Necessary Trekking Equipment
To fully enjoy your trek, having the right trekking equipment is essential for both safety and comfort. The trekking equipment necessary depends on the type of trek, the time of year, weather conditions, landscape, and the maximum altitude of the trek.
A properly packed trekking backpack is light and also includes multipurpose clothing items. It is important for you not to forget the essential equipment for your safety and comfort on your trek. Please make sure that you bring sufficiently warm clothes, especially during the winter season (Dec – Feb). Not having the required trekking equipment and clothing will not only significantly decrease the pleasure of trekking, but could also worsen case scenarios that could be life-threatening. It will also be a burden to you if you pack unnecessary equipment. For your ease, the following are the equipment that you have to bring with you.
Footwear
- Trekking Boot: one Pair
- Socks: 4, Light socks : 3, Sandle: 1
Clothing
- Down or Fiber-filled water and windproof jacket and trouser: 1
- Fleece Jacket / Pullover: 1
- Warm cotton trousers: 2
- Shirt and T-shirts: 4
- Lightweight cotton long trousers :3
- Long underwear: 2, Short underwear: 4
- Sun hat / Scarft/ Woolen hat :1
- Lightweight gloves: 1, Raincoat:1
- Heavyweight glove or mitten with a waterproof: 1
Medicinal
- Basic first-aid box
- Diamox tablets to reduce altitude sickness
- Insect/anti-itch Ointment
- Non-prescription medicine such as pain reliever, fever reducer, antibiotics, and ointments
- Prescription medicine traveler's diarrhea, Avmoine
- Female Sanitary pads
- Hand Sanitizer and wet wipes
- Medicine for Cough and Heartburn (It mainly happens when you go to higher altitudes)
- Band-aid
- Ibuprofen and also paracetamol in case of fever
Other Equipment
- Day Pack at Least 25 kg
- Water Bottle 1
- Sun Cream 1
- Sun Glass 1
- Towel
- Flashlight with spare bulbs, batteries, lip salve, gaiters.
- Laundry soap
- Swiss Knife
- Sewing Kit, Camera, Film, Cards, and Personal Medical Kit.
Optional
- Notebook and Pen
- Toilet articles
- Toilet Roll
For additional information, you can check our article Trekking Gears Checklist.
GateWay For Annapurna Circuit Trek:
If you are planning to do Annapurna Circuit Trek the only gateway to this trek is from the Besi Sahar. Besi Sahar is a small valley that is just 172.9 km from Kathmandu. The time duration to get to the Besi Sahar is a 4 to 5hrs drive from Kathmandu. There is a variety of options to go there. You can either take the Local Bus or can hire a Private Vehicle. It all depends on your Budget.
Type of Accommodation During Annapurna Base Camp Trek:
To go trekking means you are visiting a remote area so please do not expect every trekking route you will get luxurious room same as in Kathmandu and Pokhara. During trekking, you will sleep at the Tea House. The Tea house means normal Local Lodges. where you will get a normal Bed, Blanket, and Common Bathroom. Even a hot shower also needs to pay extra.
Food And Drinks:
During Trekking in Nepal. Most of the places you will get Local Foods like Nepali Thali ( Dal Bhat), MoMo, Chowmin, Thukpa, Fried Rice, etc and some international food Like Spaghetti, Macaroni, Pizza, Pan Cake, Fried Eggs, etc you will get according to the menu. In drinks you can get Local Tea, Coffee, and also even if you request for the water to drinks need to pay extra.
How will I get rescued if I am critically ill during the trek?
Annapurna Circuit Trek is a trek where the elevation starts from 1350m to 5416m. Altitude sickness mainly occurs after you head above 2500m. You will not get altitude sickness symptoms below 2500m. Some of the altitude sickness symptoms are Nausea, Headache, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. Acclimatization is the main thing that helps to prevent altitude sickness. But you can still prevent altitude sickness by drinking more water, avoiding strenuous exercise for 24 hours, and by having a rest day every 600m-900m you go up. However, one out of 10 people may catch altitude sickness even with all the preventions. We can take DIAMOX if we suffer from altitude sickness. But if the condition does not get well even after taking the Diamox, the guide will immediately inform the travel company. If you will be ill at any point of the trek you will be slowly taken to the lower elevation. If you are ill, then you will be taken to the lower altitude and seek basic medical where our guide will help you, and then if it’s necessary or emergency you will be immediately sent to Kathmandu by emergency helicopter service. This is how you will get rescued if you will be critically ill during the trek.
The importance of insurance in Annapurna Circuit Trek
Travel insurance plays an essential role. The right travel insurance will protect you from the unique risks while traveling to Nepal or Climbing to Annapurna Circuit Trek. Find the best policies that cover all the necessary events associated with Annapurna Circuit Trek or other trekking areas. There will not be a relaxed trip without travel insurance. It is very necessary to be careful while choosing policies because some insurance companies do not include adventure trekking. Mostly many of the travel insurance covers only up to the elevation of 3000m but the Annapurna Circuit Trek trek will go beyond 3000m standing at the highest point which will be above 5300m. We suggest you choose Your travel insurance that covers up to 6000m which you will be covered for the entire trek and shouldn't be worried about evacuations or medical assistance costs. Before buying your insurance, your insurer should be aware of the Itinerary of Magic Expedition and Tours. If you are planning for trekking in the Himalayas, Your insurance should cover emergency air service Helicopter and should include all the medical expenses. The emergency helicopter service would be very costly so If you have your insurance done you wouldn’t be worried. Your travel insurance should cover the cancelation policy because if you have to cancel a paid trek due to weather conditions, They can cover this expense. You should double-check that it is included on the top of the standard hospitalization cover. Some of the Travel insurances that are recommended are:-
