20 Questions about Himalayan Trekking

Trekking is a walking holiday, moving on from one day to the next, making an extended journey through the mountains. Local porters or pack animals carry our loads, leaving us free to enjoy walking with a day pack. We are supported by a local guide and cook crew who look after our food and camping needs. Each trek is lead by an experienced Wilderness Trekking guide.

People of all ages and backgrounds enjoy trekking. There really is no trekking 'character type'. Typically a trekking group will comprise a mix of men, women, couples, friends and individuals a reasonably curious and relaxed approach to the wide variety of situations we encounter is a good thing. Most people have a slightly above average level of fitness and enjoy the outdoors in their home environment.

A comprehensive kit list is downloadable from our Bookings Page. But basically you need to take suitable clothing and footwear. A day pack to carry your water, camera, waterproof jacket etc during the day, a kit bag for our crew to carry your spare clothing and equipment in and a sleeping bag and sleeping mat for the night times. All tents, camping and cooking equipment is taken care of.

We will camp the majority of nights whilst on trek. Occasionally we may stay in a local lodge or tea house if suitable, but we generally find it is better to camp. It is easier to control our health and hygiene whilst camping and tents provide a little more privacy than shared accommodations. We use an excellent standard of Hotel whilst staying in major Cities at the start and finish of our treks.

At Wilderness Trekking we try to be as all inclusive as possible. Our prices include all meals and services. You are responsible for booking your own international flight, travel VISA, personal insurance & spending money including tips for the local staff. We will advise  you of these costs and other requirements.

Yes. Wilderness Trekking holidays start from the city in which the group gets together at the start of the trek. Each individual arranges their own flight to that destination. We can recommend experienced and helpful adventure travel agents that have worked with us on flights for previous treks.

Flights into many Himalayan destinations book up early and are often completely full, so it is definitely worth booking as early as possible. From the trekking side we can make arrangements right up until the departure dates, but the availability of flights is the main concern.

In the mountains it is always wise to make a reasonably early start. This allows for a relaxed walk and allows our porters and pack animals time to carry substantial loads to our next camp. The morning weather is often the clearest and we like to have time to relax and explore once we have reached our destination. So a typical day will start with a cup of tea brought to your tent around 6am. Breakfast at 7am and then we head off when everyone is ready, usually around 8am. We may walk for 3 to 4 hours and then take a long lunch break. This break gives the enthusiastic time to add to their collection of photographs. We continue in the afternoon usually reaching camp around 3 or 4pm. More hot drinks are available at camp and there is plenty of relaxing and exploring time before eating an evening meal around 7pm. A game of cards, reading or visiting a local family may be the evening activity and most people will be in their sleeping bags by around 9pm.

Yes, yes, yes. Many trekkers enjoy photography. The areas we travel through offer absolutely first class photographic opportunities. In fact photography is the highlight of many peoples journeys in the mountains. Even if taking pictures is not your thing, there are certain to be many moments you will enjoy sharing with friends when you get home. Check out our Photo Gallery and maybe add your own after your trek.

No problem with this question. Most of the time there aren't any! But not to worry. Whilst trekking we carry a toilet tent which we erect around a deep 'pit toilet' which we dig and then cover over when we move on. This sounds quite basic, but in fact is hygienic and much more pleasant than many 'permanent' toilet facilities. Washing is no problem as our cook crew provides us with a bowl of warm washing water every morning and at other times on request. There are always hand washing facilities available when at camp and washing is strictly adhered to prior to meal times or food preparation.

Yes. All Himalayan countries require a visa to enter. Each Country is different and details are available on request. Tibet, India and Bhutan require visas to be obtained in advance. It is possible to acquire your visa for Nepal on arrival at the airport in Kathmandu.

Yes. Travel insurance is required. We can advise you on which type of insurance to take out and who supplies it, but it is the responsibility of each individual to make sure they are adequately covered. Trekking has increased in popularity over the past 10 years, to the point where insurers tend not to be surprised by questions of altitude, medical evacuations or delayed mountain flights but check the details very carefully. Insurance must cover trip cancellation and emergency medical evacuation.

Altitude illnesses are not directly caused by altitude at all. When you go to higher elevations, the density of the air decreases, so that each breath you take contains a little less oxygen. So the effects your body may feel at altitude are due to you having a little less oxygen in your system. Common symptoms that many people experience are a shortness of breath, just like after exercise, headaches, maybe a loss of appetite and altered sleep patterns, including quite vivid dreams. But our bodies are amazingly adaptable and soon become accustomed to the different levels of oxygen. However, it is very important to give your body time to adjust, and so this is why we gain altitude gradually and stay well hydrated to assist our body with it’s adjustment. The rules for a healthy trek are simple. Gain altitude slowly, drink plenty of water and do not go higher until acclimatized to the place you are at. For comprehensive information on altitude related issues visit high-altitude-medicine.com

Yes and No! Birds and flowers are plentiful and many trekkers take a lot of pleasure from spotting Himalayan species along the trails. Many flowers and shrubs are familiar as they were brought home to our gardens by great botanical adventurers a hundred years ago. Bird watching in the Himalaya is fantastic fun as the mountain backdrops provide great incentive to sit still in a quiet spot for a while. Reference books accompany each of our treks and a pair of binoculars can greatly enhance your trekking experience. Many of our mountain journeys are above the ‘’tree line’ where few animals can survive. But if we are lucky we may see marmots and several different species of Himalayan goat and sheep.
If the mountain gods are smiling there is the outside chance of spotting a Red Panda or even the elusive Snow Leopard!

