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Never trek alone in these remote areas of Nepal. Always Trek with authorized Travel Agency /Trekking Agency from Nepal like us who will provide you experienced Guides and have adequate knowledge of trekking routes & Community. It will also support to get the Job for Local Nepali people.
- While trekking the higher altitude region on Nepal the most common problem is high altitude sickness so it’s better to carry basic medicine tablets for these.
- Walk every step carefully and don’t risk yourself for taking photos over the cliffs and also be careful with the sudden encounter with the wildlife during our trips. It’s better to communicate with our guides time and again.
- Nepal is a beautiful country and more than 80% of people follow the Hindu religion. There may be some unusual practice which you may feel uncomfortable comparing back to your home country but, please try to respect their culture & tradition & try to enjoy the unique experiences this country is offering.
- Nepal is changing rapidly and its young generation is going all over the Globe for higher studies & coming back. The country is turning gradually openminded and mostly on cities areas like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, and many other urban areas. But while traveling to the villages of Nepal you need to keep in mind about the local culture & traditions of the people. It will be very helpful to follow a good dress code while walking, don’t put off your shirts and which shows unusual attraction by locals.
- In cities areas, it’s ok to travel by yourself but, while doing the remote treks travelers should not trek alone, but only in groups with Nepali Guides and not deviate from designated hiking routes, as you can be lost somewhere in the middle of dense forest and unknown place.
- There are occasional short days strikes (Bandhas) which are forced by some political groups so, it’s very hard to make travel (especially traveling through the vehicle is prohibited but walking is fine) in cities areas. Air Travel is not affected but access to and from the airports and city travel is affected. For the tourist, the Nepal government has to make the insured run green plate vehicles without any hesitation so if you need to travel on these types of days always use green plates vehicles from your Tour operator. But, now the political situation of Nepal is more stable and this sort of things doesn’t happen now
- If you feel any emergency about safety, Nepal Government had setup Tourist Police Department, they are a special unit of Nepal Police to help your any problem while traveling in Nepal. You can contact on: Dial 1144 / +977 14247041(Landline) or email: policetourist@nepalpolice.gov.np. Alternatively, you can contact your Tour operator and they can address your issue to the related department. For more information about how to contact Tourist Police, follow this link.
- We advise you to carry all your important documents like passports, wallets, money every time with you while going for the trek.
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You can find detailed information on the current Health and safety situation of Nepal advised by your Government Travel Advice Bureau. Here is the official travel advice produced by the German Government and the UK Government.
SAFETY ISSUE TO NEPAL
Nepal is one of the safe travel destinations throughout the world because of one of the friendly behaviors of Nepali people and their welcoming nature towards foreigners. These are the main attraction for visitors to come to Nepal for next time & again. However, there are a few things you need to know yourself before you travel to Nepal.
HEALTH INFORMATION & VACCINATIONS ALERT
While traveling to Nepal no special vaccinations are currently required for the entry but, it’s always worth checking which vaccinations are recommended by your country’s official travel & health advisor bureau. You can get a vaccination in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and major cities like Pokhara but they are little time consuming to find the service and often cheaper to get them before you travel from the home country. It’s better to consult your doctor and Nurse for up to date travel and inoculation advice at least 6 weeks before your departure date to Nepal.
Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria, and Meningitis are some of the recommended vaccinations in Nepal. Boosters are also recommended for Tetanus, Polio, Mumps, and Measles. Depending on which region of Nepal you traveling, you may also consider inoculations against Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis B, and Rabies vaccine. This is especially important if you have young children are coming for an extended period, working in health care, or visiting rural areas and the Terai.
During summertime, there are some mosquitos found in Nepal but, there are lots of measures taken to avoid it like teahouse and hotels provide mosquito nets. Its always good to wear clothes that cover your full skin to avoid the mosquito bites. Nowadays, anti-mosquito repellent is also used in many hotels to avoid mosquito. Its always good to carry some effective first aid kit with some medicines of Diarrhoea, mosquito repellent sprays, water purifying tablets, and plasters. They are easily found in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and many cities but its good to get by yourself these items with you. Please see the health advice given by the UK Government for further information
HOW TO TREK SAFELY IN NEPAL
This information is useful for travelers who are doing trekking in higher altitudes. In rural areas of Nepal, rescue services are limited and medical facilities are primitive or nonexistence. There are now lots of good Heli rescue services from Pokhara and Kathmandu and we are also working with some of the reputed rescue companies from Pokhara and Kathmandu for the extra safety of our customers. During the emergency evacuation, the cost needs to bear up from the Trekkers Travel insurance.
