The peak experience of this trip is trekking to Annapurna Base Camp, the refuge below the 10th highest mountain in the world . We’ve chosen a 10 day itinerary, giving ourselves time to take in the scenery and culture and give enough time to rest and acclimatise to the altitude gradually.
Each trekking day will be between 5-7 hours of walking. There will be plenty of rest stops along the way including a hot lunch every day. On the final day we treat ourselves with a visit to local natural hot springs.

The Annapurna range is located in central Nepal, near the popular lakeside town of Pokhara.
But first! We’ll start our tour in the central hub of the capital Kathmandu, where there will be chance to see the most popular sights and landmarks with our own tour female tour guide from 3 Sisters.

The next day we’ll take a bus transfer by the famous highway linking the two towns – with some free time to explore Pokhara lake and do any last minute shopping. We’ll stay in the 3 Sisters guest House where we’ll receive a final briefing before the trek.

This trip is almost all-inclusive, with a few meals you can purchase for yourself on free/rest days. There is more info below on what is and isn’t included in the FAQS.

Here is the full itinerary below:

What’s Included?
– All food listed in the itinerary above
– All accommodation in 3* hotels, Guest Houses and Teahouses
– All transfers and transport around Nepal
– Tour guide in Kathmandu
– Day tour of Kathmandu
– Trekking guides for the trek
– Porters: 1 porter between 2 people (13kg max weight limit)
– Duffel bag for the porter
– Sleeping bag hire
– Annapurna Park entry, TIMS fees
– Local taxes and conservation fees
– trekking map

What’s NOT Included?
– Flights (we meet in Kathmandu)
– Tips (recommended $120-150pp to then share between all guides and porters)
– Mineral water (see FAQs on water)
– Drinks other than water
– Desserts
– Wifi, battery charging, hot water (small fee in high teahouses)
– Souvenirs
– Any entrance fee to cultural sites like a monastery or temple
– Your own travel insurance (mandatory)
– Trekking gear (we will send a full kit list)

FAQS

What’s the hiking like? We’d give the trekking a 3.5/5 difficulty rating.  Each day’s walking is between 5-7 hours following the Nepalese mantra of ‘bistara bistara’ which means, slowly slowly. We take our time as we gain altitude to give our bodies the chance to adapt to the change in altitude. The terrain is mostly forest trails, dirt paths and lots of stone stops. And of course, what goes up must come down – so expect undulating routes where will be ascending and descending every day.  You’ll be rewarded with some seriously epic backdrops of the might Himalayas.

What about altitude? We start trekking at around 1000m above sea level and gradually over 6 days ascend to 4130m. In between we will gain and lose altitude to help our bodies acclimatise. We’ve planned a shorted acclimatisation day before summit day to give us time to rest and to adjust to the altitude. At around 4000m the risks of any acute mountain sickness is fairly minimal. You may experience, shortness of breath, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite but most people only feel mild symptoms. Our guides and UK leaders all have advanced first aid training that covers Altitude Sickness so we will be monitoring any symptoms. In the unlikely event you do experience more severe symptoms, there are options to descend to thicker air or to stay at lower altitude. Our free breathwork for altitude training will help you prepare in advance, and you can also buy ‘Diamox’ in Kathmandu or Pokhara which helps alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness.

Can I Drink the water? In short, no. We don’t recommend drinking the tap water or even the mountain water. HOWEVER, in order to reduce plastic waste, we prefer you not to buy bottled water either. We recommend bringing a water filter bottle such as GRAYL Geopress. You can use your own filter press to purify water. 1 between 2-3 people is enough to share purified water without excessive weight. You can also buy Aquatabs in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Aquatabs are small iodine tablets that purify tap and mountain water making it drinkable after 10-20 minutes. A great solution that it lightweight and cheap. You can also buy filtered water on the trail.

