Annapurna Base Camp Trek Distance

Taking the travelers to the footsteps of the 10th highest peak in the world, the Annapurna Base Camp trek is a journey through stunning and beautiful landscapes revealing the majestic beauty of the Himalayas.

This beautiful trail takes you on a sensory experience of approximately 96 kilometers (60 miles) covered in around 10 to 12 days (a couple of weeks), accompanied by periodic sounds of rustling leaves, flowing Modi River, waterfalls, and bird calls.

All thanks to the on-point tandem of nature, gigantic mountains, and closer look that it provides into the rich tapestry of the Nepali culture, the trek has gained massive popularity and has made it to the bucket list of most of the adventure seekers.

Although the trek features some of the challenges like aggressive and taxing ascent followed by the knee jarring descent at different points, with proper agility and adaptability the trek is pretty much doable for everyone.

However, queries regarding a detailed breakdown of the distance covered every day are often brought up amidst the intrepid trekkers. Starting from Birethanti at 1,039 m, this trek covers a decent difference in elevation as it reaches the ABC at 4,130 m.

To tackle the challenges coming your way as you embark on this odyssey, it is crucial that you are aware of the daily trekking routes so that you can prepare accordingly for the adventure that lies ahead.

Therefore, through this blog, delve deep with us into the detailed highlights along the day-to-day journey of your trek in the Annapurna Base Camp.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Distance Breakdown

For a brief overview, refer to the table below encompassing the breakdown of the distance between each stop during the Annapurna Base Camp trek along with the approximate time required for you to reach the destination:

Day 3: Birethanti to Ulleri (9 kms, 4 to 5 hours)

Followed by a 7–9-hour drive to the bustling city of Pokhara and an overnight stay in the gateway of Annapurna region, the day starts with another short drive. Heading out of Pokhara, the trekkers reach Birethanti after 2-3 hours of drive, which is the starting point of your trek.

Starting at Birethanti (1,039 m/ 3,408 ft), we embark on a 9 km trek to Ulleri (2,020 m/ 6,627 ft) via Hile and Tikhedhunga. While the journey up to Tikhedhunga is a normal trail, the terrain from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri is all stairs, that too steep uphill.

Covering the distance from Birethanti to Ulleri takes approximately 4 to 5 hours. This day is relatively light and provides the trekkers a glimpse into what awaits them in the trek by familiarizing them with the trail.

Day 4: Ulleri to Ghorepani (8 kms, 4 to 5 hours)

On this day, the trekkers head towards Ghorepani. From here on, the ABC trek encompasses another popular yet smaller trekking route of the Poon Hill trek.

For the first hour of the trek, you will be going on a gentle ascent while crossing fine forests of oak and rhododendron to make your way towards Banthanti.

As you continue on the trail, you cross dense forests accompanied by small streams and waterfalls to reach the beautiful gorge of Nangethanti.

The walk from Nangethanti to Ghorepani takes you through beautiful rhododendron forests on an uphill trail encompassing mixed terrains and rain forest. This concludes the 8 km walk for the day at the scenic village of Ghorepani (2,840 m/ 9,317 ft) which takes approximately 4 to 5 hours.

Day 5: Ghorepani to Tadapani (13 kms, 6 to 7 hours)

As the beautiful sunrise over the Himalayas awaits you, your day will begin before dawn as you embark on a small detour towards Poon Hill (3,210 m/ 10,531 ft). Crossing the rhododendron forests, you make your way uphill through the stairs to Poon Hill which is approximately a distance of 1.5 kms.

At Poon Hill you will get mesmerizing view of the sun shining its first rays on the snowcapped peaks and witness a brilliant mountain range spectacle. One of the best places to view sunrise in Nepal, the hike to this vantage point also gives you an additional advantage of acclimatization.

The two-way journey is about 3 kms and takes approximately two hours to cover. Once you retrace your steps back to Ghorepani, you set off towards Tadapani after a while of rest and breakfast.

