Trek the Annapurna Sanctuary Route

I recently returned from an unforgettable journey through Nepal, and my Himalayan trek exceeded my wildest dreams! The breathtaking natural beauty of the route (see attached photos) was only matched by the exceptional team that supported me every step of the way.

My outstanding guide, Kanchan Yonjan, and assistants Santosh and Resham, expertly balanced pace, logistics, and briefings to ensure our group's comfort and preparedness. Their warm camaraderie, shared laughter, and insightful stories about local history and geology made the experience truly special. They even taught us traditional Nepali dances!

Our talented porters, Urram, Surya, Ashish, Nara, Sameer, and Suresh, worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our seamless journey.

For those planning a similar adventure, here are my top tips:

• Rise early for Poon Hill's breathtaking sunrise
• Indulge in ginger honey lemon tea
• Savor every dal bhat
• Unwind in the hot springs on the penultimate day

I highly recommend this experience and hope to reunite with Kanchan, Santosh, Resham, and the entire team on future adventures.

We loved this trip, from start to finish, it was truly and trip of a lifetime. Here is some more info that may be helpful:

The trekking experience in Annapurna: Includes rainforest, jungle and of course mountains. Beautiful diverse, and breath-taking.

Difficulty: There are lots of steps!! My partner and I are in our fifties and reasonably fit. We were challenged some days but felt the challenge was just right to be rewarding rather than completely exhausting.

The guides: Kanchan, Resham and Santosh were so lovely, so accommodating, kind and encouraging. If we could of taken them back home with us we would of! Lovely, humble people.

Group: There were 12 in a our group, and wow, I underestimated how much the group dynamic brings to the experience. It hugely enriched the overall experience.

Food: A good range of dishes, very filling and tasty. And not expensive. We kept to vegetarian options while on the trek itself.

Nepal: Kathmandu is crazy busy, and wonderful, the accommodation is very nice. Pokhara is a quieter place by the lake, very beautiful. again the accommodation is very good.

Altitude sickness: None of the group were affected.

Overall value for money: Absolutely, I'd go again in a heartbeat.

Interaction with the operators: Very good, before the trip in helping prepare and during when/if needed.

Misc: We decided to fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara rather than endure the bus. Some group members took the bus others like us flew. Based on all feedback I would recommend flying. The flight was 25 minutes, compared to a very bumpy 10 hours on the bus. The time saved allows nearly an extra day in Pokhara on the way and in Kathmandu on the way back.

I can't speak highly enough of this Annapurna sanctuary trek and the people involved in organising it! The scenery was spectacular and the tea houses along the way really comfortable and welcoming. Our guide Tejshree was so attentive throughout and made sure that we had the best experience possible, including receiving a tika and blessing as part of the Dashain festival. Our assistant guide Resham and support staff Prem, Aashis and Surya were always smiling, despite having to carry our heavy bags, and we had a lot of fun playing cards with them in the evenings. Highlights for me include watching the sunrise on Poon hill, being blown away by the views at Annapurna base camp and relaxing in the hot springs at the end. It really was an experience of a lifetime.

An incredible trip. So well organised, always felt safe and well looked after by the wonderful guides Kanchan, Santosh and Resan. The views from base camp were amazing and tea houses very comfortable with extra blankets whenever needed. The trek was done at a good pace with plenty of tea breaks and enough time to adjust to the altitude. Would highly reccomend this trip!

We booked the trip keen to do some walking in the Himalayas but what we ended up with was the trip of a life time. The natural beauty of the route is hard to describe so I will attach some pics. What the pics cannot show you however is the amazing team that make it all run like clock work. Our fearless leader, Kanchan and his two assistants, Santosh and Resham were epic. They worked hard to make sure the pace was right whilst walking, food was arriving on time and briefing so we knew what the next day would hold. Above and beyond what guides should do they also made us laugh and educated us. We danced with them and we learnt about the tectonic plates on which we stood and the history of the religions that surrounded us. They are an epic team and we were lucky to have them. We both want to do another trek in the future and hope to get these guys again. Definitely get up early to go see sunrise on Poon Hill, drink as much ginger honey lemon tea as you can, eat all the dal bhat going and enjoy a dip in the hot springs on the penultimate day. Couldn't recommend any higher

We did the hike to Annapurna Base Camp and it was incredible. Our guide Kanchan Yonjan, and the assistant guides Resham and Santosh, were outstanding. They were informative, attentive,and entertaining. One highlight of the trip for me was the incredible views from Annapurna Base Camp. Another was celebrating the Tihar festival with our guides and porters at one of the tea houses on the trail. This festival coincided with our trip, and our guide Kanchan went above and beyond to arrange for us to feel included in it. I would highly recommend Freedom Adventures and the Annapurna Base Camp trek. (Thanks too to our porters for carrying our heavy bags on the trek! We greatly enjoyed celebrating Tihar and the completion of the trek with you!)

