Planning a trek to Nepal? Then you must be wondering which is the best trekking destination in Nepal. A lot of you guys have heard of Annapurna vs Everest Base Camp Trek but got confused on choosing one. These are the most popular trekking destination in Nepal. It is hard to choose one among these two base camp trek, they both so much in similar. But what you do not know are some contrasting features of these treks. So we have noted down a few similarities and differences between Annapurna Base Camp Trek and Everest Base Camp Trek. Let’s start the war: Annapurna vs Everest Base Camp Trek
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Getting there: Annapurna vs Everest Camp Trek
The journey to Everest Base Camp begins with a short flight Lukla. You can also drive to Jiri from Kathmandu and then start the trek. So basically, Kathmandu is the starting point of your journey to Nepal.
On the other hand, the gateway to the Annapurna region is Pokhara. Pokhara is another beautiful city, often named as the city of lake. You can either drive or take a flight to Pokhara.
Trekking Terrain:
Annapurna Base Camp trek passes through varied terrain- from the lowland villages to the glaciers offers. The trail is comparatively easy, you can trek for 4 to 6 hours each day. Along the trail, there are only a few steep climbs and the descent is gentler. The maximum elevation of Annapurna Base Camp trek is at 4100 m. At this highest point, you will be surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
Everest Base Camp trek demands a walk through deep river gorges and ascends high ridges. This trek takes you to the village of Namche and other villages inhabit by Sherpa people who follow Tibetan culture. You can also trek through the off-beaten trails through Gokyo valley.
The Scenery:
Annapurna Base Camp trek begins with the fertile lower lands of rice field, and rhododendron forests. This region is wetter than Everest region and you’ll be walking through forests and farms. You view of Annapurna, Machhapuchhre and Dhaulagiri are ionic. At Annapurna Base Camp, you’ll all surrounded by the Himalaya vistas.
Everest Base Camp trek also captivates travelers through its spectacular glimpse of stunning glaciers, ancient monasteries, and mountain views. Once you are in base camp, you are surrounded by the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest and other ranges as Nuptse, and Lhotse. You can also see the mountain view from Kalapathar, one of the vantage points of this trek. If its about scenery, Annapurna vs Everest both makes it perfect.
The communities:
The Annapurna Base Camp passes through permanently settled villages of Brahmin and Chhetri at first and then Gurung people, especially, Magars and Thakali people in the later part. This means you will get to explore both culturally rich Buddhism and Hinduism people.
On the other hand, the Everest region is inhabitant by the Sherpa people. They are famous worldwide as the mountain climbers. Everest region definitely has more culture insight than the Annapurna region.
Accommodation:
Accommodation is both of the regions is simple tea house. But you can get shared indoor bathroom in the Everest region, especially in the lower altitudes. Whereas on the Annapurna region, such facility is available only in Manang.
Western toilets are common on EBC trek than in Annapurna Base Camp trek.
Food and Drinks:
The variety for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is pretty similar in both of the region. But the taste of the food may differ due to the cooking trend and available raw materials. You can enjoy Nepali, Tibetan, Continental, and Indian cuisine during the trail.
But the cost for food in the Annapurna trail is slightly lower compared to the Everest region.
Difficulty Level:
Lets see difficulty for Annapurna vs Everest. Everest Base Camp trek is more challenging and adventurous than the Annapurna Base Camp trek. And that is due to the higher altitude of EBC.
During EBC trek, you will reach at 3,420 m asl on the 2 days while you will reach this altitude on day 6th day of Annapurna circuit trek.
Price:
Annapurna region is quite more affordable then Everest region. The price of accommodations and food is reasonable and the cost of transportation is also less
Everest Base Camp has higher elevation, a bigger brand name and it’s a bit more luxurious. And the flight ticket adds to the cost, making it even more expensive. So if its just about money for Annapurna vs Everest, Annapurna is the choice.
Crowds:
Actually, the crowd depends on the season of trekking. In general, EBC trek is more crowded and large groups are common while ABC generally features trekkers in pairs of small groups. During the offseason, ABS is less crowded then EBC.
Best Time:
The best time for ABC trek is Autumn and Spring when the monsoons season ends. Autumn has the perfect weather, neither too hot nor too cold. During spring the forest looks more lively.
The best time for the Everest Base Camp trek is during October and November.
Conclusion:
This is the comparison for the Annapurna vs Everest.
No matter what, either of these treks will be the life-changing experience in many ways. Contact us here and book your journey to Nepal.
Happy Trekking !!!!