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Surrey, BC
Canada
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 10:04 PM
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I'd like to encourage Clubtreaders to go trek in Nepal so I've written this "How to go trekking in Nepal" guide based on my fresh memories.
Here we go...
I'm no expert having just completed my first trek in April 2012 but I thought for those of you planning or dreaming to go my recent experience (got home a week ago) will be useful.
Overview of my trip: 10 days trekking from Lukla to Chukhung Ri in the Imja Valley. This is the closet you can physically get to the summit of Everest (other than base camp) – 8.8km straight line distance from the summit. Although you can't see Everest from this point (its hiding behind Nuptse and Lhotse) its actually closer to the summit than the popular viewpoint of Kala Pattar. My high point was 5,400m or 17,700 ft.
To get to this point we trekked 7.5 days up (inc. 2 acclimatization days) and 2.5 days back. We flew by helicopter from Kathmandu to the Lukla airport to start the trek and also flew back to Kathmandu by helicopter at the end. We didn't have the time to also add on Everest Base Camp because we left for the trek 2 days late (sickness and bad flying weather into Lukla) and also didn't want to miss the flight back home so we hustled back to the Lukla airport 2 days before our flight back to Canada just in case the weather was too bad to fly. Overall the trek was pretty exhausting because we should have taken 12-14 days to do it. The 2.5 days from high point back to Lukla were exhausting – a couple of near 20km days over rough ground and in foul weather.
In case you are planning to trek in the Khumbu area (aka Everest) here was our day by day trip:
Day 1: Fly to Lukla (2840m) at about 8am. Once landed gather the porters and take the easy downhill trail to Phakding (2610m).
Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazar (3440m). This is the hardest day for many people as the steep trail up to Namche is hard work and you will begin to feel the altitude.
Day 3: Acclimitization day. We hiked up to the Everest View Hotel which is at 3,900m and then descenced back to Namche to sleep. This is where we started taking Diamox.
Day 4: Namche Bazar to Tengboche (3,900m). This is also a bit of a tough day as the climb to Tengboche from the Dhu Khosi river is a grind. While it doesn't look like a lot of gain, the trail drops down to 3,200m and you have to climb back up to the ridge.
Day 5: Acclimitization day. This one was unplanned but needed as I had a headache and was dizzy and could not walk well in a straight line.
Day 6: Tengboche to Dingboche (4410m). This is an easier day and the trees dissapear so the views are wide open. At this point you are in the shadow of spectacular Ama Dablam.
Day 7: Dingboche to Chukhung (4730m). Fairly easy terrain but the altitude is bearing on you. (If you are headed to Everest Base Camp on this day you will head to Loboche at 4900m. The day after that you will head to Gorak Shep which is the gateway to Kalla Patthar or basecamp).
Day 8: Hike up Chukhung Ri, a really high hill above the village. We reached 5,400m (17,700 ft). This was our high point. After descending we packed up and did the long walk to Pangboche (3,930m).
Day 9: Pangboche to Namche Bazar.
Day 10: Namche Bazar all the way back to Lukla. This was a very long and tiring day.
Day 11: Fly back to Kathmandu in the morning.
Here are some random tips that I'd like to pass along in case you are planning a trek in Nepal:
1. China East airlines through China was the cheapest ticket I could find round trip from Vancouver to Kathmandu - $1,180 return inc. taxes. I did have an overnight layover both ways plus I had to get a $120 transit visa so this adds to the cost but I didn't mind as I got to see a bit of China, however briefly.
2. We went in April, the second most popular time to trek. Now I know why October & November are the most popular trekking months – better weather. We had lots of bad weather inc. huge thunderstorms. Every morning was crystal clear but by 11am EVERYDAY the clouds would stream in and by 5 pm we were stuck in the clouds. I didn't see a single sunset. This sucked as many of the high peaks catch the best light for photos at sunset. Oh well. The downside of going in the fall is that the crowds on the most popular treks are even thicker than we experienced. Unbelievably, at some points on the trail there was literally traffic jams of trekkers and yaks, especially where the trail narrowed down in the canyon.
3. Don't bother with a Nepalese visa in advance – everyone gets one at the airport. Just bring a couple passport photos and you are set. I paid $40 for a 30 day visa. By the way everyone needs a visa. The country needs all the cash it can get.
