Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation
This blog, Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation, can be right piece of information if you’re considering 10 days Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Ghorepani and Poon Hill. You can complete this trek in five days from Pokhara. However, for a complete Annapurna Sanctuary experience, a 10-day trek is absolute. So, we’ll guide you through this wholesome trek and its entire elevation profile of every significant landmark.
Note: The elevation profile includes the landmarks of the ABC Trek, too. However, day one on a five-day trek will be the fourth day of the 10-day trek, which is Jhinu and Chhomrong.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation- Per Day Gain/Loss
Pokhara sits at 820 meters, and every landmark on this trek sits higher. Thus, 820 is the least altitude you’ll be on this trek. The maximum elevation is 4,130 meters at Annapurna Base Camp.
Here’s a table that lists the altitude of landmarks with gain/loss each day on the trek for 10 days. Moreover, we have the most accurate altitude profile infographic you can save for reference.
|
Day |
From | To | Gain (↑)/Loss(↓) |
|
1 |
Pokhara (820 meters) | Ulleri (2,050 meters) |
|
| 2 | Ulleri (2,050 meters) | Ghorepani (2,871 meters) |
|
|
3 |
Ghorepani (2,871 meters) | Chuile (2,002 meters) |
|
| 4 | Chuile (2,002 meters) | Sinuwa (2,300 meters) |
|
|
5 |
Sinuwa (2,300 meters) | Deurali (3,200 meters) |
|
| 6 | Deurali (3,200 meters) | ABC (4,130 meters) |
|
|
7 |
ABC (4,130 meters) | Bamboo (2,310 meters) |
|
| 8 | Bamboo (2,310 meters) | Jhinu (1,780 meters) |
|
|
9 |
Jhinu (1,780 meters) | Ghandruk (2,012 meters) |
|
|
10 |
Ghandruk (2,012 meters) | Pokhara (820 meters) |
|
Elevation to Annapurna Base Camp- Ascending (For Six days)
Starting from Pokhara, the 10 days Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill, you’ll reach the base camp on sixth day. Trekking to the base camp is usually termed as ascending despite a day of descending from Ghorepani to Chuile.
Here’s a day-to-day breakdown of how the trek route progresses for six days to the base camp.
You can also use this blog as 10 days Annapurna Base Camp Trek Itinerary. Here, we’ve broken down each day’s walk on the trek, focusing more on the route grade and elevations.
Day 1: Drive from Pokhara to Birethanti. Trek to Ulleri (2,050 meters) via Tikhedhunga/Hile
Elevation Gain: 1,230 meters
For 10 days Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill, you must take a drive from Pokhara to Birethanti. From here, it’s all by foot for nine days. Pokhara is at 820 meters, and Birethanti is at 1,025 meters elevation.
You’ll walk along the terrace farmlands and small hamlets to Hile/Tikhedhunga. These two hamlets sit close to each other at approximately 1500 meters altitude. Until Tikhedhunga, the route is almost flat with gradual ascents at times. However, the walk will be comfortable throughout.
Ulleri is two hours from Hile. The final 500-meter stretch is all ascent. The trail to Ulleri past the suspension bridge of Tikhedhunga is the stone-paved staircase. Hence, it can get tiring at times.
Day 2: Ulleri to Ghorepani (2,871 meters)
Altitude Gain: 821 meters
As you leave Ulleri, the trail ascends gradually to Banthanti. From here, you’ll walk along a motor road that is almost flat for 30 minutes.
The route further winds up along the small stream through the forest. The serene walk through rhododendron and oak forest makes your walk peaceful. Here, you’ll experience the gradual uphill walk at most.
With further ascends, not steep, you’ll reach Nangethanti.
One hour gradual ascend from Nangethanti is Ghorepani.
Day 3: Morning hike to Poon Hill (3,210 meters). Chuile via Tadapani (2,002 meters)
A morning hike to Poon Hill is a popular activity among trekkers in Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek. However, for the ultimate close-up sight of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, trekkers to Annapurna Base Camp via Ghorepani hike here too. Also, it offers a brief acclimatization to the trekkers to ABC.
Elevation Gain: 400 meters (Ghorepani-Poon Hill), 350 meters (Ghorepani-Thaple Danda)
Elevation Loss: 869 meters (in total)
Poon Hill from Ghorepani is uphill and the entire walking trail is stone-paved stairs. Returning to Ghorepani from Poon Hill is an entire downhill walk via the same stone-paved stairs route.
You’ll gain almost 400 meters altitude during the Poon Hill hike.
Note: You may get nausea in the early morning hike due to gastritis which often feels like altitude sickness symptoms. Thus, we recommend you eat something light before starting the hike to Poon Hill. You won’t get altitude sickness at this altitude.
From Ghorepani, you’ll ascend to Thaple Danda. It’s at 3,165 meters, almost the elevation of Poon Hill. Past Thaple Danda, you’ll descend to Deurali and Banthanti.
