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UncategorizedNovember 28, 2024December 1, 2024 By crownjourneys

Caminito del Rey

The history of Caminito del Rey: from hydroelectric installation to tourist attraction

Running through the municipalities of Ardales, Álora and Antequera, the Caminito del Rey has a curious history which has nothing to do with tourism and dates back to the early twentieth century. This was when the Sociedad Hidroeléctrica del Chorro, owner of the Gaitanejo and the El Chorro power stations, decided to build a water canal that would unite them within a hydroelectric power plant, taking advantage of the unevenness of the land. The project included a maintenance path that linked both ends of the hydroelectric station, which would be used by company operators much earlier than tourists. The works finished in 1905, but as the path was so beautiful—it was already attracting numerous visits—the chief engineer Rafael Benjumea decided to improve the layout and the bridge that joined both ends of the gorge, known as Balconcillo de los Gaitanes. In 1921, the path received the name of Caminito del Rey after it was inaugurated by the monarch Alfonso XIII, as attested by several images from the time.

With the passing of the years, the path fell into a state of disrepair that ended with some sections collapsing and the railing along almost the entire route disappeared. This was how it earned its reputation as “the most dangerous path in the world”, and it attracted adventurous hikers unaware of the risks. In 2001, after four fatal accidents in just two years, the authorities closed all access roads to it.

It was not, however, the death of the Caminito del Rey. On 28 March 2015, after one year of restoration work and five million euros’ public investment, the path was reopened to the public, and quickly became one of the most attractive destinations in the world and a great driver of tourism in the region. In 2019, its candidacy for UNESCO World Heritage recognition was submitted.

The Caminito del Rey Path: 8 Kilometres of adrenaline

The route begins in the municipality of Ardales, in the El Kiosko restaurant reception area—where the tickets are bought and a safety helmet is given. From here the journey descends downhill for 8 kilometres until arriving at the El Chorro station, in the municipality of Álora. It can be completed in approximately three or four hours. There are two access routes to the Caminito del Rey footbridges: the Senda de Gaitanejo, a 2.7-kilometre, narrow path that runs between pine trees, and a shorter one that takes the adventurer through a narrow pedestrian tunnel and the Pista de Gaitanejo (1.5 kilometres).

Both converge at the Visitor Reception Booth, where the official route begins next to the former Electrical Substation. We will walk along three kilometres of dizzily high footbridges, through old hydroelectric infrastructure. Plaques marking the maximum levels reached by the water, during floods in 1941 and 1949 can be seen on the rock wall. We will pass up to three canyons: the Desfiladero de Gaitanejo, just 10 metres wide; the Tajo de las Palomas, where we will have to walk over the abyss by crossing the Puente del Rey bridge and cross several lookouts; and the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, the most breathtaking stretch of the route, with narrow walkways literally hanging from the cliff and the famous Hanging Bridge, 105 metres above the Guadalhorce river.

The last section of the route, the Avenida Caminito del Rey, is a 2.1-kilometre downhill path that takes us to the El Chorro railway station after passing through the old town of El Chorro, where workers who built the canal and, later, the operators of the hydroelectric plant and their families, used to live.

Important Recommendations

Walking the Caminito del Rey involves approximately four hours of considerable physical effort, so we recommend that you plan your excursion well. Comfortable clothing and hiking footwear are essential, as well as water, food and sunscreen in summer. There are no bathrooms along the route, so bear this in mind when you are in the visitor reception area. This route is not recommended for people who have a low fitness level or issues with heights.

Finally, it should be noted that this is a linear, not a circular path, so visitors will need to return to the starting point by their own means (there is a shuttle bus service between the north access—Ardales—and the south accesses—El Chorro, Álora).

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CreativeNovember 9, 2020December 1, 2024 By crownjourneys

Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc is 105 miles (170 km long) with approximately 10,000 metres of ascent and descent along the way. This may seem like a daunting amount of trekking, but remember it’s spread over several days. That makes it doable for most keen hikers – and even beginners with strong determination when the going gets tough.

Each day sparks a new challenge that will inspire you to make it to the finish line and before you know it you’ll be back in Cham, necking Genepi and Pastis with the locals.

Along the way, you’ll see wildlife, beautiful mountain views and stay in remote mountain refuges. Watch out for Ibex with their big horns and steer clear if two males begin a fight on the trail. It’s not worth getting involved. Look out for birds of prey circling above your lunch spot, and have no doubt that they will have their eyes on your sandwich.