4. Kathmandu is insanely crowded and dirty with air pollution that will destroy your lungs. Try to stay here as little as possible before your trek or you risk getting sick. I spent 4 days there prior to the trek and could barely speak due to the air pollution. Best to sightsee in Kathmandu after completing your trek. Monkey Temple is the one place is a must see.
5. Stay in Thamel where all the other tourists & trekkers stay. This is where all the mountain shops, travel agencies, restaurants, hotels, etc. are concentrated. Its a shopping paradise and you can load up on all the fake North Face, Mammut or Mountain Hardwear gear you ever dreamed of owning. Be careful though as the quality of some of it is so poor it won't last 5 minutes in the mountains. The fake North Face 80L pack that we bought for $35 for the porter to carry my wife's stuff blew a shoulder strap clean off within 2 days. Best bets re cheap down clothing and sleeping bags but check the zippers carefully as they often don't work properly. Prices are competely negotiable and by the end of your trip you will be a ruthless bargainer. Start the bidding at 50% off asking price and see where you get to. Walking away is the ultimate bargaining tactic. Down jackets can be had for $30. Softshell pants for $25, Gore-tex jackets for $40. All fake but they might just last through the trek and be brought home with you. If you don't want to bring them home they make great gifts for your guide or porters. Its best to bring critical things like backpack, boots, trekking poles, headlamp & waterproof jacket from home as if these fail on the trail could mean trouble.
6. Hotels in Thamel (tourist core of Kathmandu) are $25 to $35 per night for decent places. There are cheaper places (as cheap as $10/night) if you like to sleep next to cockroaches. There are dozens of trekker crash pads all over Thamel. You can book the first night on-line from home and then look at other places the day after you arrive if you don't like the first place. I recommend “Family Home Hotel” on JP Street. Great place (for the money of course) and the power stays on 24/7 unlike in most of Kathmandu. Like hotels meals are pretty cheap as well – a dinner for 2 costs about $10 and you'll be stuffed when you leave.
7. The travel/trekking agent I used (with an office in the heart of Thamel on the main street) was Himilayan Magic Adventures. Nirmal Nakarmi is the owner and is a great guy and a pleasure to know. Very professional and caring with about 20 years experience arranging all sorts of Nepali adventures. His email is: n2@vianet.com.np. Our trekking guide was 23 year old Mahendra Tamang. He was just awesome and I would trek with him again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend you consider him as he speaks near perfect English, knows all the trails step by step and has a ton of connections all over the place. For example we managed to helicopter in and out of Lukla for very little extra over the cost of the airplane (only an extra $300 for the way in & free going out). He solved any problem in mere seconds and really cared about us and our well being. We spent 11 days with him and we were good friends by the end. I miss him already.
8. It is really easy to arrange your trek when you arrive in Nepal as there are dozens of travel/trekking agencies throughout Thamel. You could literaly arrive in Kathmandu and be trekking 2-3 days later even if you made no arrangements at all from home. That said, if you want a specific guide (like Mahendra, our guide) it would be best to book well in advance as top guides are always busy and are often committed to another trek. As my time in Nepal was limited I arranged the basics from home as I couldn't afford to miss even one day on the trail. If you have a month in Nepal you will have much more flexibility than I did. The advantage of booking your trek while in Kathmandu is that you can meet the travel agent and also the guide in person to see if they are offering what you are looking for. Within 5 minutes of meeting our guide I knew he was a great fit for us.
9. Along the same lines, I recommend a “custom” trek arranged through a Nepali trekking agency. As the trek would be custom tailored for you including your itinerary and schedule you have way more flexibility than if you book with a big western agency with their rigid agendas. I passed several large 20+ people groups from western agencies and they looked like they were on a death march. Another advantage of a custom trek is that it will be cheaper and all the money stays in Nepal.
We paid the following for the trekking portion of our trip to Nepal: $67/per person/day for: 1 guide, 2 porters, basic accommodation in lodges, 3 meals a day, and all permits. If you want to trek in the Everest region airfares for you and your guide to Lukla will be extra - about $250/person return with the guide riding for about ½ price.
