Annapurna Sanctuary Trek — Self-Launched

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport, get a taxi to Thamel (£3-4) and check into a budget guesthouse. Spend the afternoon sorting logistics: buy a Nepali SIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£3 for data), draw cash (ATMs in Thamel), and if you want a local guide or porter, visit the Nepal Mountaineering/Trekking agencies on Thamel's Jyatha or book through your guesthouse (guide ~£18-22/day, shared porter ~£10-12/day). Eat a dal bhat and get an early night.

🚌Airport taxi to Thamel (~£3-4)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Thamel (dorm or private twin, £8-14)

• →Thamel wander and gear shopping (down jackets and poles can be rented ~£1-2/day)
• →SIM card and cash run
• →Optional: arrange guide/porter

Take the 25-minute flight Kathmandu–Pokhara (Yeti/Buddha Air, ~£60-75 one way if booked ahead) or the cheaper Greenline/ tourist bus (~£10-13, 7-8 hours). Once in Pokhara, head to the Nepal Tourism Board office at Damside to get your ACAP permit (~£20 / NPR 3,000) and TIMS card (~£13 / NPR 2,000) — bring passport photos. Lakeside evening: stroll Phewa Lake, watch the paragliders land, dinner at a lakeside café.

🚌Flight ~£65 or tourist bus ~£12; local taxi ~£2

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara (£8-15)

• →ACAP + TIMS permit purchase (NTB office, Damside)
• →Phewa Lake sunset stroll

Local bus or shared jeep from Pokhara's Baglung Bus Park to Nayapul/Birethanti (~£1.50-2, 1.5 hrs). Check in at the ACAP post, then walk up the Burungdi valley through Tirkhedunga and up the famous Ulleri stone staircase (~3,300 steps). Sleep at a tea house in Banthanti. Trekking time ~5-6 hrs.

🚌Local bus Pokhara–Nayapul ~£2

🛏Tea house, Banthanti (twin room £3-6 pp; meals extra)

• →Trek Birethanti–Ulleri–Banthanti
• →ACAP checkpost

Short, spectacular day through mossy rhododendron and oak forest, with Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South appearing through the trees. Reach Upper Ghorepani (~2,870m) by early afternoon — rest, acclimatise, and charge devices. Trekking ~3-4 hrs.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, Upper Ghorepani (£3-6 pp)

• →Rhododendron forest trek
• →Sunset views of Dhaulagiri

Alarm at 4:45am for the 45-60 min climb to Poon Hill (3,210m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhare — the trek's signature panorama. Back down for breakfast, then walk the ridge through Deurali and Tadapani to Chuili. Long day, ~7 hrs walking.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, Chuili (£3-6 pp)

• →Poon Hill sunrise viewpoint
• →Tadapani ridge walk

Descend steeply to the Chhomrong Khola and climb back up into Chhomrong, the last big village before the sanctuary. Great views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare from the terraces. ~5-6 hrs.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, Chhomrong (£3-6 pp)

• →Chhomrong village and terraces
• →Modi Khola valley views

Into the gorge: stone steps down to the river, up to Sinuwa, then bamboo and rhododendron forest through Bamboo to Dobhan (~2,600m). Cooler and damp — a good rain shell day. ~5-6 hrs.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, Dobhan (£3-6 pp)

• →Forest gorge trek
• →Sinuwa to Bamboo trail

The big altitude day: climb past the Himalaya Hotel, Hinko Cave and Deurali, then out of the trees into the open sanctuary floor to MBC (~3,700m). Walk slowly, drink plenty of water, expect cold nights. ~5-6 hrs.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, MBC (£4-8 pp, dorm-style)

• →Hinko Cave
• →Deurali
• →First views of the Annapurna Sanctuary amphitheatre

Two easy hours up to ABC (4,130m) — the amphitheatre of Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Hiunchuli and the Fishtail. Drop your bag, then walk up to the Bonington memorial ridge above camp for the view over the South Face. Sleep at ABC for the sunrise (be ready by 5:30am).

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, ABC (£5-8 pp)

• →Annapurna Base Camp
• →Bonington South Face viewpoint ridge
• →Sunrise over Annapurna I

Retrace the trail after the ABC sunrise — MBC, Deurali, Himalaya Hotel, Dobhan and down to Bamboo (~2,310m). Long descent day, ~6-7 hrs; watch your knees on the wet stone steps.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, Bamboo (£3-6 pp)

• →Descent through the sanctuary

Back up to Sinuwa, then over to Chhomrong and down the long staircase to Jhinu Danda. Late afternoon soak in the riverside hot springs (20 min down, 30 min back up — bring a torch). ~5-6 hrs.

🚌On foot

🛏Tea house, Jhinu Danda (£3-6 pp)

• →Jhinu Danda hot springs

Short walk out to New Bridge/Sinwai where a local jeep or bus picks up trekkers for the ride back to Pokhara (~£5-8, 1.5-2 hrs) via Birethanti. Shower, laundry, cold beer by the lake.

🚌Local jeep/bus to Pokhara ~£6

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara (£8-15)

• →Trek out
• →Lakeside recovery

Full rest day. Row a boat on Phewa Lake (~£4), hike up to the World Peace Pagoda, visit the International Mountain Museum (~£2.50) or Gurkha Museum (~£1.50), and eat properly. Optional paragliding (~£60-70) if you have the budget and the weather.

🚌Walking, cycle hire ~£3/day

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara (£8-15)

• →World Peace Pagoda
• →Phewa Lake boat
• →International Mountain Museum

Fly back (25 min, ~£65) or take the tourist bus (~£12, 7-8 hrs). In Kathmandu, spend the afternoon on the circuit: Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, ~£2), then Boudhanath stupa (~£3) for the kora walk and the evening butter-lamp lighting, and if time permits Pashupatinath (~£10). Dinner in Thamel.

🚌Flight ~£65 or bus ~£12; taxis ~£5

🛏Budget guesthouse, Thamel (£8-14)

• →Swayambhunath
• →Boudhanath
• →Pashupatinath (optional)

Last shopping for pashmina, tea and trekking gear in Thamel, then airport transfer. If you have extra days, an add-on Chitwan safari (~£80-120 for 2-3 days, bookable locally in Pokhara or Kathmandu) is the classic post-trek extension.

🚌Airport taxi ~£3-4

🛏—

• →Thamel shopping
• →Optional Chitwan extension