boltQuick Facts10-sec scan
navigationHow I Did It
- check_circlePermits in Pokhara: ACAP + TIMS = NPR 2,000 (~₹1,250) for SAARC trekkers, at the Tourism Board office.
- check_circlePorter-guide via a registered Pokhara agency (~$25/day / ~₹2,100) — since April 2023, TIMS comes only via agencies with a licensed guide; this solved paperwork and safety together.
- check_circleRented down jacket + sleeping bag in Lakeside (~NPR 250/day) instead of buying.
- check_circleAll cash in NPR from Pokhara — no ATMs on the trail.
- check_circleClassic route: Nayapul → Tikhedhunga → Ghorepani → Tadapani → Chhomrong → Bamboo → Deurali → MBC → ABC; back via Jhinu Danda’s hot springs.
alt_routeMy Route
- 1Pokhara — permits + guide + gear rental
- 2Shared jeep (~NPR 800 / ~₹500) → Nayapul
- 3Trek: Tikhedhunga → Ghorepani (Poon Hill sunrise) → Tadapani
- 4Chhomrong → Bamboo → Deurali → Machhapuchhre Base Camp
- 5Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m) — sunrise over the amphitheatre
- 6Return via Jhinu Danda (hot springs!) → shared jeep → Pokhara
articleMy Experience
The ABC trail in November is busy — as a solo trekker, that was a feature, not a bug. Teahouses full of trekkers from a dozen countries, a moving community on the trail. My agency-arranged guide handled the TIMS paperwork and set a pace that kept me healthy all the way up.
The teahouses are the experience as much as the mountains: dal bhat at Chhomrong with the valley dropping away, tea at Deurali as it snowed lightly, the quiet dinner at MBC when the altitude turned real. Prices climb with altitude — dal bhat from NPR 400 to ~NPR 1,100 at ABC — but rooms stay cheap (NPR 500–1,500) because they profit on food.
ABC morning: up at 4:30, out into -8°C dark, watching sunrise hit Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre, and the whole amphitheatre. Nine days of walking for twenty minutes of that light. Fair trade.
Back down via Jhinu Danda, I sat in the natural hot springs with legs that had carried me 4,130 m up and back. Best shower of my life — and it wasn’t even a shower.
account_balance_walletWhat I Spent
| Expense | Approx Cost |
|---|---|
| Permits: ACAP + TIMS (NPR 2,000) | ₹1,250 |
| Porter-guide via registered agency (9 days × ~₹2,100) | ₹18,900 |
| Teahouse rooms (8 nights × ~₹500 avg) | ₹4,000 |
| Food on trail (~₹1,800/day × 9, dal bhat focused) | ₹16,200 |
| Gear rental (jacket + bag, 9 days) | ₹1,200 |
| Pokhara → Nayapul shared jeep + return | ₹1,000 |
| Hot showers + device charging on trail | ₹1,000 |
| Pokhara hostel (1 night before/after) | ₹800 |
Prices are approximate and may vary.
Travelled: November 2025
lightbulbMoney Saver
Two moves: renting the down jacket + sleeping bag in Lakeside (~NPR 250/day each) instead of buying, and purifying water with tablets instead of buying bottled — bottles get absurdly pricey above 3,000 m.
verified_userReality Check
Cheap-by-design teahouse rooms — the trail is budget-friendly once permits and guide are paid.
The guide. Beyond the TIMS rule, mine spotted my early AMS symptoms at Deurali before I did and forced a rest afternoon that likely saved my summit day.
Too few passport photos — the office wanted 2, I had 1.
How social a “solo” November trek is — new dinner companions every night.
Yes — in March/April, for the rhododendron blooms.
tips_and_updatesWhat I Wish I Knew
- TIMS can’t reliably be obtained solo anymore — go through a registered agency.
- No ATMs on the trail. All cash, all in NPR, from Pokhara.
- Skip meat above ~3,000 m and alcohol at altitude.
- Keep a buffer day — at 4,130 m, weather and altitude don’t follow itineraries.
personAbout the Traveler
Written by the Wayfare founder — travelling the Himalayas on a budget and writing down everything, so the next traveler spends less.
Founder stories · real trips, real costs.
forumSara
Is a guide really mandatory, or can I trek independently like the old days?
Officially since April 2023, TIMS comes only via registered agencies with a licensed guide. Some independents still walk it, but I wouldn’t risk it — my guide earned his fee in safety calls alone.
As a solo woman, did you feel safe on the trail?
Yes — November ABC is one of the busiest trails on earth, teahouses are family-run, and agencies arrange female guides on request. Main trail, daylight trekking, share your itinerary with someone at home.
forum Traveler discussion (0)
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