Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Price Includes

• Airport / Hotel / Airport pick up & drop off service by a private tourist vehicle
• Standard twin-sharing accommodation in a three-star hotel in Kathmandu (3 nights only) and Pokhara (3 nights only) including breakfast
• Guided city tour in Kathmandu and Pokhara by a private tourist vehicle
• All standard meals during the trek (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Guesthouse accommodation during the trek in twin-share and dormitory-style rooms ( 9 nights only)
• Local Ace the Himalaya licensed English-speaking trekking guide
• The required number of local staff and porters to carry your luggage during the trek (We assign one porter for every two guests.)
• Food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment and medicine for all staff
• Annapurna Conservation Area Permits and TIMS card for trekking
• Down jacket and sleeping bag by Ace the Himalaya (which need to be returned after the trek)
• Tourist bus between Kathmandu and Pokhara and private tourist vehicle from Pokhara to Hile and from Syauli Bazaar to Pokhara
• Free Ace the Himalaya duffel/kit bag and sun hat (yours to keep)
• Sightseeing/Monument entrance fees in Kathmandu and Pokhara
• Farewell dinner in a traditional Nepali restaurant with cultural performances
• All our government taxes, vat, tourist service charges
• Official expenses

Price Does not Include

• Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara
• Travel insurance which covers emergency high-altitude rescue and evacuation (See the travel insurance page.)
• International airfare and airport departure tax (See the international flights page.)
• Nepal entry visa; you can obtain the visa easily upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu (Tourist Visa with Multiple Entries for 15 days can be obtained by paying US $ 30 or equivalent foreign currency. Similarly, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entries for 30 days and 90 days can be obtained by paying US $50 and $ 125 respectively. Please bring 2 copies of passport size photos).
• Alcoholic, hot and cold drinks
• Personal trekking equipment (Click on the Equipment tab.)
• Tips for trekking staff and driver (Tipping is expected.)
• Any others expenses that are not mentioned in the Price Includes section

The following gives you a general idea of the trekking equipment and clothing needed for this trek.

This is a porter-supported trek. Two clients share one porter. We will supply you a trek duffel bag where you keep your heavy items and this bag is carried by the porter. You will need to bring your own daypack to be carried by you. In the daypack, you can put money, important documents, water bottle/bladder, camera, toiletries, sunscreen, notebook, etc.

The weight limit for the porter is 30 kg or 66 pounds. 15 kg or 33 pounds for each client. So, we recommend you to pack as carefully as you can and not exceed the weight limit. You can leave your non-trekking stuff at the locker facility in the Kathmandu hotel.

General

• 4-season sleeping bag (We can provide one if you need it but has to be returned after the trek.)
• Duffel bag (We will provide one complimentary Ace the Himalaya duffel bag which is yours to keep.)
• Daypack
• Down jacket (Must have for mornings, nights and evenings, and for altitudes above 4,000 m; We can provide it if you need one but has to be returned after the trek.)

Upper Body – Head / Ears / Eyes

• Sun hat (We will provide you a complimentary Ace the Himalaya hat.)
• Wool or synthetic hat that cover the ears
• Sunglasses with UV protection
• Headlamp
• Neck warmer

Hand

1. Liner gloves
2. Heavier shell gloves

Core Body

• T-shirts
• Lightweight expedition thermal tops
• Fleece jacket or pullover
• Water/windproof shell jacket (Preferably breathable fabric)
• Synthetic sports bras (For women)

Lower Body – Legs

• Lightweight expedition thermal bottoms
• Nylon hiking shorts
• Soft shell and hard shell trekking pants
• Water/windproof trousers
• Casual pants

Feet

• Liner socks
• Heavyweight socks
• Waterproof hiking/trekking boots
• Light shoes/sneakers/sandals
• Gaiters (For monsoon and winter)

Medicines and First Aid Kits

(Please note our guide will carry the first-aid kit bag during the trek. However we still recommend you to bring your personalized first-aid kit as well.)

