Trek the Annapurna Sanctuary Route

Absolutely loved our trek on the Annapurna Sanctuary route and cannot recommend the trek or Freedom Adventures highly enough. Before we arrived, Prashant was super helpful and responsive to any queries we had. All logistics worked without issue. Our guides (Sunil, Anil and Santoss) were excellent and the perfect balance of professional, enthusiastic and friendly. The porters team were also excellent. Definitely would recommend this trip which had stunning views, great accommodation and food and a fun and supportive group. Thanks again for a brilliant trip

A great well organised trek. A lot of steps like some other reviews have pointed out, but there's a surprising variety of scenery - every day was different. We trekked through flowering rhododendron forests, jungle, bamboos, and snow. It felt like experiencing all four seasons in ten days. The sunrise on Poon hill, Annapurna base camp at any time if day, and a dip in the hot springs were some of the main highlights, but it felt like the next view around each corner was a highlight on its own.

Great group, excellent guides, excellent care.

Our first MBA trip but not our last . I would rate every single element 10 out of 10 except the leadership of our Freedom guides Sunil, Amil and Santos which were all 11 out of 10....pleasure to be only irish on the trip with our new UK, Finnish and Latvian friends...Namaste

Just got home from a fantastic two week adventure trekking up to annapurna base camp. It was brilliant. The support from the company was fantastic all the way through, from booking, arriving at Kathmandu, trekking up the mountain and returning home. Our guides and iron men (porters) were amazing. They were so supportive and worked really hard to make sure we were well and happy, and were such good fun and friendly. This was my first experience of travelling with an organised group and will most definitely be booking with much better adventures again. Already looking at our next trip. The trip to the base camp was awesome. The different terrains led to different challenges each day. The scenery was stunning, from the lovely rhododendrons, the fantastic views from the start of the annapurna range which got closer each day, and the breathtaking view of the mountain range at base camp. Thankyou so much to Sunil and his team and also to the group for making this trip the best.

With the absolute grandeur of the Himalayas, the natural spectacle of the Rhododendron trees in full bloom and the right dose of physical challenge, this trek was close to perfect in my book. Every day of the trek brought something different and even an unexpected change in the weather at Annapurna Base Camp provided an unforgettable life experience for trekkers leaving there the next day. I highly recommend this route if you love everything the natural world has to offer.

This trip was incredible!! The group was super and the guides (Kanchan, assisted by Sebika and Resham) made things so fun and relaxed! It was awesome having a female guide on the trip, incredibly uncommon for Nepal. The food is great - stick to Nepalese as it’s nicer, and don’t bring too many snacks as they’re sold all along the way. The scenery is beautiful! Couldn’t recommend this trip highly enough! You need to be fit as there are a lot of stairs and if you have knee problems, bring some knee supports. 5*!!!

Amazing trek. The scenery is breathtaking. Such a sense of achievement reaching base camp. Tough at times but the fantastic support from Sunil, Anil, Santos and their superb team of porters meant that we were looked after every step of the way. Nothing was too much trouble and their local knowledge was impeccable. Pace was good. And a great group of fellow hikers who kept us laughing all the way up and down!

I really enjoyed this trip. The guides were amazing and so helpful and organised. The trek itself is well paced and you acclimatise slowly. The tea houses are basic but the food was great and it was well organised. Make sure you have enough cash on you as the prices do climb up as you get higher/more remote, and hardly anything is included (eg you need to pay for hot showers and charging your devices if you want to).

However, there are some long/tough days and it’s well worth coming prepared, eg at least having some experience in shorter multi day hikes, if not at altitude, just so you can fully enjoy the trip. It’s also worth being prepared for the very long bus journeys to and from Pokhara - due to construction on the road it can take around 10 hours, and sometimes more if it’s rained. With that in mind I would try and have an extra day in Pokhara or Kathmandu at the end so you are not going straight on a flight from a really long bus.

This trip/trek was a once in a lifetime experience that I enjoyed so much. Even though the weather was not great with lots of clouds, that did just make the views even better when they did come out. The Nepalese guides and porters were really great to get to know and hear about their experiences and knowledge of the country. I would have preferred if the main guides were from the area we were trekking in, but they still knew their stuff so it was fine. I was pleasantly surprised about the facilities of the teahouses that mainly did have western toilets; the beds were not that comfortable, but that's expected for being up a mountain, just need to know to expect that.

