Most trekkers reach Annapurna Base Camp through the Annapurna Sanctuary, north of Pokhara. The Maurice Herzog Trail goes another way: up the Myagdi valley to the foot of Annapurna I (8,091 m / 26,545 ft), along the side of the mountain that the French team climbed in 1950 for the first ascent of any 8,000-metre peak.
The trail is short, new and still basic. From the road end at Humkhola it takes about two days to walk up. Since late October 2026, local reports put the number of trekkers at around 200 a day. Here is what the route looks like, how it differs from the classic Annapurna Base Camp trek and who it suits.
The story behind the trail
On 3 June 1950, the Frenchmen Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the summit of Annapurna I. It was the first time anyone had climbed a mountain higher than 8,000 m (26,250 ft). They did it without supplemental oxygen.
The expedition approached from the Kali Gandaki valley, explored the Miristi Khola gorge and set up its base camp on the North Annapurna Glacier. The climb went up the north face. The descent nearly killed them: both men suffered severe frostbite and lost toes. Herzog also lost most of his fingers. His book Annapurna has sold more than 11 million copies.
Decades later, local trail advocate Tej Gurung identified a walking route from Narchyang up the Mistri Khola toward the 1950 expedition’s area. Annapurna Rural Municipality in Myagdi named it the Maurice Herzog Trail in 2020. Along the way there are now statues of Herzog, Lachenal and Sonam Wangchuk Sherpa, an open-air museum and a bust of Herzog near Panchakunda Lake. In October 2024 Herzog’s son Mathias walked the trail and laid a wreath there.
The route
The trail starts in Narchyang, in Ward 4 of Annapurna Rural Municipality in Myagdi district. It has two parts:
- By road: about 20 km by vehicle from Narchyang via Dobhan and Chhotepa to Humkhola.
- On foot: about 22 km from Humkhola along the Mistri Khola to the base camp. Most trekkers walk up in two days and are back on the third.
The base camp lies at 4,050 m (13,290 ft), right below Annapurna I.
Stops and facilities:
- Temporary lodges, huts and tents built of wood, tarpaulin and corrugated iron at Humkhola, Phutphute Waterfall, Saghi Kharka, Gufa Phant, Bhusket and Panchakunda. Each takes up to about 50 guests.
- Shelters at Sandhikharka, Bhusket Mela and Panchakunda Lake.
- Drinking water and toilets at Humkhola, Phutphute Waterfall, Gufaphant, Bhusket and Panchakunda.
- A tourist information centre at Basbot, opened in November 2026.
Lodge operators ask trekkers to book ahead. The facilities are basic: they were built with local permission as temporary structures, because permanent building needs government approval.
How it differs from the classic Annapurna Base Camp trek
Both treks end at a base camp below Annapurna I, but they approach the mountain from different valleys and offer a very different experience.
| Classic Annapurna Base Camp | Maurice Herzog Trail | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Annapurna Sanctuary, a glacial basin about 40 km north of Pokhara | Myagdi valley, along the Mistri Khola from Narchyang |
| Base camp altitude | 4,130 m | 4,050 m |
| Which side of Annapurna | South face | North side |
| Walking time | 7 to 12 days, depending on start point and pace | about 2 days up from the road end, back on day 3 |
| Accommodation | Long-established trekking route | Temporary lodges, huts and tents; book ahead |
| Development | One of Nepal’s best-known treks, can be busy | Opened in 2020, simple facilities |
In short: the classic trek is the better choice for a first Himalayan trek with more time. The Herzog Trail suits trekkers who have less time, like history and accept basic facilities.
Annapurna, gentler on altitude Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek A 9-day classic Annapurna trek up to 3,210 m View the trek →Why do this trek?
- Walk into mountaineering history. This is the valley where the first ascent of an 8,000 m (26,250 ft) peak began. The statues and the open-air museum on the trail tell that story on the spot.
- Base camp in three days. The road takes you to Humkhola. From there the walk up takes about two days, so the trek fits a short trip or a few extra days after Pokhara.
- A different side of Annapurna. The classic trek ends in the Annapurna Sanctuary below the south face. This trail takes you up a different valley to a different base camp below the same mountain.
