay overnight in either Hille or Tirkhedhunga depending on the time of the flight.(5 hour walk). |
| Day 3 | - | Trek on trails bordered by whitewashed houses along terraced fields, oak and rhododendron forests, following the Bhurungdi River to Banthanti. We continue along the Bhurungdi River and then ascend Ulleri Hill until arriving at Ghorepani (2850 m) where we have perfect views of the entire Annapurna range and also stay overnight (6 hour walk). |
| Day 4 | - | Early morning climb to Poon Hill to watch the most magnificent sunrise over the Himalayas. From west to east you can see Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, Dhampus Peak, Nilgiri, Annapurnas and Machapuchare - breathtaking! We then continue past Tadapani, trekking through open grassland and deep forests where there are excellent views of Annapurna South and the Manaslu Mountain range until we arrive in Chuile for an overnight stay (7 hour walk). |
| Day 5 | - | Trek the steep descent through a rhododendron forest to the valley bottom, and then later climb steeply before arriving at the lively trekking hub of Chomrong (2060 m). The trail after Chomrong includes several thousand steps down to the Chomrong River and then another steep climb to Sinuwa for an overnight stay (6 hour walk). |
| Day 6 | - | Trek the morning trail through rhododendron and bamboo forest, then hiking past Bamboo and Doban with a climb before reaching Himalaya (2,900 m) for an overnight stay (6 hour walk). |
| Day 7 | - | Trek to Machapuchare Base Camp (3,600 m) via the gate of the sanctuary: first up the muddy surface of the Modi Khola, and then along a rocky trail to Hinku Cave. Today we find stupendous views of the Hiunchuli, Annapurna I & III, Gangapurna and the “fishtail” of Machapuchare peak, with an overnight stay at the camp (5 hours walk). |
| Day 8 | - | Trek to Annapurna Base Camp (4,100 m) while we continue our exploration of the sanctuary before ascending to Annapurna Base Camp for an overnight stay (2hours walk). |
| Day 9 | - | Fly out by Helicopter to Pokhara, with an overnight stay in Hotel Barahi or similar and where one can relax in the serene setting of Lakeside, one of Nepal’s premiere tourist destinations. |
| Day 10 | - | Fly back to Kathmandu for an overnight stay in a boutique hotel, and to explore the city and the valley thought to have been populated since 167 BC. |
| Day 11 | - | International Departure day. |
Fact Finder
| Duration | - | 11 days |
| Trip Details: | - |
|
| Activities | - | Cultural, Touring, Walking |
| Trip Grade | - | Moderate/ Strenuous |
| Mode of Travel | - | Private coach, Domestic flight, Helicopter charter. |
| Group & Staff | - | Min 2, Responsible Adventures leader, local guides plus driver. |
| Accommodation | - | Boutique Hotels in Kathmandu & Pokhara, Comfortable lodges throughout 7 day trek |
| Land Cost | - | Deluxe Package - Now US$ 1500 |
| USD 10,000 to be shared amongst trekkers. Maximum 4-5 trekkers per chopper |
Departure Dates
Trip dates for 2012
| Start Date | End Date | Trip Cost/ Pax | Availability | Trip Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th February | 1st March | UD$ 1500 | Available |  |
| 5th March | 15th March | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 19th March | 29th March | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 2nd April | 12th April | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 16th April | 26th April | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 30th April | 10th May | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 24th September | 4th October | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 8th October | 18th October | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 22nd October | 1st November | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 5th November | 15th November | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 19th November | 29th November | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 3rd December | 13th December | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 17th December | 27th December | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 24th December | 3rd January | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
Trip dates for 2013
| Start Date | End Date | Trip Cost/ Pax | Availability | Trip Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17th February | 27th February | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 4th March | 14th March | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 18th March | 28th March | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 1st April | 11th April | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 15th April | 25th April | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 29th April | 9th May | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 23rd September | 3rd October | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 7th October | 17th October | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 21st October | 31st October | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 4th November | 14th November | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 18th November | 28th November | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 2nd December | 12th December | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 16th December | 26th December | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
| 23rd December | 2nd January | UD$ 1500 | Available | |
Trip Cost
Cost Includes:-
- Boutique hotel in Kathmandu on bed and breakfast basis
- Boutique hotel in Pokhara on bed and breakfast basis
- Hotel/ Lodges on twin sharing basis
- All transportation
- Responsible Adventures' Expert Trek leader (Click to watch video of trek leaders)
- Complimentary T-Shirt
- Use of trekking kit bag during trek
- 1 Assistant guide between 4 trekkers
- Trekking "Chef" - We are the first and only trekking company that has this post
- 1 porter between two trekkers
- Good clothing for porters and crew
- Food for porters & crew members (We are less then handful of trekking companies that provide this facility)
- Insurance for crew and porters
- All permits
- Twin sharing room on trek
- All meals on trek (best trekking meals in the whole of the Himalaya)
- Domestic airfare.
Cost Does Not Include:-
- Visas
- All optional additional tours or activities during free time
- Transportation outside of the tour program
- Travel insurance (Compulsory to have insurance that covers helicopter evacuation)
- Tips(suggested amount US$75 per week for staff only); Leader's tip at your discretion
- Items of a personal nature e.g alcoholic drinks, bottled beverages, laundry, souvenir etc.
- Helicopter charter US$ 2500.
Client Reviews
I managed to clear two weeks of my schedule in mid April to do the Annapurna Sanctuary (ABC) trek in Nepal, and I couldn’t have chosen a more experienced or passionate guide than Mr. Raj Tamang. Raj exceeded all my expectations on what such a trek would be like, and managed to make all 12 days of trekking immensely enjoyable despite the physicality required.
Besides his impeccable English – a rarity among the many other tour leaders we bumped into along the way – Raj was ever humorous and encouraging, even during the most demanding portions of the trail. A seasoned tour leader with over 20 years of experience, it is evident through the numerous tidbits of trivia he shared with the group that the breadth of his knowledge on the Annapurna region is probably unmatched.
His enthusiasm for what he does also shows through in more apparent ways. Raj never ceased to surprise gastronomically, ever ready to hand out a granola bar or two to those among us with quicker metabolisms (I’m Exhibit A). He would also whip up dishes that made other trekkers utterly envious. For example, to celebrate our successful descent from ABC, Raj and his able assistant Lhakpa made a delicious Thai green curry with fragrant white rice, accompanied by Nepali fruit wine in actual wine glasses. And yes, all those ingredients were painstakingly carried along the trek just for that special night. Needless to say, I was bowled over.
Raj has proven to be a rare gem among the overcrowded, undifferentiated masses of Kathmandu’s trekking agencies. I have no hesitation in recommending him to any of my friends or family.
Lim Yan Liang
Singapore
