Frequently Asked Questions

If you are thinking about taking your first trip to Nepal, you will probably have a lot of questions. After all, our journeys are different from standard tours. Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about our trips:

Can I get a VISA on arrival?

Yes, you can obtain your entry visa at the Kathmandu airport upon arrival or at a consulate in your home country. In either case, you need 2 passport size photograph and the visa fee. Check with us for an update. Passport & visa info

What are our trips like?

:Our trips are designed as off-the-beaten-path journeys. We do everything we can to allow you to experience the local culture and to participate in local practices. We want to give you the opportunity to interact with the locals, learn about their way of life, learn some Nepali phrases, and perhaps participate with the local trekking staff as they sing and dance after a day of trekking. We consider these interactions some of the most valuable memories to take back home, along with the stunning views of the Himalayas. Nepalese are also very excited to learn more about your way of life.

Do you need a Guide?

So, is it true that you can travel through Nepal without using guides? The answer is yes, you can. However, we always recommend that you take a guide along. They act as a liaison between you and the people and without the guide you will never get in touch with the people. You will visit the place but not interact with the culture and learn from it. The guides get their licenses from the Government organization called NATHM (National Academy for Tourism and Hotel Management) and are officially recognized by the government. They are trained from time to time on issues such as first aid, Acute Mountain Sickness, rescue methods etc. Travelling in Nepal is not like in other countries where the altitudes are low. Once you cross the altitude of 3000m (and you will in almost every trek) you have to be extremely cautious. The guides are knowledgeable in methods to reduce your impact in the environment and culture of Nepal. They will help you minimize the negative impacts of your travels. They will also inform you on how to not be offending to the culture of the people. Finally, they also have a wealth of information about the area you are travelling in and about Nepal in general.

TYPES OF TREKKING

Tea House Treks

The most popular way of experiencing classic treks of Nepal is by using local inns for accommodation. Decent hotel accommodation for trekkers is most readily available in the Annapurna, Langtang and Everest Region. In these areas you can operate with a bare minimum of equipment and rely on lodges for food and shelter. Though bedding is available in the lodges as a cotton-filled quilt that may not sufficiently incubate you. So it is always better to carry your own sleeping bags. A teahouse trek organized by Eco Trek is an escorted lodge trekking with well-equipped porters carrying your luggage and well-experienced guide arranging food, accommodation and dealing with bureaucracy as a part of the package.

Camping Treks

The classic style of trekking in Nepal is to camp in tents and employ Porters to carry your gears and Sherpas to set up camp, cook and serve meals. You carry a backpack with only a water bottle, camera and Jacket. In the camping treks there are numerous hidden expenses that drive up the price depending on the destination, mode of transportation and size of the group. Because of the food is carried by the porters, a variety of meals is possible. On camping trek you sleep in a tent so our itinerary should not rely on village settlements. Rather we can comfortably trek to remote regions and to high altitudes. A camping treks directed by Eco Trek caters skilled cook, required no of Sherpas and a team of insured porters all led by well-learned and experienced guide.

No Mountaineering Skills Needed

Weather you begin your trek at a road head or fly in to a remote mountain airstrip, a large part of your trek will be in the Middle Hills region at elevation between 500m-3500m. In this part of Nepal there are always well-developed trails through villages and mountain passes. Even at high altitudes there are intermittent settlements used during summer by shepherds, so the trails, though often indistinct, are always there. You can easily travel on any trail without the aid of ropes or mountaineering skills. There are rare occasions when there is snow on the trekking trails.

I have never trekked before; can I do a trek in the Himalayas?

If you are in good health and enjoy regular exercise such as jogging, tennis, or even long walks, we have a trip designed for you. The number one qualification is a positive attitude! We have had many years of experience of treks in high altitudes, so we know how to pace a trek or climb. Each person reacts to altitude in a different way, so it is difficult to predict how you will do. But in general, with the careful pacing of our trips, allowing proper rest days for acclimatization, most people adapt well. The potential problems with altitude stem from people going too high too fast. We make sure that this does not happen. The Himalayas remains hidden behind the rain and clouds. The downpours create floods and landslides occasionally at lowlands. The monsoon ends by mid September and immediately the crispy air brings in autumn with clear blue skies.

What will the weather be like on the trip?

The ideal time of year to go to Nepal is either in the fall or in the spring. In the mountain regions, day time hiking temperatures generally range from the 50's to the 80's F. Night time temperatures drop down to 20 to 40 F. Since we carefully schedule trips to coincide with the ideal seasons to visit a particular area, we do our best to assure you "good" weather. Unfortunately, Mother Nature always has the final say. We are happy to answer your weather questions on an individual basis.

What is the food like? How is the water purified?

On camping treks we provide 3 tasty, plentiful and nutritious meals daily with a variety of local and Western dishes. To start the day, breakfast consists of a choice of porridge, muesli and cereal followed by omelette, fried or scrambled eggs with chapattis or bread. Lunch is generally a selection of salad, cooked vegetable dishes, pasta and traditional breads. After a day on the trail dinner is a hearty 3 course meal - soup, followed by a variety of vegetable, meat, rice and pasta dishes and completed with a simple dessert. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are also provided at most meals. We use as much fresh produce as possible and our cooks and kitchen crew maintain good standards of cleanliness and food preparation hygiene. Special dietary requirements can be catered for.
All water used for cooking and drinking is purified by our camp staff either by boiling or by the use of Iodine. (At high altitudes, Iodine is safer than boiling since water boils at lower temperatures.) You can buy bottled water while in Kathmandu and you will be provided boiled or filtered water on the trek. Always brush your teeth in treated or bottled water. As an extra precaution, you can add your own Iodine tablets to your treated water while on the trek.

What equipment should I bring?

We will help you in your selection of equipment to bring, it depends a lot upon the season you arrive here or where you are going, so please see our basic equipment lists besides each tour or e-mail us for a complete gear list.

Are your staff fully equipped and what about their insurance?

All our staff has insurance and free access to equipment. The salaries are above average and our staff members are free to join any trade union. Medical care, if needed, is for everyone in the expedition. Our porters carry a maximum of 20 kilos and if a porter gets sick we will take care of him until he has recovered. This means that our clients are paying a slightly higher rate but you are supporting decent and equitable working conditions for all staff.