A Typical Trekking Day

Our itinerary is designed so that the walking is challenging, yet not exhausting. We always remember that your trek is your holiday and we try to plan each day to help you enjoy it as much as possible, not to wear you into the ground. As much as is physically possible, our local field staff will assist you whilst trekking, perhaps by helping you with your daypack or helping you over more difficult sections. You should bear in mind that it can be bitterly cold at night - you must be adequately prepared!

Each day is different and ruled by a number of factors, such as availability of water, trail and weather conditions, and the pace of the group as a whole. Exact timetables and routes cannot always be followed and would in fact destroy the free-form nature of the trek; therefore the following schedule is a guide only.

The day begins early with a cup of tea. You pack your gear before breakfast, which is next on the agenda. Your bags will be packed into one of the porter loads, along with the majority of the group equipment, and will head off along the trail.

You are usually on the trail by around 7.30am. You have a few hours’ walk before lunch, around 11.00am or 11.30am, at any of the lodges along the trail. The afternoon walk usually finishes around 4.00pm and you have dinner at around 7.00pm.

The lodges - also known as teahouses - are very basic huts, which provide accommodation as well as hygienic, tasty and nourishing food. As a general guide, 3/4 beds are arranged in dormitories. There is a central dining/sitting room where food and drink are served. Toilet facilities are usually outside, of the pit variety - which is most hygienic and suitable for these conditions. The lodges have rubbish pits and we recommend that you use them. You can buy toilet paper at the lodges or many of the shops on the trail. Most locals use water so there will be no toilet paper available in the toilet - please carry your own. During the day, ensure that toilet stops are far off the trail, all waste is buried at least 15cm deep and all toilet paper is burnt. Sanitary napkins and tampons should only be disposed of in the toilet hole at the lodges.

Despite the basic facilities, it is a great experience to share, enjoying the company of local families, and evenings are often filled with discussions, cards games or even a song or two - most trekkers remember these evenings as one of the highlights of the trek.

Adventure Level

This trip is graded as ‘strenuous’, with walks of 4-8 hours per day, reaching a maximum altitude of 5545m – please refer to grading at the front of our brochure. You must be an experienced walker, ideally with experience of walking at altitudes over 3500m. Conditions in the teahouses are very basic.

Climate

The best time to visit is generally October/November and late February to the beginning of April. Nepal has a generally sub-tropical to temperate climate, with northern-hemisphere seasons. Altitude causes wide variations in temperature. Different seasons offer different advantages for Post-monsoon: Mid-September to November. Usually regarded as ‘prime’ trekking time and the most popular season for a visit. The countryside is lush and green as the rice harvest approaches. This time of year generally has the clearest skies and mild to warm days with cool - cold nights. Kathmandu average maximum temperature is 27-23°C, gradually turning cooler later in the season.

Winter: December to the end of February. Despite the colder conditions, winter is considered by large numbers of experienced trekkers as the ideal time to visit. Occasional closures of the high passes and trails by snow are offset by the beauty of walking in pristine white snowscapes (heavy snow is unusual at these altitudes). Skies are clear with warm - cool days and colder nights. Kathmandu average maximum temperature is 19°C. As well as having clear skies offering magnificent views, this season also has the advantage that trails are less crowded.
Pre-monsoon: March to mid-June. Haze often builds up during the day, limiting mountain photography to the usually clear mornings. It can be very warm to hot in the lowlands, and increasingly warm in general as the season progresses. Kathmandu average maximum temperature is 25-30°C. The riot of colour blossoming from the wild flowers found in the countryside is one of the many reasons that regular ‘Nepal hands’ trek at this time of year.
Note: The temperatures above reflect conditions in the Kathmandu valley. At higher altitudes very significant temperature drops occur at night. When high in the mountains, October/November night-time temperatures usually fall to around -10°C, whilst in December to February they will fall further to around -20°C. Just as at home, unusual weather patterns can impact on these approximate figures.
Summer: July/August. Up until relatively recently a lack of flights into Lukla made it very difficult to access the Everest Valley at this time of year.  However the relative prosperity of the Khumbu region has changed this and there are now daily flights. The weather in the Everest Valley at the end of July/August is usually good for walking and although cloud and rain can be experienced, it is not the monsoon conditions of other parts of Nepal.  This is without doubt the quietest time of year to trek in the Khumbu. For worldwide climate information go to www.weatherbase.com

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2008/09 Itinerary

Domestic Flights

between Kathmandu and Lukla will be operated by one of the following airlines; Royal Nepal Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Buddha Air. Tickets obtained from your Group Leader. Flight schedules and preferred airlines can change.

Local Payment

£100 pounds sterling. The Local Payment is part of the total price of the trip that is paid by you to the Group Leader or local agent at the start of your holiday. This is in addition to the amount you pay to The Adventure Company when settling your final invoice. The Local Payment must be paid in the specified currency when requested by the Group Leader or local agent, or you will not be permitted to join the trip.

Responsible Travel

We offset the carbon emissions associated with the in-country travel on all of our trips by supporting a solar stove and clean energy project in Madagascar. However, it is your flight that will have the largest environmental impact on your holiday. We offer you the opportunity to offset your carbon dioxide emissions with a donation to our solar stove and clean energy project in South Africa. The project is run by the non-profit organisation Blue Ventures Carbon Offset and validated by the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS) as delivering measurable carbon reduction and wider sustainable development benefits for local people. We strongly encourage you to donate to our project, so if you would like to offset the carbon emissions generated by your flight, please contact us.  Offsets start from as little as £4. 

We work with a local Nepalese owned agency who employs responsible working practices throughout their operations. This includes a porter welfare policy to limit the load each porter to carries to 25kg, to pay a fair wage so porters can equip themselves properly and to use the same pool of porters offering them further training opportunities to become guides and more if they wish.

We make a financial contribution to the Trisuli Community Centre for every person that travels to Nepal. You will visit this on your trip and see the good use the money is put to.

We also ask that you use environmentally sound practices while trekking in this fragile mountain environment. Please do not use hot showers in lodges where wood-fuelled stoves heat the water, as deforestation is one of Nepal’s biggest environmental problems. However, some lodges have electricity and others use solar power to provide hot water - these are a rare delight! Be prepared to go several days without washing, beyond using bowls of warm water.

We recommend that each trekker keeps and uses a small rubbish bag. Burnable material can be disposed of at lodges, but other rubbish such as bottles and batteries must be taken to Kathmandu for proper disposal or left with the lodge owners to do so.

Do not buy bottled water on the trail as the plastic bottles are not recyclable. Soft drinks are available, with the glass bottles being carried out and recycled. However, it is not recommended to drink only soft drinks. We strongly encourage you to bring iodine tablets (available from outdoor equipment specialists) to treat village hand pump water, making it safe to drink. All washing should be done away from rivers and streams using biodegradable soap. Never tip soapy washing water where it will run directly into a watercourse.

We hope you appreciate the need for our guidelines - following them will help to protect and preserve this beautiful region for future visitors.