THE TREK
The Annapurna Ranges provide the backdrop to this epic adventure. Starting in Kathmandu, Nepal’s vibrant capital, you’ll make your way through a variety of landscapes as you trek to the base camp of one of the deadliest mountains in the world.
This is a multi day trek to significant altitude (4,110m above sea level) and there are several hours of trekking per day for a total of 9 days; you will need to be in good physical shape to complete the challenge. Although acclimatisation is slow and gradual, you will feel the effects of altitude and therefore stamina is essential for all participants.
Our trips are inclusive of accommodation, meals, transport and more, so all you need to do is focus on the challenge ahead!
TRIP ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN KATHMANDU
Our meeting point is your accommodation in central Kathmandu. Arrive any time before 5pm as you’ll have a free short briefing from your guides.
DAY 2: TRANSFER TO POKHARA
Today is a travel day as we travel in a private vehicle to Pokhara; one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal. Expect the drive to take 7 hours depending on the traffic!
VIEW FULL ITINERARY +
DAY 3: TREK DAY 1
Nayapul to Ulleri
Elevation: 2,070m
After breakfast we’ll set off towards Nayapul for the start of our trek. It’s about an hours’ drive from Pokhara and you’ll get your first views of the towering, snow-capped Annapurna Range whilst walking alongside the Bhurungdi Khola and up the famous 3,000 stairs! There’s some gentle inclines and a well defined path for post of the day.
Distance: 16km, approx. 5-6 hrs trekking
DAY 4: TREK DAY 2
Ulleri to Ghorepani
Elevation: 2,810m
This is where we’ll start settling into the routine of a Himalayan trek. A hearty breakfast of porridge, eggs or tibetan bread will set us up for a day of steep inclines and stone staircases. We’ll walk through rhododendron and oak forests and might spot some langur monkeys or musk deer.
Distance: 10km, approx 5 hrs trekking
DAY 5: TREK DAY 3
Ghorepani to Tadhapani
Elevation: 3,210m
Today’s one of the highlights of the trek as we have a pre-dawn start to get to the top of Poon Hill to catch a spectacular sunrise view of Annapurna. We’ll head through the jungle and take on some hilly terrain as we walk towards Tadhapani.
Distance: 15km, approx 6 hrs trekking
DAY 6: TREK DAY 4
Tadhapani to Sinuwa
Elevation: 2,310m
Meandering through Gurung villages will see us get a warm welcome from the local people in their traditional villages. We’ll also get some great views today of Mount Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South before ending the day with another relaxing evening in the comfortable surroundings of a Teahouse.
Distance: 10km, approx 6 hrs trekking
DAY 7: TREK DAY 5
Sinuwa to Deurali
Elevation: 3,320m
Lots of elevation gain today with some steep ascents and descents through forest and dirt tracks. We’ll be crossing the Chomrong Khola on an impressive suspension bridge so there’s plenty of opportunities for some iconic pictures to be taken! As ever, the Annapurna Range will loom large and we’ll have non-stop views throughout the day.
Distance: 7km, approx 5 hrs trekking
DAY 8: TREK DAY 6
Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp
Elevation: 4,110m
Today’s the day we reach Annapurna Base Camp! There’s steep inclines along the way, some rocky tracks and depending on the time of year, snow on the ground. This will be the highest point of our trek and we’ll be rewarded with great views from the base camp as well as the satisfaction of having made it to ABC!
Distance: 8km, approx 4 hrs trekking
DAY 9: TREK DAY 7
Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo
Elevation: 2,340m
Watching the sunrise bathe the Annapurna sanctuary before we begin our descent is how we start our day. We’ll continue to be surrounded by the Annapurna Range as we descend, also getting to take in the Annapurna glacier and the Modi Khola river. It’s a long day and all the descending can be tough on the news but we’re well acclimatised and have plenty of time!
Distance: 17km, approx 6-7 hrs trekking
DAY 10: TREK DAY 8
Bamboo to Jhinu
Elevation: 1,780m
We’ve got a hilly ascent to Sinuwa and then we’re on well-defined tracks as we descend to Jhinu. Today’s a great chance to rest those weary legs as we finish the day at the natural hot springs and do some recovery work!
Distance: 16km, approx 5-6 hrs trekking
DAY 11: TREK DAY 9
Jhinu to Siwai
Elevation: 1,070m
The last day of hiking and a relaxing descent leaving the snow capped giants of the Annapurna Range behind us. It’s just 2-3 hours of trekking to the trailhead where we’ll jump on our transport for the 2-3 hour drive back to Pokhara.
