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Trek grade and fitness
All our trekking programs featured in this website are classified into three different categories according to their level of difficulty. Our grading systems should only be taken as a general guideline; it is up to you to judge your own fitness, ability and mental and physical stamina.
Soft Adventure treks
These treks are only about a week to 10 days in duration. They generally don't go above 4000 meter and each day, you can expect to be walking for around 4 – 5 hours. They are a perfect introduction to trekking in Nepal. The activity level is fairly easy but don't expect it to be all easy going, there will still be some big hills to climb as well as the well-known 'Nepali flat' – a little bit up and a little bit down.
Moderate to fairly challenging treks
Longer treks going right into high mountain country, to some of the famous mountaineering Base Camps over high passes. Physically quite tiring, involves approx 6-8 hours trekking along rocky ridges of high Himalayan peaks. No previous experience required, you should be moderately fit, used to some regular exercise and enjoys walking in the high altitude conditions.
Strenuous treks
Longer treks that go far beyond the normal haunts of trekkers and tourists, to remote areas of the country where the landscapes are wild and untamed and where the local inhabitants have seen little change in their way of life for centuries- untouched corners of an increasingly crowded planet. Physically challenging, likely to include unfavorable weather conditions and strenuous activities. Definitely not for beginners.
Trekking style
Etourchannel organizes treks in two different styles: Camping and Tea house.
Camping treks and support crew
On camping trek you will be sleeping and eating on tents. A trekking crew contains one sirdar, one cook and the numbers of kitchen crew, Sherpa assistants and porters depending on the size of the group. Sirdar and his assistants speak reasonable amount of English, good enough to explain you about the places, local culture or any sight that catches your eyes. Under the leadership of the Sirdar (the local trek leader), the crew consists of several Sherpa assistants who will ensure you don't take the wrong path, a cook and kitchen crew to keep you well fed with delicious and nutritious meals and the porters to transport all the gear from camp to camp. Our main aim is to make the trek as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. Some of the best moments of the trek are the times spent getting to know your trekking crew who are born and brought up in remote mountain villages. The ratio of both Sherpa guides and kitchen crew to group members is generally 1:4 and the ratio of porters to group members is around 3:1 at the beginning of the trek, but this decreases as food is eaten and loads become smaller. For bathroom facilities we carry a toilet tents, your camping staff dig a deep hole in the ground for excrement and cover the hole with soil after the business is done.
A Typical day on a camping trek
A typical day begins with a hot cup of tea brought to the tent at about 6am, followed by a bowl of hot water for washing. After packing our bags and having a good breakfast, we set off on the morning's walk. All you need to carry is a small day pack containing water bottle, camera, sun cream, hat, rain jacket and a warm jumper, just in case. The porters will carry the rest of your gear for you. After walking for 3-4 hours we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon's walk is generally shorter and we arrive at camp in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the nearby villages, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days, we will arrive at camp by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free.
Dinner is usually served between 6 and 7pm. After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and talking with the crew, or perhaps even joining in some singing and dancing, before heading off to the tent for a well-earned sleep.
Tea house (Lodge) Treks and support crew
Some of the popular trekking routes in Everest, Annapurna & Langtang are served by lodges making it possible for you to stay at local Tea house (mountain hut) during your trek. Whilst we endeavor to stay in the best possible accommodation along the way, you should be aware that most teahouses, particularly in the smaller villages, are quite basic. The bedrooms are usually very small, the shared bathroom facilities are often outside and meals are served in a communal dining hall. Although simple, the teahouses do provide shelter and warmth and are normally run by friendly local families. Tea house treks are less expensive then Camping trek and are largely suitable for small group. Usually during busy seasons if private rooms in smaller villages are fully occupied you might have to sleep in dormitory.
Meals and drinking water on a tea house trek
On our lodge based treks we provide standard breakfast, lunch and three course dinner, tea or coffee will also be included with each meal. Your guide will help with menu selection and ensure that you get the best value meals possible. Although the food is usually plentiful and delicious, you should be aware that the menu is not normally extensive. Most teahouses offer a variety of rice and noodle dishes, as well as soup and seasonal vegetables. A variety of cereals, bread and egg dishes are generally available for breakfast. There will also be plenty of snacks available such as biscuits, chocolate and soft drinks and in some areas you will find fresh fruit in season. You can buy packaged water (bottled mineral water) from local lodge and shop en route or you can also ask your guide to fill your water bottle with boiled water and treat with water purification pills.
