FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)
When
is the best time to visit the Himalayan
regions?
Depending on what you plan to do, the
Himalayan regions are accessible throughout
the year although some periods are more
suited to certain activities. Nepal
has a typical monsoon 2 season year.
The dry season is from October to May
and the wet season or monsoon from June
to September. The best time to trek
is from October to May, with the first
two months of the dry season (October
and November) being the ideal period
for trekking in Nepal. The air, freshly
washed by the monsoon rains, is crystal
clear, the mountain scenery is superb
and the weather is still comfortably
warm.
December,
January and February are still good
months to travel but the cold can be
bitter at high altitudes. March and
May offer better weather when trekkers
can see superb wild flowers, particularly
in Nepal’s wonderful rhododendron
forests. Towards the end of April and
beyond, building up to the monsoon,
it can start to get quite hot and at
times uncomfortable. May and June are
very hot and dusty and can be uncomfortable
for anyone not used to this type of
climate – and for those who are.
The monsoon arrives mid June to September
with heavy rains and cloud. It usually
rains every day but not all day. Whilst
some treks are still possible it is
not the best time to visit for trekking
or travelling around and plans can be
disrupted according to weather conditions.
At the end of the monsoon (August and
September) there are lots of interesting
and lively festivals.
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What
type of clothing do I need to bring?
To a large extent this depends on when
you visit and where you intend to go.
For example, during the winter if you
are in the southern Terai region a tshirt
will suffice. At the same time in Kathmandu
you’d need a jacket and at Everest
Base Camp you’d need to be very
well wrapped up. Kathmandu Valley’s
daytime weather is very pleasant throughout
the year although it can get chilly
during the day in winter and the temperature
can drop considerably after sunset although
never below freezing. The most you will
need is a warm sweater or jacket. On
the Valley edge and at higher altitudes
it will be much colder. During the monsoon
you’ll need an umbrella or light
rain jacket. For treks, good sunglasses,
a hat and sunscreen are necessary. For
trekking you’ll also need good
quality (preferably broken in) trekking
boots and if you’re going on safari,
we recommend you wear natural coloured
clothes to blend in with your surroundings.
Clothing is easily and cheaply available
in Kathmandu, including tailor made
items so it’s rarely a problem
if you forget to pack something. When
you make a booking we’ll send
you a list of recommended items to bring
and we’re always happy to respond
to any queries you might have or to
help you find the items you need in
Kathmandu.
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What’s
the currency and will I be able to change
money easily?
Local
currency is the Nepali rupee (Rs) divided
into 100 paisa. Bank notes are in one,
two, five, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500
and 1000 rupees. It’s best to
keep small notes for paying taxis, rickshaws
and for small items, particularly outside
Kathmandu, where change for large denominations
might not be available. US dollars and
pounds sterling are readily accepted
as is the Indian rupee, although Indian
rupee 500 notes are not accepted. ATMS
are quite widely available in Kathmandu
and in Pokhara, accepting Visa and Mastercards.
Major credit cards are widely accepted
at top range hotels, restaurants and
businesses although commission is charged.
For latest exchange rates visit www.currencyconverter.com
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Do I need an entry visa?
All foreigners (except Indian nationals)
require a visa to enter Nepal. There
is usually no problem with getting a
visa issued by Nepali embassies and
consulates overseas. If you prefer you
can also get a visa when you arrive
in Nepal at Tribhuvan airport in Kathmandu
or at the road borders of Biratnagar,
Birganj/Raxaul Bazaar, Sunauli, Kakarbhitta,
Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi or the Kodari
checkpoint on the road to Tibet. Visas
are valid for entry for 3-6 months from
date of issue. Children under 10 require
a visa but are not charged a visa fee.
Your passport must be valid for at least
6 months. To obtain a visa on arrival
at the airport you need to complete
an application form and provide a passport
photograph (which it is also possible
to get whilst you wait in the queue
to be processed). A single entry visa
valid for 60 days costs US$30.
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What happens when I arrive in Kathmandu?
We will meet you at the airport and
transfer you to your accommodation.
