Short answer: $1455 USD. That's for two of us with a guide and a porter for a 17 day Annapurna Circuit trek, inclusive of all food, lodging, transportation, entrance & trekking fees, starting and ending in Pokhara, with an exchange rate of 70 Nepali Rupees per 1 US Dollar in...
Annapurna Circuit: Should You Hire A Guide
In planning your Annapurna Circuit trek, you'll have to decide whether to hire a guide and/or porter? We opted for both a guide and a porter. Part of our foreign aid policy is to go to under-developed countries and pay locals for their services. I try to avoid going...
Annapurna Circuit: Part 6, Hot Springs and Pink Mountains
This was our bus/jeep day, so there's just not that much to comment on. We took a morning bus from Marpha to Ghasa, then a jeep from Ghasa to Tatopani. I would call this a rest day if Nepali transportation were comfortable and relaxing. But small seats, ad...
Annapurna Circuit: Part 5, Kali Gandaki
Ranipauwa is the last of the traveling trekking circus -- the group of fellow familiar travelers you've encountered on the trail and in the lodges leading up to the pass. On the AC before the pass you have no other options but to walk, but after the pass jeeps...
Annapurna Circuit: Part 4, Up & Over
Most folks stay in Manang for their acclimatization day - it's a bigger town with more trekkers, shops, and a number of German bakeries (yes, German bakeries). We stayed in Bragha, preferring the proximity of the Milarepa's Cave trail and the old village. But Manang does have its charms....
Annapurna Circuit: Part 3, High Valley of Manang
Heading out of Chame we encountered shopkeepers opening their shops. In addition to sweeping and setting out goods, most lit sprigs of juniper in small burners. We encountered this natural incense of smoldering juniper sprigs all along the Buddhist part of the AC.
Inca Trail Thoughts
This is post 5 of 5 in the series “Inca Trail” Inca Trail: Day 1 Inca Trail: Day 2 Inca Trail: Day 3 Inca Trail: Day 4 & Machu Picchu Inca Trail Thoughts Here’s a collections of thoughts that didn’t really fit in with the narrative, but nonetheless might...
Inca Trail: Day 4 & Machu Picchu
This is post 4 of 5 in the series “Inca Trail” Inca Trail: Day 1 Inca Trail: Day 2 Inca Trail: Day 3 Inca Trail: Day 4 & Machu Picchu Inca Trail Thoughts It was raining at our 03:45 wake up. It was raining at our 04:00 breakfast. It...
Inca Trail: Day 3
This is post 3 of 5 in the series “Inca Trail” Inca Trail: Day 1 Inca Trail: Day 2 Inca Trail: Day 3 Inca Trail: Day 4 & Machu Picchu Inca Trail Thoughts By the third day we had become accustomed to our morning routine, and were easily on...
Inca Trail: Day 2
This is post 2 of 5 in the series “Inca Trail” Inca Trail: Day 1 Inca Trail: Day 2 Inca Trail: Day 3 Inca Trail: Day 4 & Machu Picchu Inca Trail Thoughts Jaime and a porter greeted us in our tent at 05:30 with more bowls of warm...