u/codevisperer

I'm planning to do the Annapurna Circuit Trek in late October this year, and I wanted to get some honest opinions from people who've actually done it.

A bit about me:

• I'm 25 years old.
• I've never done a multi-day trek before. This would be my first real trek.
• I'm not an athlete, but I'm in decent health.
• I have around 3–4 months to prepare, and I'm fully committed to training.
• My plan is to gradually build up to walking around 10 km every day, along with stair climbing, strength training (especially legs and core), and carrying a loaded backpack on some walks.
• My goal is to take preparation seriously rather than just show up and hope for the best.

From what I've read, the Annapurna Circuit seems challenging mainly because of the altitude and the long consecutive days of hiking, rather than requiring technical climbing skills.

My questions are:

1. Is it realistic for someone with zero trekking experience to complete the Annapurna Circuit with 3–4 months of dedicated preparation?
2. Or am I being overly ambitious and should I first do a few easier multi-day treks?
3. If you were in my position, what would you focus on during training?
4. Are there any mistakes first-time trekkers commonly make that I should avoid?

I'd really appreciate honest feedback. If you think this is a bad idea, please tell me why. If you think it's achievable, I'd love to hear what made the biggest difference in your preparation.

I'm planning to do the Annapurna Circuit Trek in late October this year, and I wanted to get some honest opinions from people who've actually done it.

A bit about me:

• I'm 25 years old.
• I've never done a multi-day trek before. This would be my first real trek.
• I'm not an athlete, but I'm in decent health.
• I have around 3–4 months to prepare, and I'm fully committed to training.
• My plan is to gradually build up to walking around 10 km every day, along with stair climbing, strength training (especially legs and core), and carrying a loaded backpack on some walks.
• My goal is to take preparation seriously rather than just show up and hope for the best.

From what I've read, the Annapurna Circuit seems challenging mainly because of the altitude and the long consecutive days of hiking, rather than requiring technical climbing skills.

My questions are:

1. Is it realistic for someone with zero trekking experience to complete the Annapurna Circuit with 3–4 months of dedicated preparation?
2. Or am I being overly ambitious and should I first do a few easier multi-day treks?
3. If you were in my position, what would you focus on during training?
4. Are there any mistakes first-time trekkers commonly make that I should avoid?

I'd really appreciate honest feedback. If you think this is a bad idea, please tell me why. If you think it's achievable, I'd love to hear what made the biggest difference in your preparation.

I'm planning to do the Annapurna Circuit Trek in late October this year, and I wanted to get some honest opinions from people who've actually done it.

A bit about me:

• I'm 25 years old.
• I've never done a multi-day trek before. This would be my first real trek.
• I'm not an athlete, but I'm in decent health.
• I have around 3–4 months to prepare, and I'm fully committed to training.
• My plan is to gradually build up to walking around 10 km every day, along with stair climbing, strength training (especially legs and core), and carrying a loaded backpack on some walks.
• My goal is to take preparation seriously rather than just show up and hope for the best.

From what I've read, the Annapurna Circuit seems challenging mainly because of the altitude and the long consecutive days of hiking, rather than requiring technical climbing skills.

My questions are:

1. Is it realistic for someone with zero trekking experience to complete the Annapurna Circuit with 3–4 months of dedicated preparation?
2. Or am I being overly ambitious and should I first do a few easier multi-day treks?
3. If you were in my position, what would you focus on during training?
4. Are there any mistakes first-time trekkers commonly make that I should avoid?

I'd really appreciate honest feedback. If you think this is a bad idea, please tell me why. If you think it's achievable, I'd love to hear what made the biggest difference in your preparation.