>>2829802>One of my more fat fetched dreams is getting to see a snow leopard in the flesh and in the wild, so I assume this can be discussed and arranged with a guideUnlikely on the Annapurna Circuit afaik. If you want to stand even a slight chance of seeing a snow leopard then, yeah, you'll definitely need a guide (ideally one with experience guiding naturalists and wildlife photographers), and you'll probably need to go somewhere a bit more remote. It's doable but would require much more organisation than just Annapurna.
>What season/s did you go and which was the best? All my trips have been in Autumn. Clearest views, everything's green after the monsoon and it's not too hot or too cold. Spring is supposed to be good too. Obviously these are the high seasons but they're the high season for good reasons.
>Anything to avoid, from food to scams?Just the basic developing country travel stuff.
Last time I was there I made the mistake of eating the side salad that came with my burger on my last day in Katmandu. Threw up on the tarmac boarding our flight to Lukla and twice more on the first day of hiking. Rookie mistake t b h. Never eat the salad in a developing country.
>Stuff to bringSolar charger - You can charge your phones/cameras overnight at the teahouses but it's a hassle and often expensive.
Get a Steripen for water purification - Water filters don't handle viruses, chemicals are slow, and relying purely on boiled water from the teahouses is a hassle.
Rehydration solution/electrolyte powder - The dry air at altitude makes it easier to become dehydrated and being even a little dehydrated makes you much more susceptible to altitude sickness. I also brought a tub of BCAAs on my latest trip, most of the meals on offer will probably be pretty low in protein and this'll help with endurance.