I arranged this trek with my partner to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. It lived up to our hopes, giving us a once-in-a-lifetime experience literally on top of the world, and a sense of shared achievement and adventure.

Our lead guide Kanchan, and his assistant guides Resam and Santos were experienced, funny and very knowledgeable. They were also incredibly kind and very supportive of members of the group that found it more difficult. They made extra efforts to include us in the celebration of the Tihar festival, with dance, flowers and singing which was a real highlight.

I would strongly recommend this trip for others looking to push their boundaries and broaden their minds while also having fun and feeling safe.

An amazing, unforgettable experience trekking the Annapurna sanctuary route in Nepal. Simply incredible. The trek is a great test in mental and physical stamina but the rewards are phenomenal: Jaw dropping vistas, beautiful flowered gardens, towering mountains, waterfalls and much much more. Kanchan Yonjan led the team of guides and was a pleasure to be around, discussing religion, history, geography whilst smiling and often dancing! His assistants Santosh and Resham were always on hand to make sure everyone was ok and worked seemingly every hour of the day to ensure we were fed and taken care of at each tea house we stayed. The team of porters worked heroically to ensure our supplies made it to each new destination before us. Thanks to Ashish, Suresh, Surya, Sameer, Nara, Uttam for their massive efforts to make this trip so memorable. Highly recommended, take this once in a lifetime trip and you won’t be disappointed!

In a few words: joy, magic, breathtaking, laugh, moments of physical & emotional intensity with lovely caring people and 3 super guides ! Very well organized trek: safe in terms of intensity, moderate difficulty. I was worried about the potential altitude symptoms, but it's manageable for anyone in a good health and if you take it slowly, there are many breaks planned. Before the trek, I also didn't understand why the food was not included and I was worried about having enough money with me, my budget was not totally clear in my mind and I always needed to be careful about my money. But in the end it was easy: the guide organized everything smoothly, I just had to take approximately 500€ in Nepalese roupies (food, showers, tips, some souvenirs), maybe a little more if you want WiFi, chargers and more souvenirs. The accomodations are good. If you don't want to take everything from home, there are many trekking shops in Pokhara. Thanks everyone for everything!

Had such an amazing time on this trip! Our lead guide Krishna and support guides Ujjwal and Manju did a fantastic job of making sure we were all happy and felt safe during the trek. Krishna also arranged a birthday cake to be delivered to one of our tea houses which was so special! The views and food were so amazing every day - I would highly recommend this trip! All of the porters made our time so easy with carrying our overnight bags and it was lovely to spend some evenings playing cards with all of the support team!

Great group, great guides, epic landscapes! A brilliant 2 weeks. A super well organised trip. The guide team did a great job of facilitating any trips/travel in addition to the original itinerary such as tours of Kathmandu etc.

The ABC trek truly exceeded all my expectations. The meticulous planning from all three of our Freedom Adventures guides Krishna, Manju and Ujjwal was second to none. They made every part of the trek a seamless and enjoyable experience, at no point did it feel like anything was lacking. Also a huge thank you to our incredible porters Saurau, Jeevan, Bhuwan, Dipak, Mureli and Pritam. Their amazing work was truly one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.

As for the trip itself, I was blown away by the whole experience. The teahouses were fantastic, charming places to stay. All were very accommodating and comfortable which made it very easy to get a good nights sleep (definitely bring good ear plugs and eye mask!!). All far exceeded my expectations. The food was simply amazing, daal bhat is a Nepalese staple that kept our energy high always. But all the teahouses had amazing variety on the menu so you’re quite frankly spoilt for choice. Having a pizza at ABC was not what I expected at the start but was an amazing surprise! The scenery is the best in the world, period. Nothing comes close. There was great variety in the terrain, with some days traversing jungled areas to others (closer to ABC) getting above the treeline for the most incredible views you’ve ever seen. The weather was perfect, as was our group. Both of these combined made the trip truly unforgettable.

All in all the whole thing is an 11/10 experience that you will not regret booking. Memories and friends for a lifetime.

A few top tips:

• Bring good ear plugs and an eye mask!
• Bring a small face towel for sweat.
• Ideally arrive 2 days before departing to Pokhara (annual leave permitting). Gives you an extra day to rest and prepare for the adventure ahead. Plus an extra day to explore Kathmandu, which is an amazing city.
• Pack for cold weather as well as 30C heat. Shorts are a must!

