I am going to Nepal Feb. 2, 09 and am looking for a trekking mate or two. I want to do the Jomsom trek. Or if anyone has any words of wisdom it would be great to hear from you!

Nepal has named as a heaven on earth, is a wonder in the Himalayas. It is the Shangri-La, roof of the world, living cultural Museum, birth place of the Lord Buddha and is the country of living Goddess. Nepal offers an astonishing diversity of sightseeing attractions and adventure opportunities found nowhere else on earth. It is also known as a melting pot of Hinduism & Buddhism offering non-stop festivals throughout the year. Nowhere else on the world is found the astonishing diversity of sightseeing attractions and adventure opportunities as Nepal offers.

Nepal is situated between China in the north and India in the South. The elevation of the country ranges from 60 meters above sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8,848m, all within a distance of 150 kilometers resulting in climatic conditions from sub-tropical to arctic.The country is a potpourri of ethnic groups and sub-groups who speak over 70 languages and dialects. Adventure Silk Road with its carefully designed tour programs; let the people to explore the highlights of the country. Come & Join with us!

In fact while you travel to Nepal you may encounter with different adventure tours such as Trekking,White water rafting,mountaineering,Wild life jungle safaries,sightseeing at different shrines and old heritage sites,educational tours,flight for mt.everest,bungy Jumping,honey hunting tour,tibet,bhutan,India tour and many more because as we are young and independent professional for various mountain of Nepal.Similarly we are affiliated with the related travel organization such as TAAN(Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal),Nepal Tourism Industry Division,Nepal Mountaineering Association. As well as we are highly delighted to offer you the trip on your favour. So,please remember us for all the above services or contact at below address.

Thanks.
Nakul Devkota
Managing Director
Trek & Tour Operator
Corsa Nepal Adventure Pvt.Ltd
Chaksibari Marga,Citron Gardens
House No.495 15/78,Thamel,Kathmandu
P.O.Box.No. 25242,Nepal
Ph. + 977 1 4700 459,4701 041(direct)
Fax. + 977 1 4701 041
e-mail: info@corsanepaladventure.com,sales@corsanepaladventure.com
www.corsanepal.com,www.corsanepaladventure.com

Hi Suzin:

I completed the Jomsom trek back in mid-October. Except for the 2nd day, climbing up to Ghorepani (3000+ steps!), the trekking is not difficult at all. I went on my own and carried my own bag. There is absolutely no need for a guide or porter on this route unless you have an extra heavy backpack or want some companionship from a guide. There is absolutely no way to get lost on this trail as it is well marked and there is really no alternate path to get lost on.

Also, I had no trouble finding rooms during the high season -- there should be fewer people on the trails in February, so finding places to stay should be even easier for you. I can recommend several guest houses along the route if you are interested.

I strongly recommend organizing the trip yourself or just going with some friends. No need for professional assistance on this trek. You can do it all yourself for a fraction of the price.

Take care and enjoy the trip!

Pelke

Thanks Pelke, Few more questions for you!!!!

Where would be the best place to meet up with some other like-minded folks to trek with? Kathmandu or Pokhara? Did you fly to Jomsom and go backwards or start in Pokhara? Did you bring a sleeping bag? What kind of temperatures can I roughly expect during the days? (I realize you were there at a different time of year). And last question...for now is what is an approximate daily budget? I am then heading back to SE Asia for 6 weeks.

I would love your recommendations on places to stay.

Thanks, Suzin

Hi Suzin:

I did the trek by myself, so I'm not sure about the best location to hook up with other peoiple. However, everyone has to ultimately go through Pokhara, so that is probably the best place to meet people. I much preferred to hang out in Pokhara over Kathmandu, anyway, so that would be my choice

As for the trek, I started in Nayapul (2 hours from Pokhara) and hiked up to Muktinath via Jomsom. I ended up flying back to Pokhara from Jomsom, but almost walked back via Beni. I think starting in either location would be fine. However, starting in Pokhara is a little easier because you are at low altitude and work your way up slowly. Starting in Jomsom, you have to deal with the altitude right from the start.

I brought a sleeping bag rated for -7C/20F. It was WAY to warm. I never slept in the bag -- just unzipped it and used it as a blanket. It got down to freezing outside on a few nights, but it was never colder than 15C/50F inside the lodges. I know because I brought a thermometer and measured it! If I was to do it again, I would still bring a sleeping bag, but rated at 0C/32F.

