Answers to questions about the trek "Around Annapurna"

It’s better to go to both and compare)) The route to Base Camp is lower by as much as 1000 meters (maximum altitude 4000, not 5000) and therefore it’s warmer, more greenery and oxygen. Therefore, this route is more suitable for beginner trekkers. And on the track “around Annapurna” it is colder and harsher, but there is a more exotic ethnographic component: the kingdom of Mustang, Buddhist monasteries and Tibetan tribes. I like both routes:)

Insurance must include evacuation by helicopter. This is rarely written about in policies, so you need to call the insurance company and find out. And of course, the type of trip “active recreation” (and not beach tourism) must be indicated in the policy.

At the top (this zone will last 3-4 days) it will be approximately -5 at night and +5 during the day. At night it can be -1 in the shelter rooms

Sandals - any. The sock is not important. And in general, sandals are not important. Replaceable shoes are not a required piece of equipment at all. In addition to boots, you can take slippers, Crocs, lightweight sneakers, or nothing at all.

Since Bardia is located in the west, it would be logical to go there directly from Pokhara, without returning to Kathmandu. But keep in mind that such a long journey in Nepal is torture. It might be worth traveling to Bardia by plane. It will be much easier to get to Chitwan National Park.

Yes, mobile phone coverage is more or less available throughout most of the Annapurna Trek. However, it cannot be called stable - bad weather and even simple clouds can greatly affect the signal level.

You can buy a SIM card right at the airport. To do this, you will need a photo of any passport size and 10-20 bucks (in rupees).

Usually upon arrival we exchange for rupees at 350 bucks per person. This is enough for food, attractions, and other local expenses. Another hundred and fifty can be left in dollars to pay for transfers. Well, take a couple hundred bucks just in case. In total, you must have at least $500.

Yes, we get a visa at Kathmandu airport. The entire process of opening a Nepal visa is described in detail in this article.

Yes, and we start very early - departure from the hotel around 6 am. In general, our daily routine will be quite correct - early bedtime and early rise.

Yes, in Kathmandu we usually stay in the same hotel. The tour organizer (i.e. us) centrally books rooms for participants. The hotel is inexpensive, but quite suitable for living. If you want to stay the night in a more glamorous place, there is a higher class (and price) establishment directly opposite our hotel. 

Don't take a tent. You can take everything, and then think carefully and leave the excess in the hotel storage room))

It seems to me that 80 liters is a bit much. It all depends on how much stuff you pack and whether you will use the help of porters. I use a 50 liter backpack and it is almost always half empty. For Nepal (with porters!) the optimal size is probably 40 liters.

Usually tourists get about 12 kg of cargo. If you carry them yourself, a 50 liter backpack will be enough. If you give the porter 10 kg and leave 2-3 for yourself, then you can go with a tiny city backpack of 20 liters. But this scheme has its drawbacks (there is nowhere to hide bulky jackets), so it is still better to take a 40-liter backpack.

There are no special requirements for boots. You can take any trekking boots. Most of the route follows good trails. And only 2 days are expected to be covered in snow - Tilicho Lake and Thorong-La Pass. Most likely the snow will be last year's, compacted. But there is a possibility that a fresh, autumn one will also fall. The pass can be slippery. It makes sense to buy the simplest ice access shoes - rubber bands with spikes.

It is advisable to take slippers - the floor there is cold. By the way, here is a detailed article about the features of soul in Nepal.  On the other hand, you can also survive without slippers.

As I already wrote, near the pass there will be -1 in the bedrooms. But since in the Himalayas, due to a lack of oxygen, the body freezes more than on regular hikes, a sleeping bag is needed not at -1, but at -10 (comfort temperature).

Yes, porters make life a lot easier. It is not necessary to give all your luggage to the porter. It is quite profitable to hire porters by sharing - one for several tourists.

Moisture protection is organized by the owner of the items. Porter has NOTHING. 

We order porters in advance and they come with us from the first day. Finding them in the middle of the route will be much more difficult and 2 times more expensive. And most importantly, the result will be less predictable, because good porters rarely sit idle in the middle of the route during the season.

We will eat at the shelters, including lunch. Shelters occur very often (every 3-4 hours on average). In shelters, in addition to “big” food from the kitchen, you can buy cookies, Snickers (from 1 to 3 bucks for a small one), and cola. It’s better to bring your own nuts (if you want). In general, there is enough food there.

From 10 to 20 dollars, depending on appetite. This article has examples of menus from Nepalese lodges, you can ask the price.

You cannot drink from streams (even the cleanest) or any taps. We buy bottled water or take it on tap at purification stations (available in every village).
But as soon as it gets colder, it’s better to stop drinking cold water altogether and focus on consuming hot drinks. To do this, I recommend that everyone have a thermos and their favorite tea leaves. Boiling water is sold in shelters.

When trekking in Nepal, the individual first aid kit in addition to standard medications should include:

• headache remedy - ibuprofen or other favorite (10-15 tablets)
• diacarb (1 blister)
• remedy for motion sickness (4-5 tablets are enough)
• favorite means of combating colds, runny nose and throat

The instructor will also have a large group first aid kit.

At the beginning and at the end of the trek we will have hard jeeping/busing for 8-10 hours straight. Even the strongest will get sick there.

Diacarb helps against mountain sickness. On the high-altitude part of the route around Annapurna, it is drunk 1-2 times a day for prevention (reducing the risk of edema) and symptomatic treatment of mountain headaches (so that the headache stops).