Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp Overview
The ABC trek is one of the dramatic and finest trekking classic trekking routes in the world. The exotic trekking routes of the Annapurna region offer you spectacular close views of the Annapurna range.
You will catch plenty of glimpse of the diverse natural beauty of the Annapurna region throughout the trek to Annapurna Base Camp. You will fall in love with the unique trails through the subtropical and alpine landscape of the Annapurna region.
The trek is an exciting walk through the wilderness, rice paddy fields and soaring rivers passing Tibetan and Buddhist settlements along the way. You will spend the night at tea houses run by the ethnic groups like Magar and Gurung.
On your trek to the Annapurna Base Camp, you will enjoy the splendid views of the Manang and Mustang valley. Other highlights include Kali Gandaki River, close up views of the Himalayas like Mt. Annapurna 8091m, Mt. Machapuchare 6993m and Mt. Dhaulagiri 8167m.
The ABC trek is a tea house trek as you will rest for the day at tea houses along the trail. So, it is not necessary for you to carry any sort of camping gear and equipment on the ABC trek.
Trekking to Everest Base Camp Overview
Trekking to Everest Base Camp is a dream for most of the travelers around the world. Everest Base Camp has always been on top of the adventure list among trekkers and travel enthusiast alike. The blissful feeling standing face front with the highest mountain in the world Mt. Everest 8848 m is serene adrenaline most of the trekkers want to experience.
The trekking journey begins from the route starting from the traditional village of Namche Bazaar as the trail heads towards Tengboche 3870m, Dingboche 4360m, and Lobuche 4940m. On the trail, you will cross many suspension bridges and witness prayer flags and prayer wheels in the gompas.
You will have the opportunity to visit the Tengboche monastery and experience Sherpa culture and Buddhist practices. You trek also leads you to one of the most mesmerizing viewpoints at Kala Patthar 5545m. It is also the highest elevation you will reach in the trek.
There is also an option to elongate your trek by customizing your trip to other destination in the Everest region. There are numerous route variations, to choose from like Jiri to Everest Base Camp, Gokyo Lakes trek, Three Passes Trek and Island Peak trek.
Accessibility on the ABC Trek
Birethati is the starting point of your trekking journey to the Annapurna Base Camp. Your trip starts from Kathmandu to Pokhara as you enjoy the 6 hours long scenic bus drive to the city of lakes. Road transport is one of the primary means of travel from the city of Kathmandu to Pokhara. The road ahead is stable and pitched throughout the way so you will face no difficulty along the long travel.
Upon your arrival at Pokhara, you will drive forward to Birethati for 1.5 hours. The ride is enjoyable as the road leads through dense hillside and villages to the village of Besisahar. You also have an option to shorten your travel duration by boarding a flight to Pokhara. The scenic flight over the mountain and hills takes about 45 mins to arrive at the airport of Pokhara at 830m.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek Map
Accessibility on the EBC Trek
You will begin an unforgettable journey to the Everest Base Camp with a short 45 min flight to the thrilling Lukla airport. Lukla airport is one of the extreme airports lying at the elevation of 2860m. Nonetheless, you will enjoy a pleasant flight over the mountains and clear skies landing safely in the roller coaster like an airstrip.
There are certain alternative routes to the Everest Base Camp: Jiri to Everest Base Camp is one of them. You can travel to Jiri via a bus ride in a merely of 8 hours time interval. A lot of travelers like to start the Everest Base Camp by the main classic route from south of Lukla heading towards the Namche Bazaar to the North.
Everest Base Camp Trek Map
The Best time to trek the Annapurna Base Camp
Annapurna Base Camp is the beast during the months of October just after the departure of the Monsoon Season. The heavy monsoon rain clears all the pollution and dirt from the surrounding and the atmosphere of the Annapurna region. Therefore, you will have a clear view of the stunning mountain ranges and blooming hills.
The temperature ranges from 14°C during the day time and -6 °C at the night in the Annapurna Base Camp. So, the temperature conditions are perfect for a stable trek to enjoy the natural surrounding around the trails.
Besides the month of October, Annapurna Base Camp is at its best during the time between March and April. If you do not prefer the cold weather conditions, this time of the year would be perfect for you because this is the warmest time of the year.
The best time to trek the Everest Base Camp
The EBC trek is doable throughout the year but the season of spring and autumn is the best option to plan the trek. Months like April and May are the best time around the year to start your holiday trekking in Nepal!
The spring months of March to May is the second-best time to visit Everest Base Camp. Weather is generally dry and stable. During the day time, the temperature usually rises to 10°C and -5°C at night.