• Extra Strength Excedrin for altitude related headaches
• Ibuprofen for general aches and pains
• Immodium or Pepto Bismol capsules for upset stomach or diarrhea
• Diamox (commonly prescribed as Acetazolamide) 125 or 250mg tablets for altitude sickness
• Anti-infection ointments
• Band-aids
• Lip balm (At least SPF 20)
• Sunscreen (SPF 40)

Miscellaneous, but Important!

• Passport and extra passport photos (3 copies)
• Airline ticket (Please make a copy and leave one at our office in Kathmandu just in case if you need to change the date of your flight.)
• Durable wallet/pouch for travel documents, money & passport
• Water bottle/bladder
• Water purification Iodine tablets
• Toiletry kit (Be sure to include toilet paper stored in a plastic bag, hand wipes, and liquid hand sanitizer, towel, soap, etc.)

Optional

Adjustable trekking poles

Favorite snack foods (No more than 2 pounds)

Paperback books, cards, mp3 player

Binoculars

Cameras (Memory cards, chargers and also batteries)

Pee bottle for men and pee funnel for woman

This list is only a guide. While you are required to bring everything on this list, there are numerous options, brands, and versions of each piece of equipment. Use your experience and the listed features to find the best gear for you. Some of the above equipment can be easily found in stores in Kathmandu for cheaper prices.

Note: Tight fitting, figure-hugging clothing such as those made with Lycra can often be offensive to locals, especially to women. If you find these items comfortable as a base layer, please pack something to wear on top of them.

Annapurna base camp trek is suitable for average people who are moderately fit, thus no previous experience is required. Some physical fitness programs such as running, swimming, hiking is recommended before you embark on your journey.

Persons suffering from a pre-existing medical condition must seek medical advice/consent before considering the trek. Whilst on the trek, it is common to experience some discomfort before being fully acclimatized.

To prepare for this trek you should begin training at least two to three months before your departure. As a guideline, an hour of aerobic exercise three to four times per week would be considered a minimum requirement. The best preparation is bushwalking involving relatively steep ascents and descents. If you can manage a couple of valley floor to ridgeline ascents per comfortable and able to enjoy the trek to the fullest. They are physically strong, sharp-witted and have an incredibly positive attitude towards a life that we would consider extremely tough. There is something about a trek in the Himalaya that draws you back time and time again. For keen walkers it is a paradise and even avowed non-walkers find that one foot just seems to follow the other, drawn by the appeal of what lies beyond.

YES, you can obtain the visa easily upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu (Tourist Visa with Multiple Entries for 15 days can be obtained by paying USD 30 or equivalent foreign currency. Similarly, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entries for 30 days and 90 days can be obtained by paying USD 50 and 125 respectively. Please bring 2 copies of passport size photos.)

Yes, our airport representative will be there to greet you at the airport. S/he will be displaying an Ace the Himalaya signboard outside the airport terminal. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in our tourist vehicle.

Please bring a copy of your travel insurance, a copy of your passport and 3 photos (passport size) with you for your trip to Nepal. You would need photos for permits.

We use standard rooms at three-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara with breakfast included. Along the trekking routes, teahouses/lodges generally provide basic clean facilities with a mattress and a quilt or blanket. We can also offer you Ace the Himalaya sleeping bags if needed (to be returned after the trip) but it is a good idea to always have your own sleeping equipment. The lodges in trekking routes usually provide single and double rooms, or occasionally a dormitory style. At times when possible, dining will be around a bon fire. In teahouses, food will be prepared in the kitchen, which you should not enter without permission. The toilet in teahouses provides essential and basic facilities and is always outside the room.

The guesthouse does not facilitate with heater or air conditioner. However, as it gets colder above 3,500m, they do have facility of hitting the dining area by providing kerosene or metal heater. USD 1 to USD 3 per person would be applicable to use this service and this is payable directly to the guesthouse.

All the guest houses sell the toilet paper so you can buy it there itself. Hand sanitizer and a towel you must bring your own.

