Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Please click here to recieve the full Annapurna Base Camp trekking guide.

This article give you a full, in-depth insight into the Annapurna region as a whole; touching on the climate, culture and traditions, travel dates, training advice, altitude sickness, a full route breakdown and much more.

Altitude sickness symptoms occur when the rate of ascent into higher altitudes is too quickly that the body doesn’t get time to acclimatise. Altitude sickness generally develops at elevations higher than 2,400 meters above sea level. The most common cause of altitude sickness is ascending too quickly, therefore, the main way to avoid altitude sickness is allowing the body to get used to the altitude slowly (Acclimatisation). Remember, this is not a race - look up and smell the roses!

Our professional guides will be monitoring you constantly throughout the trip, therefore, symptom checks will be a regular occurrence. It is important to be aware of the normal altitude symptoms that you may encounter, so please familiarise yourself with signs and symptoms before you depart and be very vocal about your own health during your trek. We will send you a full need to knows list at the time of booking!

If you are feeling nauseous, dizzy or experience other symptoms, please be sure to let your local guide know immediately so that we can monitor your condition.

[Click here to learn more about altitude sickness and how to avoid it] (http://)

The short answer is: a basic level of fitness and good health is needed and training is highly recommended. However, you do not need to be a professional athlete or a marathon runner. What is going to get you to the end of your challenge is a mental and emotional commitment to the cause. As long as you set time aside to prepare for the challenge ahead, success will be on your side! 

Check out our full fitness breakdown here

Hotels  (3 nights), teahouse lodges (12 nights).

About Accommodation

A tea house is the combination of a guest house, restaurant, and social hang out. Private rooms are available in most tea houses, except for high altitudes ones where it will be just dormitories. The lodges are fairly basic and the rooms are small with twin beds. Blankets are generally provided, while most bathrooms are shared and toilets will either be squat or western style. 

The majority of tea houses only have cold showers, however, a few may have hot water available at an additional cost. Nonetheless, we discourage groups from using water heated by wood, as lack of firewood in villages is a big environmental concern in Nepal. 

There is a large dining room / communal-lounge, warmed by the Bukhara stove (an iron cylinder, fitted with a chimney duct, in which a log fire is lighted). You will spend most your evenings in here socialising with other trekkers from around the world!

There is normally no electric lighting in the bedrooms unless the village has hydroelectric power.  Some tea houses now also have electricity for charging small appliances - mobile phones and cameras - and there may be a small charge for this.

Weather conditions in the Himalayas can change rapidly and your designated tour leader may be forced to change the trip itinerary accordingly. Travellers need to be prepared for all weather conditions.

While our itineraries are designed to allow for adequate acclimatization you are likely to feel the effects of altitude sickness and oxygen deprivation whilst on this trek. Please be aware that your tour leader may deem it unsafe for you to continue trekking at any time, and arrange for you to descend to a lower altitude.

Hopefully, weather delays will not occur, or if they do it will be for a limited time. Should the delays stretch into days and neither helicopter nor flight are a viable option, a collective decision will be made by the group on how to proceed. This is especially true if the delays are prior to the trek, as the original trek may no longer be feasible. Your Tour Leader will be there to help with this process.

All foreign nationals (except Indian passport holders) require a visa to enter Nepal. Visas are obtainable from embassies abroad, land borders (including borders with India & Tibet) and on arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport. Getting a visa at the airport or land borders can take time due to long queues. There have been instances when travellers are asked to show proof of exit from the country, ie flight tickets- although this is uncommon. You will also need to provide one passport photo and payment should be made in US dollars (Other currencies are also accepted but rates will differ). 

Please check with the relevant visa office before departure to make sure there has been no change: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The following costs here correct at time of writing:

• Single entry visa valid for 15 days - US $25:
• Single Entry Visa for 30 days - US $40  
• Multiple entry visa valid for 90 days - US $100

Please Note: Your visa application form may require you to state the dates on which you enter and exit the country. GoKo recommends that you list your date of entry a few days before, and date of exit a few days after your intended dates in case you encounter any delays or problems en route. 

Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate in any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your Tour leader/ local representative, who will take note of your insurance details and emergency contact number. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability of luggage, cancellation, curtailment and loss and personal effects, alongside covid-19 cover.

If you would like to obtain cover for your trip please feel free to contact specialist Insurance Brokers, Campbell Irvine Direct for a quote. GoKo Travels is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Campbell Irvine Ltd who are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority .

Click here to apply for travel insurance ONLINE

Please click here to learn more about what we do to keep you safe while on a GoKo run tour.

For more up to date information regarding the current travel restrictions within Nepal, please click here

Additionally, you can email: info@gokotravels.com and a GoKo Travel Manager will get back to you as soon possible with all the relevant information.

Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, the safety and wellbeing of all of our travellers, leaders, suppliers and staff remains our top priority. Not only have we updated our booking policies so you can flexibly amend booking arrangements before departure and get the most out of your holidays while away, we have also introduced new measures and safety guidelines so you can travel with GoKo Travels safely and securely.

What does this new booking policy mean for me?:

Fully Flexible bookings for peace of mind - We understand that sometimes plans change. That’s why GoKo Travels have updated our booking policies, so you now have full flexibility to change your travel plans if needed.

Our flexible booking policy includes:

(a) Free date changes up to 45days prior to departure - with no interest or added fees

(b) Full refund giving if you have to cancel the trip due to any COVID-19 related issues or international restrictions.

(c) You can now lock in your trip with a small refundable deposit and then pay the rest in instalments whenever you like, with no interest or fees.