Annapurna Circuit Options & Recommendations.

This is specifically for those of you thinking about heading up there (obviously highly recommended!)... otherwise, I'd just skip this entry.

There are many, many options in doing the Annapurna Circuit... short, long, cold, or warm... it's up to you where you want to go.

What we did was the Annapurna Circuit plus the Annapurna Sanctuary (or Annapurna Base Camp) hike. This adds a few days to the Annapurna Circuit hike, but you get to head up to base camp where you get a pretty amazing view of Annapurna I. The first section takes 2 weeks… from Besi Sahar (a 8 hour bus ride from Kathmandu) to Jomsom, where a small airstrip ferries folks out of the area. This is a great option if you are limited in time… as you get amazing views, go past waterfalls, hot springs, and Throng La (one of the highest passes in the world). Also, from Jomsom for a few days you are hiking along a dirt road that buses and jeeps pass by. So this part really can be skipped… I’d hop on the bus if I went back there… The Annapurna Sanctuary adds another week to the trip, but you are rewarded with an amazing view of Annapurna I, which you don’t really get to appreciate from the Circuit hike. However, the villages on this hike are seasonal, compared to the ones on the Circuit which have been there for 100s of years… so the Sanctuary is lacking a bit of that exotic culture and temples you get on the Circuit.

Recommended options… If I were to go back, I’d love to head into Mustang. This would require an additional 10 days or so from Muktinath, and a spendy (500$) permit. However, the Mustang region is where traditional Tibetans live in their way. Tibetans come to the Mustang to see how they used to live… the villages in the Mustang Valley have been located there for 100s of years and the way of life has been preserved…

Things to Take:

• SteriPen - this would have been grand. There are some refill stations, but for the most part you are drinking your own treated water, or worse, buying bottled water... I probably wouldn't take a filter... it'd be a pain.
  
• A mouse trap - the worst night of my sleep was because a tiny mouse crawled over my face the whole night. I got it in the morning though...
• Gore-tex socks - if you are going to wear running shoes (which I recommend)
  
• Sun Screen, lip balm, sunglasses, sun hat - it's sunny, and harsh up high... (we saw plenty of burnt folks... and getting it on the trail becomes difficult...
  
• iPod - obviously up to you, but I enjoyed listening to music, or audiobooks (into thin air) while walking... you have plenty of 8+ hour days, so an ipod is a savior. Most teahouses charge you a small fee to charge your ipod... so if you really want to get tech-ed out, you can bring a solar charger as well.
  
• A book, or two... most folks get up early, and go to sleep early... but there's plenty of down time.
• Gore-tex running shoes - would be nice...
• flip-flops... or something to change into at night.
• games (cards, dice, chess...) these things are nice... once again, you have plenty of down time.
• Poncho - we took a sil-nylon poncho with us which was perfect. A full on jacket may be too hot...

Books to read

• The everest books are better written... and are fun when staring at the 8000 m peaks above... like Into Thin Air, The Climb, Left for Dead... there are more too... but wait til you get to Kathmandu, it'll be much cheaper there than home.
• Annapurna - was a bit dry.
  

In Kathmandu

• you can pick up decent maps, cheap guidebooks (we had the trailblazer and the Lonely Planet... both came in handy), books, sunglasses, and all sorts of imitation clothing.
• Get to the permit office early... like 30 min before they are open. Or just have a trekking company get you one for a few $ more.
  

On the Trail

• Go through Upper Pisang
• Spend a night in Braka instead of passing it by and doing 2 at Manang... Braka was one of my favorite places.
• Head up to Tilcho lake if the weather holds
• From Muktinath, take the high route through Jhong to Kagbeni (you'll have to ask around for directions)
• Snickers, chocolate is plentiful on the entire route, don't worry about packing it all in.
• Food is good... I'd stay away from the meat and dairy though.
• From Kagbeni to Tatopani, you can take the bus... the trail isn't that great along the road here... but Morphe and Tukche are nice towns.
• Guide?/ Porter? up to you... read the last blog on this issue. Cheap and convenient, but you may lose a bit of freedom. Though if you head to Mustang, you have to take one.
• Spend a night or two in Muktinath or Kagbeni
• Plan for extra days... weather, injury, altitude all add up and most folks need an extra day or two. And even if you don't, you can just use it and relax at Muktinath, or Kagbeni...
• Look for lightening bugs at Tatopani
• if you are a single female... join a group, or find some partners before you take off in Thammel... we felt completely safe, but we did meet a lady who was attacked when some folks tried to steal her bag.