AC in April

[Asmita]

Hey,

Im a 21 yo female from Australia looking to do the AC April or early May and would like to get a small group together, love to hear from anyone interested.

[Anja_li]

Hi,
I'm thinking about doing the AC about the same time frame. Haven't settled yet. I'm 39, from Germany and trekked the Annapurna Sanctuary and EBC some years ago without guide but not on my own. It's fun in a group. Do you have a settled time frame yet?

[Catherine]

Hi
I was also hoping to do the AC around then so would be interested in joining you, depending on when you're going. I'm 29, female and British.

[Asmita]

Thanks for the replies, Im getting really excited about the trek. My time frame at the moment is mid April around the 16th, but I am here til mid June so I can be somewhat flexible with this. When do you get into Nepal, maybe we could get together for a coffee and discuss things.

[Catherine]

That sounds good. I'm in India at the moment and was planning to arrive in Nepal around the middle of April, so it probably would be about the 15th by the time I got to Pokhara. Would that be OK with you? We could meet there and discuss things.

[Asmita]

That sounds good! What is your plan for doing the trek? Would you be interested in getting a package which covers all accom + food + transport etc or just a porter? I haven't decided yet but im looking at prices etc. and seeign which one works out to be a better deal.

[Anja_li]

Hello Ladies,
I probably can't make it til 21/22 of April arriving in Kathmandu. Would that still be an option for you? I definetly don't plan to go on an all inclusive trek though. This will cost a lot more than doing it independently and won't be necessary. I trekked before and know people who did the AC. No guide is needed and the lodges and food are easily to organize yourself.
Greetings, Anja

[Asmita]

yep ive looked at prices and pay as you go is definelty alot cheaper, although i will probably be getting the porter from a company in KTM as my family are all a little paranoid!!

I guess its only a week im willing to wait.

Also ive been advised its best to start from Besisahar, do the route counterclockwise and end up in Pokhra because of the steepness of the track around thorung La.

[Anja_li]

Sounds good. Yes, Besisahar and counterclockwise. The decent from Torong La to Muktinath is 1600m in altitude. That is a little to much the other way round.
If we would start from KTM, I heard there are some buses directly to Besisahar, otherwise it's necessary to change at Dumre.
A porter has the advantage that you don't have to be really picky what to take with you :).
I'l try to get my flight confirmed over the weekend but won't be back on-line till Monday.

Have a great weekend.
Anja

[Catherine]

I'm happy with that plan. I can aim to get to KTM by 21st April if we want to meet there. And I agree that it'd be nice to have a porter, though would prefer not to do the fully organised thing.

[Asmita]

sounds like a plan!! Definelty dont want to do teh whole organised thing but im all for the porter - if i dont get one i think by the 2nd day ill only have one pair of clothes!! I think 2 between the 3 of us should be fine.

[Catherine]

Yes, two porters between three should do it. I think that given the altitude carrying all our own stuff would be very unpleasant! I can get to Kathmandu a couple of days before the 21st if that helps with organising things.

[Asmita]

yep taht sounds good. we'l organize to meet when u get here and get everything together then.

would you like to prebook the porters or pick one up in besisahar?

[Anja_li]

Hello,

I will be arriving in Kathmandu on the 21 April, sometime in the afternoon. Plan to stay at the Kathmandu Guest House in Thamel.
There is the Pumpernickel Bakery with a message board. But we can confirm things the next 2 weeks how to meet up.

I probably won't get a porter and will carry my stuff myself as I did in the past :-).

Let's keep in touch.
Take care.
CU Anja

[Anja_li]

Sorry,
just saw your posts about sharing porters. That's a possibility of course. I don't know how easy it will be to get porter in Besisahar as we need to make sure they have the right equipment for the altitude (Shoes and jacket etc.). If you're in KTM earlier you might be able to talk to other trekkers about how they did it. On the forum there might be possibilities to maybe get a recommendation from others to arrange 1 or 2 porters.

Anja

[Catherine]

I think I'd rather get a porter via an agency in Kathmandu unless it costs a lot more, as then we could be sure they're properly equipped, insured, etc. Though finding out what other people have done would be a good idea. I'll aim to get to Kathmandu on the 19th, and was also thinking of going to the Kathmandu guest house. Do you need to book there?
Really looking forward to it!

