Trekking Requirements, information and facilities

Trekking is a sheer adventure and hence the proper informational knowledge and carrying along the proper equipments are very much essential during the treks. Some trekking extends to the peak climbing and hence they are even more adventurous and sensitive. So, to convey the relevant information to the clients is the duty of the sales or tour officer.
Trekking Equipments
There are two types of trekking equipments
Company provided (Logistics)
Personal (Trekkers clothing and gears)

List of Company Equipments

• Lodging Tents
• A-shaped Triangular tents: They are heavy but considered the best ones for the treks till the Base Camps because of their enduring strength against strong winds
• Dome Tents: They are light and considered the best during the high altitude long treks and expedition.
• Mattress
• Small foam mattress 1.5 inch thick
• 0.5 to 0.75 inch rubber pad
• Air bag with insulation and thermal rest beneath
• Dining Equipments
• Dining tents, tables and chairs
• Kitchen tents and cooking equipments
• Toilet tents
If the trek is organized as per the tea house or GAP arrangements the company provides the services accordingly.

Personal clothing and trekking gears for a trek
Clothing
• Lightweight walking boots for the new one bought “walk then in” to avoid sores.
• Spare Laces
• 2 pairs of thin and 2 pair of thick woolen socks
• A pair of camp shoes/ sandals to wear in the camp at night or when the boot is wet
• Warm fleece jacket
• A rain/wind proof jacket with hood or a poncho, get the one that is guaranteed waterproof.
• Woolen shirts and thick sweaters
• A pair of lightweight/ heavy weight trousers
• Nightwear and thermals
• Thermal inner wears
• A fleece sweat pant useful for wearing in camp and in the tent
• 2 pair of loose fitting long shorts/ skirts.
• 1 lightweight long sleeved –shirt is particularly suitable for avoiding sun burn.
• A warm balaclava and neck gaiter
• A pair of gloves, Leather with lining and woolen is best
Equipment and Accessories
• Sleeping bag
• 2 seasons- up to 0 degree centigrade
• 3 seasons- up to -12 degree centigrade
• 4 seasons- up to -40 degree centigrade
• Duffle bag or kit bag to carry to gear while trekking
• Daypack: This is a small rucksack to carry personal requirement for the day e.g. toilet items, camera, film towel, soap, a boot etc.
• Snow glasses and sunglasses
• 2-4 large plastic bags to separate clean clothes from dirty ones
• 6-10 smaller plastic bags to dispose garbage
• Wallet and /or money belt with compartment for coins.
• Toiletries with large and small towels Toilet paper can be bought in Kathmandu and some villages in the mountains.
• Small headlamp and/ or torch with spare batteries and bulbs candles and lighter to burn toilet paper
• Snow gaiters essential during wither and all treks going over at other times.

Gears for Trekking Peak Climbing
• All trek gears plus
• Climbing back pack
• Climbing boots (Plastic made)
• Crampons (thorns like metal stuck on the base of climbing boots to firmly hold the ice while climbing)
• Ice axe (It has two uses sometimes to dig the barrier ice to make a way ahead and other times it is a life saving tool to hook it on the ice hold it till the help comes)
• Helmet
• Carabineers
• Gaiters (Pad to roll over the boots and trousers to avoid the ice enter the foot while walking in ice and hence avoid the risk of frost bite.
• Climbing down (Pant and jacket)
• Mercury coated glacier glasses
• Reading materials, camera and film, game items (optional), note book, rubber band, pen and pencil, envelopes, a diary, a calendar, a pocket knife, binoculars (optional), a small pillow or headrest (optional).Thermoses (optional)- an inflatable sleeping mat, trekking map, adequate quantities of passport photograph
• Trekking poles

