Nepal Trekking Resources
Variety of Resources designed to help you prepare your Nepal Journey are summarized on this page. Select link below to learn more about each category
| Travel | Logistics | Gear | Altitude | Culture | Links |
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Nepal Trekking Logistics
Map variety in Thamel, Kathmandu bookstore; each costs ~5 USD. Every possible area is covered and quality is very good. It is best to purchase your trekking maps in Nepal and not in your home country.
Traveling in Nepal has many common things that apply when traveling in any other foreign country (valid passport, etc). Nepal is one of safest countries in the world and overall I felt safer than walking on streets in many western cities. Haggling for common services (taxi, etc), common in third-world countries, is to be expected. Following discussion relates to specifics about trekking in Himalaya mountains.
Trekking Season
What is best time to visit Nepal? Main trekking season is October/November, but Nepal can be visited year-round. These are main differences:
| Season | Details |
|---|---|
| Spring | Main climbing season (April / May). Almost as busy as in the fall. You might be able to meet climbers in places like Everest Base Camp. |
| Summer | Wet Monsoon season (July / Aug). Hot and humid lower down. Leeches are real danger on Annapurna Sanctuary trail. Least recommended time of year for Nepal trekking |
| Fall | Prime trekking season (Oct / Nov). Dry and clear days and still not too cold. Downside: large crowds and trekking lodge congestion - at some places, like Thorung Pedi, you might have to sleep on bench in dining area. Flights in/out of Lukla often overbooked and you might have to wait several days for transport back to Kathmandu |
| Winter | Dry and Clear, but cold. Crowds are largely gone and many lodges are already closed. Winter storm hazard at higher elevations. |
I went to Everest Base camp / Gokyo lakes in November and it was quite busy. In Annapurna region I spent 4 weeks in December and it was brilliant -- sunny most of the days, and I had mountains mostly to myself. It was cold (-20 Celsius at least in Annapurna Base Camp), but it can be managed with proper gear (and mental attitude).
Trip Organization
Significant question that has large consequences from financial aspect and overall trek quality / enjoyment. First time visitors to Nepal tend to gravitate towards organized trekking. This is only natural; when faced with unknown one usually favors safety. Experienced trekkers will often chose D.I.Y approach -- it costs less and gives far more flexibility. Following table summarizes pros and cons of 3 possible alternatives:
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Western Tour Operators | Most expensive option, with all trekking aspects built into the price. You are picked up/dropped off to the airport and escorted all the time. You spend time socializing with other western trekkers instead of locals. Least amount of adventure, but highest degree of safety. No flexibility as you are part of the group and must adhere to overall schedule and group dynamics. |
| Local Nepal Companies | Mid-range option in terms of price. Fraction of cost but usually far better quality than western tour operator option. Large mount of flexibility with added advantage of interacting with locals most of the time and experiencing the culture. Safety is not concern (but do your own research). Experienced trekkers that do not want to rough completely will chose this. Added benefit is knowledge you helped local economy that hugely depends on trekking for their survival. |
| D.I.Y | You must organize all aspects of your trek. Least expensive option with most flexibility - you can go where you want and how you want with no restrictions (except for overall Nepal Visa overstay!). You are 100% responsible for your safety and must prepare carefully for all contingencies as you will have nobody to rely on if something goes wrong. Trekkers sometime hire porter even if doing everything else on their own; locals usually wait looking for work lined up at exit form Lucla airport on Everest trek. |
On my first visit in Nov '07 I went full package with Australian "Peregrine Adventures". Trip was hugely overpriced and overall dismal from organization perspective. Peregrine guide was saving money on food and putting it in his pockets while we often ordered extra food because we were hungry. On Annapurna trek I hired services of Bharal Adventures, local Kathmandu company. I had all the flexibility I wanted (changing itinerary on the fly, etc), I trekked on my own but had added comfort of in advance booked overnight stay and porter services that allowed me to hike with light day-pack only. Trip was huge success and for solo trekkers recommended approach. At each case stay away from Aussie companies like Intrepid or Peregrine; they will milk your money and give you little in return. If you plan mountaineering / climbing treks, and absolutely do not want to hire local Nepal company, UK Jagged Globe is good option.
Lodging and Food
Annapurna Sanctuary Lodges. While camping is possible and in some cases (like Dhaulagiri Circuit) required, for main trekking routes like Annapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp lodges are far better option
Lodges are basically local village houses converted to cater trekking needs. There is usually one central area where you eat, and several bedrooms. Bedrooms are never heated and can get really cold in higher elevations. Main eating area has wood burning stove in the middle and will be heated depending on season and number of trekkers. Bathroom is outside and quite primitive - squat area. There is no toilet paper, just bucket of water locals use to wash afterwards. Be very careful when it gets cold not to slip on frozen urine or water! Some lodges, specially in lower elevations will have solar heated showers - extra cost. It is very basic, but will often be quite appreciated after long day on the trail.
Main lounge is where trekkers congregate and good chance to meet others if you are trekking by yourself. People come to Nepal from all parts of the world and everybody has a different story. Organized groups tend to stick together, but there will always be someone solo eager to start conversation. All kind of languages can be heard and it gives whole thing international feeling.