[Anja_li]

I will check out about the possibilities to book at the hotel but it is past peak season in Nepal and it has a lot of rooms (at different costs). It is a good place also to store extra luggage. They provide that to their guests. I used it before and everything was still there when I got back 3 weeks later. They have a travel agency too.

Looking forward to the trip.
Anja

[Asmita]

I guess we can plan to leave for Besisahar on the 22nd, or will you need a little mroe time to get settled Anja?

I would also rather get a porter from an agency in KTM - I think it is a little more expensive but worth it for the safety aspect and theyl be better trained and have a responsibility to not only us but the travel agency aswell. Since Im already here I dont mind organising that part. Ill let you know the prices etc and let you know so we can all decide together.

[Asmita]

Ive gotten a price from a company and its $167 USD for just the porter (includes their accom, food, equip, insurance etc). So thats $111 each for two porters.. how does that sound?

[Catherine]

That sounds very reasonable for the porters. However I was going to suggest that if you'd rather carry your own stuff, Anja, then Asmita and I could probably manage with one porter between the two of us? Just a suggestion, I don't mind either way. Kathmandu guest house sounds good - I won't worry about booking as you're right, it is out of season.

[cheakyvixen]

Hi folks,
I'm 27 and from the UK - flying out to Kathmandu tonight, and aiming to do the AC at about the same time... will be kayaking for the first couple of weeks but due back in Kathmandu on 20th April, so would be great to join you if you're up for a 4th person....
Am not worried about a porter as quite happy to carry my own kit.... although whether i'll be saying that half way up the thorung la is another matter!
Take care and hope to see you soon,
Becs :)

[Anja_li]

Hello Asmita and Catherine,

if you're not to much in a rush for doing the trek I can handle my luggage. If you plan to do it real fast, of course light luggage helps. I was thinking about 18-20 days, that's average and I think I can handle that. The only real hard part part will be the pass with a very long day. I would maybe like to have only a few items carried by a porter not my complete stuff. So maybe one would be enough for all 3 of us too? Did the agency tell you the max weight a porter will carry?

I would opt for starting to leave for Besisahar on the 23rd (by bus?) as I'm flying in from Germany and won't be in the hotel probably until about 5pm on the 21st. Otherwise it would be a little rough I guess. One day to get acclimatized would be great if you all can agree to that.

There is one more thing to consider. As far as I know we need to pay the conservation fee for the National Park (approx. Rp.2000) and maybe also need to purchase the entrance ticket (Rp. 1000) in advance in KTM. As I arrive late on Saturday and don't know it they are open on Sunday, you guys might need to purchase it in advance or at least might be able to find out if my info is still valid.

I don't mind to have a 4th person coming along too.

I probably won't be on-line probably until Tuesday as I'm off for Easter holidays and don't have Internet at ho:) me.

Talk to you soon.
Anja

[Asmita]

Hey girls,

23rd sounds fine, thoguth u might need a few days to acclimitize. The porters can carry a max of 30 kgs but im not sure how much of that includes there stuff.. shoudl be enough weight though. The average is 19 days and that sounds fine with me, no rush at all - need to be able to enjoy the whole experience.

Becs, you're more than welcome to come along, the more the merrier!! Now with a fourth person would you liek to get another porter or are the two of yuo willing to carry your own stuff?

Ill look into the ACAP info. and get back to you on that.

[paul_gas]

Hi
I'm intending on heading off on the Annapurna Circuit before 13 April. If this helps anyone I would be happy to hook up with them. My email is paul_gas@hotmail.com if you want to get in touch.

PAul

[cheakyvixen]

Hi girls,

Ok, this is startingto get a little complicated... have just arrived in KTM and heading off kayaking v early tomorrow morning so will not have internet access until I get back on 20th. 23rd potentially sounds okay - need a little time to sort the ACAP permits etc, however it leaves me slightly short on time as my flight back to the UK is the evening of 13th April, and 19 days puts us to 12th, so if time starts getting short then I may need to break off early, or pick up the pace a little, but I know there are a few options there for routes to take for the final bit.

I will aim to be at the Kathmandu Guest House when I get back to KTM on evening of 20th, and try to catch up with you guys... let me know on here how to find you!

