How long is the drive, and what vehicle do you use?
The drive from Pokhara to Jhinu Danda takes between 3.5 and 5 hours each way. We use 4WD jeeps, with up to seven people in each, so a larger group travels in several jeeps. The jeeps are included in your price: a local shared jeep on Budget, a shared tourist jeep on Standard and a private luxury jeep on Luxury.
How hard is the trek?
It is strenuous. Day 2 is about seven hours including the Chomrong staircase of about 2,500 steps, and day 3 climbs about 950 m to base camp. You need to be able to walk for several hours a day, and to walk slowly at altitude. No technical skill is needed.
What permits do I need?
An Annapurna Conservation Area permit and a TIMS card. We arrange both and the cost is in your price.
Is this trek private?
Yes. Your guide, and your porters on Standard and Luxury, are for your party only, so the trek itself is private. On Budget and Standard the road transfers are in a shared vehicle; on Luxury the vehicle is private too. We never merge separate private bookings.
What is the difference between Budget, Standard and Luxury?
The route is the same. Budget gives you a guide, simple lodges with shared rooms and the permits and transport, with no porter and no meals. Standard adds one porter for every two trekkers, a private room where the lodge has one and all meals. Luxury gives each trekker a dedicated porter, the best rooms available and all meals, with tea, coffee, juice, soft drinks, fruit and nuts carried by your porter and all the hot water you can drink. Road transport follows the level too: a local shared vehicle on Budget, a shared tourist vehicle on Standard and a private luxury vehicle on Luxury.
What happens if I need to cancel, or you cannot run the trip?
If we cannot run your trip, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on your behalf, or move you to another date. You can reschedule free to any date within one year with at least 72 hours' notice. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. Buy travel insurance at home, before you travel, and check that it covers trekking, medical care, emergency helicopter rescue and the dates of your trip. Your cover should include trekking to 4,500 m. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.
How do I pay?
You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance before the trek. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. We cover the card fee on the deposit. Paying the balance by card carries a 3.5% bank charge, and cash in Kathmandu has no fee.
How is this different from the 7-day and 9-day Annapurna Base Camp treks?
The trail from Chomrong to base camp is the same. This version uses a 4WD jeep to Jhinu Danda at the start and the end, so it skips the Ghandruk and Jhinu nights and has no rest day. The 7-day trek starts in Pokhara and walks from Nayapul. The 9-day trek starts and ends in Kathmandu.
Is the 5-day trek right for me?
Only if you are fit and have been above 3,500 to 4,000 m before. You sleep at 3,174 m on night 2 and reach 4,130 m on night 3, with no rest day, and the last climb gains about 950 m in one day. If you have not been that high, please choose the 7-day trek from Pokhara or the 9-day trek from Kathmandu. We ask about your altitude history when you book.
When does the 5-day trek run?
Not from June to September, because the jeep road is unreliable in the monsoon. We check the road before every departure. If the road is not safe, we tell you before you travel, and the cancellation answer below applies.
How much does the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, 5 Days from Pokhara cost?
It is USD 370 per person for 2 to 4 people on Budget, USD 680 on Standard and USD 1,000 on Luxury. On your own it is USD 695, 900 or 1,330, because the guide and transport are not shared. Larger groups pay less per person, and every price is on this page.
Secure payment by Himalayan Bank.
