Express Annapurna Circuit Trek

Add Ons

Accommodation Upgrade in Kathmandu and Pokhara

The Himalayan Adventure team has prearranged your Kathmandu and Pokhara accommodation in general, yet pleasing and clean three-star hotels on a double-sharing room basis.

However, you can also choose to uplift your stay to a single private room, or to a more lavish and styled four or five-star hotel in these cities. By paying a little extra fee, this luxurious arrangement can be made, with which your stay in Kathmandu and Pokhara will be more elegant and grand.

Known for their excellent world-class utilities, safety, and staff service, these hotels will simply add an extra flavor of thrill and comfort to your already adventurous express journey.

If the upgrade option intrigues you, then please reach out to us ahead of time so we can finalize your accommodation arrangements based on your desire in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Transportation Upgrade with Private Jeep

For the authentic raw mountain adventure on our express Annapurna Circuit trek, we have decided to manage all your ground transportation via local bus and shared jeep.

However, the roads in the mountains of Nepal are not entirely asphalted. This can be invigorating, but at the same time, long and extremely fatiguing as well.

If you seek to have a more convenient, short, and comfortable option, then we can also manage a private jeep or bus ride for you from Kathmandu to Besisahar to Chame.

A private transfer means a more flexible schedule, shorter traveling hours, and an intimate impression of the route of the Annapurna. However, please understand that opting for a private ride will cost you an added fee.

Transportation Upgrade with a flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu

Instead of a prolonged 7 to 8 hour long travel from Pokhara to Kathmandu, you can reach your destination in just half an hour and enjoy a longer stay in the Nepal capital, visiting and exploring this stunning city all day long.

For this, you need to fly rather than drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu, which will slightly increase your total 12 days express Annapurna Circuit trek cost but will offer you almost one extra day in the enchanting capital of Nepal.

Best Time for the Express Annapurna Circuit Trek

The express Annapurna Circuit trek has two perfect windows each year for its visit, which are the period of Spring extending from March to May and the autumn extending between September to November.

During these times in Annapurna, the temperatures are calmer and milder, flowers from orchids, mustard to rhododendrons are in full bloom with an explosion of bright sparkly colors, and the sky is often dazzling with brilliant blue clearness.

Particularly in April and May, the Annapurna mountains welcome the melting snow. However, the temperature may suddenly shift from quite warm sun to unexpectedly cold and windy evenings and nights.

On the other hand, autumn time brings a romantic ambiance, cool air, and golden trees amid the lofty snowy peaks.

Summer (June through August) and winter (December through February) express that the Annapurna Circuit trek is also possible, but be wary of the monsoon rain and floods in summer and extreme cold in winter.

How challenging is the express Annapurna Circuit trek Itinerary?

The 12 days express Annapurna Circuit trek is labeled as a category II medium mountain hiking adventure with the maximum heightening altitude reaching 5416 m at Thorong La Pass.

The overall journey, therefore, remains approachable both for the experienced and inexperienced backpackers who are fit, healthy, determined, and resilient.

Our express Annapurna Circuit trek itinerary has been carefully composed so it remains within reach for every age group and every level of adventurer, with well-placed rest days and well-planned hiking duration each day.

However, it is still significant to understand that although the trek is reachable to all levels of hikers, the overall journey will be varied, long, and with certain risks that often come with any mountain expedition.

The challenges of the higher elevation, undulating mountain and alpine terrain, the long hours of extended trekking each day, traversing the high air suspended bridges, and climbing the steep ascending and descending hilly path will not be an easy feat.

Particularly, the day of overcoming the overwhelming heights of the Thorong La Pass will be specifically tiring, long, and hard with the demand of facing a 1600 m sharp descent.

However, the comforting warmth of the lodges, nourishing organic meals, and our thoughtful arrangements of the travel logistics will certainly make your express Annapurna Circuit trek an effortless adventure.

Who does the 12 Days Express Annapurna Circuit Trek suit? Are there any contraindications against the trip?

Considering the elevation and the associated challenges of the 12 days express Annapurna Circuit trek, this trek is more comfortable and suitable for seasoned travelers and backpackers who are accustomed to such adventure and the demands presented by it.

However, new backpackers from 15 years old and above can also participate in this trek if they have the needed strength, dedication, health, and love for walking amid the grandeur of the high cliffs and mountains of Nepal.

Please note that your strength and commitment to trekking will be tested more often by the Annapurna, specifically on the day of the Thorong La Pass crossing.

Still, the trail throughout the expedition is technically manageable with no requirement for any hiking gear or equipment. The route marching towards the pass summit will be partly snow-covered but passable.

However, for people who have circulatory, muscle, skeletal, and respiratory disorders and have some joint issues is advised to take their doctor’s advice before deciding to participate in our express Annapurna Circuit trek.

Altitude Sickness/AMS and the Placement of Acclimatization

The altitude sickness will be the foremost concern in our express Annapurna Circuit trek, where the average altitude you will be on most parts of the trail will occur between 3000 to 4000 m.

The diminished level of pressure and oxygen in the Himalaya air is the stimulating factor for the physical condition called the Acute Mountain Sickness/AMS/altitude sickness.

Since the human body needs proper acclimating time to get acquainted with such varied air conditions, our express Annapurna Circuit trek itinerary has therefore properly placed a rest day in Manang, followed by short hikes before reaching the ultimate height of the Thorong La Pass.

However, even all these precautionary measures may not prevent the AMS in some trekkers, which often presents itself through the physical symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, insomnia, vertigo, shortness of breath, sleep trouble, and appetite loss.

