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A trek in Nepal is
a unique and unforgettable
experience for a whole lot of
reasons but four in particular stand
out:
Scenery : Eight out of fourteen
highest mountains in the world are
in Nepal and if you want to see
these up close, you must walk. While
trekking you see far more than the
mountains. You can walk from the
tropical lowlands to alpine meadows
and glacial moraines while in the
spring Nepal's brilliant
rhododendrons will be in bloom and
you may see rare species of birds.
Diversity : The landscape of Nepal
is almost continually inhabited. The
majority of Nepal's population live,
not in the cities, but in tiny
villages. Even in the high
mountains, small settlements on
stone houses and yak pastures dot
every possible flat space. Much of
the fascination of a trek is derived
from the opportunity to observe life
in these villages, where people
truly live off the land, using only
a few manufactured items such as
soap, kerosene, paper and matches.
All of which are imported in bamboo
baskets carried by bare foot
porters. Trekkers pass through
picturesque villages inhabited by
Sherpas, Magars, Gurungs and Tamangs
in the highlands and Brahmins,
Chhetris and Newars in the lower
altitudes. These are among the many
ethnic groups which exist in Nepal.
People : Trekkers are always
impressed by the friendliness of the
people they meet along the local
trails .The hill people particularly
their traditional hospitality and
fascinating culture, make a trek in
Nepal a special kind of mountain
holiday unlike any other part of
world.
Safety : Not only is scenery
interesting and ever changing but it
can be seen in relative safety.
Theft, robbery, assault all the
problems of western civilization and
many Asian countries are still
relatively unknown in Nepal. There
was a time a few years ago When even
women could trek alone in Nepal.
Unfortunately things seem to be
changing and treks need to be more
careful than they used to be. It is
advisable to trek in groups of at
least two persons and if possible
with a porter or a guide. But this
doesn't necessarily mean that you
need to trek with an organized
trekking agency in an expensive way.
Height : Trekking is not
mountaineering but it is as well to
remember that the Himalayas begin
where other mountains finish.
Whether you begin your trek at a
roadbed or fly into a remote
mountain airstrip, a large part of
your trek will be in the middle
hills region at an elevations
between 1000 meters and 3000 meters
but the trek to Everest base camp
will reach 5545 meters. Most of the
time you will remain with in the
altitude range 1500 to 2000 meters.
In this region, there are always
well-developed trails through
villages and across mountain passes.
Even at high altitudes there are
intermittent settlements used in the
summer by erders, so the trails,
though often indistinct, are always
there. All trails are easily
traversed without the aid of ropes
or any mountaineering skill. There
are rare occasions when snow is
encountered, and on some high passes
it might be necessary to place a
safety line for your companions or
porter if there is deep snow, but
alpine techniques are almost never
used on a traditional trek. Anyone
who has walked extensively in the
mountains has all the skill
necessary for on extended trek in
Nepal.
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