An incredible hike with an amazing group of people. Badri managed to get us in and out of Lukla on days when we thought flights may not be possible and he tried his very best to accommodate the needs of the group. The team of porters supporting Karen Darke were out of this world and did an incredible job, with big smiles. Wonderful people. The trek itself was incredible and we had fantastic weather during the whole trip. Although the ‘B Team’ snail ed it, we had an excellent adventure thanks to Badri and his very supportive team.
Teahouse Treks
Authentic Nepal Trekking
Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek Overview
The Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek is a fast and rewarding 7-day trekking package from Kathmandu designed for travelers who want to reach Annapurna Base Camp without a long itinerary. It is one of the most efficient ways to stand inside the Annapurna Sanctuary — surrounded by some of the highest and most dramatic peaks in the world.
The trek reaches Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m / 13,550ft, where Annapurna I, the world’s 10th highest mountain, rises directly above you alongside Machhapuchhre / Fishtail, Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, and Gangapurna. It is one of the most spectacular mountain settings in the Himalayas — and this 7-day itinerary gets you there faster than any other guided package.
This 7-day package begins in Kathmandu with a drive or flight* to Pokhara — Nepal’s beautiful lakeside city and gateway to the Annapurna region. From there, the route pushes directly into the Annapurna Sanctuary via Chhomrong, Sinuwa, Bamboo, Dovan, Deurali, and Machhapuchhre Base Camp before reaching Annapurna Base Camp itself. The pace is brisk and the days are full — good fitness is essential.
The Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek is ideal for fit beginners, experienced hikers, students, couples, photographers, and travelers with limited time who don’t want to compromise on the destination. If you prefer a more relaxed pace with extra acclimatization and rest days, our 12-day Annapurna Base Camp Trek is the better choice.
The Trekking Route
The trek begins with a scenic drive or flight* from Kathmandu to Pokhara, followed by a drive to the trailhead. From there, the route heads directly into the hills toward Chhomrong — the last major village before the Annapurna Sanctuary — passing through traditional Gurung settlements and terraced hillsides with expanding views of the Annapurna range.
From Chhomrong, the trail descends into the Modi Khola river valley and enters the natural corridor that leads deep into the Sanctuary. The forest closes in as you pass through Sinuwa, Bamboo, and Dovan — dense rhododendron and bamboo jungle flanking both sides of the trail. Above Deurali, the trees fall away and the great rock walls of the Sanctuary open up dramatically around you.
Machhapuchhre Base Camp at around 3,700m offers the first sweeping views of the peaks ahead. The final push to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m is one of the most memorable walks in Nepal — wide open, high above the treeline, with Himalayan giants filling the horizon in every direction.
The return follows the same route, descending back through the forest and on to the trailhead before the drive to Pokhara and Kathmandu.
Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek Highlights
- Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m / 13,550ft — inside the Annapurna Sanctuary
- Close-up views of Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre, Hiunchuli, and Gangapurna
- Sunrise from Annapurna Base Camp surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the world
- Walk through rhododendron, bamboo, and alpine forest
- Pass through traditional Gurung villages including Chhomrong
- Machhapuchhre Base Camp at 3,700m — dramatic views on the way up
- Natural hot springs at Jhinu Danda on the descent
- Compact 7-day itinerary — maximum destination, minimum time
- Suitable for fit beginners — no technical climbing required
- Tea house accommodation throughout the trek
Best Time to Trek
The best time for the Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek is spring and autumn.
Spring, from March to May, is one of the most beautiful seasons on this route. The rhododendron forests are in full bloom, the mornings are clear, and the mountain views are at their most vivid. The weather is warm at lower elevations and cool but manageable at Base Camp.
Autumn, from September to November, is the most popular and reliable trekking season in Nepal. After the monsoon, the skies clear dramatically, the air is crisp, and the views of Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, and the surrounding peaks are razor sharp. Autumn is the ideal season for this trek.
The trek can also be completed in winter (December to February) with proper warm clothing, though the higher sections near Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, and Annapurna Base Camp will be cold and may carry snow. The monsoon season from June to August brings heavy rain, leeches, and slippery trails — not recommended for this itinerary, where the pace leaves little room for weather delays.
Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek Difficulty
The Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek is rated moderate to challenging. The destination and elevation are the same as the 12-day version — Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m / 13,550ft — but compressed into 7 days. That means longer daily walking sections, less time to acclimatize, and less margin for rest if your body needs it.
