Trekking is an outdoor recreational activity very popular in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. It is a long journey undertaken on foot in various hilly or mountainous areas across the country where there are usually no means of transport available. The word 'Trekking ' refers to backpacking especially in the United States. There are easy, moderate and challenging trekking possibilities available in Nepal lasting from a few days to a month. Previous experience is not necessary for trekking in Nepal and all treks are supported by accompanied expert local guides, porters and helpers. However, a good level of physical fitness is important and age group can do trekking. Some of the world's famous Himalayan treks such as Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Sanctuary, Annapurna Ghorepani-Poonhill and the Annapurna Circuit provide great walking holiday experiences to every trekker. For off the beaten track trekking Lo-Manthang, Tsum Valley, Dhaulagiri are some of the names worth mentioning.
Himalayan Glimpse Adventure is a local trekking company based in Nepal offering easy to challenging trekking trips across the country at the most competitive price for any group size whether it is individual client or a group of above two. We have well designed trekking itineraries for everyone considering age factor and level of experience. Our local trekking guides take you to various cultural villages where you can encounter friendly villagers, experience their local culture, food and traditional lifestyle. In this way you discover cultural and natural diversities of the rural Nepal. Each and every client's safety comfort and satisfaction is the major objective of our company.
Type of Trekking
Trekking is basically categorized into two types of services in Nepal:
Tea House/ Lodge Trekking and Facilities
Tea house (lodge) trekking is a most popular in Nepal especially in Annapurna, Everest ( Khumbu ) , Langtang , Helambu and Manaslu areas. Many teahouses in the hills and mountains are reasonably clean and comfortable but some are basic especially in Manaslu area. A wide selection of western, continental and local Nepalese food in most of the teahouses is available along the trails. Some teahouses in the Annapurna and Everest regions have solar or electric heated showers. In other trekking regions especially in Langtang and Manaslu areas water is heated on a wood fire and provided in a bucket to the trekkers though this is an environmentally harmful practice. Most teahouses provide shared outdoor toilets and some have indoor flush toilets depending on trekking regions. Shared toilets are usually squat-style, and often just a hole in the ground. These days in Everest region some lodges are now providing rooms with en suite facilities.
In our teahouse/ lodge- based trekking we provide our professional, government-licensed and an English speaking trekking guide and some reliable porters from our company to take care of our clients while on trek carrying their luggage and equipment. Obviously the clients can enjoy the mountain views and experience different cultures of the local people while trekking. The guide arranges hot meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) from the menu in each best available teahouse on the trails and take care of other necessary arrangements as per the clients’ requirements. Each day the trek starts between 7 to 8 am after breakfast. Before taking breakfast our guide arranges bucket of hot water or hot shower as per the availability. In the breakfast hot drinks tea/coffee with bread and omelet are served. Lunch is provided between 11Am to 1Pm on the way. In lunch dal bhat (rice and lentils), chow mein (noodles) and momos (meat or vegetable filled dumplings) are available. In some teahouses especially Everest and Annapurna areas yak or chicken sizzlers with French fries are available.
Full Board Camping Trekking and Facilities
There are no lodges or hotels available in some remote and Nepal government controlled areas especially in Naar and Phu,Tsum Valley, Tamang Heritage Trail, Makalu Base Camp trek, Rolwaling Tashi Laptsa Pass, Ganesh Himal, Bhairav Kunda, Dhaulagiri, Upper and Lower Dolpo. Trekking to these areas is quite difficult due to non-availability of lodges, enough food and out of easy access by means of transport. So, full board camping is the only option for trekking to all these above areas. Himalayan Glimpse Adventure provides all necessary camping equipments that include high quality kitchen equipments, sleeping tents, dinning tents, toilet tent, shower tent, dining table, chairs, mattresses, staff's tents, food, fuel and of course, sleeping bags are provided.
The trekking guide leads the whole crew. Our porters carry the loads, Sherpas set up tents and well- trained cook and kitchen helpers prepare the delicious meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) every day. All the remote areas are physically demanding as it requires 7-8 hours daily hike, cross over several mountain passes and walk through places untouched by mass tourism. Trekkers set their own pace carrying their small backpack with a water bottle, a camera and necessary clothing stuff through sleepy countryside experiencing local culture and traditional lifestyle of the people. Our guide will brief you about the local culture and customs of the areas you trek through.
Camping trekking in Nepal offers a mind-boggling experience while exploring unique landscape with a diverse range of pristine eco-systems. You trek through isolated valleys and high Mountain passes, jungle with flora and fauna, cascades and lakes. Dolpo in northwest Nepal (maximum elevation 4,500m) captivates visitors with its Phoksundo Lake and unparalleled scenery.
As compared to teahouse trekking, the cost of full board camping is normally expensive especially for smaller groups. Trekkers who travel in any of remote and government restricted/ controlled areas in Nepal must book the camping trekking through government-registered trekking agency like Himalayan Glimpse Adventure for permits, guide arrangements under the supervision of Government Immigration office of Nepal. Camping treks offer an extra thrill of trekking in the Nepal Himalayas.
Nepal Trekking Season
Nepal has two main trekking seasons, one begins from March to May and other from late September to December. However, Nepal remains an all-year-round destination for trekking and hiking.
