Here are the elevation gains for your Annapurna Base Camp Trek. When you are trying to plan you workout routine for an Annapurna Base Camp Trek, you will have a few things to consider. Firstly, you will want to know what the elevation gains are for the trek. Secondly, you will want to consider the daily distances on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
Understand the Daily Elevation Gains on the Trek
Once you consider these two factors, as well as the lack of oxygen at high altitude, then you can formulate a great training plan for the trip. CONTACT US we can help you fully understand the challenges on this trek. Below, you can read the daily elevation gains on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
Day 1). Ulleri
After a few days of recovery and relaxation in Kathmandu and Pokhara, it is now time to walk! You will be up early for breakfast and then drive to Nayapul which takes approximately 2+ hours. From there, you will get into a 4WD vehicle and 45 minutes later you will arrive near Tikhedhungga, at 1,577m/ 5,173 feet. Lunch will be served here and then you will start walking up hill on stairs for 2 hours or 2:30 minutes before reaching Ulleri 2,020m/ 6,627 feet. The total hike should take 2-3 hours. You hike down 20m/ 66 feet, and up 443m/ 1,443 feet all on stairs.
Day 2). Ghorepani
Today, you will hike 850m/ 2,427 feet up hill and down hill 50m/ 164 feet. Most of the day will be going up hill on steps and stairs to Ghorepani. From the tea break, it is uphill all the way to Ghorepani. This will take approximately two hours from the tea break up through the rain forest and on mixed terrain and steps, all the way to our lodge at Ghorepani at 2,820m/ 9,252 feet. There are no exposed parts on the trail and there are very few animals. However, there are some donkeys bringing up supplies on the trail. From Ulleri to Ghorepani is a total of 10.3km/ 6.4 miles.
Day 3). Poon Hill to Tadapani
Today will be an early start with a long staircase up to Poon Hill at 4am. This will take approximately one hour or one hour-fifteen minutes, depending on how many breaks we take. We will move from 2,820m/ 9,252 feet up to 3,210m/ 10,531 feet on the top of Poon Hill. You will enjoy amazing sunrise views over the stunning snow-capped mountains. After spending about an hour at Poon Hill, then we return back to Ghorepani to have breakfast.
After breakfast, the trek will continue climbing up hill and then along the ridges through the forest of pines and rhododendron. The climb brings us to the Deurali Pass at 3,200m/ 10,498 feet and onto Deurali at 2,960m/ 9,711 feet, and we then descend to Tadapani 2610m/ 8,562 feet to sleep for the night. The distances up and down Poon Hill is 2.9km/ 1.8 miles. The full distance for the day is 11/km/ 6.8 miles. You will hike up 830m/ 2,723 feet and down 1,020m/ 3,346 feet today.
Day 4). Chhomrung
The day starts with a steep descent through the rain forest and through some small areas where people live in these mountains. This takes a few hours as we drop down 700m/ 2,296 feet. One thing to keep in mind during this part of the hike is that there can be leeches throughout this area. we will reach a bridge at 1,900m/ 6,233 feet and continue steeply back up hill to the village of Gurjung as the trail eases. We will have a tea break in Gurjung and continue for 3 hours walking up hill to Chhomrung, which is at the elevation of 2,140m/ 7,020 feet, where we stay overnight at a lodge. The hike today is approximately 5 hours and also, the full distance for the day is 11km/ 6.9 miles. You will hike up 240m/ 787 feet and down 740m/ 2,428 feet.
Day 5). Dovan
Today we leave the beautiful village of Chhomrung 2,140m/ 7,020 feet and head towards Dovan 2,500m/ 8,202 feet. The trek today will take approximately 5½ hours. The trail drops steep down stairs to the Chhomrung Khola River. We cross a suspension bridge at 1,900m/ 6,233 feet and then climb steeply back up hill on stairs to Sinewa 2,340m/ 7,677 feet, where we stop for a cup of tea. The trail climbs again up to Khuldighar. We continue on mixed gradual trails and steep steps up and down to Bamboo 2,300m/ 7,546 feet. We leave the forest and then continue steeply downhill to the village of Dovan at 2,505m/ 8,218 feet, where we stay overnight at a lodge. You will hike up 700m/ 2,296 feet and down 450m/ 1,476 feet today.