You're probably looking at a limit of about 20-30kg max weight for a porter...

Look forward to catching up in a couple of weeks hopefully!

Cheers, Becs

[Asmita]

Should i go ahead and book the porters? 1 or 2?

[Anja_li]

Hello All,

OK making a final call for myself, I won't take a porter.
ACAP conservation and entrance fees can be paid in the Kathmandu office, open Sun-Fri 8am-2pm, closed Sat. It sounds as if this is doable for all of us. Leaving to Besisahar on the 23rd is okay with me. The first few days of the trek isn't to high up so I should be able to acclimatize properly. There are ways to shorten the trek towards the end at Tatopani, like heading for Beni instead of the Ghorepani and Poon Hill portion. If worst come to worst, there are flights out of Jomsom. Going up we need to take our time due to acclimatization. This is important and needed.
It would be great though Asmita if you could check out the best way to get to Besisahar. Thanks! CU soon. Anja

[Tamara]

Hi girls,

Looking to join a small trekking group going on Annapurna Circuit and noticed your postings. Would you mind an extra person coming along? I am an easy-going 26-year-old Aussie girl with a good sense of humour. Working at an orphanage in Pokhara at the moment and looking to start AC sometime before the end of April.

Hello Asmita and Catherine,

if you're not to much in a rush for doing the trek I can handle my luggage. If you plan to do it real fast, of course light luggage helps. I was thinking about 18-20 days, that's average and I think I can handle that. The only real hard part part will be the pass with a very long day. I would maybe like to have only a few items carried by a porter not my complete stuff. So maybe one would be enough for all 3 of us too? Did the agency tell you the max weight a porter will carry?

I would opt for starting to leave for Besisahar on the 23rd (by bus?) as I'm flying in from Germany and won't be in the hotel probably until about 5pm on the 21st. Otherwise it would be a little rough I guess. One day to get acclimatized would be great if you all can agree to that.

There is one more thing to consider. As far as I know we need to pay the conservation fee for the National Park (approx. Rp.2000) and maybe also need to purchase the entrance ticket (Rp. 1000) in advance in KTM. As I arrive late on Saturday and don't know it they are open on Sunday, you guys might need to purchase it in advance or at least might be able to find out if my info is still valid.

I don't mind to have a 4th person coming along too.

I probably won't be on-line probably until Tuesday as I'm off for Easter holidays and don't have Internet at ho:) me.

Talk to you soon.
Anja

[Catherine]

Becs and Tamara, you're welcome to join us. Perhaps in that case we should get two porters in total? I definitely won't need him to carry more than 10kg (and probably less) so half a porter would be fine for me. I'm happy to leave on the 23rd but will be in Kathmandu earlier to help with sorting things out. I'd definitely prefer not to rush, so if there's a short cut that Becs can take if need be that sounds like a good plan.

[Anja_li]

Hello All,

sounds as if we're really getting quite a group together!
I'll try to keep my bag as light weight as possible and will go for a load of washing in Manang and stick to my no porter decision. I handled it myself on 2treks before and hope it'll work a third time also.
Tamara I guess we could meet up in Besisahar if you decide to join in.
Tkae care, Anja

[Tamara]

Hey girls, Count me in. I will be leaving from Pokhara so can meet you in Besisiahar on the 23rd. I am travelling very light and leaving luggage in Pokhara so (hopefully) should be fine to carry my own pack. Take care- will be in touch.

[Asmita]

ok it all sounds good. so how many porters is that, since Tamara and Anja are going no porter, should we get two for Becs, Catherine and I?

[Catherine]

Becs didn't say whether she wanted a porter or not, though if she does I agree we should get two. Do they have to be booked in advance, or could we wait until she gets back on the 20th to confirm?

I'm flying into Kathmandu on the 17th but will probably go away for a couple of days after that. I'll aim to be back at the Kathmandu guesthouse on the 20th, so I can help with sorting things out then, or else on the 17th if anything needs to be done earlier. I suppose it's only really a case of hiring porters, getting ACAP permits and booking the bus to Besisahar?

[Tamara]

Hi Asmita and Catherine,

Thinking now I will need half a porter to lighten the load a little. Have you guys booked anthing yet? I will have no more than 8kgs for them to carry so could share a porter with one of you, if you are still planning to get two porters between four?