We recommend all our customers to get the travel insurance policy that covers theft, loss & medical treatment before you left your country. You should make sure that your insurance policies also cover soft adventure activities during your stay in Nepal. For high altitude trekkers and climbers, policies should also cover helicopter evacuation expenses in case of serious illness or accident or if clients are stranded in remote areas due to the unexpected reason.
Only a few trekkers end up in trouble who are coming to Nepal but accidents can often be avoided or risks minimized if people have a realistic understanding of trekking requirements. Don’t take a Himalayan trek lightly. One basic rule should be followed: don’t take alone. You’ll appreciate having someone around when you’re lost, sick, or suffering from altitude sickness. It’s useful to have someone to occasionally to watch your pack or valuable when you visit the bathroom or take a shower.
These are the common sickness while you go for the Trek.
-AMS (ALTITUDE MOUNTAIN SICKNESS)
AMS or altitude mountain sickness is the major concern on all high-altitude treks – be ever alert to the symptoms of AMS.
-DIARRHEA
This is a fairly minor problem but it can ruin a trek, so watch what you eat and ensure your medical kit contains antidiarrheal medicine such as Lomotil or Imodium (for emergencies only) and a broad-spectrum antibiotic like Azithromycin or Nor floxacin. available without a prescription at pharmacies in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Always treat your water.
-TREKKER ‘S KNEE
Many people suffer from knee and ankle strains, particularly if they’re carrying their pack. Elastic supports or bandages can help, as can anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen tablets and analgesic cream. and using collapsible trekking poles.
-BLISTERS
Always carry moleskin. plasters (Band-Aids) and tape in your daypack in case of blisters. Investigate any hot spot as soon as you feel it. Wear clean socks.
SUNBURN & SNOWBLINDNESS
The high-altitude Himalayan sun is incredibly strong. Bring plenty of high-factor sunscreens, a brimmed hat, and a good pair of sunglasses for pass crossings.
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
A variety of languages are spoken in Nepal because the country is itself multicultural and multilingual. You hear different languages depending on which region of Nepal you are traveling. In Nepal, more than 123 languages are spoken by 126 ethnic groups. ‘Nepali’ is widely spoken language throughout Nepal & National Language as well, Maithili is the second most spoken language basically from the Terai region of Nepal which is connected with India. Other major spoken languages are Newari in Kathmandu Valley, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Magar, Sherpa, Limbu, Tamang, Rai, and many more.
However, English is spoken by most of the young generation because Government is prioritizing the English medium teaching system in schools to compete with Globalisation. In most of the rural areas and trekking routes of Nepal, you can easily communicate with Local peoples in English, however, they may not be fluent English speakers.
Nepal has its own unique culture and traditions according to which ethnic groups they belong to. More than 80 % of Nepali people follow the Hindu religion and they follow their festivals like Dashain (Putting red rice on their forehead and get the blessings with their elder peoples, a typical family celebration), Tihar (Festival of lights and between the love relationship of brother & sister), Teej ( Women’s Festival with lots of red saris and traditional dance ) and many other festivals. Gurung people have their type of dress & culture and even a typical dance. Magar has also different traditions & most of the ethnic groups have their own dress culture, food culture, unique ornaments, different festivals, their home designs are different, their traditional kitchenware is unique to each other, the way they speak their native language is different. Nepal is an unexplored museum to research and study. It’s one of the unique countries in the world, where you will find many unique experiences within this Himalayan Nation.
