By Uncover Nepal Team · Checked by our Kathmandu travel team · Last checked 27 October 2026
In December the Annapurna Sanctuary wakes slowly. The sun lights the tops of Annapurna I and Machhapuchhre long before it reaches the lodges, and the stone steps stay hard and cold until it does. Far below you can hear the Modi Khola (khola means river), which drains the whole basin.
Yes, you can do the Annapurna Base Camp trek in December, if you plan for it. Expect bright mornings, cold nights, short days and a real chance of snow on the upper trail. The high point, Annapurna Base Camp (ABC), sits at about 4,130 m (13,550 ft). It suits fit walkers who pack for cold and keep their plan flexible.
This guide is the December layer on top of our main Annapurna Base Camp trek page, with what we would tell a friend at our Kathmandu desk.
In this guide
- Key facts
- What the Annapurna Base Camp trek in December is really like
- How cold it gets, and how much daylight you get
- How high the trail climbs, stage by stage
- Snow and avalanche risk
- Lodges in winter
- What to pack
- Permits, guides and trail conditions
- Frequently asked questions
Key facts
- High point
- Annapurna Base Camp, about 4,130 m (13,550 ft) (Himalayan Times, OnlineKhabar, Khabarhub, 5 Oct 2026, 14 Oct 2026)
- Biggest single gain
- Deurali (about 3,230 m) to ABC: about 900 m in one day (Our arithmetic from the published heights below, 14 Oct 2026)
- Pokhara in December
- Mean max 21.0 °C, mean min 8.3 °C, at 827 m (WMO/DHM normals, 1991 to 2020, 14 Oct 2026)
- Permit
- ACAP entry permit: NPR 3,000 foreign, NPR 1,000 SAARC, under 10 free (NTNC e-permit; Nepal Tourism Board, 27 Oct 2026)
- Altitude risk starts
- Sleeping at 2,450 m (8,000 ft) or higher, sometimes lower (CDC Yellow Book 2026, 14 Oct 2026)
What is the Annapurna Base Camp trek in December really like?
It is the same trail as in autumn, in a colder month. Mornings are often clear and bright. Nights are cold, and colder the higher you sleep. Snow can lie on the upper trail, and the days are short. The views are why people come in winter; the cold is the price.
The Nepal Tourism Board says the clearest skies come in October and November, and that mountain winter temperatures can drop below zero. It also says this:
"Even in December and January, when winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and brilliant views."
Nepal Tourism Board, climate page
How cold does it get in December?
Nobody measures December temperatures at ABC, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Deurali or Chhomrong, so any exact base camp figure you see online is a guess or a model. What we do have is official data from two lower stations in Kaski. Read them as the warm end of your trip, because the trail climbs far higher.
| Station | November | December | January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pokhara Airport, 827 m | 24.4 / 12.3 °C, 17.2 mm | 21.0 / 8.3 °C, 11.5 mm | 19.9 / 7.1 °C, 21.6 mm |
| Lumle, 1,738 m | 18.4 / 9.3 °C, 19.7 mm | 15.2 / 6.1 °C, 15.5 mm | 13.9 / 4.7 °C, 34.9 mm |
Mean daily max / min and monthly precipitation, 1991 to 2020 normals (Pokhara: WMO and DHM; Lumle: DHM). Lumle is still about 400 m below Chhomrong and almost 2,400 m below ABC.
December in Pokhara is mostly dry, with about one day of 1 mm or more of rain in the month. The board notes that average temperatures drop 6 °C for every 1,000 m you gain, a direction, not a forecast.
In Pokhara on 15 December 2026 the sun rises at 06:53 and sets at 17:15, about 10 hours 22 minutes of light. By 31 December it is 07:01 to 17:23. Inside the Modi gorge the sun drops behind the walls earlier than that, and the cold arrives with the shade.
What we would tell a friend: plan for nights well below freezing at the top, and start and finish each day with the sun.
How high does the trail climb, stage by stage?
The trail climbs from Chhomrong through forest and bamboo into the gorge, then up to two base camps. You cross the 2,450 m altitude risk line after Bamboo and Sinuwa. The hardest step is near the top: Deurali to ABC is about 900 m in one day if you do not sleep at Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC).
Villages spread over steep hillsides, so heights are rounded.
| Stage | Height | What December means here |
|---|---|---|
| Ghandruk | below 2,450 m | Lower trail, below the altitude risk line |
| Jhinu Danda | about 1,780 m | Hot springs below the village |
| Chhomrong | about 2,170 m | Cold nights, below the risk line |
| Sinuwa | about 2,350 m | Small slides possible towards Bamboo after rain or melt |
| Bamboo | about 2,310 m | The gorge narrows and shade comes early |
| Dovan | about 2,500 to 2,600 m | Above the 2,450 m line from here up |
| Himalaya | about 2,900 m | Hinku Cave area lies between here and Deurali |
| Deurali | about 3,230 m | Hinku Cave to Deurali is avalanche-prone |
| MBC | about 3,700 m | MBC to ABC is the second avalanche-prone stretch |
| ABC | about 4,130 m | The high point, below Annapurna I |
Be honest about the last climb
Above 3,000 m (9,800 ft), the CDC quotes guidance that sleeping height should rise by no more than 500 m (1,650 ft) a night, with an extra acclimatisation night for every 1,000 m (3,300 ft) gained. A Deurali-to-ABC day goes well past that, at about 900 m. A night at MBC splits it into about 470 m and then about 430 m. That is the kinder way up. Ask us how your itinerary handles it.
How to stay well at altitude
- Go up slowly. Keep to the 500 m a night guideline above 3,000 m.
