Here is some Nepal Trekking information that makes it easy for the traveler:
Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport
This is the only international airport in Nepal. After passing through the immigration gate, there are two channels. The first one is the green channel, which can be used by travelers who do not have dutiable goods. The second one is the Red Channel, which you must proceed through if you have dutiable goods.
Getting a Taxi
Peregrine Treks provides free pick-up and drop-off service, so you need not worry about getting a taxi. Our office representative or your guide will welcome you to the airport. Don’t forget to collect your belongings before leaving the taxi or car.
Respect essential Nepalese customs:
More than 80 percent of Nepalese people are Hindu. They are open-hearted, and each Nepalese person welcomes you with a smile. Most Nepalese Ladies are shy of nature, so never offer your hand first to ladies. Instead of a handshake, you can say Namaskar (folded palms) or Hello. You can give hands first to the male for a handshake.
Before entering the Nepalese home, take off your shoes near the door, and never leave your sandals or shoes upside down. Use your right hand to give gifts or money to anybody, including a shopkeeper.
Visiting the temple
Taking off your shoes or sandals before entering the temple or stupas is customary. It would help if you walked around the temple clockwise. You may take permission before entering the temples. For example, non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the Pashupatinath Temple. Smoking and taking stiff drinks are strictly prohibited inside the temple.
Photographs
You can take enough photographs outside the stupas or temples during festival time. But you may get permission before taking pictures at the standard time and inside the temple. So, you can ask for permission. Many people, especially women, may not be interested in photographing, so take their permission first.
Dress
Use formal dress while traveling outside of Kathmandu Valley and significant cities. The highly suggested dress is if your clothes cover the knee, shoulders, and back.
Money
Travelers can easily exchange US dollars and other significant currencies in banks or through government-authorized money changers. You can get 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 notes, and you are highly recommended to carry below 500 notes for easy exchange of your money. Extra money can be returned at the time of your departure; at that time, you need to show the encashment receipt.
Credit Card
Significant restaurants and hotels will accept VISA, MASTER CARD, and AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD. They may take 3.5%-4% extra by paying via credit cards. You can withdraw Nepalese currency from the ATM Machine, too. Peregrine Treks accepts major credit cards.
Food
Nepal’s famous food is Dal, Bhat, and Tarkari, and they eat Nepali foods with their hand people s. Food eaten on the same plate is considered impure, so don’t offer others to eat at the same plate. Hindus and Buddhists do not entertain beef because they worship the cow. But you can get beef in restaurants and hotels.
Tipping
Tipping is not mandatory, but it is highly expected. Restaurants and hotels already add a 10% service charge; it is unnecessary to tip. Tipping for the guides, porters, and drivers is highly recommended. They will not get enough salary for their work on the mountain, so you can give them tips.
Safe Trekking (Nepal Trekking Information)
Trekking is not easy because of the rugged mountain and high altitudes. Don’t go too high too fast; this is the first precaution for safe trekking. It would help to give yourself enough time to acclimate to your body. You can get acute mountain sickness (AMS) while trekking. In the worst case, you may get HAPE and HACE.
AMS Sign: Headache, often with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, dizziness, and disturbed sleep. At this time, you need to acclimatize or take Diamox (250 mg every 12 hours)
HACE Sign: Severer Headache, loss of balance/coordination, staggering, irrational behavior, confusion, drowsiness, coma, death (sometimes in a few hours). In this situation, you must descend immediately, even at night, at least 1000 meters with your guide or porter, oxygen, and Gamow bag, keep the patient warm, and immediate helicopter rescue.
HAPE Sign: Breathless (even at rest), dry cough/pink or rusty spit, blue lips/nails, very tired, low fever, gurgling breath, exhausted, comma, death. In this situation, you must descend immediately with your supporter, take oxygen, and rescue asap.
A helicopter rescue service is available, but it is too expensive. You need to pay around USD 5000 to rescue from Everest Base Camp and USD 4500 from Annapurna Base Camp. So, it is highly recommended that you take travel insurance, which will cover helicopter rescue and medical treatment in the event of an accident.
The traveler must have Nepal Trekking Information before the trek to Nepal. This is very important for those traveling for the first time and who do not have proper Nepal Trekking Information. For more information, please visit the Nepal Trekking Packages page.