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If you are thinking about taking your first trip
to Nepal, Tibet you will probably have a lot of
questions. After all, our journeys are different
from standard tours. Here are some answers to
the most frequently asked questions about our
trips:
Why highlander?
Highlander is your unbiased expert in helping
you find the perfect adventure. We make it easy
for you to find all adventure trip options
"under one roof", so you only have to make one
call to explore the Himalaya of options. We help
you navigate through hundred of trips to find
the one that best matches your desired budget,
timing, destination and activity level. And, if
we cannot find the perfect preset package, we
will help you
customize one.
Can I get a VISA on arrival?
Yes, you can obtain your entry visa at the
Kathmandu airport upon arrival or at a consulate
in your home country. In either case, you need 2
passport size photograph and the visa fee. To
date, the fee is USD 30 for up to 60 days. Check
with us for an update.
What are our trips like?
Our trips are designed as off-the-beaten-path
journeys. We do everything we can to allow you
to experience the local culture and to
participate in local practices. We want to give
you the opportunity to interact with the locals,
learn about their way of life, learn some Nepali
phrases, and perhaps participate with the local
trekking staff as they sing and dance after a
day of trekking. We consider these interactions
some of the most valuable memories to take back
home, along with the stunning views of the
Himalayas. Nepalese are also very excited to
learn more about your way of life.
Why use a Guide?
So, is it true that you can travel through Nepal
without using guides?
The answer is yes, you can. However, we always
recommend that you take a guide along.
They act as a liaison between you and the people
and without the guide you will never get in
touch with the people. You will visit the place
but not interact with the culture and learn from
it.
The guides get their licenses from the
Government organisation called NATHM (National
Academy for Tourism and Hotel Management) and
are officially recognised by the government.
They are trained from time to time on issues
such as first aid, Acute Mountain Sickness,
rescue methods etc. Travelling in Nepal is not
like in other countries where the altitudes are
low. Once you cross the altitude of 3000m (and
you will in almost every trek) you have to be
extremely cautious.
The guides are knowledgable in methods to reduce
your impact in the environment and culture of
Nepal. They will help you minimize the negative
impacts of your travels. They will also inform
you on how to not be offending to the culture of
the people.
Finally, they also have a wealth of information
about the area you are travelling in and about
Nepal in general.
How many miles do we walk per day?
This varies with each trip of course. In the
mountains we measure hikes in hours, rather than
miles. On most treks, we hike 4–7 hours per day,
with a lunch break of 1–2 hours in the middle.
We encourage you to walk at your own pace. There
is no need to rush or "stay up" with others
during the daily hikes. There will always be a
guide at the back of the group to make sure that
you arrive safely to camp. We know that much of
the fun of trekking is maintaining a pace which
will allow you to fully enjoy your surroundings.
What is a tea house Trek?
Teahouse trekking means staying and eating in
local lodges. We stay in single rooms where
possible, but often you will have to share.
Rooms are basic, normally just a bed with a
pillow, blankets. A few have electric lights and
all have a spacious dining room-lounge.
We eat at teahouses and, although the food is
usually plentiful and delicious, the menu is not
extensive. They offer a variety of potato, rice
and noodle dishes, as well as soup and seasonal
vegetables. Beers and local spirits are often
available, but that will be at your own cost. A
variety of cereals, bread and egg dishes are
generally available for breakfast. There are
also snacks available such as basic biscuits,
chocolate and soft drinks and in some areas you
will find fresh fruit in season.
What is a camping trek?
Camping means sleeping in tents, normally we
provide a two person tent for one client, and
large three person tents for a couple. These
treks normally go to more remote regions where
there are no tea house facilities. You will have
a full staff of guides, cooks and porters to
take care of you on these treks.
Do I have to carry a backpack?
No. But you have to carry a light day-pack
containing your water bottle, camera, an extra
layer of clothing, sunglasses, a rain coat or
wind breaker, and snacks. Porters or pack
animals will carry all of the heavy gear.
I have never trekked before; can I do a trek in
the Himalayas?
