Annapurna Base Camp Elevation

Annapurna Base Camp sits at 4,130 m (13,550 ft) in the Annapurna Sanctuary, Nepal. See the full elevation profile, daily altitude gain, comparisons, and acclimatization tips.

Annapurna Base Camp Elevation is 4,130 metres (13,550 feet) above sea level, deep inside the Annapurna Sanctuary in central Nepal. That single number is what most people search for, but it hides the more useful story: how you get there, and what your body goes through on the way.

Next to Everest Base Camp or Thorong La Pass, ABC is at a moderate altitude. Don’t let that fool you. The trail starts around 1,070 m at Nayapul and climbs roughly 3,000 vertical metres, through endless stone staircases, river gorges, bamboo forest, and finally open alpine ground. It is not a gentle slope. It is a staircase with a few big landings built in.

The reward is one of the best settings of any trek in Nepal. The camp sits in a glacial bowl beneath Annapurna I (8,091 m), the tenth-highest mountain on Earth, ringed by Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Gangapurna and Hiunchuli. ABC is also the highest point of the trek and, for most trekkers, the highest place they sleep.

In this blog, you will find the full Annapurna Base Camp trek elevation profile, a day-by-day breakdown of elevation gain, how ABC compares with other famous treks, and the acclimatization habits that decide whether you enjoy the top or just survive it.

Annapurna Base Camp: Important information in short tabular form

How High is Annapurna Base Camp? Overview

Before going day by day, here is the whole picture. The table below follows a typical 12-day route that includes the Poon Hill sunrise, from Pokhara to Nayapul and back. Teahouse elevations vary by a few tens of metres between sources, so treat every figure as a reliable estimate rather than a survey reading.

On the way to Ghorepani Poon Hill

A few things stand out. The trek begins low, in warm, terraced farmland under 1,100 m. Poon Hill (3,210 m) is a bonus peak that sits well above your sleeping altitude, which is good for acclimatization. And the real altitude only starts after Bamboo: in two days you go from 2,310 m to 4,130 m.

The highest point of the trek is Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m, and it is also the highest place you spend a night. There is no pass to cross, which is a big reason ABC is more approachable than treks like the Annapurna Circuit or Manaslu.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Distance vs Elevation

Distance alone does not tell you how hard a day will be. A 10 km walk at 1,500 m is nothing like 10 km at 3,800 m, because the air holds less oxygen the higher you go.

The full trek covers roughly 65 to 120 km round trip, depending on your starting trailhead and how many days you take. Nayapul to ABC alone is about 44 to 48 km one way.

The short days near the top are deliberate. Walking 8 km at 3,700 m can leave you more tired than walking 15 km at 1,500 m.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation Profile, Day by Day

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation Profile, Day by Day

Pokhara to Ulleri Elevation

Distance: ~9 km on foot after a short drive to Nayapul
Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Starting elevation: 822 m / 2,697 ft (Pokhara)
Ending elevation: 2,050 m / 6,726 ft
Ascent: ~980 m from Nayapul (1,070 m)
Descent: Minimal

You drive to Nayapul, then start walking through Birethanti and up the Modi Khola valley. The climb to Ulleri is famous for its endless stone steps. Altitude is not a concern yet, but your legs will feel it.

Ulleri to Ghorepani Elevation

Distance: ~10 km
Duration: 6 to 7 hours
Starting elevation: 2,050 m / 6,726 ft
Ending elevation: 2,860 m / 9,383 ft
Ascent: ~810 m net (more once you count the small ups and downs)
Descent: Minor

The trail passes through thick rhododendron forest, which blooms bright red in spring. Ghorepani is a busy village and your first night above 2,800 m.

Ghorepani to Tadapani via Poon Hill Elevation

Duration: 5 to 6 hours of trekking, plus the early sunrise hike
Starting elevation: 2,860 m / 9,383 ft
Poon Hill elevation: 3,210 m / 10,531 ft
Ending elevation: 2,630 m / 8,629 ft
Ascent: ~350 m to Poon Hill
Descent: ~580 m down to Tadapani

You climb Poon Hill before dawn for a wide view of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, then walk on to Tadapani. It is a good first taste of 3,000 m, and because you come back down to sleep, it works as a natural “climb high, sleep low” practice.

