Climbing FAQs

There is only one restriction for obtaining permits for 6000m peaks. Nepal & government does not allow climbing permits to be issued to a climber below the age of 16. Beyond that restriction, any climber with appropriate fitness and skills can attempt a 6000-meter mountain in the Himalaya. However, our policies for accepting clients on these peaks require that the client has a list of hill hiking experience and some knowledge of rock & Ice climbing.

We prefer to have a minimum of 2 clients and a maximum of 15 on each team because it can be better controlled, delivering good services and good taking care of clients. But if anybody wants to do a private trek on his/her own, we can organize such trek as well.

Generally, Climbing and Mountaineering activities in Nepal have main 2 seasons- spring and autumn. But some climbing routes also can do in other seasons too. Check our individual package trips to find the best season and time for a particular trip.

Mountains in the Himalayas are not only for extreme mountaineers. Many of our clients are simply lovers of outdoors who want to add little extra of adventure in their trip; and are first timers. Many of the trekking peaks (small to medium level peaks) are not technical in terms of difficulty. They are climbed without the help of supplementary oxygen. Good physical condition and sense of enjoying adventure activities will enhance you to enjoy the mountains. Anyone who are able to hike daily 5-8 hours for couple of weeks, are not afraid of snow and can follow the very simple instructions of our climbing guide that includes following basic rope skill, wear and use equipment properly are qualified for small range (trekking peak) climbing trips. For large scale mountaineering it’s important to have experience of climbing smaller peaks, basic training and understanding of technical issued related to climbing.

The full board cost mentioned on the trip memo includes: climbing and national park entry fee permit, 4 nights hotel in Kathmandu, transport, airfare/bus fare, food,camping/cooking equipment and staff (guide, porters, etc). We need minimum 2 people in the trip to implement our price mentioned on the trip information. We provide bulk insurance to on behalf of our guides porters safety and care. We value fair business concept and we are committed to provide quality service in reasonable price.

To participate on our peak-climbing trip, previous mountaineering experience is not mandatory but you need to be physically fit and mentally prepared. If you do one of our challenging treks would be much more helpful to you and also, you must have to go through the training session as suggested based on the trip.

We have a team of Government licensed Sherpa Guides who can speak English fluently, who is best known for this industry. Very experienced, technically and physically fit, well known about the first aid, local cultures, and traditions, and always very caring to the clients.

We also have a bunch of good English speaking assistant guides, who are also called “Climbing Sherpa”. They are very knowledgeable about first aid kit, local cultures, well trained and always helpful to the clients. And our normal ratio of assistant guides is 1:3.Which means, 1 trek Sherpa guide, guides 3 climbing members during the climbing.Many of the trekking agencies offer very fewer ratios of trek assistant guide to making the cost very cheap, but this can bring a lot of risks on the trek and maximum chances of not receiving required assistant by the clients in the right place and on right time.

Our main goal is a successful and safe trip. Therefore we will have porters, horses, and yaks to carry the heavy loads. You have to pack most of your gears in the duffle bag and that will be carried by porters/yak and what you have to carry is your daypack, recommended 45L to 55L with about 7 kg including your water for the day.If the trek is camping, then all camping equipment, kitchen equipment, and food will be carried by the porters/yaks and you can walk with the above-recommended daypack.

GEARS, we often separate them into 2 parts, Trekking gears, and climbing gears.Trekking gears maximum allowed weight per client is 12 kg in a duffle bag.

Whereas climbing gears such as boot, crampon, jumar, ice axe, etc., will be collected from every client and pack separately in a barrel or hard duffle bag because sometimes, we have to send climbing gears straight to the base camp rather take on trek unnecessarily.

To avoid the morning air-traffic congestion in Kathmandu airport and for the smooth flight operation, the flights for Lukla will be based from Ramechhap airport (Manthali). For your kind information that the airlines have been operating all lukla flights based from Manthali airport since 2019.

KTM to Manthali airport distance is about 135km, 5 hours driving from KTM. If we have to do so, then there is NO additional cost, we depart from KTM a day early (1pm) from flight date and stay over-night near in a resort instead of staying 2nd night in KTM. This will also apply for the return flight as well but no need to stay overnight in Manthali, we drive same day to KTM.

Incase either way if flight got cancelled due to bad weather or any other unavoidable issues, there will be all most no chances to get next day early morning flight, because every day flight will be fully booked/sold out during the high season time (April/May/Oct/Nov), therefore instead of waiting for late morning flight next day, the best option will be flying with either sharing or charter helicopter the same day or at least next day early morning, there will be some additional cost.

If you prefer to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla directly skipping driving to and overnight stay in Remechhap, then the best way is to fly with Helicopter from Kathmandu to Lukla directly on a cost sharing or charter basis, the additional cost will be about USD (300 to 400) per/person depending on how many passengers flying on Helicopter (sharing or charter).To fly directly on Helicopter, you have to confirm with us in an advance so that we can manage the places accordingly. The maximum capacity on a helicopter flight is 5 passengers with limited luggage.

The porters will carry duffle bag and daypack will be carried by the trekkers himself or herself.

All the main heavy gears will be packed in the duffle bag including sleeping bag, down jacket, etc. you can pack only very personal items in the daypack, such as waterproof jacket and pant, a warm jacket, thin a pair of gloves, water bottles,extra running shoes,a top to bottom complete set of clothes to change with the wet cloths, sun cream,and some very personal items.

