Trekking Capital of the World is Nepal

Nepal is considered the best place for long walks in the mountains. And it is clear why – clean air, a way of life barely touched by civilization, the highest mountain peaks in the world, ancient Hindu and Buddhist monasteries – you return from Nepal renewed and inspired.

Let’s find out together why Nepal is so tempting, when is the best time to go there for trekking and what equipment to prepare for walking in the mountains. It’s necessary to prepare the equipment for touring as we normally do for some specific kind of tour i.e buggy in deserts, yacht touring etc.

Why choose Nepal for trekking?

The first and most important reason is the mountains. Eight of the 14 eight-thousanders are located at once in one place: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Annapurnu, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Makalu, Cho-Yoyu. The beauty and height of these mountains is simply breathtaking.

Nepal is a very unique and interesting country. There are many amazing places that are really worth seeing.
Over the past 40 years, the government of Nepal has gone to great lengths to make trekking safe and affordable for travelers. The trails are marked, in the villages there are guesthouses with a sufficient level of comfort, many different routes, which are accompanied by guides who are immediately on the spot.

When is the best time to go for trekking?
There are usually two tourist seasons in Nepal: from March to mid-May and from October to early December. This time is considered the most favorable for trekking, since the weather is quite stable – 20-30 degrees of heat on the plain and not so cold in the mountains.

For trekking through the jungle, local villages at an altitude of up to 4000 m, it is better to choose the spring season: at this time, rhododendrons bloom in the valleys. And if you rise above 4000 m, in the spring there will still be snow, and the lakes will be covered with ice.

In autumn, snow lies mainly above 5000 m on passes, peaks and glaciers. But at this time, all the lakes are already open, and the most important thing for trekking is warm enough comfortable weather. Up to 4000 m you can go in a T-shirt, above – in fleece and a windproof jacket. You also need to be prepared for the fact that there may be frosts at night.

Summer in Nepal is the monsoon rainy season – this is not the best time to travel. In winter, it is quite possible to go hiking, but you should be prepared for the fact that the average temperature is 10-15 degrees lower than in autumn. Some passes may be closed due to snowfall. But everything has its advantages – at this time there are few tourists in Nepal same as we don’t recommend dirt biking in the heart of desert in summer. However, you need to prepare for winter hiking thoroughly and correctly.

What to bring?
Backpack with rain cape
The optimal volume of a backpack is 40-50 liters. It should have a comfortable waist belt, preferably a ventilated back. Do not forget a waterproof cover, although it is dry in the tourist season in Nepal, it is quite possible to get caught in a downpour. With the right selection of equipment, the weight of a backpack in trekking rarely exceeds 10-12 kilograms. Such a backpack can be carried by any person in good physical shape, even in high mountains. But in Nepalese trekking, you can simplify your life even more: hire a porter – a person who wears your things while traveling.

Sleeping bag
Before traveling, it is important to find out if a sleeping bag is needed on a particular route. There are nuances here. For example, on the most popular tracks to Everest and Annapurna, guesthouses have warm blankets made of yak wool. It’s hard to get cold under them. However, not all guesthouses can be clean enough, so those who are embarrassed by this, as well as those who are allergic to wool, should take a light sleeping bag with them.

Trekking Poles
Significantly reduce the load on the knees and help to maintain balance on steep sections of the trail. On simple short routes, you can do without sticks.

Sunglasses
The higher you climb the mountains, the stronger the ultraviolet radiation. At least a couple of days on the track you will have to pass in the snow and at high altitude, so it is important to protect your eyes. Glasses are one piece of equipment that you should never skimp on.

Head Torch
Not everywhere in Nepal has electricity. And to storm the pass, for example, you will have to go out in the dark, so you can’t do without a headlamp.

Clothes for any weather
Going to Nepal, you need to prepare for both the heat and the cold. When choosing clothes, the theory of layers works: thermal underwear – a warming layer – wind and moisture protection.

Bring lightweight thermal underwear for high activity. Synthetic thermal underwear perfectly removes moisture and dries quickly. You should not take models with short sleeves: a long sleeve will protect against burning.

Headdress
A cap or buff is suitable for protection from the sun, and a warm fleece hat for protection from the cold.

Gloves
Lightweight fleece gloves will keep you warm at altitude or in the evening. Models with Windstopper material additionally protect against wind.

Socks
Take several pairs of special trekking socks of different thicknesses. They will protect your feet from chafing and provide greater comfort than regular cotton socks.

Shoes
The most important piece of tracker equipment. From its quality and convenience depends on how easy and comfortable it will be on the route. Shoes that you plan to take on a trip should definitely be broken in before departure to make sure that your feet are comfortable and do not rub anything.

The trekking route usually starts at an altitude of 600-800 m above sea level in the tropical jungle. The highest point of the track is about 4-5 thousand meters.

Therefore, two pairs of shoes are required:

Sturdy sandals, preferably with toe protection, or light running shoes. In them, you will climb to a height of 2-3 thousand meters. In good sandals, it is not hot when walking for a long time and your legs get tired less.
Trekking boots provide ankle support, good grip on the ground and snow, and protection from the cold.
In addition to two pairs of shoes, you can take flip-flops with you to rest your feet from tight boots and sandals in the evenings.

Author: admin