Booking Advice
We are not a trekking agency, but if you want to book a trek now with a Nepali trekking guide from Gurja Khani village, we can highly recommend Lal Prasad Chhantyal (that's him above).  Lal has a professional guide's license, 30 years experience guiding trekkers all over Nepal, and shares our "Fair Tread" ethical values.  If you want to book now, check out the advice below and then contact Lal and tell him what you would like to do.
​best season
​October – November. Best months. Sunny and dry, clear views. Harvest season.
December – January. Mostly sunny, but cold. Some rain/snow possible
February – Mostly good. Snow remaining on high passes
March – April. Good months. Mostly sunny and dry, but distant views more hazy. Rhododendron forests in flower.
May – mid June. Heat, dust, dramatic thunderstorms
Mid June – September. Monsoon. Few tourists! Non-stop festivals and landslides! Vibrant green fields but mountains mostly hidden by cloud.
  
Be prepared. Get local advice before you go. Some years deep snow remains on high passes into June. With climate change the weather pattern is becoming less predictable. Some years monsoon rain continues into early October bringing heavy snow on passes with avalanche risk. Even in the best season snow peaks may become cloud-covered by midday. For impregnable views, time your departure to reach viewpoints in the morning.
AccomModation
Accommodation on the treks is either in family-run homestays, local lodges or camping (high altitudes only). There are no tourist lodges on our treks.
Homestay
The best thing about O-T-B Homestays, are the close encounter they provide with a Nepali family. Without exception they are friendly and hospitable. Homestay hosts are usually farmers, so they are unable to provide food at all hours of the day like a Teashop Lodge.
 
Sleeping arrangements:-
  • Private room with double or single bed. Most have light bulb and charging socket. Windows have shutters, no glass. Cracks in walls for ventilation!
  • Clean bedding, pillow, warm covers.  Sponge mattress or hard local.
  • Outside squat toilet with bucket of water. Tapstand for washing. Some have shower room (water provided in bucket). Most will heat hot water if required (extra cost). Hidden Village has Community-managed Bath House with private cubicles and hot showers!
 
Food:-
  • Tea on arrival
  • Traditional vegetarian meal 7-8 pm. Seating on mats around open fire, sometimes at a table.
  • Breakfast: Chapati and tea; sometimes porridge, eggs, potatoes. They will cook extra for you to carry if you have an all-day hike with no habitation.
Lunch: same as evening meal, served any time between 8 am-1 pm.
local Lodges
​Local lodges -sometimes referred to as ‘teashops’ but locally they use the word ‘hotel’  - exist to serve Nepali travelers. Be warned: standards are rather different. Most are family-run and similar to Homestays except for the following:-
  • You will probably be offered a private room, but might have to share a small dormitory.
  • Bedding is likely to have been slept in by others.
  • They generally serve drinks and food on demand since this is their main business.
  • Costs are similar to Homestays. Some have a bed charge, others do not
camping
​If you hire an independent guide to organize your camping, this is what you can expect:-
  • They select the camp spots according to availability of flat sheltered ground, firewood and water. They erect a cooking tent or shelter and prepare food for all. Trekkers erect their own tents.
  • Everything has to be carried by porters. They mainly carry dried foodstuffs e.g. rice, lentils/beans, instant noodles, sugar, tea, milk powder, with maybe a few vegetables. Nepali porters do not eat ‘foreign’ foods, so it saves fuel to fit in with their needs and comfort.
  • Sample meals: Breakfast: tea, porridge or muesli; Supper: rice and lentils/vegs. Lunch: noodle soup, or rice and lentils/vegs. Trekkers purchase and carry their own snacks.
  • No toilet tent. Burn toilet paper after use, or stuff it down crevices or cover with earth/dead leaves. It will rot with time. 
What to take
Homestay treks
Clothing
Nepal has continental climate, hot in the day, cold at nights. October day time temperatures reach 30°C (86°F) at low altitudes (Pokhara/Beni/Baglung).  November nights will be 0°C in Gurja village (2650 m)
  • Light waterproof jacket, in case.
  • Comfortable footwear with non-slip sole. Boots not essential – strong trainers will do, but may get wet in snow or rain. Useful to carry flip-flops for the homestays.
  • No need for sleeping bag, warm covers provided in Homestays/Lodges.
Food
Bring snacks as desired. Village shops sell a limited selection of cold drinks, sweets, biscuits, chocolate, and tea. If you are a coffee addict, carry a tin of instant.
​Other equipment
  • Torch
  • Toilet paper
  • Towel
  • Water purification tablets
  • Basic first aid
  • Charging cords for phones and cameras
  • Alcohol gel or wet wipes are useful for quick hand-clean
​camping treks
In addition to personal clothing and other items for homestay trekking, you will need:
  • Tent
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping pad
  • Gaz burner + cannisters (high-altitude only)
Arranging your trek
It is easy to organize your trek after your arrival in Nepal. However, in the peak tourist season if you want to hire a specific named Guide (list below), or a particular Trekking Agency, it is wise to book the slot ahead of time. 
As we ourselves do not organize treks, you have 3 options:  trekking agencies, hiring independent guide/porters, or going it alone. ​
trekking agencies
​Avoid booking with foreign companies,; besides being more expensive, most of that expenditure does not help Nepal. There are many local Trekking Agencies in Kathmandu and Pokhara, most of them have a website. They offer group treks at fixed dates and rates, but they will all be happy to arrange a bespoke trek or provide a guide and porter if you wish to strike out independently.
Hiring independent guide/porters
By side-stepping Agencies, more of your money goes to grass-roots. Some guides work exclusively for a particular trekking agency, but most work for any agency or person who hires them. If you cannot reach those on our recommended list below, then inquire at a Trekking Agency.
 
