North Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Destination
Nepal
Activity
Trekking
Accomodation
Hotel, Lodge and Tea house
Region
Annapurna Region
Distance
50 km ~
Start / End Point
Tatopani/Narchyang
Duration
4 nights 5 days
Max. Altitude
4068 m
Meals Included
Breakfast
Group Size
2-25
Nature of Trek
Lodge and Camping Trek
Best Season
March-May August-November
Trip Code
AT-NA
Activity Per Day
5-7 hrs
Transporation
Jeep / bus
Grade
Moderate

Overview

Annapurna North Base Camp Trek also known as Maurice Herzog Trail is a less-explored and more pristine trekking trail in the Annapurna Circuit. For those looking for alternate trails in the Annapurna region, this trek offers a fantastic adventure experience that is as unique as it is wildly exhilarating. This route was explored in 2019 by the Annapurna Rural municipality (ARM) group. Different trekking associations of Nepal like the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), Local people and the Ministry of tourism is making an effort to bring this route among different groups, travel agencies, and individual trekkers for the promotion of this historic trek route. Thorugh information about the trail can be found in the North Annapurna Base Camp Trek itinerary.

Why you will love the North Annapurna Base Camp?
    •  Although it is a moderately challenging trek it has the immense natural beauty of the Himalayas.
    • The trail and the camp offer some mesmerizing views of high mountains such as Annapurna I, Mount Machhapuchhre, Himchuli, and Dhaulagiri.
    • The path goes through dense green forestswaterfalls, hot springs, caves, and glaciers.
    • You will also visit Narchyang Lake, which remains frozen during the winter.
    • The area is rich in biodiversityflora, and fauna. Wild lives such as musk deer, snow leopards, bears, wild dogs, and blue sheep can be seen on the way.

Trekkers Information for North Annapurna Trek:

    Trekkers Information of 2022 and 2023 for north Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Short History of the Annapurna North Base Camp

On June 3, 1950, an expedition team led by Maurice Herzog became the first climbers to reach the top of Mount Annapurna. It was also the first time that climbers had reached the top of an 8000-meter peak. As a result of this history, the trail to Annapurna North Base Camp is also known as the Maurice Herzog trail.

Alternatively, it is also called the French North Face route. after the french group conquered the summit of Mount Annapurna I for the first time in the world where they also explored the North Face of Annapurna.

The trail remains one of the least crowded trails, owing to its difficult path. Also, there are no tea houses in this area and because of that there are no facilities for accommodation in many areas of the trail and so trekkers have to camp on the way for overnight stays.

North Annapurna Base Camp Trek Weather

The weather in the high Himalayas is always unpredictable. However, it also depends on the season as most people prefer to hike during the Autumn and Spring season. During this season, the sky is clear and rainfall rarely occurs and even more, snowfall can be perceived.

In addition to that, On the high-altitude treks, fogs often hamper the vivid view of the Himalayas so, people favour the season when there is no fog and no rainfall.

About Annapurna Conservation Area Permit

In order to enter this area, one may need to pay a certain sum as a permit cost. It usually costs around US$ 25 for each person.

5 Days Annapurna North Base Camp Trek Short Itinerary:

Day 1: Pokhara to Tatopani to Hum Khola:
After our breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to Hum Khola. The drive first takes us to Baglung, crossing Kande, Nayapul, Kusma, Parbat, etc. The road from Pokhara to Baglung is pretty good, except for some small sections.  From Pokhara, we reach Baglung after 3 hours of driving. The road after Baglung is entirely off-road, so reaching Hum Khola takes time. The drive takes us through Beni and then to Tatopani. We will have our lunch here at Tatopani. 

After Tatopani, we drive toward Hum Khola, enjoying the scenery of deep gorges. Hydropower projects are underway here, so you will see hydropower tunnels, numerous trucks and dozers on the construction site, and many garages. We will also see the beautiful scenery of the Kali Gandaki River passing through valleys while we cross the river via bridge.  After 2 hours of drive from Tatopani, we will reach Hum Khola. After 5 hours of drive from Pokhara, we will reach Hum Khola. Hum Khola is the last point for motorable roads; there is one small and very basic teahouse there. The tea house here is so basic that we can't even sleep there. However, if we forget to bring any supplies from Pokhara, we can get some supplies from here. A Hydropower office monitors the progress of the project, and you can also see a huge water reservoir.   

We make our dinner and pitch our tents. Overnight stay at Hum Khola.

Day 2: Hum Khola to Busket Mela:
After enjoying breakfast, we will start our second day of the North Annapurna Base Camp Trek. The altitude of Busket Mela is about (3,650 m | 11,975 ft) so we will trek slowly to minimize the risk of altitude sickness. After trekking for an hour, we will reach the magnificent waterfall, Futfutey. We will stop here and enjoy the beauty of this pristine waterfall. We will walk further to Sandikharka, a shelter established midway on the trekking route. We enjoy our snacks and take some rest here. 

