TRIP INFO

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE TREK

TRIP GRADE

SOFT ADVENTURE TREK
The treks on this grade lasts for about a week to 10 days. It generally doesn't go above 4000 meter and each day, you can expect to be walking for around 4 – 5 hours. It is a perfect introduction to trekking in Nepal. The activity level is fairly easy but don't expect it to be all easy going, there will still be some big hills to climb as well as the well-known 'Nepali flat' – a little bit up and a little bit down.

TREKKING TYPES

Tea House trek
During the trek portion you will be sleeping and eating at the available tea houses on the trail. A trekking crew consists of one sirdar, and porters depending on the size of the group. Under the leadership of the Sirdar (the local trek leader) the crew will ensure you take the right path. The crew will provide you three meals a day i.e. breakfast, Lunch and dinner which will be served at the tea houses on the trail. The porters shall transport your baggage. Our main aim is to make the trek as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible. Sirdar and his assistants speak basic English, good enough to explain to you about the places, local culture or any sight that catches your eyes.

Includes: Guide, Porters, All meals and Tea House accommodation. Guests need to have their own sleeping bag. If you wish, you can bring your own ‘Air pillow’.

PERSONAL EXPENSES
All meals will be provided at the tea houses on the trail. You only need money for table drinks (alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages), snacks while walking (a few smaller shops are available along the trail in some areas) tips, souvenirs, hot shower (available in some places).

LUGGAGE WHILE TREKKING
During trek your main luggage will be carried by porters. You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket, etc. - a small load that allows full enjoyment of the trek. A trek bag is ideal for your main luggage, plus a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek which you can leave at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kg, excess weight is chargeable at USD 1 or more per Kilo depending on sectors.

COMMUNICATION
While trekking in the remote parts, you may not have an access to telephone facility for some days. However, nowadays, cell phone works at almost all the places during the trek.

TREKKING GEARS & EQUIPMENT
You will need walking boots, sleeping bag (3 seasons/ -10C rated), waterproof jacket and trousers, fleece jacket, warm hat and gloves, sunglasses, water bottle, sun-screen and day pack.It is not necessary to spend a lot of money buying extra equipment and clothing before your trip. Majority of these gears can be bought or hired at reasonable rates in Kathmandu.

TYPICAL DAY ON TREK
On the trek, you begin your day with washing. After packing our bags and a hearty breakfast, we set off on the day’s walk. After walking for 3-4 hours we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon’s walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village. On some days we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free. After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day’s adventures, before retiring for a well-earned sleep.

CLIMATE AND BEST TIME TO GO
The best seasons to trek in the Annapurna region are Autumn (from mid-September till November end) and Spring (from the beginning of March until mid-May). As it is a soft adventure trek, you can take on this trek anytime of the year, except during the monsoons (June to September). Temperatures will drop considerably as you trek higher everyday. As this trek does not go too high nights you can expect nights to be a bit colder (between 5 C to 15C) but the days are sunny and hot (between 15C to 30C). The mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up during the afternoon, disappearing at night. Trekking during the monsoon is not recommended, as the visibility during monsoon is limited. Trekking in the winter is possible; however, it is much colder than Autumn and Spring.March, April, October and November are the most popular and favored months for traveling.

ITINERARY CHANGES
The itineraries for each trip should be taken as a guideline only. Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary. You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into the remote region, where many unforeseen events may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original.

TREK DURATION
The day-to-day program is subject to weather conditions. Most importantly, the Trekking sirdar will be making daily decisions, for example, about exactly how far or which way we go, and will be thinking ultimately about the safety and health, as well as the enjoyment and success in the outcome of the trek and climb. We ensure liability as per indicated itinerary and list of services. If the holiday is cut short or completed earlier than the projected period upon client’s wish, we shall not be responsible or make refund against unutilized days or services. Clients need to pay extra for Hotels/services incurred in Kathmandu or elsewhere in such cases.

Tourist Visa Extension
* Visa extension fee for 15 days or less is US $ 30 or equivalent convertible currency and visa extension fee for more than 15 days is US$ 2 per day
* Tourist visa can be extended for a maximum period of 150 days in a single visa year (January – December).                                                                       

HEALTH ISSUES & VACCINATIONS
As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you to consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the beginning of your trip. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio. The trekking trail on this trip does not go into high altitude area (i.e not above 2775m) so there is unlikely of altitude related sickness (Acute mountain sickness, AMS). However, one needs to be careful and take all the necessary precautions.

FIRST AID KIT
We supply a first aid kit with standard medicines prescribed by trekking doctors. Since our staffs/guides do not possess much knowledge about medications. Hence, we would request you to use the medicines by yourself. It would be better if you bring your own medical supplies. We suggest that you take some pain-killing pills with you and enough medicine for cold, diarrhea, nausea and fever. Some nasal ointment and throat-moistening pills will greatly be of help for those who are sensitive to chilly or freezing weather conditions. Age is no barrier to take an unforgettable trekking experience.

RESCUE/EVACUATIONS
In case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we believe will not happen; we will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital. Since you are entirely liable for all the expense incurred in evacuation please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or be prepared to pay on your own after getting back to Kathmandu.

INSURANCE
Before joining a tour, we recommend you to take a travel insurance which should cover cancellation, medical expenses, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation.

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
Wonderful environment of the Himalayas is also an extremely fragile one. Increasing population density and numbers of trekkers threaten the very beauty of Nepal. At Yacca Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd, we are extremely conscious about the environment and aim to minimize our impact as much as possible.

Garbage disposal is another major problem and some of the busier trails can, at times, appear strew with litter. Our staff members are well motivated towards eco-friendly practices. We carry out all our garbage, apart from that which can be safely and easily burnt at the Tea Houses itself. Our aim is to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy.

TRIP EXTENSIONS
In addition to your trek, we can organize extensions both within Nepal and other neighboring countries. You may want to try water rafting or a jungle safari in Nepal or Nepal Cultural Tour. You may as well take a trip to Tibet, India or Bhutan, whichever seems more appealing to you.

CARE FOR PORTERS AND STAFF
We ensure that all the porters and other staffs going into high altitude conditions are provided with adequate clothing and equipments. We run the trek according to the guidelines of the International Porters Protection group (IPPG - www.ippg.net).