14-Day Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek

Yes – these are available to buy in airports or various stores before you arrive. Make sure you get adaptors that will work in Nepal – accepted types are C, D and M.

Your Adventure Leader will always offer to take you for a group meal, where we go to a local restaurant, which we know is hygienic and has cheap and delicious food. If you are craving Western food, then there are lots of great options!

Yes! With so many food choices, We can meet the needs of individuals with special dietary needs or requests. Just tell your Adventure Leader and they can help you find something suitable. You will probably discover a new dish that you love! Nepal is really well suited to vegetarians.

We require all our customers to have backpackers travel insurance when coming on the trip. Due to the nature of the trip, it is mandatory that you purchase travel insurance that offers ‘Helicopter Evacuation’ cover. If you would like further assistance regarding which insurance to purchase, please reach out to our experts. Please bring details of your travel insurance along with you. In the event of an accident, we may need to contact your insurance company on your behalf, so we will need the insurance company’s name and phone number and your policy number.

You should consult your doctor regarding any vaccinations you might need.

On the Poonhill and ABC treks, you’ll be walking for up to 6 hours a day, so a moderate level of fitness is required for this trip. If you’re unsure about your fitness level or have any concerns, feel free to contact us, and one of our experts will be happy to provide further advice.

Generally yes, but please do inform us of your specific requirements at the point of booking.

All of our Adventure Leaders have a fully equipped first aid kit with them at all times, but of course there is no harm in bringing your own small one along. We also advise that you bring your own antihistamine, anti-diarrhoea, and painkillers if you think you’ll need them. These are available in all of the cities.

In cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara, there are modern, well-equipped hospitals that we will arrange for you to visit in case of an emergency. However, during the Poonhill and ABC treks, the nearest hospitals may be up to a 2-day hike away from the main road, where a taxi can assist with further transport. Our Adventure Leaders are trained in first aid and will carry medicines for common ailments, such as stomach issues. There is also a basic medical post at Annapurna Base Camp for assistance. For more serious incidents, helicopter evacuation is available. Please note that not all travel insurance policies cover this unless you purchase a specific package. It is mandatory to have insurance that includes helicopter evacuation when joining the ABC trek with us.

During both treks, particularly ABC, altitude sickness – caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation – is a risk. Before starting, your Adventure Leader will explain the basic signs and symptoms of altitude sickness, which can include: • Headache (the most common symptom) • Nausea and vomiting • Loss of appetite • Fatigue, even when resting • Trouble sleeping • Dizziness or light-headedness It’s important that you familiarise yourself with these symptoms, monitor your health throughout the trek, and make it known to your guide if you feel unwell at any point. For more details on high altitude, you can refer to the ‘Travel at High Altitude’ handbook (link below). However, please note, this is a resource for information purposes only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a trained medical professional. As such The Dragon Trip is unable to accept responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person, caused by errors and omissions, or as a result of the advice and information given here. Read the Travel at High Altitude here: https://www.medex.org.uk/the-medex-book/ If you have any concerns about trekking at high altitude, feel free to contact one of our experts.

You and your group will be accompanied by a local Adventure Leader throughout the trip. Besides the Adventure Leader, your ABC-trek will also be accompanied by porters carrying your main luggage. Great news for you – it means you only have to carry a small bag with your important belongings & water bottle for the trek itself! A guide of ABC guide and porter to traveller ratio is provided below: • 2 – 3 pax – 1 guide + 1 porter • 4 – 5 pax – 1 guide + 2 porters • 6 – 7 pax – 2 guides + 3 porters • 8 – 9 pax – 2 guides + 4 porters • 10 – 12 pax – 2 guides + 5 porters • 13 – 15 pax – 3 guides + 6 porters • 16 – 20 pax – 3 guides + 8 porters Any luggage that you don’t need during your ABC trek, can be stored in Pokhara.

There are ATMs in the cities and you can withdraw money in many, but not all, of the places that we visit. We advise that you notify your bank that you will be travelling before you depart. As a note, many banks and cards do charge a foreign transaction fee when withdrawing money while abroad. We recommend that, before departing on your ABC trek, make sure you have enough Nepalese currency to purchase meals and drinks during the trek – in the smaller denominations where possible. There are no ATM’s and it can be harder to change a NPR1000 note.

It really varies depending on your taste and budget. You can get a simple meal for £2-3. Generally, we take travellers to affordable restaurants and recommend budgeting £10-15 a day for food and drink.

These are available on arrival for the majority of nationalities including the UK, all of Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many, many others.

We would recommend bringing a large backpack rather than a suitcase.