Most of the tea houses do have western style flushing toilet however in higher elevation you could find the squat toilets made of either a ceramic basin on the ground or few planks precariously positioned over a hole in the ground which is always outside of the room.

At most cases, you can use the toilet provided by the tea houses/lodges on the trail but normally in case of emergency, you just do toilet along the trail wherever you find privacy.

During the trek, we will try our best but normally the lodges have twin sharing and dormitory styled room instead of a single room. The lodges will provide a private room for one person when the room is free and additional cost is not required.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, USD 45 Per Room Per Night would be added as a single supplement fee. The single supplements are always guaranteed in Kathmandu and Pokhara but not in the mountain especially during the peak time.

YES, the food is very safe during the trekking and we recommend you to eat the vegetarian and local food. Please follow the suggestion of our guide on the trek.

Most teahouses (lodges) in Annapurna Base Camp trails cook a delicious range of mostly vegetarian fare. Pasta, tuna bakes, noodles, potatoes, eggs, daal bhat (rice and lentils), bread, soup, fresh vegetables (variety depends on the season) and even some desserts like apple pies, pancakes, and some interesting attempts at custard. You will find a lot of garlic on the menu because it assists with acclimatization – eat some every day. In many villages, you may find some meat items on the menu. You can always get hot chocolate, tea, and hot lemon drinks, as well as soft drinks, and treats like chocolate and crisps.

Each day dinner and breakfast will be at a lodge you’ll stay at while for the lunch you would be stopping by on the way where you can order your meals as per your choice. Guide will help you to stop by at best possible places to eat.

Bottled water is easily available at the lodges and teahouses till Chhomrong, which you can buy at the cost of USD 2 at lower elevations to USD 4 to higher elevation per liter.

Above Chhomrong you have to purify water or buy purified bottle water as the plastics are banned by Annapurna Conservation area therefore they don’t sell plastic bottled mineral water.

If you are planning to drink normal water all the way during trek, purifying water with any sort of purification tablets or drop is must. You can bring your own purifier or can purchase it in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

No problem at all because mostly, the lodges serve the vegetarian meals. We always recommend our clients to eat vegetarian meals to avoid the food poisoning, eating heavy meals and non- vegetarian meals at the high altitude is not really safe for the stomach.

In major places, we arrange guesthouse with proper running shower, which is not possible at Machhapuchare Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp so in these places, water in the bucket will be provided for the shower at the cost of USD 2 to USD 4 per bucket (Roughly one bucket is enough to shower for one person).

It depends on your spending habits. Generally, in Kathmandu and Pokhara you can allocate USD 10 to USD 15 for a lunch and a dinner. USD 20 to USD 30 per person a day will be enough to buy meals, bottles of water, chocolates, pay for the hot shower and a few drinks during the trekking.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, yes – to some extent. Once you are out of the cities, all you need is cash. Please change the currency in local Nepali Rupees before you go to the mountains.

We provide you only those options, which enhance your local experience while allowing you to travel comfortably and efficiently. We use private tourist vehicles for sightseeing, city tours and pickups. We use the tourist bus for the transfer between Kathmandu and Pokhara. For Pokhara to Hile and Syauli Bazaar to Pokhara sections, we use private 4WD vehicles which are the perfect for unpaved mountain roads. We assign experienced drivers for these drives.

Yes, you need to book your own International flights. We are a local agent and it would cost you significantly higher to book through us. Please find more information in the International Flight page.

The trip will be confirmed only when we receive the completed final booking form and 30% deposit payment. You can pay the rest of the balance when you arrive in Kathmandu by USD Cash, Credit cards (Master, Visa and American Express) any card payment requires 4% bank fee while doing the transaction, which is taken by bank itself. (Ace doesn’t own any of those 4% amount)

Cancellation notice is required, minimum of 20 days prior to trip departure. If the reason is valid the Trip shall then be termed as cancelled and the cancellation charge of 30% of the trip amount would be deducted from the advance paid.

