Annapurna Sanctuary Trek

The Annapurna Himal is a vast massif with several peaks above 7000m. Part of the range forms a natural amphitheatre known as the Annapurna Sanctuary, ringed by such giants as Annapurna 1, Glacier Dome, Gangapurna, Fang and Machhapuchhare. The trek starts through forested hillsides before arriving into the Sanctuary with its panoramic views of the Annapurna. At higher altitudes the close-up mountain views are perhaps the finest in the world. There is a day to explore this breathtaking mountain arena before returning to Pokhara via a different route.

This tour spends two nights in a comfortable hotel in Kathmandu, two nights in a hotel in Pokhara and 10 nights on trek in lodges (teahouses).



The hotels used may vary by departure date. In Kathmandu, we usually stay at the Royal Singi Hotel within walking distance of the Thamel district. In Pokhara, we use Hotel Dahlia.



The teahouses are basic but adequate; please be realistic about what to expect in the mountains.



The hub of the teahouse is the dining room, usually decorated with colourful traditional rugs, sometimes with a stove or heater (some lodges charge a fee to put the heater on) and some teahouses above 9,845ft (3,000m) may not be heated due to local environmental restrictions. Occasionally, kerosene burners can be used to heat common areas if requested. We recommend against using these due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (your leader will not offer this to you).



Most teahouses sell snacks and other essentials such as tissues, soap and toilet paper. Almost all have electricity, but it is not wholly reliable, and lighting may not be bright enough to read by – a torch is essential. Electrical charging facilities are generally available only in the dining room (charged at approximately 150-350 Nepalese rupees per hour per device). Many of the lodges use solar power, so sometimes there is not enough electricity for charging. Many lodges have wifi – in some areas it works well but in others it is slow and temperamental.



The bedrooms are almost all twin-share, except for nights 7 to 10, above Chhomrong. Above Chhomrong, the lodges are controlled by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project and, for conservation reasons, there is a limit to the number of lodges that can be built and the number of rooms per lodge. This means the rooms have more than two beds, often three to five beds in a small room. Due to the limited accommodation available, the lodges will not allow us to book twin rooms on these nights, even if we pay a higher price. Your leader will try their best to sort the rooms out fairly but please be aware that you will be in multi-bedded rooms in close quarters for some nights. Beds with foam mattresses, bedsheets and a pillow are provided. Bedrooms are generally unheated and can get cold at night, so you will need to bring or hire a sleeping bag.



Most lodges have only one or two basic toilets and sometimes these are outside the main lodge building. Toilets are usually squat style, although many lodges have now installed seated ones. Toilet paper is not provided so you should bring your own or buy it locally (please dispose of it the bin provided – do not put it in the bowl). If there is not a flush handle, there should be a container of water to pour down – if it is empty (or frozen) please either refill it or ask the lodge to.



Some lodges now have hot ‘showers’ (charged at approximately 250-500 rupees per shower). Sometimes a hot shower is simply a bucket of hot water and not a shower head.



Standards of cleanliness vary, especially in the peak trekking season and in winter when the water freezes at night. Please report any problems to your leader or the lodge and be vigilant in your personal hygiene regime – use soap or hand-sanitiser gel before and after toilet breaks, snacks and mealtimes.



As a rule, the higher altitude you go, the more basic the lodges and the more expensive food and services become.



Extra accommodation



If you require any additional accommodation in Kathmandu either before or after the tour, we can book this for you (subject to availability), please enquire with your sales representative.



Single accommodation



If you prefer your own room, we offer a single supplement for the hotel nights in Kathmandu and Pokhara only (subject to availability). While in the teahouses, single rooms cannot be guaranteed so these have not been included in the single supplement price paid in advance. However, if a single room is available on arrival to a teahouse, you can pay locally on a day-by-day basis.