We will then organise a pre-trek or
activity briefings, free of cost either
in our office in Kathmandu or at local
hotels or guesthouses according to what
is most convenient to you. During the
pre trek briefings we provide information
on the following as well as provide
opportunity for you to ask any remaining
questions or additional requirements:
well prepared day by day itineraries
of the trek or activity you have booked;
the number of hours you can expect to
walk each day and the type of terrain
and number of consecutive days walking;
the gradual height gain and minimum
and maximum effects of altitude; the
availability of some trekking equipment
from us and other items necessary to
hire from a local shop; conserving the
environment and behaviour towards all
people; direct dealing with our local
tourist buses, domestic and international
airlines; visa and special trekking
permits for the restricted regions of
Nepal; suggested clothing list.
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What sort of trekking routes does Nepal
offer?
Nepal undoubtedly offers some of the
most spectacular and beautiful scenery
in the world, with well published photographs
of Everest, Machhapuchhre, Ama Dablam
and other huge mountains making them
instantly recognizable to keen trekkers
from every continent. Nepal has a virtual
monopoly on the world’s tallest
mountains (eight of the fourteen highest
peaks are located in Nepal) and a number
of the popular trekking routes offer
wonderful views or visits to base camps
used by mountaineering expeditions.
The lower hill country is also often
breathtakingly beautiful with pretty
villages, attractive houses and interesting
temples as well as subtropical lowlands,
vast meadows and forests, fast flowing
rivers, deep canyons and the cold and
barren regions at the feet of the great
mountain peaks. The views change with
the seasons, with different stages of
planting and harvesting cycles in the
villages and valleys and the brilliant
display of wild flowers in spring and
autumn.
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Are there different styles of trekking?
There are 2 main styles of trekking
–teahouse trekking and camping
style trekking. On the more popular
trek routes in Nepal, enterprising villagers
have built tea-house lodges. They are
most readily available in the Everest,
Langtang and Annapurna regions. Teahouses
are like small guest houses. We offer
a selection of tea house treks run to
a high level of service. The other style
of trekking is camping. The trek is
staffed by a full Sherpa crew including
a Sirdar (headman), cook and assistants.
Porters with yaks, horses or mules carry
your main baggage. It is the Sherpa’s
job to perform all the camp work including
leaving the sites clean and to guide
you on the route. Food on camping style
treks is a mixture of Asian and Western
dishes with plenty of choice and 3 main
meals as well as tea and coffee breaks
each day. On a few of our teahouse treks
the crossing of high passes necessitates
camping for a couple of nights. We provide
full camping services for these nights,
including four season sleeping bags.
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Why do I need a guide?
There are many advantages to using a
guide during your trek. Our guides will
make your trek easier and often cheaper
by negotiating on your behalf for food
and accommodation during the trek, they
will show you places of cultural interest,
they will make all arrangements with
lodge owners for your comfort and privacy.
We use professionally trained and experienced
local Sherpa guides or Sirdars on our
treks and tours and are totally confident
in their ability and experience in leading
these routes. Local guides are integral
to providing you with the best travel
experience and using local guides means
that not only do you benefit from their
local knowledge during your trek and
gain a real insight into local culture.
Your travel is also directly supporting
local people and employment and giving
something back to local communities
at the same time as you enjoy travelling.
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How long will I be walking for each
day?
A trekking trip can be any length you
choose. Popular short treks taking only
one, two or three days to complete are
available around the Kathmandu and Pokhara
Valleys. Longer treks can last from
a week to a month. It is even possible
to combine a series of treks together
and walk for months on end. A typical
day’s walk lasts from five to
seven hours. An average day’s
walking is around 5-8 hours per day,
including a stop for lunch en route.
During the trek group members often
string out with the faster walkers arriving
in camp perhaps an hour or so before
the last to arrive. Everyone walks at
their own pace and stops when they feel
like it – it’s about enjoying
the walk and the beautiful surroundings.
There are always local staff ensuring
no one gets lost or into difficulty.
Treks can also be tailored to be of
shorter or longer duration.
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What are the paths and road like?
Trails are well maintained and many
trails up steep slopes are paved with
stones. Trekking in Nepal involves walking
up and down countless times rather than
taking direct routes. Most treks go
through areas of between 1000-3000m
although the Everest Base Camp trek
and the Annapurna Circuit trek, the
most popular trek routes, reach over
5000m. Walking normally starts in the
foothills and cultivated terrace areas
with paths following age old trading
and communications routes through deep
gorges, forests, lush valley floors,
across rivers by suspension bridge and
perhaps wading across streams, over
high passes from one region to another,
connecting villages and monasteries
and communities. More strenuous treks
may cross glaciers and snow covered
passes, depending on the route.
