Undoubtedly one of the best trekking destinations in the world, Nepal is a fascinating place to visit. It provides you with a flurry of choices for sightseeing, trekking, hiking, and other adventure activities. Nepal is a blessing, especially for adventure enthusiasts. Whether you want to brave the challenging  Everest Three Passes Trek or embark on a relatively more straightforward trek to Upper Mustang, Nepal has it all for you!

Before you set out for some of the classic treks like EBC and Annapurna Circuit Trek or the lesser-known Ghorepani Poonhill Trek or the Mardi Himal Trek, let’s take a look at some of the things no one told you about. 

Flights from Lukla to back are often delayed:

When you are embarking on the Gokyo Lakes Trek or the Everest Three Passes Trek, you need to fly to Lukla and start your trek formally from that place. But flight conditions are mostly dubious because of the unpredictable weather. November to February have terrible flight conditions; hence you should think before planning a trek in Nepal during that period. 

At other times, flights don’t take off until the skies are crystal clear and there is absolutely no threat from the weather. Flights take off in a first-booked, first-fly order. So you might have to wait for hours and even a day or two before you can fly to your destination. Hence, it is wise to plan a couple of days extra during your flight to Lukla and back. 

Another option to bypass a late flight schedule or overcome any associated challenges is to hire a helicopter. These are tremendously expensive for the limited space they offer. A limited number of passengers and luggage costs approximately 500 USD.

Hence, the best option is to plan for buffer days in your itinerary and carry some extra cash if you need to board a helicopter. 

Maintaining indigenous social etiquette is a big thing:

It doesn’t matter if you are eager about the dangerous Mera Peak climbing or want to participate in the Poonhill Trek to view the fabled sunrise from the summit; everywhere you go in Nepal, you have to be mindful of the social etiquette. 

Greeting the locals is immensely important. They are amicable and friendly. Once you welcome them appropriately, they will connect with you immediately and help you in all your endeavors. The gesture of greeting with both your palms folded in a ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Namaste’ is socially acceptable in Nepal. Addressing men older to you as ‘dai’ (elder brother) and women as ‘didi’ (elder sister) shows that you are paying them respect when interacting with them. 

Avoid touching anyone with your leg or stepping on someone’s feet while staying at a tea-house or mixing with the locals. It is considered impolite. While you are residing at a tea-house, you should avoid wearing revealing clothes like shorts and bikinis. The Nepalese culture forbids wearing revealing clothes and public displays of affection. You should bear this in mind. 

If you are visiting a Nepalese monastery or prayer house, try paying your respects and being silent. These places of worship are some of the tell-tale signs of Nepal’s ancient religious heritage and culture. When invited to a Nepalese home, please remove your shoes before entering their place. Wash your hands and mouth before eating. Avoid using your personal spoon and fork while food is being served. Try not to ‘pollute’ the food. Avoid contact with a used plate or utensil. 

Following these few practices ardently will ensure that your stay is peaceful and don’t make the locals angry. 

The tea-houses might not be well-fashioned

When you are going for the Gokyo Lakes Trek or the Poonhill Trek, you will need accommodation. These places are often ill-fashioned and constructed with the simplest materials like plywood, stones, etc. You should not expect a flashy site to stay. Be humble, and accept their hospitality wholeheartedly. 

If you wish to stay in more presentable places, you could arrange for guesthouses with your tour operator. But if you are going for high-altitude treks like the Everest Three Passes Trek, it might be difficult to find guest houses at a more significant elevation. Tea-houses are your best bet. 

Staying in tea-houses during frigid nights could be a bummer because you will often find sizable gaps within the walls and cracked windows. You can pack duct-tapes within your list of essentials to escape from these problems. Carrying thermal insulators also help, as they will keep the room adequately warm. 

Being wary of the chargeable amenities:

Electricity is a precious and rare commodity as you continue trekking up the higher altitudes of Nepal. The unpredictable weather often disturbs the tea-houses’ electrical connections on the trekking trail since they are mostly solar-based. If you wish to charge your devices, you should know that electricity is chargeable. Charging your mobile phone, power bank, and other electronic devices is billed within 1 to 5 USD, but the prices soar as the altitude increases. Sometimes, the charge depends on your device getting fully juiced. At other times, the cost is decided per hour. 

Carrying a light bulb adaptor could be a wise option. But you should never connect such adaptors to heating devices as it could result in a hazard. 

Internet connection is poor. Certain tea-houses provide very feeble wi-fi connection. But that is chargeable as well. 

Maintaining proper hygiene and taking adequate precaution against dirt and dust:

You should be careful about your personal hygiene and carry adequate toiletries, biodegradable soap, wet wipes, tissue, toilet paper, and sanitizers. Because showers are a rare object in such hiking trails. If you find one at a lower altitude, it will be mighty expensive!

Nepal is not just the clean skies and dazzlingly white peaks. The yaks’ excrement litters most of the trails that trekkers take for their adventures. It gets mixed with dirt and dust and creates a terrific nuisance. Objecting against this will be of no avail, as yaks’ excreta forms the primary burning fuel in tea-houses. 

You can take precautions personally. Carry a few medical masks. You can also take a bandana or a neck gaiter. These will help protect you against the low temperature as well. 

Summing up:

Now that we have highlighted some of the essential tips that none will offer, you should plan accordingly. These will come to your rescue if you are facing any unprecedented situation while hiking in Nepal.