Detailed description. Nepal: Annapurna Basecamp. Welcome. Day to Day schedule. Exceptionally scenic trekking. Trip code: Group size: Number of days:

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1 Nepal: Annapurna Basecamp Exceptionally scenic trekking Trip code: Group size: Number of days: SNP Detailed description Welcome After experiencing the culture in Kathmandu, leave with your qualified guide and porters to inhale the thin, clean air of the Himalayan mountains. The trek begins in Pokhara, from where you have a breathtaking overview of the mountains you will walk through over the proceeding ten days. The Annapurna Base Camp is the object of your trek. You walk through villages, forests of rhododendrons and over snowy mountain giants to achive it. A trek through the Annapurna Massif is for all nature lovers an unforgettable experience. You can choose to finish up your trip with a spectacular rafting excursion. Day to Day schedule Below is a summary of the day-to-day description. Transport Route Overnight stay 1 Arrival Kathmandu Kathmandu 2 Kathmandu Kathmandu 3 Bus Kathmandu - Pokhara Pokhara 4 Bus,OnFoot Pokhara - Nayapool Tirkhedhunga Tirkhedhunga 5 OnFoot Tirkhedhunga - Ghorepani Ghorepani 6 OnFoot Ghorepani - Poon Hill - Tadapani Tadapani 7 OnFoot Tadapani - Chhomrong Chhomrong 8 OnFoot Chhomrong - Himalaya Hotel Himalaya Hotel 9 OnFoot Himalaya Hotel - Machapuchare Base Camp - Annapurna Base Camp Annapurna Base Camp 10 OnFoot Annapurna Base Camp - Bamboo Bamboo 11 OnFoot Bamboo - Jhinu Danda Jhinu Danda 12 OnFoot Jhinu Danda - Pothana Pothana 13 Bus,OnFoot Pothana - Phedi - Pokhara Pokhara 14 Pokhara Pokhara

2 15 Bus Pokhara - Kathmandu Kathmandu 16 Kathmandu Kathmandu 17 Kathmandu Kathmandu 18 Kathmandu End of tour Day to Day description Day 1: Arrival Kathmandu Welcome to Nepal! Your tour commences in Kathmandu. Your hotel room will be available at around noon. You will also meet your tour leader at this time, in the hotel lobby. It is contradictory how Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, at first appears unchanged since the Middle Ages and is also being developed. The colourful inhabitants of Kathmandu perform their daily routine, yet it is only fifty years since there were no real roads. The people had to travel on foot for a whole week to reach the plateau of Tibet. After arriving at the hotel you may wish to explore the city. In the 'tourist mecca' Thamel you'll eat your first Nepalese meal. There is plenty of choice in Kathmandu. Choose a small restaurant on one of the rooftops or courtyards. Day 2: Kathmandu Free day. Kathmandu is one of 3 royal cities in the valley, the others being Patan and Bhaktapur. Together they contain some stunning temples and pagodas that you can enjoy exploring. There is plenty to do in Kathmandu. A nice starter is the fine Durbar Square where you can climb the stairs of one of the ancient temples and see the royal palace. On a hill outside the town is the great stupa of Swayambunath (the Monkey Temple), a holy place for Buddhists. In Bodnath you can admire an even bigger stupa, where a piece of bone of the Buddha is claimed to lie. You can see many pilgrims, often in Tibetan costume. The most sacred spot in all of Nepal is Pashupatinath. The temple here (non- Hindus are not allowed to enter the inner part) is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. From the stairs down to the Bagmati River you will see the rituals as cremations are prepared.