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What do I have to carry?
You carry only what you need during
the day, for example a daypack with
your camera, water bottle, anorak or
sweater, sunglasses and anything you
think you might need whilst walking.
Your main baggage is carried by porters,
mules, yaks or horses.
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Do I need to be super fit?
The simple answer is no. Although you
should be fit enough to feel comfortable
walking for several hours each day and
with no serious medical complaints.
If you do have any medical or health
complaints we recommend you speak to
your doctor and take medical advice
before booking your travel. We also
recommend you check your insurance is
appropriate for your medical or health
complaints as well as travel arrangements.
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Is trekking only for young people?
Not at all. Trekking is for all ages.
If you have an interest in the landscape
and scenery, the wildlife and birdlife
or simply want to get away from the
hustle and bustle back home then trekking
is for you. All that’s required
is an interest and an ability to walk
at a comfortable pace.
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What’s the food like?
There is a choice of Western and Asian
food dishes or a mixture of both in
all the destinations we visit. During
a trek you can expect 3 full meals a
day as well as regular tea and coffee
breaks, on both our fully provisioned
camping style treks and our teahouse
style treks, where food is freshly prepared
daily. During our teahouse treks, we
offer a selection of teahouses, all
run to a high standard by local people
familiar with catering to varying tastes
and requirements. You will be able to
sample a wide range of dishes, all hygienically
and professionally prepared to a high
standard. We are also familiar with
providing interesting vegetarian meals
and are able to adjust dishes to meet
your requirements, for example making
Asian dishes less spicy for children.
In the centres we visit, for example
in Kathmandu, you will be able to choose
between a wide range of restaurants,
cafes and bars, offering both simple
and sophisticated dishes to meet your
tastes.
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Is trekking suitable for small children
or families?
Yes. Many of the most popular treks
can be accomplished with young children
and provide an educational, fun and
safe environment for children of ages
6 and above with just a little more
preparation and some modification. We
also offer specialised trekking for
families travelling with children and
we can provide the following services:
modified itineraries with shorter daily
distances than normal treks; food prepared
with less spice; laundry services; nursing
service and massage specialists. We
will work with you to ensure a family
adventure that both you and your children
will enjoy.
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What can I expect on a fully organised
(camping) trek?
The day starts early when you’ll
be woken with a cup of tea or coffee
from one of your Sherpa crew, who’ll
also provide you with a bowl of hot
water for washing. Once you’re
up breakfast of porridge, eggs, bread,
pancakes, tea and coffee is served.
While you’re enjoying your breakfast
and the local views, your Sherpa crew
will take down the tents, tidy up the
camp and pack up the loads for the porters.
The entire group is usually on the trail
by 7am to take advantage of the cool
morning to accomplish most of the day’s
trek. The porters are slower and the
Sherpas, especially the cooking crew,
race ahead to prepare lunch for when
you arrive. The afternoon walk is usually
short, lasting 3 or 4 hours at most.
Tents are put up well before sunset
and soon afterwards dinner is served.
This is a more elaborate meal consisting
of hot soup and a main meal (a variety
of Nepalese, Chinese and Continental
cuisines) rounded off with dessert and
a cup of tea or coffee. Then an early
bedtime and a good sleep, ready for
the following morning.
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I'm going on a jungle safari. What should
I bring?
We recommend you bring the following
on safari: binoculars, swim wear, flash-light,
sun-hat and sun-protection cream, insect
repellent, comfortable walking shoes,
casual clothing. During winter months
(from November to February) sweaters
and jackets are necessary in the mornings
and evenings. We also suggest that the
colour of your clothes should blend
in with the natural surroundings.
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What’s included in the cost of
my trek?
All Teahouse style treks include: Pick
up from airport and transfer to accommodation,
1-2 nights accommodation in Kathmandu
before and after your trek on bed and
breakfast basis, guided sightseeing
in Kathmandu with an English speaking
guide, all entrance fees and permits
for sites visited, National Park entrance
fees, Royalty fees (eg Upper Mustang
region), transportation to and from
trek, accommodation in best available
lodges during trek, 3 meals per day
provided from the menu, an English speaking
guide and the required porter(s) during
your trek, essential equipment, sleeping
bag, jacket, rain poncho etc, safe drinking
water, first aid kits and emergency
care service.
