Visa
Most
nationalities require a visa for Nepal, which can be obtained in advance or on
entry. If you wish to apply before departure the current visa cost is £20 for a
15 day visa and £35 for a 30 day visa for UK passport holders. The current cost
of a visa on arrival is US $25 for 15 days, US $40 for 30 days or if extending
your stay $100 for 90 days. All are multiple entry. The visa on arrival fee can
be paid for in cash in US Dollars, Pounds Sterling or Euros. You will also need
a passport photo. Application forms are available in the immigration hall (or
for electronic passports there are visa registration machines which, after
inserting your passport, automatically fill out a form for you). You must
firstly join the queue to pay the visa fee, and then go to the relevant
immigration desk to obtain your 15, 30 or 90 day visa stamp. There can be long
queues for visas on arrival.
Non UK nationals should check requirements with their nearest embassy (a few
nationalities are not permitted visas on arrival).
Vaccinations
There are no
mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio,
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is present in
certain regions only (such as Chitwan); you may wish to consult your GP or
travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places
visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes.
There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and
therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend
you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Most of our trips to
Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute
Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to
acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still
possible for you to be affected.
Eating & Drinking
Breakfast is
included throughout the trip and all meals are provided while camping (all
breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners).
Breakfast is included throughout the trip and all meals are provided while
camping. On trek the breakfast will be a set menu. Any additional items that
are not included in the set menu should be ordered and paid for separately. We
do not include lunch and dinner in the tea-houses, allowing you to choose what
you want to eat and when. Although most lodges have almost identical menus,
they are reasonably extensive and offer a varied selection, ranging from
traditional Nepalese dal bhat to pizza.
Although meat is available in the tea houses, we advise against eating it on
trek. The meat has often been carried in the heat from lower altitudes for
several days before reaching the lodges, and can cause stomach upsets or
illness. Germs can also be spread by handling dirty money – we recommend using
hand sanitiser.
If you buy imported food and drink whilst on trek you will spend more than the
suggested amount.
Drinking Water
Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but
particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least
3-4 litres per person per day.
We strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this contributes
to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Nepal’s trekking areas.
All tea houses will provide cold water free of charge, if requested. Although
this should not be drunk untreated, we recommend that you bring a reusable
bottle with a wide opening (Nalgene or similar) with you and use a SteriPEN to
treat it with
If you prefer not to invest in a SteriPEN, the tea houses also sell boiled
water for approx. Rs150-300 per litre (the price increases the higher you trek)
which should not require treating. This is also perfect for a bedtime refill as
it can double up as a hot water bottle.
Weather
The main trekking season in Nepal is from October to mid-May when daytime temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking, the sky is clear much of the time and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures will vary from 15ºC to 35ºC in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10ºC at 3,600m and progressively lower the higher we go.
Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking.
Post Monsoon/autumn: Mid-September to November. This is the main trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures in Kathmandu are approximately above 20ºC. Skies are usually clear and days on trek are sunny and mild with clear mountain views. At the highest altitudes although the days can be nice and sunny the temperatures can drop to 10ºC and much lower. Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping as low as minus 10ºC and lower at the highest altitudes.
Pre-monsoon/spring: March to May. Both day and night temperatures will be warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons. It is very hot in the lowlands and temperatures rise to 35ºC in Kathmandu. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to trek in spring.s
Snow can be expected on any departure, usually at the higher altitudes. Summit day will be a very early start (usually about 2am) and will be extremely cold. Although mostly it is calm and clear on summit day the mountain does occasionally get high winds. You need to be equipped for temperatures as low as minus 25ºC plus wind chill on summit day.
Please remember that in any mountain area the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions described above.
Equipment Checklist
Body Wear
- Gore Tex Jacket
- Gore Tex Pant
- Hiking pant
- Fleece trouser and jacket or warm jumper – Recommended not thick but warm enough that fits inside the Gore Tex pant
- Anti-sweat T-shirtEarmuffs/Ear warmers (optional)
- Thermal inner trouser
- Down jacket with hoodie
- Thermal inner trouser
- Down jacket with hoodie
Head Wear
- Sun Hat/Normal cap
- Fleece or woolen hat
- Earmuffs/Ear warmers (optional)
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Buff Scarf / thin face mask
Hand wear
- Fleece or woolen thin gloves
- Expedition shell gloves /optional
- Gore Tex mitten gloves/optional
Other Equipments
- Sleeping bag (comfort rated – 15ºC)
- 30 Litre Rucksack with cover
- Large size Duffel Bag with padlock
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Water bottles 1 Litre X 2
- Thermos
- Basic First Aid Kit including: antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhea treatment (Imodium), altitude (Diamox), painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, insect repellent, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets and multi-vitamin tablets are also a good idea.
Washing kit & Toiletries
- Waterproof washing kit bag
- Towel – medium size
- Washing soap, towel, tooth pest, tooth brush etc.
- Sun Lotion Enough +30SPF (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)
- Hand wash & sanitizer
- Toilet paper (you can buy this in the lodges)
- Wet tissue
Foot Wear
- Trekking boots
- Hollow Out Outdoor Slipper
- Trekking socks (4-5 pair)
- Snow Gaiter
Optional Items
- Trekking poles
- Trainers or similar for use in the lodges
- Shorts
- Base layer leggings
- Gaiter
- Sleeping bag liner
- Pillowcase
- Ear plugs (particularly if you are not the one snoring)
- Travel clothes
- Camera
- Pen-knife (remember to pack sharp objects in hold baggage)
- Repair kit – (egg. needle, thread, duct tape)