3 Day 3: Kathmandu - Pokhara Today we will drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Pokhara is at an altitude of 910m and is a 6 hour drive from Kathmandu. From the subtropical valley where Pokhara lies you have a breathtaking view of the mountains. Pokhara is located around Phewa Lake and offers rowing, cycling, hiking and swimming possibilities. Pokhara is an ideal starting point for trekking in the Annapurna massif. The population here has cleverly played into this by opening restaurants and souvenir shops. Furthermore, a visit to the small Barahi-Bhawani Temple is highly recommended. Day 4: Pokhara - Nayapool ± Tirkhedhunga After a 2 hour drive from Pokhara, we reach our starting point, Nayapool (1035m) from where we begin our adventurous trek to Annapurna Base Camp. We walk for about 20-minutes along the Modi River which will take us to a place called Birethanti - a beautiful village which is surrounded with plenty of tea shops and guest houses. From there, we ascend slightly up to the valley of Hile (1495 meters) and then to Tikhedhunga (1535 meters). We will be walking today for a total of 3-4 hours. Day 5: Tirkhedhunga - Ghorepani The next morning, we continue our journey, walking down towards the Magar Village of Ulleri. On the way, we cross the river Burungdi Khola. After crossing the river, we climb the stepping stone staircase towards Ulleri. This will be the toughest part of the trek, since the numbers of stairs are above anyone s expectation. There are altogether 3767 steps on the staircase. Despite the toughness of the trek, you will be mesmerized by the peaks of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli as they emerge from behind the foothills. Passing through the pastures and cultivated fields, we will soon enter the deep forests of oak and rhododendron. The trail finally takes you to Ulleri, a large beautiful Magar village and then onwards to Ghorepani. Ghorepani is one of the most popular destinations of the Annapurna region situated at an altitude of 2873 meters. Today's trek offers you a memorable experience of trekking in Nepal and will take about 6-7 hours. Day 6: Ghorepani - Poon Hill - Tadapani Early in the morning, we climb up to Poon Hill (3210 meters approx. 90 mins) to view the panoramic views of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Lamjung Himalayan ranges as well as a beautiful sunrise over the charismatic Himalayas. The stunning views over the Himalayan mountains will undoubtedly provide you with a special lifetime experience. After enjoying such a spectacular moment, we descend back to Ghorepani. After breakfast, we proceed further to Tadapani (2500 meters approx 4-5 hours). The trail goes along the ridges of rhododendron and pine forests until we reach Tadapani.

4 Day 7: Tadapani - Chhomrong Today we descend to Kimrong stream through the forest of rhododendron for our next destination, Chhomrong (2100m). We follow the long acsent up above the west bank of the Modi Khola until we reach the village of Chhomrong, located in the lap of the giant Annapurna massif. The village offers the mighty peak of Annapurna south, with the Fishtail facing it across the valley. It will take about 5 hours to get to Chhomrong. It s a typical Gurung village but now that everything has been changed, the village has also been modernized, and hence lost its culture & traditions that it used to have before. However, the communities and people we meet are generally friendly. You may get the opportunity to observe them as they go about their daily lives. Thus, the expedition is not only visually superb and exceptional but also a chance to learn about different local cultures and religion of the villages. Day 8: Chhomrong - Himalaya Hotel The next morning, we step down to Chhomrong stream and cross the suspension bridge. The trail ascends up to Sinuwa Danda. Sinuwa is another beautiful village which lies on the top of this ascent. After this part of the trek, the trail flattens out. The trail continues through dark and thick rhododendron forest up to Khuldighar after about three hours. Then we climb through deep bamboo and rhododendron forest until we reach Himalaya Hotel (2820m) Today you will be walking for about 6-7 hours. Day 9: Himalaya Hotel - Machapuchare Base Camp - Annapurna Base Camp Today will be the most exciting day of the trek as you stride on to Annapurna Base Camp (4130m). It will last 7-8 hours. We hike through pristine forests for few hours to begin and then the terrain becomes more rugged. The final stretch to Annapurna Base Camp follows the ablation valley, the corridor-like hollow between the glacier and the mountain flank. The dynamic 360-degree view includes Annapurna I (8091m) & III (7555m), Machapuchare, Varhha Shikar (7647m), Khansar Kang (7485m) and numerous other peaks standing like a screen of snow and ice and whilst here you may see tahr, Himalayan weasles or pika (mouse-hare), there are few birds. Day 10: Annapurna Base Camp - Bamboo Today the trail gradually goes all the way down to Bamboo (2300m) past the Himalayan Hotel and Dovan. This takes approximately 6-7 hours. Day 11: Bamboo - Jhinu Danda Today, we trek back to Chhomrong via the same route. From Chhomrong we move down towards Jhinu Danda (1700m) after an hours' walk. Once at Jhinu Danda, you can enjoy a relaxing dip at the natural hot spring. A total of 5 hours will be spent walking today.

