Information And Notes For Trekkers

Booking And Confirmation

An advanced payment of 30% of the total trek cost is required for confirmation of booking. We will invoice you for the advanced payment which can be paid into our bank account. Details will be provided if necessary.

The balance must be paid before the trek departure.

Cancellation

Should you cancel your trip at any time then you will be entitled to the following refunds:

1. US $100 per person after confirmation of the booking and within one month of commencement of the trek.
2. US $200 per person within 15 days of commencement of the trek.
3. No refund after commencement of the trek.

Visa Fee

1. US Dollars 25 or other convertible foreign currency equivalent for 15 days multiple entry visa.
2. US Dollars 40 or other convertible foreign currency equivalent for 30 days multiple entry visa.
3. US Dollars 100 or other convertible foreign currency equivalent for 90 days multiple entry visa.
4. Toursits with passports from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations aren't required to pay visa for 30 days
5. Indian nationals do not require visa to enter into Nepal.

Visa for Nepal and Trekking Permit

If you do not have a visa from your nearest Royal Nepalese Embassy or Consulate, it is issued on arrival at the point of entry. Tourists are allowed to stay for a total of 150 days in Nepal. The extension fee, after 90 days (upto 60 more days) is at $2.00 per day per person. Official entry points are at following places:

1. Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu
2. Kodari at Nepal-Tibet (China) border
3. Birgunj (India-Nepal border)
4. Kakarbitta (India-Nepal border)
5. Sunauli, Bhairawa (India-Nepal border)
6. Nepalgunj (India-Nepal border)
7. Dhangadi (India-Nepal border)
8. Kakarhawa (Kalidaha) (India-Nepal border)
9. Koilabas (India-Nepal border)
10. Rani Sikiyahi (Jogbani) (India-Nepal border)
11. Mahendranagar (India-Nepal border)
12. Jaleswor (India-Nepal border)

Travel

Your travel agent or airlines will advise you the current airline schedules and flights to Kathmandu. There are flights from Bangkok, Delhi, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dhaka, Karachi, Baharain, Qatar, Istanbul, Lhasa, Chengdu and Doha by different airlines. Please advise us in advance your arrival details in Kathmandu, we will arrange to meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

Health And Medical

We would advise you to have a medical checkup before you leave for Nepal. Our camp staff will boil all the waters used for preparing hot drinks and cold drinks. Trekkers occasionally suffer from coughs, colds and stomach disorders on the trek. Your supply of purification tablets or Iodine solution for your water bottles will be a good precaution.

Equipment

You should have two separate sets of packing, one is your daypack, which you will carry yourself with water bottle, first aid, camera, personal stuff and a duffel with spare clothes, boots, etc. which will be carried by porters. If extra porters are needed for carrying movie cameras, tripods and other heavy equipment, we will provide additional porters and will charge for this.

Suggested Lists (Spring And Autumn)

Footwear: Training type shoes – for wearing at lower parts of the trek and / or for camp use.
Boots – depending on season and the trek itself. Must be broken in and waterproof.

Clothing

Kits

All listed under spring and autumn treks plus the following items:

Note:

Down jackets, pants, gaiters are available on rent in Kathmandu; if you would like to save weight and space on your travel, please let us know in advance.

Liabilities

Please be advised that we cannot insure our clients ourselves and we accept no responsibility for damages or expenses which may arise from mishaps to persons on our treks. Medical and helicopter evacuation expenses incurred as a result of illness or accident during our treks are charged in full to the concerned clients. We suggest buy insurance policy covering rescue operation by helicopter.

After arrival in Kathmandu

Upon arrival have checked into your hotel, we will then make an appointment to meet the same day or the following day for a trek briefing. The trek itineraries are not intended to be final but they are as a guideline only. They are subject to change due to weather, health of the trip members, or other reasons beyond our control. We advise our clients to spend at least 2 nights in Kathmandu prior to the trek departure for trek preparation, orientation, kit checking, etc. In the morning of your trek departure, we will send transport to your hotel at an appropriate time to take you to the road-head or to the domestic airport. This morning you will be on hiking clothes as you start walking within an hour of arrival at the starting point. Pack your duffel and keep your daypack ready (with pack lunch, filled water bottles, sun cream, camera, sweater or jersey).

Routine on the trail

The daily routine is to rise early each morning, and after a hot drink and breakfast, begin the day's hike. The weather is cool and the sky is clear then. Lunch is taken at some pleasant place, our staff will try to find suitable place, at about 11am. Lunch break is usually 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the group. You will get ample time to rest and it also allows the porters to catch up. After lunch, rest of the walk is done and the campsite/ lodge is reached usually between 2-4pm. A light tea meal is served on arrival. The evening meal is at about 6:30-7pm.

