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Trekking
Nepal arguably the most beautiful country in
the world for its scenic beauty offering various
destinations for travel and tours, among them
mountain adventure and trekking tops the list.
Trekking generally is not a wilderness
experience rather a cultural experience as the
country is diverse in ethnicity, culture,
traditions, language, faiths and inhabitance.
Trekking in Nepal not only provide opportunities
to feel the mountains so near but also brings
you close to those who have inhabited these
mountains for centuries including their
lifestyles and culture. Hiking at the altitude
of 10,000ft and gazing the 20 thousanders with
their beauty and vicinity will surely mesmerize
everyone, not only that along with comes the
cultural identity defined and varied by their
ethnicity. Being home to eight mountains with
the height of 8,000 meters and above, you will
come for the mountains, but the people are
likely to leave the greatest impression on you
by their innocent smile and friendly gesture.
Nepal is rich in its natural habitat ranging
from the subtropical valleys, alpine meadows of
the high Himalayas to the desert-like conditions
of the trans-Himalayan region. Humans, plants,
and animals have all evolved and adapted to
these conditions. South-facing slopes are
terraced fields on the mountainsides, allowing
farmers to grow grains. Hillsides are roofed by
cloud and rhododendron covering the mountains
where as in spring the trails are carpeted by
its flowers. Blue sheep and Thars, a kind of
mountain goat, lurk in alpine in the higher
altitude. This is what trekking in Nepal really
means, in as short as in a week time one can
experience the mountains to exploration of these
habitats, wildlife in the altitude, vivid
culture and compact geography as well as
providing a journey through a numerous
landscapes in the land of the highest mountain
The Himalaya, extends from Eastern India
(Assam) up to Afghanistan in the west. It is the
youngest but the highest mountain region on
earth. Nepal is fortunate and beautiful because
it consists of the majority of highest and
panoramic areas of the Himalaya. A trek in
certain regions of the mountains in Nepal is
special, rewarding and life time experience.
You
must have time and energy to enjoy the
adventures of trekking in Himalayas viewing the
spectacular beauty and the unique culture of
Nepal. It requires more time and effort as
many parts of the country is still to be
developed to have road connection, but the
rewards are also greater when you visit such
places which seems remote to us. Traveling a
freeway, racing to every next point of interest
enjoying every steps in the nature is indeed an
remarkable experience. If you do not have
patience or the physical stamina to visit the
hills of Nepal on foot, a helicopter flight
provides expensive but satisfactory
substitute.00.
Trekking in Nepal will take you through a
country that has captured the imagination of
mountaineers and explorers for more than 100
years. You will meet people in remote mountain
villages whose lifestyle has not changed in
generations. Most people trust foreigners. Nepal
is one of only a handful of countries that has
never been ruled by a foreign power.
Many
of the values associated with a hiking trip at
home do not have the same importance during a
trek in Nepal. Isolation is traditionally a
crucial element of any wilderness experience but
in Nepal it is impossible to get completely away
from people, except for short times or at
extremely high elevations. Environmental
concerns must include the effects of
conservation measures on rural people and the
economic effects of tourism on indigenous
populations. Even traditional national park
management must be adapted because there are
significant population centres within Sagarmatha
(Mt Everest) and Langtang national parks.
Trekking does not mean mountain climbing. While
the ascent of a Himalayan peak may be an
attraction for some, you need not have such a
goal to enjoy a trek. As far as most people are
concerned, trekking always refers to walking on
trails.
While trekking you will see the great diversity
of Nepal. Villages embrace many ethnic groups
and cultures. The terrain changes from tropical
jungle to high glaciated peaks in only 150 km.
From the start, the towering peaks of the
Himalaya provide one of the highlights of a
trek. As your plane approaches Kathmandu these
peaks appear to be small clouds on the horizon.
The mountains become more definable and seem to
reach impossible heights as you get closer and
finally land at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport.
During a trek, the Himalaya disappears behind
Nepal's continual hills, but dominates the
northern skyline at each pass. Annapurna,
Manaslu, Langtang, Gauri Shankar and Everest
will become familiar names. 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 may never have heard of -
Kantega, Ama Dablam, Machhapuchhare and
Kumbhakarna.
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A Trek is Not a Climbing Trip
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Whether you begin your trek at a roadhead or
fly into a remote mountain airstrip, a large
part of it will be in the Middle Hills region
at elevations between 500 and 3000 metres. In
this region, there are always well-developed
trails through villages and across mountain
passes. Even at high altitudes there are
intermittent settlements used during summer by
shepherds, so the trails, though often
indistinct, are always there. You can easily
travel on any trail without the aid of ropes
or mountaineering skills. There are rare
occasions when there is snow on the trail, and
on some high passes it might be necessary to
place a safety line for your companions or
porters if there is deep snow. Still, 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 fulfilment of any Himalayan
mountaineering ambitions. Nepal's
mountaineering regulations allow trekkers to
climb 18 specified peaks with a minimum of
formality, but you must still make a few
advance arrangements for such climbs. Many
agents offer so-called climbing treks which
include the ascent of one of these peaks as a
feature of the trek. There are a few peaks
that, under ideal conditions, are within the
resources of individual trekkers. A climb can
be arranged in Kathmandu if conditions are
right, but a climb of one of the more
difficult peaks should be planned well in
advance.
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A Trek Requires Physical Effort
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A
trek is physically demanding because of its
length and the almost unbelievable changes in
elevation. During the 300-km trek from Jiri to
Everest base camp and return, for example, the
trail gains and loses more than 9000 metres of
elevation during many steep ascents and
descents. On most treks, the daily gain is
less than 800 metres in about 15 km, though
ascents of as much as 1200 metres are possible
on 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 also can stop
frequently and 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
country. 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 a light backpack and
do not have to worry about meal preparation.
Previous experience in 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.
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