One advantage of hiring a guide is that they speak some English and can translate for you, enhancing your encounter with the homestay families. For Rugachaur Pass (Route 2), and Dhaula Canyon trails (Route 4), a ‘local’ guide is absolutely essential or you will get lost! Such guides are informal, and can be hired by the day. Your homestay host can arrange if asked.
 
A professional Guide carries his/her personal belongings, not yours. But you can also hire a porter-guide who speaks broken English and carries most of your stuff. The following are guides and porters we know and recommend from the communities along Off-the-Beaten routes:-
going it alone
Go for it! Single women unable to speak the local lingo have trekked to Hidden village unaccompanied. Download and print the relevant pdf Trail Guide, and purchase the map: Gurja Himal & Hidden Village.   Make sure you hire a local guide where it is advised, and for the camping treks. Remember – losing your way at high-altitude can mean losing your life!
How Much will it cost?
​homestays and local lodges
​Calculate on 1000-1200 Rs per day for essential food and accommodation (it may be less, and will be more if you binge on beer and meat). Five teaspoons of meat will cost you the same as a  huge vegetarian meal, and a beer might cost you double that.
  • Food: 150-300 Rs per meal. Prices rise the further the rice has to be portered or muled.
  • Bed: 100-250 Rs per person. Some homestays offer inclusive package with food. Lodges may not charge for sleeping.
guides and porters
​Rates are going up all the time. It is easiest to pay a daily rate plus pay for their food and accommodation. Otherwise, expect to pay a higher daily rate. Give a small advance at the start, and pay the remainder at the end.
 
In 2017, approximate daily rates (include their return journey home in your calculations)
  • Porter or local ‘guide’ hired on the spot: 1000- 1200 Rs + food
  • Porter-guide hired for the whole trek: 1500 Rs + food
  • Licensed guide 2500-3500 Rs (normally covers own food)
in an emergency
  • Mobile phone networks can be picked up in most places, but service is patchy. On the camping treks, and even during sections of the Homestay treks, you might not be within reach of a network, so you must rely upon your team-mates, guide or porters to carry an injured or sick person to medical care.
  • There are rudimentary Health Posts in Gurja Khani and Lulang, but they are unable to do X-rays and re-set broken limbs or treat serious injuries. The nearest town with hospitals approaching international standards is Pokhara.
Permits
  • Currently, there is no need of a TIMS trekking permit for any of the Homestay treks listed on this website.
  • If you are passing into the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, you may be stopped and asked to purchase an entry permit  (Rs 3000)
  • If you are planning the trek to Lower Dolpo or Around Dhaulagiri Range you need to purchase the following before setting out: TIMS permit, and Lower Dolpo Permit. Depending where your trek is ending you may also need ACAP entry  (Annapurna Conservation Area) , and Upper Dolpo Permit
  • For French Pass/Around Dhaulagiri I, you will need a TIMS permit, ACAP Entry Permit, and Lower Mustang Trekking Permit.
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