Travel

Hi everyone,

In mid-October, I'm heading off to Nepal for just under 3 weeks..  I'm doing an organised trip through a company and my trip consists of  7 days trekking expedition in the Annapurna region (max altitude of 3050 metres), a two day white water rafting expedition, a safari in the Chatwan National Park (by foot, elephant and canoe) and also some sightseeing in Kathmandu - can't wait!

I've never done a backpacking/adventure type holiday abroad before,s I'd be grateful for some advice from anyone who's done similar type trips re kit..

The company does give a kit list - but it's pretty generic - and dosen't give specific advice re the time of year..

Anyway, here's my questions..  any advice most appreciated!

Thermal underwear - kit list recommends taking thermal underwear...  just wondering if there's any need for it October time - particullary as I'm only going up to 3050 metres?

Mosquito Net - The kit list mentions insect repellent - but doesnt mention a mosquito net..  I'm unfortuntely prone to bad mosquito bites..  I'm guessing that Annapuran isn't too bad for mosquitos, but I'm guessing Chatwan will be rife with the damn things..  do you think it's worth taking a net, or is that something I could rent hire out there, along with the sleeping bag - to cut down on baggage?

General Question - Stupid quiestion, but on a trip like this, how many t-shirts, pairs of trousers, socks, fleeces woudl you recommend taking?  Company recommends keeping main luggage down to 10kg- 15kg, plus a daysack..  Never packed for this kind of thing before - how many items would you recommend taking?  (I think there will be oppurtunity to wash clothes)...

Any advice, gratefully apreciated!

Sean 

I don't think thermals will be essential.  But if you are camping on the trek it might be worth having a lightweight insulated jacket as well as a light fleece.

I can't remember how bad the mossies were in Chitwan.  If you're staying in a hotel/lodge, then unless it is a real cheapie I would imagine they'd have their own nets if they're necessary.  Why not ask your tour leader when you get there - if he says you'll need one just get one in KTM.  And you can hire sleeping bags (and much besides) there.  Shona's Rentals has a good reputation.

Clothing depends on how happy you are to wear things for more than one day and/or wash them.  You'd be able to get things laundered in many places for not much money.  Polyester t-shirts will dry faster than cotton ones, but may not be as comfortable.  If I were doing your trip i'd maybe take five t-shirts, five or so pairs of socks and a spare pair of trews.  Unless you're well of the beaten track you can always buy more if you need them.  See above re insulation.  Sandals and a truly waterproof bag would be handy for the rafting.

I'd consider some 'multp-purpose' items like a merino base layer - with short sleeves, they're a nice T-shirt, waerable for more than one day without offending anyone but also better than cotton if its cold.

If you don't want to go to the expense (and potentially bulk) of an insulated jacket - a windproof layer over a fleece works well too to upgrade the fleece. I've never bothered with down jackets even in the winter in Nepal as I find a pertex-covered medium weight fleece works fine and is much more flexible in terms of use but I don't feel the cold much and I know others swear by a dedicated down jacket.

Ben - I used a 1/2 season synthetic bag in October and don't remember being cold.  Used a couple of blankets at High Camp and maybe one at Yak Kharka.  Maybe a 3 season bag would get you round without blankets in November?

Have you found someone to travel with or have you booked with a group?

I reckon the two lighter bags would be fine, epecially if you're going to take an insulated jacket.  (But I wouldn't like to say for sure as I've not done the trip five times in November.)  All the porters/guides just used the blankets in the lodges.

If it's of any use, I started the AC on my own.  The day I was going to start it was throwing it down and I spent the night at a lodge at the start and there met up with an English woman and did the first day and a half with her.  But she was very unfit and moved way too slowly for me so I left her behind!  (She very soon met up with a Dutch woman & did the rest of the trip with her).  At the end of the second day's walk I met a Dutch couple and played a dice game with them.  I played the dice game with them on many subsequent days.  I also met the guide of an Israeli guy.  The Israeli guy was on his second circuit and taking his son.  He didn't like the guide walking with him!, so I sometimes walked with the guide and often had a drink (and a game of dice) with him in the evenings.  I did some of the third day with the Nepali guide.  At the end of this day I met a group of Yorkshire runners and I walked with them on the next day (but they were on a tight schedule and walked on beyond my stopping point).  The day after that I did about half the day's walk with the Nepali.  The next day I met up with two German women and walked with them (and sometimes the Nepali guide) for the next three days.  Then one of the German women met up with an Irish guy and I did the next day with just one of the German women.  And I did the day after that with the German women and an English climber/doctor.  And so it went on.  And I'm not particularly gregarious!