You’ll descend 200 meters from Banthanti to a river and climb to Tadapani.
From Tadapani, you’ll descend almost 500 meters to Chuile and stop at a tea house.
Day 4: Chuile to Lower Sinuwa (2,300 meters) via Chhomrong (2,170 meters)
Elevation Gain: 298 meters
First, you’ll descend 200-300 meters to Kimrong Khola from Chuile.
From Kimrong Khola, you’ll ascend 200 meters to Gurjung Village, a beautiful hamlet en route to Chhomrong.
From Gurjung Village, the route winds up with occasional steep sections to Chhomrong.
The Annapurna Base Camp Trek 5 days starts from Jhinu and Chhomrong. Thus, if you’re on a 5-day ABC Trek and want to learn Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation, the information from here is for you, too.
Chhomrong is a hilltop. To trek to Sinuwa, you must descend an entire hill to a stream, cross a river, and climb 200 meters up to Lower Sinuwa.
Thus, the walk from Chhomrong to Sinuwa is entirely down and up. Due to this, this stretch can get tiring at times.
Day 5: Lower Sinuwa to Deurali (3,200 meters)
Elevation Gain: 900 meters
The spectacular view of Machhapuchhre from Upper Sinuwa to Dovan amazes you throughout.
The first 45 minutes is a sharp climb to Upper Sinuwa. However, the route past Upper Sinuwa is flat-like (Nepali flat) to one hour more and descends to Bamboo. Bamboo sits at 2,310 meters, almost the elevation of Lower Sinuwa.
Past Bamboo, you’ll trek for 1.5 hours to Dovan. The route past Bamboo for 30 minutes is a steep uphill. However, the walk gets gradual for most of the section. Dovan is at 2500 meters elevation. Thus, from Bamboo to Dovan, you’ll gain 200 meters elevation in 1.5 hours, which is comfortable.
The next stop after Dovan is the Himalaya at 2,700 meters. Most of the route is less steep. However, the steep ascend is 30 minutes, between the waterfall and the Himalaya approach point.
You’ll gain 500 meters altitude from the Himalayas to Dovan. From the Himalaya, you’ll hike to a big stone cave where most sections are gradual and few steep ascends. The route, however, gets easy past the stone. You’ll descend to the wooden bridge, cross it, and climb 50-60 meters to Deurali to call it a day off.
Day 6: Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 meters) via Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 meters)
Elevation gain: 930 meters
You’ll feel the shortness of breath and difficulty maintaining pace once you trek past Deurali.
Here’s a breakdown of route and elevation gain.
- 5 minutes past Deurali, you’ll start climbing some elevations on the landslide section for 30 minutes.
- You’ll then reach the bank of the Modi River, an easy terrain to walk.
- Once the stone-paved stairs start, you’ll ascend at least 100 meters to Machhapuchhre Base Camp.
- It’s a steep uphill from Machhapuchhre Base Camp to the small man-made pond. Moreover, the altitude makes the walk tiring.
- From Machhapuchhre Base Camp, the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp is 430 meters, and takes two hours to complete the walk.
- After the pond, it’s a gradual ascend to the Annapurna Base Camp landmark hoarding board. The tea houses are at least 40-50 meters steeply up from the landmark board.
You’re done for the day! There are no more walks and ups.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek- Elevation on Return Journey
In four days, you’ll return to Pokhara, 820 meters elevation, from Annapurna Base Camp, 4,130 meters. The elevation loss during the return walk is significant with few steep ascends in between.
Here’s a breakdown of the elevation loss each day of the return trek.
- Day 7: Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo is 1,820 meters elevation loss. You’ll descend to Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Deurali, and Himalaya. These sections involve rapid elevation loss due to steep sections en route. However, the walk gets less strenuous and steep after Himalaya.
- Day 8: You’ll climb to Upper Sinuwa from Bamboo with an elevation gain of almost 200 meters on a stone-paved staircase. Past Upper Sinuwa, you’ll descend to Lower Sinuwa and a river. You’ll then cross a suspension bridge and ascend an entire hill to Chhomrong. Here, you’ll gain almost 350 meters elevation. The complete walk to Chhomrong is on stone-paved stairs. Thus, you can expect a demanding walk if it gets warm due to sunny weather. You’ll then descend to Jhinu, losing 300 meters of elevation.
- Day 9: You’ll cross a suspension bridge in Jhinu and walk to the jeep station in Samrong. You’ll walk along the motor road entirely to Ghandruk from Samrong. Three hours from Samrong is Ghandruk, a culturally enriched hamlet. Ghandruk sits at 2,012 meters. Thus, upon starting from Jhinu, you’ll gain 232 meters of elevation.
- Day 10: You’ll take a jeep drive from Ghandruk to Pokhara. The elevation loss on this day is 1192 meters.