10. Some people trek without a guide or porters but this does not help the local people (which are very poor) and you miss out on a lot of interactions with the local Nepali people. Plus if problems arise you will really want to have a good guide there to assist. If you get really sick and are without a guide you are basically screwed without the help of the kind-hearted Nepali people. The going rates are approx. $25/day for a guide and $15/day for a porter. Unbelievably from this paltry sum they have to pay for their own meals and accomodations which reduce their net pay to just over 50% of the daily rate. Porters are supposed to carry up to 15kg's each but its no problem to load them with 20kgs as the non-trekking, goods-carrying porters are usually carrying 40+kgs on their backs. My wife and I took a lot of stuff (too much stuff it turns out!) so we each had one porter. Porters carry back-breaking loads almost every day yet seemed happy to have a job that for them is quite good and well paid. Even though our Sherpa porters spoke almost no English we still communicated through smiles, hand gestures and a couple simple words. I tried to take care of them with snacks and drinks and also tipped them well at the end which brought big grins to their faces.
11. The accommodations on the trek are usually simple stone lodges with small rooms which are very simple boxes with plywood walls, 2 single beds each with a thin matttress, warm blanket. and pillow. One advantage of hiring a good guide is that they will know all the lodges in every village and steer you to the best one. Usually there was a small solar powered light on the ceiling and sometimes you'd get a private bathroom which is usually flushed with a pitcher of water. The rooms are unheated and almost everyone is alseep in their sleeping bags by 9pm. Each lodge has a dining room for eating and socializing. This room is heated by yak dung. No kidding. Food is very basic. I would typically eat an Apple pancake for breakfast, fried potatoes for lunch and pasta for dinner. All places basically have the same menu. Remember that EVERYTHING is carried on the backs of porters all the way from the closet road or airport. Snacks and Cokes cost a fortune but taste so good after a long day. Its a bit scary to eat meat as its going to be many days from refrigeration to your mouth. I was happy I carried some beef jerky from Canada.
12. Water is usually obtained by getting boiled water from the lodges. I took my Steripen UV filter and used it constantly just to be sure. It costs about $2 to fill a 1L Nalgene bottle at most places. There were not as many creeks crossing the trail as expected therefore you'll be buying water often. Avoid buying bottled water as there is nowhere to dispose of the empty bottles. Nepal has enough trash and doesn't need more.
13. Usually the daily schedule goes something like this: Wake at 7am, eat breakfast at 7:30, porters come for the bags at 8am and you're on the trail by 8:30 to 9. Trek for 4-6 hours and hit the next overnight destination by 2-3pm at the latest. The porters, being much faster than you, will always arrive 1-2 hours before you and will place your bags in your room and head off to the local porters shack for some rest and dal bhat (traditional meal). Some days we only saw our porters early in the morning. Make sure you keep all of your daily essentials with you in your daypack as you won't see your main backpack again until you reach the next lodge as the porters are almost always well ahead.
14. Nepal is a cash economy for the most part. Don't count on withdrawing money anywhere along the trek or even at the domestic airport. Murphy's law will always strike at the worst time. On the trek start date I was in a rush and tried to withdraw money from the airport ATM and it was out of order. Thank goodness I was able to withdraw money in Namche Bazar or things would have gotten very tight by the end of the trek. Even if your trek is fully paid for before you leave Kathmandu you should carry $10-$20 extra cash per day for emergencies, snacks, water, etc. etc. Also small Rupee bills are useful as trying to pay for something like water with. Handing over a 1,000 Rupee bill (worth about $12) caused a panic is most places as they just don't have enough change. Since the current exchange rate is about 84 Nepal Rupees to $1 it helps to carry a calculator. Keep in mind that many ATMs (depending on the bank) will only let you take out 10,000 Rupees ($120) maximum per day so you will have to search for a machine with higher limits. Thankfully there are a few bank machine “clusters” in Thamel where you can withdraw a couple hundred dollars at a time. Travelers cheques are also good. I paid for a lot of my trek by using travelers cheques given directly to my travel agent.
15. I recommend that you bring your biggest backpack from home for your trekking porter to carry. They will carry that while you hike with your daypack only. Don't be stupid like me and buy a cheap backpack in Nepal only to have it fall apart in the first couple of days. A 60-80L pack is perfect for most people and the porter will love to carry your fancy backpack instead of a duffel bag in a basket!
