THINGS TO DO
Mountaineering
Nepal first came into world focus when Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand conquered Mt. Everest in 1953. Ever since, there have been countless expeditions heading off to the Himalayas. With eight of world’s highest peaks within Nepal’s boundaries, there is tremendous interest in the Nepal Himalaya. Most of the peaks over 8000m high were conquered during the Golden Decade of Climbing in the 1950s. Climbing by then had become a national affair with various nations vying with each other to be the first to climb. Today it is all about breaking records. There are some 326 peaks in Nepal open for mountaineering today.
Climbing permits for peaks in the Nepal Himalayas are issued for all seasons by the Mountaineering Section of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The requisite official documents must be furnished when seeking permission to climb. Around 121 peaks do not require liaison officers for expedition while the rest must be accompanied by one.
Climbing gear and equipments can be bought or rented in Kathmandu or the whole expedition can be handled by mountaineering and trekking agencies. All logistics are taken care of by these agencies including gear, food, transportation, guide and porter services. They also arrange for insurance coverage. Always choose an agency that has a good track record.
Trekking
Trekking is by far Nepal’s biggest attraction. Pioneered by Col. Jimmy Roberts in the early 1960s, most tourists embark on some trek or the other and many do multiple treks before heading back home. Some arrive each year to do a different trek each time. A trek is also the best means of seeing the country and to understand its people. Walking through emerald rice fields; through rhododendron forests; crossing streams, camping out on a hilltop in the wilderness with towering mountains in the background, make trekking an unforgettable experience.
One can also do pony treks in some remote places, which is equally enthralling for visitors. Pony treks are offered mostly in western region of Pokhara, Dolpo and Lo Manthang (Mustang).
The two most popular treks are the Everest Base Camp Trek and the Around Annapurna also known as the Annapurna Circuit as it goes right around the Annapurna range. There are many different treks offered in the Everest and Annapurna regions. Other popular regions are the Langtang valley, Helambu, Makalu, Manaslu, Kanchenjunga and the Arun Valley. Another popular destination in the Everest region is the Gokyo valley.
