The trek to the south base camp of Annapurna I is one of the classic "must do" trips in the Himalaya. The Annapurna Sanctuary has a 240 degree view of peaks all around including Annapurna I , Annapurna South, Huinchuli, Gangapurna, Machapuchare and many others. The time for the trek is now reduced due to road building in the Birethanti - Ghandrung - Landrung region.
Who should join this trek?
A good choice for regular hill walkers, moderate level of fitness required. Prior trekking experience advisable.
1) Walking times: average 6-7 hours walking per day (with some longer days on the way down ABC- Dovan and Chomrong to Pokhara.
2) Altitude: up to 4150m at ABC.
3) Terrain: for some of the time following well-travelled trails although also likely to encounter rough and rocky conditions. There is a portion between Deurali and Machapuchare Base Camp which can be avalanche prone in spring.
4) Remoteness: the trek is in a remote mountain area. However mobile phones and wifi will work on most of the days.
5) High altitude insurance including emergency evacuation insurance by helicopter is recommended for this trek.
Trek Leader - The trek will be led by a senior South Col Nepal guide.
Minimum group size is four for this trek
DAY 01 – KATHMANDU - Land in Kathmandu.
DAY 02 – KTM TO POKHARA BY FLIGHT TO NEW BRIDGE BY ROAD TREK TO CHOMRONG (2170M) 3 TO 4 HOURS The next morning we fly to Pokhara and then drive for an hour to Kande. We will start climbing to a ridge for around 90 minutes by traversing fields and forest and following a stone staircase and then a short climb which will take us to Australian Camp. After a short break, we trek through the rhododendron forest and reach Pothana village (2000 m) in thirty minutes. Lunch at Pothana. After lunch, the path slowly ascends until we reach Bhichowk Deorali (2149 m) from here we can see the view of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. We then take a steep descent to Modi Khola and gently climb to a ridge and then take short descent to the village of Tolka (1810 m), our night stop.
DAY 03 – CHOMRONG TO DOBAN (2505 metres) 6 to 7 hours From Upper Chomrong we make a descent in about forty minutes along stone steps to the river. The trail from the river climbs uphill to Bhanuwa in an hour. From Bhanuwa it is about an hour to Upper Sinuwa. From Upper Sinuwa we proceed along the forest track to Khuldi. Thirty minutes on a steep downhill from Khuldi is our lunch stop at Bamboo. After a leisurely lunch at Bamboo we walk the last hour and a half to Doban for our night stop.
DAY 04 – DOBAN TO DEORALI (3140 metres) 4 hours From doban walk through the forest for about an hour to Himalaya (2940 m). About fifty minutes from Himalaya is a huge cave, Hinko where in 1971 Don Whillans claims to have seen the yeti! Deorali is about forty minutes away and we reach in time for lunch.
DAY 05 – DEORALI TO MACHHAPUCHHRE BASE CAMP (3720 M) - 4-5 HRS The trail remains on the west bank of the Modi, now flowing through a more open valley, and eventually emerges into the Sanctuary. Straight ahead is the high lateral moraine of the South Annapurna glacier and the Modi follows a deep cliff to the right. This is the site of Machhapuchhre base camp from which can be seen a spectacular panorama of Annapurna Mountains.
DAY 06- MBC - ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP (4130 m) 2 hours After early breakfast, easy walking excursions to Annapurna Base Camp (2-3 hrs) - our final destination of the trip. The day is easy and explores the incredible views of near vertical south face of Annapurna that towers above us to the north-west and several other big peaks and trekking peaks.