16. Take altitude sickness seriously. In 10 days I saw propbably 20 helicopters flying overhead, many if not most of which were rescuing sick trekkers. I saw a solo American woman trekker get evacuated of Tengboche (3,900m) back to Kathmandu. She was suffering from altitude sickness and was hit with an $8,000 bill for the rescue. Keep in mind that the helicopter will not lift off until the bill is either paid by credit card or they get a verbal commitment for payment from an insurance company. Just last week a 10 time Everest summiter Sherpa climbing guide died in Everest basecamp from altitude sickness despite being “only” at 5,350m – 2,500m below the summit that he climbed so frequently. I came down with a mild case of altitude sickness at Tengboche myself. I woke up to a mild headache after my first night there and was so dizzy that I could not walk in a straight line. This is even after being on Diamox (which is commonly used) for over a day at that point. I took an unplanned acclimitization day in Tengboche to see if I would improve (thus a key reason to go on a private trek – flexibility). The next day I was still dizzy in the morning – which is a bit scary when you are walking along a rough, narrow trail above a 200' drop. I kept going and the altitude sickness faded away as my body adjusted day by day. I managed to reach 5,400 without any further symptoms although I never felt 100% above 4,000m. Almost everyone that high had the dreaded “Khumbu cough” due to hard breathing and also due to the dust and wind. People above 4,000m were a lot more somber and many were suffering but trying to tough it out by popping Diamox and painkillers. By the way Diamox is pretty to buy in Kathmandu or Namche Bazar. Even so it's best to carry some from Canada just in case. Even if you are not suffering from altitude sickness every step is double the effort of sea level and you will be breathing at twice the rate as you are used to. The key is to walk slowly and drink lots of water. Our guide kept repeating “baby steps” over and over if he felt we were pressing too hard.
17. Don't be afraid to trek alone (but hire a guide) as there is so many people on the trail that you will never feel lonely. Everyone sits in the dining room and swaps stories at the end of the day. You can make new friends really fast here as often you end up trekking together and staying in the same places each day. I saw lots of solo trekkers.
18. Trekking poles are a must. The trails are much rougher than you'd expect for such heavily used routes and they are almost never smooth. In fact the main running joke on the trek was when our guide would say that the next part was going to be “Himilayan flat” - which means you climb for an hour only to descend for another hour … and after two hard hours you are still at the same elevation. The Himalayas are high for a reason – they are crazy steep from valley to summit.
19. The best photos are taken from sunrise to about 10am. After that, especially in the Spring, the clouds usually roll in and the wind kicks up. A telephoto and wide angle lens are most useful in my opinion. I took most of my photos with my 20mm lens or my 70-300mm lens. A point and shoot is easy to carry but you will be much happier with the results of a DSLR. Since your porter will carry most of your weight you can easily carry a heavier camera.
20. It was cold up high but not nearly as cold as I expected that it would be. At dawn at 4,700m it would be about freezing but by about 9-10am we were hiking in a long sleeve shirt and a sun hat. I brought gloves but only wore them for 10 minutes in total one morning. Everyone – locals and trekkers - wears a down jacket in the evening and the morning. That and a warm hat is just about all you need. Fall trekking is apparently a bit colder, especially into November and early December.
21. Don't let age deter you if you are still in good shape. I was shocked by the number of older trekkers on the trail. I saw dozens of people who must have been late 50's into their 60's. And they looked to be mostly enjoying themselves.
22. If you want to trek to one of the three main areas – Everest, the Annapurna Circuit or Annapurna Sanctuary make sure you take enough time off work to be able to walk at a safe and comfortable pace. This means taking a minimum of three weeks off work. I only took 18 days total and it just wasn't enough. Even two more days would have made a big difference. The trek to Lukla to Everest Base Camp usually takes 14-16 days. Add on travel time to Nepal (1.5 days each way from Canada) and time before and after the trek in Kathmandu and you will burn 3 weeks before you know it. The people who enjoyed their trip the most took a month off work. They weren't forced to rush the trek and risk altitude sickness and were able to relax a lot more and enjoy the views. Also be careful with the trek time estimates from your guide as they tend to underestimate the time required. That is natural as they are always in better shape and far more accustomed to the thin air at altitude.
23. Cell phones now work in most places along the trek to Everest. Best to pick up a local Nepali sim card in Kathmandu to save on international roaming fees. Internet access is pretty easy to find as many lodges offer internet access for a fee. I stayed offline for the entire trek and didn't miss it at all. It was nice to escape from it even for only 10 days.
24. Get into shape before the trek or it will work you hard. My “training” for the trip got messed up when I got a bad respiratory infection 3 weeks before leaving for the trip. I lost valuable training time and was even on antibiotics the day before we started the trek. Running and hiking are obviously the best ways to get into shape.
