Frequently Asked Questions

This will vary depending on what activities you want to participate in and what level of comfort you prefer. With the exception of some medicines and technical gear, you can find everything you need in Nepal (which is likely to be cheaper than in your home country). There are numerous trekking shops in Thamel, Kathmandu, where you can easily buy or rent everything from sleeping bags and down jackets, to water bottles and flash lights.

Please refer to the equipment list on each individual trekking page, for a specific list of what to bring.

Teahouse trekking consists of guided walking in the well-developed trekking regions of Nepal such as Annapurna, Everest and Langtang to Helambu. Good, clean accommodation and hearty meals are provided at the various teahouses and lodges dotted along route, offering the perfect resting stops on your trek. Western cuisine, as well as traditional Nepali food, is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A camping trek brings together the accumulated skills of professional guides, cooks, Sherpas and porters to accompany and support you, helping you make the most of your experience and take out all the hassles of your journey.  Trekkers need only carry a small day bag as our porters will carry all the trekking gear, food, fuel and your personal belongings. At the end of each day you will be greeted with a warm meal and find tents set up for dining, sleeping and ablutions. Mattresses and down-filled sleeping bags will be provided as well as tables and seating. 

In a typical camping trek, we start the day around 6am with a cup of hot tea. You will be provided with a bowl of warm water for washing and enjoy a cooked breakfast before leaving camp around 7-7.30am. The walk to the lunch spot will normally take 3 hours, with time for pausing and taking pictures along the way. After a hot lunch served in our natural surroundings, there will be another 3-4 hours of walking before we arrive at the next camp around 5pm. Tea & snacks will be followed by the evening meal served between 6 and 7 pm in the comfortably furnished, lantern lit dining tent. There will be plenty of wholesome, tasty food to satiate your appetite after an exertive day in the mountains, with time to digest and relax before a restful sleep. 

Trekking permits are no longer required for the main trekking regions such as Everest, Annapurna or Langtang. However, visitors will need to purchase a National Park or Conservation Area permit as required by the government of Nepal. This financial contribution helps to protect and maintain Nepal’s special areas of conservation and natural beauty and applies to all the trekking regions in which we operate. Costs vary depending on the region. There are also a few restricted trekking areas in Nepal where trekking permits are still required.

Our guides are medically trained and fully prepared for every eventuality. We will provide you with advice and support along the way to help reduce the risk of accident or injury, but it is also vital that you take precautions as well. Altitude sickness is extremely dangerous but mostly avoidable if you follow a few simple rules: trek high, sleep low and drink at least 2 liters of water per day (not including beer or soft drinks!) You should inform your porter/guide immediately if you are feeling unwell, experiencing shortness of breath, a slight headache or dizziness. We will advise you to rest immediately and drink water. If your symptoms persist you may consider going down a few hundred meters, but do not pretend you are okay and do not go down alone. A descent of a few hundred meters overnight may be enough to make you fully able to start trekking again the following day.

Sprains, muscle aches and slight cases of diarrhea are all to be expected when walking in the hills. You should always ensure that you have an appropriate medical kit as well as sufficient insurance in case you have to seek treatment. In the event of serious illness, we will arrange for helicopter evacuation off the mountain. We strongly advise you to take out medical insurance that will cover the cost of emergency evacuation as this is very costly and not included in the price of the trek.

There is no upper age limit, as long as you have a moderate level of fitness. For the mountain climbs and expeditions however, we require that participants are at least 18 years of age, for safety and insurance purposes.

Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for all questions relating to payment.http://www.theasiaadventure.com/about-us/terms-and-conditions.html

There are ATM machines in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lukla and the other main cities. The amount you can take out varies depending on the bank, with the maximum transaction being 35,000 rupees at one time. There are many places to exchange currency and traveler's checks across Kathmandu. If you're in a pinch, there are Western Union facilities in both Kathmandu and Pokhara. 

The normal weight limit is 20kg. When the helicopter shuttle system to Lukla is operating, the limit is 15kg.

