Annapurna Base Camp Trek — Self-Launched (8 Days)

Take a morning tourist bus from Kathmandu's Kantipath/Sorakhutte area to Pokhara (approx. 7–8 hrs on the Prithvi Highway, ~£12–15 — book the day before at any Thamel agency, or use a shared jeep for slightly more). Arrive Pokhara, walk or take a local bus to Lakeside, check in, and spend the afternoon sorting your permits: ACAP entry permit and TIMS card are both issued at the Nepal Tourism Board office in Pokhara (bring passport, photos, cash). Grab a dal bhat by the lake and get an early night.

🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£12–15; local bus to Lakeside ~£0.50

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara (dorm or simple double, £8–14)

• →Scenic Prithvi Highway bus ride
• →Pokhara Lakeside walk
• →Buy ACAP + TIMS permits at NTB Pokhara

Local bus or shared jeep from Pokhara's Baglung bus park to Nayapul (~1.5 hrs, £2–3), then either walk the trail up to Ghandruk (4–5 hrs, steady stone-step climb) or take a shared jeep from Nayapul/Birethanti to Ghandruk if you want to save your legs (£3–5). Ghandruk is a lovely Gurung village — wander the stone lanes, visit the Gurung Museum, and watch Annapurna South and Machhapuchare go pink at sunset.

🚌Local bus/shared jeep Pokhara–Nayapul ~£2–3

🛏Tea house in Ghandruk (twin room, £4–8)

• →Local bus to Nayapul
• →Trek Nayapul–Ghandruk
• →Gurung village and museum visit
• →Sunset mountain views

A classic day of stone staircases: Ghandruk → Komrong Khola → Kimrong Khola (suspension bridge) → Taulung → Chhomrong, roughly 5–6 hrs. Big views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchare and Nilgiri all day. Chhomrong is the last proper village before the sanctuary — fill water bottles, charge devices (tea houses charge ~£1–2 per charge), and sort cash, as ATMs stop here.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house in Chhomrong (twin room, £4–8)

• →Trek Ghandruk–Chhomrong
• →Kimrong Khola suspension bridge
• →Annapurna South / Machhapuchare viewpoints

Descend to Chhomrong Khola, then climb the long staircase to Sinuwa, followed by bamboo and rhododendron forest through Bamboo, Doban and on to Himalaya along the Modi Khola. About 6–7 hrs — this is the day the valley gets properly deep and atmospheric, with waterfalls and the first close-up views of Machhapuchare's fluted peak. Note that above Sinuwa there are no more villages, only tea houses.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house at Himalaya (twin room, £4–8)

• →Trek Chhomrong–Himalaya via Sinuwa and Bamboo
• →Modi Khola valley and waterfall views
• →Machhapuchare views

The big one: Himalaya → Deurali → Machhapuchare Base Camp → Annapurna Base Camp, about 5–6 hrs with slow, steady pacing for altitude. Walk into the Modi Khola glacier bowl and emerge onto the ABC plateau surrounded by Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Khangsar Kang, Gangapurna, Annapurna III and Machhapuchare on all sides. Book a bed on arrival (tea houses fill up in high season), drink plenty of water, and sleep early.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house at Annapurna Base Camp (dorm/basic twin, £6–10; expect higher food prices at altitude)

• →Trek Himalaya–Deurali–MBC–ABC
• →Annapurna Glacier views
• →Sunset on the Annapurna sanctuary amphitheatre

Set an alarm for sunrise — the light hitting Annapurna South and Annapurna I from the sanctuary is the highlight of the trek. After breakfast, descend the same valley: ABC → MBC → Deurali → Himalaya → Bamboo, around 6–7 hrs of mostly downhill walking. Downhill at altitude is harder on the knees than you'd expect, so take it easy and use trekking poles.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house at Bamboo (twin room, £4–8)

• →Sunrise at Annapurna Base Camp
• →Descent to Bamboo via Deurali and Himalaya

Trek Bamboo → Sinuwa → Chhomrong (last big climb of the trip) → Jhinu Dada, about 5–6 hrs. Drop your bag at a guesthouse and walk 20–25 minutes down to the natural riverside hot springs on the Modi Khola — £1–2 entry, and the best possible way to end the trek.

🚌On foot

🛏Guesthouse in Jhinu Dada (twin room, £4–8)

• →Trek Bamboo–Sinuwa–Chhomrong–Jhinu Dada
• →Natural hot springs at Jhinu Dada

Short walk (1–1.5 hrs) down to Siwai, then a shared jeep to Nayapul or straight through to Pokhara (£3–5, roughly 2 hrs). Bus back to Kathmandu if you need to catch a flight (tourist bus leaves Pokhara around 7am or overnight, ~£12–15), or alternatively stay in Pokhara and use a morning bus the next day — much less stressful. If you finish with time, Lakeside in Pokhara is a good place to decompress.

🚌Shared jeep Siwai–Nayapul/Pokhara ~£3–5; optional tourist bus Pokhara–Kathmandu ~£12–15

🛏Not included (add a Pokhara guesthouse night ~£10 if staying over)

• →Trek Jhinu Dada–Siwai
• →Shared jeep to Pokhara
• →Optional evening in Pokhara Lakeside