You can clear the remainder of the money upon your arrival in Kathmandu or even before you arrive in Kathmandu. You can use USD cash, American Express, Master or Visa cards for the payment options. There will be 4% bank levy when paying by credit cards.

Our trekking season extends from mid- September to May. From early September, the monsoonal rains decrease. By end of September through to December the weather is usually stable with mild to warm days, cold nights. February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December are the best time to do Everest base camp trek. Form July to mid September is raining season in Nepal.

One of the most unpredictable elements of the mountain is the weather. If you’re not properly prepared for the twists, turns and volatility of the conditions that can occur in this breathtaking region, you might find yourself in an uncomfortable and unpleasant situation. Here are some weather basics to help ensure that you come to the Himalayas as well equipped and prepared to face anything.

Generally speaking, the nights are much cooler than the daytime hours in the Annapurna region. Many first-time trekkers are surprised to learn about the incredible range that may occur in a given day. During the day, the thermometer could reach temps as high as 25 degrees C (77 Degrees F), only to dip down as low as -5 degrees C (23 Degrees F) in less than 24 hours. While there’s no way to know exactly what each day in the mountains will bring, the weather and temperature ranges tend to be somewhat predictable based on the month and season.

Spring – March / April / May / June

Spring happens to be one of the best times of the year to visit the Annapurna region, although because of this, it can become somewhat crowded. The beautiful clear blue sky can be seen and the many different species of flower are visible in the lower altitude.

During springtime, the average temperature is 20 degrees C (68 Degrees F), with a maximum of 25 degrees C (77 Degrees F), during sunny days and a minimum of 0 degrees C (32 Degrees F), in the morning and at night for areas above 2500 meters.

July / August Through Mid-September is Monsoon Season

This season is not really recommended to travel as it rains in the lower altitudes. There are positive sides of trekking during the monsoon months as the excess rainfall can provide ample chance to see spectacular views of the waterfall and it’s also the best season to avoid the crowds.

During this time, the average temperature is 25degrees C (77 Degrees F), with a maximum of 30 degrees C (86 Degrees F), during sunny days and a minimum of 5 degrees C (41 Degrees F), in the morning and at night for areas above 2500 meters.

Autumn – End of September / October / November

Similar to springtime, autumn in this region is also a crowded season, but it’s one of the best times to trek. While it lacks the beauty of flowers, the clear blue sky can be seen, affording incredible views from just about every angle.

The average temperature during the fall is 20 degrees C (68 Degrees F), with a maximum temp of 25 degrees C (77 Degrees F), during sunny days and a minimum of -5 degrees C (23 Degrees F), in the morning and at night, for areas above 2500 meters altitude.

Winter- December/ January/ February

Winter start from mid December till mid February in this region. People still like to trek in this month due to fewer crowds.

The average temperature during the winter is 10 degrees C (50 Degrees F), with a maximum temp of 17 degrees C (62.6 Degrees F), during sunny days and a minimum of -10 degrees C (14 Degrees F), in the morning and at night, for areas above 2500 meters altitude.

The above temperature is based on outside of the guesthouse temperature. No need worry about the cold temperature as we provide the sleeping bag plus the extra blanket to make sure our clients are warm enough during the time of need.

The temperature rating of the sleeping bags we provide are about -10 deg C (14 Deg Fahrenheit), our guide can provide liner or extra blanket from the lodge in the mountain if the sleeping bag is not warm enough for you.

Yes, they have all received a 45-day training from the Hotel Management and Tourism Center in Nepal. The guides have also received high altitude first aid training from KEEP (Kathmandu Environmental Education Project). Please check our Trekking Guides Profiles and Training Certificates.

Our guides are 24 hours available for the services during the trek. They are trained to use first aid kit and have knowledge to use Oxy meter in order to track your oxygen level just to make sure you are fit enough to continue your high altitude walk.

Guides also carry local sim cards both Nepal Telecom and Ncell in order to update whereabouts and situation of our every client. During the time of emergency our guides are alert and keeps updated to head office in Kathmandu that is available 24 /7 to arranging from horse to mules or helicopters in the must needed cases especially when client is seriously sick in the mountain and needed to be hospitalized.

