Introduction and trip briefing:
On our all tours, trek, expeditions and other adventures, we give a short brief about the trip in Kathmandu on the same day of your arrival and introduce your trip guide and team members. At the mean time, we provide an opportunity for individuals to ask questions if any about the trip.
A day on the trek : Day starts with warm greeting and bed tea. Then you will be offered a basin of hot water to wash and take breakfast then you are off to trek for more then 3 hours through the forests, hills, mountain and local villages. You will stop at pleasant surroundings for hot lunch for an hour. You will then walk 3 or more hours depends on the places and facilities for camping places, stop for the night camp, you will be then offered tea / coffee with some light snacks then explore the area or relax until dinner is served at the warm dining hall. Most of the evening you will be encouraged to sing and dance in a traditional way. Sometime you will spend time playing cards, reading books and learning Nepali. Finally, go to bed served with hot water rubber bag to keep you extra warm in the cold temperature.
A successful trek requirement: As other trek, Upper Mustang trek also requires previous experience of trekking, sound health & fitness. This trek involves 5-8 hours of high mountain walking. You should be prepared about 10 Kms of walking or jugging exercise everyday 3 months before involving the trek as you are walking on high altitude for long and short days. Likewise you must need a positive attitude and a strong determination; lots of willpower and of course reasonable fitness, good health and physical condition are the basic measure of your success. We suggest you to consult your doctor for medical requirements as medical and evacuation expenses are your responsibility. To ensure for a safety and successful trek; we will provide one trek guide , one assistance guide on every group trek so that if in case one get sick, it would not be canceled the trek and run as plan as in itinerary.
Things to know: Our first concern is your safety while traveling with Holiday Mountain Treks. Please be informed that your trek leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Our every effort will be made for a safely completion of the planned itinerary, however as this is adventure travel into the remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it! Other factor like weather conditions, the health of member can be the reason to changes the itinerary. In such a case, please be prepared to be flexible. Your leader will accompany you on all scheduled activities and you will have free time to pursue your own interests too. Your trek leader will assist you with information about your options but please be informed that any additional activities you undertake are not part of our itinerary.
Accommodation: Lodges in the mountains are not as comfortable and clean as in the city but not the very basic. The lodges we use normally have combination of dormitories, twin, triple room and beds have foam mattress. There are few factors that affect our choice of a particular lodge which may not always be immediately obvious but the great looking lodges from outside may not be the cleanest and may not provide the best service or food. Please note that we also do not use lodges that will not provide accommodation for porters and guides as we believe that we have a duty to look after all our staffs. Some of the lodges now have attached bathrooms but we do not include this in the price of your trips. However due to availability issue you may be given a room with a bathroom and we will not charge extra.
Meals: Three meals as per your choice are provided in a day. Every lodge has a food menu and ordering book and you should write down in it everything you order under you name and room number. Guide will assist it actually and check at kitchen how busy they are. However it is good to order the food in one hour advance. Lunch is normally taken in a lodge along the way and we suggest the group tries to order similar dishes to make easier and shorter time. Nepali,Tibetan, Continental etc dishes are available though. However local food like vegetables, potatoes, soups are fresh, hygiene and healthy.
Guide: English speaking, well experienced and knowledgeable holding license from government institutions. They are well trained about the high altitude problem, eco tourism, social responsibilities and sincerely dedicated on their duty. Actually our guides play an invaluable role in ensuring that our clients have the best opportunity to experience, learn about, and enjoy their trip presenting them whenever you need any help.
Porters: Normally we use only regular porters working for the company. Our porters are fully equipped and insured having knowledge of walking on snow and high altitude passes. They are very honest, reliable, strong and of curse get good pay. They can speak engligh and will be referred to take the guide training after they are well experience and confident.
Travel Insurance:
We suggest and t is a condition of traveling with us that you must be fully insured, including air rescue services and all medical expenses. You decide and choose what amount and types of is insurance is suitable for your trip nature as some does buy cancellation and only for certain period of time.
Itinerary: Given itinerary is flexible so if needed there is often there will be possibility on the trek to extend or shorten the walking days. In the special case if the trips is ended a week or more earlier, there will be given an optional for a short trip. Please discuss this with your trek guide and express your wishes.
Washing and Toilet: Most of lodges offer hot shower now. Some times a hot shower means a bucket of hot water and ask your trek guide about the availability. For ecological reasons please try and limit your use of hot water if the water is not solar-heated. Please note that higher place and cold time there is very little chance to have enough and hot water. Every lodge will have some kind of hand washing facility but ask your trek guide about the place where you can wash and clean your teeth.
Toilets are usually Asian squat style and vary in how clean they are. Normally toilets are out side the lodge but now some lodge have inside the room or lodge. They tent to be cleaner in the lower than the higher because of water shortage and temperature. The rubbish bin in the toilet is kept for your used toilet paper.
Drinking water: Most of the stomach problems are faced from drinking water in the mountain so you should really care of it. Bottle of mineral water is normally available but environmentally unfriendly options so we recommend filtered and boiled water that should be treated with iodine / purifying tablet before you drink it. The lodge people charge minimum for boiled water as fuel is used to boil the water and wait about half an hour before adding any fruit powder etc.
Transportation: Deluxe private vehicle are provided while on city tour, airport transfers and tourist bus to and from Pokhara or private vehicle or flight will be arranged at an extra cost if required.
Responsible tourism concept: Holiday Mountain Treks is taking concern of economy, social, environment and culture while running its trips. Our staffs are trained on this and try for minimum impact on the natural environment and native peoples. We try to support local economy by using their products, making aware and our clients will have to respect the local culture and traditions. We always try to make the areas more cleaner and friendly environments after we travel. This is possible by your understanding and our trained crews.
Electricity: Small scale electricity schemes are running is several mountain communities but as they by definition small the light may not be strong enogh to read by and is not always guaranteed to be working. Kerosene lamps, candles or solar light bulbs are often used is the dining room where there is no electricity. A toch light, with extera battries is essential. Some lodges have rechargeing facilites for which there is a small charge. Nepal use voltages, 220-240 volts to power your appliances. The sockets are fit both round and flat.