Annapurna Circuit Altitude- How to Overcome It?

Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the most beloved trekking adventures in the central Himalayan region of Nepal. This circuit trekking rewards the trekkers with remarkable cultural experiences and takes them deep into the heart of the Himalayas with unparalleled beauty. So, it is an overall complete Himalayan odyssey, but many trekkers are often concerned about the difficulty level of this exciting adventure. Annapurna Circuit altitude which is significant is considered one of the major challenges of this Himalayan trek.

This thrilling Himalayan adventure takes you to high-altitude points of the region and you will also have to cross a high Himalayan pass, Thorong La Pass on this trip. So, the Annapurna Circuit altitude isn’t an aspect that should be underestimated if you are planning to do this trek. But, it is also not completely invincible as well, if you follow the appropriate measures the altitude gain in this trek will not be much of a threat.

Annapurna Circuit Trek Overview

The general starting point for the Annapurna Circuit Trek is Bhulbhule. Depending on the nature of your trekking package, you will either start this circuit trek after driving from Kathmandu to Bhulbhule or you will do some sightseeing day in the capital before hitting the road.

After reaching Bhulbhule, you will follow the trails at the bank of Marsyangdi River heading toward Jagat. Then, slowly moving forward with the ascending route, you will trek past Dharapani, Chame, Pisang, and Manang. 

You will take a rest day at Manang and explore the region before joining the circuit trail again. In the next phase, you will head toward the peaceful pastures of Yak Kharka and push toward Thorong Phedi. 

Then, comes the challenging part, to reach Muktinath, you will climb across the Thorong La Pass from Thorong Phedi. This will be one of the major physically demanding parts of your circuit trek and it is pretty much an easy downhill adventure from here onwards.

From Muktinath, you will drive down to Tatopani via Jomsom Bazaar. You will then head toward Ghorepani from where you will hike to Poon Hill, a popular viewpoint in the region. 

During the last part of the adventure on the mountain, you will trek down to Birenthanti from where you will drive to Pokhara. The next day, you will either drive or take a flight to return to Kathmandu which will mark the end of your Himalayan odyssey. 

Annapurna Circuit Altitude- Day-to-Day Route and Altitudes

Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu (1,400 meters) to Bhulbhulle (845 meters)

Day 02: Trekking from Bhulbhule to Jagat (1,300 meters)

Day 03: Jagat to Dharapani (1,860 meters)

Day 04: Trek from Dharapani to Chame (2,610 meters)

Day 05: Chame to Upper Pisang (3,300 meters)

Day 06: Trek from Pisang to Manang (3,540 meters)

Day 07: Rest day at Manang

Day 08: Trekking from Manang to Yak Kharka (4,050 meters)

Day 09: Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi (4,525 meters)

Day 10: Trek from Thorong Phedi to Muktinath (3,760 meters) crossing Thorong La Pass (5,416 meters)

Day 11: Drive down to Tatopani (1,200 meters) from Muktinath

Day 12: Tatopani to Ghorepani (2,860 meters) trek

Day 13: Morning hike to Poon Hill (3,210 meters), trek down to Birethanti (1,039 meters), and drive to Pokhara (823 meters)

Day 14: Drive or flight back to Kathmandu from Pokhara 

Is Altitude Gain in Annapurna Circuit Trek Risky?

Altitude gain is without a doubt a major challenge in any kind of high-altitude trekking adventure as it is closely related to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). The higher the ascend, the higher the risk of you suffering from altitude sickness. 

In the context of Annapurna Circuit Altitude and the risk related to it, you don’t have to be that worried. Although the altitude gain in this circuit trekking route is significantly high, as you will traverse across some of the major high-altitude regions, you will have enough time to acclimatize properly. 

You will begin your trek at Bhulbhulle (845 meters) and move across some of the significant high altitude points in the route like Manang (3,540 meters), Yak Kharka (4,050 meters), Thorong Phedi (4,525 meters) and Muktinath (3,760 meters), you will reach the highest point at Thorong La Pass (5,416 meters).

The risks of altitude sickness start to rise after you climb over an altitude of 3,000 meters. So, you will need to follow appropriate acclimatization procedures and pay close attention to any symptoms related to altitude sickness to enjoy a safe exploration.

If you are buying a trekking package for your adventures, they will also follow the appropriate acclimatization process along the way and you will also get enough rest. From the face value, the high altitude gain will certainly seem like a threat, however, if you stick to the proper acclimatization process and train physically, you will have it easier to traverse across high altitude points on this trip.

