Question 1

1. Should you go with a trekking guide in Annapurna?

Accepted Answer

You can trek in the Annapurna Conservation Area without a guide. In fact, I said as much in the story of the third day. The paths are marked, if you know what to look for. They mainly connect villages, rather than going out into the wilderness. Even during the monsoon, I met up with other travellers along the way – including one who trekked solo to Poon Hill – who went in without a guide. And this is fine if nothing goes wrong.

However, the value of a local trekking guide comes in when things do not go fine. Numerous times in my trek, it was made more comfortable or safer because of my guide’s local knowledge and preparation.

The monsoon brings additional challenges to the trek. She could get near real-time news from guesthouses, locals and other guides on the condition of trails, and whether the monsoon had made any of them impassable that day. She could range ahead for help if needed, and could call for help more effectively. The higher you go and the further away from the farmed areas of Annapurna, the more it is a good idea to trek with a guide. Especially if you are trekking solo.

Besides, it’s much more fun to trek with a local! And it is a way to make your trip more sustainable, by supporting local guiding professions. In my case with the 3 Sisters – female livelihood as well!

Question 2

2. How many days does a trek in Annapurna take?

Accepted Answer

Trekking in Annapurna isn't entirely dedicated to reaching a single peak. There is a trek to the ABC Camp where you can view the peak. But there are many other types of treks in Annapurna as well. You have more choice in Annapurna for the length of trek you have time for, and your desired difficulty level. (Although bear in mind, it is the Himalayas, so it won't be all gentle angles!) As an indication of the range, truly fit, acclimatised trekkers can do the ABC trek over a weekend, when it is normally recommended to be done over 10 days for altitude safety reasons. And of course, depending on the kind of trek you choose, and its length, this will vary the length as well. There are options to cater for a short 3 days, all the way up to 2 weeks. That said, if you have the option, my tip is to spend time to trek slowly than to trek further. Put as much time as you can afford to the trek. This is quite possible in Annapurna, because you won't be pitching camp every night, and won't need to carry extra supplies for the extra days. Instead, you'll be staying in guesthouses in villages along the way. Aside from the monsoon rains making the trails more of a drudgery, you'll want to linger in the amazing fantasy forests and alpine summer plateau - and you should. You'll want to linger in the guesthouses and perhaps browse a little bit, take photos, try yak cheese - and you should. Give yourself time to enjoy the things along the way to the mountain. And finally, don't forget that you will need a few altitude acclimatisation days in Pokhara, especially if you're arriving from a low altitude location. This isn't part of the trek, but it will count into how many days your overall trip will take.

Question 3

3. Is there safe drinking water in Annapurna?

Accepted Answer

Annapurna is really a series of mountain villages. The villages usually have mountain spring water piped to a public tap, which is safe to drink. For the convenience of trekkers, you can also get filtered water refills at ‘safe drinking water stations‘.

However, it is also a good idea to just bring the ability to make your own potable water. Whether this is a portable water filter, which is what I did, or a Steripen or chlorine tablets, there’s nothing so empowering as this. And nowadays, this is really easy to do.

I chose a portable water filter because you can effectively make unlimited amounts of potable water. Nowadays, the options are so small and light, it’s like nothing in the backpack. And the Sawyer, which is what I chose, is so fast that it is literally more convenient than finding a shop to buy bottled water. Even if I weren’t already actively avoiding plastic bottled water, it literally made the chore of buying drinking water completely redundant.

Question 4

4. Tips about trekking boots in Annapurna

Accepted Answer

Although you won't be wilderness camping in Annapurna, you will still be crossing Himalayan wilderness. So of course, you will need good trekking boots, and they need to be broken in beforehand. Don't come trekking in Annapurna with brand new boots!Good boots is generally good trekking advice anyway. It's just that with the monsoon river crossings when you could encounter raging streams and fast-flowing waterfalls, the advice goes double. My own boots were probably a little on the worn side during my trip. I had wanted to take the elderly guide's advice and offer, in Pokhara. But it was kind of late to be changing boots, and thankfully mine did the job after all. But indeed, the soles were slippy on the wet rock crossings because they were not really meant for serious trekking - light hiking, maybe. If you need to get a pair at the last minute, Pokhara has a secondhand market of trekking equipment. You may find a suitable pair at a very good price.

