Annapurna Circuit Trek in Nepal

What you get on this adventure:

• An experienced, certified mountain guide with extensive knowledge of the area and a local Nepali certified guide
• Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu
• Transportation from and to the airport
• Transportation for the duration of the tour
  • Kathmandu to Besisahar by private car/van
  • Besisahar to Jagat by local private Jeep
  • Jomsom to Pokhara domestic flight
  • Pokhara private car/van for pick up
  • Pokhara to Kathmandu domestic flight
• Hotel accommodations with breakfast in Kathmandu and Pokhara
• Teahouse and mountain hut accommodations with all meals for the duration of the hike
• 1 hour trekkers massage / yoga after the trip completion
• First aid medical kit
• Local sim card
• Company duffel bag, t-shirt, and trekking map
• Down jackets and sleeping bags (upon request)
• Government taxes
• Porter services
• Trekking permits

What’s not included:

• International flight to/from Kathmandu
• Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu
• Luggage transportation for the duration of the hike
• Personal mountain gear
• Guide gratuities
• Trip insurance

Hiking the Annapurna Circuit is a challenging undertaking, and it requires excellent physical fitness.

If you want to fully enjoy your trip to Nepal, you should be able to hike distances exceeding 13 miles (20 km) for multiple consecutive days on steep, rocky, and slippery terrain with over 3,200 ft (1,000 m) of elevation gain. A lot of the hiking will be done in high altitudes, so some experience dealing with high elevation is recommended. Keep in mind that you’ll also be carrying a loaded daypack for the entirety of the 12 days of hiking and that the weather in the Annapurna Circuit can be unpredictable. Given the variable weather conditions, it is strongly advised to bring high-quality waterproof mountain gear.

Every 1000 m/ 3,200 ft you travel above sea level makes aerobic exercise 10% harder. You’ll spend all of the Annapurna Circuit hiking above 3,000 m!

Here are a few tips on do’s and don’ts for adapting to high altitude and avoiding altitude sickness:

• Do not eat heavy food the day before traveling to Kathmandu.
• Make sure you drink between 6-8 glasses of water the days before your trip and during your hike through Annapurna.
• Once you arrive at your accommodation, lie down a few minutes before going out to explore the area.
• Once you are ready to go out and explore the area, try not to become agitated climbing stairs or walking fast. The best thing is to enjoy every corner of Kathmandu with calm and respect.

You should also try to include cardio and strength training in your schedule. Cardio means getting your heart rate up by doing things like running, cycling, skipping and burpees. Strength training means using resistance, weights or your body weight to grow your muscles. The fitter you are, the less oxygen your muscles need to move — something invaluable in low-oxygen environment.

If possible, do some training hikes at high altitudes before heading to Nepal. This will prepare you for the increased strain placed on your body when engaging in high-altitude trekking.

Suitcases or duffel bags are not allowed on this tour as you will be hiking with the backpack. If you want to bring extra clothing and luggage in a suitcase or duffel bag, you will have to leave them in the city. There will be no porter service on trek.

Ensure that all items fit securely within your backpack without anything protruding, keeping everything dry during the hike. The recommended maximum weight for your backpack is 12 kg/ 26 lbs, with an optimal limit around 8kg/17.6lbs. The quantities listed for specific items are indicative and based on guides’ recommendations.

Here’s a list of personal equipment you need to bring:

• • Backpack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 35-50L bag)
  • Valid passport & passport scanned photocopies
  • Visa (easy to obtain on arrival)
  • 2 passport-sized photos for your permits
  • Sleeping bag with comfort temperature of -15°C
    to -20°C / 5°F to -4°F
  • Waterproof bag for your clothes
  • Swimsuit and towel
  • Personal toiletries
  • Personal first-aid kit (make sure to take all you need with you)
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses
  • Headlamp + batteries
  • Camera — optional
  • Power bank
  • Hiking poles — highly recommended
  • Water bottle and thermos
  • Ear plugs
  • Small personal first-aid kit (simple and light) — first-aid tape, Band-Aids, alcohol-free wipes for cuts, personal medications, etc.
  • Skin blister repair kit
  • Anti-diarrhea pills (Imodium) — one pack
  • One small bottle cough and/or cold medicine
  • One course antibiotics for chest infection
  • One course antibiotics for stomach infection
  • One small bottle of anti-altitude sickness medication: Diamox (Acetazolamide)
  • One small bottle of water purification tablets (needs to contain silver-ions & chlorine) or a water filter or UV sterilizer
  • Prescription glasses/contact lenses

Here’s a list of clothing you need to bring:

• • Waterproof hiking boots with a sturdy sole
  • Warm clothes
    • First layer: bottom / upper base layer (Merino wool recommended, 1-2 units)
    • Second layer: fleece jacket (1-2)
    • Third layer: down jacket (1)
  • Waterproof jacket & pants (GoreTex recommended, 1)
  • Hiking pants (1-2)
  • Short sleeve t-shirts (3-5)
  • Long sleeve t-shirts (1-2)
  • Underwear and hiking socks
  • Warm beanie
  • Gloves / mittens
  • Hiking buff
  • Sandals or crocs (for river crossing)

Due to the difficult terrain, it’s highly recommended to bring good quality mountain gear.

Your guides will contact you about any additional equipment at the time of contracting the trip.

Yes. Embarking on the Annapurna Circuit trek without a porter is an invigorating choice and your guides will provide 1 porter per 2 participants to help with the load. The weight limit for your luggage is 33 pounds or 15 kg. Remember that your luggage will be carried by your porter but you are required to carry a day-pack (with your valuables or anything important) on your own. We also suggest that you pack only what is necessary.

In Nepal it is mandatory to travel with a local certified guide. Your local English-speaking guides have been a travel agency for many years and they are familiar with the area. They also have an official and professional mountain guiding education and all the gear you’ll need along the way.

From the moment you step on the trail, you won’t have to worry about food, as all meals, tea and coffee are included—no matter how many cups or how many pots you want to drink! Your guide’s goal is to keep you hydrated at all costs to avoid the altitude sickness and (of course) to have the tranquility of not needing to pay extra money for something as basic as an extra cup of tea. 

The accommodation used is always the best possible. In Kathmandu, you will stay at one of the best hotels in town. On the trail, you’ll stay in teahouses,  local ones with the best services (rooms, food & facilities) so you can really rest and enjoy after the daily treks.

Group sizes and prices:

• • For this adventure, the max client-to-guide ratio is 5:1, while groups usually consist of 10 hikers and 2 guides. The cost does not decrease as the group grows.
  • There will be 1 porter for every 2 participants.

Annapurna Circuit trek can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors older than 16 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
  • This tour isn’t appropriate for children and minors under 16 years old.

If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, most people fly into Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, they will arrange for your pickup at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation in Kathmandu. After that, all you have to do is stay safe and have fun on this Nepal trekking tour!

Your guide provides transfers with local vans from Kathmandu to the beginning to the trail, and the last day for going back to the capital. Transportation also include two domestic flights for coming back to Kathmandu, so the group spend less time on the road and more time enjoying and resting once the hike is over. Your guide also offer private transfer from/to the airport in case you arrive by yourself so you do not need to share the transfer with someone that it’s not in your group.

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in the Annapurna Circuit, Nepal, please refer to the US Embassy’s foreign travel advice for Nepal.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!