Annapurna Sanctuary Trek - 10 days

The first day of the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek takes you from Kathmandu to Pokhara and then towards Dhampus. You will rise early in Kathmandu and have your breakfast. Remember it will take 7-8 hours to reach Pokhara via bus, so board your bus early.

The drive is quite scenic, alongside the Marshyangdi and Trishuli rivers. You will keep heading on the Prithvi Highway alongside lush jungles and small settlements. After leaving the city lights of Kathmandu, you will drive the scenic route, and when you get closer to Pokhara, you will start seeing the peaks of Manaslu and Ganesh Himal.

When you reach Pokhara, you can take a breather. After relaxing for a few moments, you will board a taxi to reach today’s destination, Dhampus. Dhampus is a stunning small hill station in Annapurna, famous for its picturesque mountain views. The mountains like Hiunchuli, Fishtail, Annapurna, and Nilgiri are visible here. Overnight stay in the hotel or lodge in Dhampus.

After having a delicious breakfast in Dhampus, we will move towards Landruk. The trek first starts without any complication as we reach Pothana. The orchid and rhododendron forests will keep you company along this trail. After reaching Pothana, you must climb steep hills with a clear and distinct view of Machhapuchhre in the distance.

After a few hours of trekking from Pothana, you’ll arrive at the breathtaking hill station of Deurali. In the distance, you can see more stunning mountains. Deurali, situated at 3200m, offers fantastic photo opportunities. It sits at a higher elevation on the eastern side of the Modi Khola.

From Deurali, we must descend considerably along green forests, shrubs, herbs, and orchids. You will also see many common birds, making your trek more enjoyable. As you continue downwards for a few hours, you’ll come across Modi Khola Canyon, and shortly after, you’ll arrive at Landruk.

Today, we’ll begin our descent from Landruk. About half an hour later, we will reach a steep climb, making our trek a bit more complicated. As we cross the suspension bridge over the rivers, we will reach considerable heights. First, we will contact Jhinu Danda to click more pictures and have lunch.

Jhinu Danda is also famous for its natural hot springs. Just walk 20 minutes from your stop, and you can relax before continuing your trek. Your trail ascends until you reach today’s place to stay in Chhomrong.

Our evening destination is Chhomrong, a small hill station with shops and stunning mountain views. If we stay caught up, Sinuwa will be our backup.

On the fourth day, we will continue to gain elevation on our trek. Our next destination is the Himalayas, which lie at an altitude of 2890m. Before climbing altitude, we will first descend from Chhomrong to reach Sinuwa, from where the ascending begins.

The trail from Sinuwa is very vibrant as we make our way through a few more rhododendron forests. It is also easier to trek since this trail is more comprehensive than others. A few hours later, we reach Khuldighar, where you start descending.

As we head towards the village of Bamboo, nestled in the woods, rhododendrons and bamboo forests will surround us. Continuing from Bamboo, we’ll reach Himalaya, a town with many teahouses. Today, we’ll stay in one of these teahouses.

Today is the special day of your trek. We will finally reach Annapurna Base Camp. At the start of our trek from Himalaya village, we will ascend some altitude. We will climb some steep mountain curves until we reach Deruali, situated on the top of Modi Khola.

In Deurali, we took a little breather and started trekking towards Machhapucchre Base Camp. The trek is somewhat tricky, but the view makes everything worth it. You’ll get glimpses of stunning mountain ranges like Mt Gangapurna, Ghandarvachuli, Annapurna III, and Annapurna I.

Leaving the stunning mountain vista behind, you’ll ascend toward Annapurna Base Camp (4130 meters). The 1.8-mile trek takes 2 hours, and you’ll camp overnight at Annapurna Base Camp, which offers stunning views.

The sixth day of your Annapurna Sanctuary Trek begins with a beautiful sunrise in the Basecamp. After having a short breakfast, we will now start retracing our steps. We will decrease the elevation significantly from the Annapurna Base Camp area and head towards Bamboo.

Since descending is more manageable, we will cover more distance. We’ll skip Himalaya village and trek down for seven hours, reaching Bamboo. First, we’ll mingle with the locals and spend the night at a teahouse.

Our return trek begins today, retracing the path through pine, orchid, and rhododendron forests. We’ll arrive back in Chhomrong after 4-5 hours.

A few steps ahead, you will reach Jhinu Danda and its natural hot springs, where you can rejuvenate your body. You can either stay in Jhinu Danda or return to Chhomrong for an overnight stay.

We will have breakfast in Chhomrong, then start descending the Modi River Valley, following the river on our way to Jhinu Danda.

After descending, we will continue trekking the trail of fertile lands used for cultivation. You will also come across green grasslands where many cattle are grazing. After a 5-hour trek, Ghandruk awaits! We’ll stay overnight in a cozy lodge or hotel there.

Today, we embark on a 3-4 hour trek from Ghandruk to Syauli Bazar. After lunch in town, we’ll hop on a jeep or taxi to return to Pokhara. The journey is mesmerizing as we pass through woods, jungles, and small villages along the way, and we will also stop whenever we can to click some more photos.

After about 2-3 hours of jeep or taxi ride, we will reach Pokhara. If it’s early and you are up for it, you can stroll along the lakeside area. There are plenty of shopping places, so keep your wallet with you.

Today is the last day of your Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. You will have breakfast in Pokhara and prepare for our return to Kathmandu via bus. The bus journey from Pokhara to Kathmandu takes seven to eight hours. The bus rides alongside the Marshyangdi River for a brief time and then mixes up with the Trishuli River.

Congratulations, you’ve completed your trek. After reaching Kathmandu, you’ll be transferred to your hotel, marking the end of this adventure. We hope to welcome you back again someday!