For your day pack during the trek: Before departing Pokhara for your trek, your Adventure Leader will assist you with packing your kitbag and can advise on what to bring and what can be left behind in Pokhara. For your comfort and convenience, we recommend keeping your trek bag light and compact by packing clothes made from lightweight materials and limiting yourself to just one or two changes. However, the weather in the Himalayas can be highly unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared for all conditions, including rain, cold, and heat. A helpful tip for us to you: pack your gear in plastic bags to keep it dry, as dry clothes are crucial for your comfort. You can thank us later! Your day pack should be large enough to carry essentials for a day’s walk, such as a rain jacket, spare trousers, warm clothing, water bottles, camera equipment, toiletries, and other personal items. A hip/waist strap can provide extra comfort by shifting the weight from your back and shoulders to your legs! We recommend choosing a pack with a 30 to 40-liter capacity. You will only need to carry this day pack while trekking each day. Water bottles: We recommend coming prepped with 2 x 1 litre water bottles that you’ll be able to refill along the way. While trekking, boiled or safe drinking water is available to purchase in tea houses. If you’re feeling super prepared, you could also pack a water purification method. We’d recommend discussing options for this with your local pharmacy. Essential trekking equipment: • Hiking boots (ensure they’re broken in) • Gaiters + spikes (available for hire in Pokhara) • Waterproof jacket and trousers • Daily footwear (i.e. trainers, sandals, or boots) • Plenty of high quality hiking socks – you can never have enough! • T-Shirts (aim for synthetic material to absorb moisture quickly) • Thermals incl. top & bottom layers • Down jacket (available for hire in Pokhara if needed) • Warm mid layers (fleece/micro fibre) • Trekking trousers – lightweight, loose fitting, & durable • Warm hat & sun hat • Snood (ideal for winter departures) • Waterproof gloves • Head torch (trust us, it’ll to make your life easier during the evenings) • Tracksuit (or something comfy to lounge/sleep in during trek) • Shorts or skirt for summer • Sunglasses • Sun cream and lip balm – you’ll need it whilst in the mountains! • Light weight towel (we recommend microfibre) • Personal first aid kit (incl. blister plasters) • Biodegradable wet wipes/toilet paper • Hand sanitiser gel • High-energy trekking snacks e.g. dried frit, nuts, cereal bars

Majority of our clients are solo travellers and our prices are based on sharing in dorm style rooms. We do offer single room upgrades for those who do not wish to share a room.

We always strive to ensure the highest level of comfort and convenience for our valued clients during their travels with us. However, for our tours in Asia, we cannot guarantee same-sex dorm rooms in the hostels we use, particularly during high season, such as the cherry blossom season in Japan. Please rest assured that we do our utmost to accommodate our clients' preferences wherever possible. However, the availability of same-sex dorm rooms ultimately depends on the policies of the hostels we work with. In some cases, different genders may be allocated to the same room due to limited availability.

Please speak to our sales team as soon as possible to see how we can help.

All our accommodation is check regularly to make sure it's a safe and clean environment.

We are not perfect but we aim to be, that is why year on year we aim to increase the proportion of local businesses we work with as well as reduce the average carbon footprint of all of our group tour adventures. We do this by measuring our performance and making small but positive changes to how we operate.

You will receive a booking pack with all the pick up times, accommodation and activities included.

Depending upon where you are travelling, the following emergency contact numbers are available for The Dragon Trip: China: +86 21 2206 4018 Japan: +81 50 1742 2696 South Korea (can only be used in Korea): 00308 491 0186 Singapore: +65 3158 0233 Southeast Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka: +84 284 458 1410

For most destinations we will require the details to be submitted on our online form (the link for which will be provided post-booking and prior to your travel date). Please note that this needs to be complete & accurate to avoid any late update fees for accommodation and transport bookings. IMPORTANT NOTE: China tours is the only destination where we require an actual copy of your passport. We require these in order to book travel tickets for clients and passports are used during the check-in.

The Dragon Trip has been trading since March 2011

Yes, although you will have to make your own way to where the group is heading to out of your own expense.

While we strive to cater to a diverse range of travellers, it is important to consider whether the tour aligns with your expectations and preferences. We want your travel experience to be enjoyable and fulfilling, and we believe that selecting a tour that matches your age group and interests is crucial in achieving that. Our tours are very active and jam-packed, including early starts and getting on and off local transportation. There will be a lot of walking, and activities such as cycling. You could be walking up to 20,000 steps per day!

Our tours are aimed at fun, out-going and open minded individuals. We typically get people aged between 18 to 55 travelling on our trips. Feel free to contact us to see the ages of the people who are booked already. Some of our trips have an upper age limit because of the pace of the tour, style of accommodation and the average age of the group - please do not be offended if we check your age and perhaps recommend a different itinerary. Our premium trips are suitable for most.