The Annapurna Peak Base Camp Trail was the first hike I ever completed. Not the first multi-day hike or the first high-altitude hike, but the first hike I ever did. It was one of the best and most grueling experiences of my life and one that is close to my heart.
The Annapurna Peak Base Camp Trail will take you on a beautiful journey through the most diverse part of the Himalayas, covering over 110 km (68.35 miles). At the end of the trail, you will be surrounded by the most majestic mountain range with an elevation of over 8,000 meters (2,6246.72 feet) or 8,000er as some people call it. Trust me, it will be a sight to behold.
The entire trip will take 6 – 8 days to complete. With over 110 miles to cover in a week, you will need to pack a lot of gear to fit your stay in the mountains.
You can basically live out of a backpack for 7 days and to help you out with this, I decided to put together a list of gear I carried on my trek to Annapurna Peak Base Camp and all the information you will need before tackling this once and for all experience of a lifetime.
Depending on the time of year you want to hike Annapurna Peak Base Camp, the temperature can vary greatly from month to month and during the day and night. For the best time to visit, I highly recommend that you visit between April and May (spring) or October and November (fall) when the chances of sunny days are greatest.
If you decide to visit in the spring or fall, you can expect the average temperature to be about 13 to 2°C (55.4 – 71.6°F) when the sun comes out during the day, but once the sun disappears, it can go below 0°C (32°F) outside.
In the dead of winter, temperatures can drop below freezing, sometimes even to nearly -5°C (23°F) during sunny days, so I recommend you stick to the spring and fall experiences.
As you can see, the daytime temperatures can get very warm and since you will be sweating a lot on the hike, you can easily hike in shorts and a t-shirt when you are around 2,500 – 3,000 meters (8,202 feet – 9,842 feet)) but once the sun goes down, you will need some proper winter gear if you want to get a good night’s sleep.
Warm shirt: This is the first layer of baselayer to help wick away sweat while hiking on the Annapurna Peak Base Camp trail, and the second layer acts as an insulator. It’s also great to wear at night in the warmth of the mountain huts.
Since you will be wearing these t-shirts every day, be sure to pack 2 – 3 warm t-shirts in a variety of colors just in case. Shirts don’t have to be the nicest because once you hike, you’ll be wearing at least 2 more layers on top, so if you’re looking for photogenic clothes for hiking, focus on picking the best looking jacket outer layer for your outfit instead.
Choose wool, preferably merino wool, over cotton for hiking because it will dry faster and won’t smell as bad when you’re sweating. As the saying goes, cotton sucks, and that’s exactly what you’ll smell like after a few days of hiking in a row.
Warm pants: If it gets really cold at night, it can also help keep your legs warm if you wear warm pants under another layer, such as hiking pants. For women, leggings are the perfect choice because you can also wear them while hiking.
Hiking pants (for women): Hiking pants must be breathable, lightweight and easy to move in, so proper hiking pants are recommended. You can pack just one pair of pants to keep your pack light, or add another pair just in case.
Waterproof rain pants: If it rains while hiking in the Himalayas, the best way to protect your hiking pants from getting wet is to bring a pair of waterproof rain pants to put over your hiking pants in case of rain. This way, your hiking pants will stay dry and you can continue to wear them throughout the hike.
Fleece Jacket (Women’s): This is a second layer you can wear over a thermal shirt. The fleece jacket acts as an insulator and helps retain body heat, keeping you warm on hikes and in mountain huts. I highly recommend packing one for your trip to Annapurna Peak Base Camp.
Waterproof Outer Jacket (Women’s): For the third layer on your fleece, you’ll need a waterproof outer jacket to protect you from elements like rain and strong winds while keeping your body warm.
I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (Columbia Arcadia Women’s Jacket) in orange, which is lightweight, waterproof and protects you from strong winds.
Combine it with a breathable shirt as a first layer and a fleece jacket as a second layer and you have a fairly lightweight hiking outfit that will keep you warm and allow you to adapt to the temperature changes along the Annapurna Peak Base Camp trail.
