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What is a camping
trek?
The classical way of trek in Nepal is to
camp in tents where normally we provide
a two men tent for clients. These treks
normally go to more remote regions where
there are no tea house facilities and a
team of guides, cooks and porters are
there to take care of you on these
treks. You carry a backpack with only a
water bottle, camera and Jacket. In the
camping treks there are numerous hidden
expenses that drive up the price
depending on the destination, mode of
transportation and size of the group. As
the food is carried by the porters, yak
or Pony a variety of meals is possible.
What is a tea
house Trek?
Teahouse trek means staying and eating
in local lodges. We stay in single rooms
where possible, but often have to share
with others. Rooms are basic, normally
just a bed with a pillow and a blanket.
A few have electric lights and all have
a spacious dining room-lounge. Although
the food is usually plentiful and
delicious, the menu is not that
extensive. They offer a variety of
potato, rice and noodle dishes, as well
as soup and seasonal vegetables. Beers
and local spirits are often available,
but that will be at your own cost. A
variety of cereals, bread and egg dishes
are generally available for breakfast.
There are also snacks available such as
biscuits, chocolates, soft drinks and in
some areas you will find fresh fruits in
season .
Is it safe to eat
during the trek?
Food safety is always a big concern and
we take it very seriously. That is why
we have chosen the cleanest and most
hygienically kept Tea Houses for our
routs. During a Camping Trek our cook
prepares safe and tasty meals from
carefully chosen food items and only
hygienic cleaning facilities are used .
Can I get a visa
on arrival for Nepal?
Yes, you can obtain your entry visa at
the Kathmandu International airport or
bordering towns to India or China upon
arrival or at a consulate in your home
country. In either case, you need 2
passport size photographs and the visa
fee. To date, the fee is USD 30 for up
to 60 days. If you are traveling to your
onward destination via Nepal, a gratis
visa is granted for 36 hours.
How do you
organize Tibet Tour?
We need a scan of your personal details
page from your passport in JPG format
not much bigger than 100 KB which need
to be received at least one month before
your Tibet tour. After we receive your
passport copy, we fulfill all the
necessary procedure to get a travel
permit for Tibet and a Chinese visa.
Can I get my own
visa for Tibet from home?
No, you will have to let us arrange a
group visa for you, as the Chinese don’t
allow travelers to travel individually
to Tibet from Nepal.
What type of
insurance should I have before I come to
Nepal? Can I get it there?
We insist you have a travel insurance
when you come on one of our tours. You
need to get this from home as no travel
insurance is available in Nepal. Please
refer to our insurance advice for more
information.
Do I have to carry
a backpack?
No. But you have to carry a light
day-pack containing your water bottle,
camera, an extra layer of clothing,
sunglasses, a rain coat or wind breaker,
and snacks. Porters or pack animals will
carry all of the heavy gear.
What happens if I
get sick?
The most important thing is DON’T PANIC.
You should ALWAYS ensure that you have a
well-stocked and appropriate medical kit
as well as sufficient insurance in case
you should have to be evacuated. A
slight case of diarrhea is to be
expected, as well as sprains and muscle
aches – all a part of walking in the
hills. Altitude sickness is extremely
dangerous but mostly avoidable if you
follow a few simple rules: trek high and
sleep low, drink at least 2 liters of
water per day (not including beer or
soft drinks!), and BE SENSIBLE. If you
feel shortness of breath, a slight
headache or dizziness, tell your
porter/guide and rest immediately. Lie
down, drink water. If you are still
feeling unwell you may consider going
down a few hundred meters. Do not
pretend you are okay, and do not go down
alone. A descent of a few hundred meters
overnight may be enough to make you
fully able to start trekking again
tomorrow.
Should we bring
all trekking equipment with us?
You can easily rent needed equipment for
reasonable price in Kathmandu or Pokhara
before trekking but it’s always
preferable and more convenient to have
your own equipment during trekking. So
we advise you to bring equipment with
you or to buy here as most of the
outdoor equipment can be bought in
Kathmandu or Pokhara in one of the many
outdoor gear shops.
Why use a Guide?
