Trekking in Nepal

       Trekking is the gentle walk along mountain trails. It provides an opportunity to explore the villages, villagers, valleys, mountains and its interior and maximum enjoyment in minimum discomfort. So trekking means foot travel on mountain trails. Trekking is not wilderness back packing experience, but a means of transportation to get from one mountain village to another village. The trekkers follow the trail used by Nepali villagers. The trails are the Tibet-Nepal trading route or the trails used by village for daily use. Trekking in Nepal is like going from village to village. It may last for a day or several days. It is not simply a business of walking from one stop to another heading towards a final destination but more a gradual experience of Nepal’s diversity in terms of geography, people, religions and cultures. It is not concerned with distance.

In Nepal trekking is done in different ways:

1. Fully Camping Trek

2. Tea House/Lodge Trek

3. Back Packing Trek

4. Hiking

1.The Camping Trek is organized by the trekking agencies in the same style as exploratory or mountaineering expeditions. This trek is also known as Fully Organized Trek or Fully Supported Trek. Sherpas serve as guides, interpreters and camp staff. Cook and assistant cooks serve hot meals. Porters carry all the food, fuel, camping equipment and personal belongings. Clients have to carry only what they might need during the day. At night, they are provided dining tents, sleeping tents and toilet tents. They are also provided with mattresses and sleeping bags, all of which are carried for them with the party. Even tables and chairs are carried. A Sardar supervises the whole operation.

How a Camping Trek is operated?

In a typical Camping Trek day starts around at 6 am with a cup of hot tea followed by bowl of warm water for their washing and cleaning. After packing up their camp and meet at the dining table for breakfast. The trek starts around 7/8 am.

       The well-trained staff packs all camping equipment and gears and the porters carry them to the next camping site. The trekkers have to carry only personal belongings that they may need for the day like water bottle, rain gear, camera, etc.

The trekkers can decide on their own on time for viewing the beautiful landscape, taking photographs and resting or making a short pause. The walk to the lunch spot normally takes 3 hours. A hot lunch is served upon arrival. The afternoon walk takes about three to four

hours to reach at their night camp around 4/5 pm. Tea and snacks are served while the Sherpas pitch camp. The dinner is served around 6/7 pm. In the dining tent lit with a pressurized lantern and furnished with table and every camp has a simple toilet tent.The well – trained and experienced cook and his team prepare a variety of healthy and wholesome food which is carried for the entire route.  

2.The Tea House of Lodge Treks are also organized by trekking agencies in the well-developed tourist regions such as Everest, Langtang and Annapurna where tourist teahouses and lodges are already in existence. The trekking trail follows the traditional trading route. Nepal – Tibet traders had been following these trails for a long time. In this type of trekking, the agency provides porters and guides only. The guide organizes food and accommodation in the available teahouses and lodges. Organizing this type of trek is cheaper and easier but there is no flexibility in choosing sidetracks and going to higher than normal settlements and there are limitations to go into the remote areas.These trekking routes are crowded.

3. Back Packing Trek    Some of the trekkers in Nepal are the back packers. These are unorganized trekkers and are independent trekkers. In back packing treks, they carry all their gear and equipment themselves. These people normally follow the trading routes and stay in the local teahouse or lodges. Some of them are well equipped with camping equipment also and go into remote areas. These are explorers but most of the back packers are the budget travelers or students. These budget trekkers use local teahouses and follow the well-defined trails.In some treks, independent trekkers may hire a guide or porters or an experienced porter who can lead the trails. The experienced porter accommodation in local lodge/tea house. These experienced porters work as guide, friend, security, adviser, etc.

4. Hiking: Hiking is a short trek. It does not involve overnight stay. Here, the client returns to the same campsite or hotel for overnight stay. This is a day activity. In hiking, one does not need to be supported by camp and camping equipment. They may carry pack food for a day