DO PEOPLE IN KATHMANDU UNDERSTAND ENGLISH?
Yes, most people involved in tourism can speak and understand English. Nepali can speak a variety of languages eg. French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.
ARE THERE ATMS IN KATHMANDU?
Yes there are numerous ATMs in Kathmandu. The main tourist market Thamel has an easy access to ATMs run by different internationally collaborated banks. They accept all major credit cards including MasterCard and Visa. Please note that cash is dispensed in local currency only.
CAN I PAY IN DOLLARS/EUROS IN THE MOUNTAINS?
No, you can’t. You need to have local currency for your personal expenses in the mountains. Please note that foreign currencies are not accepted in the mountains.
DOES NEPALI CULTURE DICTATE A DRESS CODE?
No. Of course you are free to wear any kind of clothes in Nepal. There are no strict cultural codes of dress sense. But a conservative dress code is respected.
CAN I WEAR HALF-SLEEVE CLOTHES IN NEPAL?
Yes, you can. Please keep in mind that you are among a society who mostly wear full sleeve clothing especially the women.
DO I NEED IMMUNIZATION BEFORE I REACH NEPAL?
Yes, we advise you to get immunized in your country before you leave. For more information visit Lonely Planet/Health.
IS THERE ANY TAX APPLICABLE IN AIRPORTS IN NEPAL?
Yes, there is. During your departure to domestic cities. Tax are included in the ticket for the international and domestic flights.
HOW CAN I HELP PROTECT THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT?
The simplest way is to ‘do as the locals do’ and minimize the use of plastic bottles, canned food and rely on safe purified drinking water. Dispose of waste in the proper manner. Please discuss these methods with your guide during the trip. Note that we are aware that porters who do not work for trekking agencies also need environmental education – we are working on this too.
IS IT SAFE TO GO INTO NIGHTLIFE IN KATHMANDU & POKHARA?
Kathmandu and Pokhara is generally safe at night, however, it is important to take precautions. As with any city, it is best to avoid walking alone at night and to stay in well-lit areas. It is also important to be aware of your surroundings and to avoid carrying large amounts of cash or valuables.
HOW MUCH TO TIP?
In theory, you should give what you think the guides and porters deserve, and only if they have provided you with good service. In practice, most trekkers don’t know how much to give and are afraid of either giving too little or too much. Below, we’ve provided reasonable guidelines for how much you should top should you be in doubt.
Trekking Guide: USD 10 to 15 or Nepali Rupees 1000 to 1500 per day.
Trekking Sherpa & Porter: USD 5 to 10 or Nepali Rupees 500 to 1000 per day
Tour Guide: USD 10 to 15 or Nepali Rupees 1000 to 1500 per day
Driver : USD 5 to 10 or Nepali Rupees 500 to 1000
Please note: These amounts apply to what your group gives communally, not individually
IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL BY ROAD IN NEPAL?
Yes. The main tourist centers like Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini are connected by good roads and all main routes are well serviced by tourist buses. However, roads to other towns for example Jiri and Dhunche are steep and narrow and only local buses are available. We advise you to hire a private jeep to travel these roads safely. Typically tourist buses are driven with more care than local buses.
CAN I BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE IN NEPAL?
Before you can buy it from Nepal but now you can’t buy it from Nepal. So we strongly advise you to buy your insurance in your home country before you leave. Insurance cover incorporating helicopter evacuation is a must!
DO I NEED TO REGISTER MY NAME AT THE EMBASSY IN NEPAL?
Yes, we strongly advise you to register your name with your respective diplomatic office in Kathmandu. If you ask us for the form provided by your embassy and complete the necessary information, we will deliver it to your embassy in Kathmandu. Don’t forget to mention your insurance details on this form.
CAN I HIRE MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT IN NEPAL?
Yes, you can. All kinds of equipment are available for hire in Kathmandu.
DO I NEED TO ORGANIZE VISA FOR NEPAL BEFORE I LEAVE HOME?
