Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Essential Info

Physical Fitness

Most individuals wonder about the physical fitness needed to visit Nepal, and that is highly dependent on what activity the person is doing. Having said that, for a typical 7-day trek with moderate grading (Everest Base Camp is a case in point) the activity each day will be 7-8 hours, and altitude will typically not go higher than 5,500 meters. Day’s hike is more tiring and will have long steep climbs, and descents with a variety of underfoot conditions from smooth trails to ice or snowy rocks. A day would be a series of ascends or descents of 500 meters or more, starting after breakfast, resting at lunchtime, then solid trekking until arriving at the teahouse.

Before heading out for the trekking, one must start a training requirement no less than 2 months prior to leaving for Nepal. Three to four hours of aerobic activity such as running, walking, swimming, cycling & some gym work per week is a minimum and most will find it worth adding some basic strength training to their exercise regimen. One of the best methods to get in training is to take practice hikes with a daypack of roughly the same weight that you will be carrying on the trek. Only do so once a level of fitness has been achieved. Going quickly is not the goal, but rather endurance, and will be a more comfortable and safer endeavor.

Trekking Seasons in Nepal

Nepal has two seasons when it gets the highest number of tourists. Fall (September-November) is the peak and spring (March-May) the second. The summer months of June, July, and August are monsoon and thus the trails are more or less destroyed, and the roads can be impassable at times because of landslide action. And the view, well nonexistent. While, however, there are a few places that are found in rain shadow areas and receive significantly less rain if at all, summer can be a good season to visit such places like Upper Mustang and Dolpa Trek.

Nepal is dry during winter, with bitterly cold nights when temperatures drop to -20°C at their highest points, but days are warm and bright. Additionally, the trails are far less busy during this time. In Kathmandu, temperatures are no more than 20°C during the day.

Fall season is the most favorite since it’s after monsoons, and air is dry, the climate is sunny days, and all green in the lower valley due to all the rains. Spring is favorite since there is some rain again, but the climate is mostly warm and dry, and flowers bloom in the lower heights.

Trekking Day

An average day of trekking begins with tea at around 6 :30 – 7 AM in the morning. It is suggested to pack your trek accessories in a duffel bag and essentials in your daypack early in the morning. We begin treks after breakfast and proceed along the path at around 7:30 -8 am. The morning walk is scheduled to be of a longer duration as we begin with new bodies and energies. Following an excellent morning’s walk, we halt for lunch around 11.30 am. The lunch includes group meals enjoying the surroundings in and around the halt. You are at liberty to roam about or pass the time at your leisure. After resting for approximately an hour or two, we once more begin our trek to arrive at teahouse or camp by 3-4 pm. Afternoon trek is quite shorter and can have games and side excursions as planned by the trekking guides. You also can take breaks while trekking to relax, read or stroll around the area. You can mingle with the local people and observe their lifestyle. Dinner is at 7 in the evening to top the day.

Accommodations and Food

During the course of the trek, the nature of accommodation is more commonly referred to as teahouse. These are little, family-run lodges that function as the purpose of the restaurant, meeting place, and boarding house for travelers. There is electricity in the rooms, which translates to one light bulb, and a few outlets for charging gizmos. The shared spaces are also lit with electricity. Teahouses may be supplied with electric, solar, or hydroelectric lines entering the village, so the supply and prevalence of electricity will vary.

Private rooms exist in most teahouses, though if the trek is in a highland or rural region, dormitories are standard. Both rooms have 1 or 2 single beds with minimalist bedding, and the bathroom is shared. A mix of western and squat toilets are to be expected in the bathrooms.

Breakfast and dinner are consumed at the teahouse and the lodges have large family-sized dining rooms with a stove in the center to use as a heater. Western food of Nepali style will be available on the menu such as pasta, pizza, pancakes, burgers, and fries. On the menu will also be the traditional Dal Bhat meal. This is lentil soup accompanied by rice and vegetable or meat curry. A smattering of local foods will be available on most menus.