Tadapani to Chhomrong Elevation

Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Starting elevation: 2,630 m / 8,629 ft
Ending elevation: 2,170 m / 7,119 ft
Ascent: Moderate, with climbs on the far side of the valley
Descent: ~460 m net

Expect a long descent into the valley followed by a steep climb up to Chhomrong. Chhomrong is the last big village and the real gateway to the Annapurna Sanctuary, with Annapurna South towering overhead.

Chhomrong to Bamboo Elevation

Distance: ~7 km
Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Starting elevation: 2,170 m / 7,119 ft
Ending elevation: 2,310 m / 7,579 ft
Ascent: Net +140 m, but the trail drops down steps and climbs back up to Sinuwa (2,340 m)
Descent: Steep stairs after Sinuwa

The net gain looks tiny on paper, but the steep stone staircase down to Chhomrong Khola and the climb back out makes this a real working day.

Bamboo to Deurali Elevation

Distance: ~8.5 km
Duration: 4 to 5 hours
Starting elevation: 2,310 m / 7,579 ft
Ending elevation: 3,230 m / 10,597 ft
Ascent: ~920 m
Descent: Minor

This is the day altitude starts to matter. You pass Dovan (2,600 m) and Himalaya (2,920 m), the forest thins out, and the valley narrows into the sanctuary’s gorge. The stretch between Himalaya and Deurali is one of the steepest on the trek.

Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp Elevation

Distance: ~8 km
Duration: 4 to 5 hours (up to 6 for slower walkers)
Starting elevation: 3,230 m / 10,597 ft
Machhapuchhre Base Camp: 3,700 m / 12,139 ft
Ending elevation (ABC): 4,130 m / 13,550 ft
Ascent: ~900 m
Descent: Minimal

This is the big day. The trail follows the Modi Khola through open alpine ground to MBC, where Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) rises directly above the lodges. From MBC, it is roughly another 1.5 to 2.5 hours to ABC, with the last stretch crossing glacial moraine. Take it slowly and don’t skip the lunch stop.

Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo Elevation

Distance: ~16.5 km
Duration: 7 to 8 hours
Starting elevation: 4,130 m / 13,550 ft
Ending elevation: 2,310 m / 7,579 ft
Ascent: Minor
Descent: ~1,820 m

You wake up for the sunrise, then lose nearly 1,800 m in a single day. Oxygen levels rise noticeably as you go, and most trekkers feel much better by lunch. Your knees will not thank you, so bring trekking poles.

Bamboo to Jhinu Danda, then to Nayapul

Bamboo to Jhinu Danda is about 9.5 km and 4 to 5 hours, dropping ~530 m to 1,780 m (the hot springs here are a popular reward). The final day covers roughly 17 km and 5 to 6 hours down to Nayapul at 1,070 m, followed by the drive back to Pokhara. Many shorter itineraries combine these two walks into one day.

Elevation Profile of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Plotted stop by stop, the chart below shows a climb from about 1,000 m to Ghorepani at 2,860 m, a dip back down through Tadapani and Chhomrong to around 2,170 m, then a steady, steeper climb through Bamboo, Deurali and MBC to a final peak at ABC, 4,130 m. After that comes one long drop back to the valley.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation Profile

The pictorial representation shown above is not a smooth curve. It looks like a staircase with a dip in the middle. That dip, between Ghorepani and Chhomrong, is helpful: it gives your body a gentle first exposure to 3,000 m before the real climb starts. The gradual rise after Bamboo, roughly 300 to 500 m of sleeping altitude per night, is exactly the pace that keeps the risk of altitude sickness low.

Acclimatization on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

The sanctuary does not have a dedicated rest day built in like Samagaon on Manaslu, so the pacing of the itinerary does the work. Here is what makes ABC manageable:

• Gradual sleeping gain. After 3,000 m, try to raise your sleeping altitude by no more than about 300 to 500 m per night. The Deurali, MBC, and ABC stretch is where this matters most.
• Climb high, sleep low. Poon Hill early in the trek, and a short walk above MBC or ABC in the afternoon, then back down to sleep, helps your body adapt.
• Add a buffer day. A 10- to 12-day itinerary gives you more slack than a 7-day sprint. If you can, spend an extra night at Deurali or MBC.
• Walk slowly. If you can’t speak in full sentences while walking, you are going too fast.
•  Drink and eat steadily, even when your appetite drops.

Annapurna Base Camp is only 4,130 m, but altitude affects people unpredictably. Fitness does not protect you; pacing does.

