TREKKING IN NEPAL – INTRODUCTION
«These places are so majestic and so pure that only Gods can reside here»
Rudyard Kipling
Have you decided on a trekking tour in Nepal? Congratulations, because you have made the best choice! And we will help you with the organization and answer all your questions.
To begin with, we will tell you a bit about Nepal. This is a relatively small country, stretched between India and Tibet, having absorbed the best of both cultures. Only in Nepal, you can see how two great religions – Hinduism and Buddhism – peacefully coexist. The capital of Nepal – Kathmandu, is the most alive city on earth – according to the great traveler and mountain climber Reinhold Messner. And already while leaving the airport we find ourselves in a completely different, unfamiliar world. In each of our treks in Nepal we spend 1-2 days for excursions in Kathmandu, there is a lot to see here!
Despite its small size, Nepal is extremely diverse. The altitude in the country ranges from 100 (lowland areas) to 8848 (Everest) meters above sea level, so that the different climatic zones – from jungle to the eternal snow of the highlands – are clearly marked here. And all this diversity you will experience if you come with us on a trekking tour in Nepal!
RECOMMENDED TREKKING TOURS IN NEPAL
TREKKING IN NEPAL WITH KULUAR
The results of 2021 in numbers
12
treks conducted
8
team leaders involved
103
came with us to Nepal
WHY COME TO NEPAL WITH US
WE ARE THRILLED ABOUT NEPAL, AND SO WILL YOU!
Nepal has some kind of magical effect on a person, and we are no exception. Every time you want to see something new and soak up the atmosphere here. On each trekking tour, we try to show people as much as possible, not limiting ourselves to the description of the route on the website. Of course, only if you want to. And, as a rule, you do!
THE DECLARED TREKKING WILL SURELY TAKE PLACE
Situations when you buy tickets, and the campaign will be canceled through our fault, are excluded.
WELL-THOUGHT-OUT ROUTES
The routes are constructed so that you could see and try everything as much as possible without risking your health. There, where it is necessary to make a day for better acclimatization to the altitude, we make it. If it is possible to spend a day more and swim in hot springs (for example) we add an extra day to the trek. Tracks are absolutely different in complexity, from the simplest to the complex.
WE WILL TAKE ALL THE TREK ORGANIZATION
All you will have to think about is from what angle to get the best view of Annapurna peak or Everest and what to eat in the evening.
YOU WILL KNOW NEPAL FROM THE INSIDE
We'll be wandering on stony paths through small villages, and you'll see how Nepalis live, how they wash their heads (they love to do this), how they weave new baskets from bamboo, how they shout "Namaste!" with a welcoming smile on their faces.
NEPAL IS EXPENSIVE. BUT WITH US IT IS CHEAPER :))
We are directly involved in organizing and conducting trekking, so we have no agency markups and other costs. We try to make trekking in Nepal as comfortable and economical for you as possible because we want more people to touch the culture of this wonderful country! For our customers, there are good discounts on equipment.
WE HELP YOU
with the preparation of the campaign, buying tickets, equipment selection.
IF YOU GO TO THE MOUNTAINS, THEN GO WITH KULUAR!
TREKKING IN THE HIMALAYAS – FEATURES OF TREKKING IN NEPAL
Nepal is not only the Himalayas, but they are the pearl and the hallmark of the country. It is for the sake of trekking in the Himalayas, thousands of tourists from all over the world annually strive to Nepal. In total, there are 14 peaks in the world, the height of more than 8,000 meters, all located in the Himalayas and 8 of them in Nepal. There are so many people who want to admire them, that tourism is one of the main income items in the budget of Nepal. Here tourism infrastructure is very developed and trekking in Nepal has its own characteristics.
Trekking in the Himalayas is not the usual hiking in our understanding. The vast majority of trekking has good infrastructure – we will spend the nights in small shelters (lodges) and eat food prepared there. Therefore, backpacks will be relatively light. Warm clothes, a small stash of food for snacks, photographic equipment – that's all we will need to carry. The weight of the backpack will vary between 10-15 kg, depending on your ability to pick up extra things))). If you want to go completely light, you can hire a porter ($20 per day, you can take one for two).
Meals for trekking in Nepal are not included in the price, because everyone has their own appetite and their own favorite foods. Every day you will choose what to eat from the menu of the lodge where we stay. The food is quite varied and tasty. A little spicier than we are used to, but you get used to it. You can ask the instructor – he will always tell you what is better to pick.
One of the biggest challenges of trekking is the high altitude. Although it is much easier to bear than in the Caucasus (subjectively it is 1000 – 1500 meters easier in Nepal), the altitude is higher. So carefully read the description of the trek and tips on preparation.
For visiting national parks (through which the routes pass) you will need special permits: permits and TIMS, and we shall take care of that – you do not need to bother with it! =))
Nepal – seasonality of trekking
Trekking in Nepal has its own seasonality – you can not hike here all year round. To be exact, you can hike, but the constant rain or snow would be no pleasure. Summer in the Himalayas is the season of monsoons, and winter at altitude is cold and snowy, during this time you can go to Nepal only on easy routes. The most popular months are October and November, the end of March and April are slightly less popular. At this time the weather is most stable and conducive to trekking, but there are also many tourists on the trails. The end of February, March, the second half of September and December are also good months.
