Nepal
The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is located in the south of Asia and borders Tibet (China) in the north and India in the west, south and east. A big part of the Himalaya is located in the north and east of the country. The highest point in the world is the Mt. Everest (atitude: 8.848 metres), which is located on the Nepalese ground and with overall seven of ten highest mountains in the world.
Entry and Visa
To enter in Nepal your passport has to be valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure of your tip. Furthermore a Visa is required. The visum is available on arrival.
Climate
Due to the extreme differences in altitude within Nepal there are a variety of climate zones. In the Dopla and Mustang region the best travel time is in summer, because the Himalaya main ridge prevent the monsoon rain. For high-lying Trekking-Tours in Nepal – in the south of the Himalaya main ridge – the best travel time is before the beginning of the monsoon season (Feb. – Apr.) and after the monsoon season at the beginning of the dry season (Oct. – Nov.). December and January are perfectly suited for exploring the culture in Kathmandu and Pokhara and for Trekking-Tours in the promising foothills of the Himalaya. During the travel in the mountains you must count with different temperatures and weather conditions.
Food and Drink
The water from the pipes is not suitable for drinking. Please drink only water from bought water bottles, boiled or well-filtered water! Nepal is well known for its good food. The Nepalese “national food” is Daal Bhaat: Rice with a flavoured lentils sauce and curried vegetables. In addition they often serve Saag (chard) and Papadam (a thin fried flat cake).
Currency
Overall in Nepal the official currency is the Nepalese rupee. Euros as well as USD are not normally accepted in the retail. It is therefore necessary to stock up with the official currency of Nepal at the beginning of the journey (after your arrival at the hotel in Kathmandu). The exchanging of cash (Euros, USD, …) is without any problems possible in numerous exchange offices or in the hotel.
Travel insurance
For your safty is an evidence of a travel insurance compulsory before starting trekking.
Flight delays in Lukla / Kathmandu
The flight between Kathmandu and Lukla, where the trekking-tour begins, is generally reliable, but if the weather is bad is it possible that all flights of the whole day are cancelled. If the flight will be cancelled we will try to get a chartered helicopter for you. For this case your are responsible for the additional costs. These costs depend on the number of the persons on the flight and it will cost from $ 150 to $ 500 or more.
We already include an additional day to our tour, if we need more time due to a delay. As the flights can be delayed sometimes for several days, we recommend you to include a few extra days at the end of your travel. Please not you should include your extra days always at the end of your travel – not at the beginning.
Further information for your trekking tour
- Nepal entry visum ($ 40 USD)
- Rental of a sleeping bag $ 15 and down jacket $ 13 – if necessary.
- All mealtimes are included on the trekking tour, but during your stay in Kathmandu, only breakfast is included.
- We recommend you tip for guide and porter after the tour – Plan at least $ 60.
- During the trekking we have no drinking water. You can buy some for between $ 1 and $ 3 per bottle in the villages (it is too expensive in the basic camps). A better solution is – buy some waterpills for $ 2 in Kathmandu for a water treatment (Your guide will help you to find good spots where you can fill your water bottle).
- Other things, which are not included: Wifi, battery charges and hot shower. In some tea houses you can buy Wifi for $ 3 to $ 5 per hour. A hot shower costs approximately $ 4 and battery charges cost $ 1,50 per hour.
- You are responsible for unexpected costs, for example flight cancellation or weather conditions, additional nights at the hotel or meals in Kathmandu.