Thanks again all!!!!!!

Before booking this adventure I wanted an experience that would be challenging, fun, and comfortable. The MBA and team answered all my questions and followed up when new information was required. Everything was taken care of by our guides: Krishna, Ujjwal, and Manju. We had amazing weather(especially in the morning) which allowed great views and pictures along the whole trip. I felt that everyday was thoroughly planned out, building our anticipation of reaching Annapurna Base Camp(ABC). In particular Poon Hill and our free time to explore once at ABC stood out as highlights. In one instance, the roads were blocked due to late season heavy rain and they booked a domestic flight without an extra charge! Our accommodations definitely exceeded my expectations, with excellent food and rooms to relax in after a long day trekking. Trekking was tough but doable which is exactly what I was hoping for. The Sky Inn and Big Pillow Inn were great hotels, before and after the trek in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Our guides, porters, and fellow group members really made the whole trip so much better than just the trek. I would recommend MBA and this trip in particular to anyone looking for a life-changing experience. Thankyou!

The views along the whole route are amazing, paired with great food, a great group of people and great hospitality. This really is a once in a lifetime trek and well worth the money!

Our guide Krishna, and assistant guides Ujjwal and Manju made everything so easy, even organising a birthday cake on the way back for one of us! Krishna was very professional but great fun, he was very good at putting us all at ease with the effects of altitude and looking out for us. The porters were also good fun and made the trek a lot more comfortable, playing cards with us on a few of the evenings.

The tea houses were better than I expected, with incredible views, terraces and a great range of food available. I'm now obsessed with LGH tea..

I would highly recommend this trek! Particularly if you love landscape photography!

The Sanctuary route was a fair challenging trek - 80% of the 10 day walk was steps up or down so those with dodgy knees be mindful! Our guides Sanjeet, Anil and Tess from Freedom Adventures were incredible - thoughtful expert crew who took care of the group - scenery stunning, Kathmandu a most bonkers lovely vibrant city - highly recommend - MBA have sourced a great Nepalese company to guide you in the Himalayas and I'm definitely going back to have a go at other treks - autumn weather rather hot so if going early in the season take cooler clothing and we didn't need a 4 season sleeping bag that takes more room up - a smaller 3 season good enough and teahouses supply blankets but take a pillowcase for sure and trekking poles that saved my legs! Trekking through forrests and the mountain ranges really was breathtaking - food good and all group healthy no issues getting safe water from places if didn't have a filter system

Absolutely incredible experience. Everything was taken care of by our guides Krishna, Manju and Ujjwal who set a good pace for the hike, sorted everything we needed and answered any and all questions we had. The team of porters were absolutely superhuman! Without their hard work the trip wouldn’t be possible. The schedule was great and each day had such different landscapes that it’s impossible to get bored. The pacing was good with plenty of breaks but be prepared for many many stone stairs going up and down! The food was amazing, Dahl baht was the staple choice but every tea house had lots of options. The whole trip really exceeded all expectations. I would highly recommend this trip and MBA in general!

Such an incredible experience, it exceeded all expectations. It was a tough at times, the stone stairs were a real challenge so you do need a good level of fitness & determination. The views were totally amazing and made it all worthwhile. Tea Houses are at times basic but always charming, I was very happy with the food, dal bhat was always great and had more choices than I expected. The support, knowledge & care from our guide Krishna and his team Manju& Ujjwal was amazing. They looked out for each of us and gave us the support we needed, nothing was ever too much. They worked really well as a team and made it doable & fun. We had a very lovely supportive group & all got on so well. The porters were incredible & were very much part of the team. I would definitely recommend this trek & the A team that took such care & gave us so many laughs along the way!

This hike was a truly once in a lifetime experience. I was concerned that the weather was going to be very wet for our hike, however we were lucky to experience clear morning and atmospheric afternoons in the night mountains.

Krishna, our trek leader was great. His knowledge, experience of the mountains, and sense of humour kept the team on track and motivated throughout.

Both Manju and Ujjwal were great at supporting the team, providing insights to the culture and history of the mountain communities, as well as motivating the team and taking ends orders of ginger tea at the end of the day.

I cannot recommend this hike enough as the schedule was perfect and the views are stunning.

Finally, a big shout out to the team of porters. Without their support the trip would not be possible; Saurau, Jeevan, Bhuwan, Dipak, Mureli, Pritam.