Trekkers should expect daily walking of 5 to 8 hours on steep stone staircases, forest trails, and high alpine terrain. The ascent from Chhomrong to the Sanctuary is sustained and demanding. Good cardiovascular fitness and prior hiking experience will make a significant difference on this itinerary.
No technical climbing experience is required. Walk slowly, stay well hydrated, dress in suitable layers, and always follow your guide’s advice. If you have any concerns about altitude or fitness, the 12-day Annapurna Base Camp Trek gives you more time on the trail and is the safer choice for less experienced trekkers.
Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek Permits
The Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek passes through the Annapurna Conservation Area, which requires the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP).
Trekkers also need a TIMS Card and must trek with a licensed guide under Nepal Tourism Board regulations. NTB requires all foreign trekkers on protected-area routes to be accompanied by a licensed guide and carry a trekking-agency-issued TIMS Card.
We arrange all permits, your licensed guide, transportation, accommodation, and full trek logistics before your trip begins — there is nothing you need to organise yourself before leaving home.
Trip Itinerary
Outline Itinerary
• Day 01: Drive or Fly* from Kathmandu to Pokhara
• Day 02: Drive from Pokhara to Jhinu Danda and Trek to Chhomrong / Sinuwa
• Day 03: Trek from Chhomrong / Sinuwa to Deurali
• Day 04: Trek from Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp via Machhapuchhre Base Camp
• Day 05: Sunrise at Annapurna Base Camp and Trek to Bamboo
• Day 06: Trek from Bamboo to Jhinu Danda and Drive to Pokhara
• Day 07: Drive or Fly* from Pokhara to Kathmandu
Details Itinerary
Day 01: Drive or Fly* from Kathmandu to Pokhara
After breakfast, you will travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara. You can go by tourist bus or flight*.
If you drive, the route follows rivers, hills, towns, and countryside views. If you fly*, you reach Pokhara quickly and get more time to rest.
Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna region. After arrival, you can check your trekking gear and prepare for the next day.
- Altitude: Kathmandu – 1,300m / 4,260ft
- Altitude: Pokhara – 820m / 2,690ft
- Travel Time: Drive approx. 6–7 hours or flight approx. 25–30 minutes
- Lodging: Hotel in Pokhara
- Inclusions: Breakfast
Day 02: Drive from Pokhara to Jhinu Danda and Trek to Chhomrong / Sinuwa
After breakfast, you leave Pokhara behind and drive toward Jhinu Danda — the road winding through terraced hillsides, riverside villages, and lush green countryside as the Annapurna range slowly fills the horizon ahead.
From the road end, the trek begins. You cross the bridge near Jhinu and start climbing toward Chhomrong — a beautiful Gurung village perched on a ridge above the Modi Khola valley, and the last major settlement before the Annapurna Sanctuary. The views from Chhomrong are already remarkable — Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre rise sharply above the valley, giving you your first real sense of where you are headed.
Depending on your pace and energy, you may overnight in Chhomrong or push on to Sinuwa — a quieter stopping point lower in the forest below.
- Altitude: Jhinu Danda – approx. 1,780m / 5,840ft
- Altitude: Chhomrong – approx. 2,170m / 7,119ft
- Altitude: Sinuwa – approx. 2,360m / 7,743ft
- Drive Time: approx. 3–4 hours
- Trek Time: approx. 3–5 hours
- Lodging: Tea House / Lodge
- Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 03: Trek from Chhomrong / Sinuwa to Deurali
After breakfast, the trail drops down from Sinuwa into the Modi Khola valley and enters the forest — and from here, the Annapurna Sanctuary begins to draw you in. The path winds through dense bamboo and rhododendron jungle, crossing wooden bridges and climbing stone staircases as the air grows cooler and quieter with every hour.
You pass through Bamboo, Dovan, and Himalaya Hotel — small trail settlements tucked into the forest — before reaching the Hinku Cave area and finally Deurali, where the treeline begins to thin and the great walls of the Sanctuary start to reveal themselves above.
This is a long and demanding day. Walk at a steady pace, drink plenty of water, and let the forest do its work. By the time you reach Deurali, you will feel the altitude and know that tomorrow’s destination is close.
- Altitude: Bamboo – approx. 2,310m / 7,579ft
- Altitude: Dovan – approx. 2,600m / 8,530ft
- Altitude: Deurali – approx. 3,230m / 10,597ft
- Trek Time: approx. 6–7 hours
- Lodging: Tea House / Lodge
- Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 04: Trek from Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp via Machhapuchhre Base Camp
This is the day you came for. After breakfast, you leave Deurali and the last of the trees behind, stepping out into the open high valley that leads toward the heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary. The trail is wide and exposed now — snow-dusted peaks rising on every side, the air thin and sharp, the silence broken only by the wind and the crunch of your boots on the path.
