This gallery contains photographs taken on my holiday trip to Nepal in October 2001 where we walked the Annapurna Circuit. Although we went with an adventure holiday company, KE Adventure (www.keadventure.com), the Annapurna Circuit can be done independently. It will take approximately 20 days to cover the route from Gorkha to Birethanti that we took, assuming no mishaps! The Annapurna Circuit is basically a horseshoe walk of around 215 miles that has at its centre the Annapurna Massif (Google Maps). It can be walked clockwise or anti-clockwise. The latter is generally regarded as the easier way as you have more time to acclimatise before the Thorong La pass (5,415m / 17599ft). You will need to be fit whichever way that you do it - there's over 13,500m of ascent in total. Age however is not a barrier - somewhere between 16 and 70 is okay! We were the youngest by 20 years and we've seen over the hill!

A superb photographic experience. Absolutely stunning scenery (weather permitting of course) from dawn to dusk and if you're prepared to give it a try, amazing starscapes. Take a long lens if you can so that you can get close-ups of the peaks - you will want to do more than push them away with wide angle lenses. Also useful of course for the occasional candid portrait of the locals, though if you offer them a smile and some courtesy then they will more than repay you with photographic opportunities. Personally, I find people photography difficult and I was therefore happy to concentrate on the scenery. Always ask before taking photographs at temples, etc.

This is a long and arduous trek and access to electricity will be a problem. Thus you will need to think about battery charging for digital cameras. Cold will also affect them on the high passes and humidity in the early days of the trek in the foothills. If you have limited experience with high altitudes then you will need to plan ahead and pack things where you can easily find them and remember where they are. When you're tired and light headed, deep thinking should not be required. Eat well, drink water like it is going out of fashion and stay off the booze are my three tips.

All these photos were taken on a Minolta Dynax 7xi with 100-300D and 24-105D lenses. The slide film used was Fuji Velvia (50) or Fuji Sensia 400. Warm-up and polariser filters were also used.