Tips for Annapurna Circuit Trek

18 Sep 2024 Himalaya Trip

Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the best treks in Nepal. The hike to this trek is quite fun but equally challenging, so we provide some essential tips for the Annapurna Circuit Trek in this blog. Any trekkers wanting to experience the natural beauty of Nepal, pass through several landscapes, and learn about different cultures must trek the Annapurna Circuit. 

Trekkers can explore many famous attractions on the Annapurna Circuit Trek. They can reach different places like Tilicho Lake, Manang, Muktinath, Poon Hill, Annapurna Conservation Area, and Thorong La Pass. This trek is more challenging than other popular treks in Nepal, like Annapurna Base Camp Trek. So, to explore this trek without difficulty, even for beginners, there are some valuable tips that the trekkers should follow. So, let’s look at some essential tips for Annapurna Circuit Trek.

12 Tips for Annapurna Circuit Trek

The tips for Annapurna Circuit Trek apply to both beginners and experienced trekkers. These tips make trekking in the off-the-beaten wilderness, like the Annapurna Circuit Trek, more accessible and less challenging. Some tips can be more common, while others can surprise you more. To hike the Annapurna Circuit, learn and follow these essential tips. So, let’s begin.

1. Beware of High Altitude

Whether you are a veteran or a beginner, high-altitude trekking is equally problematic and must be taken seriously. In the high altitude of the trek, the breathing is quite tricky. So, learn about proper acclimatization and how to minimize the chances of altitude sickness. For adequate acclimatization techniques, ensure you are not rushing for the altitude, as your body needs to get used to the high altitude, weather, temperature, and the low oxygen level at the top of the mountains.

After about 3000m height, the chance of altitude sickness increases, so make sure you are trekking high and descending to sleep. Furthermore, ensuring you are always hydrated is essential, as dehydration can also cause altitude sickness, ruining your fun trekking experience. So, always respect the problems at high altitudes when exploring the ACT.

2. Physical and Mental Fitness

One significant tip for the Annapurna Circuit Trek is to make your physically and mentally strong. The ACT trek is demanding and challenging as the trekkers have to cover lots of distance for several days in the rough, secluded terrains, which will take a toll on their bodies. Furthermore, as the trekkers trek in the complicated, high altitude and solitude of the regions, it will also take a toll mentally.

Hence, it is essential to expect everything and realize that the trek will be challenging to gain mental fitness. It is also crucial to improve mental stability by participating in meditation, yoga, and mind exercises. Breathing exercises can also be helpful for breathing at high altitudes, which, in return, comforts the minds and bodies of the trekkers.

3. Hire Guides and Porters

The Annapurna Circuit Trek is quite a challenging trek, so make sure you do everything possible to make it easier and secure. Hiring guides and porters is the best way to make navigation, safety, and security easier. The guides will have precise logistics and experience in safely taking from one place to another. On the other hand, porters are very helpful for the problematic trek since they carry heavy luggage. The experienced porters can carry up to 20 kg and also can climb on the steep ascent, making your trek easier.

4. Stay in Teahouses

One underrated tip you can get during your trek through the ACT is that it is wise to stay in the teahouses. The teahouses were established by the local Sherpa families, who had been living in the area for a long time. It is wise to stay in the teahouses rather than expensive hotels or lodges if you are comfortable sharing your room with other trekkers. So, if you are trekking with the group, sleeping in the teahouses is the cheap, budget-friendly, and amazing experience you will receive. Teahouses also provide local foods which are organic and hygenic, so enjoy the local delicacies in the teahouses.

5. Pack Light

Before booking your trekking itinerary, you must prepare for the Annapurna Circuit Trek. The first thing to prepare for the trek is to pack light but essential items. It is wise to pack based on the seasons you are visiting. Some of the essential items that you must pack are clothing, essential gear, equipment, and first aid kits, medicines, and toiletries.

6. Protect Your Eyes and Skin

While trekking at a high altitude, your skin and eyes become vulnerable due to the sunlight, weather, temperature, and skin. Remember to protect your eyes and skin on the Annapurna Circuit. When trekking in the Himalayas, it’s easy to forget that the sun’s rays are stronger at higher altitudes, which makes them more damaging. You are exposed to up to 10% more UV rays for every kilometer you ascend.

Hence in order to protect your eyes and skin, it is important to pack sunscreen lotions, suncaps, hats, and sunglasses. Also, carry lip balms and use them frequently to moisturize your skin and lips. Furthermore, never take off your sunglasses while trekking in the mid-day as you will be closer to the sun, so your eyes will be severely affected.7. Carry Medications

The high-altitude trek of the Annapurna Circuit Trek is not only an adventure and excitement but also has specific difficulties. The one common problem that all trekkers will face during their high-altitude trek is altitude sickness. With high altitude sickness, trekkers risk falling sick and ill. So, medications like Diamox and Nifedipine are essential to get instant relief. These medicines will also provide you with enough time to lower your altitude so that you get a sense of comfort.

8. Bring Trekking Poles

Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the most challenging treks in Nepal. The paths on the Annapurna Circuit can be rough and dangerous in some areas, as you would expect when trekking in the Himalayas. Trekking poles are very helpful because they improve balance and confidence, especially when dealing with challenging situations like crossing a river or walking on a narrow path along the mountainside. During the ACT, you will constantly climb and descend from the slopes so that the trekking poles will reduce the pressure on your knees and body.