It is impossible to tell if the local water is safe, so it is best not to drink it. Our kitchen crew can provide an endless supply of boiled water, which is the safest method of purification. Iodine is also carried as a back up if your guides feel the need to use it. You will be able to refill your water bottles every morning, lunchtime and anytime whilst at camp. Food on trek is provided by our extremely hard working and conscientious cook crew. Supplies are brought from Kathmandu and supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables where available en-route. Our cooks have years of experience and provide a plentiful supply of amazing dishes which seem to miraculously appear from the cook tent. It is always a good idea to pop into the cook tent now and again to thank the guys for what will be a surprisingly appetizing array of food. Vegetarians are easily catered for and special diets can be accommodated if planned for in advance. Some people like to bring some special treats along to share as summit treats.

Yes, check out www.ciwec-clinic.com for up to date medical advise on Himalayan travel and vaccinations. The Ciwec Clinic is a fantastic western standard medical facility located in Kathmandu that was set up in 1982 to treat foreign tourists, diplomats and aid workers in Nepal.

No. It is unnecessary for a fully qualified medical doctor to accompany you on every Himalayan trek. But it is very important to ensure that your trekking group is equipped to deal with the many minor and potentially major incidents which could occur. All Wilderness Trekking Guides are qualified to the highest level in Advanced Wilderness First Aid and have experience to assess and deal with altitude related illness. Each trekking group carries a comprehensive medical kit, portable altitude chamber and a satellite phone for emergency rescue and direct contact with the doctors at the Ciwec Clinic in Kathmandu. Prevention is always better than cure and at Wilderness Trekking we know that open communication and trust in your Guide is the number one prevention of health issues.

Some sort of physical preparation is an excellent idea prior to heading out to the Himalaya. Walks, runs and biking are all fun ways to get fit. However, we do trek gently and it is not necessary to be an Olympic athlete. If you get sore knees or ankles it would be good to strengthen these prior to undertaking a long trek in the mountains. Generally the fitter you are, the more you can relax and enjoy the journey. It is certainly not a race! It is a good idea to think about what you will be doing differently whilst on trek. For example, carry a pack with you on your walks at home, even if you don’t really need to. It will help you get used to continuous days of walking with a pack. And try to use the same pack, boots and equipment at home that you will use on trek. Get used to your equipment and make sure it is comfortable. We tend to focus on major medical issues but 95% of discomfort comes from a meager blister or an ill fitting pack. Mental preparation is easy.
Get excited right now! Himalayan trekking is magical and there is no time like the present to get on with the fun and anticipation of what could well be the trip of a lifetime.

The monsoon rains tend to dictate the best time to go trekking in the Himalaya. Prevailing South Easterly winds bring moist air from the Bay of Bengal which gets dropped on the mountains in the form of rain and snow from early May through to late September, so it probably best to avoid these months. Tibet and Ladakh are in the Himalayan rain shadow and so avoid the monsoon making June through to September ideal times to trek in these regions. Ideal times to trek in Nepal & Bhutan are Spring, Autumn or even Winter, when it is colder but still reasonably clear weather. Obviously, isolated storms and inclement weather can occur at any time, especially in the mountains. One thing many people forget to consider is the prevalence of beautiful flowers in the Spring and fascinating activity in the Himalayan villages during the Autumn harvest time.

People develop their own list of ‘extras’ which they find enhances their trekking experience. Photography is probably number one on the list and you may want to think carefully about the camera and equipment most suitable to a mountain journey. For example a single zoom lens avoids the danger of grit or moisture getting inside your camera when changing lenses, spare batteries and film or memory card (if digital) as you will see many sights that you will want  to retain on film for display to friends and family is a sound idea. Good reading material is popular. Check out the Wilderness Trekking suggested reading list and feel free to add your own suggestions. There is plenty of time to read whilst at camp or awaiting a delayed flight and a pack of cards or dice are always fun. Some photographs of your home and family make for fun social exchanges when the language barrier looms, or even a short written personal bio that our local guide could translate might be an ice breaker if we are lucky enough to visit a local family. On the final day of trekking it has become quite traditional to leave some gifts with our local crew. Good quality socks, T- shirts, hats and gloves make excellent presents.