TREKKING
IN THE NEPAL HIMALAYA
WHAT
IS TREKKING?
Trekking
is hiking through the high and low hills and to mountainous
regions over an extended period of time, usually in the company
of leader/Sirdar, guide, cook and porters or pack of animals.
Trekkers rely on the local staff for path finding and in gaining
knowledgeable ideas of the local people, their culture, religion
and life style. Many trekkers confront the longest and steepest
hills of their hiking experience soon after beginning a trek.
You can be crossing snowfields in the morning and can be bathing
in the sub-tropical streams by mid-afternoon. For most part,
trekking routes are well traveled by local people, but mostly
unmarked with any signposts. There are few motorable roads through
the Himalayas, so anyone who travels must walk. A trek route
will often pass through forest of rhododendron, bamboo, oak,
hemlock and one or two villages each day. You will be crossing
and re-crossing rivers on logs and in some places the suspension
bridges.
You
will usually cover 9-13 km per day (5-7 hrs on average). You
will have enough time to stop whenever you wish to talk, photograph
or just observe and admire the beauty of the culture and scenery
around you. The object of trekking is not just a particular
destination, but also the journey itself.
WHY
TREK?
Trekking gives you the chance to develop relationship with people
you meet, see culture and environment dramatically different
from yours. You travel at modest pace, observing a continuity
of the nature, communities and the high mountain panoramas that
gives much better perspective than making a rapid travel on
a vehicle.
EQUIPMENT
/ CLOTHING NEEDED ON TREK
In winter, and for the high altitude trekking, down sleeping
bag, jacket and other warm clothes are advisable. Strong comfortable
hiking boots or light footwear's are useful. No special kind
of packing is required but still if you bring few big sized
plastic garbage bag it will help keep your gears dry inside
the duffel bag in case of rain or snow.
ACCOMODATION
ON TREK
Each pair of trekkers will sleep in a spacious, 2 men dome or
'A' frame tents durable rain-fly sheet, with insect nettings.
Single tents are provided with an additional cost. We supply
foam mattresses. Some time, on the trek you may be invited to
sleep in the homes of local people or stay in your guide's house.
Campsites are usually set near village or local lodges, but
having our own tents and equipment, gives us the flexibility
to camp whenever we wish.
BEST
SEASON FOR TREKKING
The best weather for trekking will be from September to May.
Summers are wet and some times trails become difficult for walking.
The fall is clear and pleasant, October and November is known
for the clearest open skies, harvest activities and festivals
occur and there will be the least rainfall. December and January
are much colder and there could be heavy snows at high altitudes.
February through March is a period of generally clear and warm
weather. April and May hold excellent weather for the trekkers,
bird and flowers are best observed in the spring.
YOUR
FOOD ON TREK
We can proudly claim for having the best cooks in the Himalayas.
Your meals in Nepal will be mostly local food with few American
and European touches. Mornings begin with a hot tea or coffee
while still in your tent. Breakfast usually includes cereal,
porridge, and eggs in different style, coffee, tea, and bread
with jam/butter. Lunch usually have Indian-style bread (chapatti),
vegetable salads, French fries, fruits, beverages, local snacks,
fried rice, chowmein, macaroni, or sandwiches. Dinner includes
rice (Bhat), Vegetable curry and lentil (Dhal) and other items
like soup, pickle, sauce, seasonal fruits etc… Vegetarian
diets can be catered for.
PERMIT
REQUIREMENTS
All trekkers must have a valid passport and visa to enter Nepal.
A permit is required for trekking and climbing. Last Frontiers
Trekking will arrange all necessary permits for you. Your Nepal
visa may be obtained in your country through the Nepalese embassy
or the consulate, if not upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan
International Airport.
YOUR
FITNESS
It will be on your own part to be as fit as you can. Trekkers
should have had some previous hiking/hill climbing or camping
experiences. We recommend physical exercise such as swimming,
cycling, or jogging and hill walking before your trekking. Trekking
is a physical and emotional experience, you will encounter many
challenges, at times you will be climbing hills, lack of modern
amenities, travel to high altitude, may discourage some people
and they may not enjoy the fun of trekking in such circumstances.
But we will advise you on which trip you should choose according
to your age and fitness.
WHAT
IS HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS?
Some people experience altitude sickness resulting from lack
of oxygen at certain levels I.e. above 3000 mts. Virtually all
lowlanders will experience shortness of breath and fatigue more
quickly at high elevation than they would at sea level. For
some people the symptoms include headaches, nausea, loss of
appetite, inability to sleep, dizziness, and confused thinking.
Anyone who experiences these symptoms for more than an hour
should descend immediately to a lower altitude. We plan our
treks to allow time for acclimatization, and for most people
this is adequate in allowing them to reach the high point of
the trek.