Day 6). Machhapuchchhre Base Camp
Today is a longer day as we want to maximize our time higher up, so getting to Machhapuchchhre Base Camp is important. To start the day, we will trek from Dovan to Deurali for lunch. Duerali sits at 3,230m/ 10,597 feet. We start by climbing through bamboo forest and then through the forest of rhododendron on to Hinku Cave. This is all up hill 6.7km/ 4.2 miles. After lunch we have another 2 hours and 30 minutes most up hill all the way through the amazing Annapurna Valley as we move to Machhapuchchhre Base Camp at 3,700m/ 12,140 feet. You will be hiking up 1,300m/ 4,265 feet and down 240m/ 787 feet today.
Day 7). Annapurna Base Camp
When you wake up in the majestic Machhapuchhre Base Camp, you will be glad you did the extra distance the day before. Today is exciting as we hike to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130m/ 13,550 feet. From MBC below Machhapuchre, or Fishtail mountain, we head up hill on an easier trail, deep into the Annapurna Sanctuary. This trail is surrounded by massive mountains. Therefore, the trek into Annapurna Base Camp is stunning. You walk parallel to glacial water coming off Annapurna, with beautiful flowers and mountains all around. You will hike up 430m/ 1,410 feet up hill to reach Annapurna Base Camp.
Day 8). Bamboo
We wake up early for the sunrise view over the Annapurna mountain range. It is one of the best mountain viewing regions in the world. The views of Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Glacier Dome, Tent Peak, Annapurna II, Annapurna III and Machhapuchhre are out of this world. As the light changes across the Annapurna Range you get to see some breathtaking mountain and glacial viewing. We then pack up our bags, have breakfast, and then start the trek from Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) to Bamboo 2,300m/ 7,546 feet. Today will be a longer day as we will hike for 6 hours as we retrace our steps to Bamboo. You hike up 75m/ 246 feet and down 1,830m/ 5,577 feet today.
Day 9). Jhinu
It is worth starting the trek early today as you want to get to the Jhinu Hot Springs early in the afternoon. The hike from Bamboo to Jhinu Danda takes approximately 5 hours. We will stop in Chhomrung for a break or Lunch. Then, from Chhomrung, the trail descends very steeply to Jhinu. You can relax in Jhinu at the nicest lodge in the village. After lunch we will head down to the river’s edge to the Hot Springs. You will hike up 360m/ 1,181 feet and down 900m/ 2,953 feet today.
Day 10). Pokhara
Today is your final day of trekking, where we will walk the two hours to Siwai, for the jeep pick up. There is some down hill to the river and then back up the other side to a narrow trail that takes us to the pick up point. This is one of the most relaxing and shortest walks of the entire trip. From Siwai we drive all the way back to Pokhara. This drive will take about two to two and a half hours. You will travel 100m/ 328 feet uphill and 100m/ 328 feet down hill today. Once the new bridge is up and running there will be less up and down hill walking.
Make Sure you Come Prepared for the Journey
Hopefully, these elevation gains will assist you in your preparations for the trek to Annapurna Base Camp. If you are curious as to how hard the trek to Annapurna Base Camp is, then just get in touch today and we can help answer your questions. We have made this journey many times and happy to impart all the information we have so you have have the adventure of a lifetime. Read some REVIEWS from our trips.
The elevation gains for the Annapurna Base Camp trek are one element of the trek you need to consider. Likewise, you need to consider the daily distances on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek. So you would need to build up your training around the sort of elevation gains you will be doing on the trek, remembering that you will have 30% to 40% less oxygen getting to your muscles at these altitudes. Also, you need to then think about the daily distances you will cover. Your body will be under more pressure to adapt, therefore you need to have the physical conditioning for the distances and elevation up and down. Remember the higher you go the harder it gets.
Carrying a Weighted Backpack
In preparing for the Annapurna Base Camp trek, you also need to build up to training with a weighted backpack. We encourage you to build up to carrying double what you will carry on the trek. You should be building up your endurance and overall body strength to be able to manage the steep stairs up and down and the distances that need to be covered.
For example, you will be carrying approximately 6kg/ 13lbs on each day of the hike. You will have your backpack, 2/3 liters of water, rain gear, sun cream, camera, snacks, small personal medical kit and and possibly an extra layer of clothing higher up. Therefore, you need to be building up to training with twice the weight at sea level so you are getting the right conditioning into the muscles. You will also need to be gaining the endurance, fitness and muscle memory needed to make the trek a safe and successful one.
Get in Touch Today
Check out our unique itinerary, as we skip all the areas you do not want to be walking on so you can maximize your time in the areas we know you will love. We have a decade of experience running treks into the Annapurna Region, so just get in touch. Hopefully, this post on the elevation gains for your Annapurna Base Base Camp Trek helps you in your preparation. Join us and we will help you experience the Annapurna region in style.