- Village Nepal without the big trekking hubs. The trail starts in Narchyang in Myagdi. The route was developed by the rural municipality and local trail advocates.
- It’s new. The trail was only named in 2020. You see it while it is still being built up.
Who it suits: fit trekkers who have walked at altitude before, travellers short on time and anyone interested in climbing history. Who it doesn’t suit: first-time trekkers looking for comfortable teahouses or anyone who can’t take time to acclimatise (see below).
Practical information
Altitude. A jeep takes you from about 820 m (2,690 ft) in Pokhara to Humkhola at about 2,890 m (9,480 ft) in a single day. The walk then climbs another 1,160 m (3,810 ft) to the base camp in two days. That is faster than the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): coming from below 1,200 m (3,900 ft), don’t sleep above 2,750 m (9,000 ft) on the first night and above 3,000 m (9,800 ft) raise your sleeping altitude by no more than 500 m (1,600 ft) per night. Plan an extra night at Humkhola or Busket Mela (about 3,560 m / 11,680 ft), so the walk up takes three days. Read our guide to altitude sickness in Nepal.
Permits. The trail lies in the Annapurna Conservation Area, so you need the ACAP permit. See Nepal entrance fees and trekking permits.
Guide. Under the Nepal Tourism Board’s rules, the main Annapurna routes require a licensed guide booked through a registered trekking company. Do the same here: on a remote trail with basic facilities, a guide arranges the lodges and gets you down if something goes wrong. More in Do I need a guide to trek in Nepal?
Season. The trail is busiest from mid-September to mid-November. Heavy rain or snow can close it: it was shut for several days in late October 2025. In winter, frost makes the bridge at Panchakunda slippery.
Getting there. Narchyang is in Myagdi district, west of Pokhara. Vehicles run on to Humkhola. Ask us about transport and a guide.
FAQ
Where does the Maurice Herzog Trail start? In Narchyang, Myagdi district. From there a road runs about 20 km to Humkhola, where the walk begins.
How high is the base camp? 4,050 m (13,290 ft). The classic Annapurna Base Camp in the Annapurna Sanctuary is at 4,130 m (13,550 ft).
How long does the trek take? About two days up from Humkhola and back on the third day. Add a night for acclimatisation.
Is it the same as Annapurna Base Camp? No. The classic Annapurna Base Camp is in the Annapurna Sanctuary below the south face. The Herzog Trail goes up the Mistri Khola in Myagdi toward the area of the 1950 expedition.
Are there teahouses on the trail? There are temporary lodges, huts and tents with basic food and beds. Book ahead in the busy season.
Questions about your own trek? Message us on WhatsApp (+977 98 08 31 32 79), join the Discover Nepal Q&A or try the Nepal Trek Finder.
The other famous base camp Everest Base Camp Trek: 16 days With acclimatisation days at Namche and Dingboche See the itinerary →Sources
- Ratopati: Annapurna Base Camp and Maurice Herzog Trail see increased tourist activity, 8 November 2026
- Khabarhub: Tourists flock to Annapurna Base Camp during festive holidays, 8 November 2026
- Republica: Tourist footfall rises at Annapurna Base Camp, 8 November 2026
- Nepal News: Maurice Herzog Trail reopens, 7 November 2025
- Tourism Info Nepal: Maurice Herzog Trail in Annapurna faces urgent need for suspension bridge upgrades, 19 November 2025
- The Rising Nepal: Mathias, son of Maurice Herzog, follows father’s steps up to Annapurna base camp, 28 October 2024
- Explorersweb: The 75th anniversary of the first ascent of an 8,000 m peak, 3 June 2025
- Wikipedia: 1950 French Annapurna expedition
- Wikipedia: Annapurna Sanctuary
- The Himalayan Times: 25 tourists die of altitude sickness in Annapurna region in FY 2025/26, 22 July 2026
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness
- TrekGuard: Annapurna North Base Camp (Maurice Herzog Trail) guide
Main photo: Annapurna from Narchyang in Myagdi Raimond Klavins / Unsplash