Helpful Tips to Migitate Risk of Altitude Sickness in Annapurna Circuit Trek

Ascend Gradually

One of the most important points to remember while doing high-altitude exploration is to, always climb gradually. If you rush too fast without giving your body enough time to adapt to the changing altitude, you will then easily succumb to the symptoms of altitude sickness.

Annapurna Circuit altitude is significant and if you don’t acclimatize effectively along the way, the risk from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is just at arm’s length. It is advised that you should climb slowly especially while transiting between the high altitude point and take short breaks in the route. 

Remember, you are exploring the beauty of the Himalayan region and not there to win the race. So, be mindful about pace take it slow, and try to immerse in the journey.

Stay Hydrated

During the long hours of trek, you will lose a great amount of water level from your body by different means. So, it is very important to keep the water level balanced so you will feel comfortable and active during your trek.

Also, drinking enough fluid will help you minimize the risk of altitude sickness. So, experts suggest that you should drink at least 3 to 4 liters of fluid during your trekking day on the mountain. 

The fluid intake necessarily doesn’t have to be water, but do avoid drinks with highly concentrated sugar. You can drink herbal tea, fresh juice, lemon water, etc that actually have a positive impact on your body during the refreshment breaks.

Also, try to completely avoid alcohol during your trek, these influencing drinks can put your life at risk while doing high-altitude journeys and they are also known to hinder your body’s acclimatizing capabilities.

Eat Balanced Diet

Like how fuel is important for a vehicle to operate smoothly, your body also needs healthy sourced food material if you want to give an optimum level of performance. While on the mountain, it may be hard to keep track of nutrient intake, still you should still try to eat a balanced diet.

If you don’t properly manage the nutrient value, there are risk of getting sick during your long journey on the mountain. Needless to say, the mountain is a remote section of Nepal, and falling sick in the region with limited facilities is certainly not a pleasant experience. 

Also, don’t forget to pack your favorite snacks, energy bars, and energy drinks, they are really helpful on the days when you are running low on battery.

Get a Customized Package

If you are new to the high-altitude journey or planning to do this trek with diverse age-group members, then customized itinerary packages are one of the most favorable options to ensure a comfortable journey.

The standard trekking packages have one to two acclimatization days on this route. As you will ascend and walk slowly, a lot of acclimatization day is not necessary. However, if you are new to high-altitude treks and traveling with different aged members in your group, it is an ideal option.

Lack of proper rest will put you at the risk of altitude sickness. Also if you are not confident with the limited number of acclimatization days in packages, you can decide the rest period and the walking pace on your own.

Trekking this way will feel much better as you can easily elongate the resting period and decide the walking distance of each day during your trek. 

Train Properly

Physical preparation will help you a lot for the proper acclimatization process as well as to ensure the comfort level of your trek. The Annapurna Circuit altitude and overall trekking distance will certainly test your endurance level, but, if you train enough, you won’t find yourself exhausted during the trekking days.

Exhaustion is one of the closest things that trigger altitude sickness in high-altitude journeys. So, you should train enough for your body to get used to the physical activities. The recommended period of training for the Annapurna Circuit Trek is about 3 to 8 weeks. 

You can adjust the period by yourself after considering your physical capabilities. Practice hikes are one of the most effective training for getting our bodies used to mountain trails. Also don’t forget to add cardiovascular exercises in your training.

These exercises improve your body’s oxygen delivering and consumption abilities which will be a great advantage during the high altitude treks. 

Overall Difficulty Level of Annapurna Circuit Trek

Although the Annapurna Circuit altitude which reaches its maximum point at Thorong La Pass (5,416 meters) and has an overall trekking distance of 160 km to 230 km may make it seem like a daunting journey, but, the difficulty level of this Himalayan adventure is at just moderate level.

Even if the altitude is high, the trekkers are given enough time to acclimatize to new altitudes and it is a slow-paced walking trip. So, lack enough rest and acclimatization won’t be a problem in this exploration.

Similarly, the trekking distance may be long, but as it is a slow walking trip, you will take it slow and get enough breaks along the route. You don’t have to push yourself to your extent just to traverse this trekking route.

Furthermore, there aren’t any technical sections along the way either, so you will not require any kind of expertise to take part in this odyssey. This trip is suitable for bother-experienced trekkers and beginners who are just getting started with the high-altitude adventure.

Note: The success rate of Annapurna Circuit Trek is 98% to 100%. Hardly any well-prepared trekker fails to complete this journey.