Unless you don’t mind communicate, local sim (Ncell) does work pretty good while on a trek as well. You can buy a local sim card very easily at most of the cybercafé in town or better on your arrival day at KTM airport, you can buy it free of cost in the airport, just go with your copy of passport and a photograph.

Please do not expect toilet facility as at your home and if you are doing one of the climbing trip combined with teahouse trek, it depends where you are going for a trek like if you are going in Everest area, pretty good toilet facility is available, normally common toilet on each floor. But if you are going to remote areas like the Kanchenjunga area,toilet will be fixed outside of the main building and made by wooden. We advise always to keep your personal toilet paper during the trek. On the camping trek, we provide toilet tent and Sherpa staff will put this tent away from the track, camp and water resources.

Teahouse Trek

Types and quality of the meals also depends on trekking areas. Everest, Annapurna & Langtang areas offer various types of meals whereas Kanchenjunga, Manaslu & Mustang areas offer fewer varieties of meals often Nepali meals “Dhal Bhat” which is Rice, curries & Lentil, fried rice, noodles, etc. In Everest & Annapurna areas, you will get a menu to choose your meals or some examples given below:

Breakfast

Egg, porridge, cereal, toast with jam and honey, pancake, etc. Lunch Nepali traditional meals “Dhal Bhat with curry”, spring roll with some additional French fries, rice with chicken curry Indian style or some time we can have packed lunch, etc.

Dinner

Generally start with soup (vegetable, mushroom, chicken, etc.). The main meal is one of the many Asian or European dishes and the dessert will be apple pie, mix fruit, etc.

(We are very careful about using the lodges throughout the trek; therefore we have very selected lodges, where we assured that, quality and hygienic meals)

Camping Trek

Our cook and kitchen staff will prepare the best, hygienic and quality meals as much as possible. And either we use chemicals or boil the fresh vegetables before serving them.We believe in quality meals so we are committed to it.

If I order snacks while on trek, (separate from 3 meals a day), who will pay for it?

Generally, we provide 3 meals a day with tea/coffee, so snacks order will be extra to be paid by the clients, not from our package.

On Teahouse Trek, it is always twin shared room throughout the trek. You must have to prepare your personal sleeping bag with liner and inflatable mattresses. The beds in the lodges are wooden with few inches of form mattress and clean blankets. But if you are going on a trek where lodges are just trying to develop itself, then often there will be a lower quality of accommodations and in some places, tent with your personal sleeping bag and mat might require.

On Camping Trek, we normally use Ozark tent and provide either single or twin shared
tents with form mattress to each client.

On our teahouse based trek, we have been using SteriPen or some liquid to purify the tap water and make it safe for drinking. SteriPEN harnesses the brilliant power of ultraviolet light to make water safe to drink. It’s the same technology used by leading bottled water manufacturers as well as major cities in the U.S., Europe, and Asia to purify. Just for in case, we keep some water purification tablets as well and we advise all our trekkers to keep some tables for your personal use in case if we run out. But whereas on our camping trek, we provide boiled water during the trekking period. We strongly advise all our clients, don’t drink water directly from the tap during your stay in the cities, please buy bottle water.

YES, we advise our trekkers to bring your personal first aid kit based on your requirements. The company will also send a group first aid kit with the guide in case if you run out or don’t have the required medicines, and you can have access to our medical kit and it can also use for our local staff.

Despite the best precautions, people do sometimes fall ill, develop symptoms of AMS.Our guide will manage your care keeping in mind what's best for you and the rest of the group.Our precautions include pre-advice to aware of AMS, first aid qualifications and kits, emergency communications, evacuation plans, your travel insurance cover, and our pre-preparation and medical advisors.

Most of the treks are challenging and takes you to the remote area of Himalayas.Therefore for your safe travel, insurance is mandatory; you must have to obtain maximum coverage travel insurance which must cover, emergency evacuation, medical treatment expenses, and repatriation. And check either your policy covers up to the height that you are going to ascent. And climb with using the climbing gears, rope.

AMS, Acute Mountain Sickness is the body reacting to the stress of high altitude. It is a concern for trekkers in the high altitude trekking. As per our experiences, it can be seen above 3000m of altitude.  Exposure to high altitude can lead to a number of normal & physiological reactions as well as mild to extremely serious illness and even to death. We take the risk of AMS seriously and work hard to avoid and minimize it. We monitor our trekkers and climbers in how to take care of themselves and each other and what to look out for. Our treks are designed with relatively slow acclimatization schedules
including some rest days with hiking days. And we have medications and a number of management strategies in place should they be required and the very mild headache on and above 4000m is considered normal but always you have to careful and consult with
your trek guide in such cases.

We can provide you a complete list of gears upon your booking of the trip but generally plastic mountaineering boot, crampon, harness, ice axe, good trekking/hiking boot,daypack, layers of breathable clothing for day and night, trekking pole, etc.

YES, most of the climbing gears are available on hire in KTM including plastic mountaineering boot, crampon, ice axe, etc. If you want to hire the plastic boot, you must have to inform us about your foot size in advance so that we can get good size boot for you. Sometime during the peak season, it’s difficult to get the right size boot.

Tipping is a kind of motivation factor for our local staff and on our treks & expedition. The local people really appreciate being rewarded directly by the clients for doing a good job.This encourages them to work hard and perform their duties to a high level of quality. Depending on the number of clients in the team, we advice appropriate tips in trip notes and tips are sometimes best administered by the Sardar, Cook and some time with assistance from the Trek & Expedition Leader.