No. You will be issued with a 3 month tourist visa upon arrival at the airport immigration counter. However if you have bought your visa through the Nepal Embassy in your country, you will definately avoid unnecessary delays at the Immigration Counter on arrival
WILL YOU RECONFIRM MY RETURN FLIGHT?
Yes. We reconfirm return flights free of charge.
ARE RELIABLE INTERNET CAFES AVAILABLE IN KATHMANDU?
Yes. There are numerous internet cafes in Thamel,around Kathmandu,Pokhara and other major cities.
WHAT KIND OF FOOD CAN I EXPECT IN THE MOUNTAINS?
Often menus are agreed by local Lodge Management Committees. They print common menus and the prices are the same in lodges in that locale. Often continental and Western options are available. We advise you to try local dishes as well. If you are provided with a menu in advance and order early, your dinner will usually arrive when promised. Sometimes at higher altitudes fare is limited to locally grown produce. Though Nepal’s staple, Dal Bhaat is almost always available. Choosing the same dish as your companion will also help speed the delivery of your meal.
IS IT SAFE TO WALK ALONE IN THE CITY STREETS?
Yes. But being aware of your surroundings and the people around you is always a must – Just be Streetwise! If you are carrying valuables; cameras, gifts or large amounts of money, we advise you to return to your hotel by early evening to deposit them, before going out for late meals and drinks.
WHAT IS A TEA HOUSE TREK (TH)?
Some of the most popular trekking routes are served by lodges making it possible for you to stay at a local Tea house (a mountain thatched hut that’s made of mud, brick and wood) during your trek. Tea house treks are less expensive then Camping treks and are largely suitable for small groups. Usually during busy seasons if private rooms in smaller villages are fully occupied you might have to sleep in a dormitory. Price includes accommodation in lodges, guide, porters and all meals. it would be wise not to expect it to be like the hotel u stay at in Kathmandu; but its reasonably cozy, warm & homely.You can call it luxury on a rugged trail & it can literally be a blessing in disguise because weather patterns can really be unpredictable sometimes especially at higher altitudes.
WHAT IS A ”FOT” TREK?
On FOT or Fully Organized Treks your eating and sleeping arrangements will be fully organized by a support crew. FOTs are also known as CAMPING TREKS. On camping treks you will be sleeping in tents. A trekking crew consists of one sirdar, one cook and kitchen crew, Sherpa assistants and porters depending on the size of the group. 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. 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 tent. Your camping staffs dig a deep hole in the ground for excrement and cover the hole with soil after the business is done. Camping treks are generally organized for peak climbing or when trekking in extreme remote regions of Nepal.
DO YOUR GUIDE/PORTERS SPEAK ENGLISH?
Our cultural tour guides are pretty proficient. The trekking guide (Sirdar) and his assistants speak a reasonable amount of English and are good enough to explain to you about the places, local culture or any sight that catches your eyes or is of interest to you.
HOW BIG ARE THE GROUPS?
We try to bring together a small group of likeminded people to give them a memorable and insightful adventurous experience, and this is an invaluable opportunity to interact with each other in a fun-filled environment. Our travel group generally comprises of a maximum 14 members. We need a minimum of 2 participants to run our trek programs. For private trips, no minimum or maximum numbers apply.
HOW LONG DO WE WALK FOR EACH DAY?
All our trekking programs are classified into THREE different categories according to the level of altitude & terrain of the trek. Soft Adventure treks are only about a week to 10 days in duration. They generally don’t go above 4000 meters and each day, you can expect to be walking for around 4 – 5 hours. While moderate to fairly challenging treks are longer treks that go right into high mountain country. Physically quite tiring, these involve approx 6-8 hours trekking along rocky ridges of high Himalayan peaks. Strenuous treks are longer treks that go far beyond the normal haunts of trekkers and tourists. Physically challenging, these may involve 7-9 hours trekking and likely to include unfavorable weather conditions and strenuous activities. It’s definitely not for beginners. Basically, any trek can be challenging you need to know your body & probably take a medical examination before doing any trek above 5000 meters and/or before doing strenuous treks.