Miscellaneous

On the tented trek we recommend against the use of candles, and if tents and sleeping bags are damaged we expect replacement or reimbursement from you. Flashlight or headlamp can be used for writing or reading in the tents. The dining tent is available for using after the meal.

Lodge Treks

We have designed some low budget treks in which our clients stay in local lodges and tea houses, selected by us. Each trek is guided by a Sherpa Sardar (guide) and the accommodation is on full board basis.
Our clients can walk on their own pace as they are not limited by the constraints of fully organized treks. Our clients will have opportunities to meet local people, enjoy their culture and traditions and share with them.
We use only those lodges and tea houses that use gas or kerosene for cooking. This way, we try to reduce pressure of people in the environment. (On fully organized treks we have to provide fuel and kitchen gear for porters also, entailing hiring of extra porters for porters).

Money on the trek

How much money you should carry while you have prepaid for all the charges connected with your trek; food, porters, equipment, etc. it is useful to have a small amount of personal cash with you for soft drinks, beer, tipping, etc. We will advise you at the briefing the guideline depending on the area and length of the trek.
No sweets, chewing gum, balloons should be given to the children. Gifts like crayon, exercise books for the children of a house you visit or enjoy hospitality, are appreciated.

Trekking Seasons

Autumn season starts from about 15 September. The monsoon finishes around now. The countryside is fresh, green and beautiful and it is worth coming in early for some people to avoid the rush period after October 10 till November 20. When mountains are free of clouds views are crystal clear. Lower down is still warm with plenty of showers.
The high season starts from mid October till 20 November, but for low-level trek up to 12000' the weather in later November and early December is often stable. However, it is a classic time for high altitude alpine and climbing treks. For botanists November is the best time for seed collection. Harvest is in progress throughout autumn, works in the field and plenty of festivals. Weather after 20 November till end December; winter arrives in Kathmandu around 20 November. This period offers the most stable weather of the year. Very little rain and generally therefore little snow high up. For strong trekkers Khumbu is still excellent with more reliable flights, generally less pressure on flights, hotels, etc. No high pass crossing after 1 December, short treks out of Pokhara, Helambu, north of Kathmandu are good. The walking conditions lower down is very pleasant.
March is the beginning of spring season in Nepal, but higher up conditions can still be pretty harsh and we do not plan to cross high passes before mid April although treks involving high pass crossing can start before then.
High spring season is April (though never as busy as late October – mid November). Warm low down in Pokhara valley but this is the best time for rhododendrons high up and for climbing and alpine treks. May and June - the pre monsoon months. Haze and heat low down so the idea is to get high quickly. Treks out of Kathmandu Valley up to 8,000' still pleasant otherwise Langtang / Gatlang, Khumbu (fly both ways Lukla) or Around Annapurna for long treks with plenty of time to spend high up.
July / August to mid September – not recommended for trekking although a good time for botanists for flowers – particularly alpine varieties.

Trek Grading

1. Short treks of 3-5 days can be arranged in some areas which offer fairly easy walking with not too many ups and downs, or longer treks can be designed in more demanding areas to cover perhaps only half a days walking from a normal full days itinerary. This would allow for those who want to have more time, easy walk, for anthropologists or botanists, or for the less young and fit who still wish to experience trekking.
2. Fairly vigorous trekking at altitudes up to about 11,000' (3354m) which would normally not include camping above approximately 9,000' (2744m).
3. Treks to Annapurna Massif, Langtang / Gatlang, Khumbu with Cho La, which include some ascents and pass crossing up to about 18,000'.
4. Long treks in less trekked areas going to high altitude such as experienced in Kanchenjunga area, or treks crossing high, more remote, or steep passes at altitude, example: Cho La, Khongma La in Khumbu, Lapsang La in Kanchenjunga area. Most people capable and willing to tackle this type of trek could, given previous experiences with the use of crampons and ice axes, or after a short period of training, could be capable for an attempt on the standard route of one or two of Nepal's "Trekking' or "Alpine" peaks which can rise to altitudes in access of 20,000' (6096m) example: Island Peak or Mera.
5. Extreme remote or alpine treks possibly involving climbs on more difficult routes, or long periods spent at altitude in difficult and demanding country.

Note:

Grading is also dependent on weather conditions normally experienced at various times of the year and could effectively "change" during spells of bad weather that maybe at almost any time of the normal trek season in the Himalayas and for which clients must be prepared.