What’s the weather like? The temperature in the mountains is very changeable. During the days expect sunshine and temperatures of 20+ degrees, especially lower down. However at night the temperature drops and can range from 2-5 degrees at lower altitude to 0 to -8 degrees at higher altitudes. We will provide a full recommended kit list to give you plenty of time to prepare for all eventualities. Sunrises and sunsets are beautiful at this time of year taking on pink and orangey tones. The sun is strong in the mountains so you will need sun protection in the form of a hat, UV sunglasses and suncream.

Do we have porters, what do I carry each day? Yes, included in the package is 1 porter between 2 people. Porters have a max weight limit of 13kgs, so you will be able to give the porters a good percentage of your belongings so that you only need to carry a small day bag with essentials, such as camera, water, snacks, extra layers, suncream and any personal medications, etc. If you anticipate bringing a lot more belonging on the trail there will be the opportunity to pay for an extra porter, which you can arrange with 3 Sisters directly.

Packing – is there a weight limit? Yes, we recommend a limit for two reasons. 1) 3 Sisters are one of the only companies to operate an ethical porter employment system where they do not overload porters and thus have strict weight limits. As above the weight limit for porters is max 12kg for women and 15kg for men, which means if you bring a lot of things, you will be carrying more weight. We will provide a full kit list and top tips on how to pack light and what you do and don’t need.

What’s the food like? Dal Bhat Power! Nepalese food on the trek is simple, but nutritious. Given the remoteness the choice is actually quite varied. Typically menu choices look like: Dal bhat (Nepalese mixed platter of rice, lentils, curry, friend greens, pickle), fried rice, friend noodles, momos (classic nepalese dumplings), potato rostis, omelettes, pancakes, bread and curry, pizza, chips, soups, sandwiches, mixed vegetables. For breakfasts there are options with cooked eggs, toast, bread, nepalese curry, pancakes, fruit and tibetan fried bread. Food is not spicy, but you can add chilli if you like it hot. You can buy dessert too! There are some incredible dessert option including apple pies, deep-fried snickers, sweet momos, fruit salad. Along the route there are shops selling snacks such as fruit, chocolate, crisps, nuts as well as teas, coffees and soft drinks.

What’s the accommodation like? In Kathmandu we will stay in a 3* hotel in a great central tourist location in Thamel. This hotel will include a continental and Nepalese breakfast buffet, western high standard bathroom and bedroom with all towels and linens. In Pokhara we will stay in the 3 Sisters Guesthouse, where breakfast is also provided as well as high standard guest house style accommodation with towels linens and good western bathrooms. On the trek we will always stay in teahouses – NO CAMPING. Teahouses are traditional Nepalese guest houses and have twin or triple rooms all with beds and bedding. We will also provide -15 sleeping bags to help keep you toasty at higher altitudes. All teahouses have a central common room with fire where you can be toasty warm and chat and share stories with fellow trekkers. The bedrooms are not heated but the duvet and sleeping bags keep you warm overnight. Some rooms at lower altitudes may have attached bathrooms, but otherwise there are shared bathroom facilities with hot showers and western toilets. Only at the higher altitude houses are Asian squat toilets, as you can imagine it is a feat in itself to get all of that infrastructure up there let alone a poor sherpa carrying a full western toilet and cistern! In our experience all toilets and showers are basic but kept very clean.

What travel and transfers are included? Flights are not included, you must organise your own flight to and from Kathmandu. Transfer to the start hotel and from the finish hotel are included; we will need to know your flight details to organise a pick up/drop off with the hotel staff.

Can I wash myself and my clothes on the trek? Yes, everywhere we go will have showers, the higher we go the more basic they become. Most showers will be able to have hot water, which is sometimes charged extra, at usually 150-400 rupees (£2-3.50). At lower altitudes hot showers are included in the room at no extra cost.
At lower altitudes you can hand-wash your clothes and they should dry in the afternoon or by the next morning (weather dependent). There may also be an option along the way to leave laundry before heading to basecamp and collect on the way back down.