Distance: 4km, approx 2-3 hrs trekking
DAY 12: TRANSFER TO KATHMANDU
DEPENDS ON YOUR TRAVEL OPTION
If you’ve chosen to come home early then you’ll be on a flight back to Kathmandu today. If you’re joining us for the extension trip then we’ll be driving out to Damauli to begin our rafting adventure!
DAY 13: TRANSFER TO KATHMANDU
DEPENDS ON YOUR TRAVEL OPTION
For those leaving us, you’re free to depart at any time today. For those on the extension trip, we’ll continue our rafting adventure.
Please note our itineraries are planned many months in advance and occasionally we need to make small adjustments and tweaks due to local conditions and advice from our partners on the ground in Nepal. We will try our best to inform you of any major adjustments, however, in some cases changes may need to be last minute. Please try to bring a degree of flexibility with you when you come on the challenge.
TRIP COSTS & INCLUSIONS
We provide several funding options for our trekking challenges, to provide you with the maximum possible flexibility.
First, decide whether to pay for your challenge outright (Self Fund option) or fundraise for your challenge. If you’re fundraising, you can choose our Minimum Sponsorship option with a full fundraising target, or opt to Flexi Fund: pay some of your trip costs yourself, and cover the rest with a reduced fundraising target.
The separate funding options are detailed in full below:
SELF FUND
Registration fee:
£490
Balance payment:
£645
Fundraise:
No fundraising required
Read more...
The full cost of this challenge is £1,035. You will be required to pay the registration fee of £490 at the time of booking and the final balance of £645 which is due 10 weeks before departure.
Whilst registering for the challenge, you will still be asked to select a charity. This charity will receive a notification of your registration and may support you with any fundraising you may wish to do alongside your challenge - however, there is no obligation to fundraise and there is no minimum sponsorship amount due.
Once your final balance has been settled at or before 10 weeeks prior to departure, your place on the trip will be confirmed and you'll be ready to take on the challenge of a lifetime!
MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP
Registration fee:
£490
Fundraise:
£1,290
Read more...
You will be required to pay the registration fee of £490 at the time of booking, and you'll then need to raise a minimum sponsorship amount of £1,290 for your nominated charity, which usually needs to be raised in full by 8 weeks prior to your departure.
When taking on a challenge with us, you can rest assured that all of the money you fundraise throughout the year will go directly to the charity you are supporting.
Once you hit that all-important fundraising target and your place on the challenge is confirmed, the charity will use this money to cover the remaining costs of your challenge (which will never exceed 50% of your fundraising target).
The remainder of your fundraising (never less than 50% of your fundraising target) will stay with your charity, as a donation to their vital work. In addition, 100% of any Gift Aid and every single pound that you raise above your target will stay with your charity.
FLEXI FUND
Registration fee:
£490
Flexi payment:
£195 or £395
Fundraise:
£900 (£195 flexi) or £500 (£395 flexi)
Read more...
You will be required to pay the registration fee of £490 at the time of booking, and then you will make a further contribution of either £195 or £395 to your trip costs, due 10 weeks before departure. You will also have a minimum fundraising target.
The benefit of the Flexi Fund option is that it gives you the best of both of the other funding options: your contribution toward your trip costs will decrease the minimum fundraising amount you need to raise. The more you contribute with your Flexi Fund payment, the greater the discount on your fundraising target:
- If you opt for the £195 Flexi Fund amount then your fundraising target will be £900.
- If you opt for the £395 Flexi Fund amount then your fundraising target will be £500.
When taking on a challenge with us, you can rest assured that all of the money you fundraise throughout the year will go directly to the charity you are supporting.
Once you hit that all-important fundraising target and your place on the challenge is confirmed, the charity will use this money to cover the remaining costs of your challenge (which will never exceed 50% of your fundraising target).
The remainder of your fundraising (never less than 50% of your fundraising target) will stay with your charity, as a donation to their vital work. In addition, 100% of any Gift Aid and every single pound that you raise above your target will stay with your charity.
INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
Your full itinerary, in the Challenge Information Pack below, gives details of the specific inclusions for your trip.
Please note that international flights are not included in our public challenges in order to allow you maximum flexibility on when to arrive, how long to extend your trip, which airline you fly with, where you depart from or which class you fly (lucky you if not in economy with us!).
