Nepal: Trekking to Annurpurna Base Camp - Any tips?

[sebianos]

How about the conditions of the toilets along the trek & at those guest houses?

For water, either you boil it to death - the altitude tends to mess up the boiling temperature, so you have to boil it longer like 15mins or so. The easier method, the one I used was
water purification tablets (can get it from Kathmandu and buy some altitude sickness and indigestion pills.... just in case).

Purified water tastes yucks but add a little Tang Orange or flavor of your choice and it's much more palatable.

The guesthouses are pretty well maintained - since they belong to Nepalese/Sherpas with rooms to spare. The outhouses are another matter. LOL... back in 2004, they are made of granite stones with large gaps in between. No flushing system, so what you get is basically wooden planks laid over a 7 feet pit. Temperature is very cold so there's hardly any smell but the visual impact is.... hahahahahaha... let's say it opens up a whole new visual horror. Don't bring your camera into the outhouse.

Oh... I can't resist. Here's another photo of Lhotse - tell me what you think?

 

[Gengh]

How do you people settle water over there? Gotta buy everytime you stop?

You can try purifying your own water (survival in Brunei anyone?), or most guest houses are willing to give you boiled water free, except those on the last leg up to MBC and ABC. I read somewhere that along that stretch, they're not allowed to chop much firewood, so they rely on gas carried up by porters, so basically fire is an expensive commodity.

I think first you can ask yourself: are you going to enjoy that tea/coffee break rather than drinking plain water all the way? If you're going to have tea/coffee, you're going to have to trust their boiled water anyway, might as well go all the way and just get boiled water from the guest houses. If you don't like seeing sediments in your water, bring along some coffee filters to get rid of them.

How about the conditions of the toilets along the trek & at those guest houses?

In winter, be prepared to freeze your bottom off if you need to squat there too long...

 

[limkopi]

Juz bring along a 1-litre hot water flask with u, then every nite / morning ask the teahouse to refill hot water for u (probably require a small fee I'm not sure) so u can also enjoy hot water at nite or during the trek... Mineral water is easily available in all teahouse & provision shops along the way & doesn't cost much (u're contributing to the small economy system in the village). Actually, water in the mountains is quite clean lah, can drink directly fr the streams if u want (but it's freezing cold). If I'm not wrong, there are also free purified water-refill stations at certain checkpoints for independent trekkers to refill their bottles (usually indicated in the maps).

Toilet in smaller villages are pretty basic (ie. 1 hole in the ground), but hotels in the bigger villages like Manang & Jomsom (on the Circuit trek) do have toilet bowls (squat ones) with flush system. On the trails... well, there are some built toilets along the way at certain checkpoints, but anywhere in the great outdoors can be ur toilet. (bring ur own toilet paper)

Meat is available, as well as other "fancy dishes" like pizza, macaroni, apple pies, yak steak... etc (depending where u are). It's not juz dhal bhat (ie. plain rice + potato veg curry + lentil soup) & instant noodles up there... I actually gain weight after trekking cos I gorge so much carbo food due to the cold... =P

 

[limkopi]

Side trek hehe, anyone have done lake tilicho? Am really keen on doing it but seems a path less taken.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilicho_lake

cheers,
kilkenny

If u're interested, this guy did Annapurna Circuit + Tilicho Lake + Annapurna Base Camp (in 1 single trip) fully independent (ie. no guide, no porter)... http://www.sgtravelcafe.com/index.php?topic=1141.msg7421#msg7421

 

[sebianos]

If u're interested, this guy did Annapurna Circuit + Tilicho Lake + Annapurna Base Camp (in 1 single trip) fully independent (ie. no guide, no porter)... http://www.sgtravelcafe.com/index.php?topic=1141.msg7421#msg7421

Wow... he must be a seasoned trekker. Thanks for the link, the photos are beautiful !

 

[barracuda]

Did you guys get a topography map for the trekking trip? Or just follow the guide? Is topography map easily available in nepal? thx.

 

[alexblessed]

I have a question... I saw on a website that there's govt regulation that caps the max rolls of film tourists can bring in at 15. Is there a good supply of film (Velvia 50) available at Kathmandu?

 

[kilkenny]

If u're interested, this guy did Annapurna Circuit + Tilicho Lake + Annapurna Base Camp (in 1 single trip) fully independent (ie. no guide, no porter)... http://www.sgtravelcafe.com/index.ph...sg7421#msg7421

:bigeyes: too garang for me hahaha nepal was my first porter trip and i kinda enjoyed just carryin my own stuff and walkin leisurely hahaha i am not about to "backtrack" so to speak =p

anyhow....very nice pics tks for the tip.

cheers,
kilkenny

 

[limwhow]

Hi TS and all, I follow this thread with interest.
However, I would like to ask if any of you have had experience with solar chargers for either AA batteries or camera batteries?
Or any of you with intention to carry a solar charger up to Nepal?
I have checked out quite a few websites about portable solar chargers. But so many differing opinions. Those good ones and powerful ones are big. The small ones are not powerful enough.
Would love to hear from you all.

 

[2evans]

The information in this thread is very helpful. Is a gorilla pod enough or is a real tripod still recommended?