Thank you so much team

Wow, where to start with this incredible trip. Amazing group of new friends, lucky enough to have the most wonderful guides - Krishna, Ujjwal and Manju and our incredible porters. From start to finish the trip is smooth and you are taken care of at every stage. The trek is hard - to be honest harder than I was expecting, just a lot of steep days and intense ups and downs. As Krishna said - no stairs, no Himalayas which is very true. Nothing felt unmanageable though and the views and vibes were unmatched. I wish I never had to leave and we are already planning our next adventure. I would recommend 100x over!

This was such an incredible trip, I cannot recommend it highly enough! Quite physically challenging due to the large amount of steep stone steps, but it was very well paced which made it totally manageable. The scale and scenery is like nothing I’ve ever seen, it was truly mind blowing and was so spectacular it almost looked unreal.

Our local team (Sanjeet, Anil and Tez) were beyond brilliant - highly experienced and professional, organised, patient and kind but also fun and funny, there were a lots of laughs along the way. They couldn’t do enough for us, and I felt in such safe hands.

If you are thinking of doing this trip, just do it - my problem now is finding another trip to match it, I’m not sure if it’s possible!

My trip with MBA and Freedom Adventures was extraordinary! I loved getting to know our entire group including our wonderful guide, assistant guides, porters, and fellow travelers. The trip was well organized and took us through some of the most amazing scenery I've ever been exposed to. Highly recommend.

Where to start? The trip was well organised. The friendliness and professionalism from our lead and assistant guides (Sanjeet, Anil and Tej) and porters was absolutely outstanding. Another review said all you need to do is put one foot in front of another and everything else is taken care of, and this is completely true.

The views are spectacular, though be aware that (1) you’ll be walking through forest with only teasers of “real” mountains until day 5 / 6 of the hike and, (2) there are a lot of stairs (I should’ve read the itinerary in more detail).

This trip truly was everything I hoped it would be; from the sheer drama of the Himalayas, to the most amazing group of people who were part of the trek, to the kindness of the locals. I will absolutely book another trip to Nepal with MBA.

Just returned from ABC - Annapurna Sanctuary Route.

A really great experience and a big shout out to Tika our guide and the porters who without the trip would have not been possible. They really went the extra mile so really big thanks to them.

The scenery is amazing in the clear days the views were amazing.

The tea houses were pleasant and Tike and the team always planned ahead so we stayed and ate in the best places. The food was great but kind of repetitive.

One thing I would say which I think other reviews have pointed out but the distances walked seemed to be more than what’s advertised - and also there is a lot of stairs - however it was still manageable just with the heat I did struggle for the first few days however once you get past day 4 I feel like things got easier.

Once in a lifetime trip - it was incredible! The views of the forest's with the amazing rhododendron flowers, towering waterfalls to the tall snow peaked mountains are memories that I will never forget.

Being my first multi stage trek, I could not have asked for a better group to have done this with. Ujjwal and Sebika have a such bright future as guides and I really hope the company see what amazing assets they really are. A big thank you to the 'ironmen' who always had smiles on their faces and always super polite. Also a big shout out to Ishwor who was one of the ironmen. Seeing him carry our bags to later see him run back down the trail to help one of our group members everyday was truly inspirational to see.

The hike was well paced, lots of breaks and everyday there were so many highlights. I highly recommend going in April to see the beautiful rhododendron flowers, it was just amazing walking through and being surrounded by them. The tea houses were so much better than I thought they were going to be. Yes they are basic but they are clean and I loved rocking up to find out what charm each had. The food was always super tasty from local dishes to international dishes perfect for when I craving a big bowl of pasta.

Only criticism I have for the trip is that I didn't enjoy the morning of last day (day 12). It was called a sanctuary route and it felt far from that. We all had an amazing time leaving the last teahouse and crossing the last bridge but from there onwards, we were walking down a dirt track where cars and buses were passing leaving huge clouds of dust. Not sure whether the company is trying to save money by making us walk down to then be picked up, but I think it needs rethinking as it was disappointing to finish an incredible trip like that. Personally I would have preferred a longer breakfast to enjoy those snow peaked mountains and more time in Pokhara.

Overall I would highly recommend the trip, you won't regret it!

This was a wonderful route. The daily distances were very manageable but we walked through such varied scenery and conditions as we gradually ascended into the high mountains. We were lucky to have perfect visibility for spectacular views from the Poon Hill viewpoint, and at the Annapurna Base Camp itself.

Our guide and porters were exceptional - we felt in very safe hands, and were so well looked after.

What an incredible trip and no better way to start this review with the the amazing team of guides that look after you. The guides are everything - they guide you on the route, set manageable pace, assist and solve any problems/injuries, translate with the locals, fill your water bottles, take your food orders, serve the food and clear the tables after. They are an integral part on making this tour a success and we were lucky enough to have Sunil, Sibeka and Ujjwal who was absolutely amazing and made this trip a lifetime memory. They were always happy to help and I believe you could do any trip with them and it would be amazing... and this is what Much Better Adventures has done incredibly well - picked the right people to ensure a safe and memorable trip.

