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Hiking The Annapurna Circuit: Q&A With Shannon Davis

Associate editor Shannon Davis tells us more about the highs and lows of his honeymoon trek (featured in March 2009's "The Perfect Circle") on the sky-scraping Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.

by: Ted Alvarez

BACKPACKER's Shannon Davis and his wife Emily at 17,768-foot Thorung La pass.

PHOTO GALLERY SPECIAL

Check out the sights and scenes on the Annapurna Circuit with two photo-packed slideshows from BACKPACKER Associate Editor Shannon Davis.

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Annapurna Circuit Slideshow, Part I

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Annapurna Circuit Slideshow, Part II

When most people plan honeymoon trips, they usually envision white-sand beaches, luxe hotel rooms, or heart-shaped bathtubs. Not Shannon Davis: He and his wife Emily chose instead to trek through Nepal's famous Annapurna Circuit, which he wrote about in March's "The Perfect Circle." Here, Davis talks more about trip planning, essential gear, and even finding romance on one of the world's most famously grueling hikes.

BACKPACKER.COM: You know, most people pick an island for a honeymoon, Shannon. How did you convince your wife to swap relaxing on beaches for lugging packs up one of the toughest trails in the world?

SHANNON DAVIS: It was my wife's idea! To which I said: 'S***balls! Are you serious?! Hell yes, let's go to Nepal!' The only debate we had was whether to hike the Annapurna Circuit or hike to the basecamp of Mt. Everest. It was hard not to choose Everest, but we went for the Circuit because it covers more ground and gets a bit more rural.

BP: And you chose to go unguided and avoid hiring porters. Most people who trek Nepal go with a guide service--why didn't you?

SD: We didn't want to be tied down to a rigid itinerary if we wanted to move faster or take a day off somewhere. Also, we did not want to complicate our fun role of being newlyweds with also being somebody's boss, which is what you are if you're employing porters and guides. This was one of the best decisions we made.

Most people we met had hired guides, and these groups inevitably moved slower. Some of the guides we met were drunks. One girl we got to know on the bus was delayed for four days while her guide suffered with the flu.

But on the flip side, having a guide can make it easier to score rooms in nicer, newer tea houses. Guided trekkers usually get served dinner first. And, usually, guides will be able to introduce you to local families you probably wouldn't have met otherwise.

BP: Is it manageable for your average backpacker to go unguided, though?

SD: Going unguided is totally doable for an experienced backpacker--it's what we do all the time, isn't it? Still, use your own judgment and be aware of your limitations.

But, a couple things that will make planning a bit easier: First, book a room in Kathmandu before leaving the US--and ask them to pick you up from the airport. Most will offer this service for free, and it's an invaluable step to navigating a crazy city. Second, get a map of town before arriving (find a map that focuses on Thamel, the name of the tourist area of the city) and scout out how to get from your hotel to the permit office and the bus station. This'll make your essential errands in Kathmandu a little smoother, a good thing if you're on a tighter schedule.

BP: Getting into rural zones, did you find any traditional Nepali dishes on the trail to recommend?

SD: Dal bhat (rice and lentil soup) is the easiest and most reliable thing to find, and there's plenty of it, making it a good choice if you're hungry. But it is certainly not the tastiest. Some of my other favorites included pizza (yep, pizza), yak steaks, and a spam sandwich. My wife's favorite were potsticker-like momos and salty, fried tibetan bread. But second to dal bhat, I probably had fried macaroni with local vegetables the most.

I'd definitely avoid ordering any meal with chicken in it, especially if you are in a small village that doesn't see a lot of trekking traffic or have electricity. Nepalis hate to disappoint, so instead of telling you that chicken is not on the menu today, they might just go kill a chicken for you, which is awesome unless you hadn't planned on a three-hour lunch.

BP: Are you still in touch with any of the people you met on the trek? Any plans to meet for future trips?