In mid-October, temperatures were typically 70-80F at low altitude and 55-65F at the higher altitudes. At night, they averaged 50-60F at low altitudes and 25-45F at the higher altitudes. I'm not sure what to expect in February, but I figure it would probably be a little colder.

My daily budget was 1000-1500 rupees per day ($15-$20) including lodging, 3 meals, 1-2 candy bars, a few coca colas and 3-4 bottles of water. Single rooms were typically 100-200 rupees for shared bathroom and 300-600 rupees for en suite. You can easily spend much less than me. I was absolutely NOT on a budget and purchased anything I felt like. I met plent of couples that were spending 1000-1200 rupees a day for two people. Consider my budget the upper limit, unless you like to drink a lot of beer.

Here are some lodge recommendations. There are many good choices in most villages, so don't worry if you don't use these.

Ghorepani.....Hungry Eye Lodge (Very Clean)
Ghasa.........Eagle's Nest (Nice Room, Good Food)
Kalopani......Kalopani Guest House (Room #320!)
Tukche........Tukche Guest House (Nice Family)
Jharkot.......Prakash Hotel (Small but Friendly)

Enjoy planning!

Pelke

Thank you for answering all my questions I feel almost prepared!

Can I rent a sleeping bag? So I don't have to lug it around the rest of the trip. Did you bring water purification tablets or did you just buy bottled water?

As for my budget....I aways budget for some beer!!!

Thanks, Again Suzin

Hi Susan:

There is no problem renting a sleeping bag in either Kathmandu or Pokhara. You can also buy cheap fake brands in both places that should work well enough for you. One of the shops I visited refered to these as "North Fakes".

If you do rent a bag, be sure to bring your own liner as it didn't look to me like they did much cleaning after the last customer. You can use the liner later on your trip after you ditch the bag. I carried my silk liner for 3 months and used it whenever the guesthouse linens were questionable (more often than you would think). The silk liners are expensive ($50+) but they are so lightweight and pack down so small (size of your fist) they are worth the extra bucks.

As for water purification, I have to admit I mostly bought bottled water. I know this is discouraged due to garbage generation. However, the purification tablets just taste bad to me and keep me from drinking as much as I should. That said, I also took liberal advantage of the ACAP Safe Drinking water stations along the route. They charge less than the bottled water. You just bring your water bottles to them and fill up. Only problem is they don't have these stations in every village, so I still used a lot of bottled water.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I'll be glad to help as much as I can. One of my challanges in planning for my trip was finding reliable information. I hope I can help you with that!

Take care......Pelke

Word...on the used sleeping bag. I have a liner to bring. I just really do not want to go alone, I have travelled alone many times so being by myself is not the issue. I would feel more at ease with some other people along the way, esp. being a female. Plus, it is soo much more fun. Were there lots of travellers in Pohara all doing treks? Or were they few and far between? I guess I will figure it out one way or another...always do! What about charging batteries along the way???? Possible? No? And Pick pockets?

Thanks....you have any trips planned?

guesthouse linens = oxymoron At least in SEA.

Hi Suzin:

I understand completely you wanting to travel with others. It really is more fun that way since you can enjoy the experience together. There were MANY people in Pokhara who were going trekking when I was there. The Lakesaide area is almost 100% travellers staging their treks. Some were with organized package tours but most were independent. I doubt many package tours will be there in February. There were places around town were you could put your name on a board to hook up with other travellers. Also, you will have to make a visit to the ACAP office to get your trekking permit. You will definitely meet other travelers there.

I had no problem charging batteries along the way. Just be sure your charger can take 220V and you have a plug adaptor for Nepal. Not every guest house sockets available, but most along the way did. Be sure you have at least one set of back-ups to cover you until you get to the next village, just in case.

I did not exeperience any issues with pick pockets. I suppose it could be an issue in Kathmandu, but I think it is less likely in Pokhara and very unlikely along the trail. Still, I always locked my room when I headed out to eat, etc. Just don't let your guard down and you should be fine.

As for my travels -- I just got back from a 3 month trip to SEA (Oct-Dec) so I won't be heading any place for a while!

Take care.....Pelke

Great, thank you sooo much for all your info. ~s