Annapurna Base Camp: What Our First High Altitude Multi-Day Trek Was Like

The Annapurna Base Camp trek is one of the most popular treks in Nepal for a reason. The 10 day hike takes you up to an altitude of 4,130 metres above sea level surrounded by magnificent panoramas of some of the tallest mountains in the world. Through jungle, lowland pastures and dramatic glaciers you trek, experiencing the rural Nepali way of life with local people you meet along the way.

My husband and I have always enjoyed day-hikes but had never tried a multi-day trek before, or been at any considerable altitude. With more than 120km of ground to cover and a whole lot of hiking up and down steep valleys, we knew it wasn't going to be easy.

We completed the Annapurna Base Camp trek in November/December 2019 and didn’t have a spot of rain. The temperatures varied depending on how high the altitude was — we were in shorts and t-shirts for some of the trek and in full thermals with hats and gloves for other parts of it. The nights were cold, getting down to -10 degrees Celsius at Annapurna Base Camp, but when you’ve got the right gear…