Annapurna Base Camp Route Map: Stages, Distances & Altitude

The Route in One Paragraph

You start from Nayapul (1,070 m) or Kimche after a short drive from Pokhara, walk up through the Gurung village of Ghandruk (1,940 m), then over a ridge into the Modi Khola valley at Chhomrong (2,170 m). From Chhomrong the trail follows the river deeper into the sanctuary through Bamboo, Dovan, Deurali, past Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC, 3,700 m), and finishes at Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m) in a natural amphitheatre ringed by 7,000+ m peaks. You then retrace your steps down.

The trek is an out-and-back, not a loop — you walk the same trail up and down. Most trekkers vary the finish by dropping via Jhinu Danda for hot springs, or looping through Ghorepani and Poon Hill on the way out.

Standard 7-Day Route Table

Total walking distance is ~70–90 km round trip, with cumulative ascent of about 3,700 m. The trek is much shorter than EBC or Manaslu, which is a big part of its appeal for time-limited travellers.

Common Variants

ABC + Poon Hill (9–10 days)

The most popular add-on. Instead of dropping straight back to Pokhara from Chhomrong, detour up to Tadapani and then to Ghorepani / Poon Hill (3,210 m) for the classic dawn viewpoint. See the Poon Hill guide. Adds 2–3 days but is one of the best add-ons in the Annapurna region.

Short 5-day version

Some operators offer a very compressed ABC in 5 days by starting from higher (jeep to Kimche or beyond) and using long walking days. Feasible but skips acclimatisation. Not recommended for first-time high-altitude trekkers.

Mardi Himal loop finish

Return from ABC via the Mardi Himal ridge instead of the standard Chhomrong descent. Adds a spectacular 3-day loop with far fewer trekkers than ABC. See the Mardi Himal guide for that variant.

Jhinu Danda hot springs finish

Almost every ABC trek ends via Jhinu Danda, a village with natural hot springs on the Modi Khola. Locals maintain three pools by the river, a 20-minute walk down from the village. A superb reward after 6 days of descent.

Key Landmarks on the Route

• Ghandruk (1,940 m): The classic Gurung stone village, with slate-roofed houses and a Gurung museum. One of the most photographed villages in Nepal and a proper cultural stop.
• Chhomrong (2,170 m): The gateway to the sanctuary — the last village with proper shops, ATMs (unreliable) and mountain-view lodges. Everything above Chhomrong is a stepping-stone up the river valley.
• Deurali (3,230 m): A tiny lodge cluster at the tree line, the natural sleep-low altitude before the final push. This is also the last village before the avalanche-prone section — see the best-time guide.
• Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m): A small lodge site with head-on views of Machhapuchhre ("Fish Tail"). Machhapuchhre itself is a sacred peak and technically off-limits to climbing.
• Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m): The sanctuary itself — a natural bowl ringed by Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South (7,219 m), Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli. The sunrise view of Annapurna I turning gold is the payoff for the whole trek.
• Jhinu Danda hot springs (1,610 m): Three riverside pools 20 minutes below Jhinu village. Free to use, extremely welcome after the descent.