Things to be Considered while Trekking in Nepal

Here Are Some Important Points To Keep In Mind

1. We will book your flight to Lukla soon after you pay the deposit for the trek and send us your passport details. Please send your details as soon as possible so we can book you on the earliest flight.
2. If your flight is canceled due to bad weather, we will rebook your ticket for the following day. When we rebook your ticket it’s likely you will be on a lower priority flight during the peak trekking seasons. This is out of our control as the earlier morning flights will have already been booked months in advance.
3. The availability of helicopters depends on a number of factors including rescue requirements, prior booking commitments, and weather. We will do our best to arrange a helicopter but keep in mind that various factors are out of our control.
4. Helicopter rates vary as a rule and increase when demand increases. Offers for helicopter flights are displayed in the airport. The rates given by our team in Kathmandu may not always match what is offered locally on the mountain. Keep in mind that if an extra seat is available, local staff in Lukla may attempt to sell the seat cheaper than we are offering.
5. If helicopters are limited in availability, they may only be available to shuttle guests to Phaplu which is an airstrip in the valley below Lukla. We can arrange the jeep from Phaplu to Kathmandu. Be prepared for a 10 to 14 hours journey on rough roads. If you have extra time in Nepal you might be better off waiting an extra day at Lukla for the weather to clear.
6. The Airlines and Helicopter companies often re-route planes and change confirmation details depending on conditions. Updates from our team reflect current conditions and plan frequently change

EXTRA DAYS IN NEPAL

As flights to Lukla can at times be delayed for several days during periods of bad weather, we suggest you add a couple of extra days at the end of your trek in case of any delays. Extra days should always be scheduled at the end of the trip and not at the start. Here are the suggested numbers of extra days based on the trekking season. The suggested number of days is just a guideline and should be generally sufficient.

Let us know this during your departure date and we can arrange extra hotel nights in Kathmandu for $40 per/night. You can pay this to the hotel directly.

EXTRA COSTS AND EXCLUSIONS

Our trekking packages are all-inclusive but we suggest that you budget between $300 and $400 for extra expenditures on your trek including tips. We also suggest you plan on having extra funds available in cash or on a credit card in case you need to book a helicopter in the event your flight is canceled.

1. Unforeseen cost due to flight cancellation, weather conditions, etc. You have to charge extra for  hotel nights ($40/night) and meals in Kathmandu or Lukla due to flight delays.
2. Nepal entry visa ($40 USD).
3. Sleeping Bag Rental $20 and Down Jacket $15 if needed.
4. All the meals are included on the trek but we only include breakfast while you are in Kathmandu.
5. We suggest a tip for the guide and porter after the trek – Plan on approximately 10% of the price of your trek.
6. We don’t include drinking water on the trek which you can buy at a number of places for between $1 and $3 a bottle (it gets more expensive towards base camp). A better solution is to buy water tablets in Kathmandu for around $2 and treat the water (your guide can help you find the good places to fill your water bottle).
7. The other things not included on the trek are Wifi, charging batteries, and hot showers. Wifi is available in some tea houses for $3 to $5 an hour. Hot Showers are also available in a few of the tea houses for between $4 and $6. Charging electronic devices is possible in the tea houses and charging costs between $1 and $3 an hour.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION IN KATHMANDU

We include two nights in the hotel in Kathmandu with most of our trekking packages (please review the specific inclusions related to your trek).
If you book extra hotel nights directly through Mountain Ascend Treks, we charge the following room rates:

• Single room    – $ 40
• Double room  – $ 50
• Triple room    – $ 65

The rates we offer are fixed and might be higher or lower than what you can book online. You will need to inform us before you arrive if you will require any extra nights and we will update your invoice as needed. We will not charge you for unused hotel nights in the event of scheduling changes as long as you have coordinated the booking through Mountain Ascend Treks. Please note that if you book on your own you are responsible for coordinating any changes to your reservation with the hotel.

We do book all rooms in advance but flight cancellation and scheduling changes related to your group or other groups require some flexibility. If a room is not available for you at the Hotel Address after the trek, we will arrange your accommodation at a hotel of similar quality in Thamel and arrange for the transfer of your luggage at no additional cost. You will need to be patient and give us a few hours to transfer your luggage once you arrive in Kathmandu.

You are always welcome to book extra hotel nights on your own. We always use the ‘Address Hotel’ as our first choice and you can book extra nights online for either before or after the trek using the following link on booking.com

FITNESS

Trekking in Nepal is strenuous and challenging. We suggest that everyone joining our treks be comfortably hiked all day. Treks consist of 6 to 9 hours of daily walking. We do encourage everyone to take a slow pace. Our larger groups will have multiple assistant guides so if some trekkers want a different pace they can trek ahead of the group and the lead guide will generally stay with the slowest members in the group.

SOLO TRAVELERS

We generally don’t charge solo travelers any extra fees. Solo travelers can expect their own hotel room in Kathmandu but will need to share a room with other group members during the trek. If availability allows we will arrange private rooms on the trek as well upon request. In fact, solo travelers who are not joining one of our group treks will be charged an extra $20 a day for a porter. We will inform you of the extra fee before your arrival in Nepal.

GUARANTEED DEPOSITS

You can be assured that when you place a deposit it’s secured for your future trip. If your travel plans change simply, let us know and we can change your dates. However, you can even apply your deposit to a different destination if you prefer.
1. Please inform us of any changes at least 14 days in advance. In case your trip changes due to last-minute events such as flight changes, please notify us as soon as possible so we can do our best to assist you.
2. Guests are responsible for any increases in price between the time they originally booked and the new trekking date.
3. If you don’t contact us and you don’t show up for your trip your deposit is not refundable.