Annapurna Circuit Trekking

Meals and Accommodation on the Annapurna Circuit Trekking

Annapurna Circuit Trekking is a teahouse-based trekking route. We will be eating and sleeping in the locally available lodges and guest houses. Since Annapurna Circuit Trekking is a famous route, the standard of the lodges is pretty good except in Thorong Phedi and High Camp. The lodges offer twin-sharing rooms perfect for all kinds of travelers. In terms of meals and accommodation, the trip to Annapurna Circuit route is always satisfying. The rooms usually have two basic single beds with mattresses and a blanket, Himalayan Leisure also provides warm sleeping bags upon request.

This trekking package also includes 2-night accommodations in Kathmandu and 1-night accommodations in Pokhara at a tourist standard hotel. After staying in the tea houses for nearly 2 weeks, tourist standard hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara feel luxurious. The accommodations in Kathmandu and Pokhara come with complimentary breakfast. These will be air-conditioning rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

The package includes breakfast in Kathmandu and 3 meals; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the trek. the meals on the trek are going to be very basic in comparison with what you get in the cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara. Kathmandu and Pokhara have restaurants of all standards; from fast food to fine dining places.

Some of the meals for breakfast are porridge, oatmeal, Chapati, Tibetan bread, noodle soup, eggs (boiled/scrambled/fried/omelet, etc.), toast, pancakes, muesli, hot drinks, etc.

Lunch items are similar to Nepali Dal Bhat Set (rice, lentils, curry, pickle, papad, yogurt, etc), noodles, pasta, vegetable items, curries, pizza, spaghetti, fried noodles, sandwiches, soups, egg items, slices of bread, Momos (Dumplings), potatoes and various deserts will be available.

The dinner will be similar to the lunch. Since we will have plenty of time to eat and sleep we can also order meals that take longer to cook such as steaks and grilled items. All our meals are served hot and fresh. The ingredients are locally available herbs and spices which makes the meals tastier and healthier.

Best season for Annapurna Circuit Trek

The best season for Annapurna Circuit Trek is Spring and Autumn. Although the trek is doable almost throughout the trek, the months of March, April, May, September, October, and November are considered the best among all. The weather during these two seasons is usually excellent; it offers spectacular views, and it's dry and not too cold. Not to forget, these two seasons are also the busiest time for the trek when trekkers from all over the world come to visit the region.

The months of Spring (March, April, and May) are full of sunshine and the forests are full of various wildflowers such as Rhododendrons, Gaping Monkshood, buttercup, Bush Morning Glory, Blue Dawn Flower, Mussaenda, and many more. The early days of March still can be extremely cold and it is possible that the top of the Larke Pass remains blocked due to high snow levels.

In the spring season, the temperature in the lower areas will be around 20C to 25C during the daytime and ranges from 5C to 10C in the higher areas. It gets colder as we ascend the altitude. The temperatures in higher areas will be 15C to 20C during the day time and it can go to -5C during the night time. The temperature may drop below the above range in adverse weather conditions.

The months of Autumn are also famous for excellent mountain views and spectacular beauty. In comparison to the months of spring, the temperature in Autumn is slightly lower. Since this is the post-monsoon season, the valleys, forests, and grasslands are full of greenery. The season is also famous as the majority of the Nepalese festivals such as Dashain, Tihar (Deepawali), and Chhath are celebrated in the Autumn season. Nepalese festivals are full of colors and are popular to spread love among the nearest and dearest ones.

The temperature in the months of Autumn ranges between 20C to 25C during the daytime in lower areas. The same temperature may go from 5C to 10C during the nighttime. Similarly, the temperature in higher villages like Manang and Yak Kharka may go down from 10C to 15C during the daytime and can go up to -10C during the nighttime. The later days of winter are extremely cold compared to the early days of October.

It's possible to visit Annapurna Circuit even in monsoon months however it is not considered a perfect time. The months of June, July, and August are usually rainy and the months of December, January, and February are usually freezing cold the highest point Thorong La Pass (5416 meters) usually remains close or covered by the high levels of snow making it hard to cross.

In the monsoon season, there are risks of river flooding and landslides thus it's recommended to travel with a professional and experienced guide. It's worth knowing that even during the months of monsoon season, it doesn't rain every day and it won't rain for the whole day. It's recommended to be prepared to stay dry and pack a high-quality rain jacket and rain pants. The monsoon season is not ideal for the Annapurna Circuit Trek however the areas between Manang and Jomsom remain inside the Himalayan rainshadow area experiencing less rain and making it better than other trekking routes of a similar kind.

How difficult is the Annapurna Circuit Trek?

