:: TREKKING :: (Nepal)

The Himalayas, the worlds biggest mountain range, and one of the most spectacular things to see on the planet.

Trekking in Nepal is an easy way to get into big mountains without the complications of lots of equipment and guides and porters. I personally go trekking with a small (30 litre) rucksack and have walked for up to 23 days like this. The routes are easy to find, a map is enough not to get lost, (and maybe a few words in Nepali), there are "tea houses" all along the routes which provide places to sleep, eat and drink. The main trekking areas are reasonably cheap with set prices in the lodges, a park enterance fee (everest 1000 nrs annapurna 2000 nrs), and thats it. It is also possible to fly in or out of everest or annapurna if time is limited, but I have always walked in and out of these areas. It is reasonably easy to get to some very high altitudes, the Thorong La on the Anapurnna circuit is 5400meters high, and Kala Pattar near Everest is around 5500meters. It is very important to be careful while assending. Altitude sickness is a real possibility and potentially fatal. It is best to follow the guidelines given in all the trekking book, the essense of which is to assend slowly, to take at least one rest day above 3000meters, and to stop ascending if any symptoms are felt, and even to descend if the symptoms do not go away. Often descending just 500 meters will be enough and after a day the climb can be resumed.

Everest::
My latest trekking trip was 23 days from Jiri into the everest region, Gokyo valley and then Kala Pattar, and back to Jiri. On 14 Feb 2007 it snowed in Kathmandu, for the first time in 62 years, at the time I was in Machermo at 4460meters. We where snowed in for two days, and then we had to fight our way out through one meter of fresh snow, and that for two and a half days.

Langtang::
The trekking area closest to Kathmandu, walking over the Gosainkund pass will bring you out near Bohda Kathmandu. The Gosainkund pass is 46** Meters and there are some side day walks that will easily get you up to 5000Meters. The views on the walk in are limited but once inside the valley its incredible.

Annapurna::
Nepals most trekked route, but with good reason. The path actualy circumnavigates the whole annapurna massive. Ten days gradual climb along the Masryangdi valley then a push fromk Mannang up to the 5600Meter Thorong La pass, then its down to Muktinath and out through the Kali Gandeki valley with Daulagiri on the right. Suprisingly easy trek with the best Himalya views to be seen, something you would not forget for the rest of your life.

Porters::
These guys are incredible, I have seen a lot on my visits to Nepal but the porters in the Everest region are the most extreme. Walking for ten days, over four valleys, with a load of over 100Kg on a head strap.