5 Day 12: Jhinu Danda - Pothana After breakfast this morning, we continue our trek to Landruk, a beautiful Gurung village. The village gives you an opportunity to view the amazing surrounding mountain ranges. The trail emerges in the main Modi Khola valley and reaches Tolkha. We will continue our journey to Pothana (1900m). You will also have an excellent view of 'Fish tail' mountain. Walking today- approx. 6-7 hours. Day 13: Pothana - Phedi - Pokhara Today will be the day, we accomplish our exciting trek. We will walk along a paved stone trail through Rhododendron forests arriving at Dhampus. The village is inhabited by a mix of people from different Nepalese cultures, Gurung, Brahman, and Magar communities. After some relaxation, we will descend through fields to the forest and on to Phedi (930m- approx. 2 hrs). From Phedi we will drive down to Pokhara taking about 45 mins. Day 14: Pokhara Take today to do whatever you please in Pokhara. If you still have the desire, row to the other side of the lake and climb the hill. Halfway up the hill stands a hut where you can buy some food. You can stop to take a last look at the mountains you have walked through during the last day and feel proud. Tomorrow you leave the eternal peace of the Himalayas to return to the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. Day 15: Pokhara - Kathmandu Today we will return to Kathmandu (about a 6 hour drive) for the final part of our stay. Day 16: Kathmandu Enjoy your last few days in Nepal. You could for example, take a visit to one of the many villages and towns in the Kathmandu Valley for souvenirs. The street vendors join you in negotiating the price of tiger balm, necklaces, Tibetan rugs, painted masks, prayer wheels and fabrics in beautiful colours. Day 17: Kathmandu Maybe you would like to end your trip to Nepal in spectacular style by booking a rafting trip. Our local agent can arrange this for you. Much training and technique is not required for the trip that you will make but a fast-flowing river makes a daring and adventurous ride however! In summer, the waters of the Trisuli, Sun Kosi and Kali Gandaki are pleasantly warm and you do not have to take measures against the cold. A rain jacket can be nice as it is constantly splashing water during some parts. Rafting in Nepal is an ideal way to enjoy nature!

6 Day 18: Kathmandu The last day of your tour. The tour will end in Kathmandu. Check out time from your hotel is normally about 12 noon. We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Nepal. Your personal my.shoestring page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today. When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any posttour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 18) is not included. More info What's included: transportation in (mini) bus; overnight at hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara; nights in mountain lodges during trek; trek with experienced mountain guides and porters (one porter per two people); English speaking tour leader. What's excluded: international flights;meals; optional excursions; all entrance fees; visa; tips; booking fee; airport transfers; departure tax; travel insurance. Attention Single room only in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Travel documents Travelling with the correct travel documentation is your own responsibility. Please ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the finish date of your trip. For Nepal, a visa is required for many nationalities in order to gain entry. Please check this information in good time before your trip commences as this information is always subject to change. You can check this information through a site such as this one. To arrange your visa, you should either contact your nearest Nepalese embassy or use an agency such as CIBT.

7 Accommodation and transport Transport This is primarily a trekking trip so you will be mainly on foot but you will be transported to and from Pokhara by bus. The transfers to and from the airport of Kathmandu are not included. Our online slide show (Streaming media) gives a good impression of the transportation that Shoestring uses in Nepal. Accommodation We sleep in Kathmandu and Pokhara in 2-person rooms with private bathroom. Travellers who book alone share a room with another traveller (we keep in mind to pair people of the same sex). If you would like a single room in Kathmandu and Pokhara, this can be arranged. Please select the single supplement when making your booking. During the trek we stay in simple huts with small chambers, each for 2 persons (in the mountains there are no single rooms). The shared bathroom is limited and the food simple. You should bring a sleeping bag. Porters take the main part of your luggage (up to 7 kg per person, the rest you can leave in Kathmandu) and you should carry your own day-pack for those items you will need during the day, whilst trekking. During your trip, it is possible to participate in 'single' excursions offered locally by the tour leader. These excursions are optional. To allow you to plan a budget for your trip we have provided you with an idea of the cost of these excursions. The price can change due to currency fluctuations. The amounts are therefore only meant to give you an indication of the cost. Entrance fees will often change and therefore are excluded from the prices displayed (unless explicitly stated). We display the prices in Euros/GB Pounds/US Dollars. When you are in your destination, it is possible to pay for the excursions in local currency. Single excursions Excursion Details Price Kathmandu - Cooking course Book at location In the evening you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the Traditional Comfort Hotel in Kathmandu. You will learn to cook varieties of Nepalese cuisine such as Momos (dumplings), Rice, Lentil soups and various vegetable and meat dishes. Included: cooking course and dinner. Not Included: drinks, tips. 18

