Nepal Trekking Information

Here is some Nepal Trekking information that makes it easy for the traveler:

Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport

This is the only international airport in Nepal. After passing through the immigration gate, there are two channels. The first one is the green channel; this channel can be used by travelers who do not have dutiable goods. The second one is Red Channel; If you have dutiable goods, you must proceed through this channel.

Getting a Taxi

Peregrine Treks provides you with free pick-up and drop service. So, you need not worry about getting a taxi. Our office representative or your guide welcomes you to the airport. Don’t forget to collect your belongings before leaving the taxi or car.

Respect essential Nepalese customs:

More than 80 percents of Nepalese people are Hindu. They are open-hearted, and each Nepalese people welcome you with a smile. Most Nepalese Ladies are shy of nature, so never offer your hand first to ladies. Instead of a handshake, you can say Namaskar (folded palms) or Hello. You can give hands first to the male for a handshake.

Take off your shoes near the door before entering the Nepalese home, and never leave your sandals or shoes upside down. Use your right hand to give gifts or money to anybody, including a shopkeeper.

Visiting the temple

It is customary to take off your shoes or sandals before entering the temple or stupas. It would help if you walked around the temple clockwise. You may take permission before entering the temples. For example, non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the Pashupatinath Temple. Smoking and taking stiff drinks are strictly prohibited inside the temple.

Photographs

You can take enough photographs outside the stupas or temples during festival time. But you may take permission before taking photographs at the standard time and inside the temple. So, you can ask for permission. Many people, especially women, may not be interested in photographing, so take their permission first.

Dress

Use formal dress while traveling outside of Kathmandu Valley and significant cities. The highly suggested dress is if your clothes cover the knee, shoulders, and back.

Money

Travelers can easily exchange US Dollars and significant other currencies in banks or government-authorized money changers. You can get 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 notes, and you are highly recommended to carry below 500 notes for easy exchange of your money. Extra money can be returned at the time of your departure; at that time, you need to show the encashment receipt.

Credit Card

Significant restaurants and hotels will accept VISA, MASTER CARD, and AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD. They may take 3.5%-4% extra by paying via credit cards. You can withdraw Nepalese currency from the ATM Machine too. Peregrine Treks accepts major credit cards.

Food

Dal, Bhat, and Tarkari is Nepal’s famous food, and Nepalese eat them with their hands. Food eaten on the same plate is considered impure, so don’t offer others to eat at the same plate. Hindus and Buddhists are not entertained beef because they worship the cow. But you can get beef in restaurants and hotels.

Tipping

Tipping is not mandatory, but it is highly expected. In restaurants and hotels, they already add the 10% service charge on their service; it is unnecessary to tip. Tipping for the guides, porters, and drivers is highly recommended. They will not get enough salary for their work on the mountain so; you can give tips for them.

Safe Trekking (Nepal Trekking Information)

Trekking is not easy because of the rugged mountain and high altitudes. Don’t go too high too fast; this is the first precaution for safe trekking. It would help if you gave yourself enough time to acclimatize to your body. You can get Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) during trekking. In the worst case, you may get HAPE and HACE.

AMS Sign: Headache, often with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, dizziness, and disturbed sleep. At this time, you need to acclimatize or take Diamox (250 mg every 12 hours)

HACE Sign: Severer Headache, loss of balance/coordination, staggering, irrational behavior, confusion, drowsiness, coma, death (sometimes in a few hours). In this situation, you must descend immediately, even at night, at least 1000 meters with your guide or porter, oxygen, and Gamow bag, keep the patient warm, and immediate helicopter rescue.

HAPE Sign: Breathless (even at rest), dry cough/pink or rusty spit, blue lips/nails, very tired, low fever, gurgling breath, exhausted, comma, death. In this situation, you must descend immediately with your supporter, take oxygen, and rescue asap.

A helicopter rescue service is available, but it is too much expensive. You need to pay around USD 5000 to rescue from Everest Base Camp and USD 4500 from Annapurna Base Camp. So, you are highly recommended to take travel insurance, which will cover helicopter rescue and medical treatment in the event of an accident.

The traveler must have Nepal Trekking Information before the trek to Nepal. This is very important for those traveling for the first time and does not have proper Nepal Trekking Information. For more information, please visit the Nepal Trekking Packages page.