- Traditional Nepalese villages
- Magnificent views of Annapurna South
Annapurna Extension
Walking & Trekking
Activity Level
Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you
Essential Info
Weather
The main trekking season in Nepal is from October to mid‐May when daytime temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking, the sky is clear much of the time and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures will vary from 15ºC to 35ºC. Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking.
Post Monsoon/Autumn: October to November. This is the main trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures will be up to 20ºC. Skies are usually clear and days on trek are sunny and mild with clear mountain views. Nights will be cooler with temperatures dropping to about 5ºC.
Winter: December to end February. Despite the cooler conditions this is an ideal time to trek in Nepal. Skies are usually very clear especially in December and the mountain views are at their best. Early mornings and evenings are cold with temperatures down to about freezing but once the sun is out days are pleasant and sunny with temperatures up to 19ºC. The trails are much less busy at the time of year.
Pre‐monsoon: March to May. Both day and night temperatures will be warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons and there can be some rain. The days will be hot (up
to 25ºC). Nights will be a bit cooler. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people choose to trek in spring. The Annapurna region is famous for its rhododendrons in spring.
Please remember that in any mountain area the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions
described above.
The Annapurna trek extension is not available on any departures during the summer months of June – early September due to poor weather from monsoon rains in this period.
Weather Charts
Kathmandu
Teahouses & Hotels
3 nights teahouses; 3 nights hotels. On trek we stay in local mountain lodges (known as teahouses). In Pokhara, we stay in a simple hotel near the lake. We then move into a more comfortable hotel in Kathmandu.
Please note that a single supplement is not applicable for the teahouses on the trek (available only for the 3 hotel nights)
The teahouses are basic but adequate; please be realistic about what to expect in the mountains. We ask that you read our Nepal Destination Guide for further details about the lodge facilities.
The hub of the teahouse is the dining room, usually decorated with colourful traditional rugs, sometimes with a stove or heater (some lodges charge a fee to put the heater on). All teahouses sell snacks and other essentials such as tissues, soap and toilet paper. Most lodges have electricity but it is not wholly reliable and lighting may not be bright enough to read by – a torch is essential. Electrical charging facilities are generally available only in the dining room (charged at approx. Rs150-350 per hour per device). Many lodges have Wi-Fi these days but it is generally slow and temperamental and often cannot cope with more than a couple of people logging into it at once.
The bedrooms are mostly twin-share but occasionally during peak seasons, you may be asked to share a dormitory room (3-5 people max) for the odd night. Beds with foam mattresses, bedsheets and a pillow are provided. Bedrooms are generally unheated and can get cold at night – please note we will provide you with a sleeping bag for the trek ‐ your guide will bring it to Pokhara.
Most lodges have only one or two basic toilets and sometimes these are located outside the main lodge building. Toilets are usually Asian ’squat’ style; although many lodges have now installed ‘western style’ seated ones. Toilet paper is not provided so you should bring your own or buy it locally (please dispose of it the bin provided – do not put it in the bowl). If there is not a flush handle, there should be a container of water to pour down – if it is empty (or frozen) please either refill it or ask the lodge to.
Some lodges now have gas or solar hot showers (charged at approx. Rs250-500 per shower) but don’t expect them every night. Sometimes a hot shower is simply a bucket of hot water and not a shower head.
Standards of cleanliness vary especially in the peak trekking season and in winter when the water freezes at night. Please report any problems to your leader or the lodge and be vigilant in your personal hygiene regime – use soap or hand sanitizer gel before and after toilet breaks, snacks and meal times.
Reviews
Add your own reviewAnnapurna Extension
Although we did not get extensive views of the Annapurna Mountain range because of the permanent mist (it was February) the trek took me through beautiful places, old villages and farmlands which gave a fascinating glimpse into a past way of living. The actual walking was not hard, because of the excellent pacing of my guide, but I a not sure that I would have enjoyed the uphill days as much in the height of summer. For me coming from the moderate Highlights of Northern India and Nepal trip it was the right amount of exertion.
Most Inspirational Moment
The stone stair cases and paths cut into the foothills along which we traveled and the peace and serenity of the trek; some days we didn't see other westerners at all. On some days we stopped for tea with various locals which was always fascinating
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader (I was the only traveler) was called Sager. Although his English as not brilliant he was a very good porter and guide. He was able to pace the trek exactly to my speed and strength so that even though I knew that I had walked I was never overstretched. He also had some interesting stories about the places we passed through, his own family background and other cultural aspects
Advice for Potential Travellers
If Exodus wants to book you until the Australia Camp for the first night refuse. It is not a teahouse it is a full, very basic trekkers camp. It may potentially have excellent views, but when the mist is down as in February you can't see them. Instead there now appears to be a fashion for young Nepalese people to trek from Pokhara to this camp especially on Friday nights to party. I didn't go up into the Annapurna foothills to listen to a raucous drunken crowd, including camp staff, partying until 2 am especially as it only took an hour and a half to walk to the Australian Camp and 25 minutes further on there was the lovely, quiet village of Pothana. This is just inside the borders of the Annapurna National Park and tranquility is the norm here. You do need your own loo roll for this part of the trip. There is an abundance of water in this area so everything felt very clean, except once again at the Australian Camp, although I had taken hand sanatiser with me just in case. In all of the other places we stopped at, either just for food or drink or at the accommodation there was always somewhere to wash your hands after going to the loo, some of which were interestingly basic but fine, or shower etc. It was usually a single basin, with soap just outside whatever facility. In the Australian Camp there were no hand wash basins.
Would you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
You may also like
The Adventure Begins Here
Get regular inspiration straight to your inbox from Exodus’ experts.