WHAT ABOUT SECURITY DURING TREKKING?
Security of our clients is of foremost & vital importance for us. All our guides and other support crew are carefully chosen for your trips. Our guides hold licenses issued by the Government of Nepal. They are very honest and reliable. But we would also advise you to take care of your own personal belongings. If you are on ‘camping treks’ please do not leave your bags unattended at any time for your own safety. Take your main bag inside the tent once you reach campsite. At night, put all bags and belongings in the middle of the tent. Your guide assigns a Sherpa on turn wise basis to guard the campsite throughout the night. If you are on a ‘Tea house or GAP trek’ arrangement, you will be sleeping in a 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. Prevention is always the best kind of cure.
DO YOU PROVIDE ANY EQUIPMENT WHILE TREKKING?
On all our Camping treks we provide all the tents, sometimes dome tents, sometimes sturdy A frames and normally people share one tent between two; a foam mattress each; all the cutlery and utensils, cooking pots, stoves; candles/kerosene lantern, tables and stools, kitchen tent, a dining tent and toilet tent; and all the main meals while trekking but not snacks. On Tea house treks, there is no necessity to provide any equipment.
DO YOU ARRANGE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS?
On the domestic front, we work with all domestic airlines, Nepal top tour agencies operating in Nepal. Our qualified staff will book all your domestic flights as per your itinerary.
WHAT HAPPENS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY?
In the event of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we surely believe will not happen; you will be rescued by a helicopter. Since you are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in the event of your having to be evacuated; please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or u must be prepared to pay on your own after getting back to Kathmandu. Ask your guide to arrange a runner to the nearest communication point and inform our office about the requirements of a helicopter. While asking for the helicopter, please send a name of the sick person and always give the exact location from where the helicopter can airlift our guides will help u on this do not leave your stationed point even if you are getting better once u have called in the helicopter.
CAN WE CHANGE THE ITINERARY?
Depending on any given situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your guide. However, the date of your trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into some of the most remote regions on earth, where any unforeseen events may compel you to go for a change in your itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original itinerary.
ARE YOU A LICENSED TREKKING AGENCY?
Yes, we are a licensed trekking agency. We have been organizing treks ,tours ,peak climbing and expeditions for our valued clients for more than two decade. We enjoy our work.
HOW DO I BOOK WITH YOU?
After choosing a trip of your choice, the first step is to inform us about chosen trip,number of persons and date through our mail austria99@gmail.com . 25% of package price A deposit has to be made in order to confirm the reservation.Which is 25% of package price.For more details please see Trip booking terms and condition in Useful Info menu of this Web or after your first email all details will be emailed to you to make it easy for you to book. The next step is to get on a plane and jet down to Asia, and then get ready for an adventure that will be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime-experience’.
HOW DO WE GET SAFE DRINKING WATER ON A TREK?
On camping treks, our staff will boil and cook meals treated by potassium permanganate or iodine. We recommend that you to bring water purification pills. On the trail, water from the streams is safe if away from settlements.
WHAT IS THE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION LIKE?
In cities like Kathmandu ,Pokhara,Lhasa and Timpu , accommodation will be in hotels of your preference. We have a pool of hotels that range from luxury deluxe to budget hotels. While on a trek, accommodation will depend on the trek style. If you are deciding for a camping trek, then you will be sleeping in tents. 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 than Camping treks and are largely suitable for small groups. Usually during peak or busy seasons if private rooms in smaller villages are fully occupied you might have to sleep in a dormitory; however, the feel of adventure is always there.
HOW FIT MUST I BE TO TREK IN THE HIMALAYAS?
You should be moderately fit, used to some regular exercise and enjoy walking in high altitude conditions. Living up to a physical challenge is always good for you, no matter what. Trekking once a year is always the best regimen for your body’s needs; as per recommendations from most health journals throughout the world.