In the appearance of these physical signs, you must stop your progress and give yourself some time to rest and hydrate. Take Diamox, Aspirin, or Ibuprofen to symptomatically relieve these symptoms. If the condition doesn’t improve, it is often advised to go down by a minimum of 500 m.

Please be worry-free on our express Annapurna Circuit trek as our guide following and guiding you is not only efficient but also well-trained in managing AMS promptly.

For prevention, always ensure you begin your day with a glass of water and keep on taking a sip during the trek. Include ginger, lemon, and garlic in your everyday diet, and always rest and sleep for longer hours.

Type of Training you should focus on for the Express Annapurna Circuit Trek

Our express Annapurna Circuit trek will certainly present a greater challenge and demand more effort than the standard Annapurna Circuit trek because the journey is faster and shorter.

It means more walking to complete the trek within a short amount of time, more need for strength, fitness, and power. For this purpose, we suggest you begin training yourself physically for this trek minimum one to two months before your trek departure date.

Even regular and normal physical activities such as walking, sprinting, running, cycling, stair climbing, swimming, squats, pull-ups, push-ups, planks, and Pilates, along with playing sports, will prepare you for the strain of the journey.

However, do not pressure yourself with immense exercises, and also focus on taking regular breaks in between. Later, you can proceed to more complex exercises, such as skipping for longer hours, to train your heart and legs.

You can also run along the uphill terrain and then progress with the real hiking trip to the beautiful destination in your home.

Express Annapurna Circuit Trek vs Standard Annapurna Circuit Trek

The Express Annapurna Circuit Trek is the fastest, shortest, and quickest way to experience the grand route that circles the stunning Annapurna range. It is, in fact, the shorter version of the traditional Annapurna Circuit trek that is designed to be completed in just 12 days, unlike the standard Annapurna Circuit trek that often needs 17 to 21 days to complete.

Therefore, the main difference between the express and the standard Annapurna Circuit trek is their duration and, of course, the experience, which is more intense in the express Annapurna Circuit trek.

The traditional Annapurna Circuit trek requires overnight stays for longer nights compared to the express trek. However, the express Annapurna Circuit trek is more demanding as the challenge of completing the entire trail within a limited time frame exists.

Therefore, the express Annapurna Circuit trek necessitate more intense and active preparation and training than the standard trek.

On the other hand, the standard Annapurna Circuit trek lasts up to 21 days, including rest and exploration days in between. Thus, it is more restful, easier, and manageable than the express trek, but the gear needed will be extensive.

A larger backpack may be needed to carry extra clothing, a sleeping bag, and other essential items for the trekking.

In summary, the express Annapurna Circuit trek focuses on a similar experience of the Annapurna that is concentrated in a shorter time frame of 12 days, which prioritizes intensity over time.

Sleeping and Eating

The Himalayan Adventure Treks will preorganize all your logistics for the 12 days express Annapurna Circuit trek. Your two nights in Kathmandu and one night in Pokhara will be arranged in a double-sharing large room of a very reputable three-star hotel, where you will have a hot shower in your own bathroom along with WiFi and charging.

On the Annapurna trail, the mountain lodges, which are commonly called the tea houses, will offer you a shelter, a warm organic meal, along with a genuine local experience.

Don’t expect excessive luxury, but of course, you can expect to have your own double room with a personal bath, toilet, and shower. However, in Thorong Phedi and Muktinath, you will have to settle in the more rudimentary tea houses.

In terms of your eating arrangements, all meal costs (breakfast, lunch, and dinner except for drinks) are part of the express Annapurna Circuit trek total cost while on the trek, but in Kathmandu and Pokhara, lunch and dinner will have to be seen to by yourself.

Dal Vat power will be omnipresent along with dishes like momo, noodles, eggs, breads, and chapatis. In some tea houses, you can even order continental dishes as well.

Transportation

Concerning your transportation, your arrival and departure transfers will be taken care of through our private 4WD, while all the ground transports during the express Annapurna Circuit trek will be conducted through a local public bus.

A shared bus or jeep will be organized for your short transfer between Besisahar and Chame, while the final leg of the trip will be completed with a Jomsom-Pokhara flight and a tourist bus journey from Pokhara to Kathmandu.

Travel Insurance

Please know that the travel insurance has been placed as a mandatory component for each remote mountain trekking journey in Nepal, including the express Annapurna Circuit trek.

Only after showing your proper policy paper will we be able to get the permits that will allow us to trek inside the Annapurna Conservation Area around Mount Annapurna.

This guideline for each trekker has been practiced for comprehensive safety and security. The remote mountain trails in Nepal are prone to natural calamities, sudden transition of the weather, occurrence of any unfavorable incidents and injuries, along with severe AMS.

The inaccessibility of the asphalted roads often therefore necessitates the helicopter transport in times of any urgency, which on a personal level can be highly expensive to your wallet.

Therefore, for the express Annapurna Circuit trek, the right travel insurance means it should allow for the helicopter evacuation up to 5500 m mountain altitude, along with the medical and accidental support.

The validity period of your insurance should also be active till your stay in Nepal. We would also suggest that you add miscellaneous support and coverage, which includes theft, delays, loss, and assistance for extended stays.

Permits for the Express Annapurna Circuit Trek Itinerary

For the express Annapurna Circuit trek, two permits will be needed, which the Himalayan Adventure Treks team will purchase before starting the trek at the Nepal Tourism Office in Kathmandu or the Pokhara Tourist Office. Please make sure to give us at least four passport photos for the permits.

• Trekker’s Information Management System (TIMS): cost for foreign trekkers is NPR 2000 per individual
• Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): cost for foreign trekkers is NPR 3000 per individual

Our guide will keep these permits safe for you, or you can also carry them, or if necessary, take a photo of them so you can show them quickly during checks at various checkpoints on the trail.