Annapurna Circuit Trek

Everyone has heard of Everest Base Camp but have you heard of the Annapurna Circuit? This beautiful trail is favoured for its diverse sceneries, as well as being more "off the beaten path" than Everest, so you can enjoy peaceful moments without the crowds.

Trekking the Annapurna Circuit is like walking straight into a Himalayan dream with nature that will have you wowing at every turn. From green terrace farms to towering snowy peaks, cascading waterfalls, and a stunning alpine lake.

Despite being more remote, you will still be lucky enough to enjoy staying in the cosy Nepalese "tea houses" every night, where you will have a comfy bed, home cooked warm meals, and lots of tea to sip around the fire.

The highest point of the journey is Thorong La pass, 5416 meters, making it a high altitude trek of about equivalent difficulty to Everest Base Camp. It is sure to challenge your strength and endurance, but you'll be supported every step of the way by our Wild Women team and your new adventure sisters, so you'll finish feeling proud of yourself for having raised the bar of what you know you can achieve!

So, lets climb a mountain together!

Highlights:

Spend a day exploring the culture of Kathmandu with a cooking class, seeing the sights and visiting a local women owned handicraft workshop.
Hike through stunning scenery and diverse nature with views that are straight out of a dream.
Stay in traditional Nepalese teahouses and learn about the Himalayan Buddhist culture.
Spend evenings huddled around the toasty wood fire telling stories from the day.
Be led by the amazing Nepalese female guides that go above and beyond to make you feel safe and having fun!
Push through challenges and discover your inner strength with an empowered and supportive group of women cheering each other on!

The Details:

Duration: 16 days

Dates: November 4 - 19, 2025

Meeting place: Kathmandu, Nepal

Group size: 14

Price: $3450 AUD
*Payment plans available

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Information

Included:

• 3 nights accomodation in Kathmandu Hotel.

• 1 nights accommodation in Pokhara
• 11 nights accommodation in traditional Nepalese "teahouses" during the trek.

• Airport transfer upon arrival and departure in Kathmandu

• Tourist coach from Kathmandu to Dharapani and back to Kathmandu.
• Professional female Nepalese mountain guides.
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner while trekking.

Not Included:

• Visa to enter Nepal

• Flights

•. Travel Insurance (Mandatory)

• Tips for Nepalese guides

• A few meals in Kathmandu & Pokhara

•. Beverages besides tea and coffee

Fitness:

More challenging than the Poon Hill trek, the Annapurna Circuit requires a higher level of fitness. We will be walking for 10 days, covering a total of approximately 94kms with a LOT of stairs, steep slopes and high altitude. Therefore, the trek does require a good level of fitness. You should be able to walk up continuous inclines and stairs for 4-6 hours. But in saying this, we will take plenty of breaks and we’ll all be in it together, cheering each other on!

We will have porters to carry our main bag for us so we will only need to carry a small bag with what we need for the day.

Altitude:

High altitude trekking is considered to be anything above 1500m, which is where you begin to feel the effects of less oxygen in the air. On this trek you will walk from 1860m above sea level, to 5416m, and back down again, so you will definitely feel the altitude! But the good thing is, if you ascend up slowly, and make stops to wait and acclimatise, your body has the capability to adjust to the altitude.

In high altitude the first symptom you will feel is being out of breath, or "puffed", more quickly than you would at sea level. This is normal, and everyone trekking at altitude is guaranteed to feel it at some point. However the better your cardio endurance is, the higher you will be able to trek before you feel this extra exertion, and the less effect the altitude will have on your trekking experience overall. Which is why its important to work on your cardio fitness before the trek.

The next stage of altitude symptoms is to feel dizziness, a headache, a lack of appetite, and potentially nausea. If you feel this, you are approaching altitude sickness and will need to rest a while before continuing higher. For this reason, our group will have expert mountain guides, as well as a Wild Women trip leader, so that we can split when needed. This means there is no pressure for you to maintain any speed or keep going when you are not feeling well.

Altitude Sickness:

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), can occur when ascending to high altitudes too quickly. Symptoms may include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. If you begin to feel unwell, the guide will recommend stopping and resting, drinking lots of water and monitoring your symptoms, and if it persists, you may need to descend.

What happens if you are unable to complete the trek?

If you realise that you are unable to go further, or your guide advises that you must descend due to altitude sickness, you will either rest in the tea houses until you feel well enough to walk back down, or directly begin to descend, escorted by a guide and porter.

In an emergency situation where you need to be evacuated due to acute altitude sickness, illness, or injury, a helicopter will be called. Helicopter pads are everywhere on the trail and common in this area.