And now we will tell you in more detail about the peculiarities of trekking at different times of the year.
Trekking in Nepal in the spring – March, April and May Day holidays
Spring is considered one of the best seasons for tours in Nepal for a reason, because you can catch the enchanting and extremely beautiful phenomenon – the blooming of rhododendrons. These large trees are completely covered with white-pink or red flowers, decorating the slopes of the rugged Himalayas. The air gradually begins to warm up, but there is still a lot of snow in the mountains. It will be melting the whole summer. We conduct our programs from the middle of March to the May Day holidays. This is the best time for spring trekking. The temperature in Nepal will vary from +26 in the cities during the day and up to -10 at 3500-4000 m at night. During the day, there will be about 15 degrees Celsius.
Trekking in Nepal in the autumn – September, October, November
Autumn is the most popular season for trekking trips and tours to Nepal. There is a simple explanation – good and stable weather in the mountains. Beginning in mid-September, the amount of rainfall decreases noticeably. It still rains frequently in the evening, by which time we arrive at our new stopover point, and we are not afraid of it. The snow has melted completely, even at 4000-5000 m altitude, and the air is clear and clean. Amazing starry nights are waiting for us.
In October evenings it starts to get noticeably colder and even in the cities the temperature drops to 10-15 degrees below zero. At altitudes of 3000 m and higher it is already frosty and after sunset it is freezing – you need a hat, gloves and a light down jacket. In November, it is still cold, but the weather is stable.
Going to Nepal in the winter – December, January and February
In winter, it’s better to avoid difficult and high-altitude trekking, as it can get really snowy and cold at higher altitudes. Most often in December and January the weather is stable, so that for the New Year it is quite possible to go to Nepal. Down there the temperature during the day is from +7 to +15, at higher altitudes it may be around zero and below. You need a lot of warm clothes. In February, it is very snowy on the trails and high avalanche hazard. You should definitely adjust the time of trekking taking this factor into account.
Is it possible to trek in Nepal in the summer?
Summer is the season of monsoons and heavy rains, so it is strongly not recommended to go to the Himalayas at this time. And it won't be much fun down there either. We don't go to Nepal in summer and don't plan to. There are plenty of other interesting regions, like Iceland.
Nepal tours – how much does a full trek cost?
The full cost of trekking consists of three components:
- Program prices. Here everything is clear, it is listed for each individual trek and at the bottom there is a description of what is included. For the most of the treks these are: accommodation in the lodges on the trek, transportation costs, accommodation in the hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, all the necessary passes and documents, services of our Russian-speaking guide, services of our Nepalese guide, group medical kit. There may be differences, it is necessary to read carefully in the description of each individual trek.
- Flight to Kathmandu from Ukraine will cost between $500 and $750.
- Expenses not included in the cost of the trek: food (about $15-30 per day), porter services ($10 per day), tours (about $50), souvenirs and other expenses.
For example, let's calculate the full cost of the trek to Annapurna base camp. $750 (trekking cost) + $650 (flight) + $13*15 (average appetite food) + $50 (Kathmandu city tours) + $50 (other expenses, they will surely appear) = $1695 – this is the minimum amount you will need for trekking to Annapurna. On top of that, it's better to take about $200 on the off-chance.
How to get to the trekking start point (Nepal, Kathmandu)?
The standard meeting point for the whole group while trekking in Nepal is our booked hotel in Kathmandu. At the exit from the airport, you will be met by our guide or a Nepali cab driver with the club's logo and your name. If you have trouble finding it (although it is very unlikely), then just show any cab driver the address of the hotel (will be sent to the e-mail) and he will take you where it is necessary. It costs $5-$10 for a cab. If several people fly from one city, for example Kyiv, you can meet at the airport of departure. We'll introduce you to each other and make you feel at ease – it's more fun and safer to fly in a group. There are no direct flights from the CIS to Nepal; you will have to change planes in the UAE. There are two airlines: AirArabia with connection in Sharjah, and FlyDubai with connection in Dubai. If you have trouble with buying tickets – contact us, we'll help you.
What else do I need to know about trekking in the Himalayas (Nepal)?
A visa to Nepal takes 5 minutes straight at the airport. The cost for 15 days – $25, 30 days – $40, 90 days – $100. You will need a valid passport and 4 3*4 photos for the visa and passes.
At the end of the trek it is customary to thank the Nepalese staff (porters and Nepalese guide) with a tip, the standard amount is $10-20 per person.
In Nepal, you can buy very cheap travel gear. Flickers from $5, down jackets from $30, trekking poles from $10. Of course, it is not branded (although the tags are glued), but of quite bearable quality. When buying, be sure to haggle. We wrote about equipment prices in this article.
For a detailed list of equipment for participation in Nepalese tours, follow this link.
Note that the weather in the Himalayas is about the same during the trekking seasons, so this list is appropriate for both spring and fall and winter seasons. The only thing that changes is the temperature of the sleeping bag and down jacket.
And the main thing to know is that once in Nepal, you will love it forever.
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