The wonderful trek to Annapurna Base Camp

This trek takes you from Pokhara into the heart of the Annapurna range, climbing through Gurung and Magar villages to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m. It is a well-trodden route but no less rewarding for it, with days built around forest trails, terraced hillsides and close-up mountain views.

Along the way you stop in Ghandruk, take in sunrise or sunset from Poon Hill, and pass through Machhapuchhre Base Camp before reaching the main goal. The route also runs through the Annapurna Conservation Area, home to rhododendron and pine forest and, occasionally, animals like musk deer or Himalayan thar.

It is graded moderate and partially guided, so you get support on the trail but some independence day to day. Pokhara itself, with its lakes and easy pace, bookends the trek at either end.

What you'll do

• Trek to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m
• Watch sunrise or sunset from Ghorepani Poon Hill
• Visit the Gurung Museum in Ghandruk village
• Walk through Machhapuchhre Base Camp
• Pass through the Annapurna Conservation Area's forests and wildlife habitat
• Spend time by the lakes in Pokhara