25. Don't worry about getting maps at home. There are tons of map shops in Thamel. They are really good quality and are only $3-$5 each. Its easy to find maps for even the most obscure treks. The main guidebook I brought with me was “Trekking in the Nepali Himalaya” by Lonely Planet. It gives a good overview for most of the popular treks in Nepal.
Now for the pictures. Not in any real order.
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Edited by - russianfront on 05/06/2012 10:49 AM
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Armstrong, B.C.
132 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 10:32 PM
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| Thank you very much for taking the time to lend so much great advice. We will be heading to Nepal in October and I really appreciate your hints. I look forward to the trip report! |
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 Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13598 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 10:36 PM
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Wow you went to incredible detail in your list. Look forward to your shots once the uploader works again. Perhaps try the single uploader, as some of us had success and others have not. Hope you success, resize them first below 600 k as they upload faster.
K |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
623 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 08:58 AM
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| Really enjoyed this - and looking forward to photos! I would LOVE to go trekking in Nepal but really want something where I'm not running into hordes on the trails. Any suggestions for more remote or less popular destinations from anyone you may have run into out there? |
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Coquitlam, BC
Canada
343 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 09:07 AM
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Thank you for the detailed advice and TR - can't wait to see the pictures. One day I will get to the Himilayas!
C |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 6:32 PM
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Like Vern, I too really enjoyed this. Such open and frank writing like speaking. I mistrust most travel shows on the telly. They always have an agenda and seem to never keep it real. Each of us could arrive tomorrow, in New York city, and after one week, all report a different experience in different views. I like your view. Great job.
Can't wait for the pictures.
Cheers! jerry |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 10:18 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by vern.dewit
Really enjoyed this - and looking forward to photos! I would LOVE to go trekking in Nepal but really want something where I'm not running into hordes on the trails. Any suggestions for more remote or less popular destinations from anyone you may have run into out there?
There is a lot of rarely traveled treks in Nepal but the problem is that many are "camping" treks meaning you need more porters to carry all the food and camping equipment. Thus these treks are more expensive. Also these treks tend to be much more strenuos. I'm talking about the Kangenjunga (sp?) or Makalu or Manaslu treks for example. You can also trek in the "restricted" areas such as Mustang (famous for its Tibetan culture). The crowds are thinner here because you've got to pay an extra $500 permit fee. While the crowds on the trail were bothersome at times (and slowed us down), some days and places we didn't see another person for an hour or two. One of the fun things about a Nepal trek is meeting new people from all over the world. So its a case of taking the good with the bad. Actually the worst traffic jams are created by yak "trains" (groups of up to 20 yaks) because where the trail is narrow there is no place to safely pass them and you are forced to walk behind them in a dust cloud and step around their droppings. Advice...cover your nose when behind yaks especially when its hot!! |
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Whistler, BC
Canada
1204 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2012 : 2:54 PM
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quote:
There is a lot of rarely traveled treks in Nepal but the problem is that many are "camping" treks meaning you need more porters to carry all the food and camping equipment.
I'm a little confused by this statement, after reading your report. It looks like you had one guide and two porters for your group of four westerners. You stayed in lodges.
What did the "porters" do then?
It would seem one porter for each two people should be sufficient for a "camping trek". In my experience, we traveled for a couple months at a time with a porter/cook who helped carry some of the gear, arranged for purchases along the way, translated when necessary, and did some cooking.
We didn't stay in lodges, finding tents sufficient. Food was plentiful and fuel was easy to get. Our cost per day was quite a bit less than your quotes. Just curious.
On a recent trip my wife and a friend did in the Annapurna area and a more remote valley side-trip, accomodation was in lodges and prepared food was purchased along the way. They used one porter to support them so they could have lighter packs for the longer days and over higher passes. Again, their costs were considerably less.
Also, were you really charged $2/litre for local water?
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3022 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2012 : 12:45 AM
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I heard that on most airlines in Nepal and India and sri lanka the stewards routinely conduct inflight pesticide spraying on the passengers without warning.Something to be aware of.Imagine not only your health but the health of the unwilling stewards that do this daily in their job. |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2012 : 09:34 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by msulkers
quote:
There is a lot of rarely traveled treks in Nepal but the problem is that many are "camping" treks meaning you need more porters to carry all the food and camping equipment.
I'm a little confused by this statement, after reading your report. It looks like you had one guide and two porters for your group of four westerners. You stayed in lodges.
What did the "porters" do then?
