Be Safe!

By following these recommendations when trekking:

• Ensure you have adequate insurance which covers emergency rescue by helicopter. Some permits or trekking agencies make this obligatory and require to see evidence.
• Avoid walking alone. A porter, guide or friend can help you in case of High Altitude Illness. If you are trekking in a group don’t try to compete with anyone (or yourself!). Set your own (sensible) pace.
• Acclimatization is important when trekking at high altitude. In order to prevent High Altitude Illness walk slowly and ascend no more than 150 meters a day above 3500m. If you go higher than that in one day make sure you descend and sleep at a lower altitude. Download our information sheet on High Altitude Illness here.
• A minor ailment like blisters can make trekking a miserable experience. Ensure your boots are well broken-in before you arrive. Pay attention to your feet while walking.
• Keep hydrated while trekking - drink little and often. Don’t wait to drink until you feel thirsty because you push your body to the early stages of dehydration. Drink at least 4 litres of water daily. If your urine is clear it shows you are well-hydrated but if it is very dark make sure you drink more water and take electrolytes to replace body salts.
• Keep eating even if you are not hungry. Trekking at high altitude is an immense physical challenge. You burn a lot of calories and there is a risk of losing muscle, so it is important to eat nutritious food like pulses e.g. Dal Bhat, walnuts, almonds etc. to repair muscle and recover properly from the exercise you are doing.
• At the end of your daily trek, do some gentle stretching exercises particularly focussing on your calf and hamstring muscles to prevent injuries.
• Please remember that you are responsible for the welfare of the support team you take on a hike, whether you hire a guide or porter directly or go through a trekking agency. Make sure your porter is well looked after and has the correct clothing, bedding, food and health and safety provisions. See p.10-11 for more information.

General health

• Diarrhoea is a common problem for travellers but with careful attention to hygiene it is possible to reduce your chances of suffering frequent trips to the toilet.
• Never  drink tap water or use it to brush your teeth – use iodine or other water purification solutions. Be aware that local beer ‘chyang’ is often made with untreated water.
• Make sure boiled water really is boiled and not just heated.
• Avoid eating meat while in the mountains and stick to carbohydrates and vegetables.
• Wash your hands frequently and ensure everybody in your group, including staff, follows this rule. 

Health posts
There are now several health posts located in the main trekking areas, some staffed by western volunteers. Be aware that some are only open during the main trekking season.

       Sagarmatha National Park (Everest region)

• Nicole Niquille Hospital
• Lukla Government Health Post
• Namche Bazar Health Post
• Pheriche HRA Aid-post
• Khunde Hospital
• Machermo Rescue Post

     Annapurna Conservation Area

• Besisahar Government Hospital
• Chame Government Hospital
• Manang HRA Aid-post
• Ghorepani Government Health Post
• Jomsom Government Hospital
• Muktinath Government Health Post

     Langtang National Park

• Dhunche Government Hospital
• Syabru Government Health Post

By http://www.keepnepal.org

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Be environmentally friendly!

Solid waste

• Litter looks bad and is a pollutant. All litter that you and your support team produce should be separated each day and treated properly.
• Bury biodegradable waste where there is not proper composting but remember that at high altitude, nothing decomposes.
• Carry a waterproof bag to take non-biodegradable waste to official waste disposal sites along the route or in their absence, take your waste back to Kathmandu. Batteries cannot be recycled in Nepal so try to take them back to your home country.
• Remember, cigarette butts are non-biodegradable. Smokers should carry a light portable ashtray.
• Cleaning up trekking trails doesn’t require an organized effort; pick up as you walk, at lunch and overnight stops.
• Never buy plastic bottles of water. Buy a water bottle and use water purification methods – like iodine or Biox - instead.

Water pollution

• Avoid bathing or washing clothes directly in streams.
• Wash in a pan/bucket and toss the water away from streams.
• Use biodegradable soap if possible (but even this adds unnatural substances to the water.)

Toilet techniques

• Make sure your toilet is set up at least 50 meters (150 ft) away from any water source.
• Holes should be dug at least 45cm (18’) deep. If possible, keep a single dirt or sod piece for recovering the hole. Sprinkle some dirt in the hole after every use to keep away flies. See that your toilet is properly buried when you leave camp.

Erosion

• When trekking, stick to main trails and bypass steep short cuts which cut in-between trails - these contribute to erosion. Don’t create multiple trails across meadows. Try to preserve the natural experience for others.
• The mountain environment is fragile. Loss of vegetation contributes to erosion so don’t walk thorough shrubs no matter how hardy they appear. 

Fuel

• Bring adequate warm clothes so as not to depend on fires for warmth. See that staff and porters are properly outfitted.
• Discourage campfires and blazing hearths which accelerate deforestation.
• Be self-sufficient in your fuel supply and provide for the needs of your support staff.
• Give preferences to lodges and trekking companies that use solar power or kerosene and encourage their efforts to conserve the environment.
• When ordering food, choose meals that require less fuel like dal bhat, which is nutritious and a good source of energy. Order the same meals as others in your group as often there is only one stove in use in the kitchen. This not only saves fuel but means you get your dinner quicker!
• Take hot showers only when the water is heated by non-wood or fuel saving stoves. Solar power is best. Wash clothes in cold water.

Trail etiquette

• Choose established campsites wherever possible rather than disturbing new grounds, even if it means sharing a site with another group. Avoid trenching around tents.
• Please don’t collect flowers, plants or seeds as this disturbs the plant lifecycle.
• Wildlife is threatened by loss of habitat in many places. Give space to wild animals and avoid making unnecessary loud sounds.
• No one appreciates seeing graffiti scrawled on rocks or carved into wood; do your best to discourage it.

