Nepal General
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You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
New Nepal thread.
I'll be in Nepal this October and have a few questions. Feel free to contribute or answer some of mine! Here we go
>Which national park is worth it when it comes to seeing tropical flora and fauna? Is Chitwan the non plus ultra or are there better options?
>(quite old) lonely planet speaks of very cheap prices like 8$ for a day trip on an elephant back. Is it still that cheap?
>How's the infrastructure; should I count in some days just for driving/flying to the next destination?
>Are two-week hikes too incriminating for an mediocre fit European?
>Is the air pressure as oppressive as I think, when you aren't used to it?
>What do you bring for multi-day hikes? I want to take my camera and tripod with me - is that possible?
>I saw many pics of yaks carrying the hiker's equipment. Is this common for multi-day hikes?
Hey there comrade, Nepali here.
Chitwan is the best option. Elephant riding prices vary per week. They are usually low, but I would go to Nepal and ask for the price. The infrastructure is still bad, but managable. However, some days, the politicial parties close all the roads in Nepal. Flying is always an option, 24/7. You can still drive pretty much everywhere. Two week hikes for a moderately fit man? Eh... posibly not. Gain some lower body strength (Legs) and you will be good. Air pressure is notbad unless you go north, but its managable. Look in travel forums for materials to bring in multi-day hikes. Many people will rent you yaks, horses, and donkeys for long hikes. Just ask around. Hope this helps somewhat. If you need more help, go on reddit to r/Nepal.
I've just recently gotten back from a 2 month trip to Nepal, can answer any questions.
>Sorry if some of my answers are long winded
>Which national park is worth it when it comes to seeing tropical flora and fauna? Is Chitwan the non plus ultra or are there better options?
I went to Chitwan. Spent total 4 days there, was the highlight of my whole trip. Did a all day walking safari through the park. Is a very intense safari,and one I dont think you can do anywhere else. You also get the least reassuring safety briefing in the world.
Managed to see a bunch of crocs & birds as well as tracked down (and sprinted through the jungle after a few slow bears). Next night arranged through our lodge to spend a night in the park. Went out sunset and were literally 200m away from a royal bengal tiger, then a one horned asian elephant.
Probably my number 1 travel moment, only in Nepal can you walk after wild tigers on foot.
>(quite old) lonely planet speaks of very cheap prices like 8$ for a day trip on an elephant back. Is it still that cheap?
Not that cheap, but still cheap. I didn't do an elephant tour cause fuck that, but 3 nights accom plus two visits to the park & permits/lunch included cost me 4500 Nepal Rupees, so you do the maths.
>How's the infrastructure; should I count in some days just for driving/flying to the next destination?
You're average bus ride to a main tourist center will leave in the morning and take the better part of a day, yes. transport in Nepal is slow - but thats a good thing as they're driving is the worst I've seen anywhere.
For trips going far across the country you'd be looking at at least 17 hours.
Flying is faster, but keep in mind nepal has one of the worst domestic flying crash rates in the world.
>Are two-week hikes too incriminating for an mediocre fit European?
Where are you planning to hike? Some hikes are easy. Some are not. I did Jiri to EBC, and it was definitely tough in parts.
If you're worried about AMS, try to plan a route that has you going above 3500, then back down again in the same day. Walk high, sleep low. You do notice the lack of oxygen as you get higher up, and yes it does make things harder.
>Is the air pressure as oppressive as I think, when you aren't used to it?
See above.
>What do you bring for multi-day hikes? I want to take my camera and tripod with me - is that possible?
I took camera and lightweight tripod, had no issues at all. But make sure you only take trekking 100% what you need. Everything else is wasted weight. Most hotels in Ktm will store your stuff for you while you go.
>I saw many pics of yaks carrying the hiker's equipment. Is this common for multi-day hikes?
Not as far as I'm aware, most yaks take supplies to villages where there are no roads.
You can however hire a porter, and a lot of people do. Upto you whether you think it will add to or detract from the experience.
