WHY TREK IN NEPAL?

A trek in Nepal is a unique and unforgettable experience for a whole lot of reasons but four in particular stand out

Scenery
Eight out of fourteen highest mountains in the world are in Nepal and if you want to see these up close, you must walk. While trekking you see far more than the mountains. You can walk from the tropical lowlands to alpine meadows and glacial moraines while in the spring Nepal's brilliant rhododendrons will be in bloom and you may see rare species of birds.

Diversity
The landscape of Nepal is almost continually inhabited. The majority of Nepal's population live, not in the cities, but in tiny villages. Even in the high mountains, small settlements on stone houses and yak pastures dot every possible flat space. Much of the fascination of a trek is derived from the opportunity to observe life in these villages, where people truly live off the land, using only a few manufactured items such as soap, kerosene, paper and matches. All of which are imported in bamboo baskets carried by bare foot porters.

Trekkers pass through picturesque villages inhabited by Sherpas, Magars, Gurungs and Tamangs in the highlands and Brahmins, Chhetris and Newars in the lower altitudes. These are among the many ethnic groups which exist in Nepal.

People
Trekkers are always impressed by the friendliness of the people they meet along the local trails .The hill people particularly their traditional hospitality and fascinating culture, make a trek in Nepal a special kind of mountain holiday unlike any other part of world.

Safety
Not only is scenery interesting and ever changing but it can be seen in relative safety. Theft, robbery, assault all the problems of western civilization and many Asian countries are still relatively unknown in Nepal. There was a time a few years ago When even women could trek alone in Nepal. Unfortunately things seem to be changing and treks need to be more careful than they used to be. It is advisable to trek in groups of at least two persons and if possible with a porter or a guide. But this doesn't necessarily mean that you need to trek with an organized trekking agency in an expensive way.

Height
Trekking is not mountaineering but it is as well to remember that the Himalayas begin where other mountains finish. Whether you begin your trek at a roadbed or fly into a remote mountain airstrip, a large part of your trek will be in the middle hills region at an elevations between 1000 meters and 3000 meters but the trek to Everest base camp will reach 5545 meters. Most of the time you will remain with in the altitude range 1500 to 2000 meters. In this region, there are always well-developed trails through villages and across mountain passes. Even at high altitudes there are intermittent settlements used in the summer by erders, so the trails, though often indistinct, are always there. All trails are easily traversed without the aid of ropes or any mountaineering skill. There are rare occasions when snow is encountered, and on some high passes it might be necessary to place a safety line for your companions or porter if there is deep snow, but alpine techniques are almost never used on a traditional trek. Anyone who has walked extensively in the mountains has all the skill necessary for on extended trek in Nepal.