Annapurna Sanctuary
A natural amphitheatre of 7,000-metre peaks — the most accessible introduction to high-altitude trekking in Nepal.
A perfect amphitheatre at 4,130 metres
Annapurna Sanctuary is what you get when you walk into the open hand of one of the largest mountain massifs on earth. The Sanctuary itself is a glacial basin completely ringed by 7,000- and 8,000-metre peaks: Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South (7,219 m), Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), Hiunchuli (6,441 m). You stand in the middle and turn slowly. There is no horizon.
It's also one of the more accessible high-altitude treks in Nepal — shorter than Everest Base Camp, lower in maximum altitude, and requiring no domestic flight more adventurous than Kathmandu–Pokhara.
Why the 11-day version
Most operators run this trek in 8 or 9 days. Ours is 11 because we add the Poon Hill / Ghorepani loop on the front end. Two reasons:
1. Acclimatisation. Sleeping above 2,800 m for two nights before pushing into the Sanctuary makes the climb to ABC noticeably easier on your body.
2. The view. The Poon Hill sunrise — Dhaulagiri, the Annapurnas, and Manaslu in a single 180° sweep — is the most photographed mountain panorama in Nepal for good reason.
If you're tight on time, we can run a 9-day version that skips Poon Hill and goes direct from Pokhara to Chhomrong via the Kimche jeep road. Tell your planner.
Comfort and culture
Annapurna teahouses are genuinely good. The lower-altitude lodges (Tikhedhunga, Ghorepani, Chhomrong, Jhinu Danda) have private rooms with attached bathrooms, hot showers, and menus that include actual vegetables. Higher up, simpler — but still warmer and friendlier than the Khumbu equivalents.
The culture on this trail is Gurung and Magar — distinct from the Sherpa villages of the Khumbu. Different food, different language, different mountain mythology. Your guide will translate when it matters.
11 days, step by step.
Every distance, lodge and rest day is adjustable to your pace. This is the starting sketch.
Airport pickup, evening welcome briefing, gear check.
OVERNIGHT · KATHMANDUMorning flight to lakeside Pokhara, lunch by Phewa Lake, then a 90-minute drive to the trailhead at Nayapul.
OVERNIGHT · TIKHEDHUNGALong day climbing through stone Magar villages and rhododendron forest. The Ulleri staircase is famous — 3,200 stone steps.
OVERNIGHT · GHOREPANIPre-dawn climb to Poon Hill (3,210 m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas, then sideways through forest to Tadapani.
OVERNIGHT · TADAPANIDrop into the Modi Khola valley, cross the river, and climb to the Gurung village of Chhomrong — the gateway to the Sanctuary.
OVERNIGHT · CHHOMRONGInto the Modi Khola gorge — bamboo forest, waterfalls, and the path narrowing as the valley closes in.
OVERNIGHT · DOVANAbove the bamboo zone, into mossy rhododendron and the first big mountain views.
OVERNIGHT · DEURALIThe big day. Climb past Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m) into the Sanctuary itself — a complete 360° amphitheatre at 4,130 m.
OVERNIGHT · ANNAPURNA BASE CAMPSunrise lights up Annapurna I, Annapurna South, and Machhapuchhre. Long descent to thicker air at Bamboo.
OVERNIGHT · BAMBOODown to Jhinu — the natural hot springs by the river are the perfect aching-leg recovery.
OVERNIGHT · JHINU DANDAMorning drive to Pokhara, afternoon flight to Kathmandu. Optional extra night for Pokhara lake activities.
Transparent line items, no surprises.
- Private licensed guide for the full trek
- 1 porter per 2 trekkers (luggage to 12 kg)
- All ACAP and TIMS permits
- Round-trip Kathmandu–Pokhara flights
- All teahouse accommodation on the trail
- All meals on the trail (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- 1 night in Kathmandu, 1 night in Pokhara (B&B)
- All ground transfers (Pokhara–Nayapul, Jhinu–Pokhara)
- Daily health checks above 3,000 m
- Comprehensive first-aid kit + satellite communicator
- International flights to/from Kathmandu
- Nepal entry visa (USD 50 on arrival)
- Travel insurance with high-altitude trekking + helicopter evacuation
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Personal trekking gear (boots, layers — rentals available)
- Tips for guides and porters (suggested USD 10/day total)
- Drinks (alcoholic and bottled) on the trail
- Hot showers and battery charging at higher lodges (USD 2–4)
Frames from the route, not stock.
Tap any photo for the full frame. All shots taken by our guides on past departures.
A walk through Annapurna.
Topographic profile across 11 days. Rest days appear as plateaus; summit days as peaks. Every line is on foot.
Pick a date, or set your own.
All departures are private — you and your group only. Past dates are filtered out automatically.
Walk the Annapurna Sanctuary with us.
Tell us your dates and we'll draft a custom itinerary within 48 hours — written by hand, not by template. No card needed to start.
