Beginner’s Guide to Hiking the Annapurna Circuit (Am I going to die?!)
So you’re going to Nepal to hike the Annapurna Circuit and you don’t have much (any?) hiking experience?
Good news! I survived the same predicament in November of 2017. Below you’ll find the 10 questions that immediately popped into my head when my husband suggested we go hiking in The Himalayas on our honeymoon.
1. I have no idea what I am doing!
That’s OK! I had only done simple day hikes prior to the Annapurna Circuit. With sufficient preparation, the trek is completely doable for a newbie! I will do my best to answer the biggest/scariest questions.
2. Am I fit enough to do this?
I would say decent to good shape is important for the hike. I am a healthy weight and work out 4-5 days/week. On the trail you will see people ranging from teenagers to (fit) retirees. There are many parts that are flat, pleasant walks, but there are several long, steep ascents. To give you actual numbers, we covered between 8-13 miles a day, and would ascend the equivalent of 100-200 flights of stairs each day
3. How dangerous is the trail?
Not very dangerous. The trails are well-traveled, cared for impeccably and the bridges and general infrastructure are impressive. In fact, some avid backcountry types might find the trails too crowded and built up for their liking (it’s definitely not a “get away from all humans” kind of trek), but we generally found empty, peaceful trails by getting an early enough start each morning. Obviously, you are still hiking in the wilderness, so it is dangerous insofar as mountain hiking can be dangerous
*Altitude Sickness* – the one caveat on safety is the very real risk of coming down with a case of altitude sickness. As we reached the upper stretches of the valley, we would see 2-3 helicopters / day evacuating sick hikers (of ~200/day going over the pass). Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot you can do before the trek to prepare on this front — it can effect young/old, fit/struggling alike. What you can and should do, however, is to hike smart: take the high route through Upper Pisang to begin acclimating sooner, plan a rest day in Manang / Braga, limit daily altitude gains, drink plenty of water, bring proper medications, and above all else, listen to your body for early signs. Attempting to ‘power through’ symptoms will only make things worse and could ruin your trek – be smart and allow for some flexibility in your plans! See what medications to bring on my Annapurna Packing List
4. How long will the trek take?
You should budget a minimum of 12-14 days in Nepal. From when we left Kathmandu to when we arrived in Pokhara, we were on the trail for 10 days. You could easily spend 20 days on the trail depending on your starting and ending points. Our “start point” for trekking was Chyamche and our “end point” was Jomson. Allow yourself flexibility for illness, injury, bad weather, etc.. See my Annapurna Diary for where we traveled to each day, beginning with our arrival in Kathmandu — also see the map below for where we went.
5. Where do I sleep and what do I eat?
This is why the Annapurna Circuit is so unique! Along the trail there villages every hour or so with several “tea houses” which serve as restaurants and lodging. Each day you will stop for tea and a warm meal for lunch, and then continue on to your final destination for the day for dinner and to sleep in a tea house. The meal options are mostly vegetarian/noodle or rice based. The food is quite tasty. There are wells you can pump outside each tea house to get freezing cold, thirst-quenching water, but you will need to bring your own method to sterilize the water.
The rooms are basic, generally two beds with thin mattresses. They have varying amenities, like attached (very basic) bathroom , electric plug-ins, etc. You don’t need to reserve lodging ahead of time (as of November 2017), but the best tea houses will fill up faster (if you have a a guide, they will call a tea house to ask for rooms when you are a few hours from the village– and yes, they have cell phone service all the way out there but often no internet). See my Annapurna Diary for details, including the names of where we ate and slept each day.
6. How much will this cost?
Your daily costs on the trail will vary depending on which tea houses you choose and what your food/drinking habits are, but you can expect to spend $15-25/per person/per day. Room rates go from $2/night for the most basic up to ~$10/night for the “splurges” — the lodges essentially make their money by committing you to eat your moderately-priced ($4-8) dinner and breakfast there before heading back out on the trail. Rupees are required and absolutely critical ahead of time, so make sure to bring a bit of a buffer!
Multiply by 10-14 days on the trail and add in transportation to/from Pokhara or Kathmandu (anywhere from ~$5 each way for local buses to $100 for a private car), and you’ll see that the trip is certainly quite affordable for the backpacker set, but also offers various convenience upgrades if you are willing to pay for speed or comfort.
We took a car from Kathmandu to Besisahar for around $80, and a shared jeep to start the trail at Chyamche for ~$50 ($25 each) to shave a few days off of the front end. On the way out of the mountains, we opted for the 20-minute flight from Jomsom to Pokhara for $60 each (+$40 local rate for our Nepalese guide), which was highly preferable compared to 10-12 hours by bumpy jeep / bus combo for about $30 that people usually take (while a bit nerve wracking, the plane is actually safer than the road and also provided amazing views of the Kali Gandaki side of the mountains) The higher-end, direct tourist bus back to Kathmandu a couple days later from Pokhara was only ~$15 each that included A/C and a bathroom. Good hotels can be found in both Kathmandu and Pokhara for around $50/night, though much cheaper options certainly exist for those on a tight budget.
For two of us, just on expenses related to getting to/from Kathmandu and 10 days on the trail, we probably spent ~$750. We had several upgrades (like the Jomson to Pokhara flight), so it can definitely be done for less.
7. What is the weather like?
We trekked in late October/ early November, arguably the most popular time of year. The lower altitudes can be warm (even jungle-esque if you start in Besisahar) but generally daytime temperatures are quite pleasant 50-60F, with nighttime temperatures dipping below freezing (which you will feel because most tea houses are poorly insulated). From Braka (day 4) to going over the pass (day 8), it is quite cold day and night. Expect highs to be in the 20s-30s, making several thermal layers of clothing necessary, and lows in the teens, making you very thankful for a warm sleeping bag liner. It was sunny everyday, with a passing rain/sleet storm one afternoon, but we were already off the trail.
