| Do
I need a visa to visit Nepal? |
| Visa can be acquire
either on arrival in Nepal or from Royal Nepalese Embassy
or consulate or other mission offices aboard.
Visa Fee
~ A single entry visa costs US$30 for 60 days.
~ Additional re-entry costs US$25 - Single; US$40
Double; US$60 Multiple.
~ A 30 day extension costs US$50 (in Nepalese currency)
|
| What
are the main attractions? |
Many
people come to Nepal just to trek among the Himalaya
giants (check out Skyline trekking regions ) but there
is also a lot more to the country. If trekking isn't
your thing there are many other options such as:-
Explore Kathmandu
and it's surrounding valley; walk the streets of Kathmandu
on an extensive guided tour, visit the medieval cities
of Bhaktapur and Patan, visit the Buddhist and Hindu
temples at Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath and Boudha
and drive to Nagarkot to take in the sweeping views
of the giant Himal as the sun rises.
Take a mountain flight through the Everest region.
Fly over the Annapurnas and relax in the sleepy town
of Pokhara sipping cappuccinos at this lakeside location.
Wildlife Safari fly to Chitwan National Park from
Kathmandu, take a look at Skyline trip to this area,
Chitwan Wildlife.
Bird Watching Nepal has 848 species of birds hence
the bird watching is magnificent. Check out Skyline
Bird Watching Mecca trip.
Outdoor Adventures Nepal has a plethora of adventure
sports on offer from white-water river rafting, bungy
jumping, hot-air ballooning and para-gliding. If you
interested in any of these please contact us skyline@enet.com.np
|
| When
to Travel? |
|
The
Nepal Himalaya is governed by the Southerly Monsoon
which brings heavy precipitation between the months
of June and September, i.e. it rains a lot. There
are great treks available in the rain shadow during
these months but if you are planning a more popular
trek it is best to avoid the monsoon months. Autumn
through to Spring is the best time to fully experience
Nepal. |
| Is trekking
for me? |
|
| If you are reasonably
fit and enjoy walking you will find a trek in the brochure
to suit you. Normally the shorter treks tend to be easier
whilst the longer ones often require a better standard
of fitness. All treks in the brochure have been graded.
It is also worth remembering if we are tailoring your
tour, you can choose the pace and direction of your
experience. |
| Who are my
guides? |
|
Skyline Treks has a policy of
training and employing only local staff, including
guides. These guides are first aid trained, speak
English and are constantly being further skilled
with eco-tourism and other training programs provided
by Skyline. Local guides are passionate about their
country and they know the region and the culture
better than anyone. Skyline also has a strong policy
on contributing back to the communities we travel
in, so instead of paying relatively large sums to
international guides, we only train and employ local
guides. Interacting with your guides is also a fun
and informative way to gain local insight, and you
can pick up a bit of the language and other skills
that can make your adventure that much more enjoyable.
We are happy to provide specific details about your
guide should you request this for your trip.
|
What are
porters?
|
|
Porter
is the term used to describe the staff who carry the
equipment and belongings for your trek. Porters are
in fact often part time farmers who require supplementary
income and the practice of portering is an integral
part of the Himalayan culture. However, porters are
often mistreated by trekking agencies and trekkers.
Porter treatment is a real issue in Nepal for more
detailed and informative discussion on this subject
please visit International Porters Progress Group
- www.ippg.net - and Porters Progress - http://www.portersprogress.org/
- Skyline Treks are members of both IPPG and PP
and are committed to caring for our porters and following
the guidelines set by these two organizations. In
fact, Skyline Treks goes the extra yard by actively
encouraging our more experienced porters to train
as guides, the expense for which is covered by Skyline.
Happy porters make your adventure more enjoyable and
provide a unique insight into their culture. |
| What
is rafting like and how safe is it? |
|
Nepal has some of the most magnificent rivers in the
world. Deep gorges surrounded by lush forests, villages
perched on rocky ledges, white water rapids and flat,
warm sandy beaches. Cruising gently down a river on
a raft in Nepal can be either relaxing or adrenalin
pumping, depending on how you like it.
Rafting trips are fully catered and
supported. After a day cruising down the river, the
local guides will set up camp on the riverbank. Campsite
locations are chosen on the following basis: |
Safety
Natural surrounding beauty and away from towns and
roads providing a feeling of remoteness Tents, sleeping
mats, sleeping bags, food and campfire are all provided.
Just bring along your spirit of adventure!
