trekking the annapurna circuit

Why trek the Annapurna Circuit?

Or why trek in Nepal in general?

I may be a big fan of the outdoors but I am not too enthusiastic about camping. All the hassle of setting up camp and preparing meals after several exhausting hours of walking just don’t appeal to me. So when I learned about the teahouse trekking in Nepal, I knew I had found my cup of tea.

The other remarkable characteristic of the Annapurna circuit is the varying environment one goes through. It starts at lower elevations where the trails pass through semi-tropical forests. Day by day, the surroundings change from pine forests, shrub lands, some meadows, to almost desert-like environment. And you don’t get to see the tall mountains the Himalayas are famed for until after several days of trekking.

Trekking in Nepal shows you a glimpse of people’s daily lives. It also gives you a chance to interact with local people because many guesthouses are family run. Along the trail or the road, you’ll come across caravans, people and herd of animals transporting goods from one village to another, which is how things have been going on in that place for so many years.

When to go

Fall and spring bring the most number of trekkers to the circuit because they offer the best weather. Since I could only go at late February, I had to google how it will be like during that time of the year. Unfortunately, there wasn't any reassuring answer. I had to experience it myself in order to know.

The first three days were still warm enough. But the nights were absolutely cold especially from Ghyaru down to Kalopani at the other side of the pass. It rained twice, but only for a moment. Snow was the biggest concern and it did snow a lot by the time we got to Manang until the night before we crossed the pass. But we still made it.

The good thing about trekking in the lean season was obviously the lack of large number of trekkers. My trekking partner and I found ourselves alone most of the time, enjoying the serenity and the place belonged to only us. We did bump into a few others but they were always the same people. Hundreds cross Thorung La each day in the trekking season. When we did, there were just about 30 of us.

Physical preparation for the trek

One must have a certain level of fitness in order to trek the circuit. But how fit is fit?

I didn’t have the time to get some training before doing the trek. I was stuck with office work and barely walked during the day. The only preparation I had was an hour of playing badminton a couple of weeks before leaving and climbing Mt. Apo.

It may be insufficient because I really had a hard time during the first few days. But normally, the body eventually adapts to the strenuous ordeal one has to endure everyday.

Gears and things to bring

I must admit that I may have brought too much clothes for the trek, afraid of running out of something to wear and getting smelly. But hey, we all make mistakes, right?

Everything you need for the trek can be bought in Thamel or Pokhara. I brought most of the stuff that I already have and acquired those I didn't in Thamel. They are cheap but they definitely aren't what they claim to be. Quality varies. I rented a ‘TNF’ down sleeping bag in Kathmandu and it was really good. I bought a rain cover but my backpack itself was more water resistant than the cover.

Here’s a list of what I used and brought with me on the trek.

55L backpack - Black Diamond Onyx 55

Down sleeping bag – rented in Thamel at 70cents/day, I was told that it has a rating of -40. I was warm most nights

Down jacket – rented in Thamel at 50cents/day, I might have survived even without it

Drybags – 25L and 5L, for waterproofing of down gears

Trekking boots – TNF Storm Midcut, they say your shoes have to be properly broken in. I used relatively new shoes (and by that I mean they've only been used previously during a 3-day climb) and my feet were fine. It must be the thick cushion. I had blisters but it was because I used bad socks on the first two days.

Trekking socks – Smartwool (midweight), Wigwam (lightweight), two pairs of liner socks

Cotton socks – for sleeping, and I brought too much of these

Synthetic and waterproof jacket – Columbia interchange jacket, good enough

Baselayers – Patagonia Capelene 1 and 2, I mostly used them on their own during trekking; Uniqlo Heatteach, for sleeping

Tights – Patagonia Capelene 1 and Uniqlo Heattech for trekking, and a cheap one for sleeping

Quick dry long-sleeved shirt – Lagalag (yay to local brands!), used it for six straight days, including two sweaty days and it didn't smell at all

Trekking pants – I used two pairs, one for trekking and the other one I kept clean for sleeping

Windproof pants – bought at Thamel for 22 dollars, I would have been fine even without it

Trekking pole – bought at Thamel for 8 dollars, loved it

Headlamp – much needed for those night trips to toilets or when the power goes out

Nalgene bottles – 1L and 1.5L

Aquatabs – bottled water is very expensive and not good for the environment

Fleece headwear

Underwear and my much-loved sports bra

Flip flops

Sunscreen – never forget them

Sunglasses

Personal toiletries

Toilet paper and wet wipes – wet wipes, my other best friend

Medicine – for headache, stomach upset, colds, the usual

Chocolates – bought in Manila and flown to Nepal. It was an added weight to my pack but I am still paranoid due to a bad experience from buying chocolates somewhere in South America. And besides, it was more expensive in the circuit. I guess I have saved more than 20 dollars.