Machhapuchhre Base Camp arrives at around 3,700m — a dramatic stopping point beneath the sacred, unclimbed peak of Fishtail. The views from here stop you in your tracks. But the best is still ahead.
From MBC, the final push to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m is one of the great walks in the Himalayas. The Sanctuary opens fully around you — a vast natural amphitheater ringed by giants. Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre, and Gangapurna rise in every direction. There is nowhere else quite like it on earth.
Walk carefully on this section — the trail can carry snow and passes through avalanche-prone terrain. Follow your guide’s lead and take it steady. The arrival at ABC is worth every step.
- Altitude: Machhapuchhre Base Camp – approx. 3,700m / 12,139ft
- Altitude: Annapurna Base Camp – approx. 4,130m / 13,550ft
- Trek Time: approx. 5–6 hours
- Lodging: Tea House / Lodge
- Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 05: Sunrise at Annapurna Base Camp and Trek to Bamboo
After breakfast, you begin the long descent. The trail retraces your steps through Machhapuchhre Base Camp and Deurali, then drops back into the forest corridor — Himalaya Hotel, Dovan, and finally Bamboo, where you overnight. What took days to climb passes quickly on the way down, but the legs feel every metre of it.
This is a long day with significant descent. Trekking poles earn their keep on days like this — use them, especially on the steep stone staircases below Deurali. Take care on your knees, walk at a controlled pace, and let the forest welcome you back.
- Altitude: Annapurna Base Camp – approx. 4,130m / 13,550ft
- Altitude: Bamboo – approx. 2,310m / 7,579ft
- Trek Time: approx. 6–8 hours
- Lodging: Tea House / Lodge
- Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 06: Trek from Bamboo to Jhinu Danda and Drive to Pokhara
After breakfast, the trail climbs back up through the forest to Sinuwa, then rolls on through the familiar ups and downs toward Chhomrong — one last look back at the Sanctuary from the ridge before the mountains disappear behind the hills.
From Chhomrong, the trail descends steeply toward Jhinu Danda. If time and energy allow, stop at the natural hot springs near the river — warm mineral pools beside the Modi Khola, one of the most welcome rewards at the end of a mountain trek. Sore legs, tired feet, and days of stone staircases all dissolve in the water.
From the road point, your vehicle is waiting. The drive back to Pokhara winds through the same countryside you passed on Day 2 — but it feels different now. By evening you are back in Pokhara, with Phewa Lake glittering outside your window and Annapurna still visible on the horizon.
- Altitude: Jhinu Danda – approx. 1,780m / 5,840ft
- Altitude: Pokhara – 820m / 2,690ft
- Trek Time: approx. 5–6 hours
- Drive Time: approx. 3–4 hour
- Lodging: Hotel in Pokhara
- Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 07: Drive or Fly* from Pokhara to Kathmandu
After breakfast, you leave Pokhara and make the return journey to Kathmandu — by tourist bus or flight. The drive follows the same river valleys, hill towns, and rural landscapes of the outward journey, though the view from the window feels earned in a way it didn’t before.
If you fly*, the mountains are visible one last time from the air — Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri catching the light as Pokhara falls away beneath you.
On arrival in Kathmandu, your 7-day Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek is complete. Seven days from the city to the Sanctuary and back — Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m, the hot springs at Jhinu, the forest at Bamboo, and that sunrise. Not bad for a week.
If you have extra time, we can arrange Kathmandu sightseeing, a Chitwan jungle safari, an extra night in Pokhara, or connect you to another Nepal trekking package.
- Altitude: Kathmandu – 1,300m / 4,260ft
- Travel Time: Drive approx. 6–7 hours or flight approx. 25–30 minutes
- Lodging: Not Included unless extra night is booked
- Inclusions: Breakfast
Cost Details
Cost Includes
- Bus transport to/from Kathmandu to Pokhara (*flight option extra $150 each way)
- Hotel accommodation in Pokhara
- Tea house / lodge accommodation during the trek More Info
- Breakfast in Kathmandu and Pokhara More Info
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner during trekking days More Info
- Licensed trekking guide More Info
- Trekking staff support as per group size
- Porter to carry your gear More Info
- Required trekking permits
- Basic first aid support
- Government taxes and official service charges
Cost Excludes
*Fly rather then drive to/from Kathmandu to Pokhara ($150 each way)
- International airfare More Info
- Nepal visa fee More Info
- Travel insurance More Info
- Personal trekking equipment More Info
- Airport arrival and departure transfer More Info
- Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu More Info
- Drinks (except tea or coffee included at meals), snacks, hot shower (at higher elevation tea houses), Wi-Fi, battery charging, and personal expenses during trek More Info
- Tips for guide, porter and trekking staff More Info
- Extra hotel nights caused by early arrival, late departure, road delay, or weather condition More Info
- Additional cost caused by landslide, snow, political strike, road blockage, flight delay, or natural events More Info
- Natural hot spring entry fee if applicable
- Any cost not mentioned in the Cost Includes section
FAQ
Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek
Does this 7-day trek start from Kathmandu?