If you do it on the "standard" schedule you meet most of the same people day after day and you almost form a little "band".  I think in Muktinath there were nearly twenty of us round the dining table (and there were plently of tables to choose from).

My first experience of trekking in Sikkim on the Nepal border was in November many years ago. It was cold in the afternoons when the sun went behind the mountains and in the evenings and early morning (we were up at 6) it was very cold. Those that had been on previous treks had down jackets but unfortuanely it wasn't on the gear list so I didn't have one. Despite putting on extra layers I was still cold. I would therefore recommend a good quality well insallated down jacket. My down sleeping bag was wonderful once I was defrosted.

Ben,

I had a stab at the AC in February when it was still covered in snow for much of the way. Heavy snowfall blocked our path at Manang for just long enough for us all to go down with dysentery...! I didn't have a sleeping bag at all... but I did have a down jacket and  a bivvy bag with me and bought a light kashmir blanket for my legs. I borrowed blankets in all the colder places and had no problems with cold nights.  If you can take the lightest bag on your list and have a down jacket to boost it you'll be fine in October. Previously I had done the Everest Basecamp / Kala Patthar trek in August camping the whole way and used a 1.9kg synthetic bag which was overkill for all but the coldest night (-10ish at 5000m).  Based on that experience I opted not to bother with a bag for the AC trek.

If I was planning one now I'd : take my PHD Minim 300 & Yukon totalling a bit over a kilo just to be sure. I'd not bother paying for an organised trek (my EBC trek was organised - my AC trek wasn't) but would pick up a guide in Pokhara and trust my instincts on who to go with. Easiest way to be sure is to hang around Pokhara for a short while until you meet someone who's just got back. Ask them how it was and if their guide was any good. You'll have a better idea like that than from anyone sitting in desk in London cashing in on their cut! Paying for a guide and, if you wish, porter passes your money direct to the local community and you'll get to know them on your way.

As said above, you meet & re-meet lots of the same people. Don't worry about going it alone... you really won't be! And the being alone means that it's a lot easier to mingle than if you're in a pre-defined group that tend to scare off any would-be friends.

Sean,

on the kit list, less is more! Even if you're not the one carrying it all, I'd say it was better to keep things down to a minimum. For the altitudes concerned and the time of year, concentrate on stuff that dries out fast rather than is especially warm as you've a good chance of a soaking. I would take a cotton t shirt for the evening; a long sleeve collared shirt to keep bugs & sun at bay; and a synthetic or merino baselayers for trekking & layering that you wash in the evenings. Then a micro fleece & windshell. A down vest might be a good addition to be sure of a warm evening. If you get cold there are always things on sale locally from a heavy wooly jumper to local copies of brand name fleeces etc.

Hi Ben,, Done the circuit 5 times-- every time solo. Much the best way to appreciate a trek as you will be more immersed in the culture and will probably meet more interesting people. At worst take a guide but these are not needed as the route is a doddle to follow.  If you join a group you are highly unlikely to be in a totally harmonious outfit(especially when altitude hits as this does weird things to people).

A lot of my friends have the misfortune to take groups on big treks such as the Annapurna Circuit etc and very rarely do I hear of an unproblematic group>>>

If you do it solo and without a guide spend the extra money available trimming your pack weight--

 Sleeping bag wise I recommend 2 --(e.g. Favourite at the mo is PHD Combi and rab top bag).  I do this as there are huge variations in night time temperatures between 900 metres and 4800 metres(high lodges above phedi). I can then use either or have the comfort of both at the higher lodges..

Enjoy the journey )

Thanks for the advice John.. 

I'm glad my first trip like this is via an organised company - but reading through all the advice on this site.. would certainly be tempted to travel independently in the future..

Trip sounds pretty damn good,

about the mossie bites, i reckon it will be too cold in October for mosquitoes to be a real issue, and at around 3000m you will be too high for mosquitoes anyway. To be sure though get good insect and mosquitoe repellant that contains DEET.

As for how many socks etc to take, I have survived a month in Africa with 3 pairs of socks and 4 pairs of jockeys and 3 t-shirts and a spare pair of trousers. I think there will be plenty of opportunity to wash things on the way.

Have a blast

hawthorn - you're a bit late with this post. Sean FINISHED his trip over a year ago.

I'm often curious about how people come across dead threads on OM. hawthorn - what lead you to view this one?

Better late than never I say!

Trip was fantastic by the way..  was hoping to do a similar trip this year, but fatherhood has arrived instead!

All the advice was spot on btw.