This trip was amazing and I’d recommend it to anyone that likes hiking (and has experience with multi-day hikes). The guides and porters were fantastic, the group was amazing and the views were incredible - the trip was definitely a highlight of the year, I just wish I could have stayed longer!

Just got back from trekking the Annapurna sanctuary and have had the most incredible time between mountains and rainforest! The trip was well paced and our guides Tika, Anil and Nima were so organised and patient - each day our route was clearly set out so we knew what to expect. The whole team were so generous and full of humour. They kept us safe, well fed and watered and made sure we had everything we needed.

The trek was tough at times but manageable with a great group of people who kept each other motivated and laughing! Only wish I could have stayed longer!!

5 Stars. Highly recommend this trip. We had an excellent team, who kept us safe and happy all the way through the trip. From being picked up at the airport, the initial briefing at the hotel in KTM, the nightly briefings about the following day, to the stunning hike itself, we felt very well looked after from start to finish. Every detail was taken care of leaving us able to focus on the beautiful scenery and the challenging hike. Our last guide, Tika, was central to the success of this trip. It is clear that he cares deeply about the safety and well being of his group. He has many years’ experience and is a great leader and lovely guy. Anil & Ngima are also great guides, and supported us wonderfully to give us a smooth, seamless experience. Also a big shout out to the porters, who worked tirelessly and I’m sure they will all be great guides in the future. Also thanks to Prashant in HQ who went beyond the call of duty to help us make some last minute changes in Pokhara.

The trek itself is a wonderful adventure into the beautiful Annapurna range. Great to spend time in the magical Himalayas.

A well organised trekking adventure with a fantastic group of people, impressive scenery, and a whole lot of stairs (eesh). Pujan, the trek leader, supported by assistant guides Anil, Nawang Furi, and Padam ensured the trip ran smoothly, while our wonderful team of porters carried our bags the whole way and even had enough energy to dance at the top. The guides spoke good English and promptly stepped in to resolve any issues or medical complaints! Thank you for taking such good care of us all. My only advice for anyone else visiting in late September/early October would be to expect hot temperatures (pack an extra pair of shorts) and bring plenty of dry bags (we had a lot of rain!). I now need to go away and edit the 500 photos I took of all the amazing views..

Trekked up to the ABC in Sept and October 2023. Pusan, Anil, Fury and Padam, our guides, were all great, as were our team of porters (special shout out to Surya, who kept an extra eye on my wife when she had mild Altitude Sickness symptoms - he was very mindful of her, till her symptoms passed.)

The trek was very well organized. All we had to do was simply put one foot in front of the other.

Each day Pursan clearly set out the plan for the day - how far, how hard, how hilly, weather report etc. This really helped me set my expectations for the day and let me enjoy the trek and scenery to the fullest extent.

The group dynamic was great and every member of the trek seemed happy in each other's company.

The trek had more diversity than I was expecting: I enjoyed the rainforest sections as well as the spectacular views of Point Hill. Relaxing on a balcony after a long descent with a beer with the group whilst listening to a chilled playlist was also a highlight. But perhaps the best day trekking was the short hike between MBC and ABC - easy walking with Spectacular views and great weather: I walked with a huge smile on my face all day.

All in all, this was a great adventure that I would thoroughly recommend to all who love trekking.

It is challenging, so prepare well in order to get the best out of it: enjoy.

Great trip!

We had the best ever trip with much better adventures, we felt really safe and well looked after by our team Chika, Pimba & Aslam. We loved the variety of scenery and that there were a few longer walking days but also a few shorter ones with a diversity of scenery. The Himalayas are insanely beautiful and the guides would sometimes wake us up to see the views early before the clouds and took lots of great photos for us to remember the trip. we were so lucky to have had a really friendly group to explore with also. The guides really catered to what we needed in terms of walking and there was always a tea break, lunch break and toilet stops if needed. We’re planning our next much better adventure already!

