Annapurna trek during the monsoon

Is there any point?

I've looked at a couple of threads on here and I dunno. Apparently the walk is largely on the lee side, sheltered from the rain.

I don't mind walking in the rain but there's no point going to Nepal if I won't be able to see anything. How bad will the visibilty be?

It's this or Pakistan. Help me out, people.

Cheers.

which trek were you thinking of doing?are you intending to walk the circuit?if so, the beginning and end of the trek will be affected by rain.(depending on the speed you walk at, you may be getting rain,clouds and mist for at least a week to start!)its unlikely you would get good views from vantage points at the beginning or end(such as poon hill), but once you pass into the drier northern section, things should get better.
it really depends on what you want out of the walk.i mean if youre an experienced,avid hiker and youre happy to enjoy being out on the trail,no matter what, i wouldnt let a little bit of rain(he he he) put you off.if this is a once in a lifetime trip involving lots of different activities and you dont normally go walking in the hills at home then your expectations may not be satisfied...ladakh in india or the mountains of northern pakistan are both good for views and weather at this time. perhaps for obvious reasons pakistan is a little less crowded with tourists these days.

ive been to pakistan at this time of the year in the hindu kush, the visibility was good,particularly in the mornings.but theres less infrastructure for trekkers,and either you need to carry alot of food, tents, sleeping bag, cooking equipment and/or hire porters. the annapurna treks are a pleasure because you can always find somewhere to stay for a couple of dollars with food and bed,so all you need to carry is a sleepling bag,camera and toothbrush!(well almost)..also the trail is easy to follow pretty much all the way round with a good quality map.plus nepal has very friendly people,exceptionally low overheads,and amazing diversity of culture.

nepal in the monsoon can be a challenging experience, there will be leeches, and keeping dry wont be easy.also landslides occur during the rains(although they do happen throughout the year anyway),and if you were planning on flying out,from jomsom, there can be severe delays.but on the plus side it will be less crowded, the trailside will be very very green and lush, and hey youre gonna be hiking in the high himalayas!!!
good luck whereever you decide to go.

cheers for your response.

it's a tough decision. yeah it's my first time doing any serious trekking - I've never been out on the trail for more than three days before now. I'd be looking at the circuit trek. i don't mind rain and I don't mind getting wet - I'm not experienced but I've done enough walking in England to know that these things happen... and since I'm inexperienced I think it might be better to start somewhere with trekking infrastructure in place.

it's... what, eighteen days, of which seven or so the visibility will be bad? I could live with that, i think. Like you say, you don't get to the Himalayas very often.

This year's monsoon is much, much heavier than usual. Have a look at the situation reported in the Nepal News website and other posts on this site. You are being optimistic when you say "poor visability for 7 of 18 days". The section of the Circuit trail in the Jomsom area (roughly above Tukuche to Muktinath) is the only sector that is in a bit of a "rain shadow". Also remember that rain in the lower regions of Nepal can be heavy, wet snow on the southern slopes of the Himalaya. Under normal circumstances, trekking during the monsoon, can be enjoyable if you are prepared with the proper gear and accept the fact that mountain views are not going to be as good. The countryside is lush and flowers (especially orchids) can be fantastic in the forested areas of the middle hills. Unfortunately, this year the rains are making up for last year's less than normal rainfall and there have been frequent deluges even in Kathmandu. There will be steep sections on the Circuit with 'greasy' clay surfaces, moss and lichen covered rocks and trails that have been turned into stream channels - they will be trecherous! Leeches will only be a minor problem compared with keeping your feet under you on some of those temporary steep switch backed temporary detours resulting from road construction on the circuit. If you go ..... do so with the attitude that you will do what you can do....accept that you may have to alter your plans somewhat and don't take foolish risks. Be prepared to turn back if necessary in the event that the Thorong La is "socked in" with cloud or full of wet snow. There still will be lots to enjoy in Nepal if you go with the right attitude but you may have to accept that it is not possible to do everything that you would like.

Hi, a friend who's currently trekking in Tibet (no Internet connection, so I'm asking on his behalf) wants to start the Annapurna Circuit, the long 22 day one, next week. He's asking about the state of the road from Kathmandu to Pokhara and about the weather in the Annapurna region. Could anyone post some information please?