On tea house trek you will be accompanied by a team of local crew whose aim is to make the trek as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. The crew consists of a local leader (Sirdar) and a team of porters to carry all your gear. On average, there will be a ratio of one porter to every two group members. Sirdar speaks reasonable amount of English, good enough to explain you about the places, local culture or any sight that catches your eyes.
A Typical day on a tea house trek
Each morning after packing our bags and having a good breakfast, we set off on the day's walk. All we need to carry is a small day pack containing water bottle, camera, sun cream, hat, rain jacket and warm jumper, just in case. The porters will carry the rest of our gear for us.
Clothing and equipment
After walking for 3-4 hours we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon's walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free.
After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day's adventures, before heading off to bed for a well-earned sleep.
Climate
The best seasons to trek in Nepal are autumn, from mid September until end November and spring, from the beginning of March until the mid May.
Autumn (mid-September to end-November)
This is the most popular time to trek. Generally during autumn, the weather is clear with mild to warm days and cold nights. However, in the higher altitude, the nights drop into freezing temperature. In this season, the mountains views are astonishingly clear.
Approach to winter and the mid winter (end-November through March)
It is also possible to trek during winter, from December until the end of February. Daytime temperatures will be cooler; however, the nights will often be very cold. The days are generally clear but occasional winter storms can bring snow as low as 2500m. Early October through late November is also the busiest period for trekking. But in mid winter (January through March), trekking is more challenging in the high altitudes with semi-regular snowfall followed by more winter storms, which break the long fine periods.
The mid-December to mid-February is the coldest time.
As snow gets harder and wind condition remains stabilized in early winter, climbing some of trekking peaks is possible. Climbing Mera peak, Island peak, and trekking in Annapurna, Everest, Langtang in early winter have been quite popular over the past few years.
Spring and early summer (mid-March through May)
In the spring, the mornings are usually clear but afternoon cloud build-up brings occasional showers. The days are mix up with warm and rain, which displays wildflowers like rhododendrons. The whole country is lush and an abundant green at this season. This period instigate the second most popular and pleasant trekking season as this is rice-planting time. Late-march into April is especially beautiful. It is also a good time for climbing as the high passes are usually snow free and the mountain views are still clear in April. Up to May, the weather becomes hazy and disturbed with the clouds.
The monsoon (June to mid-September)
From June to September, is the monsoon season. Generally the morning is cloudy and cloud wisps form on random ridges and peaks. Trekking at this time of year is generally difficult and uncomfortable as the weather is hot and it rains almost every day. The trails become muddy and are often leech-infested and the mountains are usually obscured by cloud. During April and May, there is an expectation of thunderstorm, hail shower and strong winds among the fine periods. There are, however, possibilities for summer trekking in the trans-Himalayan regions of mustang, Dolpo and Tibet. These regions lie in a rain-shadow and therefore receive significantly less precipitation than the more southerly areas.
Environmental consideration
Wonderful environment of the Himalayas is also an extremely fragile one. Increasing population density and number of trekkers threatens to destroy the very beauty which attracts us in the first place. At
Etourchannel, we are extremely environmentally conscious and aim to minimize our impact as much as possible. As deforestation is one of greatest environmental threats, we do not have camp fires and use kerosene for cooking as an alternative fuel to wood. We also discourage trekkers from using wood-fuelled hot showers in lodges along the way. Many lodges, however, now provide solar hot showers, a far more eco-friendly alternative.
Garbage disposal is another major problem and some of the busier trails can, at times, appear strewn with litter. Our staff members are well motivated towards Eco-friendly practices. We carry out all our garbage, apart from that which can be safely and easily burnt at the campsite. Our aim is to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy.
Change of itinerary
The itineraries for each trip featured in this website are only for a guideline and does not necessarily mean that you are expected to strictly follow them. Depending on prevailing situation you can modify to some extent after consulting with your guide however, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. Although every effort will be taken to keep to the given itinerary, you should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into the remotest mountain region, where many unforeseen events such as bad weather, road blockage, landslide, riots, strike, government orders, vehicle breakdown, flight cancellation etc may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases we or your guide will suggest a best alternative similar to your original program of same duration.
Communication with outside world during trek
While trekking in the remote parts of the Himalayas you may not have an access to telephone facility for some days or weeks however, on your route there are few places where telephone are likely to be in working condition but bear in mind that even if there are telephone facility available but sometime they seem to be out of order.
If it is most necessary for you to keep in contact with your associates, families, workplace etc
Etourchannel can provide you a mobile satellite phone upon the rental charge of US$ 10 per day plus call charge.