Acclimatization on Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill and Ghorepani is the best to avoid altitude sickness and gain significant acclimatization. The walk for four days, from Ulleri to Ghorepani, Chuile, and Lower Sinuwa provides adequate acclimatization. How?
First, you’ll make a gradual ascend to Ghorepani at 2,870 meters. And from here, you’ll trek to Poon Hill, spend 2 hours, sightseeing. Further, you’ll trek to Thaple Danda, around 3,170 meters, trek down to Deurali, and climb again to Tadapani. Doing the ups and downs during four days at an elevation close to 3,100 meters provides significant acclimatization. Thus, you’ll not get altitude sickness on this trek, even at the base camp.
Trekkers who start from Jhinu and try to complete this trek in five days often get altitude sickness at Deurali or Machhapuchhre Base Camp. Due to this, some even return to Pokhara by helicopter.
Do you need acclimatization?
Annapurna Base Camp Trek isn’t an extreme elevation trek like the Everest Base Camp Trek and Manaslu Circuit Trek. Thus, a physically fit person can complete the Annapurna Base Camp Trek safely, soundly, and with a wholesome experience.
As we mentioned earlier, the 10-day trek is ideal for acclimatization without stopping for a day for acclimatization. However, for short itineraries, the rapid ascend can cause altitude sickness and difficulty in trekking.
Thus, we encourage everyone to ascend slowly, rehydrate, and if possible, embark on 10 days trek for adequate acclimatization.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation- Challenges and Preparation
Can a beginner trek to Annapurna Base Camp? Yes. The 10 days Annapurna Base Camp Trek from Poon Hill is an ideal trek for beginner and trekkers with some trek experience.
Said this, the elevation on the trek can create challenges. Particularly, the steep ascends like Tikhedhunga-Ulleri, Ghorepani-Poon Hill, ascend to Tadapani, Kimrong Khola-Gurjung, lower Sinuwa-upper Sinuwa, Himalaya-Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp-Annapurna Base Camp, can be tiring and difficult.
However, with decent physical fitness, proper gear, and hiring a trekking guide, overcoming the elevation difficulty along the trek becomes easy.
Here are a few things you must know regarding overcoming the elevation difficulty.
Physical Fitness
Start preparing your physical fitness at least one to two months before the trek. It keeps you fit and prepares for cardiovascular endurance, physical strength, and stamina, all essential for the trek.
Here are some basic but most effective physical fitness exercises:
- Cycling (at least one hour a day for 30 days)
- Running (treadmill for 30 minutes a day)
- Hiking (1-2 at least before the trek)
- Swimming (30 minutes each day for a month)
Mental Preparations
More than your physical fitness is mental preparations, essential for smooth trek completion.
Don’t stress about the trek difficulty. Instead, accept the rewarding challenge throughout the trek.
This trek isn’t risky or prone to landslides or floods. So, you can enjoy the adventure in complete mental peace.
Moreover, don’t expect the trek to be easy. It tests you at times but rewards you with out-of-this-world mountain panorama from the base camp.
Understand your pace, listen to your body, and keep a positive mindset.
Trek gears and backpacking
Trek gears and backpacking make a significant difference in your overall trek experience. For example, you’ll need a decent waterproof trekking boot to walk comfortably on the rugged terrain of Annapurna. Likewise, you’ll need T-shirts and shorts at lower elevations and a down jacket and thermals at higher elevations.
Hence, what you pack for the trek determines the overall trek experience.
If you carry too many gears, the backpack gets heavy which makes the walk tiring and can cause back pain. If you bring less, the gears might run short.
Thus, you must be well aware of several trek days, weather and temperature (when you trek), trek itinerary, and more.
However, if you hire a local trekking agency like us, NepTrek Adventures, we’ll help you organize this trek. With our guided trek, you’ll get a trek porter to carry your backpack so that you can bring adequate gear and trek light.
Trek with local trekking agency
If you’re planning for 10 days Annapurna Base Camp Trek in 2025, plan it with us. We’ll help you with the trek and make it the best trek of your life.
Usually, trekkers approach Annapurna solo considering it easy and comfortable. However, for novice solo trekkers, the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp Trek makes the walk difficult at times. Even for experienced trekkers, the trekking tests the limit at times.
Thus, as an inexperienced trekker in the Himalayas, it’s advisable to trek with a registered trek agency like us. With profound guiding experience in Annapurna, our guides are among the best in the industry. They’re invaluable, top professionals, have profound knowledge of the region and the landscape, etc.
We’d love to help you with the trek.
Feel free to message us on WhatsApp at +9779818553880 or email at mailtoneptrek@gmail.com. We’ll get back to your queries regarding this trek.
Travelers Review
The reviews below are from our clients who did wholesome trekking and tours in Nepal with us. All the reviews here reflect how we run the trekking, treat our clients, and organize the trek and tours. Below listed reviews are from TripAdvisor, which is the most accurate and trusted review platform among travelers.
Have a read at what our clients say about us!!