DAY 07 – ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP TO HIMALAYA OR DOBAN 5 to 6 hours Follow the same route downhill all the way to Himalaya or if possible Doban
DAY 08 – HIMALAYA /DOBAN TO UPPER CHOMRONG 5 hours As usual, after breakfast we will trek back to Chomrong village again for overnight stop
DAY 10 – UPPER CHOMRONG TO KIMCHE TREK AND THEN TO POKHARA BY ROAD 5 -6 hours - We leave Chomrong and start on our route to Kimche via te New Bridge – from Kimche we take a jeep into Nayapula and then taxi to Pokhara. Fly to Kathmandu
DAY 11 KATHMANDU ONTO YOUR HOME DESTINATION BY FLIGHT
April, May, mid October to first week December are good months for this trek
COSTS USD 900 per person exc;uding meals. Please budget extrs USD 25-30 per person per day for meals. The cost is per person for Kathmandu to Kathmandu (10 days) as per the itinerary given. Taxes included. Costs given above are at current rates of 2024 and may change without notice depending on USD to INR rate fluctuation.
Costs include: Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara by air and return air fare from Pokhara to Kathmandu. Transport from Pokhara to trail head and back in a private vehicle. Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS permit for trekking in the Annapurna region. All accommodation on the trek on twin sharing basis. Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu one night on the way in and one night Pokhara on the way out is covered. Cost of porters/guides for the trek. Please note that porters will carry one duffel bag or backpack not exceeding 10 kgs in weight for each trekker comprising of personal items, clothing, sleeping bag etc.
Costs not included Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Breakfast lunch and dinner on the trek is not included. Desserts, drinks, and exotic items listed in the lodge menus are not included. Alcohol, cold drinks (coca cola, sprite, beer), juices, ice cream etc on the trek. Bottled drinks; boiled, filtered or bottled water; alcohol; snacks etc Client travel and medical insurance of any kind. Emergency evacuation costs if needed. Hot showers (Rs 300 per shower); Battery charging, excess airline baggage charges. Personal clothing and equipment; sleeping bag; down/ goretek jacket, medicines for personal use etc. Air fare from residence country to Nepal and back
Tips to porters and guide at the end of trek estimated at USD 50-60 per trekker contribution to the common pool
| ITEMS | REMARKS | |
| Duffle Bag | All the equipment listed below other than what you need for the day should be packed into a duffle bag, locked and handed over to the porters in the morning. In case you cannot get a duffle bag in your home country these are available very cheap in Kathmandu and I can help you with this. The duffle bag should not weight more than 10 kgs! | |
| 1 | Sleeping Bag | Warm sleeping bag is needed at least three season rated to 15F |
| 2 | Daypack or Hipbelt | To carry water, one jacket some nuts, chocolates, cap, camera to keep with you in the day, maybe gloves and cap as well, hiking poles etc. |
| 3 | Boots or Trekking Shoes | one pair |
| 4 | Slippers or Sandals for camp | lightweight to wear in the evenings |
| 5 | warm Socks | 2 pairs to carry and one pair to wear |
| 6 | Gloves | one pair |
| 7 | Underwear | 1 to wear and 2 to carry |
| 8 | Warm Cap | one- Wool or fleece is usually good |
| 9 | Heavy jacket | the warmest you can get as nights and early mornings are cold - down is usually preferred otherwise a warm synthetic filled jacket. |
| 10 | Thermal Underwear ( top and bottom) - long johns | inner layer to wear at night and early morning ; |
| 11 | Mid Layer | Usually a jacket of fleece or wool which can be worn over a thermal layer or by itself while walking |
| 12 | T shirts for walking | one to wear and 2 to carry - if the sun is hot you can walk in a T shirt |
| 13 | Trousers /tights etc | one to wear and one to carry light weight preferred |
| 14 | One Rain Jacket /Wind Jacket/Soft Shell jacket | useful in case of wind ... you may need it in light rain though we would usually take shelter and wait for the rain to stop. Our trek is not in the rainy season though some light rain/snow in the late afternoon evenings cannot be ruled out. |
| 15 | Torch or headlamp | one small needed carry one set spare batteries |
| 16 | Sun bloc | one small tube should be ok spf 30 or 50 |
