Mustang in Monsoon

Monsoon is quickly approaching in our lovely Nepal. A time to wash away summer dirt, and replenish low flowing streams & rivers is a great time for Nepalis, as life is renewed. Tourism, however, seems to decline as the thought of daily rain detours tourists to drier destinations during this time.

However, what most don’t know, are there are places in Nepal that stay relatively dry during monsoon due to something we call a “rain shadow.” Mountainous areas often have rain shadows that are virtually immune to rainy seasons due to the topography of the land. The forbidden land of Mustang sits in our rain shadow of the Annapurna massif & Dhaulagiri.

Mustang means “fertile land” in Tibetan, and lives up to its name not only in sustenance, but also in substance of life & culture. A strong Tibetan feel can be felt here, but the people are very proud to be from the ancient once-Kingdom of Lo. Although the monarchy was dissolved along with the Nepali monarchy in 2008, the people here still hold their King in high regard.

During this 15 day/16 night trek you will experience not only an almost unknown society, but have views of mostly untouched terrain. You will come across numerous ancient chortens—hand painted & carved, Mani walls, prayer wheels, old castle ruins, rolling hills, mountains, streams, and rivers. The people you encounter along the way are sure to touch your heart forever.

So, if you’re itching to take a trek and you’re only free time falls during monsoon—have no fear! Mustang is here!

                            Contact us today to get your next Himalayan adventure underway!

 Trek Nepal INT'l

P.O.Box: 9947 Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4701001 (Sales)
Tel / Fax: 977-1-4700012
Email: clasadv@wlink.com.np, sales@treknepal.com
URL: www.treknepal.com, www.treknepalinc.com

Island Peak Climbing

Island Peak was the name given to the mountain in 1952 by Eric Shipton's party who thought it to be reminiscent of an island in a sea of ice. It is also known by it's Nepali name of Imja Tse. Island Peak is an extension of Lhotse Shar, and is located between the Lhotse and Imja glaciers, standing at 6,189m/20,305ft. We ascend by the standard route and although the summit can be reached in one day from base camp, we make use of a high camp. The final ridge is a classic of it's kind and from the summit fabulous views can be enjoyed of many Himalayan giants including the immense south face of Lhotse and the huge peak of Ama Dablam.

Trek Nepal INT'L
P.O.Box: 9947, Thamel ,Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4701001 (Sales)
Tel/Fax: 977-1-4700012
Email: sales@treknepal.com, clasadv@wlink.com.np
Website: www.treknepal.com, www.treknepalinc.com

Nepali Glacial Melt

    With summer in full swing and temperatures rising, it seems to be the perfect time to touch one of Nepal’s scariest issues: Glacial Melt. It is nothing new to the world that our Earth’s glaciers have drastically receded in the past few decades, not only in Nepal, but worldwide.

    According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal’s glaciers have reduced in size by an astounding 21%. That’s almost a quarter of their size, gone! This effect could be devastating for not only the Himalayan towns and villages below the glaciers, but also for the areas where this melt runs into the sea. Known to some scientists as the “3rd Pole,” this region of the world is said to be the 3rd highest contributor to the rise of global sea level after the North & South Poles. The short term effect of glacial melt is evident in the destruction of those who live in the run-off range, but the long term effect is much more devastating. The depletion of glaciers, both in Nepal and worldwide, will eventually lead to deadly droughts across the world, whose side effects need not be mentioned.

    The recent flooding of the Seti River in the Annapurna Range is just one example of how global climate change is affecting Nepal. Experienced Trek Nepal guides have even stated that since beginning as a guide many years the ago, the terrain has changed drastically. Where once glistening snow lines could be found at lower altitudes, you will find rocky patches of mountainside instead. One now must climb further up or simply look at the snow on the highest peaks to get the real Himalayan feel.

    We at Trek Nepal do our best to practice Eco-friendly tourism and sustainability for our country. We love our country and want to share it with the world for years to come. Progress is inevitable and thus, we have made it our goal to keep up with the times and make our company as Eco-friendly as possible. We carry out all of our rubbish from our treks, advise against the use of plastic water bottles, and refrain from the use of camp fires. We support other Eco-friendly, local establishments and projects along our routes and seek to educate our clients on proper practices while trekking.

    Keep an Eco-conscious mind in order to ensure not only the beauty of Nepal and other mountainous regions of the world, but more importantly to ensure our lifeline for generations to come!

Poonhill Review - UK

After returning from the 6 day “Annapurna Panorama” trek in the Annapurna region, one woman from the UK decided to sit down with Trek Nepal Int’l blog team and discuss her trek. This woman went on a trek in the beginning of May, and set out with a pre-set group headed for Annapurna circuit. The group completed the first half of the trek with the other Trek Nepal group, and then set out on her own with Trek Nepal’s first female guide, Bobita.

                Our blogger came to Nepal never having trekked before. She didn’t have high end trekking gear or experience, but wanted to see some of the best sights Nepal had to offer. After coming into our Thamel office, our friend had her plans set to leave the following day for Pokhara to start her trekking experience.

                Our client said she didn’t really have any expectations as to what trekking would be like, as she had never done it, other than she hoped for gorgeous scenery and tranquil lands. Besides the multitude of trekkers on this route, she said she happily got both. While on the trek, she noticed that although prices were high for food, it was rather tasty and helped sustain her for the long days of trekking. When she wasn’t soaking in the views or sampling local cuisine, our client was mingling with locals and foreigners alike. One thing she stated adamantly was the friendliness along the trail. Her interaction with locals was thought-provoking and she enjoyed seeing the daily rituals of local villages.

                It was a close tie for her favourite part of the trek. The choice landed between the brilliant sunrise at Poonhill and the relaxing waters at the Tatopani hot springs. If she had to choose, it would have probably been the hot springs because it soothed her aching legs after all that trekking!