- Walk slowly and drink water. Keep to a pace you can talk at, and hot drinks count.
- Avoid alcohol early. The CDC advises none for the first 48 hours at high altitude.
- Know the symptoms. Altitude sickness usually starts as a headache with loss of appetite, dizziness, tiredness or nausea, and sometimes vomiting.
- Never go higher with symptoms. Rest where you are and tell your guide.
- Go down if it gets worse. The CDC says to descend if symptoms worsen despite rest or treatment at the same height.
- See a doctor before the trip. Ask about preventive medicine such as acetazolamide. Doses come from your doctor, not us.
Teahouses, the family-run lodges along the trail, often serve garlic or other hot soup to trekkers going up. It is a comforting tradition, not a proven cure. More in our guide to altitude sickness on Nepal treks.
What we would tell a friend: the trek is not technical, but the top day is steep in height. Respect it.
Is there snow and avalanche risk in December?
Yes. Press reports name two avalanche-prone stretches, Hinku Cave to Deurali and MBC to ABC, and call December to February the most hazardous period. There is no official avalanche bulletin for this route, so the call is made on the day from the snow, the weather and local knowledge.
The worst recent winter event came on 17 January 2020 in the Hinku Cave area, at about 3,200 m. An avalanche buried seven people: four South Korean trekkers and three Nepali trekking staff. The route was closed for about a month, and trekkers returned from 11 February 2020.
Risk is not only a winter issue. A Chinese trekker went missing after an avalanche on the way back from ABC in March 2025 and was later found dead near Deurali, and officials closed the trail for some days after heavy snow in late October 2025.
Your guide, who knows the route, decides when and how to cross, based on snow and the forecast. If that means waiting a day at Himalaya or turning back, the plan is working.
What we would tell a friend: build at least one spare day into December plans, and do not fly home the day after you walk out.
Are the lodges open at ABC and MBC in December?
There is no single rule, and we will not pretend there is. Some higher lodges may close in deep winter. Ask us before you book which lodges are open, and we confirm again before you set out. That check decides where you sleep near the top.
The record is mixed. In August 2019 the Kathmandu Post reported that the route is "normally closed during the winter and monsoon season", after a February 2019 snowstorm damaged lodges at ABC. After the January 2020 avalanche, lodges reopened in mid-February. We found no 2025 or 2026 notice on December opening.
In early October 2026, ABC had six hotels and lodges, according to the Chhomrong Tourism Management Committee. A first-aid centre run by the rural municipality opened at MBC this autumn, but do not count on it being staffed in December.
What should you pack for December?
Pack for real cold at the top and strong sun lower down, in layers rather than one heavy coat. Here is a practical December list for the route. If the snow calls for more, such as microspikes, your guide will tell you.
- Down jacket with a hood
- Sleeping bag rated well below freezing (bring one or hire one in Pokhara or Kathmandu before you start)
- Thermal base layers, a fleece mid-layer, and waterproof jacket and trousers
- Warm hat, buff, insulated gloves and thin liner gloves
- Warm socks, plus a dry pair kept only for the lodge
- Broken-in boots with ankle support, and trekking poles
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm; the sun is strong on snow
- Headtorch with spare batteries
- A bottle that takes hot water, which doubles as a bed warmer
What we would tell a friend: if you only upgrade one thing, make it the sleeping bag.
What permits do you need, and do you need a guide?
You need the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) entry permit. It costs NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, tax included, and children under 10 need none. It is single entry, and the fee doubles if issued at a checkpost. We arrange it for you.
A licensed guide walks with you on every trek we run.
Our Annapurna Base Camp trek cost guide breaks down permits, transport and the rest of the budget.
Read next: how hard the ABC trek is and Mardi Himal trek cost.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do the Annapurna Base Camp trek in December?
Yes, with planning. December brings clear mornings, cold nights, short days and possible snow on the upper trail. Some higher lodges may close in deep winter, so ask us before you book which are open. Keep a spare day for weather.
How cold is Annapurna Base Camp in December?
No station measures December temperatures at ABC, so any exact figure online is a guess or a model. For reference, Pokhara at 827 m averages 21.0 °C by day and 8.3 °C at night in December, and the base camp is more than 3,000 m higher. Plan for nights well below freezing.
Is there snow at Annapurna Base Camp in December?
There can be. Snow can fall and lie on the upper trail, and press reports call December to February the most hazardous avalanche period on the route. Snow slows walking and can close stretches for days. Your guide, who knows the route, decides when and how to cross, based on snow and the forecast.
Can I trek to Annapurna Base Camp alone in December?
Not on our trips. A licensed guide walks with you on every trek we run. In December your guide, who knows the route, decides when and how to cross, based on snow and the forecast. Travelling solo? Ask us how that works.
What festival falls in December on the Annapurna trail?
Tamu Lhosar, the Gurung new year, falls on Wednesday 30 December 2026, which is Poush 15 in the Nepali calendar, and it is a national public holiday on the government's 2083 list. Kaski, the district the trek starts in, is one of the Gurung-majority districts where it is marked. If your dates cross it, tell us and we can plan around it.
Plan your December trek with us
December on this trail rewards people who pack well, walk slowly and keep a spare day. Send your dates and group size on WhatsApp or through our enquiry form, and we will tell you honestly if December suits you. Start with the Annapurna Base Camp trek page, and for other cold-season walks see winter treks in Nepal. We arrange your ACAP permit, guide, lodges and transport inside Nepal. Your Nepal visa and international flights are your own arrangements; official visa information is on the Nepal Tourism Board site.