Skyline Treks give paramount importance to safety
and it is without question our number one priority,
regardless of the activity. In terms of rafting trips,
the following is provided to ensure your safety:
- Helmets and Life jackets are compulsory at all
times on the water
- A safety briefing is mandatory before the raft
is put in the water
- All raft guides are first aid trained
- The Spirit raft guides are some of the most experienced
in Nepal
- All raft trips are accompanied by a minimum of
two safety kayakers
- Spirit always use a separate, extra raft for equipment
- Strict hygiene practices are followed at campsites
|
| Where
to stay on trek? |
|
In
the more popular trails (Annapurna, Everest and Langtang)
there are well-established Mountain lodges providing
sleeping accommodation and meals. Gone are the days
when trekkers had to share dormitories, almost all
lodges nowadays provide private rooms and many also
have solar showers and clean toilet facilities. You
can of course opt for a camping trek in these regions
but as many campsites are connected to lodges it is
debatable whether there is real benefit being under
canvas.
Trekking in more remote areas necessitates transporting
in all the needs for the group tents food etc. Food
is prepared by our cook team and drinking water is
adequately treated.
|
| Is
the food / water safe to eat / drink? |
|
Hygiene when trekking generally has improved considerably
over the last ten years; our guides have the local
knowledge to choose the lodges which maintain a high
standard of hygiene. If you are under canvas all meals
are prepared to high standards, fruit and vegetables
are soaked in iodine before preparation. Most lodges
serve boiled and filtered water, which is generally
safe, we suggest a drop of iodine to be totally sure.
We discourage the purchase of bottled water for the
obvious environmental reasons
|
| What
you should bring during the trek ? |
|
- Good and comfortable trekking boots.
- Rucksack and day bag.
- Some pairs of warm socks as well as light socks.
- Warm clothes necessary for the morning and evening.
- Your toiletries and medical kit including headache
tablets.
- Couple of T-shirts and shorts for the day.
- Scarf and gloves - it can get very cold out of
the sun.
- Slippers/Down jackets
- Sun hat and sun block - very important to protect
against sunburn.
- Flash light - most important on the trekking since
there is no electricity.
- Compass (If necessity).
- Camera with sufficient film.
|
| What
is altitude sickness? |
|
A number of measures
can be adopted to prevent acute mountain sickness:
-
Ascend slowly - have frequent
rest days, spending two to three nights at each
rise of 1,000 metres. If you reach a high altitude
by trekking, acclimatisation takes place gradually
and you are less likely to be affected than if
you fly directly to high altitude.
-
It is always wise to sleep
at a lower altitude than the greatest height reached
during the day if possible. Also, once above 3000
metres, care should be taken not to increase the
sleeping altitude by more than 300 metres per
day.
-
Drink extra fluids. The mountain
air is dry and cold and moisture is lost as you
breathe. Evaporation of sweat may occur unoticed
and result in dehydration.
iv) Eat light, high-carbohydrate meals for more
energy.
- Avoid alcohol as it may increase the risk of
dehydration.
- Avoid sedatives.
|
| What
happens if there is an emergency? |
|
All
of our guides are trained in basic first aid and can
deal with the basic ailments that may occur on trek.
In the event of an emergency Nature Trail Trekking
will cover initial expenses of any rescue operation.
It is a condition of booking that you are adequately
insured for such an event as these expenses will need
to be recovered from your insurance company. In the
more frequented regions there are health posts, which
have been established by foreign doctors and many
are staffed by overseas personnel. Nature Trails &
Expeditions are associated members of The Himalayan
Rescue Association.
|
| Further
useful information |
|
- Respect local traditions, customs, values and
sentiments to help them protect local culture and
maintain local pride.
- Respect privacy when taking photographs
- Respect holy places
- Refrain from giving money to children as it encourages
begging
- Respect for the local etiquette earns you respect
- Let the Himalayas change you - Do not change
them
- Protect the natural environment
- Leave the campsite cleaner than you found it
- Limit deforestation - make no open fires
- Burn dry paper and packets in a safe place
- Keep local water clean and avoid using pollutants
Plants should be left to flourish in their natural
environment
If you have more questions, please mail us at skyline@enet.com.np |
| What
is the currency and what do things cost? |
|
The currency is Nepalese
rupee (NPR) which is divided into 100 paisa. It is
quite easy to exchange currency in Kathmandu , US
$, AUS$ and GBP are readily accepted. There are also
a number of ATM's in Kathmandu and Pokhara which except
both Mastercard and Visa. Travellers cheques are also
widely accepted. Major credit cards are accepted in
mid-range hotels, restaurants and fancy shops but
elsewhere it is safer to assume they will not be accepted.
A bottle of coke costs 35r, a lunch of a sandwich
and drink costs 70-100r, beer costs 125r, and a good
pizza costs 200r.
As of Nov 2005 exchange rate is - AUS$1 = 54.07 NPR,
GBP1 =135.00 NPR, EUR1 =92.08 NPR, US$1 =7.94NRP Check
out this site for current rates http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic |
| How
will my booking be processed? |
|
To
confirm your booking we will require a non-refundable
deposit of 25% which can be made by bank transfer
to our Booking Agents.
The balance is payable on arrival in Kathmandu and
is normally made in the form of a Money Order or Travellers
Cheques. Alternatively this can be made by bank transfer
shortly before arriving in Kathmandu. |