If you do, make sure you're 100% what you're covering when you negioate. Some expect you to cover rooms, food etc where some will sort it themselves. There are lots of companies that will sort everything for you (permits, guides, etc) and these vary in prices from good to complete ripoff.
I personally just bought a map and a permit and set off, but that's definitely not for everyone, and my first week was a struggle, and I got lost a couple of times as well.
Nepal is an amazing country that 100% needs the tourism money right now, as the infrastructure and peoples lives are still very fucked from the earthquake in the more remote places. It is however a beautiful country, filled for the most part with tough people. You will have a blast.
Did EBC and some side treks a few years ago, it was a blast. Kathmandu was a trying experience though. Stay outside of Thamel for the optimal experience. You can also raft to Pokhara!
OP here, you guys make 4chan great again! Thank you.
I also think about doing EBC, but I'm not sure yet. I have some brochures lying around where two week mountain hikes (+accomodation) cost around 1200$. Can you also book those hikes locally without any problems? I think that those mountain hikes (in comparison with the Chitwan hikes) are extremely overpriced, but nontheless I want to do one..
Which sports do you recommend to prepare for multi-day hikes?
Seems like eating out is attractively priced in Nepal. Which are the best restaurants in the Kathmandu Valley and what should everybody visiting Nepal should have eaten?
>>1094971
dhal baat :^)
>>1093315
>Elephant riding
Don't do that you fucking faggot. It's despicable what people do to elephants in order for them to perform tricks and carry assholes like you just because you want a Facebook photo.
>>1094998
omg good point
Chitwan is great, I wish I had more time there on my trip. Go for one of the walking trips into the park rather than the jeep safaris though imo.
If you are into motorbikes, get yourself an Enfield bullet in Pokhara and cruise around some quiet mountain roads. You can get off the tourist trail pretty fast and have some interesting experiences.
>>1095004
Ignore him. Missing the experience won't change anything, and unless you see the elephant getting a stick shoved up it's ass or something you can't know for sure it's being tortured and there's be know reason for you to assume that it is unless you just have that mentality and want to project victimhood.
>>1093365
I always found "walk high sleep low" to be ineffective. Afterall, you're spending most of your time at a lower elevation if you're sleeping there, so your body isn't really trying to get you ready for higher elevations if you're not in higher elevations. It doesn't make any sense to me and seems like a waste of time and energy.
What I do instead is pick my next stop based on elevation and after 3500m I aim for 500m increments, 1000m being the absolute maximum and only to be used if there's absolutely no shelter in between these two points. I hasn't come to that, yet, the most I've had to ascend to sleep is about 700m. You might go higher than 1000m during your climb that day or you might have to follow a trail that brings you lower than you were before, as long as you're sleeping at those target altitudes your body is adapting to the atmosphere. I've never had AMS. Sure, I had a dry cough and my appetite was smaller than usual, but that's just normal high altitude stuff.
Doing it that way, I comfortably went from Lukla to EBC in 5 days and was back in Lukla on the 8th day.
I did the same for the Annapurna circuit and several other not as famous treks in Nepal.
>>1094998
>>1095043
I never wanted to do elephant tours and >>1095004 isn't me. I only picked elephant riding as an example for cheap prices according to my lonely planet.
Ethically I'm not sure what to think about it, but independently of this point I'd rather experience the jungle on foot.
>>1095079
Thank you for the reference, I'll have that in mind
But wow, did you book a trekking to EBC or did you hike on your own/with a partner? I can only find tours to EBC that take at least 12 days or so.
How many days should you schedule for Kathmandu?
>>1095092
You don't need a guide or anything. I went alone, just me and my backpack and a map. The trail is clearly marked and most of the people on it are going to the same place, so it's hard to get lost. At night you just pick a sherpa lodge and sleep there for $4 (or sometimes free if you eat dinner there, of course dinner usually costs $10). If it's a genuine sherpa lodge you can ask them about the terrain, what the next day is going to be like, weather to look out for, any kind of dangers you might face. They want you to stay safe while you're in their valley, so they'll tell you everything you need to know.