As Nepal has a huge trekking industry, which is dominated by extreme altitude and dangerous trails, they also have a very compitent mountain medical industry. Their hospitals are well funded and set up for foreigners.

Season:

We have chosen November to go trekking as this is one of the best months of the year for the climate in Nepal. It will be mid autumn, so summer temps have dropped, but its not quite the super cold snowy winter yet. You never know when the weather gods will play tricks on us though!

The first few days of our hike will be warm, t-shirt weather, then the higher and higher we get up the mountain the cooler it will get. We might even get snow when we are at Thorong La Pass! So this means you'll have to pack some autumn clothes AND winter clothes.

Meeting point:

We will be meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, on the 4th of November. You can book your flight arriving in on the 4th or earlier. We will be having our official "meet and greet" around 5pm on the 4th, so it would be good to arrive earlier than that to give you time to settle in.

A driver will be waiting for you at Kathmandu airport with your name on a card ready to bring you to the hotel.

Finish point:

We will arrive back to Kathmandu after our trek on the 18th of November and stay that night in the same hotel, so you can fly out any time the next day on the 19th.

What to bring:

3 Passport size Photos (required for National Park trekking permits)
Day pack for you to carry on hike
Torchlight / Headlight
Warm light weight backpacking sleeping bag (-10 degrees Celsius)
Sunglass and sun-cream
Hat
Beanie
Neck warmer
Thin fleece gloves
Down jacket (this is a must! It gets really cold at high elevation!)
Base layer thermal like wool or similar
Sweat wicking t-shirt
Fleece/Jumper
Wind proof jacket
Long and short hiking pants
Swimmers
Hiking boots - "broken in" and comfortable
Wool socks- a few pairs for hiking and one thick one for night
Sandals (Crocs or Tevas are great to wear wool socks with)
Trekking poles (optional only if you feel your knees struggle with down hills or your worried about your endurance)
Dry fruits, protein bars and/or chocolates for trekking snacks - can buy in Kathmandu as well
Toiletries
Camera/gopro
Chargers - international adapter
Journal/book
2 x 1lt water bottles (recommend lifestraw or katadyn purifier bottles)

Visa:

All Australians can obtain a Visa on Arrival to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. It costs $30USD for 15 days, $50USD for 30 days, or $125USD for 90 days.

Important notes:

You will need a valid passport and one passport -size photo with a light background with you at immigration to get the VOA.
Visa can be obtained only through payment of cash in the following currency: Euro, Swiss Franc, Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar and Japanese Yen.
Credit card, Indian currency and Nepali currency are not accepted as payment of visa fees

Travel Insurance:

Travel Insurance is compulsory for this trip, you will need to send confirmation of your insurance to info@wildwomenjourneys.com before the trip begins. There are lots of different companies offering travel insurance with different prices, so do some comparing and find the insurance which fits best for you. Make sure it includes hiking at altitudes up to 5416m and medical assistance.

Tipping:

Tipping is a customary way to show appreciation to our Nepalese guides and porters who work super hard to make sure we are always safe and having the best time ever. While not mandatory, it is highly appreciated and considered an important part of their income. As a general guideline, we suggest budgeting around $10-15 per day for your guide and $5-10 per day for your porter, per trekker. Tips are usually pooled and given at the end of the trek. Of course, the exact amount is up to you and what you feel comfortable with giving.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive at Kathmandu (1400 m) / Meet & Greet

You’ll arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, greeted by the bustling atmosphere of Nepal’s capital city. The sights, sounds and smells will immediately immerse you in the rich culture of the region. After meeting our staff member at the airport you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Thamel where you can rest and recharge from your flight. In the afternoon you’ll meet the rest of your group for a briefing on the journey ahead before all heading off to dinner together.

Meals Included: Dinner

Accommodation: Kathmandu Guest House (twin share)

Day 2: Cultural day in Kathmandu

Before heading of on our trekking adventure we will take a day to learn a little bit more about the culture and explore Kathmandu. Some of the highlights will be doing a cooking class, exploring Bhaktapur, walking around Durbar Square & some local markets, and visiting a local women's handicraft workshop.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Kathmandu Guest House (twin share)

Day 3: Kathmandu to Dharapani (1960m): 7-8 hours drive

Today we’ll have an early breakfast at our hotel in Kathmandu before we embark on our scenic drive to Dharapani that will take you through winding mountain roads and picturesque valleys. You'll witness stunning landscapes unfold before your eyes, from terraced fields to cascading waterfalls to towering mountains in the distance. This evening you’ll settle into your hotel in the quaint village of Dharapani nestled amidst the majestic Himalayas.