Mountain trekking is one of my fave kinda holidays. Escaping from the rat race of western busy life and getting up in the mountains is just something i love. Throw a trip to Nepal in the mix and it's got everything for a great holiday. Hiking, adventure, culture albeit with some of the most unpalatable food on the planet - yeah sorry Nepal, Dal Baht with stones hidden in the rice is never gonna be my fave food. Nepal has thrown away all the dumb covid entry restrictions that make travel to other Asian countries a pain in the ass so I'm thinking about a trip back there real soon. Problem is there are only a couple of very narrow windows to visit Nepal for hiking - basically April and May or October and November, although the latter is considered the best option for clear skies and amazing views. I was there before Covid in 2019 and trekked over the Helambu range to descend into the Langtang area. here's a few pics of the trip which I did with my GF at the time.....
The Himalaya are truly humbling as are the thousands of years old culture that is up there. Its mind bending to know that your are walking on stone paths that people have been using for millenniums before you. Those prayer flags at the top of passes have been replaced thousands of times. It blows my mind being there and I can wait to get back....
For new comers to Nepal let me layout a few tips and tricks on how to get up in the mountains fast and enjoying some of the best scenery in the world. When you land in Kathmandu you need at least 2 full days to get your shit together. You need to get a TIMS card which is a trekking permit - dont be fooled into letting an agency do this for you. Head to the TIMS office, pick a number and wait your turn. You fill in a straightforward for and thats it, pay the tiny fee and you are good to go. The rest of your time is spent renting or buying the gear you need. You can literally arrive in Kathmandu with nothing and have everything you need for a trek or peak summit within 24hours of shopping around. I normally bring my own hiking boots and sleeping bag then buy a few luxuries like hat, gloves and wooly socks then rent some down jacket and wet weather gear. You dont need camping equipment if your only trekking as there are lodges literally everywhere. m going in November! Who is coming??!!