Weather:
Normally peak season for touristic activities in Nepal is divided into two seasons: Autumn (October to December) and spring (march to May). Weather remains fairly stable and pleasant during these seasons. The common features of these seasons are:
• Bright sunshine
• Blue sky
• Chilling morning and evening, warm during daytime
• Windy day time in higher altitude
General information needed in trekking:
• Accommodation: hotels, tea houses, home stay, tents with mattress
• Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner in FOT and TH treks, trekker should inform if there is any special diet requirements.
Breakfast: cornflakes, muesli, toast/pancakes/chapatti (with honey, butter or jam), egg, potato (fries or hash brown), ham/bacon sausage, tea/coffee, juice (squash) etc.
Lunch: sandwich, pizza, noodles, tuna, cutlet, spring roll, tea/coffee, juice etc
Dinner: (three course in dinner: soup, main course and desert) rice and curry, noodles, pasta, momo, tea/coffee etc.
• Water: Mineral water/tap or spring water with water purification tablets
• Trek type: GAP/TH/FOT
• Luggage: 15kg of luggage in the main luggage (1 porter:30 kg)
• Crew: Western leader, Nepali trek leader, Nepali Sherpa guide and his assistants, Nepali cook and assistants, porters
• Join a group or private trip: fixed departure , private or customized trip
• Group size: number of person, ED’s fixed departure size is 2-12 pax
• Personal Expenses: should suggest them tentative cost in average per day, for GAP trek USD 15 – 30 per day, for other treks USD 10-20 per day. However, this is only suggestion, subject to change.
• Climate: Oct/Nov and Apr/May-best time
• People and Culture
• Festivals
• Change of itinerary: every itinerary is a suggested guideline only; it’s changeable subject to consultation to guide, non refundable to early arrivals.
• Trek duration: as per itinerary
• Cancellation: will be charged certain percentage as per the company rules
• Visa rule: as per the rule of Nepal Government
• Health issue: no any health requirement to come to Nepal, except in case of certain epidemics
• First aid kit: provide it with recommended list and manual but should be used upon own risk as our guides are not certified for medical operations
• Responsible Travel: Sustainable trek, should be devoid of environmental, social and economical hazards
• Trip extension: trips are always extendable (in negotiation with the company)
• Social responsibility: should follow the theme of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Care for porters and staff
• Booking conditions: advance deposit/final payment, should have necessary documents and photographs
• Trip grade: soft adventure, fairly challenging (moderate), challenging (strenuous)
• Transfer and internal flight
• Communication: mobile phones, internet, SAT phone
• Gear rental: easily available in KTM
• Typical day on trek: daily schedule and daily activities on trek
• Meeting and greeting: company representative will receive and greet at Tribhuwan International Airport (not advised to go with unidentified people or group), if cannot find the company representative, contact the TIA’s inquiry desk, police or make a call to the company.
• Rescue evacuation: in case of emergency, trekkers will be rescued by helicopter.
• Insurance: company will not be liable for trekker’s personal insurance, they should make sure with their insurance company regarding the evacuation insurance
Food on Trek

Food in the trekking regions of Nepal is considered the best. The cooking ways taught in the ancient trekking days by the English trekkers is well adapted. Soup, main course, dessert are standard food course in the tea houses during the treks in Nepal. However, the food varies with the type of trek the trekkers prefer.
Tea House Trek:
Food in the tea houses during the trek is similar to food available in the restaurants of Thamel. Tea Houses provide European/American food course.
They provide hearty breakfast. Normally, the breakfast menu consists of following foods:
Cornflakes
Porridge
Muesli
Bread Toast with honey, butter, jam or peanut butter
Egg- boiled, fried
Potato- fried or hash brown
Ham, bacon or sausage
Juice
Tea and Coffee
Lunches in the tea houses are also full of options with following menus:
Sandwiches
Pizza
Cheese noodles
Momo
French Fries
Tuna
Cutlet
Curries- vegetable or meat
Green Salad
Fresh Fruits
Juice
Tea and Coffee
Dinner at the tea houses offer all the menus of the lunches and offer some extra cuisines like typical Nepali Dal Bhat Tarkari, Chapatis and many more
Note: If the trekkers need any special dietary requirements they would be served as per their necessity if they let us know.

GAP Trek: During the GAP treks trekkers are available with all the food mentioned in the tea houses. They can eat anything available but they are payable to the expenses for the food there and then.
FOT: During the fully organized treks the trekkers will eat the food cooked by our Sherpa cooks in the tent. The food provided by the Sherpa cooks is equally hygienic and delicious because the European/ American food course were introduced in the trekking regions of Nepal by these Sherpa cooks.
Accommodation:
Based on the type of trek the trekker will accommodate either in the tea houses or in the camps. The accommodation in the tea houses is either in the room based on twin sharing with common bathroom or in a single room with attached bathroom. It depends upon trekker’s affordability and choice.
Accommodation during GAP and Tea house Trek
During the GAP and the tea house treks the trekkers can choose the room to accommodate themselves as per their preference. They can pick the room based on twin sharing basis with a common bathroom which is normally cheap. They have the alternate to accommodate in a single room with an attached bathroom and they are comparatively expensive.
Accommodation during the FOT treks
Fully organized treks are based on camps. Nepalese camps which are considered suitable till the base camps are tested ones. They are A-shaped allowing two persons to camp. They are heavy tents but are cheaper. Branded tents which are dome-shaped and lighter are preferred during the higher altitude treks beyond the base camps. These tents facilitate single or double accommodation with varied sizes.
Medical Assistance:
The medical assistance during the tour operations in the city shall be taken well care at the sophisticated hospitals. But during the treks in the rural Himalayas, the Gamow-bag and the first aid kit will travel along with the trekkers. Despite of Sherpas who have undertaken the basic first aid training and the availability of recommended medicines with the guidance sheet, trekking companies do not take risk of health hazards of the member by the use of the available medicines. So, using the medicines is totally at the member’s own risk. The first aid kit and Gamow-bag normally work out to ease the panicking trekker. However, the trekking regions in Nepal these days are full with hospitals and health posts. Still, because of dispersed landscapes and long walking access to the hospitals or health posts the righteous thing to do is to use the basic first aid facilities available on the spot and further pursue for remaining treatment. If the health issue is serious the member client will be immediately rescued.
Rescue and Evacuation
The Rescue and Evacuation is a necessity anytime at the Himalayas because of altitude sickness. The helicopters and rescue team are always prepared. Every trekker in the high altitude of the Himalayas shall be insured and if necessary, the immediate rescue and evacuation can be operated which expenditure can be easily covered by their insurance companies. For rescue and evacuation the standard