Annapurna Base Camp Trek Guide: How to Get There

If you’ve ever stared at a photograph of a tiny lodge surrounded by white peaks and endless sky, there is a good chance you were looking at Annapurna Base Camp. But before you can imagine yourself there, drinking tea at sunrise while the mountains glow gold, there’s a simple practical question: where exactly is Annapurna Base Camp and how do you get there?

This guide breaks down everything: where ABC is on the map, how to reach it, where the trail starts, how it differs from the Annapurna Circuit, and why this trek is one of the world’s most transformative multi-day journeys.

Where Is Annapurna Base Camp?

Annapurna Base Camp, often called ABC, sits at roughly 4,130 m (13,550 ft) in central Nepal. It lies north of the lakeside city of Pokhara, inside the Annapurna Sanctuary: a natural amphitheatre surrounded by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, and the sacred peak Machapuchare.

Unlike Everest Base Camp, which is a long approach through gradually rising valleys, Annapurna Base Camp is tucked deep inside a high Himalayan bowl. Reaching it feels like stepping into a secret world that only reveals itself to those willing to earn it on foot.

What Airport Do You Fly Into for Annapurna Base Camp?

Your journey always begins in Kathmandu. International flights land at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), where you arrange your visa, grab local cash, and enter the energetic chaos of Nepal’s capital city.

From Kathmandu, most trekkers take a short 25–30 minute domestic flight to Pokhara, which serves as the base for all Annapurna treks. On clear days, this flight offers spectacular aerial views of the Himalayan range. You can also travel overland from Kathmandu to Pokhara by tourist bus or private jeep, a 6–8 hour journey.

In simple terms: fly into Kathmandu, travel to Pokhara, and your trek begins.

Where Does the Annapurna Base Camp Trek Start?

Most versions of the trek begin at trailheads reachable by road from Pokhara. The most common starting points are:

Nayapul, the traditional trailhead about 1.5–2 hours from Pokhara, used for both ABC and Poon Hill routes. Siwai or Jhinu Danda, further up the valley are perfect for shorter itineraries. Kande or Phedi, are used for variations that travel via Australian Camp, Landruk, or the ridge routes.

Regardless of the specific start point, almost every ABC trek moves through the same sequence of villages: Chhomrong, Sinuwa, Bamboo, Dovan, Deurali, Machapuchare Base Camp, then finally Annapurna Base Camp.

How Do You Trek to Annapurna Base Camp?

Think of the journey as a climb through layers of landscape. In the early days you’re walking beside rice terraces, river valleys, and warm lowland forests. Soon you enter steeper, narrower trails lined with bamboo and deep green forest. Eventually the trees drop away and you step into the high valley near Machapuchare Base Camp, where everything opens and the mountains surround you.

The final push from MBC to ABC is a slow, steady ascent across open terrain where altitude makes each step deliberate. When you reach the base camp plateau at 4,130 m, the entire Annapurna massif rises in a 360-degree wall of ice and rock. The sense of arrival is unmistakable.

Most trekkers complete the ABC route in 7–10 days. Distances vary depending on the chosen starting point, but the full out-and-back journey covers roughly 70–110 km (45–70 miles).

Annapurna Base Camp vs Annapurna Circuit: What’s the Difference?

Although they both sit in the same mountain range, the two treks offer very different experiences.

The ABC trek is an out-and-back route that climbs into the heart of the Sanctuary, topping out at 4,130 m. It is shorter, more accessible, and focuses on a single dramatic objective.

The Annapurna Circuit is a long loop around the entire range, often 15–20 days, crossing the high Thorong La Pass at 5,416 m. The landscapes shift dramatically as you circle the mountains, from jungles to high alpine deserts. The Circuit is a larger, more committing expedition.

If you want an achievable yet epic journey with one unforgettable destination, ABC is the one.

Is Annapurna Base Camp Worth It?

Absolutely. The Annapurna Base Camp trek delivers some of the most varied and rewarding scenery of any hike in the Himalaya. You pass through rural villages, deep forests, narrow gorges, high alpine valleys, and finally into one of the most dramatic mountain bowls on earth. You do not need technical climbing skills; just determination, basic fitness, and good pacing at altitude.

Trekking here means constant change, a growing sense of anticipation, and a final sunrise you will never forget.

When Is the Best Time to Trek Annapurna Base Camp?

The two best seasons are autumn (October–November) and spring (March–April). Autumn brings crisp clarity and stable weather. Spring brings warmer temperatures and forests full of blooming rhododendron. Winter offers quiet trails but much colder conditions. Monsoon season (June–September) brings clouds, rain, and reduced visibility.

The Life Happens Outdoors Experience: Seamless From Kathmandu to Kathmandu

Here’s something few people talk about: the trek itself is only part of the journey. The rest is everything that happens around it: navigating airports, managing paperwork, arranging transport, choosing the right lodges, pacing yourself safely, and making good altitude decisions. When you trek with Life Happens Outdoors, all of that becomes effortless.

From the moment you land in Kathmandu, we take care of you. We pick you up at the airport, guide you through the city, help you prepare gear, and ensure every detail is ready before you fly to Pokhara. Your permits are handled, your logistics are coordinated, and your itinerary is planned with precision.

On the trail, your only job is to walk. Our guides manage pacing, acclimatisation, safety decisions, and weather assessments. Every tea house is selected for comfort and reliability. Every transfer is pre-arranged. Every day feels purposeful and well supported. You have space to be fully present, to take in the landscape, to breathe, to push, and to rest.

When you arrive at Annapurna Base Camp for sunrise, the world opens around you. All the effort that brought you there becomes worth it, and the only thing left is the moment.

Afterward, we bring you down the valley, back to Pokhara, then back to Kathmandu, where a hot shower, a comfortable bed, and a celebration dinner wait. No loose ends, no post-trek stress, no figuring things out while exhausted.

With Life Happens Outdoors, your Annapurna Base Camp journey begins and ends in Kathmandu with complete support, connection, and care. You get to focus on the mountains. We handle everything else.