Annapurna Base Camp Trek: Self-Launched 13-Day Independent Trek

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport and get a prepaid taxi to Thamel (roughly NPR 800–1,000, about £5–6) — agree the price at the prepaid counter rather than with drivers. Check into a budget guesthouse in Thamel or Paknup. In the afternoon pick up or arrange your permits: the Nepal Tourism Board office (Bhrikutimandap, open Sun–Fri) issues the ACAP entry permit (~NPR 3,000 / £18) and TIMS card (~NPR 2,000 / £12) — bring passport photos and cash. Sort a local SIM (NCell or NTC, ~NPR 500 with data) and buy a cheap down jacket and trekking poles in Thamel if needed.

🚌Prepaid airport taxi to Thamel (~£5–6)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Thamel (private room, ~£12–18)

• →Permits at Nepal Tourism Board
• →Local SIM card
• →Gear shopping in Thamel
• →Swayambhunath sunset walk

Take the tourist bus from Kathmandu's Kantipath/Sorakhutte terminal to Pokhara, departing around 7am and taking 6–7 hours (~NPR 1,200–1,800, £8–12). Alternatively, a jeep seat or shared microbus is similar in price and slightly faster. Arrive in Lakeside or Damside, find a guesthouse, and walk to Phewa Lake for the evening. Optional boat ride on the lake (~NPR 700/hour) or a stroll along Lakeside's bars.

🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara (~£10, 6–7 hrs)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Lakeside, Pokhara (~£12–16)

• →Phewa Lake walk
• →Optional rowboat hire
• →Lakeside evening

Take a local bus or shared jeep from Pokhara's Baglung bus park to Nayapul (~1.5 hrs, NPR 200–400 / £2–3), where the trek officially starts after a TIMS/ACAP check. Walk ~4–5 hours through riverside villages and green forest to Tikhedhunga. Lodges are simple teahouses; expect dal bhat for dinner (~NPR 400–500) and a dorm or twin room for NPR 500–800 (often discounted if you eat dinner and breakfast there).

🚌Local bus Pokhara–Nayapul (~£3)

🛏Teahouse in Tikhedhunga (~£5–7)

• →Trek Nayapul–Tikhedhunga (~4–5 hrs)
• →TIMS/ACAP checkpoint

The toughest day of the lower route: a long, relentless stone staircase of 3,000+ steps up to Ulleri, then a steady climb through rhododendron forest to Ghorepani (~6–7 hrs). Take it slowly and drink plenty of water. Ghorepani sits at ~2,870m — pack warm layers as nights get cold even in shoulder season.

🚌On foot (~6–7 hrs)

🛏Teahouse in Ghorepani (~£6–8)

• →Ulleri staircase climb
• →Rhododendron forest trail

Set an alarm for 4:45am and hike 45 minutes up to Poon Hill (3,210m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South — there's a small entry fee (NPR 100–200) at the gate. Back to Ghorepani for breakfast, then trek ~5–6 hours along a ridgeline through forest to Tadapani. This is one of the best viewpoints of the whole trek even in cloudy weather.

🚌On foot (~5–6 hrs plus Poon Hill climb)

🛏Teahouse in Tadapani (~£5–7)

• →Poon Hill sunrise viewpoint
• →Ridge trek to Tadapani

A day of descents and undulations through terraced fields and villages to Chhomrong (~5–6 hrs), the last proper village before the sanctuary. Cross the Chhomrong Khola suspension bridge — it's a brutal final staircase up to the village. Chhomrong has good bakeries and the best dal bhat of the trek; charge your devices early as electricity is metered from here up.

🚌On foot (~5–6 hrs)

🛏Teahouse in Chhomrong (~£5–7)

• →Terraced field trail
• →Chhomrong Khola suspension bridge

Enter the Annapurna Sanctuary with a steep drop to the Chhomrong Khola, then climb through bamboo and rhododendron forest via Sinuwa and Bamboo to Himalaya (~2,920m). Roughly 6–7 hours. Expect leeches in the forest in monsoon and cold nights year-round. Food and room prices rise with altitude — budgets tighten from here.

🚌On foot (~6–7 hrs)

🛏Teahouse in Himalaya (~£6–8)

• →Bamboo and rhododendron forest
• →Sinuwa to Himalaya ridge

The big day: climb past Deurali to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (~3,700m) for lunch, then continue across the moraine into the sanctuary to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m (~6–7 hrs total). Watch for altitude symptoms — turn around if you feel unwell. ABC lodges are basic and cold, so bring a warm sleeping bag. Sunset and sunrise over the Annapurna massif are the payoff.

🚌On foot (~6–7 hrs)

🛏Teahouse at ABC (~£8–10, basic and cold)

• →Machhapuchhre Base Camp
• →Annapurna Base Camp
• →Annapurna South & Machhapuchhre views

Catch sunrise from ABC, then descend the same trail back to Bamboo (~5–6 hrs) via Deurali and Himalaya. Descending is hard on the knees — trekking poles help. Cheap lodges and warm food again once you drop below 3,000m.

🚌On foot (~5–6 hrs)

🛏Teahouse in Bamboo (~£5–7)

• →ABC sunrise
• →Descent via Deurali

Trek back up to Sinuwa and down to Jhinu Danda (~5 hrs). In the afternoon, walk 20 minutes down to the Jhinu hot springs on the river bank (~NPR 200 entry plus small locker fee) and soak your legs. Lodges in Jhinu are relaxed and cheap.

🚌On foot (~5 hrs)

🛏Teahouse in Jhinu Danda (~£5–7)

• →Jhinu hot springs
• →Riverside walk

Walk 2–3 hours down to the road at Nayapul (or take a shared jeep for the last stretch if the road is rough, ~NPR 500–1,000). From Nayapul catch a bus or shared jeep back to Pokhara (~£2–4). Check into a Lakeside guesthouse, shower properly, and eat something that isn't dal bhat. Optional evening paragliding can be booked same-day in Pokhara (~£65–75) but needs a full morning — better saved for an extra day.

🚌Trek plus local bus/jeep Nayapul–Pokhara (~£4)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Pokhara (~£12–16)

• →Descent to Nayapul
• →Lakeside evening
• →Optional paragliding (£65–75)

Morning tourist bus back to Kathmandu (~7 hrs, ~£10), or a slightly pricier flight (NPR 8,000–9,000) if you want to save time. Settle into a Thamel guesthouse and finish with a self-arranged farewell dinner — Nepali thali with a cultural dance show runs ~NPR 1,200–2,000 at places in Thamel like Nepali Chulo or Thamel House, roughly £8–13.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Kathmandu (~£10)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Thamel (~£12–18)

• →Kathmandu Durbar Square walk
• →Nepali farewell dinner with cultural show

Buffer day for shopping in Asan Bazaar or a morning trip to Boudhanath, then a taxi to the airport (allow extra time for traffic). If booking your own guide through a Thamel agency at short notice, expect to pay a day rate of roughly £15–20 and to cover their food and lodging — worth arranging a week ahead in peak season (Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr).

🚌Airport taxi (~£5–6)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Boudhanath stupa morning
• →Asan Bazaar shopping