Trek the Tour du Mont Blanc | Much Better Adventures

Join good people on one of the world’s great hikes. Trek the mighty Alps through Italy, France and Switzerland as you circumnavigate the Mont Blanc massif.

Back on the ground, you might spot anything from red deer to chamois, roe deer, squirrels or marmots, mountain hares, foxes, boars, badgers, stoats or an abundance of the other wildlife that lives in this blossoming area. There is no lack of biodiversity across the 170km Mont Blanc hiking route, that’s for sure.

Traditional chocolate box chalets and small farming villages still exist and it’s worth appreciating the simplicity of the locals’ way of life. Ultimately it’s the views of the mountains that make the hike so spectacular. Watch out: the views will inspire future adventures right then and there.

The trail, for the most part, is not technically difficult. There’s a great variety, too. You can expect everything from forests, barren rocky terrain and vast green valleys on the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking route. You will be greeted by a real mix of wild landscapes, and snowy peaks up above, each day different to the next.

Watch out for Ibex with their big horns, and steer clear if two males begin a fight on the trail, it’s not worth getting involved

Most stages on the trek follow a familiar pattern of hiking up and over a col, or mountain pass, before descending to a mountain hut or hotel for the night. Expect to start the day strong with a rewarding ascent to find a scenic lunch spot, before a final descent down to a warm dinner and a cold beer.

Here is a breakdown of the route in the standard 11 stages-

Stage 1: Les Houches - Les Contamines

You’ll start in Les Houches, a small town at the entrance to the Chamonix Valley. Take the Bellevue cable car up to 1800m and enjoy the panoramic views. You should be able to see Mont Blanc, the Chamonix Aiguilles, the Aiguilles Rouges and the Chaine des Aravis.

Head towards the Col du Tricot, passing over the famous suspension bridge that crosses the Bionnay Glacier and down into Les Contamines for the first nights’ accommodation.

Stage 2: Les Contamines to Les Chapieux

The next day takes you up and over the Col du Bonhomme (look out for that Roman bridge) with horizon views of the Vanoise National Park. The trail then descends into the small hamlet of Les Chapieux. Be prepared for a very sketchy phone signal in Les Chapieux, but the views more than make up for it. Everyone can get away with one day off the grid, right?

Stage 3: Les Chapieux to Rifugio Monte Bianco

The Col de la Seigne, Valle d’Aosta, on the Tour du Mont Blanc

After Les Chapieux the trail crosses the Col de la Seigne, at 2516m, straddling the French-Italian border. Yes, you can stand with one foot on each side! You can almost smell the freshly ground Italian coffee as you cross the col.

Head down into the Val Veny, a magnificent green valley with the south face of Mont Blanc dominating the skyline on your left, and spend the night at the Refugio Elisabetta – or continue further along the route to the Refugio Monte Bianco.

Stage 4: Refugio Monte Bianco to Courmayeur

Gorgeous views of the Mont Blanc massif, with hiker walking a trail in the foreground

As you trek towards Courmayeur, you’ll be rewarded with some of the best panoramas of the range’s famous 4000m peaks. There are spectacular and unique vantage points of the Grandes Jorasses, Mont Dolent and the Grand Combin.

Stage 5: Courmayeur to Refugio Walter Bonatti

You’ll eventually start to make your way back towards Switzerland via the Italian Val Ferret. Hike through the Val Ferret towards the Italy-Swiss border. See Mont Blanc, the Dent du Géants and the Grandes Jorasses massif towering above you, before arriving at your mountain hut, the famous Refugio Walter Bonatti with epic mountain views.

Stage 6: Refugio Walter Bonatti to La Fouly

Start the day by traversing the High Balcon Val Ferret trail. Next up, you’ll tackle the 500m climb to the Grand Col Ferret, an Alpine pass with an elevation of 2,537 metres (8,323 ft) on the Italian-Swiss border. Make your descent to the small mountain village of La Fouly.

Stage 7: La Fouly to Champex

Next up is a mellow stage through Swiss alpine meadows and small villages, before reaching the Lac de Champex, a pristine alpine lake in a steep valley. Time for a dip maybe?

Stage 8: Champex to Trient

There are two options today: take the hard route over the Fenetre d’Arpette (2,665m/ 8743ft) or the slightly easier (official) one over Bovine. Both are beautiful, but the harder route takes you to the highest point so far on the journey, with views to match.