Highest Point of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek which is Annapurna Base Camp

Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m / 13,550 ft)

ABC is the highest point of the classic route, and the camp itself sits on glacial moraine in a funnel-shaped valley. It is a small cluster of lodges with the Annapurna South Glacier and the south face of Annapurna I filling the horizon.

Expect a cold night even in the main seasons, with thin air that can make sleep difficult. Most trekkers wake early for the sunrise, when the light moves down the wall of peaks one summit at a time.
From the camp, you can see:

• Annapurna I: 8,091 m
• Gangapurna: about 7,455 m
• Annapurna South: about 7,219 m
• Machhapuchhre (Fishtail): about 6,993 m
• Hiunchuli: about 6,441 m
• Tent Peak (Tharpu Chuli): about 5,663 m

Peak heights vary by a few metres depending on the source.

How Does ABC Elevation Compare With Other Famous Treks?

ABC is about 1,230 m lower than Everest Base Camp and roughly 1,290 m lower than Thorong La. That gap is why it is a popular first Himalayan trek. It is also why people sometimes underestimate it: 4,130 m is higher than anything in the Alps or Rockies that most hikers have visited.

How difficult is the Annapurna Base Camp Elevation?

The trek is usually graded moderate. The main challenge is not a single hard day but the combination of steep stone stairs, long days and thin air at the top. The steepest sections are between Chhomrong and Sinuwa, between Himalaya and Deurali, and just before MBC.
A few honest points on difficulty:

• The stairs are harder than the altitude, early on. The climbs to Ulleri and out of Chhomrong are knee- and thigh-burners.
• The last two days matter most. From Bamboo to ABC you gain about 1,800 m in two days, which is the quickest part of the trek.
• The descent is long. Dropping 1,820 m in one day on the way down is tough on the knees.
• Fitness helps, but acclimatization decides. Cardio, loaded hill walks, and leg strength make every day more comfortable, but they do not prevent altitude sickness.
• Most reasonably fit first-time trekkers complete ABC, as long as they take enough days and respect the symptoms below.

Altitude Sickness at Annapurna Base Camp

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) can appear from about 2,500 m, and your risk climbs noticeably above 3,000 m. At 4,130 m, ABC is high enough that it deserves real attention.

Early symptoms: headache, nausea, loss of appetite, poor sleep, dizziness, unusual tiredness.

Warning signs that need immediate descent: a headache that keeps getting worse, vomiting, confusion, loss of balance, or breathlessness at rest. Going down is the most effective treatment, and the sanctuary is a long way from a road, so don’t wait.

Talk to a doctor before the trip about whether preventive medication is right for you, and make sure your travel insurance covers trekking to at least 4,500 m, including helicopter evacuation.

Tips for Managing Annapurna Base Camp Trek Elevation

•  Ascend gradually and keep the rest days or extra nights in your itinerary.
•  Walk at a slow, steady pace instead of racing faster trekkers.
•  Drink at least 3 litres of water a day and avoid alcohol and smoking.
•  Eat regular meals, even when you are not hungry.
•  Sleep well, and don’t overexert yourself right before bed.
•  Never ascend with worsening symptoms. Tell your guide early.
•  Layer your clothing. You will go from a warm forest at 1,000 m to freezing nights at ABC.
•  Use trekking poles. They save your knees on both the climbs and the long descent.
•  Learn the symptoms of AMS before you leave home.

Best Time to Trek to Annapurna Base Camp

The two main seasons are spring (March to May) and autumn (mid-September to November). Spring brings blooming rhododendrons and warmer days. Autumn offers crisp, clear skies and the best mountain views.

Winter nights at ABC are very cold, and heavy snow can make the upper trail avalanche-prone. The monsoon (June to August) brings rain, leeches in the lower forests, and cloudy views. Check current conditions with your lodge or guide before the final stretch.

Conclusion

The elevation of Annapurna Base Camp, 4,130 metres, is not the most extreme number in the Himalaya, but it takes you through an enormous change: from warm farmland at about 1,070 m to a glacial amphitheatre under an 8,000-metre giant. Along the way you climb nearly 3,000 vertical metres, spend time above 3,500 m, and drop almost 1,800 m in a single day on the return.

What makes the trek achievable is its rhythm: a gradual rise, short days near the top, and an early taste of 3,000 m at Poon Hill. Give yourself enough days, walk slowly, listen to your body, and the Annapurna Sanctuary becomes one of the most rewarding high-altitude destinations in Nepal.