Annapurna Sanctuary Trek 2027: Cost, 9-Day Itinerary and Best Time

Updated 6 November 2026.

Short answer: the Annapurna Sanctuary trek is the walk into the ring of mountains around Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m). With us it takes 9 days from Kathmandu and back, and costs from USD 645 per person for a group of 2 to 4 on Budget, USD 1,345 on Standard and USD 2,065 on Luxury. A solo traveller pays USD 1,105, 1,610 or 3,100. The guide, permits, transport to and from Pokhara and two hotel nights in Pokhara are included.

You book it as our Annapurna Base Camp trek, 9 days. Same trail, same place. "Annapurna Sanctuary" is the older name for it, and many guidebooks and trekkers still use it.

Why is it called the Annapurna Sanctuary?

The trail climbs up the Modi Khola gorge, squeezes between Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre, and then opens into a high glacier basin with mountains on every side: Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, Annapurna III and Machhapuchhre, the "fish tail". The only way in on foot is up that narrow valley. That closed bowl is the sanctuary, and Annapurna Base Camp sits inside it.

Machhapuchhre is sacred to the Gurung people of this valley and is closed to climbing. You see it from almost every day of the trek, and from base camp you look straight at its summit.

How much does the Annapurna Sanctuary trek cost in 2027?

Prices are per person, in US dollars, for 2027, taken from our package page today.

The price is the same for a private trek and a group trek. We never put separate private bookings together; your group walks alone with its own guide. Taxes and our service charge are included. The deposit is 10%. If you pay the balance by card there is a 3.5% bank charge, and cash in Kathmandu has none. We take USD or EUR.

What does each tier include?

Every tier also has airport pick-up and drop-off, a first aid kit and pulse oximeter, a sleeping bag and down jacket on loan if you need them, free luggage storage in Kathmandu, and a farewell meal.

What is not included?

• International flights, and the Nepal visa (USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, USD 125 for 90 days, paid on arrival).
• Hotel nights in Kathmandu before and after the trek. We can book them for you.
• Meals on the two long drive days, and trail meals on Budget.
• Wifi, hot showers, charging, heated blankets and anything else outside the room price, paid by you to the teahouse.
• Drinks you buy on the trail, travel insurance, tips, and an extra porter (USD 25 a day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge).

Your travel insurance should cover trekking to 4,500 m and helicopter rescue. Buy it at home.

What do the permits cost?

Both are already in our price. For your own budgeting, the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) is NPR 3,000 per person and the TIMS card is NPR 2,000, about USD 33 together. We get them for you in Kathmandu or Pokhara before the trek. You cannot walk this trail without a licensed guide, which is another reason it is on the package.

How do the 9 days run?

Day 4 is the long one, with the stone steps out of Chhomrong and down to the river before you climb again. Day 5 is short on purpose. You gain height slowly through Machhapuchhre Base Camp (about 3,700 m) and walk into the Sanctuary in the early afternoon, so you have the evening and the next sunrise inside it.

The full plan, with photos, is on the package page. If you want more days, I have compared the 5, 7 and 9-day versions.

Best time for the Annapurna Sanctuary

More detail is in our month-by-month guide.

How hard is it?

It is a moderate trek. You need no climbing skill, but you walk 4 to 7 hours most days on stone steps that go up and down more than the map suggests. Chhomrong alone has a few thousand of them. If you can walk for five or six hours on hilly ground with a light pack, you can do it. The highest night is 4,130 m, so take the slow day 5 seriously and tell your guide about any headache. There is a longer answer in how difficult is the ABC trek.

Annapurna Sanctuary or Everest Base Camp?

The Sanctuary is shorter, lower, cheaper and does not depend on a mountain flight. Everest is higher and longer. I have written the full comparison in EBC or ABC, and the Everest trip is on the Everest Base Camp trek page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Annapurna Sanctuary trek the same as Annapurna Base Camp?

Yes. The Sanctuary is the ring of mountains, and Annapurna Base Camp is inside it. Our 9-day Annapurna Base Camp trek is the Annapurna Sanctuary trek.

How much does the Annapurna Sanctuary trek cost?

With us, from USD 645 per person for 2 to 4 people on Budget, USD 1,345 on Standard and USD 2,065 on Luxury. A solo traveller pays USD 1,105, 1,610 or 3,100. Bigger groups pay less.

How many days do I need?

Nine days from Kathmandu and back. From Pokhara it is seven walking and driving days.

Do I need a guide?

Yes. Trekking in the Annapurna area needs a licensed guide and a TIMS card. Both are in our price.

How high is Annapurna Base Camp?

4,130 m (13,550 ft). Machhapuchhre Base Camp, the last stop before it, is about 3,700 m.

Can a beginner do it?

Yes, if you are fit for long days on steps. Many people do it as their first trek in Nepal.

Are Kathmandu hotels included?

No. The trek covers two nights in Pokhara and the teahouses. We can book Kathmandu hotels separately.

What is your cancellation rule?

The 10% deposit is not refundable if you cancel. We reschedule for free with at least 72 hours notice, to any date within one year. If we cannot run the trek, we refund what you paid, less taxes, bank charges and any money already spent, such as permits.

Next step

Send me your dates and group size on WhatsApp at +977 9810351300 and I will confirm the price for your group. You can also book straight from the Annapurna Base Camp trek page.

Shreejan Simkhada, The Everest Holiday