It would seem one porter for each two people should be sufficient for a "camping trek". In my experience, we traveled for a couple months at a time with a porter/cook who helped carry some of the gear, arranged for purchases along the way, translated when necessary, and did some cooking.
We didn't stay in lodges, finding tents sufficient. Food was plentiful and fuel was easy to get. Our cost per day was quite a bit less than your quotes. Just curious.
On a recent trip my wife and a friend did in the Annapurna area and a more remote valley side-trip, accomodation was in lodges and prepared food was purchased along the way. They used one porter to support them so they could have lighter packs for the longer days and over higher passes. Again, their costs were considerably less.
Also, were you really charged $2/litre for local water?
Perhaps times have changed? When did you last trek?
We saw only a couple of "camping" groups on the Everest trek. 90%+ people stay in the lodges. Our guide told us camping treks are more expensive. Plus most of the tents I saw were camping in the dirt with yak crap all around. Camping treks probably cost more because there is more weight to carry. Lodges are cheap (like $1-$2 per night) BUT you have to buy your meals there which is WAY WAY more. Say $10-$15 per day per person for 3 meals. The lodges are basically there to sell meals. Several of the places had signs posted that if you don't eat in their lodge they were going to add a big surcharge to your bill! So instead of a lodge I guess they could be considered a restaurant with rooms!
Just to be clear it was only my wife and I. We each had 1 porter to carry our stuff. Our travel agent said 1 porter would be enough but we decided to hire 2 because we didn't pack light (why would you need to??) and also I wanted to provide the employment. Nepal is very poor and I was not frugal at all. I ended up carrying in my day pack about 20 pounds but my wife went much lighter.
Yes we paid up to $2 per litre of boiled water (about 180 rupees) at Chukhung. Everything gets more expensive the farther you get from Lukla. Cokes for example are about $5 high up. A chocolate bar is $2.
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Edited by - russianfront on 05/06/2012 10:52 AM |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
112 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2012 : 1:15 PM
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| Thanks for this super trip report, it brought back many happy memories! I found Kathmandu more enjoyable by staying at a hotel in the hills above town where many of the consulates are located. $5 gets you a taxi/guide for half the day! |
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bandana wearin', pole huckin', view lovin', dog herdin', 4x4 navigatin', lake huntin', butt-slidin' bridge crosser, who enjoys postholing with an overnighter pack
Surrey, BC
Canada
4663 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2012 : 7:30 PM
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You're pictures are wonderful!  |
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Whitehorse, YT
Canada
156 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 7:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by cambium
I heard that on most airlines in Nepal and India and sri lanka the stewards routinely conduct inflight pesticide spraying on the passengers without warning.Something to be aware of.Imagine not only your health but the health of the unwilling stewards that do this daily in their job.
Same when you fly in to Australia! I was so angry. If I'd known in advance, I wouldn't have flown to NZ via Sydney. |
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Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
253 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 8:20 PM
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What an informative and thorough trip report, and fantastic pictures to boot! Great work!
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Whistler, BC
Canada
1204 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 9:32 PM
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quote:
Perhaps times have changed? When did you last trek?
We saw only a couple of "camping" groups on the Everest trek. 90%+ people stay in the lodges. Our guide told us camping treks are more expensive. Plus most of the tents I saw were camping in the dirt with yak crap all around. Camping treks probably cost more because there is more weight to carry. Lodges are cheap (like $1-$2 per night) BUT you have to buy your meals there which is WAY WAY more. Say $10-$15 per day per person for 3 meals. The lodges are basically there to sell meals. Several of the places had signs posted that if you don't eat in their lodge they were going to add a big surcharge to your bill! So instead of a lodge I guess they could be considered a restaurant with rooms!
Just to be clear it was only my wife and I. We each had 1 porter to carry our stuff. Our travel agent said 1 porter would be enough but we decided to hire 2 because we didn't pack light (why would you need to??) and also I wanted to provide the employment. Nepal is very poor and I was not frugal at all. I ended up carrying in my day pack about 20 pounds but my wife went much lighter.
Yes we paid up to $2 per litre of boiled water (about 180 rupees) at Chukhung. Everything gets more expensive the farther you get from Lukla. Cokes for example are about $5 high up. A chocolate bar is $2.
