Self-Launched Short Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport, pick up a local SIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£3-5 for data) and change some cash — ATMs in Thamel are fine but carry backup. Stay in Thamel or Paknashal so everything is walkable. In the afternoon, sort logistics yourself: visit the Nepal Tourism Board office (Bhrikutimandap) or an agency in Thamel to get your TIMS card (~£8) and ACAP permit (~£12), and if you want one, hire a licensed guide directly (~£20-25/day) — ask for recommendations on hostel noticeboards or via the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal. Evening walk through Thamel's lanes, dinner of dal bhat or momos (~£3-5).

🚌Airport taxi to Thamel ~£4-5 (agree price first); everything else on foot

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Thamel (private room ~£12-18, dorm ~£6-8)

• →Sort TIMS card and ACAP permit
• →Hire licensed guide directly if wanted
• →Thamel evening wander
• →Dal bhat dinner

Do the heritage circuit yourself. Start early at Kathmandu Durbar Square and Boudhanath Stupa (entry ~£7 total combined with Swayambhunath if you add it). Take a local bus or cheap taxi to Bhaktapur (~£1-3, 45 mins) and spend the afternoon in the car-free old town — Durbar Square, Nyatapola Temple and the pottery square (entry ~£10). Then a local bus up to Nagarkot (~£1, 1 hr) for sunset over the Himalaya and a cheap guesthouse with a mountain-view rooftop.

🚌Local buses/taxis Kathmandu–Bhaktapur–Nagarkot ~£5 total

🛏Budget guesthouse in Nagarkot with rooftop views (~£12-16)

• →Kathmandu Durbar Square
• →Boudhanath Stupa
• →Bhaktapur old town & pottery square
• →Nagarkot sunset viewpoint

Sunrise over the Himalaya from Nagarkot, then bus down to Kathmandu and onward to Pokhara. Cheapest option: tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£8-10 (6-7 hrs, book the night before at any Thamel agency). Faster: a 25-min flight ~£70-90. From Pokhara, take a shared jeep or local bus to Nayapul (~£2, 1.5 hrs) and another shared jeep up to Ghandruk (~£3-5, 1.5 hrs) — this shortcut saves a day of road-walking and gets you to the trailhead in the afternoon. Short acclimatisation stroll around Ghandruk's Gurung village and museum.

🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£9; shared jeep Pokhara–Nayapul–Ghandruk ~£6

🛏Tea house in Ghandruk (~£4-6 per night, meals extra)

• →Nagarkot sunrise
• →Ghandruk Gurung village and museum
• →Dal bhat at the tea house

A proper trekking day: descend to Kimrong Khola, climb through terraced fields and rhododendron forest to Chhomrong (2,170m), then drop steeply to the Chhomrong Khola suspension bridge and climb again to Sinuwa (2,340m). Roughly 6-7 hours walking. Tea houses are frequent — stop for lemon tea and garlic soup. The whole trail is inside the Annapurna Sanctuary, so keep your ACAP permit handy for the checkpoints at Chhomrong and Sinuwa.

🚌On foot — 6-7 hrs, ~14km

🛏Tea house in Sinuwa (~£4-6)

• →Trek Ghandruk–Chhomrong–Sinuwa
• →Chhomrong village viewpoint
• →Permit checkpoints

A shorter but steady day through bamboo and rhododendron forest along the Modi Khola valley, passing Bamboo (2,310m), Dovan and Himalaya hotel before reaching Deurali (3,230m). 5-6 hours. Take it slow — you're now above 3,000m. Drink 3-4 litres of water, avoid alcohol, and get an early night. Keep an eye out for langur monkeys and, if lucky, danphe (Himalayan monal) pheasants. Clouds often roll in after lunch, so start by 7:30am.

🚌On foot — 5-6 hrs, ~10km

🛏Tea house in Deurali (~£5-7, higher altitude = slightly higher prices)

• →Trek Sinuwa–Bamboo–Dovan–Deurali
• →Modi Khola valley forest walk
• →Altitude acclimatisation rest

The big day. Climb steadily past the avalanche-prone section to Machapuchare Base Camp (3,700m), then across the open Annapurna Sanctuary floor to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m). 4-5 hours if you go straight up, so many trekkers break it here with a night at MBC — if you feel any altitude symptoms, do that. From ABC the panorama is 360°: Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Machapuchare (Fishtail), Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, and Dhaulagiri on the horizon. Sunset and sunrise from the moraine viewpoint are the reward. Tea houses at ABC are basic and cold — bring a warm layer and cash.

🚌On foot — 4-5 hrs, ~8km

🛏Tea house at Annapurna Base Camp/MBC (~£6-8, basic, shared bathrooms)

• →Machapuchare Base Camp
• →Annapurna Base Camp 4,130m
• →Sunrise/sunset Himalayan panorama

Sunrise at base camp, then a long descent — 6-7 hours down to Bamboo (2,310m). Descending is faster but harder on the knees; trekking poles help and so does a slow, steady pace on the steep sections. Rejoin the forest, where the air gets noticeably thicker and warmer. Reward yourself with a hot shower (often a paid extra, ~£1-2) and a proper meal.

🚌On foot — 6-7 hrs, ~16km descent

🛏Tea house in Bamboo (~£4-5)

• →Sunrise at ABC
• →Long descent to Bamboo
• →Hot shower and refuel

A gentler day: climb back up to Chhomrong, then descend to Jhinu Danda (1,780m) in about 4-5 hours. In the afternoon walk 20 minutes down to the riverside hot springs on the Modi Khola — three natural rock pools, entry ~£1. Soaking tired legs here is one of the best moments of the whole trek. Bring a towel and cash for the entry fee.

🚌On foot — 4-5 hrs, ~9km

🛏Tea house/guesthouse in Jhinu Danda (~£4-6)

• →Trek Bamboo–Chhomrong–Jhinu Danda
• →Jhinu Danda riverside hot springs

Final trekking morning: descend to the New Bridge suspension crossing and follow the Modi Khola down to Birethanti (about 3 hours), where you sign out at the ACAP checkpoint. From Birethanti, a shared jeep or local bus gets you back to Pokhara in ~1.5 hours (~£2-3). Check into a lakeside guesthouse, eat a proper lakeside dinner, and toast a completed trek. Optional: add a rest day in Pokhara for paragliding or the World Peace Pagoda.

🚌Shared jeep/bus Birethanti–Pokhara ~£3

🛏Guesthouse near Phewa Lake, Pokhara (~£10-15)

• →Trek to Birethanti
• →ACAP sign-out
• →Phewa Lake evening

Take the morning tourist bus back to Kathmandu (~£9, 6-7 hrs, about 7am departure) or a 25-minute flight (~£70-90) if your onward flight is tight. Leave 24 hours of buffer before an international departure in case of road delays or weather. If time allows, squeeze in Pashupatinath Temple or the Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) before heading to the airport.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Kathmandu ~£9 or flight ~£70-90; airport taxi ~£4-5

🛏None (departure day) or one final Thamel guesthouse night (~£12)

• →Scenic bus/flight back to Kathmandu
• →Optional Pashupatinath or Swayambhunath