>>1096173
Kathmandu isn't that interesting, in my opinion. I would say you could do everything worth doing in the city in 2-3 days depending on your pace.
Pokhara is much more fun as a traveler because it feels more specifically Nepali where Kathmandu is Nepali mixed with Indian and everything is made from orange bricks.
Is it possible to go to Gokyo solo? Or should I get a guide
>>1097104
I don't know about Gokyo. I'm certain you can do most of it by yourself, but since I've never been to the peak I don't know if you need special guidance the the last leg of the trek.
>>1097104
I did Gokyo after EBC. Gorak Shep -> Dzonghla -> Chola pass/Tagnag/Gokyo
You may want to stop at Tagnag after crossing Chola pass though, otherwise it's a full 12+ hour day between Dzonghla and Gokyo. As for solo'ing, I'd advise against it during monsoon season/low traffic seasons as Chola pass is very prone to rockfalls. On the plus side, after you make it to Gokyo, you get to enjoy the lakes, ascend Gokyo-Ri as day-trek, and afterward have the option of taking Renjo-la pass or taking probably the easiest route back to Namche.
>>1097134
What's the lodging situation on the way to and on Gokyo? Can you stay in lodges or do you have to camp?
>>1097140
I don't recall the lodging situation from Gokyo-Namche, but there seemed to be lodges every 1-2 hours along the way. Coming from EBC, Gorak Shep was very forgiving in terms of lodging while Dzonghla and Tagnag were a bit sparse (1-2 lodges maybe). Gokyo itself was pretty comparable to Gorak Shep.
desu finding lodges wasn't much of a problem, but during monsoon season the challenge will be finding open ones, while during high-traffic season the challenge will be finding a space. Camping is very doable though, and some places like Gorak Shep had a large open campground. My favourite was a place called Rivendell, literally a short walk from Tengboche (which was fully closed during monsoon season)
>>1097106
>but since I've never been to the peak I don't know if you need special guidance the the last leg of the trek.
I can see the trail extremely well from google earth, so I'm assuming it's fairly easy to navigate from the ground. I may end up trying to find a group to follow up just in case
>>1097134
I'll be there in a few days, so hopefully their should be people around. Was the trail over Cho La easy to navigate? I can't seem to find it on google earth, like the others.
>Tagnag after crossing Chola pass
I'll be going to Gokyo first. I'm on a tight schedule, so I was going to leave EBC as optional. The views from Gokyo look much more spectacular
>>1097167
Chola pass is pretty tough but straight forward. Coming from the Tagnag side it will be a steep ascent over scree, followed by a glacial crossing with a gentle down slope (be wary of crevasses and rock falls) and then a steep descent down some large rocky steps. Crampons are a must.
Gokyo to Tagnag will also involve a glacial crossing so factor that into a day in itself.
The view from Gokyo-ri is definitely superior though. I hope to go back one day to do all three passes.
>>1097174
cool thanks for the info. I may just put it off for this trip and stick to Gokyo. It sounds like Cho La would be above my skill level
Do the teahouses take dollars? Or should I get a stack of rupees for the trek?
>>1097229
Rupees for sure. They might take dollars, but they for sure take rupees.
>>1094971
I got addicted to momos myself. Recommend vegetable momos though because I heard Nepalese meat is a bit harsh on the stomach. I did try a platter of buffalo momos though and I was fine.
>>1097093
When I was in Pokhara the amount of foreigners there did not make it feel very Nepali. I kid you not I think the Nepalis were a minority in Pokhara.
I am a habitual marijuana smoker and as much as I hate it, a good toke really levels out my mood.
I know Nepal is famous for its hash, and marijuana grows abundantly there wildly. Is hashish fairly easy to obtain? I'm talking in rural nepal, if I were to be going village to village on a bike- or on one of the treks in annapurna/manaslu.
>>1097319
Let me guess, you stayed at Lakeside?