On the contrary to the cold temperature, the mountains and the hills are blooming with colorful rhododendrons. The skies are clear and crisp offering the perfect view of the majestic peaks. Besides the season of April and spring, the weather conditions are stable enough for you to prepare for the trek in other months as well.
Altitude and Acclimatization
You are likely to experience the symptoms of Altitude sickness during your gradual ascend and descend in the Himalayan region. Therefore, you must never avoid the acclimatization process to your climb in the higher altitude region because it is essential to prevent the early signs of altitude sickness.
The key to avoiding the Altitude sickness is to acclimatize well is to walk steady and at a slow pace, rest periodically, eat plenty of food, sleep well, and keep yourself hydrated.
Accommodation and Food on Annapurna Region
The trekking routes to the Annapurna Base camp is remote and silent compared to Everest Base Camp. In spite of if this, you will have plenty of accommodation establishment to choose from during your trek expedition. Besides the abundant number of tea houses for accommodation, the facilities are basic compared to the EBC trek.
Generally, most of the tea house on the trail to the Annapurna Base camp offers the facility of western or squat toilets. You will enjoy the lavish services like WiFi or hot bath in the lower region of Annapurna but the services get basic in higher regions.
The trails are filled with trekkers and travelers in the season of spring and autumn on the ABC trek. So, you might have to share the room with fellow travelers along the way.
The food services are moderate in the trails of the Annapurna region as the tea houses provide you with food ranging from pancakes and oatmeal for breakfast. Whereas typical Nepal cuisines like Dal Bhat, porridge, lentils, and mixed vegetables for dinner.
Accommodation and Food on Everest Region
EBC trek is a popular trek expedition among the other trekking routes of Nepal. So, the tea houses are standard with lavish facilities and the capacity to house a large number of guest during the peak season.
The accommodation is moderate even in the places at higher elevation like Lobuche and Gorak Shep. You will find a variety of accommodation establishment along the way to your trek Everest Base Camp.
The tea houses commonly provide the services of flush toilets and an attached bathroom with hot shower. Even if you ascend to the higher altitude, the chances of coming across a shared or a squat toilet are to a minimum.
On your hike to the Everest Base Camp, you will find plenty of tea houses and lodges for refreshment as you can enjoy the services of a hot meal and refreshing tea. But you must be aware of the fact that the cost of the foods are usually expensive as you trek higher on the trek.
The tea houses on the Everest region provide moderate food services like eggs, Tibetan, and porridges for breakfast. You will enjoy typical dishes like fried noodles, Dal Bhat with vegetables and lentils and Nepalese stew for dinner.
Difficulty on Annapurna Base Camp
ABC trek is a moderate trek to the sensational high mountains with amazing views, blue lakes, and mesmerizing summits. You will need to cover the total ground distance of 115 km on your 10 to 11 walking days to the Annapurna Base Camp.
You will be hiking approximately 10 to 20 km per day as you walk for 6 to 7 hours a day during the trek to Annapurna Base Camp. Besides the distance, the steep climb through the awkward terrains will affect your knee further on the trek.
The trek reaches the staggering height of 4100 m at the Annapurna Base Camp. As a consequence, you will go through a lot of changes throughout the trip to the Himalayan region. However, with proper rest on the steep actions and steady walk will help you over these tricky sections conveniently.
Difficulty on Everest Base Camp
The EBC trek covers the total distance of 130 km round trip starting from your arrival at Lukla. If you are an amateur trekker, the 65 km distance to the Everest Base Camp and back might seem formidable and impossible to you.
With an average walking speed of 5 km, anyone can cover the total distance on the specified time period. However, with an average hike of 15 km a day, you can complete the EBC trek without any difficulty.
Furthermore, the 15km hike a day might be strenuous because of the steep uphill climb on rocky and steep terrains. The oxygen level around you will also keep on decreasing as you gradually elevate.
You will hike to high altitude places like Kala Patthar at 5545m. So, you will need to consider the safety and prevention against the altitude during the trek.
Conclusion
Both of the Annapurna Base Camp and Everest Base camp excursion is an amazing journey into the majestic Himalayas of Nepal. You will experience the authentic aura of the surrounding nature including nature, terrains and plant life on both of these treks.
You will need to prepare physically and mentally to enjoy the opportunity to explore the Splendid Himalayan experience. If you plan to travel to the Annapurna Base Camp or Everest Base Camp, never forget to plan your trek according to your preference, budget and time.
In Spite of the choice you make, you will enjoy your journey as the trip to the Himalayas will change your life forever. So, do not hesitate to choose between the two as you will have an amazing experience on both of these treks.
I hope, the information above will help you decide between the Breathtaking journey to the Annapurna Base Camp and Everest Base Camp.
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