Trekkers can trek without trekking
guide. But they act as a liaison between
you and the people, so without the guide
you will never get in touch with the
people. You will visit the place but not
interact with the culture and learn from
it. The guides get their licenses from
the organization called National Academy
for Tourism and Hotel Management after a
training which is officially recognized
by the government. They are trained from
time to time on issues such as first
aid, Acute Mountain Sickness, rescue
methods etc. Traveling in Nepal is not
like in other countries where the
altitudes are low. Once you cross the
altitude of 3000m (you will in almost
every trek) you have to be extremely
cautious.
The guides are knowledgeable in methods
to reduce your impact in the environment
and culture of Nepal. They will help you
minimize the negative impacts of your
travels. They will also inform you on
how not to be offending to the culture
of the people.
How difficult are
the treks?
Difficulty of the treks depends on the
region you want to trek and the duration
of it. Shorter treks tend to be easier
while longer ones require some physical
fitness.
What is the best
time for trekking?
The best time for trekking in Nepal is
October to early December and
March/April. It is not very good
trekking during the monsoon season from
June to August except treks in the
Himalayan rain shadow like Upper
Mustang, Dolpo and Kailash.
How many miles do
we walk per day?
This varies with each trip of course. In
the mountains we measure hikes in hours,
rather than miles. On most treks, we
hike 4–7 hours per day, with a lunch
break of 1–2 hours in the middle. We
encourage you to walk at your own pace.
There is no need to rush or "stay up"
with others during the daily hikes.
There will always be a guide at the back
of the group to make sure that you
arrive safely to camp. We know that much
of the fun of trekking is maintaining a
pace which will allow you to fully enjoy
your surroundings.
What type of shoes
should I have?
A: For shorter treks comfortable tennis
shoes or snickers is enough while longer
treks require carefully chosen hiking
boots which should be kind of strong,
well-made but light boots. Shoes and
boots are best to buy before arriving in
Nepal. Proper fit is a must for boots
and we advise you to wear your new shoes
for sometime before trek for your feet
to feel absolutely comfortable during
trekking.
Is previous hiking
experience required to go on a trek?
As long as you are in good physical
shape, you do not require any hiking
experience for short treks. However, if
you are planning a trek longer than a
week, some physical fitness programs
such as running, swimming, hiking is
recommended before you embark on a trek.
What sort of
experience do your guides have?
Guides of “Nepal Mountain Trekking” have
many years of guiding experience in
Nepal as well as Tibet. Most of them
have been spending years exploring the
country. Our guides are trained in first
aid and know how to handle any
situation. All our guides speak fluent
English and happy to share their deep
knowledge of the country and beauty of
Nepal with you. We believe in and follow
the idea that it’s not enough to take
visitors to special places or special
cultures, we need to provide guides who
can get people feel involved in what
they are experiencing, explain it
thoroughly and keep them entertained.
What is the
maximum weight allowed on domestic
flights?
The normal weight limit is 20 k. g.
While the helicopter shuttle system is
operating the limit to Lukla is 15 kg.
Is it
possible/easy to get equipment on hire?
There are trekking shops at Thamel, in
Kathmandu in particular, where you can
easily rent or buy items like sleeping
bags, down jackets, rucksacks and duffel
bags.
What arrangements
for drinking water are made while on
trek?
You should bring a one-liter water
bottle with you on the trek. We prefer
that you purify water yourself using
iodine in order to save scarce fuel. We
can provide a limited amount of boiled
water that you can use to fill your
water bottle in the evening.
I have never
trekked before; can I do a trek in the
Himalayas?
If you are in good health and enjoy
regular exercise such as jogging,
tennis, or even long walks, we have a
trip designed for you. The number one
qualification is a positive attitude! We
have had many years of experience of
treks in high altitudes, so we know how
to pace a trek or climb. Each person
reacts to altitude in a different way,
so it is difficult to predict how you
will do. But in general, with the
careful pacing of our trips, allowing
proper rest days for acclimatization,
most people adapt well. The potential
problems with altitude stem from people
going too high too fast. We make sure
that this does not happen.
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