Spring Season (March, April and May)
From March the spring season begins bringing milder days and nights, though it can still be cold in the mountains. During spring Nepal is at its pretties with wild flowers and rhododendrons in full bloom and the rivers flow crystal clear from the snow melt.
In April and May the weather begins to get hotter and the days can be quite hazy, though on the mountain side the evenings remain cool. It’s a great time for trekking as by now all the trails are clear of snow. Occasional rain fall and persistent clouds make the weather a bit humid.
Monsoon Season (June, July and August)
June, July and August is the monsoon season. During this period Nepal experiences its most heavy rainfall. Trekking at this time is possible in some low altitude areas, if you don’t mind getting wet and in dry areas like upper mustang and the Dolpa. Road travel can be quite difficult in remote areas during this time due to landslides. From late August the monsoon begins to dwindle and the sun comes out again. The days are warm and clear. September onwards offers the best and clearest time for viewing the mountains. It is ideal for trekking as the weather is warm and during the days T-shirts and shorts is adequate. In the lower area expect the weather to be quite hot.
Autumn Season (September, October and November)
From late September the weather begins to cool especially in the evening. From the end of October you can see the clear sights of the Himalayas. It’s the best time for trekking because the air is clean and clear and its generally sunny and the clear views are mostly guaranteed. In November and December the trekking is still very good though in the high passes and altitude areas you should be prepared for snow.
Winter Season (December, January and February)
Dec and January are the coldest months of the year, the mountains below 2500 meters get heavy snow and the high passes are mostly closed for trekking, as well as routes like Annapurna base camp and Everest base camp. It is possible in these times to do lower altitude trekking around Kathmandu or Pokhara, Dhading and Gorkha. In fact it’s a good time of year to do these easy treks as the days are dry and sunny without being hot, though the evening are quite cold and normally the views are good. At night time it is very cold and some higher places still experience snow fall.
Trekking Grade
To give you a guideline about the difficulty of the different treks we have graded our trips in terms of the trip duration, the altitude, terrain, walking hours every day, likely temperatures and the level of fitness. There are mainly five trekking grades applicable in Nepal. They are as follows: Easy, Moderate, Moderate to Strenuous, Strenuous, and Very Strenuous.
Easy: A trek with an easy grade is suitable for all levels of fitness and age groups. It is ideal for couples travelling with young children. The trails are easy without any excessive long up hills or step gradients. An easy trek is normally at lower altitudes and in milder weather so less equipment is used. Most of the easy treks are normally within easy access to roads and main towns in case of emergency. On an easy trek a day walking is rarely more than 5 hours. Easy treks are normally short covering 1 to five days.
Moderate: These treks might contain some longer and shorter walking days with some climbs during the day. The trails may include some steep rocky stair cases or scrambling through close forests. These treks require a basic level of fitness and can also be suitable for families with children of aged people. Although terrain is not difficult, some walking experience and enthusiasm may be useful.
Moderate to Strenuous: A moderate to strenuous trek requires a medium level of fitness. For this grade you are required to walk up to 6-7 hours in one day. The trails may not be straight; they could be narrow and steep. Sometimes you have to walk quite high in altitude and you should be prepared for colder conditions and occasional snow. Moderate to strenuous treks are normally in well facilitated areas but at times you should be prepared for minimal facilities and amenities, especially if it is a camping trek. And you will be more isolated from major roads and towns.
Strenuous: A strenuous trek requires a high level of fitness and some basic mountain trekking experience will benefit you. You should expect the trails to be steep and narrow in some places. It may involve some scrambling over rocks or through tree roots. It involves extended periods of uphill and downhill trekking. A strenuous graded trek usually means you are trekking up to higher altitudes; therefore you should be prepared for walking in snow and extreme weather conditions. On some days you may be required to walk extended periods of time due to the remoteness of villages and suitable camping sites. Amenities and facilities could be less and you will be farther away from main roads and towns. These kinds of treks are generally in remote areas with less facilities and amenities. You need to be thoroughly prepared and with experienced guides in these situations. Also, in some places where you are required to cross High Mountain passes.
Trekking Permit (TIMS Card)
To control illegal trekking operations and ensure safety and security of the trekkers in general trekking areas such as Annapurna, Everest, Langtang and Helambu, Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) card is introduced and made it compulsory by Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) before trek begins. A copy of passport and photographs is required to obtain TIMS card either from Tourist Service Center, TAAN Office or Government registered trekking companies in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Once the name of the trekkers is registered in the TIMS card, it is easy to carry out rescue operations promptly during the times of accidents and natural calamities during the trekking. Before implementing TIMS card, it was difficult to carry out search missions in spotting the trekkers missing, their exact whereabouts and trekking routes.
Where & how to obtain TIMS Card?
Why is TIMS Necessary?
The following considerations have been taken into account in the process of issuing TIMS:
TIMS will not be required for:
Trekking Equipment Check list
We provide a kit bag (for your goods to be carried by porter) .At teahouses you will have foam mattresses. If you are on camping trek, we provide the mattresses, tents etc. You may bring your own down jacket and sleeping bag or you may purchase brand new in Kathmandu or hire for around US$ 1 per item daily. We suggest you not to come without best walking boot for the trek.
General
During Winter (Additional)
Optional Items