Question 5

5. How cold does it get at night in Annapurna?

Accepted Answer

This answer will be about how cold Annapurna nights are during the summer monsoon. The short answer is that it depends on how high you're trekking. Even for someone who hates the cold like me, I only truly felt the nights were chilling cold when we were up in the Annapurna Sanctuary. It also depends on the guesthouse you're staying in. Most Annapurna guesthouses are not insulated like a modern building. But the blankets are also very thick and warm, If you stay at the better guesthouses, in the monsoon you should not be competing for beds - and most importantly, blankets. Double up on blankets at the higher altitudes and you would not need more than that. Now, for those with no cold resistance whatsoever. Do you need a thermal sleeping bag in the summer?The monsoon summer season is almost warm enough for me to trek all the way up to the base camp, wearing thermals and layering as if for winter for the upper levels. At night, I used a thermal sleeping liner when the blanket was insufficient, and it was enough. I did bring a thermal sleeping bag (well, my porter did). But I only needed it at ABC Camp, which is at the very top. So unless you're like me, you shouldn't need a thermal sleeping bag in the monsoon season, especially if you're not doing the ABC trek.

Question 6

6. What is the most worthwhile thing to bring on a monsoon trek in Annapurna?

Accepted Answer

Extra socks. You could stay reasonably dry from top to bottom with good waterproofs, and if you brought truly waterproof pants (unlike me). At worst, you could avail yourself of the local bin bag poncho and skirt solution.

But you will certainly have wet socks, no matter how good your boots are. Nothing makes you more miserable than not having dry socks to sleep in, even if you could bring yourself to put the damp socks back on for the trek every day.

Dry socks – even if only temporarily dry – is such a mood booster in the monsoon, for such a small thing in your backpack!

Question 7

7. Should you bring extra power banks in Annapurna?

Accepted Answer

One of the things I was paranoid about, was running out of battery on my camera phone, and being unable to record incredible things (because as we all know, according to Sod’s Law, the incredible things will happen subsequent to your camera being out of battery). I once encountered a majestic school of bumphead parrotfish, stately as a herd of mastodons, right after my snorkelling camera’s battery died.

I was not sure if I could easily recharge either phones or power banks at the guesthouses. Long story short, I brought three power banks, not including my flashlight which could also double as a power bank. And a universal adaptor that could take several USB connections, in case I needed to share the socket with other travellers. That was… overkill.

Now, in the peak season, it may not be. But in the monsoon, there is a lot of vacancy in the guesthouses. In fact, some guesthouses don’t open for guests at all in the rainy season. The guesthouses I stayed at also have universal sockets already, so you don’t actually need to bring an adaptor, though I’m too paranoid to not have at least one.

So, yes to power banks. But they’re heavy, and a couple of power banks is enough for contingencies and convenience. In fact, just one will do, if you’re cool with not really taking pictures. I was mostly on airplane mode during the day, because the signal isn’t very strong in the wilderness anyway, and I didn’t want the phone to waste battery trying to connect.

Question 8

8. Waterproofing: don't forget your camera

Accepted Answer

It goes without saying that you need waterproof gear to trek in Annapurna during the monsoon. However, it's not just the waterproof clothing and backpack cover and footwear that you need to think about. Do make your primary camera as waterproof as you can. The monsoon can be relentless with rain, and you won't be able to record any of the gorgeous monsoon scenery if your camera cannot cope with the wet.

Question 9

9. Prepare for leeches. Lots and lots of leeches.

Accepted Answer

During the summer, there will be leeches along the trails. They're pretty much harmless though, just super annoying and a little bit itchy afterward. If they have fed and fall off on their own, it's supposed to itch less. Now, I'm not saying you need to trek in a Hazmat suit. However, similar principles apply. Tuck tops into pants, and pants into socks. That sort of thing. The leeches will get in if you don't. They are resourceful little buggers. Be prepared to flick them off your clothes, hair, forehead, and from inside your bra.

Question 10

10. For God's sake bring Tiger Balm!

Accepted Answer

Really, whatever medication or salves that you need to keep your joints and muscles going, bring enough of it for the whole trek, and then some. If you need to get anything at the last minute, get them before the trek in Pokhara, or Nayapul. Otherwise, be prepared to re-supply at Chomrong, as the other pharmacies may not open in the monsoon. If you're a novice trekker, trekking in the Himalayas will probably stretch you beyond your usual hikes. There will be muscles strained you didn't know about. For myself, I really ought not have underestimated the effect of my trekking diet on my knees. It made the last three days of the trek much less enjoyable than the way up. Also, vote yes on good alpine trekking poles. They are very lightweight, and trekking poles could be a godsend for your knees.

How to Trek in Annapurna During the Monsoon

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