 

[sebianos]

The information in this thread is very helpful. Is a gorilla pod enough or is a real tripod still recommended?

It depends on what you're shooting. Chances are that you won't use the tripod and if you're carrying your own equipment - it's best to travel light. And I mean very very light - use a mini-tripod and improvise. Or you might start cursing your gorilla tripod and throw it down the mountain.

That's my personal opinion but it still depends on what you would use your tripod for?

PS. A lot of ppl has taken great shots with handheld p&s, and even toy cameras.

 

[limkopi]

Did you guys get a topography map for the trekking trip? Or just follow the guide? Is topography map easily available in nepal? thx.

A simplified map will be given free by trekking agencies, but if u want more detailed ones, yes topo maps are also easily available in most bookstores in Thamel (Kathmandu) & Pokhara, especially for the Annapurna treks cos they've been very developed & popular among trekkers worldwide. 100% printed in English. Forgot how much they cost (think abt 150-250 rupees?) but not ex lah. U can also find maps of major cities like Kathmandu & Pokhara easily fr the same places too.

Actually along the trail there are lotsa of English signboards indicating direction, altitude & where u are (as in name of the place), not so easy to be "lost" up there unless u really venture off the main path.

 

[blackman]

I brought up to the mountain last time. It is useful during early morning, where you can take stunning sunrise photo, see how the white mountain was burnt in red. The classic one is at the Poon Hill.
Other than that, you will not use it.

Taking photo at night is very cold when you trek near to the base camp and your battery life drain away pretty fast.

 

[barracuda]

I really love Clubsnap. The members here are so informative and also willing to share experiences and knowledge.

Did you guys encounter knee pain after walking for such long hours for so many days? Did you use any medicine or something to relief the pain?

 

[2evans]

I brought up to the mountain last time. It is useful during early morning, where you can take stunning sunrise photo, see how the white mountain was burnt in red. The classic one is at the Poon Hill.
Other than that, you will not use it.

Taking photo at night is very cold when you trek near to the base camp and your battery life drain away pretty fast.

How many camera batteries did you have with you? Did they last the entire trek? I have two camera batteries, and thinking of getting a third one.

 

[limwhow]

How many camera batteries did you have with you? Did they last the entire trek? I have two camera batteries, and thinking of getting a third one.

Erm... Maybe 2-3 camera batteries may not be enough, if we were to trek for a period longer than 1 week.
I ever tried this: For my camera, one battery can last about 600-700 shots. With my normal shooting style, I do that number of shots a day. So three batteries lasts about 3 days.

I carry 3 original and 2 third party batteries - that should give me around 5 days worth with about 600-700 shots a day. Now add on the fact that deep cold weather rapidly reduces my batteries' charge, I would be thankful to have these 5 batteries last me perhaps 3 days.
Let's say if I half my number of shots to conserve batteries, that would still only last me about 6-7 days.

A set of 6 x AA size batteries in my battery grip would last me 300 shots at sea level, so I can imagine at high altitude and cold weather, these would probably last me no more than 200 shots.

Therefore for a trip of 22 days, i will need either 15 camera batteries, or lots and lots of AA size batteries.

 

[kenni]

For the batteries dont use the normal alkaline batteries, got for the litinum batteries. For my trip i went with litinum batteries and it was pretty alright. The alkaline batteries gave me barely over a hundred before dying.

 

[foreverlovex]

Don't get altitude sickness pills......that only mask the effects of AMS which could be potentially dangerous. Keep on monitor your body from time to time......e.g. pulse rate

For water wise best don't get boiled water. Most of the time the heat came from precious firewood. Don't drink from most of the streams in Nepal also.....especially at the lower stream level. You see what you are drinking when you go higher up......Best to use purification pills or you get those portable water treatment pump or get the water from special water stops which sell "filtered" water.

 

[2evans]

It depends on what you're shooting. Chances are that you won't use the tripod and if you're carrying your own equipment - it's best to travel light. And I mean very very light - use a mini-tripod and improvise. Or you might start cursing your gorilla tripod and throw it down the mountain.

That's my personal opinion but it still depends on what you would use your tripod for?

PS. A lot of ppl has taken great shots with handheld p&s, and even toy cameras.

Hmm, thanks for the advise, I'll probably bring the gorilla pod, it's not too heavy.

 

[2evans]

Erm... Maybe 2-3 camera batteries may not be enough, if we were to trek for a period longer than 1 week.
I ever tried this: For my camera, one battery can last about 600-700 shots. With my normal shooting style, I do that number of shots a day. So three batteries lasts about 3 days.

I carry 3 original and 2 third party batteries - that should give me around 5 days worth with about 600-700 shots a day. Now add on the fact that deep cold weather rapidly reduces my batteries' charge, I would be thankful to have these 5 batteries last me perhaps 3 days.
Let's say if I half my number of shots to conserve batteries, that would still only last me about 6-7 days.

A set of 6 x AA size batteries in my battery grip would last me 300 shots at sea level, so I can imagine at high altitude and cold weather, these would probably last me no more than 200 shots.

Therefore for a trip of 22 days, i will need either 15 camera batteries, or lots and lots of AA size batteries.

Ah, I doubt i'd be shooting that much per day but thanks for a run down on numbers.