Trekking further, after 1 hour, we reach another shelter called Ghupapahant. From here, we can see Tilicho Peak, between the cliffs. Another hour of trekking from here takes us to Busket Mela. We reach Busket Mela after 7 hours of trekking. There is no electricity access from here, so we need power banks to charge our phones. Moreover, during the trek from Hum Khola to Busket Mela, there are no connectivity networks/signals, so you need to let your family know that you are entering a dead zone. Busket Mela has two shelters within a short distance from where we will pitch our tents. There is also a river nearby that serves as a source of drinking water, so we use filtering tablets as soon as we reach there so we can drink water much faster. We will cook and pitch our tents here. Overnight stay at Busket Mela.

Day 3: Busket Mela to CampSite: 
The morning near the riverside will wake you with the soothing sound of flowing water. After having breakfast, we left for the Campsite. The trekking route from Busket Mela to the Campsite is all through rocky roads and imposing rock formations. 

As we progress to a higher altitude, we rest, drink water, and then trek again. During our four hours of trekking, we will see many waterfalls and small streams throughout the route. Walking again, we can see the signboard indicating SunKhola( a river named the River of Gold) due to the golden colors of stones found there. Trekking further, we reach the Campsite. The North Annapurna Base Camp is only 30 30-minute trek from here, but there are no shelters for camping, so stay here. We prepare our dinner, pitch our tent and stay overnight at the Campsite. 

Day 4: Campsite to North Annapurna Base Camp and drive to Tatopani. 
After having our breakfast, we will leave for North Annapurna Base Camp. The environment here is pristine and isolated, so you can also witness many wild animals. Himalayan blue sheep are the most common ones found here.  After trekking a short distance, you can see a Shiva temple here. There is a lake called Narchyang, also known as Pancha Kunda. It is a renowned lake among the Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. The lake is turquoise blue and pristine, so you can enjoy the purest form of this natural lake without any human intervention. 

From here, we will trek toward the Base Camp. North Annapurna Base Camp is at an elevation of 4,190 m (1,3747 ft). From here we can enjoy the mesmerizing views of the North Nilgiri (7061 m), Nilgiri Central (6940 m) Nilgiri South (6839 m), Tilicho peak (7134 m) Bharha Chuli at (7647 m), Khangsar Kang (also called Roc Noir, 7485 m), and the Annapurna I (8091 m). After enjoying the mountain views to our hearts' content, we trek back to Hum Khola. 

The trek back from base camp to Hum Khola takes 5 - 6 hours. A jeep will be waiting for us at Hum Khola, so after trekking along the same route, we drive to the Tatopani. We will relax our bodies and soak at the nearby hot spring. Overnight stay at a hotel in Tatopani.

Day 5: Tatopani to Pokhara

Today is the final day of our North ABC trek. After breakfast, we can again hop in the hot waters of Tatopani. After that, we will then take a Jeep to Pokhara. After 4 hours of driving, we arrive at your hotel, marking the end of your North ABC trek.  If you plan to go to Kathmandu or extend your trip to Jomosm or even to the south Annapurna base camp, you can talk with us.

North Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Annapurna North Base Camp Trek Itinerary

  1. day 1

    Drive from Pokhara to Beni and trek to Upper Narchyang

  2. day 2

    Upper Narchyang to Chhotepa (2370m)

  3. day 3

    Chhotepa to Sandhikharka (3160m)

  4. day 4

    Sandhi Kharka to Annapurna North Base Camp (4068m)

  5. day 5

    Explore North Annapurna Base Camp glaciers (4190m) and trek to Sandhi Kharka (3610 m)

  6. day 6

    Sadhi Kharka to Lower Narchyang.

  7. day 7

    Lower Narchyang to Tatopani to Pokhara

North Annapurna Base Camp Trek Map and Altitude Graph

everest base camp trek map

What's Included?