SD: I do keep in contact, almost weekly, with a Nepali guy named Narendra Thakuri. He runs a little trekking company and had the best organized outfit we saw on the trail. He's on Facebook now too!

BP: The Annapurna Circuit is pretty grueling--17,000-foot passes are no joke. What pieces of gear were most indispensable on your trip?

SD: Toilet paper! There are plenty of restrooms along the trail, but TP, as a westerners-only phenomenon, is a hot commodity among trekkers in Nepal. Stock up with at least one roll per trekker in Kathmandu, then plan on re-upping along the circuit in Chame, Manang, and Jomsom. (Depending on your, uh, output, of course).

Second to TP, I'd say that trekking poles are indispensable. On our hardest day, we gained nearly 4,000 feet of elevation and then dropped more than 5,000 feet. I hate to think what my knees would have felt like had I not had poles.

A couple other essential pieces of gear to consider: water treatment and an inflatable sleeping pad. You can buy bottled water all along the Annpurna Circuit, but that leaves a lot of waste behind that rural Nepal just doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with. Pack a chemical treatment like Aquamira tablets or a Steripen--which purifies water with UV rays--and some backup batteries. And teahouse mattresses will vary from foam, to straw, to a blanket on top of wood--a sleeping pad feels way better.

BP: Even with the TP and water treatment plans, did you ever run into any Montezuma's Revenge-like health problems?

SD: My wife got some intestinal bug that she suffered through on our 26 hours of plane flights back to Denver, and I caught a nasty cold that knocked me out for a full weekend after we got home. But we really lucked out on the trip--no blisters, no Montezuma's revenge, no food poisoning, no yak-bites, no nada.

You do need to get some immunizations before going there, though, which we did. Check in at a travel medicine clinic at least six weeks before departure to see what is currently recommended. I'd also advise getting a prescription for a broad-spectrum antibiotic in advance (our doctor gave us Z-Pak). That way, if you start feeling crappy, you can nip it in the bud before it gets worse without having to find a local pharmacy that probably won't have what you're looking for anyway. Go ahead and pack some Immodium while you're at it.

BP: If you returned to the Annapurna Circuit, what would you do differently the second time?

SD: I'd spend a little more time exploring some of the side trails--maybe attempt a "trekker's peak," one of the heaps of mountains there taller than Denali that are apparently fairly easy to summit. And I'd consider ponying up the extra few hundred dollars to get a permit into the Mustang region. You head north out from Kagbeni, with donkeys carrying your supplies, and edge closer and closer to the Tibetan border. Hardly anybody does it, compared to how many people are on the circuit.

BP: Since this was your honeymoon, after all, did you ever find a romantic moment on a tough trek packed with other backpackers?

SD: Well, on a trek where we were usually fast asleep by 8:30, zipped up in down mummy bags and in separate beds, even our morning porridge had romantic overtones compared to our night life. But kissing Emily atop 17,768-foot Thorung La, the highest point on the Circuit and one of the highest mountain passes along any established trail in the world, was pretty darn epic. To me, that was the kiss I was waiting for when the reverend told me I could kiss the bride. On Thorung La is where our marriage truly began.

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READERS COMMENTS

Kingdom in the Sky!

�What we have in Bhutan today to offer is what others don�t have at all. It�s virtually a very unique destination and is priceless. Money can not buy what we have offer. If you are seeking five star comforts, a shopping paradise or lot�s of nightlife, Bhutan is not a destination to come. But, on the other hand , in the 20th century, if you are looking for a destination where you can experience something of the past as well as something of the present ,well Bhutan is the place to be � www.go2bhutan.com

Posted: Oct 28, 2009 karma

Namaste Everybody!
Thanks a lot to Mr. Shannon Davis for write about me. If some one would like to keep and touch with me and like to information about Nepal, you are most wel come.
Narendra Shahi
trekkingleader@gmail.com