All Camping style treks include the
same as listed above for teahouse style
treks with the following differences:
Essential equipment, tents, liners,
sleeping bag, jacket, rain poncho etc,
twin share tented accommodation with
separate dining, cooking, sleeping and
toilet tents, 3 meals per day prepared
fresh from the kitchen, an English speaking
guide and the required Sherpa crew of
guide/Sirdar, porters, cook, kitchen
assistant, camping sherpas. Contact
us for details of what is and isn’t
included before you book.
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What’s not included in
the cost of my trek?
Items which are not included in the
cost of your trek or trip are: Private
bus, car or jeep rental to any destination
on the trek, bar bills, bottled water,
desserts, personal expenses or souvenirs,
personal clothes, food or snacks during
transfer journeys, tips, alternative
transportation (eg car/air) in case
of heavy rainfall, landslide, strike
or road blockage, laundry, optional
trips and activities, visa fees, travel
insurance, international flights, airport
departure taxes, excess baggage charges.
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Will I meet local people?
You will have every opportunity to meet
and interact with local people. To start
with, your guide and Sherpa crew will
be local people as are our office staff
who meet you on arrival. During your
trek, the trails you will follow are
age old routes used by local villagers
and Himalayan tribespeople that you
will pass on your trek. If you stay
in teahouse lodges, the lodge owners
will be local people. You will have
the opportunity to meet local people
and may be invited into their homes
to share a local barley beer (chang)
or cup of yak butter tea and meet other
members of their families. You will
certainly be able to experience the
warmth and hospitality of local people
during your travel, as they live and
work and follow the mountain trails.
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What happens if there are any problems?
All treks are led by experienced and
professional Sherpa guides and (for
camping treks) crews. Your guide is
there to act as a leader and local expert
who will be able to help with any problems
to ensure you a safe and enjoyable experience.
Additionally, on our remote treks, your
guide will carry a Very High Frequency
(VHF) telephone or high speed satellite
phone, for use in medical or emergency
situations only.
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What’s the typical group size?
Most of our holidays are based around
adventure travel in small groups in
order to ensure you the most enjoyable
experience. On the majority of our treks
and tours we have a maximum group size
of 12 clients.Family treks have a maximum
of 20 clients to allow for several families
to join the trek. For tailor made programs
we’ll discuss group size according
to your needs and provide the appropriate
support crew during your trip. We can
even organise treks for just one person
if that’s what you want. About
50% of our clients travel alone whilst
others are groups of friends, families,
couples or schools, with a balance between
men and women travellers as well as
a good mix of age ranges and fitness
levels.
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What about trekking permits?
In Nepal, a special Annapurna Conservation
Area Permit (ACAP) is required for those
who enter a national park or wildlife
reserve in the Annapurna region. If
you are visiting more than one trekking
area you will require a separate permit
for each area. Those who decide to go
trekking to remote restricted areas
also need to acquire special trekking
permits. The price of our trips include
all permit and entry fees included in
the itinerary. Where this is not the
case or you have requested a tailor
made program, we will advise you of
any applicable permit fees.
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Why do we need acclimatization days?
Trails can often be steep and physically
taxing and walking often entails a great
deal of altitude gain and loss. It is
worth remembering that even the base
of the great mountains of the Himalayas
can be very high. Most treks through
populated areas are between 1000m and
3000m. Both the Everest Base Camp and
Annapurna Circuit treks reach over 5000m.
On high treks is it wise to ensure adequate
acclimatization – time to allow
your body to adapt to higher altitudes.
All our treks are designed to allow
adequate rest and acclimatization days
and we always recommend you allow adequate
time for your body to adjust.
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What is altitude sickness and how might
it affect me?
Altitude sickness, also known as Acute
Mountain Sickness (AMS), is the major
concern on high altitude treks and if
not treated when symptoms first appear,
can result in death. AMS is the effect
of lack of oxygen at high levels on
those who ascend too rapidly to elevations
of 3000m or above. High altitude affects
most people to some extent. Early stages
of mountain sickness include headaches,
dizziness, loss of appetite and difficulty
sleeping. Being young, strong and fit
doesn’t necessarily help as different
people react differently to the effects
of high altitude. Medicine is no substitute
for a hurried descent or evacuation
to lower altitude. If a doctor is available
he may give medicine and oxygen but
the patient must go down to lower altitudes
even if treated. For travel in the Khumbu
region, you can contact hospitals in
Khunde and Pheriche and for travel in
Manang, Manang hospital can be contacted.
