FAQ - answers to questions about the trek to Annapurna Base Camp

No special skills are needed to trek to Annapurna Base Camp. This is not mountaineering, but regular trekking. We will simply walk along good trails, and with fairly light backpacks. In case of bad weather, you can always take refuge in numerous shelters. Therefore, to participate in the trek, minimal experience is enough - for example, several 6-day hikes in the Carpathians or Crimea. But this does not mean that there will be absolutely nothing on the route. Good physical preparation never hurt anyone.

First, prepare for a daily roller coaster ride (note the altitude chart in the tour description). We constantly go up somewhere, go down and go up again - several times a day. This is great fitness, but be prepared for your knees to hurt at some point. This is especially felt on the high stone steps, of which there are especially many on this route. If you have problems with your knees, prepare elastic bandages, ointments and trekking poles in advance.

A detailed list of recommended equipment is here. But in short, in addition to personal clothing, you should have a backpack (60 liters is enough) and a demi-season sleeping bag (comfort temperature -5). Tents, rugs, pots, dishes and food are not needed on this route, as we will live and eat in tourist shelters - lodges.

We will eat in shelter canteens. Those. You don't need to bring food with you - just money. Food will cost you 15-20 dollars a day. The food is not spicy, the menu has almost everything you need - rice, potatoes, pasta, oatmeal, eggs, packet soups, sometimes salads. The only meat we eat is chicken, and not always. Therefore, if you are a meat eater, take a stick of dry raw smoked sausage with you (there are no refrigerators on the route). There are absolutely no dairy products on the track. Instead of bread, flatbreads are usually offered.

Very different. In Pokhara and the lower part of the route (2/3 of the trip) there will be full summer - daytime temperatures up to +30 degrees. You can safely wear T-shirts, shorts and light sneakers. But as we approach Annapurna Base Camp, the climate will become much colder and it is likely that we will fall into real winter. On the approaches to Annapurna we will face knee-deep snow and temperatures of +5 during the day and -2 at night. We usually spend 2 days in this cold zone and then return to the jungle again.

Yes. The vast majority of lodges on the way to Base Camp have a good shower. Good means hot, powered by gas or wood, not the sun. Such a shower costs from 2 to 4 dollars per person. If you want cheaper, wash with cold water. Only at one of the nine overnight stays - in the Base Camp itself - there is no opportunity to take a shower. But it will most likely be cold there and you will not have the desire to swim at all. But in just a day and a half, a reward will await us - the hot springs of Jinu-Danda. Girls - take your swimsuits.

All shelters except Base Camp have sockets and normal electricity (220V from mini-hydroelectric power station). It’s just that in some of the lodges charging equipment is free, while in others (and the majority of them) they ask for money for it - from 1 to 4 dollars per unit. But at Annapurna Base Camp, electricity is generated only by a small solar panel. It barely has enough power to provide dramatic (i.e. dim) lighting for the dining room. You most likely will not be able to recharge your equipment at this overnight stay. And in order to depend less on the outlet, carry with you a power bank and several sets of spare batteries for the camera.

By the way, when I say “there is an outlet,” this does not mean that you will have one in your room. Usually the only outlet available to tourists is in the lodge's dining room and there is always a whole bunch of tees and chargers sticking out of it.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, mobile coverage is excellent and the internet is fast. There is also communication along the route, but much less stable. It appears on open ridges and disappears in gorges. We assume that the connection will be approximately halfway along the route. Directly at Annapurna Base Camp, a mobile phone is still useless. The Nepalese operator Ncell has good tariffs for mobile Internet. In general, progress is progressing across the Himalayas and every year Wi-Fi is becoming more and more common in Nepalese lodges. It costs from 1 to 4 dollars. But you must understand that the fact that “our” lodge says Wi-Fi on the wall (and 90% of shelters now have such signs) does not mean that you will be able to send at least one photo tonight.

If you don’t take anything extra for trekking, then the weight of the backpack will be within 10-12 kg (sleeping bag, your clothes and a wad of money). In most cases, this weight can be transported independently without any problems. Nevertheless, we always hire at least one porter (porter) for backup, fighting the Nepalese bureaucracy and supporting the local population:) All participants chip in a couple of kilograms of cargo for the porter and everyone is happy!
If you want to lighten your backpack even more, you can hire an individual porter. Let us know in advance and we will organize everything. The porter can carry up to 20 kg. His services cost $15-20 per day.

