How hard compared to EBC

Help. We did EBC last October and now have friends who would like to to Annapurna Circuit in Oct 2009 with us. Only trouble is one of the couple has had knee surgery this year and is a little bit unsure of her ability to do the steep up and downs. Can someone tell me how Annapurna compares with EBC and should she be aiming to do the walk. Many thanks

How hard compared to EBC

Helo,

Now a days Annapurna Better then Berore i mean they ake most of place gravel road somewhere still under construction . Ofcourse there are some up and down during the treks but i think if thye have serious and hard surgary little bit difficult. if they have small surgary i tink its not going big problem. Better to take slow and spent a bit long time. If they are not able to waik there are soem Extra Option you cah hire Horse to road jor fly back to Humde or Joson or Drive Back from Muktinath to Beni by Jeep. Now its possiblel ot drive . Last year i have dont trek like same fo you friend.With That kinds fo people .They feel only one day when we cross the Throng-La Little bit then they did well . Because i am also Trekking Guide from Nepal.FI youneed some more infos please let me know.

Dont worried i guess they can do and its help to you.

How hard compared to EBC

Having done both I%26#39;d suggest that the Circuit is easier.

The first half, up the Marsyandi valley to Manang, has only a few relatively short ascents, From Manang a couple of short days will bring you to Thorung Phedi at the foot of the Thorung La.

The Thorung La is a fairly steep, but steady climb, and I remember it as a quite well-graded ascent, without much in the way of rocky sections (and a couple of well-placed tea houses, including one very close to the summit).

Once over the top the descent to Muktinath is long, but again the surface is better than, for example, the descent from the Memorials below Lobuche.

From Muktinath it continues to descend down to the Kali Gamdaki valley, but again as a broad, fairly even-surfaced trail.

I suspect that, perhaps armed with a pair of trekking poles, trail conditions are unlikely to cause much problem.

The other chief difference is that on the Circuit you%26#39;ll spend far less time above 4000 metres than on the EBC Trek. This is both an advantage in that you are not exposed to highy altitude for long, and a slight disadvantage in that you%26#39;ll trek for several days to get to Manang, and then over the next three you%26#39;ll need to ascend a total of almost 2000 metres without the more gradual acclimatisation that the EBC trek gives.

The Circuit is a great trek, with many varied landscapes, and in terms of difficulty I found it less demanding than EBC (and my knees are not in the best of condition either !)

Alan