Trekking
Introduction : Trekking in Nepal
Kathmandu is not representative of Nepal. If you take the time and have the energy to trek, you should not miss the opportunity to leave Kathmandu and observe the spectacular beauty and the unique culture of Nepal. Fortunately for the visitor to Nepal there are still only few roads extending deeply into the hills, so the kingdom must be visited in the slowest and most intimate manner-by walking. The time and effort required for this mode of transportation certainly is greater than other ways, but then the rewards are correspondingly greater, instead of zipping down a freeway, racing to the next point of interest, each step provides new and intriguing view points, and you will perceive your day as an entity, rather than a few highlights strung together by a ribbon of concrete. For the romanticist, each step is a step in the footsteps of Hillary, Tenzing, Herzog and other Himalaya explorers. If you have neither the patience nor the physical stamina to visit the hills of Nepal on foot, aircraft and helicopters are available, providing an expensive and unsatisfactory substitute.
Trekking in Nepal will take you through a country that has captured the imagination of mountaineers and explorers for over a hundred years. You will encounter people in remote mountain villages whose lifestyle has not changed in generation, yet they will convey a trust of foreigners that is made possible by their secure position as one of only a handful of countries in the world that has never been ruled by a foreign power.
A trek also provides a glimpse into the ancient culture of Tibet. This culture has all but disappeared In its homeland, and is now rapidly being altered in Nepal by the influx of tourism and foreign aid.
On a trek you will see great diversity throughout Nepal. Villages embrace many ethnic groups and cultures, and the terrain changes from tropical jungle to high-glaciated peaks in only 180 km. From the start, the towering peaks of the highlights of a trek. Appearing first as many clouds on the horizon as your plane approaches Kathmandu, they become more definable and reach to seemingly impossible heights as you finally land at Kathmandus Tribhuvan airport. During a trek the Himalaya disappears behind Nepals continual hills, but dominates the northern skyline at each pass-Annapurna, Langtang, Gauri Shankar and Everest. Finally, after weeks of walking, you will arrive at the foot of the mountains themselves- astonishing heights from which gigantic avalanches tumble earthwards in apparent slow motion, dwarfed by their surroundings. Your conception of the Himalaya alters as you turn from peaks famed only for their height to gaze on far more picturesque summits that you have never before heard of: Kantega, Ama Dablam, Machhapuchhare and Kumbhakarna.
Whether you begin your trek at a road head of fly into a remote mountain airstrip, a large part of your trek will be in the middle hills region at elevations between 500 and 3000 meters. In this region, there are always well-developed trails through villages and across mountain passes. Even at high altitudes there are intermittent settlements used in the summer by herders, so the trails, though often indistinct, are always there. All trails are easily traversed without the aid of ropes of any mountaineering skill. There are rare occasions when snow is encountered, and on some high passes it might be necessary to place a safety line for your companions of porters if there is deep snow, but alpine techniques are almost never used on a traditional trek. Anyone who has walked extensively in the mountains has all the skills necessary for an extended trek in Nepal.
Though some treks venture near glaciers, and even cross the foot of them, most treks do not allow the fulfillment of any Himalayan mountaineering ambitions. Nepals complicated mountaineering regulations allow trekkers to climb 18 specified peaks with a minimum of formality, but a few advance arrangements must still be made for such climbs.
The beauty and attraction of the Nepal Himalaya emanates not only from the mountains themselves, but also in their surroundings: friendly people, picturesque villages and a great variety of cultures and traditions that seem to exemplify many of the attributes we have lost in our headlong rush for development and progress in the west. While the ascent of a Himalayan peak may be an attraction for some, it is not necessary to have such a goal to enjoy a trek.
A trek is physically demanding because of its length and the almost unbelievable changes in elevation. During the 300 km trek to and from the Everest Base Camp, for example, over 9000 meters of elevation are gained and lost during many steep ascents and descents. On most treks, the daily gain is less than 800 meters in about 15 km, though ascents of as much as 1200 meters are typical of some days. You can always take plenty of time during the day to cover this distance, so the physical exertion, though quite strenuous at times is not sustained. You can always take plenty of time for rest. Probably the only physical problem that may make a trek impossible is a history of knee problems on descents. In Nepal the descents are long, steep and unrelenting. There is hardly a level stretch of trail in the entire kingdom. You should be in the best possible physical condition before beginning a trek. If you are an experienced walker and often hike 15 km a day with a pack, a trek should prove no difficulty. You will be pleasantly surprised at how easy the hiking can be if you only carry light rucksack and do not have to worry about meal preparation.
Hiking and living outdoors is however, helpful as you make plans for your trek. The first night of a month-long trip is too late to discover that you do not like to sleep in a sleeping bag. Mountaineering experience is not necessary, but you must enjoy walking.
