Hi, I'm going to do this trekking in September. But I have some doubts, I have seen on the internet that since April you cannot go trekking without a hired guide. How did you do it without a guide?
Hi, that's a tough question to answer. I did it with a Sherpa friend of mine, who also happens to be a licensed guide so I wasn't concerned about this at all. But officially to do the Annapurna Circuit, you are required to have a Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and a Trekker's Information Management System (TIMS) card. The TIMS requires you to have a guide. As usually the case in Nepal, what's official from the central government is not the case on the ground. I did see a few trekkers that were doing it solo. I have to say getting the ACAP is a must because you'll need it at the checkpoints along the way. Have a look at this betifulworld.com/ban-on-trekking-in-nepal-without-a-guide-update/? it's a good summary of the reality there.