Yes. This updated Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek – 7 Days starts from Kathmandu and ends in Kathmandu.
Is Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek good for beginners?
Yes, it can suit fit beginners. However, this is a short and fast ABC itinerary. So, good fitness is important.
How many days is this Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek package?
This is a 7-day Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek package from Kathmandu. It includes Kathmandu to Pokhara travel, trekking to ABC, return to Pokhara, and return to Kathmandu.
How high is Annapurna Base Camp?
Annapurna Base Camp is around 4,130m / 13,550ft. It is the highest point of this trek.
How high is Machhapuchhre Base Camp?
Machhapuchhre Base Camp is around 3,700m / 12,139ft. It is on the way to Annapurna Base Camp.
What is the best time for Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek?
The best time is spring from March to May and autumn from September to November. These months usually give better weather and clearer mountain views.
What mountains can I see during the trek?
You can see Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, and other peaks of the Annapurna Sanctuary.
Is Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek difficult?
It is moderate to challenging. The route has steep climbs, stone steps, forest trails, long walking days, and high altitude near ABC.
Do I need permits for Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek?
Yes. You need ACAP and TIMS Card as per current rules. NTNC lists the ACAP fee and permit rules, while Nepal Tourism Board lists guide and TIMS information.
Do I need a guide for Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek?
A licensed guide is strongly recommended. Nepal Tourism Board says specific protected-area routes require a licensed guide and agency-issued TIMS Card.
What kind of accommodation is available?
Accommodation during the trek is in local tea houses and lodges. In Pokhara, accommodation is arranged in a hotel.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. Travel insurance is strongly recommended. It should cover trekking, medical care, trip delay, and emergency evacuation.
Can travelers from USA, Australia, Canada, and Europe book this trek?
Yes. Travelers from the USA, Australia, Canada, Europe, Asia, and worldwide can book this trek as a private or group joining package.
Can I book a private Annapurna Short Base Camp Trek?
Yes. This trek can be arranged as a private guided package. It can be customized based on your date, budget, fitness level, and group size.
Can I customize this 7-day itinerary?
Yes. You can add Kathmandu hotel, airport transfer, Pokhara extra night, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, or extra rest days.
Is 7 days enough for Annapurna Base Camp from Kathmandu?
Yes, it is possible for fit trekkers with fast road transfers and a guided plan. However, it is a short itinerary. If you want more comfort, choose a 10-day or 12-day ABC trek.
Route Map
Client Reviews
Mitchedberg
Vicky S
Date of experience: March 2025
Clare B
Date of experience: March 2025
An amazing experience – went trekking with 14 others in March / April 2025 and had a wonderful time. A big thank you to Badri and his crew for taking care of every logistical detail; flights, hotels, transportation in Kathmandu, transportation to and from the airport, money exchanges, restaurant reservations, sightseeing, optimal route pacing, gear transportation, and 100 other small details that would have left me flummoxed.
He and his team allow for a trek that’s as simplified as possible, you can focus your energy on getting to base camp, and they do everything else. They even bring you hot towels and lemon ginger tea at the end of each day (every morning too). I can’t say enough good things about the porters / guides, they were unbelievable, true heroes of our trip. We had some very unique challenges in our group, and without expert guides and porters we would absolutely not have had the same high quality experience. When I go back to Nepal for a second trek, I’m calling Badri. Badri is the guide you want – generous, personal, and you can tell he and his team deeply care about the well-being of their clients.
One more thing: Not once, but twice, Badri got our entire group flown from Kathmandu to Lukla (and back) on days when the weather was uncooperative. Both times, there was only a brief window when the clouds cleared — just enough for a single plane to make the journey — and guess whose plane was first in line? Even more impressive: while we were waiting at the airport, Badri already had a backup helicopter option lined up, just in case the planes didn’t fly. This kind of foresight and preparation gave us total peace of mind.