Frequently Asked Questions
What do LAND COSTS include?
Land costs include all internal flights and ground transportation including to and from the airport; four nights hotel accommodations in Kathmandu; all meals and camping facilities on trek; all porter and pack animal costs; all permits and fees; all group equipment costs and your guide.
What do LAND COSTS not include?
Land costs do not include international flights; en-route accommodations at stopover cities at the beginning and end of your journey; meals in destination cities (to allow for individual preference of restaurants); visa costs; porters, guides or others tips (while not mandatory are customary); bar bills and excess hotel charges; travel insurance; excess baggage charges; airport taxes; expenses resulting from delays due to bad weather; trail, river and road conditions, sickness, government actions, political unrest, strikes and flight delays.
Who will guide my trip?
Your trip will be led by Dave McNally or another guide, handpicked for his / her proven ability to run a safe and rewarding trek or mountaineering expedition. Dave began mountaineering in 1975 and has led expeditions around the world since 1988, including several to the world's highest peaks. In addition, he has a background as an Emergency Medical Technician and professional ski patrol director which has prepared him to avoid certain health and medical hazards and to deal with the ones that are unavoidable. Please do not hesitate to contact him with any questions or just to get acquainted.
Will I need a visa?
Yes. You will need to fill out a visa application form when you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. (It will speed the process if you have a pen handy). You will need the application, your passport, a passport size photo and $50 U.S.D. (for a 30 day visa and $125 for a 90 day visa). This, like all things in Nepal, is subject to change without notice so be prepared with some extra cash. It is also necessary that you carry a photocopy of the front page of your passport. Dave will be waiting for you outside the baggage area.
What will the meals be like?
Our cooks will amaze you with what they can do! We start the day with tea/coffee, biscuits and hot washing water brought to our tents, followed shortly thereafter by a breakfast of eggs, cereal or pancakes in the dining tent. Lunches are served outdoors, along the trail, quite often in spectacular settings. On longer days the cook staff will provide us with pack lunches. Every afternoon in camp, tea and biscuits are served followed by a delicious multi-course dinner in our dining tent. The menu, for lunch and dinner is primarily a high carbohydrate diet consisting of rice, lentils, potatoes and other vegetables easily digestible at altitude. It also includes meat, fish and chicken dishes with soups, Sherpa stew, pizza, spaghetti and the occasional layer cake! Sodas, beer and chocolate bars are readily available on the more popular trails.
Will I carry a large pack?
During the trek your personal gear will be carried by a porter or pack animal in a large, locked duffel. It will take some abuse so please buy a sturdy one. You need only carry a daypack that will hold your camera, water bottle and an extra jacket. A slightly larger pack is recommended if you are doing a climbing trip.
What about altitude?
That is a very common concern and of paramount importance to us. In 30 plus years of high altitude mountaineering and guiding we have seen very few individuals who cannot acclimatize given enough time. All itineraries are planned with that in mind. Each trek begins with a talk about recognizing symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness and how to prevent it and medications are carried in our M.O. first-aid kit in the event that anyone experiences AMS. In a worst case scenario routes and or schedules can be adapted to allow for everyone’s safe acclimatization. Your safety is our highest priority!
Will I need vaccinations?
Yes. A separate list of these immunizations is provided in our EXPEDITION PLANNING GUIDE.
What about gifts and tips?
In keeping with our low-impact ethic, we discourage giving pens, money, balloons or candy, etc. to anyone begging. This does a great disservice to the Nepalese culture. It is customary (however optional), to tip our Sherpa staff at the end of the journey. We recommend minimally $100 - $200 per member, which your guide will collect and distribute appropriately among the staff.
Will I have contact with Nepalese culture traveling in a group?
Yes! That is the primary reason we like to keep the groups small. We will stop at several teahouses and monasteries during our trek and you will have plenty of opportunity to meet local villagers and monks. You will also have ample opportunity to become acquainted with our Sherpa staff as we travel together along the trail. They are always happy to practice their English with you and in turn teach you a little Nepalese. It is possible to learn a great deal about Nepal from them.
What about travel insurance?
We strongly recommend that you obtain some form of trip cancellation insurance which will protect your investment should illness or injury prevent you from participating. It is also wise to consider a travel health and rescue insurance policy. Our travel agent, Pirjo De Hart, can make insurance recommendations. Visit her website at www.CTTDestinations.com.
How should I physically prepare for the trip?
A reasonable level of cardiovascular fitness is required for most treks and even more for climbing trips. If you're starting a training program, it is recommended you consult your physician first. Aerobic activities such as running, biking and hiking are all excellent ways to prepare for your adventure. For more details on this please give Dave a call.
How far will I walk each day?
In Nepal distance isn't measured in miles but in hours walked. An average day may be only 6 miles with a long day being 8-10 miles. It's the vertical gain and loss during the day and our sleeping altitude that we take into consideration when planning our evening campsites. The normal trail day starts with tea at 6:30 am and breakfast at 7:30. We walk 2-3 hours in the morning and break for a leisurely 2-hour lunch around 11:00 am. Then we finish the day by walking another 2-3 hours in the afternoon. There is plenty of time for visiting with locals and photography! Everyone is encouraged to walk at his or her own pace.