9. Carry Adequate Cash

A critical tip for trekking in remote, high-altitude locations is that they lack infrastructure and facilities. Hence, those tiny villages don’t have banks, ATM machines, or money exchange facilities. So whenever you are trekking in the wilderness, carry enough cash. Also, it is wise to carry the money in the visiting currency, so the funds must be in the Nepalese currency for the Annapurna Circuit trek. Carrying necessary cash can also help in the case of emergencies or when you need to buy something essential for you or your collection.

10. Keep Items in the Sleeping Bag

When you are sleeping in the teahouses above the altitude of 3500m, the temperature reaches a freezing point. The cold temperature freezes the items outside the house and inside the room. Hence, it is essential to carry a sleeping bag and keep your essential items, like batteries, phones, radios, etc, inside the sleeping bag. You can also warm your water bottles by keeping them by your side in the sleeping bag. This tip is quite underrated and was provided by experienced trekkers with years of experience in high-altitude trekking.

11. Take Plenty of Rest

The Annapurna Circuit Trek is quite tricky. The trek’s hassle begins right from where you land at the Kathmandu airport. As the trek starts, the hard work also starts, which means you will be trekking for at least two weeks, and each day, you will be trekking for at least five to six hours every day. During the trek, you will get at least one or two days of acclimatization, also known as a rest day, but whenever you get the chance, you have to rest. After each trekking day, you will arrive at the teahouse location in the evening. So when you arrive at the teahouse, spend some time there, have dinner, and go to bed to rest.

12. Carry Water Purification

It is essential to remain hydrated throughout the trekking days along the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Hence, you must drink at least 3 to 5 liters of water, and there are fewer chances of getting clean water at high altitudes. So ensure you carry the water purification tablets to clean and purify the water you fill in from taps or handle pumps. You can always ask for boiled and filtered water from the teahouses where you stay, but you may have to pay extra.

Highlights of Annapurna Circuit Trek

• Climb the extraordinary Thorong La Pass at an elevation of (5416m) from where you can enjoy panoramic views of mountains.
•  Explore Gurung villages and reach Ghorepani Poon Hill, from which you will see the majestic sunrise and sunset of the region.
• Stunning views of the mountains include Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Fishtail, Hiunchuli, and Nilgiri.
• Visit Manang and reach the very popular Barge Monastery.
• Relax and rejuvenate in the natural hot springs water in the Jhinu Danda.

Best Time for Annapurna Circuit Trek

The Annapurna Circuit Trek is the most fun and challenging in Nepal. To reduce some stress and difficulty in the trek, it is wise to trek during the ideal trekking season. The ideal trekking season in Nepal is spring and autumn. These two seasons are the best time for the Annapurna Circuit Trek. 

Spring

Spring is the best season for trekking, especially for those who want to explore flowering trails and lush jungles. The season starts in March and May, and the peak is April. During the spring, the temperature is mild; the weather is clear and sunny enough to travel, whereas, in the evening, the temperature reaches slightly below freezing. The trails are also more accessible to accent and pass through unique villages, landscapes, rivers, and waterfalls.

Autumn

The Autumn season also brings the best time for trekking in the Annapurna region. The season begins in the middle of September and ends in November. In the beginning days of September, the Annapurna region receives mild to heavy rainfall as the month falls in the post-monsoon season. The best attraction of trekking in the Autumn season is the crisp and clear views of skies, mountains, and the whole region.

Annapurna Circuit Trek Difficulty

The Annapurna Circuit Trek’s difficulty ranges from moderate to challenging trek. Certain factors increase the difficulty of this trek. Some factors of difficulty are naturally present in the region, while others do not affect whether you trek during the ideal trekking season. Here are some of the factors that make Annapurna Trek a bit difficult.

High Altitude

One of the significant factors of difficulty of the Annapurna Circuit Trek is the high altitude. For the Annapurna Circuit Trek, you will be trekking at a high altitude of 5,416 meters when you reach the Thorong La Pass. The higher altitude of the Annapurna Circuit Trek also increases the chance of altitude sickness. The symptoms of altitude sickness are fever, headache, cough, and shortness of breath. Some severe versions of acute mountain sickness can also affect the brain and lungs.

Long Distance and Duration

During your trek to the Annapurna Circuit, you will have to trek for at least 10 to 14 days, and each day, you will be trekking for six to seven hours. The long distance and duration of the trek will make it quite challenging, and if you are a beginner, it is the major difficulty factor. So, ensure you are physically fit and mentally stable before experiencing this trek.

Tough Terrain

The Annapurna Circuit trek is challenging due to its varied terrain. Trekkers encounter lush forests, terraced fields, and rugged mountain passes. Each terrain type has its own difficulties, such as uneven paths and steep climbs and descents. Trekkers need to be well-prepared for this demanding adventure due to the changing and sometimes unpredictable terrain. Hence it is wise to bring trekking poles, hiking pants, boots, ropes, and other equipment based on the trekking season you are trekking.

Conclusion

Hence, these are some of the essential tips that can be helpful during your Annapurna Circuit Trek. These tips can be useful for either experienced trekkers or, most notably for beginners. So whenever you think about trekking the ACT, you can gather valuable information by following these trips.

Annapurna Circuit Trek is the once in a lifetime opportunity to experience an exciting, fun, but challenging trek. However, your safety, security, and health must always be prioritized. Ensure you are doing everything possible to ensure your trip becomes easy by visiting in the ideal condition and hiring guides, porters, etc.

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