I found the ever changing landscapes beautiful and well worth all the steps. We were lucky enough to go at mid April when the rhododendrons we in full bloom making the jungle that much more beautiful. Once through the jungle you are greeted by the steep mountains filled with waterfalls before making a push to the base camps. The accommodation is basic but comfortable and the food is also one of the many highlights. Overall the trip is very well organised and you are made to feel comfortable (even on the difficult days).

A few tips from my experience:

1. I recommend a 2l hydration pack - it makes drinking water frequently easy.
2. Stay vegetarian - the food is delicious and we had no problem with our stomachs. We also did the water purification tablets which worked well for us.
3. Layers are very important - the temperatures are very different (the beginning of the hike was 25 degrees and Basecamp was zero and even colder in the early mornings)
4. take card games - you have some downtime to kill in tea houses and it's a great way to bond with your group and guides.

We had a wonderful time on this trek - the scenery was beautiful, with amazing views of the Himalaya. Whilst the weather was very hazy for the first few days, once we got to Annapurna Base Camp, it was beautifully clear. I was very glad to have packed warm clothes and thermals, as the tea houses are unheated, so nights are extremely cold once you get high up! Our guide, Tika, did an excellent job of organising accommodation and meals, making sure we had everything we needed, and setting a good pace for the climbs. We always felt safe and all the organisation was taken care of for us, which was very relaxing! Our porters, Kim and Purna, were fantastic too.

An excellent trip with an excellent Guide - Tika - along with Purna and Kim our Porters. Tika was a very thoughtful, kind and a supportive guide who was there for us throughout the whole trip doing what he could to make it the best experience for us. He achieved that and sending him my thanks for such a lovely holiday.

If you are keen to join a group trip then it is a good idea to wait till many people have signed up before you book as the trips will run with one so sharing for anyone new to this site. Whilst only 3 of us, I was lucky to share the hike with two lovely people - so thank you to them for being such great trekking buddies! The organisation with both much better adventures and the local host in Nepal was excellent! Thank you.

The important question answered first, “would I recommend the trip, and would I use Much Better/Freedom Adventures again. The answer to both is 100% YES. But there were just a couple of niggles that made it a 4.5*/5 experience (scroll to the bottom).

This was my first multi stage trek and I went as a solo traveler. I was blessed to have a FANTASTIC group of travelers, and I’m sure that’s not guaranteed to be the case of every trip. The guides are excellent, knowledgeable and made sure everyone had the full experience, this included one member spending the entire trip walking with just one person who was not as fit as the rest of us. They still made Base Camp which is credit to how hard the guides work.The trip is well organised and well paced. It delivered everything I expected.

The food is fresh, flavoursome and you’re never left hungry. Allow a budget of £40/day to cover your meals. Another £5/day for showers and WiFi (yes, available at most stops). Allow £100 to cover “tips” at the end of the trip.

Accommodation on the trip is basic but clean. Some toilets are just a hole in the ground, so it’s not for those who like creature comforts.

I would say you need to have a GOOD level of fitness. If you’re not someone who looks after themselves, this may prove a little too much. In total you’re going to climb over 20,000 feet in a week, it’s hard on knees, calves, quads and feet.

Why did I detract 0.5*?

A. There is a lot of pollution (clearly not anyone’s fault) at lower levels which impacts views. No blue skies, just haze.

B. The first day you start the trek on a dusty track, dodging busses, vans, trucks etc. I understand they do this to casually gauge the fitness levels of the team, HOWEVER, you do the same thing on the last day. Having just come down from the majesty of ABC, there’s nothing pleasing about dodging traffic in a dust bowl. If management are listening DROP THIS LAST DAY. I’m sure it’s so they can add ‘another night’ to the trip but EVERYONE agreed it takes the gloss off.

C. The company encourage you to add a few extra days at the beginning +/or end of the trip and if you can, I agree. HOWEVER, book the extra nights yourself. The company charges you £35-50 for something you can book yourself for £10-15. I appreciate these “margin mark ups” are important to their profitability, but for me, this was too much.

thank you lead guide Sunil for your support, understanding and knowledge of local customs and history, also guides Ujjwal and Saybica for your unwavering hard work, plus our team of four amazing young "ironmen" who provided logistical support with our duffles along the trek. I will always be grateful to you all for making my dream to see Annapurna come true "namaste" 🙏