| 17 | some essential medicines | vitamins, headache, fever, pain killers, diamox for altitude, your own specific medicines etc |
| 18 | Hiking poles | if you have bad knees then this is recommended especially on the down hills!! |
| 19 | Water bottle | one no 500 ml or 1 litre is ok you can use the 500 or 600 ml empty coke or pepis bottles |
| 20 | Sun glasses | the sun is strong in the day |
| 21 | Cap for the sun | ditto! |
| 22 | small towel | for baths and wash up in case you can use the hot shower |
| 23 | toothbrush, paste, soap, shampoo, vaseline, comb | and any other toilet items you may need! |
| 24 | wet tissues - wet ones for bathroom | called wet ones in India |
| 25 | some washing powder surf etc small | to wash clothes en route if needed |
| 26 | Nuts, raisins etc all mixed up | can be divided into small packets for daily use |
| 27 | Chocolates /Energy Bars/Amul cheese slices/tea bags | Carry some chocolates or energy bars to have on the way. Amul cheese slices are very useful and can be had as snacks when you are tired of sweets! |
| 28 | Sweets | for energy |
| 29 | Volini gel/ Bengay etc for aches and pains | or any other equivalent |
| 30 | Iodine or chlorine tablets for water purification | available in Kathmandu- this is important as mineral water bottles are expensive; for overseas visitors you can get iodine tablets in REI and other large outdoor outlets |
| 31 | Electral or any other rehydating salts | Carry a few small packets of electrolyte - useful to have mixed with water if dehydrated |
| 32 | some spare plastic bags to pack wet stuff, dirty clothes etc | |
| 33 | Book in case you want to read on the way and IPOd for music optional! | |
| 34 | Two small locks one for your duffle bag and one for your room in case the lodge does not have a lock | |
| 35 | Clothes line with hooks on either side in case you want to hang up your wet clothes to dry outside!! | |
| 36 | Super Glue | To patch up boots that may give way! |
| 37 | Face mask | For dust, cold winds etc available in kathmandu |
| 38 | Extra shoe laces | one pair |
Sujoy Das - India and Nepal
+919831054569
+977 9818037020
Lok Silwal - Nepal
+977 98510 22984
CANCELLATION POLICY The cancellation policy and refunds available are given below: 0-7 days before the start of the trek =75% 8 -15 days before the start of the trek = 50% 16-30 days before the start of the trek = 35% 31-45 days before the start of the trek = 25% 46 days and above = 15%
IN CASE OF LEAVING THE GROUP If due to illness or any other reason a client has to leave the group and go down or wait at a campsite for the group to pick him/her up on the way back, all expenses including lodging, fooding and any porter/guide related expenses if any are to be borne by the individual client over and above the trek fees paid for the trek. There are also no refunds for leaving a trek before completion.
HIRING OF PONIES ETC In the eventuality of a client needed the services of a pony to come down to lower altitudes, the cost of hiring the pony will be paid by the client.
CAMPSITES ON THE TREK The choice of campsites to be used on the trek will be decided by South Col and clients will have to stay at these designated campsites. Clients are not permitted to choose their own campsites on the route.
TREK ROUTE The trek route and day wise schedule will be fixed by South Col and will have to be followed by the client.
RISKS AND LIABILITY The trek is in a remote mountain area and has certain additional dangers and risks, some of which include: physical exertion for which the client should be prepared; weather extremes subject to sudden and unexpected changes; remoteness from normal medical services; evacuation difficulties. In the event of injury or illness South Col Expeditions (Sujoy Das) or its Staff can, at the clients cost arrange any medical treatment and emergency evacuation service as it or they deem necessary for the health and safety of the client. Waiver of liability form as per link attached to be signed by the client. https://www.southcol.com/waiver-of-liability-release/
EVACUATION BY HELICOPTER In the eventuality of not being covered by emergency helicopter evacuation insurance and an evacuation is considered necessary, the cost of the evacuation will be paid by the client in advance to the helicopter company/travel agent etc as deemed necessary.