Our Company insures all our trekking staff members, including guides, cooks, Sherpa and porters. Please browse though Company Information pages to view insurance details.

You don’t need to submit any immunization documents to enter Nepal however if you have been immunized with diphtheria TB, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, *malaria, typhoid, polio and tetanus then that is a plus point but it’s not mandatory.

We also recommend:

• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• That you know your blood group in case of emergency.

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, which might affect you on tour, you make these known to your tour leader and Ace the Himalaya at the time of your booking.

Our guides are 24 hours available for the services during the trek. They are trained to use first aid kit and have knowledge to use Oxy meter. They are very much aware that higher the altitude the oxygen level gets lesser so to get updated on the oxygen level of our client and to know whether they are fit enough or needs extra precautions to continue.

Guides carry local sim cards both Nepal Telecom and NCell in order to update whereabouts and situation of our every client. During the time of emergency our guides are alert and keeps updated to head office in Kathmandu that is available 24 /7 to arranging from horse to mules or helicopters in the must needed cases especially when client is seriously sick in the mountain and needed to be hospitalized.

Yes, we do have PAC but it is not necessarily required for the trek, which is around 4,000 m level.

If one needs PAC we will surely provide one if required and extra charge would be applicable for it.

It totally depends on level of your sickness. Once you are sick in higher altitude you need to rest at lower altitude and it at least need 3 days to a week for the recovery.

If you are in private or solo trip you can discuss and decide with guide depending on your health status.

If you were in-group then this option would be limited so please make sure you discuss with guide and catch up the group later on.

There are telephones in some villages along the trekking routes from which you can make international calls. All our guides are equipped with the local mobile phone. They carry the Nepal Telecom and Ncell Sim that has good network coverage. You may wish to pass the number of our guide to your family for the callback or you can make a call from the guide’s mobile and pay him directly for the international call too.

These facilities will be available in most of the places in your hotel reception by paying some service charges. Remember to bring TWO and THREE pin travel adapters! You can also buy the adapters in the super markets or electronic shops in the Kathmandu. Our guide can help you with it.

Whilst on the trek, our porter will take care of your luggage. All you need to carry is your small day bag for your personal belongings like camera, water bottle, sun cream etc.

The hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara does provide the free storage services. So you can leave all your items that are not required for the trekking at your hotel.

Holiday should never be about making it to the final point quickly. Along your trek we can add days at your request with additional costs to cover guides, porters, accommodation and food. Please consult with your guide and he will update our office in Kathmandu and we can make the arrangements accordingly.

If you are in private or solo trip it would be possible as your itinerary is very flexible where as if you were in-group then this option would be limited so please make sure you discuss with your group and guide and your guide will update us accordingly.

Yes, there are a plenty of options and choices to extend your holiday before or after your main trip. Please go into our trip extension page for further information.

YES, all our trips are guaranteed to run. We never cancel the trip due to not having enough participants; we can arrange the trip for one person as well as a private trip at very minimum additional cost. Please inquire about this during the time of booking.

The above information is a guide and standard template of what we provide. Our trip can be customized at your request to accommodate your specific requirements.

NOTE: During the trip; weather, local politics, transport or a multitude of other factors, that are beyond our control can result in a change of itinerary. It is, however, very unlikely that the itinerary would be substantially altered; if alterations are necessary the leader will decide what is the best alternative, taking into consideration the best interests of the whole group. Where a change does occur, we do everything we can to minimize its effect, but we cannot be responsible for the results of changes or delays.

This is a difficult thing to gauge. We have seen everything from USD 20 to USD 1000 per person for guides and porters. Tipping is not required, but a small gesture of thanks to your guides and local porters. The level of the tip should reflect the level of satisfaction from and personal involvement with your guide. However, we recommend you to spend minimum 10% of your total trip cost for tipping entire local staffs, the ratio of tipping guide and porter will be given to you at the pre-trip meeting in Kathmandu before starting the trek.