Stage 9: Trient to Tré-le-Champ

The finish line is now in sight. You will make your way back into France over the Col de Balme which marks to Swiss-French border, traversing the Aiguille du Midi and crossing into the Aiguilette des Possettes.

Stage 10: Tré-le-Champ to La Flegere

One final push up to the Lac Blanc, over the Grand Balcon Sud, for some more mega impressive views of the Mont Blanc range.

Stage 10: Tré-le-Champ to La Flegere

Start by climbing a rocky path up to the Col du Brevent, where you’ll see the tourist cable care. Then it’s time for a final descent – of over 1500m – back to Chamonix for celebrations and a much-needed demi-peche.

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LifestyleNovember 9, 2020December 1, 2024 By crownjourneys

Kilimanjaro

Well, first, the fact that Kilimanjaro is one of the seven summits. The highest mountain in Africa and one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. The mountain and experience are unique hiking through 5 climatic zones on a freestanding mountain. Kilimanjaro is like nothing else on earth.

Secondly, Kilimanjaro has 7 main routes, we have climbed them all, and prefer route is the Lemosho Route. We have gone a step further and developed our own unique itinerary using a High Camp at 16,000 feet offering our teams the best chance at the summit.

Thirdly, the experience. The mountain is what draws you to see if you have what it takes to reach the summit. What you leave with will be so much more than that. Not only will you experience lush forests alive with monkeys, birds, Giant Senecio and glaciers just south of the Equator.

And last but not least, the primary reason for people hiking Kilimanjaro lies at its very end – the magnificent summit, Uhuru Peak at 5,895m/ 19,341 feet. Or, to be more precise, traversing the massive crater rim of and standing on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. one of the seven wonders of the world at sunrise. It’s not a view you forget.

After that remarkable summit, Kilimanjaro summiteers walk away knowing they have reach one of the coveted seven summits.

How Many Days Does Kilimanjaro take to climb?

In total, we run over 30 treks to Kilimanjaro each year. Our favored and popular Kilimanjaro tours is the 8-day Lemosho trek. We also run a number of safari trips across Tanzania to the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara and many world class locations that Tanzania has to offer.

Our Most Popular Tour:

The 8-day Lemosho route trek covers 42 miles and gives the visitor plenty of time for adequate acclimatization. Along with more time to truly experience the best of Kilimanjaro’s mountain scenery, without having to rush. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so having the time to fully appreciate the beauty and spiritual connection to the mountain and people of Tanzania.

This is one of the most popular adventure treks in the world, as it takes you through some stunning mountain scenery passing three volcanos; the Shira Volcano, Kibo which you know as Kilimanjaro and Mawenzi Volcano.

Along the way, you will camp at the best campsites on Kilimanjaro, as well as no end of stunning natural beauty spots. And not only will you experience the remarkable beauty of the Barranco valley but you’ll also be resting your head in the best campsite for summit success on Kilimanjaro, Kosovo Camp.

Other Notable Kilimanjaro Routes

Our 7-day Machame route trip covers 37 miles, starting at the Machame gate. This route takes a direct route up the southern side of Kilimanjaro. This route encompasses the best of the southern side of Kilimanjaro, including the Barranco and Karanga valley’s. The trip finishes by reaching the Summit and exiting Kilimanjaro National Park by Mweka Gate. We can also run treks on the northern circuit.

Our 9-day Northern Circuit route covers 53 miles from the Lemosho Gate to the Mweka Gate. The northern route is a more baron route, with more acclimatization and less people. Along side the 8-day Lemosho Route, one of the benefits of the northern route is being able to get up to 4,900m/ 16,076 feet at school hut camp which helps greatly as accessing the summit of Kilimanjaro.

How Challenging Is the Kilimanjaro Trek?

Although hiking Kilimanjaro is not a technical peak it is an extremely challenging trek with a serious summit and gigantic downhill. The trail to the summit of Kilimanjaro is tough, leading through steep mountain terrain to the crater rim and Barranco wall.

The question how difficult is it to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is a very tough one to answer! There are a few factors to consider, but if you are a hiker used to carrying weight and walking up and down hills you may find Kilimanjaro relatively straight forward. If not you have a lot of training to do.

Also, due to high altitudes and steep ascents, it’s vital to prepare oneself before climbing Kilimanjaro. We’ll talk more about the preparing for Kilimanjaro in a moment.