At the tea houses we were generally in rooms of 2-4 people. Toilets often there was one western style toilet but more drop toilets on the walk. In teahouses much better range of food than expected- daal baht, but also rosti, pancakes, porridge, different soups and teas. Would advise bringing a range of snacks however can buy some on the trail just at slightly higher prices.

We did some walking prior to the trip but weren’t at our best fitness and still really enjoyed the trip. Essentials for the trip- definitely some good cold weather gear, sleeping bag, good quality bottles, chlorine tablets, walking poles, hand sanitizer and good waterproofs! Definitely need to bring walking poles.

Trip far exceeded my expectations! Guides (Tika, Asman and Pemba) and the porters were brilliant. Both incredibly fun and very professional. The organisation of the trip was beyond reproach. We left everyday in good time, the tea houses were always ready for us, and we were always properly briefed on the challenges ahead.

This was my first multi day trek and I’m pleased to say I completed it, but there were some challenging days! Tika and the guides keep the pace sustainable and are very encouraging. I ultimately surprised myself with their help.

As others have mentioned you should expect longer distances than those noted in the itinerary (I think they are more point to point and don’t take into account navigating sometimes rocky paths) and as the description notes there are a lot of stairs. You won’t regret decent hiking poles or knee supports. Also wet weather gear that gives you a full range of motion (I got this wrong and paid the price). But if you take the kit list seriously and come prepared you’ll have a really special experience!

My thanks to Tika and his team. You guys were the best

The Annapurna sanctuary trek was incredible! Tika and his team were incredible and thoughtful throughout and constantly made sure we were safe and happy!

Trip of a lifetime! I absolutely loved every minute of it. The landscape is breathtaking, food amazing and our guides (Tika, Asman, and Pemba) together with a team of porters took excellent care of us, making sure we were safe as well as enjoying the trip. Thank you so much! I'm already looking forward to my next visit to Nepal.

Annapurna sanctuary trek was my first multi day trek and I am happy I chose this one! It was nicely paced with enough time to recover in the evenings. Our main guide Tika was always supporting us along the way and together with the rest of the team (Pimba and Assman) made sure we all made the whole trek. As our tour happend in second part of May, we were told that we are very lucky with weather. We had very little rain and beautiful mornings. However, if you are preparing for this, do not underestimate waterproof gear. It might be gamechanger in your whole experience. Whole trek is great experience and I can only recommend it!

Went on the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek in April, and it was absolutely amazing! This was my first multi-day trek. I've only had experience doing moderate day hikes, never anything high altitude. Each day we hiked around 6 hours with steep ascents and descents, so endurance was the main challenge, but the trail never felt too technically challenging. I was amazed at how attentive and supportive the whole Freedom Adventures team was during the whole experience. Prashnat, coordinated everyone's logistics, accommodation, transportation, and everything else in between. Our trek leader Pujan, his assistant leaders DV and Manju, along with supporting staff Lila, Govinda, Balaram, Sujan, Padam and Devan took care of us every step of the way. They gave us the advice and guidance needed to ensure every participant stayed healthy and happy while reaching our goal, Annapurna Base Camp. I learned a lot from this team, particularly how to take care of your body in high altitude areas. If this is your first high altitude trek, I highly recommend Freedom Adventures. I do hope to see members of this highly experienced team again on a future adventure:

Pujan DV, Manju Lila, Govinda, Balaram, Sujan, Padam and Devan

What an amazing trip that was. The perfect level of challenge, and the scenery made the daily dose of leg pain worth it. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to spend two weeks in the mountains with; guides (Pujan, DV and Munju), supporting staff and adventurers were all amazing people that made the experience.

For those of you in two minds about this trip, jump in - you won't regret it.

Trekking the Annapurna Sanctuary route was a trip of a lifetime. Our teams was wonderful, so many great conversations and laughter along the way. And the guides and supporting staff always went the extra mile to ensure we were alright, providing '25 hour service' along the way; nothing was too much trouble and I think we all felt we could rely on them, no matter what. This is definitely a challenging hike, and be prepared for many, many stairs (not sure if this is emphasised enough in the description). But the views are 100% worth it and the sense of achievement upon reaching the base camp is unbeatable. In terms of practical advice, a good set of waterproof clothing is a must (I bought a cheap poncho in Pokhara which did the trick). Sunglasses too and good quality socks are also among the essentials. The food was always pretty good; not massively varied but perfectly filling and mostly vegetarian. Lastly, I recommend staying a few extra nights in Pokhara after the hike. It is a vibrant place with many adventure activities on offer. Thank you to the team, to Pujan, Padam and Prasan, and to our five porters, for such a special, unforgettable experience.

