North ABC vs ABC compared side by side: altitude, days, difficulty, cost, crowds, accommodation and views. A practical guide to choosing between the North Annapurna Base Camp trek in Myagdi and the classic ABC trek from Pokhara.
How to reach Humkhola, the starting point of the North ABC trek: Kathmandu to Pokhara, the Jomsom bus to Tatopani, the Bolero jeep to Humkhola and the way back via Beni, with the fares we actually paid.
Phutphute Waterfall, also called Futfute Jharna, drops into a turquoise pool about 2 hours above Humkhola on the North ABC trek in Myagdi. How to get there, the best time to go, photo tips and how not to mix it up with Narchyang waterfall.
Where to stay on the North ABC trek, stop by stop: Humkhola, Sandhikharka, Gufaphant, Bhusket Mela and the tea house near Panchakunda Lake. What the homestays are like, what we paid and how to avoid a night out in the cold.
Panchakunda Lake sits at about 4,050 m on the North ABC trek in Myagdi, right below Annapurna I. Here is how to reach it from Humkhola, the five-pond legend, the best time to go, where to stay and what I learned there.
An honest North ABC Trek guide from a 2-day push: how to reach Humkhola, the route via Phutphute waterfall and Panchakunda Lake, real costs, where to stay, permits, best time and a smarter 4-day itinerary.