Kilimanjaro Permits

The Tanzanian Government manage the permits for climbing the mountain and are very expensive. This is why most people look to climb Kilimanjaro in less days. The permit coverage daily rates and we manage all aspects of the permit and getting it booked for you.

Securing a Kilimanjaro permit is only possible through a certified tour company, such as Ian Taylor Trekking. That means you won’t be able to climb Kilimanjaro independently. That said, if you wish to hike on any route up Kilimanjaro, you can only do that through an approved tour operator.

What Is the Best Time to Climb Kilimanjaro?

When you’re thinking about booking your Kilimanjaro hike, you can either choose between hiking it during the dry season and wet season. The two differ immensely, so it’s important to consider their pros and cons.

Dry Season (January, February and June through October)

There are two dry seasons and they offer you seven good months for climbing Kilimanjaro. The most significant advantage is, of course, a significantly reduced chance of rain. Trekking Kilimanjaro in the rain makes it an even more challenging hike, so picking one of our dry season tours is probably the best choice for you.

On the other hand, the dry season coincides with the peak tourism seasons in Tanzania. That means a lot more hikers on the trail and fuller campsites. Additionally, with more people interested in hiking Kilimanjaro during summer, you will need to book your trip further in advance.

Wet Season (November, December and March – May)

There are two wet seasons on Kilimanjaro. The first is the main wet season. March through May. The second is traditionally a mini wet season in November and December.

During these periods, the trial is much less crowded, with more snow higher up and more risks with slippery and challenging trails. Hiking in the rain for the whole day can also be a pain, especially if you aren’t equipped with a top-quality rain jacket.

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Tips & TricksNovember 9, 2020December 1, 2024 By crownjourneys

Dolomites

Full Itinerary DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: 8-DAY DOLOMITES HIKING TRAVERSE / Arrive in Ortisei / Val Gardena (D)

Arrive in Val Gardena (1,563m / 5,128′) on your own and check into your hotel (private transfer available on request). Set among the mountains of Sassolungo, Puez, and the Sella Massif, Val Gardena is best known for skiing and rock climbing, as well as woodcarving, which has flourished here since the 17th century. Home to three cultures – Italian, Austrian, and the native Ladin, most signage in Val Gardena is written in the three languages – Italian, German, and Ladin! Depending on when you arrive, you may have time for a hike or to explore one of the three villages of Val Gardena – San Cristina, Ortisei, or Selva Gardena.

If you are doing this trip as a self-guided adventure, you will meet with a local representative who will provide a trip briefing and orientation, as well as maps, and everything necessary for your self-guided adventure, typically around 6-7pm. Guided treks have their briefing tomorrow.

Day 2: Puez-Odle, Rasciesa, and Geological Phenomena (BD)

The flank of the Odle mountain group, amply named “needles” in Ladin, has been subject to long term erosion, revealing the fascinating earth and rock strata underlining the principal pale Dolomite rock. The array covers grey-white chalks dating back 240-250 million years along wine red porphyry from a relatively late volcanic phase. Ongoing weathering of the oldest, a blood-red variety of sandstone, led to the 1968 discovery of intriguing skeletal fragments belonging to a long extinct porpoise-like lchthyosaurus, now displayed in the museum at Ortisei, a recommended follow up to the walk.

From the town of Ortisei, take the Resciesa funicolar (not included) to Chalet Resciesa from where you will start your hike. This is an easy hike, suitable for almost anyone, as the trail is predominantly flat with little or no elevation change. Stop for a drink or a rest at a local Rifugio and admire the jagged north faces of the dramatic Odle Group before descending toward Ortisei by cable-car.

(~5-6 hours hiking, 13.3 km / 8.3 miles, 350 m / 1,150′ ascent, 700 m / 2,300′ descent)

This afternoon, discover the charming Tyrolean town of Ortisei on foot.

Day 3: Hike Puez-Odle Nature Park from Selva to Corvara in Alta Badia (BD)

The Puez-Odle/Geisler Nature Reserve comprises an expanse of 10,722 hectares (25,194 acres) and is named after the striking peaks of the Puez and the pinnacles of the Odle/Geisler massifs. Today’s hike presents some challenges, but the views will be breath-taking!

In the morning take the Dantercepies cablecar (not included if self-guided) to Passo Gardena (2,120m / 6,955′), then hike up to the Passo Cir (2,470m / 8,100′) and follow a wider trail on undulating terrain that leads to the Forcella Ciampai Pass (2,365m / 7,760′) and up to the Rifugio Puez (2,475m / 8,120′) where you can stop for lunch.

