Annapurna: A Trekker's Guide

This guidebook covers the Annapurna Circuit and the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal, justifiably the most popular trekking regions. Includes the Pilgrim’s Trail (7-9 days) and Ghandruk Foothill Trek (4-5 days), and notes on other treks and trekking peaks. Complete access and planning information including Kathmandu and access into Annapurna, handling altitude.

Annapurna (at a scale of 1:100,000) is an excellent topographic map published by Nelles Verlag of Munich. Probably the most accurate available at present, this was produced in 1993 and may be ordered from Stanfords in London. It is sometimes on sale in Kathmandu bookshops.

Annapurna Trek is the title of a series of seven topographical maps produced at 1:50,000 by the Survey Department of HM government of Nepal with aid from the Finnish government. Published in 2001, and with contours at 40m intervals, these maps are the most up-to-date at present, but they’re not always easy to read and may be considered too detailed for day-to-day trekking. If ordering from Stanfords in London, the appropriate sheets are headed Nepal Topographical Maps and numbered: 44, 45, 49, 53, 54, 57 and 58.

Around Annapurna (1:200,000 scale), published in Nepal by Nepa Maps as an imprint of Himalayan MapHouse Pvt Ltd (e-mail: maphouse@wlink.com.np), is a double-sided laminated sheet – Pokhara Valley at 1:40,000 on the reverse – that is more than adequate for most trekking purposes. Contours are shown at 100m intervals, and altitudes are fairly accurate. A profile of the Circuit is given. Each of the main routes described in this guide is marked, and being waterproof the map should end the trek without too much deterioration.

Around Annapurna (1:125,000) is another useful sheet published by Nepa Maps at a larger scale than the above and covering the same area.

Annapurna Trekking (1:135,000) has been produced in the USA by National Geographic Maps/Trails Illustrated (www.trailsillustrated.com, www.nationalgeographic.com) as one in a series of Adventure Maps for Nepal. Contour intervals are at 100m, trekking routes are outlined with a black dotted line, and though quite thin the sheet is supposedly waterproof and tear-proof. Less accurate than the Nepa map mentioned above, it is nevertheless useful to carry on trek.

Annapurna Conservation Area (1:125,000) published by ACAP. A contour map with major trekking routes marked; informative text is printed on the reverse.

Nepa Maps publish several sheets in a series concentrating on individual treks. Those relevant to the area covered by this guide (and available from the Himalayan MapHouse shop in Thamel, Kathmandu) are:

•    Ghorepani Ghandruk (1:50,000)

•    Pokhara to Khudi (1:50,000)

•    Annapurna Base Camp (1:50,000)

•    Tilicho the Hidden Lake (1:125,000)

•    Tatopani (1:50,000)

•    Royal Trek (1:25,000)

•    The Siklis Trek (1:50,000)

•    Panchase Trek (1:125,000)

•    Muktinath Jomosom (1:75,000)

•    Upper Mustang (1:80,000)

•    Mustang the Forbidden Kingdom (1:125,000)

•    Pokhara City Map (1:15,000).

Also published by Nepa Maps is an astrological sheet titled Deep Sky of Nepal which you may wish to have with you on trek, since a Himalayan night sky is about as magical as you’re ever likely to see outside of the desert regions, and it’s a useful aid to identifying many of the stars on show.