Himalayan Home Stay

Nepal

Nepal is a small landlocked country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north has eight of the world’s ten highest mountains, including Mount Everest. It contains over 240 peaks more than 20,000 ft (6,096 m) above sea level. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized. By some measures, it is a land of different arts and indigenous cultures well preserved since time immemorial.  Hindu and Buddhist shrines found in the country are enriched with wood carving and bronzes, century’s old statues standing along the wayside and three popular historic cities – Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan have preserved their medieval splendor and architectural flavor till date.

Geography

Nepal is located in South Asia between China in the north and India in the south, east and west. While the total land area is 147,181 sq. km including water area of the country that is 3,830 sq. km. The geographical coordinates are 28°00′N 84°00′E. Nepal falls in the temperate zone north of the Tropic of Cancer. Nepal’s ecological zones run east to west about 800 km along its Himalayan axis, 150 to 250 km north to south, and are vertically intersected by the river systems. The country can be divided into three main geographical regions: Himalayan region, mid hill region and Terai region. The highest point in the country is Mt. Everest (8,848 m) while the lowest point is in the Terai plains of Kechana Kalan in Jhapa (60 m). (Source NTB)

Nepal Visa

All visitors except the Indian nationals must hold passport and valid visa. Visa can be obtained at the Nepalese diplomatic missions and consulates abroad. Visa is also issued at the entry points. It can be extended at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu. Children under 10 years need not pay any visa fee. People willing to get entry Visa at the airport or any of the land entry points are required to fill a visa form with passport photograph.
* Tourist visa can be extended for a maximum period of 150 days in a single visa year (January – December).

Government Office Hours & Holidays

Sunday to Thursday: 1000hrs – 1700hrs (during summer)
Sunday to Thursday: 1000hrs – 1600hrs (during winter)
Friday: 1000hrs – 1500hrs.
Saturday: Holiday
You can find list of other national holidays in Nepal here

Language

Nepali, written in the Devanagari script, is the official language of Nepal. However, most people living in the city areas can understand and speak English fluently. Hindi language is widely understood across the country.

Pre-Trip Meeting

On arrival in Kathmandu, our staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to our pre-booked hotel. There won’t be any activity on this day. We will host a pre-trip meeting at the hotel lobby on the 2nd day of your itinerary in the evening. It will be an opportunity for you to meet your tour guide and introduce each other. The guide will brief you about the tour and check your gear to ensure the smooth running of your tour trip.

Activities during Home Stay

Home stay guests get involved in different local rural activities. They learn to work in the rice fields, prepare the local traditional food, participate in the cultural program, visit cottage industries such as traditional handicrafts and paper making; and a plant nursery covering 380 hectares of flora, excursions around for bird watching, observing local festivals and rituals. Staying with local farming families in traditional homes provide ample opportunities for cultural exchange using translator of English and Nepali. Visiting to local school is extra highlight during home stay program.

Accommodation & Meals

All accommodations will be on a twin sharing basis during the tour in hotel and local homes. We recommend you to use your own sleeping bag. During the home stay program the host family will provide freshly cooked, local food which includes Dal, Bhat, lentil soup, vegetable curry, meat curry and other local cuisine.

Bathroom facilities

Most lodges offer hot showers and in the ones that don’t a bucket of water. In this area, we find many western toilets and in some places there are usually just the Asian squat type toilets.

Small Groups

Small groups provide a more intimate atmosphere allowing you to get to know your Tour Guide better and to develop lifelong friendships. Therefore, the maximum group size for this tour is 16 people. The minimum is 2 people.

Trek Guide and Crew

All our trek leaders and crew come from different parts of Nepal with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, but we all share our valuable experience, accept each other beliefs and work together to give our clients the best experience in Nepal. Whatever the ethnical background they belong to, differ in sex or age all members of our team work together as a family that makes us what we are.

Possible views of Mountains

During the trek Everest(8848m), Lhotse (8516m), Nuptse (7896m), Pumori (7145m), Amadablam (6812m.) Thamserku (6800m), Khumbila (5751m), Kwangde Ri (6187m), Cho Oyu(8201m), Tawache (6542), Kangtenga (6645m), Kusum Kanguru (6369), Makalu (8463m), Island Peak (6189m), Chhukungri (5845m), Lobuche East (6119m), Lobuche West (6145m), Khumbuste (6640m), Cholatse (6640m), Cha Kung (7020m), & many other attractive snow-capped peaks.

Weather Information

The main tour season in Nepal begins from early October to mid-May. During this period temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking. Daytime temperatures will vary from 15ºC to 35ºC in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10ºC above higher altitudes. Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking.

Post Monsoon/autumn: Mid-September to November
This is the main trekking season in Nepal. While trekking in mountains weather will be sunny and mild with clear mountain views. Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping as low as to minus 10ºC at the highest altitudes.

Winter: December to end February
Even it is cooler conditions this is an ideal time to trek in Nepal. Skies are usually very clear especially in December and the mountain views are at their best. Nights will be very cold with temperatures down to negative 12ºC to negative 20ºC at the highest altitudes but days are pleasant and sunny. The trails are also much less busy at this time of year

Pre-monsoon/spring: March to May
Both day and night temperatures will be warmer in general but cloudiness will be occurred up in the afternoons. Seasonal flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to tour in spring.

INSURANCE

Before joining a tour, we recommend you to take out a travel insurance which should cover cancellation, medical expenses, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation. Please send us the following details such as your full name, policy number and the insurance company’s 24 hour emergency contact number prior to departure. We also strongly recommend that your policy must cover personal liability, flight/trip cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects.

Safety

We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling for the safe keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewelry at home – you don’t need it while travelling. Many of hotels in Nepal have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage

Rescue/ Evacuations

Though we hope for the best trip, you sometimes might be in need of rescue or evacuation in case of a serious sickness or a personal prolonged health issue. During such emergency you will be rescued by a helicopter. You are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in evacuation services. We request you to make sure when you purchase insurance from your country that your policy must cover these expenses or you should remain prepared to pay or sign on Helicopter Evacuation Form before you get on the Helicopter.

Overland Transportation Delay or Halt

If the main highway between Phaplu Kathmandu and Jiri is blocked by a landslide or any natural calamity during the transfer, in such a situation the extra cost for food and accommodation has to be borne by the clients.

Equipment List:

Here are some recommended Equipment’s List for trekking in Everest region

• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions)
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, band aids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Sleeping Bag
• Footwear Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Money belt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cell phone, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
• Down Jacket

Note: It is possible to buy or rent the above gear in Kathmandu

High Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) which can turn if not treated upon recognizing the symptoms. AMS is the effect of altitude on those who ascend too rapidly to elevations of 3,000m or above. Early mountain sickness results in headache, loss of appetite and sleepiness. One can encounter such sickness no matter she/he looks physically young, strong and fit. Medicine itself can be on substitute unless patients suffering from such sickness are immediately rushed downhill. Doctor may provide temporary care with some medicines and oxygen but the patient must be brought down immediately in order to escape danger. For emergency purpose, one can contact doctors at Khunde and Pheriche hospitals in Khumbu trekking region.