Introduction & Preperation for the Annapurna Circuit Track

Introduction

When I was 12 years old, my father went hiking in Nepal with a friend. Back then, I thought hiking was boring and pointless, I’d much rather play with friends or play hockey than slowly move through nature. But when I look back at all the great vacations I took with my family, the days we spent on long, beautiful hikes through stunning mountains are the ones I remember best.

By the time I finally grew up and discovered in South America that hiking in nature is one of the most beautiful things in life, I started dreaming about a similar adventure in Nepal.

In November 2023, that dream became a reality. I had found the Annapurna Circuit Track (ACT) as my base, but I hadn’t arranged anything yet when I arrived in Kathmandu at the beginning of November. I love traveling without planning everything in advance. So, as soon as I landed in Kathmandu, I found myself in a loop of taxi drivers and trekking guide sellers that was hard to escape.
Tip #1: Say you’ve already arranged everything when you arrive at the airport—but actually, don’t arrange a thing.

Preparation

Despite the new rules requiring a guide in Nepal, this is absolutely not necessary for the ACT. In fact, I’d advise against it if you want to enjoy nature on your own terms. My preparation consisted of reading blogs and Facebook groups from others who had recently completed the ACT.

I took the seemingly endless bus ride to Pokhara, which felt like an oasis of calm compared to Kathmandu. There, I bought some last-minute supplies and stored my unnecessary belongings in a hostel. I also mapped out the route and saved all the villages along the way in the Maps.me app. I’ll add a Strava link for each day so you can follow my route as well.

What I Packed:

• 3 running shirts

• 2 running shorts

• 1 long hiking pants (bought in Pokhara)

• 2 sweaters

• 1 lightweight windbreaker

• 2 long-sleeve base layers

• 1 pair of gloves

• 1 beanie

• 1 pair of running shoes

• 1 energy bar per hiking day (Snickers, Bounty, and Nature Valley)

• 2 boxes of water purification tablets

• 4 pairs of socks