    • All ground transfers in private/sharing vehicles as per availability, for every itinerary.
    • One highly experienced, helpful and friendly guide, and his food, accommodation, salary, equipment, and accidental insurance.
    • Porters to carry the kitchen goods and camping equipment during the trek
    • The best available twin or triple sharing camping accommodation during the trek. 
    • Sleeping bag, Crampones. Trekking poles during the time of trek.
    • Most of these meals, during the camping trek. You can choose dishes before the departure of trek.
      • Breakfast: Cereal, Porridge, rice pudding, egg dish with bread and toast, bread with jam and honey, Pancakes with jam and honey, with tea or coffee.
      • Lunch Items: Dal Bhat (mostly recommended), noodles soup, fried noodles, momo, spaghetti chapati, Spring roll, macron, egg curry with plain rice, Thukpa, Thenthuk, french fry, fry potato, boil potato and much more.
      • Dinner: Mostly same as lunch items but may vary in some hotels.
    • Complete trekking arrangements with the required TIMS for trekkers and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) permit.
    •  First aid medical kit with Oximeter
    • .Government taxes. Local taxes and office service charges.
    • North Nepal T-shirt and trekking/expedition achievement certificate.
    • Dry fruits along the trek and tea/coffee break during the trek.

What's Excluded?

  • Anything related to International flight airfares such as Nepal entry visa fees, excess baggage charges, International flight tickets, and so on.
  • Extra night accommodations due to changed in itinerary. 
  • Supporter / porter to carry your personal luggage during the trekking.
  • Personal expenses before the trek such as ( cold drinks, alcoholic beverages, telephone call, Wifi, cell-phone, camera battery recharges and so on).
  • Travel insurance, which covers high-altitude helicopter rescue and evacuation along with medical costs.
  • Tips and gratuities for guides and porters.
  • Additional costs, such as additional days due to delays caused by natural/uncontrollable phenomena such as bad weather, landslides, and change of plans(itinerary modifications) due to safety concerns, illness, and soon.
  • Lastly, all of the costs and expenses that aren’t listed in the “What’s Included?” section.

Trekking Equipment for North Annapurna Base Camp Trek:

Trekking to the North Base Camp of Annapurna I is a thrilling adventure, as it is rarely trekked and has a pristine natural environment.
Moreover, if you are planning for the North Annapurna Base Camp Trek, then you need to be even more careful. We suggest you trek the North Annapurna Base Camp with a trekking agency. 

Most of the days are spent camping, as there are no tea houses and very few guides know the route of the North Annapurna Base Camp Trek. You need to carry tents, a food cooking stove, and many more just for the sake of camping, and for yourself you can click here, for a detailed packing list.

Written by: Mohan Bhandari

1: Is travel insurance required for the North Annapurna base camp trek?
Travel insurance is mandatory for the North Annapurna Base Camp trek. The trek is challenging and located in a remote area with limited access to communication. So, we strongly recommend that you get travel and medical insurance covering up to 6000 meters altitude for your safety and peace of mind. The Helicopter rescue cost is now very high, making insurance even more crucial.

2: Can I do the North Annapurna Base Camp trek without a guide?
Certainly! Think twice if you're considering the North Annapurna Base Camp trek without a guide. ANBC trail is not an established trail. The hike requires 3 to 4 days of camping, and the terrain is challenging. It would help if you became experienced in setting up camp at such a high altitude and if you have proper gear; otherwise, you could find yourself in a tight spot.
Also, some of the hikes contain a landslide area, which brings in an element of risk that should be considered. An experienced guide doesn't just show you the way; they read the land, understand its intricacies, and foresee complications you might need to know.

3:Could you trek to the North Annapurna Base Camp alone?
No, with new regulation of NTB, you can't trek solo and given the complexities and inherent risks, we strongly recommend hiring an experienced guide. Trust us; this is one adventure where a local expert can make all the difference.

4: When is the best time to travel to Annapurna North Base Camp?
If you're thinking about when to lace up your boots for the North Annapurna Base Camp trek, let us tell you, there's not just one 'best' time. The route is incredibly rewarding and open throughout the year, but certain periods offer unique delights.
From March to June and again from September to November, you get to hike under the perfect blend of sunny skies and breezy weather. During these months, the journey is just impeccably timed. Should you decide to brave the trail in March-May, you'll find yourself walking in something close to a winter wonderland. With clear skies, the snowfall is magical and covers most of the hills, transforming the surrounding landscape into a snow-blanketed paradise. Remember the Narchyang Lake - it freezes up and is a winter marvel. But wait, the display of nature doesn't stop there. Come October through December, the skies are crystal clear, and the landscape changes its shade to dry and brown.

5: What about food and accommodation?
Tea houses are only available on the first day. On other days, the trekkers need to spend the night in a tent. So, all the necessary gear and tools for camping should be taken with us from the beginning. Since we are spending most of the nights in a tent, dry foods are a must, and other foods are also taken with us however, we need to cook the food ourselves.

6: How hard is this trek?
The trek is moderately challenging. Because of the ongoing construction of the Hydropower Project, the tracks are mostly covered by stones and mud, making it slightly confusing. Some places are prone to landslides, so the trails are mostly layered with rocks and dirt. Also, the paths are steep and need rope to support walking. In comparison to other treks, this trek is a bit hard.

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