Food is fairly standardized, and prices gauging restricted by government. Supplies have to be brought on mules in higher elevations and choices are thus more limited, but still much better than some might expect. This table shows standard menu in front of lodge above Manang on Annapurna Circuit Trek:
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Finally be aware that you are expected to buy food if you spend night in the lodge; they will not let you stay otherwise. On my Annapurna Circuit trek I met Chinese woman that brought stove and wanted to cook her own food in main lounge; she was quickly kicked out (I learned later she slept in tent by the road!). This bed+food setup only works in trekkers advantage, as it is very inexpensive and you never have to worry about overnight supplies you usually bring when back-country camping at home.
Money Matters
Official Nepal currency is Rupee (1 Rupee = 0.0085 USD). While in some 3rd world countries it is possible to pay directly in US dollars, in Nepal this is not the case. Credit Cards are accepted at some shops and restaurants in tourist heavy areas in Kathmandu or Pokhara, but not in mountain lodges; bottom line = you must have cash! Once you are up in the mountains there are no ATMs either, so you need to get enough cash in Kathmandu or Pokhara. When trekking completely D.I.Y this becomes a bit impractical as you need to carry fair amount of cash with you, and you need to budget carefully and correctly.
How much cash is enough? It depends on individual needs and habits. If you going completely D.I.Y, you need to budget ~20 USD/day for lodging/food; otherwise it will be included in cost of your trek. For extras like showers, wi-fi, battery charge, hot water etc. plan on ~5USD/day. All exchanged to Rupees of course. Usual dilemma is: use ATM or carry cash from your home country? Each has advantages and disadvantages. Cash is safer, but less practical (theft etc). On the other side ATMs always have surcharge fee that can be substantial. I tend to prefer mix between the two. For carry-on cash always use small bills; it might be impossible to exchange larger bills + it is much more practical for small expenses, tips etc. I also recommend US dollars, even if it is possible to exchange Euros, Canadian or Australian dollars in Kathmandu / Pokhara.
Word about tipping, if you are using 3rd party services. Opinions vary, but I am firm believer in principle that tipping should NOT be mandatory and needs to be given for exceptional service only. You need to make up your own mind about this; in general I found that western organized tours will rarely provide this exceptional service. To the contrary, Nepal based companies will almost without exception treat you much better and tip will generally be warranted. Guideline is ~2-4 USD/day for guides and ~1-2 USD/day for porters. It can be given in Rupees or US dollars, always at the end of your organized tour.
Local Transport
This discussion is relevant only if you are using D.I.Y approach; otherwise all transportation issues will be taken care of by your tour operator. In big cities (Kathmandu/Pokhara), even if it is possible to 'rub shoulders' with locals in public transport, I strongly advise using taxis. It is inexpensive and just so much more time efficient (and your time is very precious!). You can usually flag taxi just about anywhere - just raise your hand, and somebody will stop (they all recognize tourists). There is also official taxi stand in Thamel; ask anybody for directions. Do ask for price up-front, and never accept what they offer first -- haggle. It is normal and expected. As guideline, from Thamel to Pashupatinath or Boudhanath Stupa should not cost more than 5 USD. Sometimes they will also offer to wait or come back for your return; these people live poorly, and having your business for a day is big thing. In each case taxis in Nepal are perfectly safe.
For travel between cities, there are different options. Public buses run regularly on "highway" between Kathmandu and Pokhara and are extremely inexpensive. They are very safe, but adventure on its own. Driving safety has whole new meaning in Nepal, and seemingly nobody obeys even basic traffic rules, yet somehow accidents never seem to happen! Your backpack will be strapped somewhere on top of the bus, and you will sit cramped inside with music blasting from stereo, cramped for space between locals and all kinds of smells you can possibly imagine! There also seem to be no rules in where bus stops; people just flag the driver anywhere they need to get in or out. All this means transit is very slow, but has certain appeal as culture shock. As example on drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar, start of Annapurna Circuit trek, bus stopped in middle of nowhere as someone needed bathroom break. I watched women lift their long skirt and squat directly by the bus; it was all completely 'normal'. If you decide on public bus, just flag taxi to take you to public bus station and take it from there. Locals at hotel where you are staying will be able to help with current schedule.
More comfortable option are "De luxe" tourist buses. This is Nepal version of Greyhound. It still does not mean only trekkers ride tourists buses, but seats are much more comfortable, stops are only at established (and clean) stations; there is even a toilet inside the bus! It is still relatively slow but this is because roads in Nepal are bad. Kathmandu - Pokhara "highway" is essentially a country road by western standards, with many dirt (non-paved) sections. I took "tourist bus" for return from Pokhara to Kathmandu, and it takes 7-8 hours. Daily departure is 7:30am only from Pokhara car park. Follow this link to learn more and book your ticket.
Trekkers Waiting in Jomsom Airport Lounge for local plane to Pokhara
Last option is flying; it is shortest, but also most expensive. In some cases it will be the only practical option (i.e. Kathmandu - Lukla, for Everest area treks). There is also airport in Pokhara with links to Kathmandu as well as smaller towns, like Jomsom on Annapurna Circuit Trek. Several local airlines (Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Simrik Airlines) serve the area; follow this link for schedule details and to book your e-ticket.
Other trekking aspects, such as Nepal Visa, High Altitude, Packing/Gear are discussed separately (Click on link).