Posted: Sep 22, 2009 Narendra Shahi (Thakuri

Posted: Sep 11, 2009 Anonymous

Shannon! Not sure if you remember me, but it's Kate Pollex from Ohio University...(ahh...you might associate me with Brad Stewart... holy crap a blast from the past) My boyfriend and I hiked Taum Sauk this summer and the directions we had had your name all over them!! I didn't believe it was you until we got home and I did a little more digging. There you were telling me about your honeymoon and what to do if a bear attacks. I'm going out on a limb and making my email public - kpollex@gmail.com - i would love to hear where life has taken you. it's treated me pretty well :) congrats on the wedding, albeit a little late!
Posted: Aug 27, 2009 Kate Pollex

Shannon
Your article was wonderful, you said your only regret was not doing some of the side hikes, do you have ones you specifically wish you would have done? I am going in Oct, 2009.
Posted: Aug 25, 2009 Karen

Posted: Aug 19, 2009 Anonymous

hi!
i am doing the Annapurna Circuit in October this year. I'm pretty new to hiking but am very fit from triathlons. What type of gear would you suggest i take. ie boots and pack size?
Thanks!
Posted: May 12, 2009 Emily

hey guys i have a question, im gonna trek the annapurna circuit on the 20th of this month and im still wondering, if i should take my backpacking boots with me, or my merrel low-cut shoes. im not gonna be carrying a lot of weight probably around 20-25 lbs. any advice please?
Posted: May 05, 2009 karlo

I did the Everest and Annapurna treks in 2007-2008. Both take 2.5 weeks including aclimatization and are relatively easy. The only times to do them is Spring and Fall because of snow and rain in Winter and Summer. I had no trouble with trekkiing shoes and the porters wore cheap sneakers. There are many inns and the keepers all know English. I used a guide who arranged everything, carried my pack uphill, and knew Cho La pass, outherwise it was not needed. The temperature was 30s at night and 50-70 in the day except at the passes it was 20-40 and snow covered. Both had great views, but Annapurna was less rural and had occasional Land Cruisers on the road on the last 1/3. Local treks including guide, room, meals, and local transport cost about $1200. The porters will carry 80 lb for $10/day but speak no English. Email me at brocc7@hotmail.com for more questions.
Posted: May 03, 2009 Andrew Mitchell

I really enjoyed your article about the Annapurna Curcuit in the March 2009 issue,hopefully oneday i can go on one of these many excursion's myself, never been to any!, and the photography is amazing, it "takes me there" ,and motivates me to "get out there" Thank you Backpacker for letting me dream with you... Gina Haynie Nashville TN
Posted: Apr 29, 2009 Gina Haynie

I'm hoping to do this trek before graduating from high school with my dad who likes to do these sorts of things. Is it doable for someone under 18? And also, to fit with my school time-off requirements, how do you think it would be to do this trek in December, weather-wise? I understand that summer is the monsoon season, and that would not be pleasant. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks!
Posted: Apr 19, 2009 Shannon

Shannon,

Could you please send information on the treeking service through Narendra? My wife and I are planning a trip to Nepal and are considering going solo, but would like to inquire Narendra's serivce veofe making a decision.
Posted: Feb 17, 2009 Peter j. Valastro, jr

Hello, and congratulations! My partner and I are planning a November 2009 Annapurna Circuit, so imagine our delight when we saw this article!

Anyhow, I was wondering if you think trail running shoes would be adequate footwear for this trek. We're experienced hikers, and this trail looks more like a path . . . Considering the fact that we're also going to be traveling throughout the region at length after this hike, we'd really prefer not to bring out Asolos! Do you think we'd be all right with trail runners?

Thanks!

Katy (& Rick)

Chicago
Posted: Feb 12, 2009 Katy

Hey Leslee,
Our packs weighed probably 25 pounds.

I'd suggest preparing as much for heat (both the humid and the dry kind) as well as for cold.