A longer option allows a one-hour ridge hike from the Passo Cir to the Sass Ciampac (2,673m / 8,770′).

A final three-hour hike downhill on an easy and panoramic trail brings you to the town of Colfosco and then onto Corvara (1,560m / 5,120′), where your hotel is located.

(~7-8 hours hiking, 15 km / 9,3 miles, 590 m / 1,935′ ascent, 1,150m / 3,775′ descent.

Day 4: Hike to Santa Croce Sanctuary (BD)

Today you will hike to the Santa Croce Sanctuary at the base of the Sasso della Croce (Sass dla Crusc for the Ladin-speaking population). Begin walking uphill on a paved road, passing through a number of closely-knit hamlets formed of clusters of ancient shingle-roofed timber farmhouses and barns, known as viles, or small communities, characteristic of Val Badia.

In the morning take a private transfer to San Cassiano and the start of your hike. After a 45-minute walk on a road, pass through the last vile, continue hiking on a gravel trail that leads to the Santa Croce Sanctuary. Walk gradually uphill through the pine forest with great views of Santa Croce, the Conturines, and Sella mountain groups, as well as the towns of La Villa, San Cassiano, Corvara, Pedraces, and San Leonardo – all part of the Val Badia valley. Along the way there are a couple of steep ascents.

It takes about two hours from San Cassiano to reach the church and sanctuary of Ospizio S. Croce (2,045m / 6,710′). There is a charming rifugio here, where you can enjoy a traditional Dolomites lunch. Don’t miss the famous Kaiserschmarren, a crepe-like pancake with powdered sugar and jam!

Enjoy a meal and a rest at the Ospizio of Santa Croce restaurant (2,045m / 6,710′). Don’t miss the famous Kaiserschmarren, a crepe-like pancake with powdered sugar and jam!

When you are ready to depart, descend along the Armentara meadows to La Villa and take a private transfer to your hotel.

(~5-6 hours hiking, 13.0 km / 8.1 miles, 600 m / 1,970′ ascent, 530 m / 1,740′ descent.)

Day 5: Hike from Capanna Alpina to Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park (BD)

After breakfast, take a private transfer to a restaurant built just at the edge of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park, located in an incredible setting.

From here, begin your hike with a steep, 1.5-hour ascent. You will soon enter a fairytale valley, set between mountains, carpeted with green pastures. You’ll hike numerous ups and downs for about 3 hours, until you reach a cozy mountain hut (2,104m / 6,903′). This cheery converted farm offers light meals (option to have lunch here). Pass by a beautiful mountain lake at 2,159 meters (7,083′). In summer, the waters here are surrounded by gentians, buttercups, and globe flowers. Descend to reach your rifugio for tonight.

(~4-5 hours hiking, 9,1 km / 5,7 miles, 520m / 1,705′ ascent, 200 m / 660′ descent.)

Day 6: Hike from Fanes-Sennes-Braies Natural Park to Cortina d'Ampezzo (B)

This walk to the Alpe di Sennes uplands entails a good range of scenery and habitats. Grandiose Dolomite groups headed by the Croda Rossa are foremost features, their lower flanks cloaked by flourishing woods of a healthy mix of evergreen conifer and deciduous species.

Depart your rifugio this morning and hike down to Rifugio Pederü (1,540m / 4,313′) on Alta Via n.1. From Pederü hike on to Rifugio Fodara Vedla (1,965m /6,447′), which is also part of the Natural Park of Fanes-Sennes-Braies. From here you will have a superb view east on the Croda Rossa Massif (2,818m / 9,245′), so-called for its blood-red rock due to the presence of iron oxide.

After lunch, you will hike on a stony track, a former wartime mule route, traversing a series of grassy basins dotted with bushes and dwarf mountain pine, the ideal home of marmots and chamois. The final part of today’s hike winds steadily down through Arolla pine and larch to Rifugio Malga Ra Stua, where your driver awaits to take you to your hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

(~5-6 hours hiking, 13.2 km / 8.2 miles, 500 m / 1640′ ascent, 880 m / 2,890′ descent)

Day 7: Hike around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (B)

Today you’ll take a scenic drive by private taxi up to Rifugio Auronzo (2,331m / 7,650′) by transfer, then hike around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Monte Paterno, one of the most scenic mountain landscapes in the Dolomites. Along the way you’ll admire the spectacular Cadini mountain group on the south, with its rock spires and strangely formed needles. Take a private transfer back to Cortina.