I wish I had bought a book because there was nothing to do at the guesthouses in the late afternoon after the trek. It’s easy to exchange books with other trekkers once you’re done reading your book.

All of me. Photo credits: F.

Permits

Before entering the Annapurna Conservation Area, one has to secure a trekking permit (2200 Rupees) at the Nepal Tourism Board Tourist Information Center in Kathmandu. Permits are also available in Pokhara and Besisahar. Trekkers who enter the area without the proper permits would have to pay more than that.

Trekkers are also required to get a TIMS permit at the same office. I paid 1997 Rupees as an independent trekker but for those who hire guides/porters or use a trekking agency, the price is just half. It is supposed to help rescuers find someone in case he gets lost. (If that’s the case, I wouldn't be found because circumstances didn't let me follow the itinerary I listed on my TIMS card.)

Aside from the fees, 4 copies of passport-size photos are also required to apply for the permits. For the TIMS card, you will have to write down your itinerary and insurance policy number. At first, I was vacillating over getting an insurance that will cover hiking up to more than 4000m. The only option I had was World Nomads but they would rob me about a hundred dollars for a three-week trek. Thinking of the worst possible scenario, I decided to go for it. The price of the insurance was nothing compared to the thousands of dollars helicopter evacuation would cost.

The NTB office was a 20-minute walk from Thamel. It is located in a quiet and beautiful building but the way to it shocked me in a way that I couldn't easily forget.

The Annapurna Circuit trek

The ongoing road construction in the circuit is the biggest concern of trekkers because it takes away the joy of walking on trails. Although the road can’t be completely avoided, the ACAP created alternative trails. I downloaded a free e-book (Trekking the Annapurna Circuit including NATT) and used it as my guide.

The trail starts in Besisahar, a six to seven-hour bus ride from Kathmandu. The bus stops at the ACAP/TIMS office where every trekker must register. Since I was meeting my partner in Bhulbule, I skipped the first 9km of the trek and took a very bumpy bus ride instead. Other people I met took the jeep straight to Chame.

The entire circuit is about 210km. The trails are well-marked and it is almost impossible to get lost (although we did, somehow). Red/white paints mark the primary trails while secondary trails are marked with blue/white paints. The marks are easy to follow but there are some areas, especially on side treks, where I had trouble finding them or maybe they didn't exist. You just had to trust your gut that you are going the right way.

Five to seven hours of walking are spent each day. The longest day is during the crossing of the pass which took me about nine hours.

Most villages are about two hours’ walk away from each other so in theory there really is no need to fear getting hungry. Except from High Camp to Muktinath where there is only one small cluster of guesthouses in between. And during the low season, many guesthouses in smaller villages are also closed.

Itinerary

The trek can be completed in as little as 12 days if you decide to take the jeep or bus in Jomsom at the other side of the pass. I originally planned to do a 20-day trek but the weather didn’t allow me to follow my itinerary. The side trek to Tilicho Lake was just impossible because of too much snow.

Day 0 - Kathmandu – Bhulbule

Day 1 - Bhulbule – Jagat

Day 2 - Jagat – Dharapani

Day 3 - Dharapani – Chame

Day 4 - Chame – Ghyaru

Day 5 - Ghyaru – Manang

Day 6 - Rest day in Manang

Day 7 - Manang – Churi Ledar

Day 8 - Rest day in Ledar (due to bad weather)

Day 9 - Churi Ledar – High Camp

Day 10 - High Camp – Thorung La – Muktinath

Day 11 - Muktinath – Kagbeni

Day 12 - Kagbeni – Marpha

Day 13 - Marpha – Kokethanti

Day 14 - Kokethanti – Kalopani (via Titi Lake)

Day 15 - Kalopani – Dana

Day 16 - Dana – Chitre (didn’t make it to Ghorepani for Poon Hill)

Day 17 – Chitre – Hille – jeep to Naya Pul – bus to Pokhara

Trekking solo

Almost everyone will advice you against trekking solo. For safety purposes, it’s better to hike with at least one other person. But it’s not prohibited to go there alone. I have met several solo trekkers, although they’re all guys. And it’s always different when you are a girl.