I packed 3 pairs of socks, one pair of nylon pants, one pair of nylon shorts, a baselayer T, a midlayer longsleeve, an eVent shell, a down jacket, a nylon cap, sunglasses, boots, flipflops, liner gloves, a fleece hat, gaitors, and a "town shirt." ...i also packed a 0-degree bag, wallet, inflatable sleeping pad, various toiletries and first aid stuff, a guidebook and map, a journal, a digital SLR, and a book of Rumi love poems (...honeymoon).

The coldest it got for us was probably in the teens, though it can certainly get colder.

Shannon
Posted: Feb 05, 2009 Shannon Davis

Hi Shannon,
Congratulations on your marriage and on spending your honeymoon doing something so unique. This is a hike I will do within the next couple of years. How heavy were your packs, and what type of clothing should we bring? I saw a lot of snow. How cold does it actually get? Thank-you for a very well written and inspiring article.
Leslee Charlevoix, Michigan
Posted: Jan 30, 2009 Leslee

Thanks again for all the comments. To Clay: I cover trip costs and daily expenses in the article I wrote in the March issue of Backpacker. It's on the stands now. Going guided will be roughly equal to the Everest trek. ...For us, going unguided, our biggest expense was airfare (nearly a grand each), then once we were on the ground we averaged about $12 per person per day on the trail, generally a little bit more in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Once you're in Nepal, it's really easy to travel on the cheap. I heard that April is really beautiful with rhododendrons in bloom, but it can be cloudier than the dry and clear months of OCT/NOV, blocking some of the views. Anytime of year will be one of the coolest adventures of your life, though.
Posted: Jan 27, 2009 Shannon Davis

Great article! You've inspired me. I am separating from the military in a couple months, and wanted to celebrate a great career, as well as a new direction with an epic hike somewhere. I wanted to do a guided trek to Everest base camp, but it's incredibly expensive and I'm not really able to justify spending that much with our market so iffy (and me looking for a new job). The Annapurna circuit sounds like the perfect trip, but I was hoping to get a ballpark figure for required spending once there... and how is mid-April for weather? Thanks again for the fantastic write-up!
Posted: Jan 25, 2009 Clay

Just got back from the Trek around Annapurna Circuit this Oct 2008! Awesome. Beauty around every corner. You must have gone the year before.
Joann

Posted: Jan 23, 2009 Joann Ginal

Hey guys, thanks for the comments. I wanted to respond to Jan from Michigan. ...I did see a fair amount of traffic, especially on the western half of the circuit, from Tatopani to Muktinath along the Kali Gandaki River. And they are building a road on the Marsyangdi side of the circuit too. I've talked to some trekkers who'd done the circuit 20 years ago, and they were pretty astonished. But is it ruined? ...i can understand why some would argue that point, but i gotta say no. As of last year, there are still fewer trekkers on the circuit annually than in the 80s, the days before the Maoist presence sent trekkers elsewhere (mostly Everest). I met some people who went to Chitwan and loved it. ....As for a Mustang guide, let me hunt a little bit, but my friend Narendra (mentioned above) guides the Mustang area too. When i met him he was employing some of the same Sherpas that were on Russel Brice's Mt. Everest expeditions (they were on that Discovery Channel show, "Everest: beyond the limit." ...email me at sdavis@backpacker.com for more about Narendra his guide company.
Posted: Jan 23, 2009 Shannon Davis

We took the Annapurna basecamp trek in 2007.
Toilet paper is definitely a luxury on the trek. While ok to flush down the toilet, if you have to use it along the way in the bush, please remember to bury it well along with your waste. It was really unsightly and environmentally irresponsible to leave those on the trails.

We always carried a spare water bottle, or use the taps available in most toilets, to wash clean, and then sanitize our hands with antibaterial sanitizer.

As mentioned by Shannon, trekkers should bring their own water bottles, and also to carry with them their own plastic trash until there is a facility available to process it. We took ours home to dump. It was sad to see the beautiful trails littered with plastic drinking bottles and snack wrappers. Nepal, even in the city, has a huge trash problem. You can see rubbish dumps all along the roadside.
Posted: Jan 22, 2009 SY