Hi there!
A couple of years ago I decided to take my hiking to the
next level and trek the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. I’d never hiked in a different State, let
alone a different country; never more than 40 miles; I didn’t know anybody in
Nepal; I didn’t have anyone to go with me; I didn’t know how my body would
react to high altitude. What I did have
was determination, a bit of time off work, and many years worth of reading
about mountain climbers in Nepal and around the world. My parents were adamant that I not go alone,
so while Sam and I were eating lunch at a local pizza joint, I asked if he
would join me in Nepal. Without a pause
he said, “Sure, when do we leave?” and just like that, the adventure began to
take shape.
The following posts will be a day-by-day account of my trek
of the Annapurna Circuit. There will be
an abundant amount of photos; I believe they provide a decent view of the Circuit
from an unedited, non-photoshopped lens.
Travel with me to Nepal and trek the Annapurna Circuit from the comfort
of your chair, as I recount the adventure by means of diary entries and photo
commentary.
To begin, here is a little information about the Annapurna
Circuit:
The Annapurna Circuit is located in central Nepal and is
essentially a 150ish-mile trail that wraps around the Annapurna massif in a
horseshoe like loop. The traditional
route is trekked counterclockwise, to allow trekkers the ability to slowly gain
altitude and provide their bodies time to acclimate: at the apex of the loop is
the trail’s highest point, Thorung La, at an altitude of 17,769ft above sea
level on the Tibetan plateau. The trail
also passes through the Kali Gandaki Gorge, argued to be the world’s deepest
canyon. Generally said to be the best
long distance trek in the world, the AC offers extreme climate zones, from
tropical to arctic, and displays at least ten of the world’s highest mountains.
For most trekkers, the circuit takes between 10 and 20 days
to complete. Teahouses provide meals, as
well as overnight accommodation for trekkers.
Day to day itineraries are staged for trekkers to journey from village
to village. Generally trekkers plan a
rest/acclimation day at a few key villages.
The most popular trekking season is October-November, after the monsoon
season ends in September. The second
season of choice is April-May, when the weather is warmer and before the
monsoon rains return at the end of May.
Many trekkers hire local guides and porters to carry gear
and essentials, however, at the time of my trek, this was not required. Since the earthquake in Nepal in 2015, the
tourism board was going to require guide service, but I am not certain this was
put into effect. Sam and I hiked
independently. There is very little
chance of becoming lost while on the trail – it is well marked; most of the
locals along the trail do not really speak English, but are very friendly and
helpful and skilled in communication through body language.
Sam and I chose to hike during the shoulder season of March,
on the exact dates of these posts, because there would be less people on the
trail. It was early spring, so although
it was a bit cold at times and there was leftover snow in places, the sky was
clear and the mountain peaks were visible and glorious. We also chose to begin and end our trek at
the very beginning and very end of the trail, which is not as common as you
might believe. Many people ride a bus
past the first village and begin their trek further up the trail; many people
end their trek after the pass and hop a bus back to town, or take a shortcut
near the end of the trail. We could not,
in good conscience, say we had trekked the AC if we had not actually trekked
The Entire circuit; so, we started at the true beginning and ended at the true
end of the trail.
Stay tuned for Kathmandu and the trek of the
entire Annapurna Circuit!
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