Accommodation at the Annapurna Base Camp Trek
There are plenty of tea houses to choose from in the famous Annapurna region of Nepal, so there's no need to carry camping or cooking supplies. The Annapurna routes are well-loved and well-traveled, meaning that tea houses ranging in quality have been established to meet the range of needs of travelers. At lower elevations and busier areas, you can choose more fully equipped tea houses with electricity, wifi, and en suite bathrooms with hot showers and western toilets. There are also more rustic, basic tea houses available, especially at higher elevations, that have simple rooms and basic services. Bathrooms might be shared and have a squat-style toilet. At these tea houses, you can pay a small fee for services such as wifi and hot showers. We provide you with a clean, -20°C sleeping bag to keep you cozy and warm.
Meals at the Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Food in the Annapurna Region of Nepal is delicious and plentiful, with a range of options to suit your preferences. The menus at tea houses are usually quite large, especially considering you are trekking into the Himalayas, but it's important to note that most tea houses offer similar food options. You can choose from a variety of local dishes, including Dal Bhat (rice, vegetable curry, and lentil soup with unlimited refills!), fried rice or noodles, Mo Mo (local dumplings), Thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup), spring rolls, or western dishes like burgers, pasta, pizza, and potatoes. For breakfast, you can enjoy local chapati bread or Tibetan bread with curry or go for more familiar eggs, porridge, muesli, or pancakes. This trek is vegetarian and vegan-friendly, but if you have any other dietary restrictions, you can let us know, and your guide will communicate with the kitchen staff.
Your package with Nepal Trekking Experts includes dinner in Kathmandu before you leave for your trek and three meals a day (with tea or coffee) every day of the trek, including travel days. If you'd like, you can purchase extra snacks, desserts, or fancy coffees when they're available.
Transportation at the Annapurna Base Camp Trek
All transportation fees and arrangements are included in your trekking package when you book with Nepal Trekking Experts. To start your adventure in the Annapurna region, there are many transport options depending on your interest, time frame, and budget. A common route is to travel via bus or microvan from Kathmandu (Gongabu Bus Park) or by tourist bus from Sohrakhutte to Pokhara (7-8 hours). The next option would be a private vehicle or flight to Pokhara. If you take a flight, it costs more or less $105 per person. Common starting points include Nayapul, Birethanti, Hile, Tikhedhunga, and Banethanti. The further you travel via Jeep, the less trekking you'll do by foot. This shortens the length of your trek, which can be a great option if you have less time or are combining the Mardi Himal trek.
Please be aware that the buses in Nepal can be overcrowded (especially if you are traveling during festival time), not particularly tidy, and will stop in villages along the route to pick up and drop off more people. Bus rides can be part of the exciting, immersive experience of being in a foreign country, but they are not for everyone. If you would like a more comfortable alternative, tourist buses can be an option, and we can arrange a private car or jeep from Kathmandu all the way to your starting point. Private vehicles shorten your travel time considerably, and you can stop for breaks at your leisure. With so many travel options, we'd be happy to talk things through with you to find what suits you best.
Battery Charging
Despite trekking deep into the Himalayas, most of the tea houses have either electricity or solar power. Depending on the tea house, you might be able to charge your devices in your rooms. Otherwise, you can pay a few dollars (paid in local rupees) to charge your battery in the main dining hall. Carrying a power bank is recommended during your trek in the Annapurna region.
Telephone service around the Annapurna Base Camp
Nowadays, most villages have phone service and mobile reception, although it can be quite unpredictable. NCELL and Nepal Telecom are the two major SIM card providers. Nepal Telecom is recommended by NTE for better reception in the Annapurna region. You can purchase a SIM card in Kathmandu when you arrive.
Internet
Many tea houses have wifi to purchase for around 3-5 dollars per hour, which is paid in local Nepali rupees. Please be aware that internet services may not be completely reliable due to weather and other issues.
Porter
Our tailor-made packages do not include a porter, so you can make the decision based on your own needs and preferences. Although not necessary, having a porter can make a massive difference in the enjoyment of your trek. If you are new to trekking at high altitudes, then we would recommend having a porter in the Annapurna region carry your bag across the rugged terrain. One porter carries the bags of two people (around 20kg) so that you can carry a small daypack. If you are undecided, we would be happy to discuss porters in more detail when you book your trek.
Travel Insurance
It is one of the most important things you'll need overseas, particularly when trekking in Nepal. A policy that covers loss and theft, medical and hospitalization, evacuation from high altitude, and adventure activity coverage are among the basics you'll need. A wide variety of policies are available, so make sure to shop for the best possible options. You need to have a policy that's specific to the maximum height on your trek, bearing in mind that a number of companies place restrictions on that score—look closely at the fine print so that you're sure to get the right coverage, especially in the event of an emergency such as altitude sickness—helicopter evacuations are horrendously expensive.
Also note that most medical treatment and facilities in Nepal, such as hospitals, require payment upfront or approval from your insurance company, so it’s wise to choose a policy that pays the bills directly rather than lumping the burden on you and leaving it till later for the insurer to reimburse you.
Nepalese Currency and Payment
The currency of Nepal is the rupee. The ideal currencies for exchange are those of the USA, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, and Singapore, as well as the Euro, any of which can be readily exchanged in either Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Credit and debit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted in major tourist-class hotels, restaurants, airlines, and larger stores in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan, Pokhara, etc. A surcharge of 3.5% is typically levied on all purchases or payments.
ATMs are also very common in Kathmandu and Pokhara, with Thamel being a particular area of focus for their use. Some ATMs only allow a daily maximum of Rs 10, 000 to be withdrawn, while others allow for as much as Rs 35, 000. A charge of USD $4 is usually applied per transaction, on top of which your own bank may also apply a fee of its own.
Can I get an on-arrival visa in Nepal?
On arrival in Nepal, you can obtain the requisite visa at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, or you can choose the alternative of applying for it at the Nepalese Embassy or Consulate in your home country before departure. The visa is also available at land-based points of entry such as Birgunj, Kakarbhitta, Bhairawa, Belhiya, Nepalgunj, Dhangadi, and Mahendranagar. The Kodari Pass is the access point from Tibet where the visa can be obtained.
While you can use different modes of payment at the visa fee counter, we advise you to bring cash in the following currencies: US dollars, euros, Swiss francs, pound sterling, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, Hong Kong dollars, Singapore dollars, and Japanese yen. Credit card payments are also available nowadays.
As per a recent update, the visa fee costs you the following amounts:
Multiple entries for 15 days—USD 30 or equivalent
Multiple entries for 30 days—USD 50 or equivalent
Multiple entries for 90 days—USD 125 or equivalent
You should also have a minimum of six months of validity remaining on your passport.
Visa extensions are available from the offices of Nepal Immigration in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
For more details, please go through our Nepal immigration website or contact us.
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