When flying from a remote mountain airstrip like Lukla, Jomsom, Simikot, Taplejung and Dolpo, you should keep at least two or three spare days before your departure for home. We will discuss this with you before booking. 

There are internet cafes (20-100 rupees per/hr), restaurants/ coffee shops with WIFI and a strong 3G network in and around the larger cities like Kathmandu or Pokhara. Some hotels in the mountains offer internet access, but it is extremely expensive. In our most remote placements there is no internet access. 

There will be opportunity to charge necessary electronics at mostly all tea houses though there is usually a small charge incurred.

For the most part, electrical sockets (outlets) in Nepal are one of two types: the "Type D" Indian 5 amp BS-546 or the European CEE 7/16 Europlug. 

Because the mountainous regions are remote and not easily accessible from the mainland, bottled water can be costly and is not readily available. We therefore advise that you carry a one to two-liter water bottle with you and purify water yourself using iodine. Boiled water can be acquired from the guest houses or from your guide, but you will be charged a small fee due to the limited fuel and subsequent cost of boiling water in the mountains.  

Sometimes a member of our team may go on ahead if you are walking slowly on an easy trail, usually to find a good place to eat or stay the night. However, this does not mean that you have been abandoned. We can assure you that our porters and guides will NEVER leave you for long periods and will NEVER steal your bag or belongings. 

The maximum weight that a porter is allowed to carry by law in Nepal is 25 kg.

The optimum time for trekking in Nepal is from October to early December and March to April. The weather becomes less predictable during the monsoon season from June to August, except treks in the Himalayan rain shadow like Upper Mustang, Dolpo and Kailash. For trips that do not involve high altitude trekking, Nepal can be enjoyed any time of year.

Nepal is a small country spanning 200 km from west to east, but each region has its own distinct climate due to the dramatic variation in altitude, from a lowly 60m to over 8000m.

Summer - March to May

During this time the temperature gradually increases from a pleasant 20 °C to a hot and humid 30 °C by the end of May. (68 °F to 86°F). This is the second most popular time for trekking (with September to November being the favoured season).

Monsoon - June to September

Heavy showers can be expected, especially in the higher regions, with occasional afternoon or evening thunderstorms. This is the best time to retreat from the high mountains and enjoy the many colourful festivals that abound at this time of year.

Autumn - September to November

During this period, the climate is dry and mild with temperatures fluctuating between 20 °C to 30 °C (68 °F to 86 °F). This is the peak season for trekking.

Winter - December to February

Early mornings and evening are very cold whilst the afternoons are fairly sunny and cool.  The temperature usually range from 7 °C to 20 °C (59 °F to 68 °F) in the Tarai  (Nepal’s flatlands) with much colder conditions at higher altitude. Peak trekking is not advised, except for the most experienced mountaineers, but there are many lower regions to enjoy and explore, with fewer crowds.

Please consult your doctor / local travel clinic for the latest recommendations regarding vaccines for the specific region in which you are traveling. However you may wish to consider the following:

-       Diphtheria

-       Tetanus

-       Polio

-       Hepatitis A&B

-       Typhoid

-       Yellow fever

-       Rabies

-       Tuberculosis

-       Malaria tablets

You can have packages sent to you at our main office and we will hold it for you or try to forward it on to you, depending on your whereabouts in Nepal.

POSTAL ADDRESS:

The Asia Adventure Nepal Pvt.Ltd.

C/O Your name

House No 350

Rudreswor marg

Kathmandu

Nepal

If you are sending via courier, you will also need to include a contact name - Hem Bahadur Mugrati – and contact number - 00977-1-4485597/9851030332

Most things are available here - shampoos, soaps, shaving products, toothpastes etc. However, women should bring their own tampons (if they wear them), as you cannot get them in Nepal. Hand sanitizer/ wipe should also be brought from home, as well as any prescribed medicines. Due to the likely change in your diet (rice is eaten with every meal here) it is recommended that you bring a fiber supplement, to avoid constipation problems!

Any valuables such as credit cards, passport, plane tickets etc. can be handed to a member of our team and we will keep them safe for you at our secure premises.