Doctors are available throughout the
trekking season.
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What if I need to be rescued?
If an unfortunate incident occurs such
as flight delays, illness and bad weather
on any part of the trekking route and
rescue evacuation is required, our well
trained and experienced guides will
provide every assistance to you. We
coordinate our service with a recognised
private helicopter company and the Royal
Nepalese army in the case of emergency
rescue. We also register every trekker
name with the appropriate Diplomatic
Missions, Embassies and Consulates and
have easy access to high speed and satellite
telephones to ensure prompt rescue services.
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What’s the difference between
climbing a trekking peak and trekking?
Climbing a trekking peak is not the
same as trekking. The Nepal Mountaineering
Association issues permission for small-scale
climbing on 18 peaks. Those who would
like to climb these trekking peaks must
obtain a permit. Permits are valid for
one month for a group of ten climbers.
If the group exceeds ten climbers an
extra fee is payable.
Few of the trekking peaks are ‘walk
up’ and some peaks can be technically
demanding and dangerous. Even ‘small’
peaks are much higher than any mountain
in North America. Most of the trekking
peaks require a minimum of four days
and it can take as much as three weeks
for an ascent. A climbing permit does
not replace a trekking permit, so you
need both if you are planning to climb
a trekking peak.
Peaks
that can be climbed under the trekking
peak regulations are in the following
regions: Everest region, Rolwaling,
Manang region, Langtang region, Annapurna
region, Ganesh Himal. In commemoration
of the Mount Everest Golden Jubilee
Celebration held in 2003, the government
has also opened an additional 50 trekking
peaks, making the total number of peaks
326.For a full list of these trekking
peaks, please contact us. Many o f the
new peaks have also had the royalty
payment waived for 3 years.
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How can I contact friends and
family?
There are now lots of internet cafes
offering good service at good rates
particularly in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Outside these areas and where available,
connections can be slow and relatively
expensive. The telephone system is good
and it’s easy to make local, national
STD and international calls as well
as reverse charge (collect) calls to
the UK, USA, Canada and Japan. There
are also many private call centres offering
cheap calls. The international country
code for Nepal is 977. For outgoing
international calls from Nepal the access
number is 00 then the country code then
the number.
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What about tipping and bargaining?
Tipping is common and in most cases
expected in Kathmandu. In top range
hotels and restaurants a good guideline
is to tip around 10%. In smaller places
some small change is fine. Taxi drivers
don’t expect to be tipped. Bargaining
is common place in many but not all
cases and should be an enjoyable part
of the transaction. Try to find out
a fair price and remember the cost to
you of a few rupees may be much less
than the value to a local person. Standard
food, accommodation and entry charges
should be respected as well as following
the going local rates for services.
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I’ve heard there are problems
with Maoist and other activities in
Nepal. What is the current situation?
We don’t deny there are problems
with Maoist activities in certain areas
of Nepal. However, activities are not
targeted at tourists and we do not enter
into areas known to be affected by Maoist
activities. We regularly keep up to
date with the situation on a day by
day basis. The safety and confidence
of our clients is extremely important
to us and we will not recommend or organise
any activity where safety may be an
issue. We do recommend you check with
your embassy for the latest travel advice.
Whilst we cannot make a decision for
you we are happy to speak with you via
phone, fax, email or in person to deal
with any of your questions or concerns
about this or any other area prior to
you making any travel arrangements.
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What’s important about Responsible
Tourism?
We care deeply about the places we visit
and the people who live there and believe
that tourism should and can be something
positive for both the visitors and the
local communities.. Being responsible
and protecting the environment does
not mean a compromise in quality or
standards of travel. Since our establishment,
we continue to do what we can through
our approaches and activities in playing
an active role in the effort to minimize
the negative impact of tourism and to
raise awareness of eco and responsible
approaches to tourism, both with travellers
and local people. We are members of
Tourism Concern www.tourismconcern.org
and support the aims of the International
Porter Protection Group www.ippg.org
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How does Kathmandu Adventure Treks support
local development?
We believe that travel and tourism should
benefit local communities and can be
a powerful support and catalyst for
change. Kathmandu Adventure Treks supports
local development in Nepal in a number
of ways, including donating a percentage
of profits to specific charities and
working with local communities and businesses.
Contact us to learn more.
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