[Asmita]

Ok two porters sounds good? i think they do need some notice - ill go and talk to the travel agent today if i can.

don't relaly think you need to rush back catherine - ill look into the transport and stuff and try to org something for out nite in besisahar. Then we can organise to meet up on teh 21st or somethign to finalise stuff.

oh i did have a question - how are we goign to pack out bags? im guessing the porter won't want to be carrying two differnt bags.

[Catherine]

Yes, let's get two porters then. Thanks for sorting it out, Asmita. I'd been wondering how it worked with bags and whether they have a particular way they like to carry things. I have a soft bag with me that I could put my stuff in and put it inside someone else's rucksack, if that would help.
I'll be back at the Kathmandu Guest House on the night of the 20th anyway (not rushing!) so perhaps we could meet up with Becs on the morning of the 21st, or wait till the 22nd when Anja will be there too? According to my (rather out of date) guide book you can get ACAP permits on Sundays. I can't think that booking the bus to Besisahar etc will be much of a problem, but it'd be great if you could look into it.

[Tamara]

Thanks Asmita...If it helps I have a 50 litre backpack which will be only half full so you and Catherine can put some stuff in that. Just went and spoke to permit office here in Pokhara and they were saying the best place for me to meet you all in Besisihar would be at bus stop or permit office where apparently we have to hand part of the permit document in. Buses leave Pokhara from 6.30am and the trip is around 4-5 hours so once I know when you are leaving Kathmandu we can organise roughly what time we can meet in Besisihar. Alternatively, if we can book accommodation in advance I can meet you there. Let me know if there is anything you would like me to organise. Tam :)

[Anja_li]

Hello All,

I'll actually be in Kathmandu early evening the 21st. Why not meeting then to organize, plan and sort out last minute issues? Do you have rooms at the Kathmandu Guest House already so I could find you there or how shall we arrange to meet up?
I also heard it might be a smart idea to start trekking right the first day for a short distance instead of staying in Besisahar (only if we arrive around midday? Maybe the porters will know if that makes sense at all....
I have access to Internet until Friday afternoon.
CU soon, Anja:)

[Catherine]

That sounds good. I'm in room 229 and my full name is Catherine Jopling. Should we aim to meet up around 7pm on the 21st? Would that suit everyone? I'll hang around in reception around then.

[Anja_li]

Sounds good to me. Thanks for the info, makes it easy for everybody. As long as my flight is on time I should make it. Otherwise I will knock on your door Catherine or leave a message for you at the reception.
CU tomorrow.
Anja:)

[Asmita]

hey if you girls want to meet the porters before hand ive told the travel agent that we can organise a time on Sunday. THe agency is in Thamel and pretty close to the KTM guest house - I think if we organise a time for Sunday morning it would be best. The ACAP office opens til 3pm on Sunday.

[cheakyvixen]

Hi girls,
back in kathmandu now and got last room for tonight at KGH! I'm in room 219, so catch up with you soon!
I don't need porter, quite happy to carry everything...
A suggestion...having been speaking to someone else who has just done teh circuit, you can go by jeep to khudi which may be worth doing as its not a great stretch of it and goes along the road anyway, and then maybe try and walk a couple of hours on the first day..... Besi and Khudi are apparently nothing too special but i guess it depends on when we arrive.
re timings, bearing in mind my slight limitations if i need to split maybe after thorong la and do the rest alone then no problems... see how it goes with time. anywhere from jomsom is possible to do that.
anyway catch you soon.... becs

[Asmita]

Sorry I cant make it tonite - but can make it in tomorrow. At that time we can meet the porters and pay.

I can coem to the guest house round 10 in the morning if thats ok with you guys.

[Catherine]

10am tomorrow would be fine - it'd be good to meet the porters first and get that sorted. And we can go and get permits afterwards. Anja and Becs, I'll see you tonight.

[Tamara]

Hey Asmita,

Guessing you girls are in the process of finalising plans for Monday...let me know when you are in and I will call the Kathmandu Guest House to get details of bus arrival time from Kathmandu and where I can meet you in Besisahar. Do you have a direct phone line to your room...if not I will call reception. Just let me know a time on Sunday you will be around. Cheers, Tam