What airport do I need to fly to? Kathmandu. It is also possible to meet us in Pokhara on 23 March. Please let us know if you intend to do this.

I have dietary needs, can they be catered for? Yes, please let us know in advance and on your sign up form. All meal choices are very varied and a lot are naturally vegetarian or vegan and can also be gluten or lactose free. There will always be several options to choose from.

Can I drink alcohol? Alcohol is not provided as part of the package, however you can purchase drinks separately. The invitation with this type of trek is to embrace sobriety, to nourish your body with healthy food, look after your body and be topped up with restorative practices so that you really get the most out of the experience. Drinking alcohol at altitude is not a good idea. There are plenty of bars in Kathmandu and Pokhara to enjoy after the trek.

What level of fitness do I need for the activities? The nature of the trip requires average level of fitness. The pace is gentle but we keep going for 5-7 each day, with plenty of breaks. Whilst there is no benchmark or set times or speeds required, the routes themselves are unchangeable so we suggest being able to walk consistently for several hours at a time carrying a lightweight pack. Being able to walk up and down steps unassisted (i.e. without a handrail) is essential. It would be recommended that you are accustomed to multi-day training walks with hills. We recommend using hiking poles and to practice with them in advance. There is also opportunity to buy or hire hiking poles in Pokhara.

Do I need any breathwork experience to join the breathwork training? No, these practices are complimentary and restorative; they are facilitated by experienced practitioners who can meet you wherever you are at. The practices are aimed to aid rest and recovery and to help prepare you system for breathing air with fewer oxygen molecules. Almost anyone is capable of breathing consciously and with awareness . We will teach you practice to help with co2 tolerance, and also practices to calm your nervous system to initiate a rest and digest state so that your body recovers better from your daily activities.

What do I need to pack? We will send a pack list nearer the time.

I like to eat meat, is that available? Yes, all diets can be catered for. HOWEVER, almost all meat on the trek is actually transported from Pokhara with a long journey, limited refrigeration and storage facilities. We do not recommend eating meat past the first couple of days into the trek as it is likely to be ‘past its best’. Vegetables and eggs are abundant in the mountains as well as rice, flour and other staples, you will eat very well without meat. Meat is fine to eat in both Kathmandu and Pokhara, the most popular meat options are chicken or Buffalo.

Are there bugs and mosquitos? Mosquitos are minimal, however, due to the climate there can be some bitey bugs around. If you are prone to insect bites, please bring repellent.

Do I need travel? Yes. You must have travel insurance that covers trekking up to 4130m altitude. We recommend taking out insurance before you book your flights so that any flight changes or cancellations are covered by your policy. If you plan to travel further in South Asia, check the trip duration limits of your policy.

Can I charge my devices? Yes. Power at lower altitude teahouses is generally free. We recommend bringing a power bank and keeping it fully charged especially at lower altitudes. At higher altitudes there may be power for set hours only, or a small fee to charge your phone or power bank during the evening.

How much spending money do I need. The cost of living in Nepal is very cheap, and you can withdraw Nepalese rupees at cash machines in Nepal in Pokhara

What if I need to cancel? Deposits are 100% non-refundable unless the camp is cancelled by Bike Where You Like or our local suppliers. If not already paid, the full cost of the trip will be invoiced 6 months in advance and is non-refundable 120 days before commencement. If you cannot make it, you can transfer your place to another person, we can help advertise your spot. If another person buys your place, then you can get your deposit or trip costs back.
Please let us know asap at bikewhereyoulike@gmail.com if you cannot make it.

How exactly does 3 Sisters empower women? You can read all about their story here: https://www.3sistersadventuretrek.com/company/about-us  They have full transparency on where and how funds are distributed. This includes: training and education, donations to social enterprises, insurance and taxes, fair wages for guides and porters, insurance and health insurance for their staff, apprenticeships and job placements, english classes and ongoing support. By choosing to partner with 3 Sisters you are also helping to support and empower women of Nepal and the ripple effect that that has.