North Annapurna Base Camp trek is such type of trek which let you experience the whole new level of wilderness and the beauty of nature. It is an off beaten trail and totally not crowded than any other trails of Annapurna region. Because of rare sights of travellers in this area, there is not any accommodation facilities and the only way to complete the trek is camping trek. No matter how difficult it is, it lets you have everlasting adventure within wilderness and offers you panoramic view of stunning mountains. In recent time, it is gaining some attention from the trekkers since it guarantees the thrilling and exciting adventure. There is no question that North Annapurna base camp trail will amaze every trekking enthusiasts and nature lovers. The main highlight of the trek is Gurung culture and natural hot spring along with the breath taking views of major peaks like Annapurna I, Nilgiri, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machapuchare and Dhaulagiri.

The history of North Annapurna Base Camp trek starts back from 1950. The French group lead by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal made history by climbing the summit of Annapurna I in 3 June 1950. They wanted to try either Dhaulagiri or Annapurna I. The route for Dhaulagiri was difficult and they summited Annapurna I. It was the first time to observe North Face of Annapurna. Hereafter, the route was popular as French North Face route. Annapurna was untouched until 1970 when the British army followed the same route to climb summit. After that the trail was named as North Annapurna Base Camp. But still it is one of the least crowded region because of difficulty. Annapurna North base camp journey is the best trekking for the admirer of mountains and the adventurers alike.

After arriving in Kathmandu and spending a day full of sightseeing, the actual journey of North Annapurna Base Camp begins with the long drive to Pokhara. Or you can take scenic flight of about 30 minutes to Pokhara. The next day we will take another long drive to Ghasa, which lies en route to Mustang. The road passes through the ridge of Kali Gandaki River. The way passes through many small villages and rolling hills. After Ghasa, the real trekking starts which leads to Riverside camp. There is no tea houses facilities so afterward there will only be camping. Our trained staff will handle camping and preparing food onward. Your job is only to admire the view of nature and mountains. The trail leads to Jungle camp and Miristi Khola through the lush forest. The bridge to cross Miristi Khola River is seasonal, if there is no bridge it could be troublesome. But, whole things will be arranged well before by Nature Lovers Treks and Tours’ team, no worries. Rest day in Miristi Khola is set for the acclimatization, to prevent from altitude sickness. The other day is the big day of the journey. Walking through the steep uphill of rocky hills leads to the North Annapurna Base Camp. You can observe Tilicho peak as close as your nose. Similarly, it shares the breath taking views of Annapurna I, Khangsar Kang, Bharha Chuli, Annapurna South and North Annapurna Glacier. The way is the same way, all the way back to Ghasa. The next stop will be Tatopani, where you can get natural hot spring for relaxing and chilling after accomplishment of great trekking. The following days we will drive to Pokhara and then to Kathmandu. Before your final departure from Nepal we will have farewell dinner to remember the amazing journey. Cheers!

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Outline Itinerary

DAY 01: Namaste and welcome to Nepal, arrival in Kathmandu and hotel transfer, Hotel

DAY 02: Preparation day and optional sightseeing in Kathmandu, B, Hotel

DAY 03: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, B, Hotel

DAY 04: Drive from Pokhara to Ghasa, BLD, Teahouse

DAY 05: Trek from Ghasa to Riverside Camp, BLD, Camping

DAY 06: Trek from Riverside Camp to Jungle Camp, BLD, Camping

DAY 07: Trek from Jungle Camp to Miristi Khola, BLD, Camping

DAY 08: Rest and acclimatizing day in Miristi Khola, BLD, Camping

DAY 09: Trek from Miristi Khola to North Annapurna Base Camp, BLD, Camping

DAY 10: Trek from Annapurna North Base Camp to Miristi Khola, BLD, Camping

DAY 11: Trek from Miristi Khola to Jungle Camp, BLD, Camping

DAY 12: Trek from Jungle Camp to Riverside Camp and to Lete, BLD, Teahouse

DAY 13: Trek from Lete to Tatopani, BLD, Teahouse

DAY 14: Drive from Tatopani to Pokhara, B, Hotel

DAY 15: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu, BD, Hotel

DAY 16: Final international departure, Goodbye and Namaste, B, Flight.

