Hiking Nepal's Annapurna Circuit is one of the most stunningly beautiful,
life-changing experiences you can have on your travels, and I'm pretty
sure that, like me, you'll be absolutely captivated by the area from the
very first day.
Winding through some of the world's tallest mountains, enjoying the
beautiful hospitality of the Nepalese people: the 16 days you'll spend on
the Annapurna Circuit trail are some of the most inspiring and challenging
you'll ever encounter, and the arrival to Pokhara will feel so
rewarding.
But while it’s super tempting to just book a flight, lace up your hiking
boots, and head off into the vast wild, take it from me, wanderness: this
is not a simple walk in the park (if you’re looking for a shorter Nepal
trek, why not try the Langtang trek).
In fact, from preparing for altitude sickness to organising your permits
and accommodation, there’s a huge amount of knowledge and planning you
need to factor into your pre-trip preparation before you even take your
first few steps.
From a person who trekked the Annapurna Circuit successfully (but wish
she'd had a few more tips up my sleeve while doing so!), here’s the
essential insider knowledge you need before tackling the long, epic, and
beautiful Annapurna Circuit trek for yourself.
Before we get into the nitty gritty of what you need to know about the Annapurna Circuit, here are a few quick facts about the trek for the stat-lovers amongst you!
Hiking in Nepal isn't a 'turn up whenever you like and off you go' kind of
affair; seasonal changes (particularly around monsoon period) have a
massive impact on where, how, and what you can hike here.
The periods for hiking the Annapurna Circuit are October - November, and
March - April.
Go outside of these times and you risk the already tricky Thorong La Pass
being totally snowed under (or worse, like what happened during the 2014
Nepal blizzard disaster) or heavy monsoonal summer rains causing slippery
and dangerous conditions.
I'm going to get all tough love on you here: the Annapurna trek is long,
tiring and physically and mentally tough. Depending on which route you
take, you’re going to be hiking for 13+ days - probably longer than your
first high school romance.
Some days will be really physically tough.
You’ll be living out of a backpack with a very limited supply of clothing,
sleeping on some rock hard beds, eating only carbs (I didn’t say it was
all bad!), drinking chlorinated or steri-pen filtered water, all while
having no internet access to check your Facebook (again, not all bad).
Sound daunting?
Well yeah, maybe it is. But trust me, when you’re standing in awe of the
peaks around you, bonding with your group over a cup of hot chocolate, or
celebrating crossing the Thorong La Pass these challenges become so
insignificant you’ll wonder why they got you down in the first place.
Altitude sickness can affect anyone, including the fittest athletes alive
so make sure you take all the necessary precautions after 3000m.
That includes not crossing more than 1000m per day of the attitude, taking
rest for 2 nights at higher attitudes, doing extra hikes for
aclimatisation purposes, taking Diamox (if you wish, but consult with your
doctor), staying hydrated, not changing drastically the temperature of
your body (reccommended not to take a shower above 3500m). If you feel
symptoms, let your guide know and take action.
I recommend
reading up on altitude sickness before you leave.
One of the most debated topics when it comes to hiking in Nepal is this:
do it with an organised group, or heave on a rucksack full of your stuff
and go it alone?
Personally, I opted for a solo hike without a guide or a porter. I
definitely encountered just as many keen hikers doing it with some
companion or with a help from Nepalese people. In short, both are
absolutely viable options, and each comes with their own merits and
disadvantages. You have to know yourself first. As an introvert I would
not change my mind and I'm grateful I could easily find people to talk to
when I wanted to, and I could take my time on my own, when needed.