Annapurna Base Camp is the famous lodge trek into the southern Sanctuary. North Annapurna Base Camp is a shorter, quieter camping trek to the north face from Myagdi. Choose the first for comfort and company, the second for solitude and a rawer mountain experience.
Different sides of one mountain
Annapurna Base Camp sits in the Annapurna Sanctuary, about 4,130 m, reached from Nayapul through Chhomrong and the Modi Khola gorge. North Annapurna Base Camp is on the opposite side of the massif, reached from the Myagdi valley. They share a mountain and almost nothing else.
Comfort
Annapurna Base Camp has teahouses at every stop, with hot food and bedrooms. The north side is mostly camping, with tents, a cook crew and limited facilities. If you want a bed and a menu, choose the Sanctuary.
Crowds
The Sanctuary trail is busy in spring and autumn. The north trail sees far fewer people, which is much of its appeal, though that also means less help if something goes wrong.
Length
North Annapurna Base Camp can be done in five days from Pokhara. Annapurna Base Camp usually takes seven to ten days, depending on the route and the pace.
Difficulty
The north trek is shorter but steeper and more remote. The Sanctuary trek is longer and has more stairs, but it has lodges and a dense network of help.
Cost
A camping trek needs a crew, tents and food carried for the whole trip, so a short north trek is not necessarily cheaper than a longer lodge trek. Compare quotes on the same inclusions.
Which one for you
First Himalayan trek, or travelling with family: Annapurna Base Camp. Second trek, camping lovers and people who want quiet: North Annapurna Base Camp. If you want both, they can be done in the same trip with a rest between.
The views compared
From Annapurna Base Camp you stand inside a ring of peaks, with Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre close around you. From the north face you look at one enormous wall, and Annapurna I dominates the view. The Sanctuary is a panorama; the north side is a single dramatic subject.
Time of year
Both treks work best in spring and autumn. The Sanctuary has more avalanche concern in winter and early spring on its upper stretch, while the north side adds cold camping and snow on the high trail. If you want a winter trek, the Sanctuary lodges give you more warmth.
A simple way to decide
Imagine your evening. If you picture a warm lodge, a hot meal and chatting with other trekkers, choose the Sanctuary. If you picture a tent, a clear night sky and nobody else for miles, choose the north face.
Plan it
See the overview and the guides to Annapurna Base Camp.