Commencing the ascent, you again cross beautiful rhododendron forests to reach Thapledanda. Going across the ridges through the pine forest, you reach Deurali at 2,960 m (9,711 ft).

Easing from here on, a downhill trek through forests brings you to Banthanti again, and then to Tadapani (2,610 m) which is your resting stop for the day after 13 kms to total trek for approximately 6 to 7 hours.

Day 6: Tadapani to Chhomrong (9 kms, 5 to 6 hours)

Leaving Tadapani, on this day you will begin your descent as you head towards Chhomrong. During the trek, you will cross villages like Chuile, Ghurjung, and Top Danda (Telescope Hill).

As you go on the downhill trail from Tadapani, a way through rain forests and small villages takes you to Chuile. From there, you will cross several fields up to Kimrong River and you will reach a bridge and continue your uphill journey to reach Ghurjung.

From this beautiful Gurung village, the trek is a relatively easy uphill walk up to Chhomrong at 2,140 m (7,020 ft). On this day, make sure to keep an eye out for leeches throughout the trail.

Covering a significant gap in altitude, you conclude your 9 km long trek of almost 6 hours at Chhomrong for the day.

Day 7: Chhomrong to Himalaya Hotel (14 kms, 7 to 8 hours)

On this day, your journey is going to be full of highs and lows, quite literally. The trail drops down to the Chhomrong Khola via steep downstairs where you cross a suspension bridge.

Then you will embark on an uphill adventure by climbing on uphill stone stairs as you make your way up to Lower Sinuwa followed by Upper Sinuwa. All this while, the same trail full of stairs continues.

Continuing the climb, you reach Khuldighar which used to house an ACAP check post during old times. Then you come across a mix of trails and stairs going through a forest to reach Bamboo.

As the name suggests, from Bamboo onwards you will be crossing thickets of bamboo as you traverse along the bamboo forest to reach Dovan.

A levelled trek through a forest while crossing a temple and a beautiful waterfall marks an end to your knee jarring trek for the day as you reach the Himalaya hotel which will be your abode for the night.

This tough day full of ascents and descents encompasses 14 kms of your entire trekking route taking approximately 7 to 8 hours.

Day 8: Himalaya to Annapurna Base Camp (10 kms, 6 to 7 hours)

Promising a rewarding feeling, this day marks the most important day on the Annapurna Base Camp trek as you will be going to the proximity of the stunning Annapurna and getting an intimate perspective of the peak.

Today the trekkers will reach the highest elevation of the trek at 4,130 meters (13,549 ft) at the Annapurna Base Camp. Therefore, it is the pinnacle of the trek.

Starting the day, trekkers will make their way to Hinku cave as they complete the gradual uphill climb across the forests to eventually reach Deurali. Then you head towards the Machhapuchhre Base Camp at 3,700 m (12,139 ft).

Although named so, the Machhapuchhre Base Camp doesn’t qualify as a base camp as climbing the infamous fishtail mountain is prohibited. However, you can surely get breathtaking views of the iconic peak at the MBC.

Starting from here, you enter the mesmerizing Annapurna Sanctuary surrounded by the world class view of massive mountains.

It will guaranteed be an experience unlike any other as you walk amidst the mountains and the glacial water coming off Annapurna and the blooming flowers paint your trek with hues of different colors.

You will be spending your night at the ABC amidst the astonishing views and a feeling of victory after conquering the 10 km long trek of spanning almost 6 to 7 hours.

Day 9: Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo (15 kms, 7 to 8 hours)

Waking up in the midst of the captivating and awe-inspiring view of the towering peaks makes your morning worthwhile after the sleep of a rewarding day. You can also wake up early to catch that breathtaking sunrise reflecting on the Annapurna range and make a lifelong memory.

One of the best mountains viewing regions in the world, the Annapurna sanctuary unfolds splendid vista of Annapurna I, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, South Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, Hiuchuli, Singu Chuli, Tharpu Chuli (Tent Peak), and Glacier Dome to name a few.

