Travel is not something you go for every month, or even if that is the case then, safety and comfortability are the important factors that cannot be ignored. Small things play an important role in making your journey a memorable one such as accommodation and foods. Insurance and preparation during an emergency are equally important factors. So, get acquainted with adequate information prior to kicking off on your journey.

Before traveling, you must be alert about the policies and dos and don’ts of the country you are visiting. Without appropriate information, you may have troubles during your travel and something bad might happen out of the blue. Therefore, it is always a good idea to have at least some basic information about the host country.

Guides

Should you hire a guide in Nepal?

As per the recent Government policy, hiring a guide is not compulsory for traveling in Nepal. You may travel solo, without a guide and nothing is so wrong about it unless you know the trekking trail properly. The alleys around the Himalayas are said to be pretty confusing and trekking in such a bewildered place alone is, indeed, not safe for anyone.

What’s more, you may have trouble acclimatizing in the higher altitudes and, in case, something goes wrong, you may not help yourself. Also, you may not be familiar with the customs and cultures in different regions of Nepal. At that moment, you will require a guide to take care of you and assist you in familiarizing with the environment. Therefore, although not an obligation, it is better to hire a guide from a trusted travel agency.

But, how to hire a guide in Nepal?

Hiring a guide in Nepal is very easy, because of hundreds of travel-and-tour operators in the country- most of them centered to Kathmandu valley. However, hiring a perfect guide for a perfect expedition may not be so easy. Freelancers cannot be always trusted, although a cheap option. Also, all the trekking agencies are not legally registered.

1. Before hiring a guide, do a quick survey on whether the company (he/she is involved in) is legally registered with:

• Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN).
• Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal.
• Nepal Mountaineering Association of Nepal (NMA) for peak climbing.

2. Know whether the guide is well acquainted with the trekking trail.
3. Learn how flexible the guide is with his/her clients. For that, scamming the reviews of the trekkers, who have chosen that guide, is always a good idea.
4. Find out whether the guide is officially trained personnel.
5. Check out what languages he/she speaks. Make sure the language doesn’t pose a barrier during the trek.
6. Learn about the nature of the guide from the travel operator’s site.
7. Find out whether he/she is environmentally conscious; so that your travel doesn’t hamper the local environment of the place you are visiting.

The political situation of Nepal

Nepal is a Federal Democratic republic country, which means the government is chosen by the people. In the past, political demonstrations and Chakka jams (Strikes) had been frequent, perhaps because of the unstable government. But, currently, Nepal has a stable government. However, occasionally, strikes do occur, which doesn’t last long. Usual strikes last for some hours or a day.

In case your trek is halted by one of such strikes, seek help from your travel operators on what to do next. A flexible travel operating agency is, therefore, paramount.

Government Travel Advice

The following sites direct you to the travel advisories and information issued by different countries regarding traveling in Nepal. Make sure you check out these sites appropriately before traveling.

• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (www.smartraveller.gov.au)
• The government of Canada (www.voyage.gc.ca)
• New Zealand Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (www.safetravel.govt.nz)
• UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice)
• US Department of State (www.state.gov/travel)

To know more about Nepal, go to Nepal Information link in the Travel Guide section of our website.