Land costs include all internal flights and ground transportation including to and from the airport; four nights hotel accommodations in Kathmandu; all meals and camping facilities on trek; all porter and pack animal costs; all permits and fees; all group equipment costs and your guide.
What do LAND COSTS not include?
Land costs do not include international flights; en-route accommodations at stopover cities at the beginning and end of your journey; meals in destination cities (to allow for individual preference of restaurants); visa costs; porters, guides or others tips (while not mandatory are customary); bar bills and excess hotel charges; travel insurance; excess baggage charges; airport taxes; expenses resulting from delays due to bad weather; trail, river and road conditions, sickness, government actions, political unrest, strikes and flight delays.
Who will guide my trip?
Your trip will be led by Dave McNally or another guide, handpicked for his / her proven ability to run a safe and rewarding trek or mountaineering expedition. Dave began mountaineering in 1975 and has led expeditions around the world since 1988, including several to the world's highest peaks. In addition, he has a background as an Emergency Medical Technician and professional ski patrol director which has prepared him to avoid certain health and medical hazards and to deal with the ones that are unavoidable. Please do not hesitate to contact him with any questions or just to get acquainted.
Will I need a visa?
Yes. You will need to fill out a visa application form when you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. (It will speed the process if you have a pen handy). You will need the application, your passport, a passport size photo and $50 U.S.D. (for a 30 day visa and $125 for a 90 day visa). This, like all things in Nepal, is subject to change without notice so be prepared with some extra cash. It is also necessary that you carry a photocopy of the front page of your passport. Dave will be waiting for you outside the baggage area.
What will the meals be like?
Our cooks will amaze you with what they can do! We start the day with tea/coffee, biscuits and hot washing water brought to our tents, followed shortly thereafter by a breakfast of eggs, cereal or pancakes in the dining tent. Lunches are served outdoors, along the trail, quite often in spectacular settings. On longer days the cook staff will provide us with pack lunches. Every afternoon in camp, tea and biscuits are served followed by a delicious multi-course dinner in our dining tent. The menu, for lunch and dinner is primarily a high carbohydrate diet consisting of rice, lentils, potatoes and other vegetables easily digestible at altitude. It also includes meat, fish and chicken dishes with soups, Sherpa stew, pizza, spaghetti and the occasional layer cake! Sodas, beer and chocolate bars are readily available on the more popular trails.
Will I carry a large pack?
During the trek your personal gear will be carried by a porter or pack animal in a large, locked duffel. It will take some abuse so please buy a sturdy one. You need only carry a daypack that will hold your camera, water bottle and an extra jacket. A slightly larger pack is recommended if you are doing a climbing trip.
What about altitude?
That is a very common concern and of paramount importance to us. In 30 plus years of high altitude mountaineering and guiding we have seen very few individuals who cannot acclimatize given enough time. All itineraries are planned with that in mind. Each trek begins with a talk about recognizing symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness and how to prevent it and medications are carried in our M.O. first-aid kit in the event that anyone experiences AMS. In a worst case scenario routes and or schedules can be adapted to allow for everyone’s safe acclimatization. Your safety is our highest priority!
Will I need vaccinations?
Yes. A separate list of these immunizations is provided in our EXPEDITION PLANNING GUIDE.
What about gifts and tips?
In keeping with our low-impact ethic, we discourage giving pens, money, balloons or candy, etc. to anyone begging. This does a great disservice to the Nepalese culture. It is customary (however optional), to tip our Sherpa staff at the end of the journey. We recommend minimally $100 - $200 per member, which your guide will collect and distribute appropriately among the staff.
Will I have contact with Nepalese culture traveling in a group?
Yes! That is the primary reason we like to keep the groups small. We will stop at several teahouses and monasteries during our trek and you will have plenty of opportunity to meet local villagers and monks. You will also have ample opportunity to become acquainted with our Sherpa staff as we travel together along the trail. They are always happy to practice their English with you and in turn teach you a little Nepalese. It is possible to learn a great deal about Nepal from them.
What about travel insurance?
We strongly recommend that you obtain some form of trip cancellation insurance which will protect your investment should illness or injury prevent you from participating. It is also wise to consider a travel health and rescue insurance policy. Our travel agent, Pirjo De Hart, can make insurance recommendations. Visit her website at www.CTTDestinations.com.
How should I physically prepare for the trip?
A reasonable level of cardiovascular fitness is required for most treks and even more for climbing trips. If you're starting a training program, it is recommended you consult your physician first. Aerobic activities such as running, biking and hiking are all excellent ways to prepare for your adventure. For more details on this please give Dave a call.
How far will I walk each day?
In Nepal distance isn't measured in miles but in hours walked. An average day may be only 6 miles with a long day being 8-10 miles. It's the vertical gain and loss during the day and our sleeping altitude that we take into consideration when planning our evening campsites. The normal trail day starts with tea at 6:30 am and breakfast at 7:30. We walk 2-3 hours in the morning and break for a leisurely 2-hour lunch around 11:00 am. Then we finish the day by walking another 2-3 hours in the afternoon. There is plenty of time for visiting with locals and photography! Everyone is encouraged to walk at his or her own pace.