After soaking in the view, you follow the same trail back but from a different perspective as you head to Bamboo marking an elevation gap of almost 1,700 meters from Annapurna Base Camp.

Retracing their steps back from MBC, Deurali, and Dovan, the trekkers make their way to the bank of Modi Khola. A hectic day of 15 kms of trek comes to an end after an almost 8 hour long exhilarating and adventurous journey as you unwind at Bamboo.

Day 10: Bamboo to Jhinu (11 kms, 5 to 6 hours)

Amidst the cold temperatures of the higher elevation, a promise of hot springs is what will drive your enthusiasm for the trek today.

Starting from an uphill trek to Upper Sinuwa from Bamboo, the trekkers retrace the same route up to Chhomrong. From Upper Sinuwa to Lower Sinuwa is a downhill journey up to riverside crossing the same beautiful forests of Bamboo and Rhododendrons (Lali Gurans).

While the trek takes an uphill shift from riverside to Chhomrong, trekkers will come across an experimental sheep farm as they cross Khuldighar.

Concluding the undulating trek for the day, the trail descends very steeply taking the trekkers to Jhinu. At Jhinu, you can get your well-deserved relaxation as you rejuvenate your tired muscles in the hot springs.

The total distance covered on this day will be around 11 kms which will take almost 5 to 6 hours to complete. Although, be careful not to slip during the steep descents and take your time to cover the journey.

Day 11: Jhinu to Syauli Bazar (7 kms, 3 to 4 hours)

Marking the final leg of the exhilarating Annapurna Base Camp trek, today is the most relaxing day on the entire trek.

Accompanied by the Modi Khola, trekkers start their walk while soaking the final glimpses of the Annapurna region as they make their way to Syauli Bazaar via New Bridge.

Passing through the beautiful landscapes, a 3 to 4 hours walk covering the 7 km distance between Jhinu and Syauli Bazaar marks the end of your adventurous trek.

From Syauli Bazaar, trekkers will hop on to a vehicle and go on a bumpy ride up to Nayapul. Once you cross Nayapul, you will have a rather comfortable drive up to Pokhara.

What is the total distance covered during the Annapurna Base Camp trek?

While the standard distance of the Annapurna Base Camp trek is approximately 110 kilometers or 68 miles, it can change depending on the itinerary that you choose.

Variation in the trekking route can lower the distance up to 70 kms. However, you can also extend your trek by making it a part of the more elaborate Annapurna Circuit trek.

If you are trekking with Ace the Himalaya, your standard itinerary for the ABC trek will be 96 kilometers or 60 miles long spanning over a couple of weeks.

How long does it take to complete the Annapurna Base Camp trek?

The number of days required to complete this moderately challenging trek depends on the starting point of your trek, your speed of walking, daily distances covered, and your desire to explore the Himalayan beauty.

Although this trek doesn’t need acclimatization as you will be going on comparatively lower altitudes, you might add a day of acclimatization based on your preferences.

If you choose to stick to the itinerary mentioned in this blog, your trek should be completed within a total of 13 days- featuring 9 days of trekking and other days of transportation.

What is the average daily walking distance during the Annapurna Base Camp trek?

On an average, the trekkers cover the distance of 8 kms every day, with some days being more hectic than the others. Buckle up as you will be walking for 5 to 8 hours every day.

However, these hours change based on what segment of the trail you are on and what kind of terrain it features.

How long is the Annapurna Base Camp trek from Pokhara?

The duration of the ABC trek from Pokhara depends on your itinerary and how much distance you cover daily. Based on that, a roundtrip to ABC trek from Pokhara might take anywhere between 6 to 9 days.

However, covering it in 6 days demands additional physical strength and resilience as it includes longer hours of walking every day.

A standard itinerary with proper rest and rejuvenation would take about 9 days to complete the trek.