The Annapurna Circuit. A candidate for one of the most heady treks on the planet is the Annapurna Circuit. But as the trail swings you through fertile valleys, into wind-scratched moonscapes and up to an air-thin elevation of 5,416m – at the top of the sky-high Thorong La Pass, it’s no joke. There’s a very real danger that comes with it – Altitude Sickness, more commonly known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).
AMS doesn’t discriminate. Whether you are a seasoned hiker or a fit beginner, anyone who goes high too fast without acclimatizing can be at risk. But AMS is almost entirely avoidable, if you do it right. In this article, I am going to give you some advice on how to adjust to high altitude well, while trekking on the Annapurna Circuit track, so you can remain safe, healthy, and strong in your journey through the Himalayas.
What Is Altitude Sickness, and Why Is It a Problem?
Annapurna Circuit and Tilicho Lake Trek. Altitude sickness happens when your body has difficulty adjusting to the “thinner” air of a higher elevation. On the Annapurna Circuit, the altitude gains range from a few hundred meters above sea level to 5,000. That’s a lot of change, and you accelerate too quickly; your body won’t be prepared for it.
It usually starts off as headaches, queasiness, vomiting, dizziness, and lousy sleep: AMS. Untreated, this could develop into greater extreme situations along with high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) or high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE). Understanding the way to keep away from it isn’t genuinely a comfort trouble — it’s a safety one.
Annapurna Circuit: The risk starts
Annapurna Circuit Nepal. The trek starts at a decrease altitude in Besisahar or Dharapani. Most people feel fine here. But outside Chame en route to Pisang, the thinness of the air commences, and especially in the village of Manang. Manang, at more or less 3,540 meters, is where a lot of human beings begin to sense the altitude.
The trail leads past here and veers up to Yanl Kharka, Thorong Phedi, and Thorong La Pass. The last few days before the pass are when you are most at risk for AMS, so be wise and easy; schedule rest days in.
Your Body on Altitude
As you ascend similarly, your frame adapts in several ways to the decreased variety of oxygen molecules within the air. You start to breathe hastily, your blood will become thicker, and, in the long run, you’re making more red blood cells to carry more oxygen.
But none of this comes overnight. It can take hours — and sometimes even days — for your body to adjust. That’s why how fast you ascend is one of the most important causes of altitude sickness you can prevent.
Essential Rules for Acclimatization
Here are three things you shouldn’t do while hiking the Annapurna Circuit to beat AMS. First, avoid ascending more than 500 meters a day once you’re already above 3,000 meters in sleeping elevation. Second, add a rest day for every 1,000 meters you climb. 3) You can hike to a higher elevation for the day and then go back down to sleep at a lower elevation — climbing high and sleeping low can help your body acclimatize without straining it too much.
They may add a day or two to your itinerary, but they dramatically improve the chances that you will make it there in good condition and to the pass.
Top Spots to Acclimate on the Trail
It is best to take a rest and acclimate in Manang town. Two nights is just right here because it gives your body time to acclimate before going up. Take a hike to higher elevations on your rest day, towards Praken Gompa or Ice Lake. These climbs give your body the chance to adjust to altitude without dooming you to danger.”
Other suitable overnight stops are Yak Kharka, Letdar, or splitting the difference and spending time in both Thorong Phedi and High Camp. The slower you increase on these upper sections, the better your body will handle the final push over Thorong La.
Signs You Need to Worry About
Low-grade AMS typically starts with a headache, mild tiredness, and anorexia. You may even feel listless, or you may have insomnia. So it’s not something to dismiss. No matter how small that might seem to you, it still warrants conversation.
If your symptoms deteriorate or you’re experiencing intractable vomiting, confusion, ataxia, and breathlessness at rest, you must climb down. All are mental markers for severe AMS, and higher numbers can be deadly.
If You Experience Sickness at Altitude, You Might Have Mountain Sickness
There are two, the first and most important being to stop going up. Rest, hydrate, and allow. See how you feel over the following 12 to 24 hours. Maybe you can begin slowly, running your speed up in case you get higher. If symptoms don’t respond, or worsen and it’s possible to descend, descend at least 1,500 feet and get help if you think you need it.
Some of the villages on the circuit above have been plagued with lodge-owners and guides who have had cases of AMS. Pay attention to how you’re feeling and force yourself through in the moment, especially if you know it’s not a good time for you to exercise or physically put yourself to work.
Accommodations for Acclimatization, Both Intrinsic and Medical
neighborhood remedies, inclusive of garlic soup and ginger tea, are widely used and taken into consideration to be blood purifiers and useful to digestion. (They have no scientifically supported effects, though trekkers have found them both comforting and useful.)
Some trekkers take Diamox (Acetazolamide), a medication that’s prescribed to facilitate acclimatization and reduce susceptibility to altitude-contamination. It does so using encouraging deeper breaths and returning the frame’s acid-base stability to normal. You should speak with your doctor before you take Diamox, but if your doctor tells you that it is okay, then you can start taking Diamox a day or two before you climb over 3,000 meters.
Water, pacing, and sleep at Run Woodstock
Dehydration increases your chances of becoming altitude sick. Drink a shitload of water during the day — like three to four liters. Sip that water between getting married and walking down the aisle and avoid having alcohol or drinks (like those with a high dose of caffeine) that will dehydrate you and make it hard to sleep.
And it’s got to be in slow motion all the time. Take plenty of breaks, and don’t sprint into the next village. Let your body lead the way. Keep warm at night on a cold evening. Sleeping high is a little creaky, even if you are an elite athlete, so do what you can to get a good night’s sleep, be it earplugs or a few extra layers, or propping your head an inch or two higher.
Final Advice for Staying Altitude-Ready
Preparation and acclimatization are not only technical aspects of your hike; they will save your life. Listen to your body, proceed slowly, and do not ignore your instincts or let pride or your calendar overrule them. The Annapurna Circuit is a long, beautiful trek, so there’s no need to run it. The farther up you go, the better the views, but also it’s just really great to take some time to absorb the culture of this pass, which is one of the great passes in the world.
