Best time to do the Annapurna circuit: DIY Annapurna circuit (Episode 03)

Video chapters
00:00 Intro
00:13 Season Breakdown
00:41 Weather forecast tool
02:00 Spring season
04:14 Monsoon season
05:26 Autumn season
06:53 Winter season
08:16 Best season for beginners
09:00 Factors to consider while planning
09:40 Outro

Link to the weather forecast website with climate model: https://www.meteoblue.com/
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You will be surprised to know that trekking the Annapurna circuit is possible at any time of the year but, this doesn’t mean that you can just pack your bags and leave because, the experience at the trail changes drastically every season.
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To understand this, we did a season by season breakdown of the weather conditions that prevail on the Annapurna circuit trail.

The Spring season in the Nepal Himalayas lasts throughout the months of March, April and May
The Spring season is good time,
 if you are a beginner and want to do the trek without a guide because the trails will be busy, and there will be less chances of losing the trail due to this huge footfall, you will be seeing lots of people on the trail,
 the days will be sunny, since there is no rainfall, the visibility will be higher thus further reducing the probability of people losing the trail,
 if you are a landscape photographer you can get some really colourful pictures and long lens shots because the clouds will NOT be covering the high mountain peaks
 if you choose to hike to the Tilicho lake which is the highest glacial lake in the world, you have better chances to see the lake in all its true colours, all thanks to the clear sunny days
 but be prepared to experience few spells of rain during your time on the trail and therefore pack your backpack accordingly.

The Monsoon season in Nepal Himalayas lasts throughout the months of June July August and September
The monsoon season is NOT good to go
 If you are a beginner and you want to do this trek on your own
 The bright side of the monsoon season is that there will be less people on the trail and if crowded trails bother you then monsoon can be the perfect getaway.
 If you are landscape photographer then again you will find really short windows where you can get a good view of the high mountain ranges,
 The famous landslide trail that takes you to the Tilicho lake will be extremely slippery and risky. Therefore, avoid this season all together if you add Tilicho lake side trail to your plan.

The Autumn season lasts through the months of October to November,
The autumn/fall season is good to go,
 if you are a beginner and want to do the trek without a guide because the trails will be busy and there will be less chances of losing the trail due to the huge footfall
 The month of October is also the peak festive season in Nepal and therefore, you will be seeing lots of local tourists and bikers on the trail. This is going to be the most crowded season.
 super sunny days, clear sky, best conditions for landscape photography,
 It is also a great time to do the Tilicho lake trek because the lake looks really beautiful on a bright sunny day
 Last but not the least, getting accommodation may become tricky at few locations like the Tilicho lake base camp but it is always manageable if you are hiking solo or in a small group of 3-4 people.

The Winter season is spread across the months of December January and February
 Only the most experienced trekkers should attempt the Annapurna circuit in the winters. This is NOT at all the season for beginners
 There will definitely be less people on the trail and mostly the experienced ones
 The mountains may not be visible due to frequent snowfall or whiteouts in the higher altitude and photography will be beautiful but really challenging as the lithium batteries will drain quickly.
 The landslide trail to the Tilicho lake will become very risky and slippery and thus it is a big NO from my side.

The most important thing is that no matter whichever season you are hiking in, remember, that mountains make their own weather. If you watch the Tilicho lake vlog then you can clearly see how drastically and quickly the weather shifts in the mountains and how much it could affect your experience on the trail. Therefore, keep at least 3-4 buffer days in your plan and pack your rucksack for all weather conditions.

In my opinion, there is no best time to do any trek, it all boils down to two factors,
1. The season which suits your purpose, for example; if you are a landscape photographer then you may not prefer the monsoon season
2. The amount of trekking experience you have, for example; if you are an experienced trekker then you can do the circuit in extreme winter season also because you know what to do in case of whiteout.

In episode 04 we are going to talk about the impact of road construction on the Annapurna circuit.

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