Luggage during trek
During trek your main luggage will be carried by porter or pack animals (usually yaks or cross breeds). You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket, etc. - a small load that allows full enjoyment of the trek. A trek bag is ideal for your main luggage, plus a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek which you can leave at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu for free of charge. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kgs, excess weight is chargeable at USD 1 or more per Kilo depending on sectors.
Care for porters and staff
We ensure that all porters and all other staff going into high altitude conditions are provided with adequate clothing and equipment. We are the first ever company to supply high-altitude porters with crampons.
We run the trek according to the guidelines of the International Porter Protection group (IPPG - www.ippg.net).
Tipping
Tip is appreciated by your support trek crew after the trip, and in addition to cash you can present your old clothes or something that you don't use, to your guide as a gift.
Money to take with you during trek
Money requirement depends largely on type of trek style, duration and trekking region. If you are on Camping or Tea house trek all meals will be provide. You only need money for table drinks (alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages), snacks while walking (a few smaller shops are available along the trail in some areas) tips, souvenirs, hot shower (available in some places), domestic airport tax (usually 3 USD). For a two-week trek take about US$ 100-150 worth in Nepalese rupees, more if you intend to buy souvenirs and drink lots of beer.
Trek security
Security of our clients is the foremost important for us. All our guides and other support crew are carefully chosen for your trips, all our guides are licensed by Nepal Government. They are absolutely honest who you can trust your life with; they will ensure that you do not have any feeling of insecurity throughout your trip.
You are on ‘Tea house trek’ arrangement, you will be sleeping in local tea house. You have to take sensible precautions yourself at all times. Never leave your baggage unattended and keep your lodge room locked when you go out.
Medical supply
You will need to get your own local medical advice about suitable inoculations and any prophylactics before departure. The major health concern on a trek is altitude related illness or Acute Mountain Sickness. All our high altitude treks are equipped with life saving equipments like Gammov Bag, Oxygen and a set of Medical kit. Since our staffs/guides are not qualified for suggesting medications to western clients, we would request you to use the medicines upon your own risk for your comfort, a printed verse of the standard manual stating the use of included medicines are made available in the medical kit. Principally it is safe and reliable if you have your own list of medicines supplied and so not depend on what we have.
Rescue/Emergency evacuation
In the case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we believe will not happen; you shall be rescued by a helicopter. Since you are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in evacuation please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or be prepared to pay on your own after getting back in Kathmandu. Ask your guide to arrange a runner to the nearest communication point and inform office about requirement of a helicopter. While asking for the helicopter, please send name of the sick person and give exact location from where helicopter can airlift you. Do not leave the place although you are getting better once you have ordered Helicopter.
Insurance
Your insurance is not included in our trek cost. We insure all our staff. Please ensure that you arrange your own insurance for emergency evacuation, personal effects, personal accident, medical travel expenses, baggage, cancellation etc.
Charging money
Your Hotel’s reception changes money at reasonable rates. Also, in Thamel (main tourist hangout place in Kathmandu) there are many money changers as well. You need to produce your passport or its copy while changing money. Kathmandu now has some ATM machines which accept VISA, Master cards and Switch cards.
Accommodation in Kathmandu
All our trips 3 nights accommodation is included at a conveniently located 3 star hotel in Kathmandu. If you already have your own hotel arranged in Kathmandu there will be some reduction on price. We have specially negotiated rates a range of hotels, we can offer the best deal to suit your every budget and preference.
Meeting and airport transfers
Once you have decided to book any trip with us, you have to send us your flight details (name of Airlines and arrival/departure flight details). One of our Airport representatives and driver meet and greet you at the airport (price includes meeting and airport transfers). Please look out for your name on a play card or on
Etourchannel paging board as you walk out arrival hall. We meet later in the day (at our agreed time) for a complete trip orientation. We also collect your flight tickets for reconfirmation and deliver back them later without any charge (only if you wish). After your trip is over you will be transferred back to the airport in time to catch your flight back home.
Extension or side trips
In addition to your trek, we can organize extensions both within Nepal and other neighboring countries. You may want to try white water rafting or a jungle safari in Nepal or Nepal Cultural Tours . Maybe a trip to Tibet, India or Bhutan appeals. Whatever it is or wherever it is, we can make all the arrangements for you
Booking and payment procedure
Please fill out the application form available in our web site and send us the advance payment of 25% of the tour/trekking cost so that we could hold your tour/trekking program on confirmed basis. Furthermore, please scan 150 KB of your passport and send to us.
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