Measuring
Annapurna Circuit Trek
This 13–26 November 2026, keitreks & Co. take on the Annapurna Circuit — over the Thorong La Pass (5,416 m). We're documenting the whole build-up — training, gear, altitude — and measuring the route into a GPX track you can use. Follow the journey.
— Kei & the keitreks crew
Prep vlogs — soon on @keitreks
Cold-water training — teaching the body to hold heat when you stop moving.
Choose your trek
Where are you trekking?
Every route measured on a GPS watch — the treks we've walked, and honestly-sourced ones, clearly marked.
Walked & GPSAnnapurna Base Camp Trek:
The Measured Guide
A short, steep climb into the glacial sanctuary ringed by Annapurna's peaks.
Mardi Himal Trek:
A Complete Guide (2026)
The short, accessible Annapurna-region trek — a sourced route, honestly flagged.
Walked & GPSEverest Base Camp Trek:
The Measured Guide
Ten days up the Khumbu valley to the foot of Everest — high, cold and remote.
Not sure which?
Compare the two Base Camps
Distance, days, altitude, difficulty and cost — side by side, both measured.
Comparing options?
Which Nepal trek?
Every headline trek side by side — Base Camps, the Circuit, Mardi and more. Walked and sourced, clearly marked.
Training first?
The hills we train on
Seven first-hand measured Malaysian trails, compared — from Nuang’s descent to Pulai’s 38% scramble.
Prepare
Prepare to trek?
The common questions, answered from the trail — not the search results.
How to train for the cold
What gradual habituation actually does — and the safety rules.
Altitude & acclimatisation
How altitude works, the golden rules, and when to descend.
Permits & the guide rule
ACAP, TIMS and the contested guide rule — sourced and dated.
How to layer
The system that keeps you warm the moment you stop moving.
Coming soonPacking for the mountains
Real pack weights, weighed — not a generic checklist.
Coming soonThe Trek-Ready Program
A measured 12-week plan to take a sea-level body — knees included — to a 5,400 m pass. Join the waitlist for founding-member pricing and early access when it opens.
Guides
Read our guides
The individual guides — day-by-day, difficulty, cost and permits — measured, and honestly flagged where we haven't walked it yet.
Itinerary: A Measured 6-Day Day-by-Day
Six walking days to Base Camp and back — measured distances, climbs, and the day each one actually breaks people.
Am I fit enough Trek?
We put a watch on the trek — six days, heart rate throughout. The hard part isn't the climb: 80–90% of trekkers get hurt on the way home.
How to Train Trek
Almost everyone trains the climb. We measured the trek — the injuries are on the way down. Here's how to train the descent, and the system built for exactly that gap.
When is the best time to trek?
October–November and March–April are the two windows. Here's the month-by-month, the winter avalanche catch, and the monsoon trap — plus one first-hand note: our measured trek was walked in late October.
What does trek actually cost?
Daily budget, the ACAP permit, transfers, guide/porter and realistic totals — sourced 2026 ranges in USD and RM, shorter and cheaper than the Circuit.
Do You Need a Guide for? (2026, Honest)
Two questions hide in this one — is a guide required, and would one actually help you? An honest answer to both.
Itinerary: A Day-by-Day (2026)
The Kande-to-Sidhing line, stage by stage — sourced distances and climbs, and how many days you actually need.
Difficulty: How Hard Is It, Really?
We read the difficulty off a sourced route profile: ~41 km, ~2,715 m up, topping out at ~4,200 m. Moderate, 3/10 — one of the more accessible Himalayan treks. The hard bit is the cold viewpoint morning.
How to Train Trek
Mardi is the gentle one — but the route profile still asks for three things: legs for steep forest climbs, legs for a long descent, and readiness for a cold pre-dawn viewpoint morning. Here's how to train them.
Best Time to Trek (2026 Season Guide)
October–November and March–April are the two windows. Here's the month-by-month, why the Fishtail sunrise rewards an early start whatever the month, and the monsoon trap that clouds out the views you came for.
Cost 2026: A Real Budget Breakdown (USD & RM)
Daily budget, the ACAP permit, transfers, guide/porter and realistic totals for Mardi Himal — sourced 2026 ranges in USD and RM, shorter and cheaper than ABC or the Circuit.
Permits & the Guide Rule (2026)
Mardi sits in the Annapurna Conservation Area, so it needs the ACAP — and it's caught up in the same contested guide rule. The official line vs on-the-ground reality, sourced and dated 2026.
Itinerary: A Measured 10-Day Day-by-Day
Ten walking days to Base Camp and back — measured distances, climbs, hours, and the day each one actually costs you the most.
How hard is trek, really?
How hard is it, really — measured. Not the climb: it's the altitude, the long days, and the descents that send most people home sore.
How to Train Trek
Most people train the climb. We measured the trek — the hardest days are descents, the days run 9 to 13 hours, and the altitude isn't a gym problem. Here's what to actually train.
When is the best time to trek?
Autumn (late Sep–Nov) and spring (Mar–May) are the two windows. Here's the month-by-month, the Lukla-flight catch that no season removes, and one first-hand note: our measured trek was walked in early November.
What does trek actually cost?
Daily budget, the Lukla flight, the Khumbu permits, guide/porter and realistic totals — sourced 2026 ranges in USD and RM, and why it costs more than Annapurna Base Camp.
What permits do you need for?
Two permits and no TIMS card — and, unlike Annapurna, you can still legally trek it independently. The rules, sourced and dated 2026.
Tools
Tools & gear
Real measured GPX tracks now — honest gear reviews and kit picks as we build them.
GPX downloads
Real measured tracks to load onto your watch.
Gear reviews
What we'd actually carry — weighed, used, and honestly rated.
Coming soonRecommended kit
The few pieces worth the money — the exact kit we carry.
Coming soon