8 Kathmandu - Discover the Kathmandu valley Book at location On this tour you ll visit Bhaktapur, the smallest of the three royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley. The medieval city is filled with brick houses and the absence of heavy traffic is noticeable. Stroll through winding streets and alleys to temples and plazas. The inhabitants of Bhaktapur are known for their exquisite carvings, Nepalese dolls and pots. The old Newari town of Panauti, with its many temples, is also on the program. The Indreshwar Mahadev Temple is perhaps the most impressive. There is a religious atmosphere in the town. Entrance fees are not included in this excursion. The listed price is for a minimum of 5 participants; with fewer participants a supplement will be asked. Excursion schedule (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): Departure from the hotel in Kathmandu 16:30 - End of sightseeing Included: transportation, English speaking guide Excluded: entrance fees, lunch, camera fees and tip 28 Kathmandu - Panauti & Namo Buddha hike Book at location Early this morning you will be picked up at your hotel and 24 driven to Panauti village (1 hour). Go on an orientation walk of Panauti village and hike for 3 hours to reach Namo Buddha. The return hike takes you to Dhulikhel from where you drive back to Kathmandu. Pick up time at hotel in Kathmandu: AM Estimated arrival back in Kathmandu: PM Included: Private transportation & Hiking Guide Service

9 Kathmandu - temples and stupas Book at location Kathmandu - Trishuli river rafting Book at location The city tour of Kathmandu takes you to the most famous places of the city. You visit Swayambunath (Monkey Temple), the stupa in Bodnath and Pashupatinath, on the river Bagmati (the holiest place for the Nepalese Hindus). The sister city of Kathmandu, Patan, is fused to the capital and the old part of the city has an even greater density of temples and monasteries. Patan (locally known as Lalitpur) is much quieter than Kathmandu and a respite from the bustle of the city. You visit the Patan Durbar Square with its many temples. Entrance fees are not included in this excursion. The listed price is for a minimum of 5 participants; with fewer participants a supplement will be asked. Excursion schedule (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): Departure from the hotel in Kathmandu 16:30 - End of sightseeing Included: transportation, English speaking guide Excluded: entrance fees, lunch, camera fees and tip Experience a thrilling days' rafting on the Trishuli river. This package includes tourist transportation to the rafting start point and a local bus back to the city Festival info HOLI PHAGUA - WHOLE OF INDIA AND NEPAL The Holi feast of Phagwa or Holi is a colourful Hindu festival that is celebrated annually throughout India (and Nepal). This spring festival is the sign of the beginning of a new season and is known also as the harvest festival. It is also considered a victory party: the victory of good over evil. The old Hindu story around the festival is about Narasimha, an incarnation of the great Vishnu killing Hiranyakashipu, the great demon king. On the eve of the Holi the scene of burning Holika is re-enacted all over India. Wood fires are lit and a living object such as a plant is given up. Rice is thrown into the fire, which is considered a symbolic expulsion of evil. The ceremony also includes prayer, music and singing. The next day Hindus return to the scene of their fire and smear themselves with the ash. Then in the afternoon they sprinkle one another with scents, perfumes and dyes with different colours having different significances. During these holidays there is an atmosphere of freedom and happiness. Make sure you bring some old clothes, because most likely you will not be spared and you too will end up buried under coloured powders! News 3/29/2018 Trip departing on 17 October: 1 day shorter The trip departing on 17 October 2018 is one day shorter (17 days). You have one day less in Kathmandu, at the end of your stay.