Take a look below to see at a glance the inclusions and exclusions for this challenge.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Ground transfers
Accommodation as specified
All meals on the trek and other meals as specified
All National Park fees, entrance fees, taxes, and permits
English-speaking professional guides
Safe drinking water during the trek
Communal camping equipment
Porter service on the trek
Equipment hire facilities
Comprehensive pre-departure support and advice
24-hour emergency line for use during your trip
what’s not included
International flights to Kathmandu
Tips and gratuities
Visas
Travel insurance
Medical expenses in case of emergency on your trip
Any necessary vaccinations or medications
Meals and drinks not specified in the itinerary
Optional excursions
Personal camping equipment and clothing
Other items of a personal nature
WHICH CHARITIES CAN I CHOOSE FROM?
You’re free to choose to fundraise for whichever charity you like, as long as they are registered in the UK or Ireland.
When you register, you’ll see a list of charities to choose from - this list includes our Partner Charities and also other causes and charities registered across the UK and Ireland who have already agreed to support fundraisers taking part our in challenges.
If you’d like to fundraise for a charity which is not already a partner of ours, just let us know and we’ll link up with them!
know before you go:
How difficult is this challenge?
We have four difficulty levels for our treks, which take into account factors like altitude, terrain, weather conditions and more. The rating for this trip is as below:
Extreme - you will find yourself in remote environments with limited facilities as you take on a tough challenge with the added test of altitude.
Training is essential for our extreme challenges as you will face extremely difficult terrains, long trekking days and often adverse weather conditions.
These challenges are made for those looking for the ultimate adventure.
What is the accommodation like?
Whilst in Kathmandu you will stay in a comfortable hotel.
During the challenge, you will stay in shared rooms in teahouses on the trail. The teahouses are basic yet comfortable. Food will be served communally at the teahouses by the cooks each night.
There are occasional opportunities to use Western-style toilet facilities (sometimes at cost), and on the trek there is infrequent access to running water.
What will the weather be like?
Weather in the Himalayas can be very changeable due to the nature of the surrounding terrain. When it does rain, it can be heavy and last for several hours. As you reach Annapurna Base Camp itself, the altitude leads to a sharp drop in temperatures, particularly at night. Kathmandu enjoys a subtropical climate (around 25 degrees celsius during the day) but there can be heavy downpours during the humid summer months. Sometimes leeches can be an inconvenience.
Do I need mountaineering skills?
Nope! One of the huge benefits of the Everest Base Camp challenge is that you do not need any specialist mountaineering skills, experience or equipment to reach the summit.
This non-technical climb will be a real test of your mental and physical resilience - but it does not require you to be a seasoned mountain climber.
What will the group size be?
Group sizes may vary, but will almost always include somewhere between 10 - 30 participants.
White Water Rafting Adventure
EXTENSION TRIP
WHITE WATER RAFTING ADVENTURE
Why not extend your stay in Nepal following your Annapurna Base Camp trek? We wouldn’t say it’s relaxing but on our white water rafting adventure extension package, you’ll at least not have to rely on your own two feet to get from A to B! You’ll enjoy an overnight rafting trip and a bit of extra time to explore all that Kathmandu has to offer!
Explore the full itinerary and inclusions below, take a look at our Kilimanjaro Challenge Info Pack for further details or get in touch to add our trip extension to your challenge!
VIEW FULL EXTENSION ITINERARY
DAY 1
Today you’ll be transferred to Damauli to start our rafting adventure. The Seti river is graded III+ to IV+ depending on the season so it’s an ideal place for beginners. Beautiful forests provide the backdrop for our first day of rafting as we take around 4 hours to get to our campsite at Keshbtar.
DAY 2
We’ve got another four hours of rafting today. A combination of leisurely meandering down the river will be punctuated by bursts of white water which your guide will help you expertly navigate! There might be some time to spot from wildlife and do some bird-watching along the way as well as simply enjoying a different perspective of the natural beauty of this incredible country! We’ll head back to Kathmandu in the afternoon and a 5 hour drive will see us arrive in Kathmandu around 6pm.
DAY 3
We’ve got a free day in Kathmandu today. You can spend it doing some last minute souvenir shopping in Thamel or you might choose to head to Durbar Square for some sightseeing. Or simply decide to eat your fill of momos or devour a last thali - the choice is yours!
DAY 4
This is your last day so depart any time. Ask us if you need help with an airport transfer or your onward travel plans!
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Transfers by private vehicle
Accommodation in Kathmandu and overnight camping.
All meals included in itinerary
Rafting guides and equipment
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Tips and gratuities
Supplementary travel insurance
Medical expenses in case of emergency on your trip
Meals and drinks not specified in the itinerary
Optional activities or excursions
Items of a personal nature
Please get in touch to arrange a private trek date