The remainder of the afternoon is free to wander and explore Cortina’s busy streets lined with restaurants and cafes, antique shops, art galleries, and boutiques.

(6 hours hiking 12.8km / 8 miles, 610m / 2,000′ ascent, 549m / 1,800’descent.)

Day 8: Depart Cortina (B)

After breakfast, departure on your own (private transfers available). Consider spending an extra day for a via ferrata.

The remainder of the afternoon is free to wander and explore Cortina’s busy streets lined with restaurants and cafes, antique shops, art galleries, and boutiques.

(6 hours hiking 12.8km / 8 miles, 610m / 2,000′ ascent, 549m / 1,800’descent.)

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UncategorizedNovember 9, 2020December 1, 2024 By crownjourneys

Annapurna

Route and itinerary for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

The start of your trek is up to you. Many people do the Annapurna Circuit or Poon Hill treks before and join the Annapurna Base Camp trek in Chomrong. If you are coming from Pokhara there are several options to begin your trek:

Transport from Pokhara to the beginning of the Annapurna trek

1

Take a bus from Pokhara to Kimchi (400 NPR takes aprox 4 hours) and begin trekking from there.

2

Take a taxi or jeep to Nayapul (2000 NPR, 2 hours) and either trek from there or take a jeep further to Gandruk (1500-2500 NPR, 2 hours)

The part of the trek before Kimchi and Gandruk is not very exciting and is mostly along the dusty jeep road. I would recommend going as far as possible by vehicle to save time and energy. You will need to stop in Birethanti twice to register your permit and later on again in Chomrong.

Below is an outline of the trek by day as we did it. The photo is of a very useful map given to us when we applied for our permits. It tells you roughly the distance, time and climb between each of the towns allowing you to plan each day depending on your abilities, energy levels and time. It is best not to have set parts to achieve each day and just see how it goes as you never know what will happen with weather, injuries etc.

Day 1

Day 2

Komrong to Kimrong – 1hr steep downhill
Kimrong to Chomrong – 2.5 hrs steep uphill followed by flat
Chomrong to Sinuwa – 1.5 hrs steeply down a valley and back up the other side.
Overnight Sinuwa (due to rain)
Sometimes it can get quiet steep up towards the summit.

Day 3

Sinuwa to Bamboo – 1hr 15 min lots of stairs and downhill
Bamboo to Dovan – 50 mins easy going
Dovan to Himalaya – 1.5 hrs uphill through lots of dense jungle
Himalaya to Durali – 1 hr 10 mins steep uphill and then flat, amazing scenery
Overnight Durali

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Accommodation on the Annapurna base camp trek

Accommodation along the route is in the form of tea houses. At the start of the trek they are in villages where locals live and work however further up these huts have been specifically built for trekkers. The standards are basic but comfortable (mostly). Rooms have anywhere from 2 beds to a dorm of 7 or 8. Expect a thin mattress, pillow and warm blanket. The sheets were varying levels of clean and we preferred to use our sleeping bag liners (get one here).

If you stay somewhere you need to eat there too and if you speak quietly with the owner many places will let you stay for free if you eat breakfast and dinner. Turning up as a larger group makes this negotiation easier. When we did pay we never paid more than 150 NPR per person for the night.

Hot water was available throughout most of the trek but cost an extra fee, usually around 100 NPR per person. There was cellphone signal as far as Sinwa, past there almost everywhere, including the base camp, had WiFi for an additional fee. We chose to disconnect for a few days.

Always having the summit in sight!

Food on the Annapurna base camp trek

Almost all the huts serve the same menu which is regulated by the authorities and prices are set. The menu is surprisingly good and prices are reasonable, increasing slightly as you get higher up. Dal baht is a standard option it provides great sustenance for trekking, it’s one of the more expensive options on offer but you get unlimited refills so it’s worth it. There are also a range of pasta meals, noodles, rice and egg and toast combinations for breakfast.

Expect to pay 400-700 NPR for a meal and around 60-150 for a tea or coffee.

The menu is very similar at the tea houses along the trek.

Water Plastic bottles are (thankfully) banned after a certain point so make sure you bring a refillable bottle. Tea houses sell 1L of safe drinking water for between 100-170 NPR or you can bring your own sterilising method. We used our Steripen (UV steriliser) and further up drank directly from the streams or taps without any problems.

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