10 General information Tour leader Our tours are led by trained, local English speaking tour leaders. We know that our travellers appreciate being accompanied by these local tour leaders who, compared to their counterparts (living outside of the destination) have more detailed knowledge of their country. He/she knows the area well, can provide background information and ensure that the trip goes smoothly. He/she knows what to do if something were to go wrong, but is not a "walking encyclopedia". Therefore we would like to refer you to study a good travel guide (book) in advance of travel. Your tour leader understandably expects a tip at the end, if she/he has completed the job well. Shoestring pay the tour guides a wage which is higher than that of most adventurous travel companies. Our guideline for tipping is between 1, - and 2, - per passenger per day (the equivalent thereof). Sustainability We know that travelling to remote corners of this planet has its effects. At Shoestring we really try to make an effort to keep our impact to a minimum. We try to avoid the use of plastic water bottles on our treks through Nepal and we do not dump our litter during our trips through Africa. All of our staff have been trained to take special care to ensure we make as little impact on the environment as possible. Furthermore we support a lot of local projects which are mostly related to clean drinking water or making sure that children get vaccinated against illnesses such as tuberculosis. On most tours you will be able to visit some of the projects we support through our local agents. Find out more about the different projects Shoestring are involved with, how you can make a difference and our environmental policies here Further important info...

11 We recommend preparing well before you go on this trip so please read about your destination and carefully check which vaccinations and other medications you might need. Here are a few important points. Prior to the trip After making your booking, if you have not heard whether your trip is definitely going ahead then it is safe to assume that this is the case. If we unexpectedly have to cancel the trip, we will let you know no later than three weeks prior to your departure. It is not common for a trip to be cancelled, so please do not worry unduly. Incidentally, even if the minimum number of participants is not reached, Shoestring can still choose to let the trip proceed anyway. Guarantee Shoestring offers a unique guarantee, but what does a "guaranteed price" mean? It simply means that you pay the price that appears on the website at the time of booking. We guarantee that price. Any price increases made later will not be passed on to you! Personal Information Make sure when completing your booking to fill all details in correctly. This includes your passport and personal information (such as gender, date of birth and first and last name as stated in your passport). These details are necessary for confirming any domestic flights or transportation tickets and at some hotels that form part of your itinerary. Check your (digital) receipt of your booking confirmation details to make sure they are listed correctly. You are responsible for providing correct information. Incorrect information can lead to you not being admitted onto a train or into a hotel! Further information for your trip No later than one week prior to departure you will find your departure letter on your personal myshoestring site. Any tickets for local flights/other transportation will be controlled by your tour leader and provided locally. Single travellers About a third of our travellers are single travellers. This does not have to cost more as you can share with one of the other travellers in your group. We of course keep in mind to pair you with someone of the same sex. If you would prefer a room to yourself then this is usually possible. Please indicate this when booking and the applicable supplement will be added. Feedback While we put a lot of effort into the execution of your trip, it still occurs that travellers have comments about various aspects. To ensure that these observations can be addressed immediately we ask that they are notified to the tour leader in writing whilst on tour. If comments are not communicated in writing to the tour leader during the trip then this will affect how we are able to handle any potential complaint after the trip has concluded. Newsletter We regularly send out a digital newsletter, our E -zine. Here you can read stories, offers, tips and latest news about our travels. Do you receive this newsletter? Sign up easily through this link. Kuoni Specialists Ltd Shoestring is part of Kuoni Specialists Ltd, a group of adventure travel companies that interact in various ways to ensure that the traveller gets true value for his/her money. Behind the scenes, there is cooperation in the field of purchasing and handling of the trips and for the traveller, it means that we have an enormous amount of extra resources behind us, in the event they should be required. Have fun with the preparations for your trip! Insurance

12 Travel insurance, including medical repatriation insurance, is mandatory. It is not included with our packages and it is your responsibility to purchase suitable travel insurance. Make sure that it covers all the activities that you are likely to undertake, such as rafting and trekking. Many free insurances that come with banking packages, credit cards etc, are quite often inadequate to cover you on our tours, so make sure you check the policy before you travel. You should enter your travel insurance details via your my.shoestring account and you are required to give a copy of your insurance policy to your tour leader upon arrival. Without proper insurance like this, you will not be allowed to join the tour as we will not be able to respond adequately in case of an emergency if you do not have the right insurance. Address Shoestring International Entrada AA Amsterdam-Duivendrecht, The Netherlands. You can call us on number or +44 (0) and us at info@shoestring.com Opening hours Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM (Local times in Netherlands).