Preparation for Trekking Annapurna Circuit
Hello everyone,
My boyfriend and I am thinking about hiking the ACT. We already did multi day hiking in the alps, we exercise sometimes (climbing, jogging) but not really on a regular basis. Do you think good preparation regarding physical exercises the weeks/months before is important to manage the ACT? I find it really hard to estimate the difficulty of the ACT. Thanks in advance!
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10 replies on “Preparation for Trekking Annapurna Circuit”
The length of the total ACT trek is as much concern as physical conditioning. Can be up to 17 days depending on where you start. Altitudes in excess of 5,300 meters, so it helps if you know how you all respond to altitude. Tip top physical condition not necessary, but the more fit the better of course. You will find your endurance and mental toughness tends to improve as the trek progresses.
I think you should be good. Just do some long walks with a backpack with similar weight to what you will be carrying at ACT, so you’re prepared (mostly mentally) for handling the weight and distance. You probably can’t really prepare for the altitude back home.
60 year old couple from Malaysia finished the trek. The fitter person tends to be more active,so pushes the limits…and fails. Stay within the limits of 500 m of altitude per day after elevation of 3000 m and drink plenty of fluids and you will be safe from altitude sickness. Garlic soup is recommended . As the saying goes, ” Slow and steady wins the race!” . Happy trekking.
I’m 60 and I seem to outclimb many 20,30,40 year olds over the pass ( even runners 🙂). Easy for me to hike 20+km per day 😃. I agree with you drinking lotsa water at altitude seems to work for me. Garlic, ginger tea and lots of dal bhat!
In my opinion, because above 3000m altitude you only want to gain 500m elevation per day, I think you will be fine with every sort of physical excersise. It really “limits” the kms you’re going to be doing every day. Especcialy a bit higher up in the mountains. Maybe you want to do some hilltraining to prepare your body for the climbing but overal the hike is veeeery doable I think! Have fun in advance! I’m going to do the three passes trek this march!
For me, I’d put it in the easy group. 10-20 km hiking per day. No harder than a Camino in Europe. I’m conditioned but not super fit and am 60. I agree with others, unless you know you tolerate altitude well go easy with the height gain. Manang area is food for altitude acclimatization hikes ( icelake etc).
Just plan enough time for rest days in case of altitude problems. Then for a normal trained person there is no problem to do ABC. And altitude problems are not related to fitness.
Hello, you will be fine if you start in Besisahar, because you get fitter and acclimatized as the trek goes on.
Multi day hiking in the alps…..don’t compare this with a trek like u are planning in Nepal.. that is totally different and more tricky….
Feel free you can do that easily. No need any exercise but walk slow. Safety first and enjoy.