Annapurna Luxury Lodge trek
Nepal

Typical day on a Luxury Lodge trek in Nepal

We provide a comfortable experience on our luxury lodge style treks. Our team works hard to support you so that you can relax and enjoy trekking in Nepal. The lodges provide your meals in a communal dining room. You will sleep in private rooms with an attached bathroom.

The day starts with getting up in your room with the convenience of washing in the en-suite bathroom. Before heading for breakfast you pack your overnight gear into your duffel bag. At the designated time the group will assemble in the dining room to eat breakfast. The menu has a range of items to choose from such as porridge, cereals, chapattis, and a choice of egg dishes. There is also the choice of tea or coffee plus other hot drinks like the popular ginger, lemon honey drink.

While the group is having breakfast the porters arrange their loads and set off in the cool of the morning. After breakfast, between 7am and 8am, we start walking. The pace of the trek is moderate as there is plenty of time in the itinerary to reach the lodge for tonight. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, take photos and explore the local villages. Lunch will be around midday at a teahouse lodge by the side of the trail.

After lunch we continue the walk and on most days we arrive at the lodge by mid afternoon. On arrival you will get a hot drink and biscuits or a slice of cake. For dinner you get a three course dinner. The menus vary depending on the lodge. There is a range of Nepalese, Indian and continental dishes. Nepalese food includes dal bhat, momos and the famous Sherpa stew. Dal bhat is the Nepalese dish of rice and lentils with vegetable curry. Continental dishes such as spaghetti and pasta; pizzas; vegetable burgers and chips are also available.

After supper the leaders will discuss the plan for the next day. Afterwards people might stay in the dining room chatting about the day’s events or playing cards. After a tiring day most people head to their rooms quite early for the night. Tomorrow is likely to be very similar as today!

We cater for a variety of dietary requirements. There are always meals that are suitable for vegetarians. During booking we find out if you have any dietary needs and agree upon meal plans before departure. If you have any questions about the food provided please get in touch with us to discuss further.

You can read more about Luxury Lodge Trekking in Nepal on our Blog. This article explains about the facilities available at a luxury lodge. It also describes the advantages and disadvantages versus teahouse style treks.

Kit List for Annapurna Luxury Lodge

This is the mandatory kit list for the safety of everyone in the group and to ensure a successful trek. You must have the following items tailored for Annapurna Luxury Lodge trek. The group leader will check your gear in Kathmandu before departure for the trek.

As a reminder, the weather on this trek will vary season to season and day to day as you ascend to higher elevations. At the start of the trek you will experience hot and humid conditions with temperatures up to 25 to 30 Celsius. The hottest months are in April, May, September and early October.

You should bring a rucsac or backpack for gear required during the day. Your pack should contain items such as warm clothes, jacket, camera, water bottles, personal first aid kit and snacks. The weight limit is 5kg. A porter will carry the rest of your personal equipment packed in a duffel or kit bag. The weight limit for your duffel bag is 10kg (although should be in practice be lower due to shortness of the trek). Please mark your bag on the outside for easy identification.

At Ker & Downey lodges the following items are available in the rooms. Torch/ flashlight, candles, soap, towels and hair dryers. There are also down jackets, wool gloves, hats and slippers. The bedrooms in the Ker and Downey lodges are not heated. In winter months there will be a fire pit in the bar area. The fire will be lit in the late afternoon and guests will sit around to warm up. Happy Hour drinks served in the bar from 6pm to 7pm.

Print the kit list and tick items off as you pack them then weigh your kit bag before you come on trek.

Footwear

• Walking Boots. A pair of water repellent boots with ankle support. Boots must be in good condition, the best approach is to get new boots and break in before the trek.
• Trail shoes. Used around lodge.
• Walking socks.

Clothing

• Waterproof and Windproof jacket (with hood) and trousers (goretex or similar). For use if it rains or snows during the trek and in windy conditions.
• Trekking trousers. (eg. Mountain Hardwear Mesa V2 or The North Face Paramount Peak).
• Long sleeve tops or shirts (not cotton).
• Micro fleece.
• Mid to heavyweight fleece or synthetic/ primaloft top.
• Casual clothes for evenings at the lodges.

Head and Gloves

• Fleece gloves. Only required for winter treks.
• Wool or fleece hat.
• Sun hat.
• Bandana or scarf (eg. Buff Headwear).
• Head torch. Bring extra batteries.
• Sunglasses. The lenses need to be Category 4 rated. They should have side protection or wraparound design.