I used the Trekking Partners website to find someone I could go with. I hiked with her from Bhulbule to Muktinath. After that, we separated. I trekked solo for a week, only walking with other trekkers a couple of times. No untoward incident happened and I felt completely safe the whole time.

Is a guide and/or porter needed?

You don’t really need a guide because the trail is very easy to follow. And guidebooks describing the trails are sufficient. A guide would have been helpful to explain about the culture and traditions of the people living in the Annapurna Region and to introduce its flora and fauna. But it’s way out of my budget.

I have only met three other people who hired porters for the trek. In case you don’t have a porter and realized that you need one along the way, a porter can be hired in many of the villages.

The danger of altitude sickness

The thing about altitude sickness is that no matter how fit you are, you can never be sure that you are not going to get it. Ascending very fast may increase the chance of acquiring altitude sickness. In order to avoid it, an ascent of only 500m a day is recommended once you get past 3000m. It is also better to sleep lower than the highest altitude attained in a day. For the circuit, at least two days of acclimatization should be spent in Manang.

Headache, loss of appetite and nausea are the first signs of altitude sickness. This should be taken seriously as it could worsen and lead to death if taken for granted. Those who are experiencing it should stay at height for a few days or descend. I've met a couple of trekkers who had to go down and were not able to complete the circuit because their symptoms didn't go away even after staying at height.

Accommodation

Expect it to be very basic. Rooms usually have two single beds although there are a few with only one or three. Mattresses are okay and they may or may not provide blankets. You just have to ask if there’s none or if you need more.

Squat-type toilet is the norm but some have the western-type ones. High camp has the worst toilet. I’ve only had rooms with attached toilet twice.

Rooms are very cheap but they require that you have your dinner and breakfast in the guesthouse where you are staying. You’ll have to pay a lot more if you don’t. The cheapest I paid was 50 Rupees for a shared room. The most expensive was in Marpha at 300 Rupees. Some trekkers ask the owners if they could have the room for free if they eat there.

Hot shower is available in many guesthouses, but not all. If they’re solar-heated, it’s better to take a shower once you get there or else other people would have used up all the hot water. If there’s no sun, some guesthouses offer buckets of hot water for a few dollars. I've also tried electric- and gas-heated shower.

You could charge your batteries in the guesthouses but there are rooms that don’t have sockets. I only paid for charging twice. Other guesthouses don’t charge you for charging your batteries.

Is there internet in the villages?

If you badly need it, some villages have internet access. It’s definitely not free and very expensive. I never tried it and the person I know who used it said it was painfully slow.

But who needs the cyber world when you’re in paradise?

Food

The menu is basically the same in the guesthouses – rice, noodles, eggs, porridge, soup, bread, pancake, tea and coffee. Soft drinks, juice, chocolates and other snacks are also available. There are some who offer more like pasta and pizza; yak cheese and meat in others. In the apple-producing region of Marpha and nearby villages, apple products are a must-try.

Dal bhat – steamed rice, lentil soup and vegetable curry - is the staple food in Nepal. Compared to others, it is relatively more expensive but you get unlimited serving. And since I don’t really eat a lot, my diet consisted of varieties of fried rice and chow mien instead.

The general rule in the circuit is that the higher you get, the more expensive the food gets.

Dal bhat. Photo credits: R. Escanlar.

So how much does it cost?

It depends. But doing it independently and without a guide or porter is the cheapest way.

Here's a breakdown of my expenses (in US dollars):

ACAP Permit and TIMS Card - 42

Gears rented and bought in Thamel - 70

Transportation - 20 (I rented a jeep for 10 dollars)

Food and accommodation: 230 (for 18 days)

Insurance: 96