Annapurna Circuit Trek is moderate-level trekking. The earlier days of the trek in the lower altitudes are pretty easy in comparison to the days above 4000 meters. Since we start the trek from slightly above 800 meters, the first few days are going to be easy to moderate-level walks. The higher we go the more difficult it gets due to decreasing Oxygen levels. Hiking in the Annapurna Circuit has been a favorite trail of many travelers from all over the world with all fitness levels. Whether you are a novice trekker or an experienced trekker, the trek is suitable for you. During the two-week-long hike, the most difficult day is while crossing the Thorong La Pass. On this day, you will climb nearly a thousand meters and then descend 1600 meters. Doing this above 5000 meters is not going to be easy.

Many trekkers find the Annapurna Circuit trek suitable for families with younger kids as well. You will see many families doing the trek during the main season. This is a perfect route for travelers of all types, all nature, all ages, and all experience levels. Come and join the finest trekking company in Nepal for your next adventure in Nepal. We promise you an excellent experience while you are in Nepal.

Group vs Solo Trekking

Annapurna Circuit Trek is suitable both for groups and individuals. The government allows everyone to visit the Annapurna region without having a special permit. If you are alone then we recommend you try finding a partner even though it's not compulsory. Traveling solo and traveling with at least 2 people together makes a huge difference in terms of costs since the costs of transportation, guide, porter, accommodation, etc. can be shared in the group. Traveling solo will give you more freedom but you will also be paying more than in a small group. Even though you are alone, there is nothing to worry about, you will meet like-minded people on the trail and in the lodges, you stay in.

The trek is best in small groups in terms of flexibility, affordability, and fun. The main advantage is you won't be walking alone and you always have someone next to you to share your experiences. In addition to this, you will be also sharing the expenses of transportation, guide-porter, and their expenses, accommodation, etc. It may not give the freedom of traveling alone but small group travel also gives you many benefits.

Both solo travel and small group travel have their advantages and disadvantages in the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Please read about both and let us know what will be the best for you.

Our tour prices vary based on the number of people traveling. There is no single supplement added to the final amount. The amount you see at the time of the booking is final.

Communication During Annapurna Circuit Trekking

Mobile phone coverage is available almost throughout the trek. In a couple of places like Phedi and High Camp, mobile phone reception is not available but satellite phone is available in case of emergency. Some places also offer WiFi services to get in touch with your close ones. You can buy a SIM card at the airport or in the city upon your arrival. There are mainly 2 operators, Nepal Telecom and Ncell.

We also keep in touch regularly with our staff whenever possible. We may not talk with you every day but we will be getting updates about the tour and about you throughout the trail. We are informed immediately in case of an unforeseen incident occurs or emergency assistance is needed. We assure you of timely response whenever it's needed 24/7.

Personal Expenses on the Trek

Like all other treks, you will need to bear some personal expenses on the trek. Expenses such as battery charging, WiFi, hot shower, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, laundry, snacks, desserts, etc. are considered your personal expenses and you need to pay them separately. We recommend approximately USD 10 - USD 15 per person per day for your personal expenses on the trek (in equivalent Nepalese currency). This amount will cover basic expenses on average.

Battery charging is available on the trek. Most places will charge you a fee to charge your devices and it's usually between USD 3 to USD 5 for a full charge. Once you go higher, the electricity is based on solar power which will have limited capacity and may not be able to charge large devices such as laptops and power banks. Please note that in case the sun is not strong, solar charging may not be available.

Drinking water can be arranged in various ways. The best and most recommended way is to purify natural spring water using Steripen, chlorine, or iodine. This is safe to drink as well as best for the environment. In addition, bottled water is also available to buy in most places. This may not be perfect for the environment but it's a quick and easiest solution. Boiled water is also available to purchase and it usually costs between USD 1 to USD 3 for a liter.

Transportation on the Trek

Airport transfers are provided complimentary without any extra charges. We provide different vehicles based on the group size. It will be private transportation.

Most part of the Annapurna Circuit trek is covered by road access however we will use the transportation only until the starting point of the trek, in the middle to avoid walking on the dirt, and at the end to return to Kathmandu. The first part of the transportation from Kathmandu to Besisahar will be a public/local bus. The second part of the transportation from Jomsom to Tatopani will be a shared jeep or a local bus and the third part of the journey from Nayapul to Pokhara will be again on a private vehicle. We will drive back to Kathmandu on a tourist bus however it's also possible to fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu at an additional fee.

Staff for Annapurna Circuit Trekking

We provide government-trained and licensed trekking guides with first-aid knowledge. This ensures your safety throughout the journey. Our employees are well-mannered and maintain excellent relationships with our valued customers. Our employees make a wonderful gestures to our customers. Our employees are well-treated by the company, and they are insured for NPR 1 million, which is nearly double the government-recommended amount.

Similarly, our porters are fairly treated and respected for their hard work. A porter may carry no more than 20-25 kilos on the trek and may be shared by two people if the total combined weight is less than 25 kilos. The Annapurna Circuit Trek includes difficult and narrow path walks, we advise our clients to maintain their porter-bag weight to a minimum and to avoid carrying unnecessary items that they may not need on the trail.