Annapurna Base Camp: Complete guide for a family adventure.
- Ojash Shrestha
- Nov 21, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 24, 2024
When you think of a family getaway, images of beaches and theme parks might come to mind. But what if we told you that the ultimate family bonding experience lies in the heart of the Himalayas? We recently embarked on a trek to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), and it turned out to be so much more than just a hike— It became a journey of discovery of breathtaking landscapes, of each other, and of ourselves. There were moments of laughter, determination, challenges, tears, and shared triumphs—experiences we will hold close forever.
As a family that loves to travel, this trek quickly became one of our top recommendations for families, especially those with kids. Let’s face it, traveling with children is no small feat. Add to that the idea of trekking for days, surrounded by nothing but nature, and it might seem like an impossible challenge in today’s fast-paced, screen-driven world. However, with the right preparation and mindset, the ABC trek can become an incredibly rewarding and unforgettable experience.
We’ve put together some practical tips to help make the journey enjoyable and manageable for everyone. Plus, we’re sharing all the essential information you need to plan and ensure your trek is a rewarding success for the whole family.
What Is the Best Route/Itinerary?
The ABC trek offers two main routes:
1. ABC with Poon Hill (9 Days)
This route includes the iconic Poon Hill, famous for its stunning sunrise views. The trek typically begins at Ulleri and passes through Ghorepani to see the sunrise at Poonhill. Then, you head to Chhomrong and continue to ABC.
2. ABC without Poon Hill (7 Days)
This direct route starts at Jhino Dada and focuses exclusively on reaching Annapurna Base Camp. Since we had already visited Poon Hill on a previous trek, we chose the direct route. Here’s the itinerary we followed:
Day 1: Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara, drive to Jhino Dada, and hike to Chhomrong.
Day 2: Chhomrong to Bamboo.
Day 3: Bamboo to Deurali.
Day 4: Deurali to ABC.
Day 5: ABC to Himalaya.
Day 6: Himalaya to Sinuwa.
Day 7: Sinuwa to Jhino Dada, drive to Pokhara, and fly back to Kathmandu.
Note: Some hikers complete the trek in as little as five days, but our itinerary allowed for a more relaxed pace, ideal for families. We usually walked from 9am to 4pm with enough rest and an extended lunch break.
How Much Does It Cost?
Our total cost for the ABC trek was approximately Rs. 170,000 (around $1,250) for a family of four over 6 nights and 7 days. Here’s a breakdown:
Flights: Rs. 10,000 per person for a round-trip flight between Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Transport: Rs. 15,000 for a private jeep round trip from Pokhara to Jhino Dada.
Accommodation & Food: Rs. 12,000 per day for the family for Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Guide: Rs. 3,000 per day.
Note: Costs for non-Nepali citizens are higher, with flights and accommodations typically double.
Do I Need a Guide or Porter?
We debated whether to hire a guide, a porter, or go without assistance altogether. We knew the trails were well-marked and manageable without help, but we hired a guide to help carry a bag (giving one of us a break), handle hotel bookings and adjustments if needed, and answer all our questions.
After a long day of hiking, it was a relief not to worry about logistics. Our guide ensured we had rooms ready, took food orders, and simplified the trek, making it much more enjoyable. We recommend hiring a guide if you’re trekking as a family.
When Is the Best Time to Trek?
The best seasons for the ABC trek are:
Fall (late September to early December)
Spring (mid-February to mid-April)
For the best weather, we recommend trekking between October 15th and November 15th or in March.
What Should I Pack?
This was one of the major challenges for us. The fear of forgetting something leads to overpacking. Consider layered clothing to handle varying temperatures so you can easily adjust in the middle of the day. In addition to basic necessities such as trekking bags, shoes, and clothing, here are a few key essentials from our experience:
Hats, sunglasses, and shorts.
Toothpaste, towels, shampoo, or body wash, as the hotel doesn’t provide these.
Tylenol, altitude prevention tablets, pain spray, hand sanitizers, and water filters.
Water bottle for hot water, power banks, headlamps, and a light raincoat.
How should I prepare?
Preparing for the Annapurna Base Camp trek is as much about physical readiness as it is about mental preparedness and family coordination. Here’s how we got ready, with practical steps and a focus on making it fun and engaging for everyone.
1. Practice
Build stamina through regular cardio and hiking. We prepared with frequent hikes in North Carolina (where we live), climbed 25 floors of stairs for hours at the hotel in Myrtle Beach, and tackled the Poon Hill trek as an introduction to trekking in Nepal. If you’re in Kathmandu, the Jamacho Hike is a must—it’s perfect for practicing stair climbing, which is a major part of the ABC trek.
2. Games
While adults can easily soak in the beauty of nature in silence, kids may get bored quickly, so it’s important to keep them engaged with games and activities. For our family, it was card games at night, Atlas, and Q&A sessions during the trek. One memorable moment was when our kids asked about our love story and how we met—a conversation that kept us occupied for hours. Gia, who dreams of becoming a therapist, joked about starting her practice by counseling our marriage, while Gevan shared his aspirations of becoming a food or video game blogger. Ultimately, it’s not the topic that matters—it’s the laughter, connection, and distractions that help you forget the challenges of the hike.
3. Goals
Set individual and family goals to make the experience meaningful. In our family:
Ojash aimed to document the journey through photos and videos.
Prija focused on carrying her backpack through the trek.
Gevan had a fun goal to play his Nintendo at 14,000 feet!
Gia wanted to listen to her music and enjoy peaceful moments.
As a family, our collective goal was to complete the trek together and create lasting memories.
4. Mindset
Mindset is everything on a trek like this. The challenges are real, but so is the choice to let them overwhelm you or embrace them as part of the adventure. With gratitude for the journey, even the toughest moments become stories you’ll treasure forever. For our family, the hardest part was navigating shared bathrooms in the middle of the night without lights and dealing with bedrooms and blankets that weren’t as clean as we’d hoped. Instead of dwelling on the discomfort, we turned those obstacles into a reason to appreciate the comforts of home and the hotels we stay at.
In the end, the Annapurna Base Camp trek stands out as one of our most memorable family adventures, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to other families. It’s a stunningly beautiful journey that not only immerses you in breathtaking nature but also creates lasting memories and strengthens family bonds in ways few experiences can.
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