OK. Got it. This answers my questions. We didn't purchase a camping trip, but did hire a sherpa guide and a porter and insurance for them. We took our gear and cooked our meals on our own, buying the supplies in the bazaars along the way. Also, we carried regular backpacks weighing about 25 kilos each. The sherpa and porter stayed in lodges, but there was no cost for them to do that. They ate with us so no cost for food for them.
My wife's last trip was 2010. Two trekkers, sherpa and porter, lodge-based, $1200 Can. total cost for the whole trip for a 28 day trek including a side trip through a rarely travelled valley. |
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Whistler, BC
Canada
1204 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 9:38 PM
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| BTW, Russianfront, thanks for the info. We're planning our next trek and fresh info is always good. Chukhung has always been somewhat expensive BTW, as people don't live there all year round and extend their stay there to cash in on the trekking business. |
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double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 10:33 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CWF
quote:
Originally posted by cambium
I heard that on most airlines in Nepal and India and sri lanka the stewards routinely conduct inflight pesticide spraying on the passengers without warning.Something to be aware of.Imagine not only your health but the health of the unwilling stewards that do this daily in their job.
Same when you fly in to Australia! I was so angry. If I'd known in advance, I wouldn't have flown to NZ via Sydney.
South America as well. |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 11:10 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by msulkers
BTW, Russianfront, thanks for the info. We're planning our next trek and fresh info is always good. Chukhung has always been somewhat expensive BTW, as people don't live there all year round and extend their stay there to cash in on the trekking business.
I'm also dreaming/planning to go back next year, this time in the fall to hopefully get better weather. I'm thinking of doing one of the trekking peaks. I'm determined to cracks the magical 20,000 foot barrier. |
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Whistler, BC
Canada
1204 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2012 : 10:05 AM
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quote:
I'm thinking of doing one of the trekking peaks. I'm determined to cracks the magical 20,000 foot barrier.
Some of the trekking peaks are much better than others. You'll want to research that for certain. We have a sherpa contact if you're looking for one. A climbing sherpa who has been to the top of Everest but also does trekking peaks.
The fall is a great time to go. If you have the time, an acclimatization pre-trip is great. You can do that in NA if you want. Spending a few weeks in the mountains of Wyoming, Colorado, or California, where you can spend some time at 12-14 000 ft. and get a head start.
Our best trip involved spending several months in Nepal and doing a full acclimatization. After that, we were able to climb up to 7000m without any issues at all. |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
147 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2012 : 7:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by msulkers
quote:
I'm thinking of doing one of the trekking peaks. I'm determined to cracks the magical 20,000 foot barrier.
Some of the trekking peaks are much better than others. You'll want to research that for certain. We have a sherpa contact if you're looking for one. A climbing sherpa who has been to the top of Everest but also does trekking peaks.
The fall is a great time to go. If you have the time, an acclimatization pre-trip is great. You can do that in NA if you want. Spending a few weeks in the mountains of Wyoming, Colorado, or California, where you can spend some time at 12-14 000 ft. and get a head start.
Our best trip involved spending several months in Nepal and doing a full acclimatization. After that, we were able to climb up to 7000m without any issues at all.
Wow sounds like you have a lot of boots on the ground time in nepal. While the few trekking peaks in the annapurna area like tent in the sanctuary or chulu east on the circuit seem interesting I might want to head back to the khumbu as I feel like I have unfinished business there. Mera, loubouchd or island of course could all be possibilities. Which peaks have you climbed? The only peak at 7000m that I know people climb is baruntse. I'd like to also go go equator for some high altitude experience there. I really want to see if I can handle 20,000 feet. As far as aclimitizung in the US I really don't have enough time off to do that. I'll just acclimated while I'm there on the next trip. If money were no object id spend 2 weeks in Bolivia or Tibet to acclimated beforehand!! |
Edited by - russianfront on 05/24/2012 7:25 PM |
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Whistler, BC
Canada
1204 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2012 : 04:56 AM
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Yes, Baruntse was the peak over 7000m. Island Peak is not technical and neither is the Khumbu Mera really. There are some other peaks that have more interesting routes. Khusum Kangru is very asthetic and even Lobuche East and West have some interesting approaches and routes and would be appropriate for anyone with experience on larger glaciated alpine peaks in the Coast Mountains.
Time is definitely your friend in getting ready for altitude. Preferably in a place where you can get good food, sleep lower than your daily highpoints, and stay away from illness. Trekking lodges tend to be a problem on the third point. |
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Trekking in Nepal - advice, trip report and photos