Internal Flight Delays

Nepal is a wonderful country of mountains and valleys, rivers and rolling green hills. With this wonderful landscape diversity, the road journey can be most time consuming and internal flights in Nepal to access famous trekking destinations is a necessity. With this mountainous landscape comes also the possibility of in climate weather. Not to mention the far larger than usual number of travelers in the peak season, internal flight delays are a very real possibility. To plan for this possibility, it may be helpful to add a couple of extra days on either end of your tour. If there are any flight delays or cancellations (high chances of flight delays from around Kathmandu to Lukla, Everest region), we also have services to organize helicopter to put you on your schedule on the grounds of Civil Aviation Rules in Nepal which state that helicopters can take to the skies if visibility is 1500m. The cost is between USD 500 to USD650 depending on the number of passengers. The payment can either be made to the helicopter company or directly to us and can either be in cash or by credit card. .

Travel Insurance

There are some tours and expeditions that demand the purchase of travel insurance before one even gets to Nepal, but some tours and treks do not. That said, travel insurance is certainly something one should take into account. There are several good reasons to think about insurance. First, it might be mandatory, so find out what is being demanded by the company. Second, Nepal is a landlocked nation, and there are limited direct flights. Travel to and from can face some inconveniences and if buying insurance, ensure flight cancellations and delays are covered. The second reason to opt for insurance is that, although every precaution is taken on your tour and trek, there are always mitigating factors that could lead to an accident. Read the fine print on insurance policies to ensure that trekking or whatever you are doing is covered, as some policies no longer cover trekking in certain places. Without the security of good insurance, it is impossible to enjoy a nice vacation, so do the research and choose wisely.

Nepal Visa Entry Procedure

For entry into Nepal, visas are necessary for all (excluding Indian nationals) which they must meet before entering through immigration. This is the case for air and land travel. Most tourists can get a visa in order to enter Nepal, although there are exceptions.

Three entry options

15-day single entry: US $30

30-day single entry: US $50

90-day multiple entries: US $125

Do carry a passport that has at least 6 months validity from the date of entry, and have some cash in hand, preferably US dollars, although other currencies are accepted by Nepal Immigration. If you are coming by land, carry US cash and 3 passport photos. Coming by air, airport kiosks take your photo for you.

For the most current list of visa on arrival exceptions or to obtain the most current visa details, visit the Nepal Department of Immigration website.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

Acute Mountain Sickness is normally found in un-acclimatized people shortly after arriving at high altitudes. The disease is caused by thinning of air with altitude. The condition, unless taken seriously and treated in time, may be fatal and the symptoms can be seen more or less at an altitude of over 3000 meters. Nausea, vomiting, weakness, breathlessness and headache are some of the symptoms of AMS. The treks are mapped to acclimatize you well with the fluctuation of high altitude weather and proper precautionary steps also are taken to take maximum precautions. We also equip our staffs with cell phones and satellite phones in the event of any emergencies. We are extremely motivated to be able to guarantee the security and safety of our clients as our primary focus.

Drinking Water

Water is essential, and clean water is essential when traveling on holiday. When planning to travel to less developed countries it is one aspect that any visitor should consider. Several choices do exist when trekking or traveling in Nepal that will eliminate any possibility of consuming contaminated water, which might disrupt an otherwise enjoyable adventure. The first choice to consider is that tap water should not be consumed. That even includes brushing your teeth. The majority will opt to purchase bottled water and if one does, be sure the cap has not already been opened. Plastic bottle waste is an issue, and with that being said there are alternative products available to help make water consumable. Your local outdoor shop will assist in deciding what method may be best used in addition to a refillable bottle. Your guide can also take you to purified and filtered water so ask your guide what he or she has available.

Arrival Instruction

Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, there are company representatives who will receive you to the country. We request you to carefully look for your name being held by our representatives following the events upon arrival. The representatives will be responsible for dropping you at your Kathmandu hotel. You will have men approaching you with a proposal to carry luggage and drop you off when you exit the airport. At the end they will ask you tips. However, We request that you don’t bother these people and stick to the representatives assigned to you and follow their instructions. You will also have to keep your luggage and your belongings with you so as to avoid any complications.