8. What do I need to bring?
See my comprehensive Packing List for The Annapurna Circuit for more information!
9. Should I get a guide or porter?
This depends on a number of things, including budget, fitness level, and general comfort with mountain hiking. We had initially planned to get a porter due to my inexperience with hiking, but ultimately got a “Porter-cum-Guide” who carried only some of our belongings but also was our companion for the trek. A porter will carry all of your belongings but generally doesn’t hike alongside you (they will easily outpace you) and they do not speak much/any English. This costs approximately $15/day. A “Porter-cum-Guide” cost us $18/day – these are generally younger men who are making the transition from porter to guide, therefore their English may not be quite as fluent as a more experienced guide but you get get all the benefits of a knowledgeable companion for the trek. An experienced guide costs $20-25/day, but does not carry any of your belongings (therefore many groups do one guide for the group and a porter per 1-2 trekkers).
We ended up very happy about our choice of a porter-cum-guide for the following reasons:
– Provided a companion to talk to along the trail and ask all kinds of questions, ranging from understanding the history and local customs of different villages / regions, knowing what was ahead in the hike, or just comparing and contrasting American to Nepalese life
– Knew which villages were the best for overnighting in, and which lodges to stay at, with the ability to call ahead and reserve rooms (most room rates don’t vary from lodge to lodge, but quality of facilities and food can – and the good lodges fill up early).
– Was able to act as a translator for us when ordering food and talking to locals
– Provided a good job for the local economy
– Being younger (a university student), was a bit more relatable and with more common interests than perhaps an experienced guide might be, without sacrificing any of the guide benefits. The licensing requirements for all trekking agencies and guides in Nepal are so high that even a porter-cum-guide will be quite knowledgeable about the trail (this was his 10th time doing the AC and maybe 30th Himalayan trek total)
– Click here for an interview with our trekking guide, Deepak Dhakal
10. Is the Annapurna Circuit worth it?
Yes!
Pin the photo below to remember this post for when you are planning your trip to The Himalayas! Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this post or have any questions or comments, I am new to blogging and your feedback is truly appreciated!
The last photo omg, the trek looks worth the pain just for that view! Loved the write up, though, not sure yet if I can do it.
Thank you! It was an awesome experience but definitely a difficult trek for a first timer
REALLY great insights! I want to do a trek the next time I’m back in Nepal. This is some super helpful and insightful information. Saving this for my trip next year! Muchas gracias 😀
Thank you! The Annapurna Circuit will not let you down!
Sounds a wonderful experience. Active honeymoons like this are very special. A friend of mine hiked Patagonia recently on her honeymoon and I’m jealous of both of you!
Ah, we would love to make it to Patagonia sometime! Definitely on our bucket list
This looks amazing! We are heading to Nepal in a couple of weeks but won’t be making the hike this time! Definitely pinning this post for the future when we return again!
Enjoy Nepal! The people are possibly THE nicest I have ever met in any country
This looks like an amazing experience, but I would probably never make it due to altitude sickness. Still, it looks like there’s help available when needed!
Yeah, the altitude sickness was just one more thing that I hadn’t even thought to be afraid of when my husband initially mentioned the trip.. but ultimately that is what seemed to be one of the biggest dangers
very helpful as I am thinking about doing this. I thought the tea houses were free though?! maybe that has changed now?
It could have changed? We went November 2017, so only one season between when we went and now. I wrote another post about a Q&A with our trekking guide, Deepak. It has all his contact info if you’d like to FB message him any questions about planning your trip!
Brittany, this post is tailored made for me! I have very little hiking experience but always manage to sign myself up for treks that are totally outside of my comfort zone and beyond my abilities. I would love to do Annapurna some time – your post gives me confidence that I could actually manage it! Congratulations on making it through!
Yay! So happy you liked it! It was definitely grueling at times (and I cried twice, haha if you read my “Annapurna Circuit Diary”) but ultimately it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Thank you for your comment!
Hi
We are planning a trek to ABC via Poon Hill in May, 2020. Throughout this trip, we would want to book the best available accommodation options.
Before contacting any trek organizing company, I am trying to find out the names of the best guesthouses, preferably with attached toilet.
It would be a great help if you can suggest some names for places such as Tikhedhunga, Ulleri, Ghorepani, Tadapani, Sinwa, Chomrong, Deurali, Bamboo, Doban, ABC, Himalaya, and Jhinu.
Cheers
Indranil
Hey! I actually did the Annapurna Circuit and not the ABC so I am not familiar with most of the villages you listed! Best of luck on your journey. It is truly beautiful out there.
To all of the reader who are here and are planning of trip to Nepal please feel free to contact me for any info from booking a hotel to booking a car and boing your trip and many more.
I am dealing with every kinds of activities in Nepal.
Keeping everybody in mind I offer you packaged and non-packaged every sorts of activities as per your interest.
Welcome to Nepal
#visitnepal2020
Deepak Dhakal
thanks fro giving everyone this information reallt appreciate your writeup.
i am looking for this trek with my family we are total 3 members and will reach kathmandu on 25/10/19. deepak if you can provide your number preferabily whatsapp number.
Hello, Amit! Thanks for reading my blog and for reaching out! I’ve given your information to Deepak and he will get in touch with you!
thanks fro giving everyone this information reallt appreciate your writeup.
i am looking for this trek with my family we are total 3 members and will reach kathmandu on 25/10/19. deepak if you can provide your number preferabily whatsapp number.
email me details
Hello, Amit! Thanks for reading my blog and for reaching out! I’ve given your information to Deepak and he will get in touch with you!