The Annapurna Sanctuary trek was incredible. Nepal is a beautiful country and the scenery was spectacular. The trek included walking through rhododendron forests and hillside villages, as well as hiking through ice and snow to the base camp itself (I went in March). Reaching base camp and being surrounded by the mountains was a really special moment.

I can’t speak more highly of our guides. Pujan was our lead guide and we had two assistant guides, Prasan and Padam, who were all excellent and incredibly professional. The trek was challenging as I wasn’t expecting the number of stairs. But our guides made sure our pace was steady and there were plenty of stops to recover and enjoy the views.

They really went above and beyond to ensure we had a fantastic time. Pujan’s positive energy never failed and really helped us through when the weather wasn’t on our side.

We also had 5 supporting staff who carried our bags and who were wonderful, friendly and really encouraging even though they made what we were doing look easy.

I had the time of my life on this trip and so much fun and it was mainly due to the lovely group and the amazing team who helped and supported us to get to base camp.

This was the first guided trekking holiday I have been on and it was a great experience, filled with wonderful pathways and scenery. The three guides, Pujan, Padam and Prasan, and five porters, created a wonderfully positive vibe which meant that though the walking was sometimes physically and mentally demanding, it also felt secure and relaxed as we knew we would be supported unconditionally at every stage. The Annapurna mountain range looked absolutely stunning and I know that I shall treasure my memories of this holiday for the rest of my life.

Completing the Annapurna Sanctuary route was an absolute dream from start to finish. The team kept us feeling motivated, safe and inspired from day one, ensuring that every member of our team had an absolutely amazing experience. Absolute highlights of this trip were the Poon hill sunrise and finally making it to the beautiful Annapurna Basecamp. A few things I would say are that the distances on the MBA listing are inaccurate (much shorter) and need correcting, the whole trip is 110 km and a few of the days are about 7 hours walking. Within the sanctuary region, fires in public spaces aren't allowed so a means to keep kit dry and separate wet kit is vital. Finally, vegan food is a bit limited on the trail and the guides will need to provide a lot of assistance to ensure you're aware of what's suitable to eat. That being said, I couldn't recommend this trek and local guides more highly.

I would def recommend this trip if you're up for a challenge and enjoy mountains. The trekking is by no means easy, it can be quite challenging some days but it's totally worth it. The Himalaya views are breathe taking and the feeling of achievement you get at the end is priceless. I only have words of appreciation for the supporting team who ensured we walked these mountains safely and also ensured we had fun and a great holiday. They totally nailed it! Be prepared to all kinds of weather (be sure you have good waterproof boots, jacket and warm layers). With the appropriate kit you'll then just have to walk and enjoy the views, the culture, andthe people.

What a great experience, and a brilliant team.

Back in the UK after a couple of weeks traipsing around the Annapurna region. This trek was definitely different to what I expected, the distances in the itinerary felt more 'as the crow flies' than what they actually were, but still - I wanted a challenge!

I really enjoyed meeting the Nepali team and we had a good group dynamic too - everyone was massively supportive of each other. Getting to base camp felt like a great achievement and I guess the only thing I would have changed would be the weather! But what can you do about that?! Definitely make sure you have enough dry clothes and proper waterproof clothing - the weather can change quickly in the mountains as we discovered!

This trip was run by Freedom Adventures who did an amazing job, be aware the description on MBA does not match the actual trip and most days consist of going up and down thousands of steps, get yourself on a step machine and google the route in detail before you consider this trip.

MBA Response: Lesley thank you so much for the review, we are so glad you had such a good time and thank you so much for your thoughtful points about this particular trip. Whilst the FAQ section of this trip does provide the necessary information already (including information regarding the amount of stone steps) our operations team are taking a look at the trip page to see how we can make it clearer for our customers so they can be better prepared as it is super important to us that you feel supported in the best way. Thank you again we are so pleased you had such a great time. All the best MBA Customer Experience Team