Personal equipment

• Day pack. Recommended size is around 30 litres. You need to have enough space to carry water bottles, camera, snacks and extra clothing. The pack should have a good waist belt. It is also a good idea to bring a rain cover to keep the contents dry.
• Trekking poles (Black Diamond with “Flick Lock” are best). Two poles are mandatory for your safety. These will be helpful on steep sections of the trail. Such as Day 7 for 2 hour+ descent down to the Modi Khola river.
• Stuff sacks for keeping your gear dry and organised. Or even better are fold dry bags such as from Exped.
• Two water bottles. Nalgene wide mouth bottles are the best. You may use a hydration pack lower down but the tube will freeze in the cold so ensure you still have two water bottles.
• Sunscreen and lip salve with a high SPF.
• Favourite snack food.
• Books and cards etc.
• Camera with spare batteries and memory cards.
• Insurance certificate.
• Earplugs (optional).
• Baby wipes (optional).
• Hand sanitizer. Keep this in your day pack for use after a toilet break during the trek or before eating any snacks. We provide sanitizer for use before meals.

Travelling

• Duffel bag for your personal gear on the trek. Carried by a porter. Rugged and waterproof made of a plastic material. Size about 70 litres. Eg. Mountain Equipment or Rab. Bring a small combination padlock to secure the bag.
• Travel clothes. You will need casual clothing for air travel days and time spent in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
• Toiletry bag with soap, travel towel, toilet paper, toothbrush etc.

We provide a comprehensive group first aid kit.  Please bring personal medications and other items you might use such as:

• Any personal medications.
• Blister treatment (Compeed patches are the best)
• Rehydration powder (eg Dioralyte).
• Analgesics (paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin).
• Plasters and zinc oxide tape.
• Throat lozenges.
• Diamox (helps with acclimatisation).

Risk assessment for Annapurna Luxury Lodge trek

You should be aware trekking in a developing country involves a risk of personal injury or death. You must accept these risks and be responsible for your own actions and involvement. Adventure travel requires an open and flexible attitude. You may experience extreme conditions and unpredictable weather. There could be last-minute changes to the itinerary beyond our control. The ability to work in a team is an important aspect of our trips.

We have performed a threat and risk assessment for our Annapurna Luxury Lodge trek staying at Ker and Downey Nepal lodges. Our trips have a degree of risk. This is part of the attraction of adventure travel and why so many people choose to join this type of holiday. By identifying the hazards we assess the level of risk. We have control measures in place to reduce this happening or to reduce the impact.

Our risk assessment is available to clients on request. We have listed below a summary of the significant risks and hazards identified by us:

• Falls and trips resulting in physical injury eg. slipping on ice or falling off the path. There are stone steps to follow for several sections of this trek. On Day 7 there is a 2-hour+ descent on a steep trail down to the Modi Khola river.
• Climatic injuries (dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, hypothermia or heat stroke). Please note during the months of April and October it will be very hot and humid on this trek.
• Crossing a river with no bridge resulting in drowning and/ or a fall.
• Rockfall and landslides.
• Lightning strike.
• Wildlife, pack animals (e.g. donkeys or horses) or stray dogs. Pack animals can knock people off the path. Dogs can attack and bite. Discuss rabies vaccination with your doctor.
• Earthquake.
• Risk of fire in the hotel or lodge.
• Endemic local diseases. Discuss vaccinations with your doctor before departure.
• Physiological injury. Such as heart attack, appendicitis, hernia, toothache, etc. in a remote area.
• Road traffic accidents.
• Flight accidents. Read paragraph “Internal flight".
• Contaminated food and/ or water.

This trip visits a remote area. You are away from the usual emergency services and medical facilities. Evacuation for a serious injury requiring hospitalisation could take up to several days. This delay could impede your ensuing recovery. Helicopters are the usual means of evacuation. They are not always available or hindered by poor weather and flying conditions.

Internal Flights in Nepal

Flights from Nepal’s Short Take-Off & Landing (“STOL”) airstrips are dependent on weather. Delays often happen if there is poor visibility or high winds. For our itineraries with flights to or from STOL, we include one extra day in Kathmandu at the end of the trip. This is in case of delays flying back. If the delays are longer we will help reschedule your international flights. There is likely to be a fee charged by the airline for this. You also have to pay for costs incurred in Kathmandu as a result of the delay such as accommodation and meals.

You should read the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (“FCDO”) travel advice for Nepal. For their latest advice take a look at their Safety & Security section under Air Travel. There have been some recent air accidents in Nepal. The European Union has banned Nepalese airlines from flying to Europe. For more information on Nepal’s air safety profile take a look at Aviation Safety Network.

Weather and conditions for Annapurna Luxury Lodge

Suggested reading and maps for Annapurna region

Maps

Annapurna Trekking Map by Himalayan Maphouse. Scale: 1:900,000. We include in your welcome pack when you arrive in Nepal. National Geographic Annapurna Trekking 1:135,000.

Books

Annapurna south face. By Chris Bonnington.

Himalayan Pilgrimmage. By David Snellgrove.

Annapurna. By Maurice Herzog.

True Summit: What Really Happened on the Legendary Ascent on Annapurna. By David Roberts.

The Ascent of Rum Doodle. By WE Bowman.

A Nepalese Journey: The Essence of the Annapurna Circuit (Mountain Photography). By Andrew Stevenson.

Nepali Phrasebook by Lonely Planet.