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Detailed Itinerary
BLD denotes Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Cost for 1 PAX: $2090 /-

Cost for 2 or more PAX: $1770 per person

Note: Trip cost varies with the group sizes.

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Cost Breakdown

Cost Include

• All ground transfers
• Full sightseeing during trekking
• Hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara on BB basis
• Camping/Teahouse accommodations at mountain depending upon availability
• Required camping stuffs, including different tents, other gears and equipment with food supplies
• Full board meals; breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea / coffee and snacks
• Clean drinking water everyday
• Trekking permit
• TIMS Card (Trekkers Information management system)
• An experienced English speaking trekking guide and his expenses, insurance
• Porter service (1 for 2 trekkers) and their expenses, insurances including extra Sherpas for carrying camping stuffs
• First Aid kit Bag
• Company t-shirt/ Certificate of appreciation
• Government tax and Vat

Cost Exclude

• Extra drinks as alcoholic and non-alcoholic and other personal expenses
• Sightseeing and meals in Pokhara and Kathmandu
• Extra accommodation and meals behind schedule
• Travel and emergency rescue insurance
• Gratuities to the staffs (mandatory)
• Down jacket, walking stick and duffel bag (provided if required but to be returned after)

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Useful Information

Kathmandu airport pick up and drop services

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours’ staffs will pick you up from the airport as per your flight arrival time and similarly drop you off in the airport for international departure according to your flight schedule. During arrival, please don’t forget to look for your name placard hold by the team, outside the airport arrival gate. Our staff will be impatiently waiting for your arrival to greet you and warmly welcome you in Nepal. ‘NAMASTE’ is the foremost and the most commonly used greeting word in Nepal which you will hear from our staff at the very first moment you meet him.

Customized Trips and Trip departure

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking departs from Kathmandu as per our fixed departure dates. You can join any available fixed departure groups if you are a solo or small group travelers if you wish to, when the trips cannot be customized.

But if you are in a private group, fixed departure dates are not suitable for you and so you need to choose your own dates and packages, when you can customize the trek as per your travel needs. For further information, please kindly contact your own friendly neighbor, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.

Accommodations in Kathmandu, Pokhara and during trek

You will be staying in the 3 star hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara while in the teahouse lodges and tented camps during the trek.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best accommodation arrangement for you from the beginning to the end. We believe after the tough walking day, everyone deserves the proper rest and the right ambience to relax and chill. Therefore, our choice of accommodation is the best when it comes to the trekking days. The rooms will be clean and comfy. Our entire accommodations will be on twin-sharing basis as you can see, so you have to let us know if others; let’s say if you want triple or quadruple sharing or if you want a double bed, etc. There will be extra charge for the single supplement. Similarly, you will have the proper comfy tents during camping days.

If you wish to change the accommodation category to a better ones in Kathmandu and Pokhara, please let us know and we can change it for you on added cost.

Route Map and Company T-shirt

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers you a complimentary trekking map and the company t-shirts.

Safe Drinking Water during North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking

Hydrating yourself is the most important thing to do during the trek. You should drink at least 3 liters of water every day or more. The main reason is to avoid the altitude sickness and to avoid other health issues. Nature Lovers Treks and Tours provides you water purification tablets or liquids to purify the water in the mountains. You can even buy mineral water or boiled water on extra cost.

Your trekking guides and porters

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best guides and porters in the whole tourism industry. We can guarantee you on that. Ask yourselves a question. What do you look for in a guide and a porter? Are they fully insured and are they paid well? Well, they are the staffs of Nature Lovers Treks and Tours so they are hundred percent happy with their treatment by the company. They are experienced, licensed and knowledgeable in the field. They are well paid and fully insured for their journey as well as for the medicals.

