Planning for your trek in Nepal and wondering how to best prepare yourself for it? Maybe you got hooked on the idea of discovering Nepal with our 17 best Nepal treks. Maybe it’s the sheer peaks that you want to project and conquer. Maybe it’s the grandiose scenery that struck you with awe.
Either way, a trip to Nepal is definitely in the cards in 2021 or beyond. In that case, you’ll have to equip yourself with some basic facts about Nepal including the seasons and how to prepare yourself for a trek in Nepal.
Read on to find out more!
At A Glance
Best Time to Trek in Nepal
Mardi Himal Base Camp trek
Traditionally Nepal has 6 seasons (I know right?) but for trekking we have 4: spring, autumn, summer and winter. Most of the treks are best done in autumn and second best in spring.
In general, winter is not a good time to trek in Nepal especially at high altitudes where passes and trails will be blocked with snow and many teahouses are closed.
Summer is not great either unless you are trekking in the rain shadow, as it is when the monsoon season happens in Nepal. Areas up near Tibet, which are excellent to trek in the summer as they are dry with very little or no rain. Examples of this are Upper Mustang, Upper Dolpo and the Limi Valley.
Tips For Trekking In Nepal
Trekking in Nepal is very different from trekking in other parts of the world.
Why?
Mainly because of the altitude – it’s in general high – and the geographical remoteness. On the other side, there is poor infrastructure on the trail, which adds to the adventure, or makes it uncomfortable, depending on your point of view and sense of adventure!
Whether you’re planning to trek independently or book through a local agency, you need to consider several things while planning your trek in Nepal.
Here are some tips for you!
Plan for contingency days
If you are flying in and/or out of your trek, be aware domestic flights very often are delayed due to bad weather.
If you’re travelling by road, be aware there may be road obstacles such as landslides, accidents, etc.
These kinds of delays can mean you are held up 1, 2, 3 or more days! Therefore, keep this in mind when booking your onward international journey at the end of your trek. Make sure you have extra days back in Kathmandu.
If there’re no delays, simply use these days to relax or explore the culture and heritage sites around town. Of course, don’t forget to shop for souvenirs!
Drinking water on the trails
While bottled mineral water is available on most of the teahouse treks, this is not good for the environment and in certain areas, the hotel associations have banned single-use plastic water bottles.
If you’re in a remote area and/or camping, there will not be bottled water available. You’ll need to use water from a spring or tap. Obviously, while the locals drink the water from these sources directly, I advise you not to!
Purify the water with your own water bottle like LifeStraw or buy water purifying tablets or drops.
Acute mountain sickness
Annapurna Base Camp
Below around 3,000m, there is generally no danger of mountain sickness. Above that, then you need to be aware of altitude-related illnesses.
Most of the 17 Nepal treks previously listed take you above 3,000m, so please take care.
The answer is not to rush your trip; listen to your body, acclimatise and do not go higher if you feel unwell.
Be aware there is no medicine for acute mountain sickness.
The answer? Go down. Rest at a lower altitude. Check Harvard Health Publishing for more tips on combating altitude sickness.
Encountering yaks and mules
Sounds fun right? However, this is a real hazard! With no motor roads, yaks and mules are used to supply teahouses and local villages.
Yaks are usually found at higher elevations and mules lower down. On the trail, the main danger from yaks and mules is when they pass you on a narrow trail with a drop on one side. There have been incidents in the past where someone was knocked over the cliff.
Always stand on the hillside, not the drop side. Also, please don’t tease them; they can be aggressive. Be careful when photographing them. At higher altitudes, you may see yaks grazing in the pastures.
Independent or organised trek
Whether you trek independently or go on an organised trek will depend on you, unless you’re going to an area where independent trekking is prohibited. Therefore, be sure to check before you plan.
Popular treks in the Everest, Annapurna and Langtang areas, such as the Everest Base Camp Trek, allow you to trek independently. Any trek which goes near Tibet is considered as being in a Restricted Area and you cannot go without a local agency and guide.
If you decide to go independently, you should be careful of the route and the time of year.
Avoid times when there are snow and ice making the trails hard to follow and slippery.
My suggestion is to always take a guide or at the very least a porter who knows the area. You can hire your own guide and/or porter. This will not only keep you safe but will provide income for his/her community.
Carry a local currency
Even in Nepal, you can now use your card in most of the major cities. The same can’t be said in the mountains. A few of the more popular treks now have ATM card machines, but the processing fee can add 8 or 10% to your bill.
Also, the network is not reliable, so always carry cash.
Some shops in tourist areas will accept foreign currency but not in the hills and mountains. Convert your money through an authorised money changer before you leave Kathmandu.
Please note that it’s illegal to exchange foreign currency with any money changers without the approval from the Central Bank.
Renting or buying gear
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- Breast Hill, New Zealand
Trekking in Nepal takes you from the low sub-tropics to high mountain passes with freezing temperatures. You’ve to prepare for 3 or 4 seasons for each trip! That could be a lot of clothes if you don’t plan well.
Perhaps you don’t trek often and wouldn’t want to buy new clothes you’ll use for only 2 or 3 weeks. You can then rent jackets, sleeping bags and other trekking items in Kathmandu and Pokhara. You can also buy the same gear there if you prefer.
I suggest you NOT rent or buy trekking boots in Nepal. You should buy these well ahead of time and wear them – a lot – at home before you come.
Emergency contacts and safety precautions
Don’t forget to let your family know exactly where you are going, particularly if you’re trekking independently. Contact and update them when you can.
On the other hand, also tell them if you think you’ll be out of range of internet and phone for 2 or 3 days, so they don’t worry. Often, there is no signal in the mountains.
Leave a copy of your insurance details with your travel agent or with your hotel. In addition, provide them with emergency contacts and numbers. Carry a copy with you if you’re trekking independently.
Also, carry your trekking permits as they will be inspected at checkpoints along the trail. This is for your safety!
Overall, trekking in Nepal didn’t be as nerve-wrecking as it sounds. As long as you’ve adequately read up about the treks you want to embark and dress appropriately, you’ll not only conquer some mountains, you’ll also conquer your own limiting beliefs and return a more confident, resilient person!
