Annapurna Base Camp Trek 16 Days
Annapurna Base Camp Trek 16 Days is a long and nice walk in the great mountains of Nepal. Stars dream about massive white mountains, forests, small villages, and nice people of Nepal. This walk allows a very slow and easy time to walk, rest, sleep, and enjoy everything quietly for sixteen days. This trek is going to the middle of the Himalayan mountains where you will feel like touching the sky. In this journey, you pass through rice farms, warm jungles, cold snowy areas, high viewpoints, and at last, the beautiful Annapurna Base Camp which is also known as ABC.DEFINITION
Annapurna Base Camp Trek 16 Days is a sixteen-day walking trip from Pokhara or Kathmandu to the center of the Annapurna mountain family. It is a long path that adapts your body to high altitude slowly without speeding up. Annapurna Base Camp is like a huge bowl surrounded by mountains. It seems that the mountains are sitting near you like friendly giants watching you.
ORIGIN
The Annapurna area got famous when the time was far away when people from different countries came to Nepal to see Mount Annapurna and wanted to walk all the way along its base. Locals were already living in these places for hundreds of years. Gradually tea houses, trails, bridges, and safe walking ways were created for visitors. Today, this place is loved by trekkers from all over the world because it is safe, calm, and very beautiful.
ROUTE
The typical Annapurna Base Camp Trek 16 Days is the first day in Pokhara or Nayapul. Then you continue walking through Tikhedhunga, Ghorepani, Poon Hill viewpoint, Tadapani, Chhomrong, Dovan, Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, and at last, Annapurna Base Camp. You come back to the city after going down through Bamboo, Jhinu Danda, and Pokhara making your trip complete.
REGION
This walk is in the Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal. It is a protected place with many plants, trees, animals, and birds living there. Apart from that, the Annapurna region is the home of the Gurung and Magar people who are very sweet and kind. The air is fresh, the water is cold, and the mountains are big and covered with snow.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
This trekking route is not very easy and not very hard. One must walk for many hours every day. There are times when you feel tired because the road goes up and down like stairs. The path has steps and stones and forests and sometimes snow. But since you have sixteen days, your body will be able to get used to high altitudes gradually. Any person with normal health can accomplish this trek if they walk slowly and keep themselves hydrated.
ALTITUDE
The highest point of the trek is the Annapurna Base Camp which is approximately 4130 meters above sea level. When you go higher, the air is a little thin and your body needs time to get used to it. That is why slow walking and taking good rest are very important. However, the good thing is that this sixteen day plan allows you to move at your own pace and still have time to rest.
WEATHER
The weather varies with different seasons. In spring flowers bloom and the mornings are bright. In autumn, the sky is very clear and mountains are viewable at their best. The winter months are cold and snow may fall at times but the sky is always very blue. Summer and monsoon months bring rains and clouds, so many people prefer spring or autumn for trekking as the weather stays pleasant then.
ACCOMMODATION
People during this trek stay in tea houses. Tea houses are small local hotels primarily made of stone and wood. They have rooms with beds, warm blankets, and very basic bathrooms. They serve warm tea, offer a variety of hot dishes, and if it is technically feasible, they also provide hot water for bathing. Sleeping in a tea house is secure, pleasant, and close to the surrounding environment.
FOOD
During this trekking, food is warm and easy. Most people prefer to eat dal bhat which consists of rice, lentil soup, vegetables, and sometimes pickles. Tea houses also provide noodles, soups, bread, eggs, porridge, potatoes, and pancakes. You must take hot tea or warm water because your body requires heat and hydration.
PEOPLE
The residents of this place are mostly the Gurung and Magar people. They are very nice and polite. They often smile and talk in a very gentle manner. Their culture is simple but lovely. They are very much inclined towards mountains as if they were their own family members. Also, most of the porters and guides that you come across here are from the same place and hence, they are very familiar with every mountain and every trail.
CULTURE
Prayer flags, small temples, and Buddhist stupas are what you get to see in the villages of these areas. People are believers of peace and nature. The culture is a big teacher and it teaches everyone to live nicely and share with others. While walking you may hear local songs, see traditional dresses, and receive a warm welcome at every tea house.
NATURE
The nature of this trek is like a dream. Start out in green forests with red flowers, monkeys, and small birds. Gradually forests become smaller and mountains become bigger. Rivers become narrow and waterfalls become taller. By the time you get to the top of the mountains, you will see deep valleys and mountain walls so huge that you will feel very tiny but very happy.
MAIN HIGHLIGHTS
The single most beautiful part of the trek is probably the sunrise seen from Poon Hill. When the sun wakes up, all mountains start shining like golden ice giants. Another moment of joy is reaching Machhapuchhre Base Camp where the famous Fishtail mountain looks sharp and glittering. The biggest highlight is Annapurna Base Camp where you stand surrounded by tall mountains everywhere around you and the feeling is magical.
SAFETY
Walking paths are generally safe but may be slippery at times when it is raining or snowing. Therefore, you should walk cautiously, drink sufficient water, and follow your guide's instructions. In case of bad weather, people should take rest and wait as safety is more important than speed.
BEST TIME
The best time for this trip can be either in spring or autumn. The weather is clear, the temperature is nice, and the environment is friendly during these months. Plenty of flowers blossom in spring and numerous happy trekkers come for their walks in autumn.
PERMITS
One has to get permission to trek in this region. These permits include those for the Annapurna Conservation Area and a Trekker Information Card. In case you are hired with a company, they will arrange everything for you and assist you at every step.
PACKING
You are in need of warm garments, comfortable footwear, socks, a jacket, a hat, gloves, sunglasses, and a small bag. You will also require a water bottle and some snacks. Weather can vary several times during one day so having warm clothes on hand is really important.
FEELING
This activity seems calm as if it were meditation. Slow walk in the woods, the sound of birds, the sights of the river, the feeling of the wind, the aroma of the trees, the sound of the waterfalls, all these little things make your heart embrace peace. Upon arriving at the base camp, your heart gets overwhelmed with joy and love for nature.
EXPERIENCE
Upon completing this walk, a majority of the people declare that they become stronger and more courageous. They feel pride in their accomplishment of walking at such a high altitude and such a long distance. They also thank mountains and people for their support. The experience becomes like a warm memory that lasts forever in the heart.
SUSTAINABILITY
Such a place needs proper and clean care. Visitors should keep surroundings clean, throw their waste in the right places, and be courteous to the local people and their culture. If we take care of nature today, the children of tomorrow will be able to enjoy the same beauty.
CONCLUSION
Annapurna Base Camp Trek 16 Days is a slow and gentle journey to the Himalayan mountains. It is safe, beautiful, full of nature, full of culture, and deeply peaceful. When you walk here you learn patience, kindness, and love for nature. Mountains seem like your big friends. You meet new people who become your family. You arrive at the base camp and feel like the mountains are hugging you. And when you leave, your heart is full of lovely memories which will always stay.