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Be culturally responsible!

• Try to learn some basic Nepali. Visit KEEP when you are in Kathmandu to find out about Nepali language courses. Greet people with the traditional ‘Namaste’ with hands clasped together in a prayer position.
• Please don’t give money or sweets to begging children – donate to a suitable charity instead or give to a school, monastery or temple – this benefits the entire community.
• When interacting with villagers, guides and porters, help dispel their misconceptions about the West’s infinite wealth and leisure. Create a realistic picture of your country and encourage pride in their own culture.
• Pay fair prices for food, lodging and services. Buying local products benefits hill economies, but buying antiques and artefacts robs Nepal of its culture.
• Be respectful when photographing people. Always ask first and accept when the answer is “no”. Never offer money. 

Respect the customs and values of Nepali people in your dress and behaviour

• Dress modestly in line with local custom: For women this means a mid-calf length shirt or loose pants and for men, long pants or knee-length shorts (long pants in monasteries.)
• Don’t bathe nude in public. Women should wear a loongi (sarong) covering them from chest to knees.
• Please try to avoid outward displays of physical affection.

Visiting religious sites

• Out of respect to local beliefs pass monasteries, stupas, mani stones and prayer flags to the left (in a clockwise direction.)
• Refrain from smoking, boisterousness and going to the toilet near sacred sites. Religious sites can be as obscure as a pile of rocks, or faded cloth hung from tree branches.
• Remove your shoes before entering temples and don’t eat, drink or smoke. If you are visiting a Hindu temple or shrine don’t wear leather.
• Avoid using flash inside monasteries, as repeated light exposure damages the paintwork.
• Consider making a small donation when visiting a monastery.

If invited into a Nepali home

• Always remove your shoes at the entrance.
• Do not put litter into a cooking hearth or fire.
• Never eat from someone else’s plate or share eating utensils.
• Feet are viewed as unclean in Nepali society so avoid stepping over religious objects, eating surfaces or anyone’s legs or feet. When sitting try not to point your feet at anyone. 

Be considerate when trekking

• In some lodges the dining room doubles up as a sleeping area for your Nepali trekking staff so try not to stay up too late
• Keep noise to a minimum at night and in the morning – you might want an early start but others where you’re staying may need their sleep
• Try not to complain about facilities or the service unless you have a genuine grievance. The rooms, toilets and food may well be basic and it could take some time for your food to be cooked, but remember that you are in a remote mountainous area where everything needs to be carried in.
• Above all, remember that you are representative of an outside culture and your impact lingers long after you return home.

·          

 By: http://www.keepnepal.org

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Going Trekking? What to Pack?

Packing tips

• Pack to pack out - bring enough sturdy waterproof bags to carry all non-biodegradable rubbish back down the mountain.
• Remove all unnecessary packaging before leaving home.
• Bring enough warm dry clothes so that you can wrap up rather than burn firewood in the evenings.
• Avoid purchasing bottled water - bring a water bottle and treat the water yourself to reduce plastic waste. Add Vitamin C to water to mask the taste of iodine.
• If you are going to trek higher than 5000m or you know it will be cold, buy an aluminium water bottle which can also be used as a hot water bottle at night .
• The easiest way to keep hydrated while trekking is to buy a 1 x litre platypus-drinking bladder to carry in your day pack.
• Make sure to buy proper trekking socks. Don’t buy synthetic socks as these promote sweating and can give you blisters. Always carry a few blister pads in your first aid kit and keep them handy in your day pack.
• Walking poles are very useful while trekking and helpful when descending.
• Please remember that waste disposal and recycling facilitates are limited in Nepal. When buying batteries make sure they are rechargeable and/or high quality so they last longer, and take them home to recycle.

Packing list

• There is no definitive list. What you bring will vary according to the area, time of year and the length of your trek. Below is a suggested list which you should adapt to your own needs. Ask yourself: Will there be snow/how long /high is the trek/are we camping?
• 1 light sleeping bag and a sleeping bag liner. When trekking at altitude or between October and mid-May, a good quality down  3–5 season sleeping bag is recommended. 
• 2 fast drying T-shirts
• 1 thin fleece 
• 1 long-sleeved shirt
• 1 fleece jacket
• 1 light waterproof/ windproof jacket
• 1 pair of long trousers (women may consider trekking in a long skirt – no shorts)
• If trekking over 4000m, consider a down jacket and windproof trousers
• 1 pair of walking boots or sturdy trainers
• 1 pair of flip-flops/thongs
• 3 pairs of socks
• Woolly hat, scarf, and gloves
• Good quality sunglasses (category 4) and sun hat
• Water bottle and water purification tablets
• Torch (flashlight)  with spare batteries and bulbs
• Penknife preferably with scissors
• Map and compass
• 1 first aid kit (medicines are not easy to get on the trail) At a minimum this should include:
• Antiseptic
• Bandages
• Blister plasters
• Decongestant
• AMS medication like Diamox
• Eye drops – it can get very dusty on trails
• Paracetamol and/or ibuprofen
• Rehydration sachets, Imodium and antibiotics for traveller’s diarrhoea
• Scissors
• Sterile dressing
• Sticking plasters and tape
• Throat lozenges / sweets
• Tweezers
• A sewing needle
• Minimal wash kit including biodegradable soap, toothbrush and toothpaste
• Plastic bags for carrying out rubbish
• Sanitary items for women
• Lip balm and high protection sunscreen
• Guidebook, phrasebook
• Camera with spare battery and memory card
• Pencil and small notebook

B    By http://www.keepnepal.org

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