Now, let’s talk about our backbones. The leader or a guide should have a significant knowledge in the climbing and trekking so that he can wonderfully and safely lead you, clearing any obstacles on the way. We, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours can proudly say that our guides (climbing, assistant, trekking guide) are highly qualified for the role. They are fully trained, experienced and licensed. They have undergone through a whole lot of training to make themselves useful in various situations and to make your journey a smooth and pleasant one.

Our guide knows the local areas, the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles much more than anyone do. Some of the things he tells you, might even be hard to find in the travel guide books. Depending upon the situations and weather conditions, the daily plans might change slightly which when happens, he will inform you beforehand. You should always be flexibly ready to accommodate to your guides’ instructions. Let him know if you have any health problems as well since he will act accordingly to the situation. Depending upon the group size, we will also provide you assistant guides and extra Sherpas if needed.

Our porters are always fully equipped with the gears they need and as per the company policy, they are always insured and completely looked after. They are our backbone. We allow maximum weight of 25/30 kg to be carried by one porter. They are the strongest in our group with less communication skills. We also closely work with IPPG {International Porter Protection Group} and follow their ethics and guidelines.

Your safety

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. We provide you our own comprehensive first aid medical kit bag along with the professional team of guides and porters. We are always in communication with our field team members to keep track of your safety and concerns. Your entire journey will be monitored by us and we make sure you enjoy your journey in full scale. We are available 24/7 for your health and safety checks during North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking.

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking cost?

The cost of the North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking varies from $1500-$2500 depending upon the number of days you choose to trek. The longer the trek, more expensive it will become. Similarly, the price will differ with the accommodation choices and group sizes also. Normally, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers a comprehensive package which is inclusive of all the cost and expenses for the entire journey from the moment you land in Nepal till the moment you fly back home. However, you could also choose to buy only service-based package from us when we will be providing you only the supporting field staffs plus trekking permits and you have to arrange the rest by yourselves.

How is the Accommodation during the North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

In North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking, we will provide you the teahouses and tented camping accommodations. A teahouse is typically a mountain lodge which is a combination of a lodge or a guest house and a restaurant or a café with basic furniture and interiors suitable for the social hangout. Few teahouses have attached bathrooms and the central heating furnace. Also very few teahouses provide the European toilets while Asian style of toilets are available in every teahouses. Hot showers are available but on extra cost. The same goes with the hot drinking water since they use the gas or solar to boil the water. Sleeping blankets are usually provided but we recommend you to carry your own sleeping bags for the hygienic purpose {can be arranged on request}. At the same time, it’s better to carry your own toiletries including the towels.

During the camping days, you will be sleeping in the camps set up by our field Sherpa staffs. There will be separate kitchen and dining tents. Your meals will be freshly cooked and you will be served day and nights by our Sherpas. Our staffs will carry the sleeping bags, pillows and mattresses for you to sleep in the tents. Undoubtedly, you will have a perfect camping trek experience with Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.

What are the permits that I need for North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

For North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking, you will need to make two permits: ACAP permit (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) and TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System).

How does this tipping system in Nepal work and do I have to tip?

Tipping is not compulsory for North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking however tipping is all about showing your gratitude and appreciation. We care about our staffs in the fields so we expect you to look after them in return for them looking after you throughout your journey. They are your closest friend in the remotest parts and also your protector whenever anything seems to happen to you. So tipping is highly expected and we’ve made it mandatory too. The amount of gratuities can be determined by yourselves. Normally, a guide expects around $5 or more per day per person while a porter expects $4 or more per day per person.

Can I charge my phones, batteries or other electronic devices in North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

You can hardly charge your electronic devices during North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking but also by paying small amount or fees for charging. Don’t forget to buy a plug adapter or socket fittings before you leave Kathmandu.