Yeah, Lakeside is a tourist shithole. That should be obvious after spending 10 minutes there. Don't stay in Lakeside.
What kind of clothing should I wear if I'm going to do the Chitwan circuit. And waste disposable. Standard rules apply? (dig hole and bury it)
Is the far western region worth seeing?
>>1097325
Realtravel TM
>>1099208
Or how about this
>complains about city being full of tourists
>stayed in the most touristy place in the city
It's like staying in Fisherman's Warf and saying San Francisco is too touristy.
>>1099094
bump
>>1097174
My camera has a battery, once above Namche is it difficult to recharge?
>>1102083
It's difficult AND expensive. Power does exist in some places, but if you find it expect to be paying more and more for a full charge. Some places charge per minute, others with flat fees for a fully charged device.
Depending on how often you'll need to recharge, it might be more economical to buy a solar mobile charger and somehow arrange it on your backpack to charge while you trek.
>>1097151
Could you tell me about the monsoon season? Are lots of the lodges closed? Are the trails all muddy? Is it pleasant at that time? My goal isn't to see mountains at their most glorious, but just to walk around and explore. Time wouldn't be an issue.
Is anyone planning to do the Annapurna Circuit anytime soon or otherwise find themselves in Muktinath?
If so, I'd gladly pay you to pick up a couple Muktinath woven things and ship them to me. When I was there I saw them being made on the street and I thought they were cool, but my GF was fighting with me and I just was too distracted to go buy any of them, but now I wish I could have one and they're not available anywhere online.
Pic related, it's what I remember the loom on the street looking like.
>>1097322
Bumping this. A friend of mine managed to score some great hash pretty easily in Thamel, but that was almost ten years ago. Is it still easy to pick up?
>>1093315
>LITERALLY A TRIANGLE AND A TRAPEZIUM
You can't make this shit up
Met a Nepalese girl in my class here in California. She's cute and seems very friendly, laughs at my jokes, but earlier in the semester I kind of asked her out but she swerved a bit. Whoops. She still goes to talk to me and laughs at my jokes. Try again?
>>1093315
Nepal was more or less decimated by an earthquake a year ago, lots of historical architecture is gone but you can enjoy the nature and visit Tibet with a visa
So which would be the best preparations to make, if you need power for your phone, camera, GoPro? I won't be in very great hights, but still in some sparsely populated areas...
Is a solar charger worth it? Can I use it for all of my equipment? Does it work without direct sunlight?
>>1104131
bumping
>>1104131
If you can afford the solar charger, I'd go with that. Attach it to your backpack so it charges batteries while you trek. More remote places will charge you an arm and a leg to charge your batteries or they just won't have anything to charge them at all.
>>1104739
Thank you for the reply. As there are solar chargers from 10-200$, I don't really know which one is worth it and accordingly which is affordable for me. Can you help me out or recommend me a model? Particularly important is my camera (two batteries), followed by my phone and last the GoPro
>>1104993
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgRloFSeWoE
I'm planning on going to Nepal about this time next year. I want to go for maybe a month and just take it easy.
I was thinking of just getting a hotel room for the month somewhere in Kathmandu and just explore markets and the cities. I would also like to visit temples, Buddhist or Hindu.
But I was also think of doing on or two of the outings/hikes/treks into the more rural areas of Nepal.
So I'm basically just asking for tips in regards to staying in Kathmandu for that length of time.It seems fairly easy and cheap to find a room, but the basics of staying in Kathmandu I'm not too sure about. So any information from people who have done something similar or whatever I would appreciate.
>>1105087
Thank you, good video!
>>1105089
Why would you want to stay in Kathmandu for a month, though?
>>1106062
Because there seems like a lot of stuff to do there. Plus, I don't want to have a rushed experience going from one trek to a next. Is a month in Kathmandu a bad idea? I have actually been reconsidering that plan and trying to get to a lot more rural areas. And I don't necessarily want just to stay in Kathmandu for the whole month, it just seems like a good base.
