Sinuwa During Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Sinuwa is located at an altitude of around 2,340 m on the trail to Annapurna Base Camp Trek, between Chhomrong and Bamboo. One can reach Sinuwa from Chhomrong within 2 to 2.5 hours. There is a descent through a lengthy stone stairway to the river followed by an ascent from there. There are 3 to 5 small lodges here.

Sinuwa is a small hillside settlement in Kaski district, inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. There are no roads here. Every bag of rice and every sheet of tin arrives on someone’s back or a mule.

Most trekkers know the name for the stone steps. The walk in from Chhomrong drops you several hundred metres to a river, then climbs straight back up the far side. It is the section people talk about at dinner for the rest of the trek.

Sinuwa is also a sign that things change on the trail. Above Sinuwa, you can see terraces and huge villages. After going below Sinuwa, the path takes you into the woods where mountains become invisible amid the foliage.

Facts You Need To Know About Sinuwa Village

Sinuwa (2,340 m) during the Annapurna Base Camp Trek is a 3 km climb from Chhomrong and takes about 2.5 hours walk with moderate difficulty.

Fact	Detail
Altitude	About 2,340 m, upper lodges nearer 2,360 m
District	Kaski, Gandaki Province
Area	Annapurna Conservation Area
Position	Between Chhomrong and Bamboo
From Chhomrong	2 to 2.5 hours
To Bamboo	1 to 2 hours downhill
Lodges	Three to five teahouses
Road access	None
Permits	ACAP and TIMS, checked at Chhomrong
On our treks	Day 3 overnight on the 8 day Short ABC trek

How to Choose Between Lower Sinuwa & Upper Sinuwa

There are two Sinuwa Villages, Lower & Upper Sinuwa, about 15 to 20 minutes apart on the same slope.

Lower Sinuwa is what you reach first when climbing from the river. It has a few teahouses and it is the usual lunch stop for groups heading deeper into the valley.

Upper Sinuwa sits a short climb higher. It is quieter, the lodges look out over the valley, and the mountain views are better in the morning.

If you are only stopping for food, Lower Sinuwa is fine and saves you the extra climb. If you are sleeping here, walk the extra 20 minutes to Upper Sinuwa and wake up to the view.

Sinuwa Village Route Breakdown

Chhomrong to Sinuwa

Chhomrong sits at 2,170 m on the opposite ridge. The two villages look close enough to shout across, and the walk between them still takes over two hours.

First you go down. The trail drops on stone steps to the Chhomrong Khola, losing a few hundred metres, and crosses the river on a small bridge. Then you climb the other side to Lower Sinuwa.

Our Chhomrong village blog covers the village itself, its ACAP checkpoint and its bakeries.

The steps are hand cut and solid, but there are a lot of them. Going down, your knees take the load. Coming back up, your thighs do. Three things make this easier. Use two trekking poles, set a little longer for the descent.

Take short steps rather than big ones. And stop when you want to, not when the group stops.

Leave Chhomrong early, ideally by 7 am. The lower half is shaded then, and the midday sun on bare stone is hard work.

Sinuwa to Bamboo

From Sinuwa the descent continues to the bamboo belt through the forests of rhododendron and oak. The elevation of bamboo is 2,300 m and the descent takes from 1 to 2 hours.

The trail is very cool and shady even during the day. The forest trees overshadow the trail and the high mountains become invisible.

Watch for langur monkeys in the canopy here. They are shy, but trekkers see them often enough on this route.

Permits You Need For Sinuwa Visit

Permit	Foreign nationals	SAARC nationals
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit	NPR 3,000	NPR 1,000
TIMS card	NPR 2,000	NPR 1,000

Does Short ABC Trek Route Also Include Sinuwa Village?

This is where Sinuwa matters most. On our 8 day Short Annapurna Base Camp trek, Sinuwa is the first night on the trail.

The day starts with a jeep from Pokhara to Samrung at 1,570 m, around 45 km and 3 hours on rough road. From there you walk 8 to 10 km through Jhinu Danda, New Bridge and Chhomrong, then up to Sinuwa. That is 4 to 5 hours of walking and about 770 m of climbing.

It is a big first day. One of our trekkers, Meera Joshi from India, put it plainly: this version skips Nayapul, Ulleri and Poon Hill, and with ten days in Nepal it was the only way ABC was happening for her.

On the longer 13 day Annapurna Base Camp trek, the route comes over from Ghorepani and Tadapani instead. Sinuwa is usually the lunch stop on the Chhomrong to Bamboo day rather than an overnight.

Teahouses and Food to Expect in Sinuwa

Sinuwa has three to five lodges depending on the season. They are family run and simple.

Expect a twin room with foam mattresses, a pillow and heavy blankets. Bathrooms are mostly shared. Hot showers exist in some lodges, often as a bucket of hot water, and that works fine.

The dining room is where everyone gathers in the evening. Dal bhat is the best order, with free refills, and most meals cost around NPR 600 to 900.

Because there are so many fewer lodges available, Sinuwa gets full quickly from October to November. This is why the guides urge that you be ready to get out of Chhomrong early. Getting there at 2 pm during peak times could force you into Bamboo even if you did not intend to.

Should you be trekking with us, your guide will contact the lodge ahead of time or send someone down the road. But should you be arranging on your own, plan accordingly.

Power, Water and Signal During Sinuwa Hike

Electricity here is solar. You can charge a phone or camera for a small fee, but a cloudy day slows everything down. Bring a power bank. Boiled and filtered water is sold at the lodges. Buying it beats carrying plastic bottles up from Pokhara.

Phone signal is patchy and Wi-Fi comes and goes. There is no ATM, so carry rupees in small notes from Pokhara or Chhomrong.

Forest, Birds and Wildlife Around Sinuwa Village

The forest near Sinuwa is undoubtedly the highlight of the lower trek. On both sides of the forest track, you can find lots of rhododendron, oaks and bamboo bushes.

In spring, between March and May, the flowering of the rhododendron brings pink and red flowers, and their petals cover the whole forest track. During the autumn time, the forest is peaceful and green and has beams of light going through.

Watch for the Himalayan monal, known as danphe in Nepalese. It is the national bird of Nepal, and the feathers of the male are green, blue and copper colored when seen in the sunlight.

Best Season for Sinuwa Visit

Season	Months	What to expect
Spring	Mar to May	Rhododendron in bloom, mild days, busy trail
Autumn	Sep, October, Nov	Clearest mountain views, busiest lodges
Winter	Dec to Feb	Cold nights, quiet trail, some lodges closed
Monsoon	Jun to Aug	Wet stone steps, leeches, clouded views

Sinuwa & overall ABC trek difficulty depends on many factors, and one of them is seasonality and the challenges it presents. Please research which season best suits your physical requirements and your vacation dates.

Altitude Sickness Concerns During Sinuwa

Since we trek at 2,340 m, altitude sickness is not an issue. Problems usually arise above 3,000 m, which is much higher than Sinuwa.

The effects that you may experience are fatigue. The stairs, the heat during the midday and several hours of walking will make you tired, and most trekkers sleep very well in Sinuwa.

Nevertheless, let your guide know if you have a headache or loss of appetite. Our guides bring a first aid kit with an oximeter and check on everybody’s condition every evening.