Oh, there are plenty of dangers. Nepalese roads alone can turn your head silver in a matter of seconds. Cute monkeys in the temples of Kathmandu can easily bite your hand. Well, avalanches. Yes, on the way to the base camp there is one avalanche-prone area, which we try to overcome early in the morning (it’s safer this way). And of course, we will be faced with altitude and the accompanying mountain sickness, which is also a risk... But if you compare this route with other hikes in Nepal, then it is mega-safe. In short, don't worry, the instructor will keep you safe.

No. Usually everything is limited to headache and general weakness for 12 hours (evening and night in the base camp at an altitude of 4100 m). Then we go lower and all the symptoms disappear as if by hand. Well, at the very beginning of the trek, when heights are still new to everyone, on the climb up Poon Hill (3200 m), many feel dizzy and still weak. Listen to yourself, constantly monitor the state of your body. This will help you understand how ready you are for higher altitude treks like Everest Base Camp.

No. In order to come to Nepal and participate in treks in the Himalayas, wander through the jungles of Chitwan and breathe the dust of Kathmandu, vaccinations are not required. But a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer and generally a good first aid kit won’t hurt here.

No. A person with acute mountain sickness should not travel alone. What should we do then? There are several typical scenarios for solving the problem of a mountain climber on the Annapurna trek. Firstly, in the event of a sharp deterioration in the participant’s health, the instructor will simply call the helicopter under insurance (therefore, all insurance policies must be sent to the instructor before the start). The helicopter will take you to the hospital and everything will be fine there. Secondly, if you don't have a hard mountain, but just feel unwell, then you can really go downhill. But not alone, but accompanied by one of the porters. Usually, in order to fully recover, it is enough to go back a day, i.e. drop at least 500 meters vertically. There you will spend the night in a shelter. Porter will keep an eye on you. And a day later, the main group will catch up with you on the descent from Annapurna Base Camp and you will continue the journey together.

Only in pictures. The southern slopes of Annapurna are too hot for these wonderful animals. To see yaks in person, you need to go to higher altitude trekking routes - for example Around Annapurna or Everest Base Camp. But in the spring, on the track to the Annapurna Sanctuary (there is such a name), there are especially many blooming rhododendrons - a whole jungle of flowers.

In spring (March-April) there is much more snow, but rhododendrons bloom. In autumn (October-November) it is easier to walk and there are more chances to climb at least a hundred meters above Base Camp, but there are also more people on the route. Both seasons are good in their own way. In summer, Annapurna is flooded with rain, and in winter it is cold - so the track is practically empty.

Yes, this is not only possible, but also must be done. There is absolutely no need to drag clean city clothes into the mountains (for the return trip to your homeland), suitcases, fins and especially massive souvenirs. All this can be left for free storage at a hotel in Kathmandu or Pokhara. The main thing is to carefully pack your clothes so that they do not become dusty during your absence (Kathmandu is a very dusty city). Well, you shouldn’t leave documents, money and valuable equipment in the storage room. Stealing is not accepted there, but there is plenty of sloppiness and Eastern indifference:)

Usually, immediately upon arrival (at the airport), everyone changes a small amount of about 20 bucks. This is enough for a taxi to the hotel and the first couple of hours, until you find where to exchange the rest of the money at the normal rate (the rate at the airport is bad). For example, ask the hotel manager for help - he is always happy to help with the exchange. The recommended amount to exchange for rupees is $350 per person. Euros can also be exchanged, but the exchange rate is not always pleasant.

No need for small dollars. The main means of payment on the route will be rupees. You cannot pay in currency there - it is simply unprofitable. And in souvenir shops in Kathmandu it is better to bargain in rupees. Dollars are convenient for paying for large purchases - expensive equipment (over $100), air travel. But this doesn't happen so often.

You can pay by card only in Kathmandu and Pokhara. And even then not in every store/restaurant. There are also ATMs only in these two cities. Recently, most ATMs have asked for a fairly large commission for cash withdrawals with a fixed rate (from 3 to 5 dollars) that does not depend on the amount of the transaction. At the same time, no one has canceled the standard commission of the issuing bank.

The article will gradually grow and be supplemented. Send your questions to us at [email protected] and we will definitely answer you.