Is there WiFi and mobile signal on the North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking route has poor network coverage most of the days. But you can buy one of the Nepalese Sim cards from any local phone shops in Kathmandu which has coverage mostly all over Nepal. It is wiser to buy a sim card with around 4 GB data in Kathmandu and use the mobile data in the trek to avoid paying extra by buying WiFi on the trek.

WiFi is available on some of the teahouses in North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking route and cost some charges. However, the signal varies from place to place and please don’t expect to receive the fast data coverage in the trek.

When is the best time to trek to North Annapurna Base Camp?

North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking can be done throughout the year. However in average, Spring {March, April and May} and Autumn {September, October and November} are the best times or seasons to trek to North Annapurna Base Camp. Spring and Autumn are known as the Peak season or Busy season in Nepal. It’s because the temperature is moderate during these seasons and the best panoramic mountain views are guaranteed while during other Summer {June, July and August} and Winter {December, January and February} season, the clear weather is not guaranteed. But if you are an explorer, a photographer and a peace lover, less busy season can also be the right time to do North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking. The problem is the weather is harsh cold in winter and there’s snow everywhere while the summer has rainfalls and clouds obscuring the mountains and the views are not so great most of the time.

Do I have to worry about the altitude sickness in North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

The itinerary of our North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking is perfectly designed by Nature Lovers Treks and Tours and has separated enough time in the places to let the body acclimatize well in high altitudes. As long as you follow the guide, you should be fine. Altitude sickness in fact can affect anyone regardless of the age or the fitness level, so it is very important to walk slowly and gradually as you go higher. Learn more in details about Altitude Sickness to prepare yourselves for the upcoming North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking.

Do I need to be healthy and physically fit for North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

When it comes to trekking in the mountains, health and fitness of a person plays a vital role. If you are a healthy person without any serious medical problems, North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking is for you but if you have any sorts of medical issues, please consult to your doctor before coming to Nepal for the trek. We will be gaining the high altitude of 4130 m above the sea level which is not a joke. People normally start to have breathing problems above 3000 meters from the sea level, if they have pre-existing health conditions.

Now when it comes to the fitness level required, North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking demands high physical fitness. The trekking includes daily walks of about 4-8 hours and involves many ascents and descents which means you need lots of practices before you start the trekking journey. You will be traversing through the forests, high passes and high hills. If you do not have the previous trekking experience, that’s fine but obviously if you have previous experiences, it will be lot easier. For those not having previous trekking experiences, please exercise regularly for at least one month prior to your trekking departure. Go for the morning walks, do some jogging as you get time, participate in some cycling activities, etc. This way, you will be good to go for trekking to North Annapurna Base Camp.

What kind of food items or meals can I eat on North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

Only breakfast is included in Kathmandu and Pokhara while full board meals or full meals are included during the trek. Tea and coffee will also be provided during the entire trip. During the trek, you will have your breakfast and dinner in the same teahouse / tented camps where you spend the night while the lunch will be served en route towards the next destination of the day. There are a limited choices to choose from; Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, Continental, etc. during teahouse days. Except in camping days, when freshly cooked meals will be served and usually the foods are basic and with few choices but they will certainly be healthy and nutritious. Our Sherpas will make sure that you eat enough food for the trekking journey.

Do I need a travel insurance for North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

Travel insurance is a must when you trek to North Annapurna Base Camp. Therefore before you come to Nepal, please make sure you have your insurance documents with you since our insurance companies cannot insure foreign nationals. Because of the reason that they cover all the expenses, if you face some unfortunate happenings and you have to be rescued or medically assisted during the trip or if your belongings are lost or stolen. We strongly advise you to take out an insurance which covers any medical risks up to 4200 meter as well as the medical evacuation from the mountains.

What gears and equipment do I need to pack for North Annapurna Base Camp Trekking?

Choosing the right gear and equipment is important as well for the successful trek to North Annapurna Base Camp. Pack the right gears and equipment but remember, packing as light as possible is the best way to go when trekking to North Annapurna Base Camp. You should read this What to take for travel to get all the details on what you need to pack or carry.