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 Trekking
in Nepal will take you through a country that
has captured the imagination of mountaineers
and explorers for more than 100 years. You
will meet people in remote mountain villages
whose lifestyle has not changed in
generations. A trek in Nepal is a special and
rewarding mountain holiday. If you have the
time and energy to trek, don't miss the
opportunity to leave Kathmandu and see the
spectacular beauty and the unique culture of
Nepal.
Trekking does not mean mountain climbing.
While the ascent of a Himalayan peak may be an
attraction for some, you need not have such a
goal to enjoy a trek. As far as most people
are concerned, trekking always refers to
walking on trails. While trekking, you will
see the great diversity of Nepal. Villages
embrace many ethnic groups and cultures. The
terrain changes from tropical jungle to high
glaciated peaks in only 150 km. From the
start, the towering peaks of the Himalaya
provide one of the highlights of a trek.
During a trek, the Himalaya disappears behind
Nepal's continual hills, but dominates the
northern skyline at each pass. Annapurna,
Manaslu, Langtang, Gauri Shankar and Everest
will become familiar names. Finally, after
weeks of walking, you will arrive at the foot
of the mountains themselves - astonishing
heights from which gigantic avalanches tumble
earthwards in apparent slow motion, dwarfed by
their surroundings. Your conception of the
Himalaya alters as you turn from peaks famed
only for their height to gaze on far more
picturesque summits that you may never have
heard of - Kantega, Ama Dablam, Machhapuchhare
and Kumbhakarna.
Trekking Seasons
It is possible to trek at any time of year in
Nepal - the trick is tailoring your route to
the season. There are four seasons in Nepal.
Each season has its distinct attraction to
offer. The main season begins:
Autumn
(Oct - Nov) the weather is indeed divine,
with minimal rainfall and crystal-clear
mountain views.
Winter (Dec - Feb) freezing above
4,000 meters and high passes may be snowbound;
winter is an ideal season for a lower trek.
Spring (Mar - May) marks the beginning
of the spring trekking season, which peaks
around mid-April. Different varieties of
wild flowers, specially the rhododendrons
make the hillside above 5000 meters a haunting
paradise during this season. It is mildly
warm at lower elevations and at higher elevation
over 4000 meters the mountain views are
excellent.
Monsoon (June - August) this is Nepal's
rainy season, although fascinating for those
interested in the flora and fauna of the
country. Day time temperature about 30 degrees
Celsius through out Nepal with low around
21 degrees Celsius.
Where to Trek
The entire length and breadth of the Himalayan
is a paradise for trekkers. There are easy
walks lasting a few days and there are strenuous
expeditions that take several weeks. All
of them have great scenery. Here are a few:
The Khumbu Region
 The
Khumbu (Everest) region is the most popular
trekking area in Nepal. It would probably
be the most popular destination, but it
is more difficult to get to Solu Khumbu
than to the Annapurna area. To get near
Everest, you must either walk for 10 days
or fly to Lukla, a remote mountain airstrip.
Solu Khumbu is justifiably famous, not only
for its proximity to the world's highest
mountain (8848m), but also for its Sherpa
villages and monasteries. The primary goal
of an Everest trek is the Everest base camp
at an elevation of about 5350m but you cannot
see Everest from the base camp, so most
trekkers climb Kala Patthar, an unassuming
5545m bump on the southern flank of Pumori
(7145m).
Other than the problem of access, the other
major complication to an Everest trek is
the high likelihood of Acute Mountain Sickness
(AMS). This potentially deadly disease,
commonly known as altitude sickness, is
caused by climbing too quickly to a high
elevation. Be sure to read the section on
mountain sickness in the Health & First
Aid chapter if you are planning an Everest
trek. If you suffer symptoms of altitude
sickness and cannot go to base camp, you
can still make a worthwhile trek to less
ambitious destinations such as Namche Bazaar,
the administrative headquarters of the Khumbu
region; Khumjung or Thami, more typical
Sherpa villages; or Tyangboche monastery.
From Tyangboche you will have an excellent
view of Everest and its more spectacular
neighbor Ama Dablam (6856m).
Annapurna Region
 Central
Nepal is dominated by the Annapurna himal
and the town of Pokhara valley. There are
three major trekking routes in central Nepal:
to Jomsom, to Annapurna Sanctuary, and a
circuit of the Annapurna himal itself. Pokhara
is also a good starting place for short
treks of one to four days, including the
"Royal" trek, which is described
here. Mustang is also geographically a part
of the Annapurna region, but because treks
to Mustang are subject to special restrictions,
this is described it in the separate page
on restricted area treks. About two-thirds
of the trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna
region. The area is easily accessible, hotels
in the hills are plentiful, and treks here
offer good scenery of both high mountains
and lowland villages.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP):
ACAP was established in 1986 under the guidance
of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation.
The project encompasses the entire Annapurna
range, more than 7600 sq km. In an innovative
approach to environmental protection, it
was declared a "conservation area"
instead of a national park. A large number
of people live within the protected region,
but traditional national park practices
dictate that few, if any, people reside
within park boundaries. In an effort to
avoid any conflicts of interest, ACAP has
sought the involvement of local people and
has emphasized environmental education.
ACAP projects include the training of lodge
owners, with an emphasis on sanitation,
deforestation and cultural pride. They have
trained trekking lodge operators and encouraged
hoteliers to charge a fair price for food
and accommodation. ACAP encourages the use
of kerosene for cooking throughout the region,
and requires its use above Chhomrong in
the Annapurna Sanctuary and on the route
between Ghandruk and Ghorapani. ACAP is
supported by a "conservation fee"
of Rs 2000 that is collected from all trekkers
who obtain trekking permits for the Annapurna
region.
ACAP has encouraged the construction of
toilets throughout the area; use them no
matter how disgusting they are. ACAP has
also made provision for the supply of kerosene
in those parts of the conservation area
where the use of firewood by both trekking
groups and hotels is prohibited.
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