If you are in good health and enjoy regular
exercise such as jogging, tennis, or even long
walks, we have a trip designed for you. The
number one qualification is a positive attitude!
We have had many years of experience of treks in
high altitudes, so we know how to pace a trek or
climb. Each person reacts to altitude in a
different way, so it is difficult to predict how
you will do. But in general, with the careful
pacing of our trips, allowing proper rest days
for acclimatization, most people adapt well. The
potential problems with altitude stem from
people going too high too fast. We make sure
that this does not happen.
What will the weather be like on the trip?
The ideal time of year to go to Nepal is either
in the fall or in the spring. In the mountain
regions, day time hiking temperatures generally
range from the 50's to the 80's F. Night time
temperatures drop down to 20 to 40 F. Since we
carefully schedule trips to coincide with the
ideal seasons to visit a particular area, we do
our best to assure you "good" weather.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature always has the
final say. We are happy to answer your weather
questions on an individual basis.
What is the food like? How is the water
purified?
On camping treks we provide 3 tasty, plentiful
and nutritious meals daily with a variety of
local and Western dishes. To start the day,
breakfast consists of a choice of porridge,
muesli and cereal followed by omelette, fried or
scrambled eggs with chapattis or bread. Lunch is
generally a selection of salad, cooked vegetable
dishes, pasta and traditional breads. After a
day on the trail dinner is a hearty 3 course
meal - soup, followed by a variety of vegetable,
meat, rice and pasta dishes and completed with a
simple dessert. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate
are also provided at most meals. We use as much
fresh produce as possible and our cooks and
kitchen crew maintain good standards of
cleanliness and food preparation hygiene.
Special dietary requirements can be catered for.
. All water used for cooking and drinking is
purified by our camp staff either by boiling or
by the use of Iodine. (At high altitudes, Iodine
is safer than boiling since water boils at lower
temperatures.) You can buy bottled water while
in Kathmandu and you will be provided boiled or
filtered water on the trek. Always brush your
teeth in treated or bottled water. As an extra
precaution, you can add your own Iodine tablets
to your treated water while on the trek.
How do you organize Tibet Tour?
We need you to send us a scan of your personal
details page from your passport; we prefer this
in JPG format not much bigger than 100 KB. We
need to receive this at least one month before
your Tibet tour, we will then do all the
necessary work for you to get a travel permit to
Tibet and a Chinese visa.
Can I get my own visa for Tibet from home?
No, sorry you will have to let us arrange a
group visa for you, as the Chinese don’t allow
travelers to travel individually to Tibet from
Nepal.
What type of insurance should I have before I
come to Nepal? Can I get it there?
We insist you have travel insurance when you
come on one of our tours. You need to get this
from home as no travel insurance is available in
Nepal. Please refer to our insurance advice for
more information.
What equipment should I bring?
We will help you in your selection of equipment
to bring, it depends a lot upon the season you
arrive here or where you are going, so please
see our basic equipment lists besides each tour
or e-mail us for a complete gear list.
Are your staff fully equipped and what about
their insurance?
All our staff has insurance and free access to
equipment. The salaries are above average and
our staff members are free to join any trade
union. Medical care, if needed, is for everyone
in the expedition. Our porters carry a maximum
of 30 kilos and if a porter gets sick we will
take care of him until he has recovered. This
means that our clients are paying a slightly
higher rate but you are supporting decent and
equitable working conditions for all staff.
What is your cancellation policy and terms or
conditions?
Every trip is different, depending on the
various rules. But, as a rule of thumb, a
deposit at the time of booking is typically 33%.
If you cancel before 30 day there will be no
charge. Between 25 and 10 day the rate of refund
varies from 10 % to 65%.
If you cancel after 10 days no refund will be
made.
E-mail us to get details for your specific trip.
Why purchase travel insurance?
Many trips require it and we always recommend it
to protect yourself in the event you need
reimbursement for the costs of medical
evacuation, trip cancellation or interruption,
unexpected delays, lost luggage or any medical
services needed while traveling.
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