NEPAL WEATHER & CLIMATE
In Northern Nepal (Where lots of world’s biggest mountains are situated & connect with Tibet, China) summers are cool and winters are severe, while in the southern Nepal summers are very hot while winters are mild to cold. Nepal has five seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, and winter. The plain region which is connected with India (Terai region) is hot in summer and sometimes the temperature exceeds 40 C while the winter remains from 7 – 25 C. In mountainous regions (hills and valleys) summers are not too hot & winter can go below zero degree Celsius and sometimes heavy snowfall. The Average temperatures in Nepal drop 6°C for every 1,000 m you gain in altitude.
The Himalayas act as a barrier to the cold winds blowing from Central Asia in winter, and form the northern boundary for monsoon rains, leaving some places like Manang and Mustang rain-free. Eighty percent of all the rain in Nepal is received during the monsoon (June-September). Winter rains are more pronounced in the western hills. The average annual rainfall is 1,600 mm, but it varies by eco-climatic zones, such as 3,345 mm in Pokhara and below 300 mm in Mustang.
There is no seasonal constraint on traveling in and through Nepal. Even in December and January, when winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and brilliant views. As with most of the trekking areas in Nepal, the best time to visit are during spring and autumn. Spring is the time for rhododendrons o bloom while the clearest skies are found after the monsoon in October and November. However, Nepal can be visited the whole year-round.
FOOD & DRINK IN NEPAL
Consuming Nepali food while traveling to Nepal means a sort of responsible travel. You will be helping & encouraging to local poor farmers who are producing these foods on their farmlands to help to run their day to day life in Nepal. Also, it means Nepal will not be importing foods from India and helps to sustain the economic balance in the GDP of Nepali people.
Nepal has its own traditional unique food dishes which vary from ethic groups & castes and also depend upon the various villages of Nepal. Food consumption habits of Nepali people are almost organic products that are grown on their farmlands nearby their houses in most parts of Nepal but this trend is disturbed by Globalisation in Major cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara & other Cities of Nepal. Most of the Nepali family living on countryside have their fields to grow their organic vegetables and major crops like Rice, Maize, Millet, Buckwheat, Mustard and many other crops which vary from Indian connected plains to higher in Himalayans.
Of course, most of the hotels and tea houses will offer you the most popular food in Nepali cuisine called Dal- Bhat which is a combination of lentils, rice, and own cooked green vegetables. Majority Nepali eat Dal-Bhat in every corner of Nepal and you can easily order this food if you like it while traveling to Nepal. Besides this Momo (Dumplings) are one of the widely liked food by foreigners because they taste nice and comes with different varieties and flavors like vegetables, chicken, and Buff.
Fried rice, Sel roti, Thukpa, Dhindo (Typical original food from Millet Flour, you must try this with chicken or mutton gravy with some organic Nepali Buffalo Ghee) are other common good foods you can eat in Nepal. While traveling to Nepal, please don’t forget to taste some Newari Foods and Thakali food at the good restaurant which is found in Kathmandu, Chitwan & Pokhara.
For more information about Nepali Food & recipes, you can follow the Travel section of The Kathmandu Post. If you like to prepare Nepali food by your self at your home then follow this Yummy food YouTube Channel ( sorry it’s in the Nepali Language).
ATM & CURRENCY
Nepal has its currency called Nepali Ruppe ( NRS). With the digitalization of technology, the visitors can withdraw the Nepali cash from the various bank’s ATM throughout Nepal with certain small withdrawal fee( Per transaction around $4) and make their expenses. Now, most of the hotels and big supermarkets have a POS machine and you can pay your money directly by various international cards.
In Nepal, generally, all types of international visa card, Mastercard, Union Pay, Maestro, JCB cards are accepted by shops and ATM counter so you can make hassle-free to visit Nepal by avoiding the risk of cash-carrying with you. However, to pay your holiday fee to the tour operator you can ask them in advance what is a good way to pay them. Incase of ours we include all card fees included on our trip packages and you will not get any extra hassle. You can use reliable bank ATM counters like Nabil Bank, Siddhartha Bank, Himalayan Bank, Standard Chartered Bank & other available Banks on your way.
VOLTAGE
The voltage in Nepal is 230 volts and we advise you to get a travel adapter with you. Power outages can often occur in the country previously, but Nepal has generated an abundance of a clean source of energy from its hydropower plants so nowadays Nepal is out of load shedding.