Though I have barely done any planning besides just saying that I'm going to Nepal. I'm very open to everyone's ideas and experiences.
>>1106079
Kathmandu is an alright base for trekking, but Pokhara is better. Kathmandu is rather boring in my opinion. There isn't much to do outside of the same temples everyone goes to and I don't know if Darbar Square is rebuilt, yet, but that would add 1 more thing to visit. Generally you can see everything you would want to see in 2-3 days in Kathmandu at a slow pace.
Pokhara is located much closer to a number of treks and the city is much more comfortable to be in (just don't stay near Lakeside because it's become a clubbing district for Chinese tourists).
I recommend using Kathmandu for the Everest Base Camp trek (which you can do completely alone, don't believe the trekking companies trying to sell you tours) and then moving on to Pokhara to explore treks around there, maybe even do the Annapurna circuit if you've got the time. If you've only got a week or so, take the bus to Besishahar, then hire a jeep from Besi to Chame and start your trek from there. When you get to Muktinath or Jomsom then you can either fly back or take a bus back, it should be 7-8 days total.
>>1106084
Great thanks!
And do you mean being able to doing trekking in general by myself, of just the Everest one?
>>1106110
Everest Base Camp is easy to do by yourself, as are many of the most popular routes like the Annapurna Circuit. Some of the more difficult or rarely trafficked ones might not have the trail as clearly marked or they might not have villages and tea houses on the way so you'd have to camp or figure out something else for shelter. It depends on how much experience you have trekking by yourself if you want to do the less popular, more technical routes.
>>1106167
The Annapurna Circuit looks really nice. And you say they're easy to do by myself, but are they safe, either from natural dangers or thieves?
>>1093315
>a triangle and a trapezium
>>1106309
Yep, it's pretty safe.
Well, as long as you're not a total retard who ignores the weather and is too proud to turn back. 40+ people died on Thorong-La in 2014 because they didn't check the weather and didn't turn back when it was obvious it was going to shit. They just sat there and waited until they froze to death. There's nothing up there, just a small tea hut made of stones with a small furnace meant for boiling tea.
So don't be a dumbass and remember this is a real mountain with real weather and keep your awareness up and you should be 100% fine. I took my girlfriend at the time who had no previous experience trekking and we did it. Crossing Thorong-La is a reaaaalll whore of a day, but pretty much before and after that it's all gravy. Although I recommend taking some of the side routes that lead up to higher altitude villages on the way instead of walking with the river the entire time. It's much easier that way, but also much more boring.
And there are no thieves up there. There used to be Maoists who would ask for like a passing fee of $20 or something and then they'd give you a stamp that said you were Maoist approved so other Maoists didn't bother you, but those days are over and the Maoists aren't in that area anymore.
>>1106480
Thanks for the tips, I really appreciate them.
Do you go to Nepal often?
>>1106490
Usually every 2-3 years I stop in for a few weeks to a month. It's a great place. The next place I'm eyeing is Upper Mustang. The Annapurna Circuit goes through Mustang on the west side and it was culturally the most interesting part of the trek. There were people still walking around with bows and arrows, waiting for the bus, super casual about it.
>>1106510
>poeple with bows and arrows waiting for the bus
AWESOME
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>>1097322
Yes, but as usual it tends to be more marginal members of society dealing it. Scumbags who'd just as soon sell you a lump of heroin mixed with paint chips or hook you up with a 14 year old boy's ass. If you're buying from a dirty man off the street in Kathmandu (they'll announce themselves to you, don't worry), you know what to expect. Occasionally old ladies and shit in remote villages sell too. I don't think they generally advertise for foreigners though.
Quality should be good enough, but it's not like California dispensaries or potent grow-op shit.
Also while it is largely tolerated and of course also used in Nepal, and despite the hippie history, it's actually illegal (except for sadhus, sometimes) and something you don't want to be caught doing by bribe-hungry police or nosey neighbours.
http://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/nepal-one-year-on/?utm_campaign=stories&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_content=stories120416
Maybe some ideas for you I found today