Glad you had a good experience saathi ('friend' in Nepali)! Please come join us again for another Nepali trekking adventure.

Overlooking the wonderful Poonhill

Namaste

Past Praises

Since entering the cyber world, Trek Nepal Int’l has had many positive reviews from previous clients on social media forums such as Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Twitter. Here are some comments from our happy trekkers:

Germany:

                “We went on the Everest Base Camp tour with Trek Nepal and we can really recommend Trek Nepal! It was a very well organized tour...Our guides Laxman and Kesach were really nice, helpful and cared for us a lot! They also had a great knowledge of Nepal and the Himalayan mountain area. Thank you for this unforgettable trip!”

Singapore:

                “Trek Nepal was very efficient, helpful and punctual. The staff was very professional with high knowledge and provided an excellent quality of tour to us. When I was sick, they sorted out everything very quickly, professionally to help me out. Our tour guide, Laxman was very nice...The whole trek with Trek Nepal was a joyful experience for us and we will definitely come back to do other trips with Trek Nepal.”

United Kingdom:

                “I picked Trek Nepal and was delighted with the trekking adventure I had. The company is highly professional, with knowledgeable and expert staff who are committed to the best quality trek experience...My trek guide was very knowledgeable and a true expert in trekking, local culture and knowledge of the mountains. The staff have a high level of English and are trained to a high standard. The company has an ethical approach to working with its porters and guides, investing in their training and taking an ecologically sustainable approach to trekking. They are undoubtedly a world class leader in these respects. The trek itself was awesome and I have no hesitation in recommending Trek Nepal's Annapurna Trek 100% to anyone wanting a short trek which delivers on some big mountains and breath-taking scenery.”

United States:

                “If you are going to use a guide when doing any trekking, go with Bharat KC, you won't regret it. He is very knowledgeable about the mountains and trekking, but that is just the start of it. We spent a lot of our downtime playing cards, teaching each other different games that we knew, as well as discussing politics, history, and many other topics. His English is superb... I learned a lot about Nepal and its history... Going to Base Camp was a great experience, glad I got to experience it.”

United Kingdom:

“We picked Trek Nepal after visiting many trekking outfits in Kathmandu and we were not disappointed. From the moment we first visited the office in Thamel we were impressed with the way the organisation treated us - they really gave the impression that they were experts at their trade (unlike some of the others we had visited!). Gobs and Resham (the owners) were incredibly friendly and helpful in suggesting routes that were different to where all the other outfits had recommended, really stressing that they could offer something that was 'off the tourist trail'...Once on the trek (Annapurna Panorama), we were accompanied by our experienced guide Ganesh, a female guide-in-training Bobita and our porter Poona. All were fun, friendly, competent and attentive. I would not hesitate to recommend this company...”

**If you have any comments you'd like to leave for Trek Nepal, you can do so on this blog or on Trip Advisor. Search: Trek Nepal- Day Trip

Meet the Team

Trek Nepal is proud to be a locally owned and run company. Both our experienced staff and guides have decades of combined experience, all hailing from mountainous regions in Nepal, to ensure the best and most knowledgeable experience while trekking through our beautiful land.

From left to right

1R: Mr Gobardhan "Gobs" Basent: Co-founder, 18 years experience; Mr. Resham Bal: Co-founder,24 years experience; Sujita Ghale: Administrative Sales; Sanjay Chaudhary: Accounting
2R: Kumari Lamichhane: Accounting; Sachin Tamang: Marketing; Umesh Magar: Transportation; Laxman Karki: Guide, 14 years experience
3R: Bharat KC: Guide, 10 years experience; Dawa Rai: Guide, 6 years experience; Dinesh Karki: Guide, 5 years experience; Phata Khatvi: Guide, 16 years experience
4R: Keshar Karki: Guide, 7 years experience; Ganesh Karki, 6.5 years experience; Samir Tamang: Guide, 12 years experience; Pramod Tamang: Guide, 4 years experience

*Not pictured: Sabina Munikar: Administrative Sales; Miranda Mendoza: International Marketing &
  Sales; Pramod Karki: Assistant Guide; 5 years experience

**For more detailed bios and credentials on our staff, please visit our website: 
    www.treknepal.com

Trek Nepal

Welcome to Trek Nepal International's first ever blog. This blog will be covering our numerous mountain excursions, adventure tours, and exciting Nepali culture segments. It is our hope at Trek Nepal that this blog will give an insight into the very world we love so much.

Our team is staffed with some of Nepal's most experienced guides, all hailing from the mountainous regions of Nepal. We ensure each guide is expertly trained by investing time and funds into their education of wildlife survival, first aid, emergency response, mountaineering, and English language which ensures a thrilling and safe adventure every time.

Trek Nepal Int'l was founded in 2001 by Mr. Goberdhan "Gobs" Basnet and Resham Kumar Bal with the intent of providing locally owned, high quality trekking and adventure tours to both Nepalis and foreigners alike. Gobs and Resham have ensured, through their many years of combined experience, that Trek Nepal upholds the highest standard of safety, knowledge, and quality to be found in this industry. Not only are the adamant about providing their clients with the best possible experience, but they are also adamant about ensuring the longevity of the environment in which they live and work.

The entire team at Trek Nepal Int'l is dedicated to preserving Nepal's pristine environment through responsible travel and Eco-friendly tourism. A number of steps are taken on each trek to ensure rubbish, non-biodegradable materials, and pollution are not left behind in the wake of a otherwise great adventure. Trek Nepal's team also helps local charity organizations through funds acquired throughout the year. Some tea houses and restaurants trekkers stop at along the way are affiliated with Trek Nepal, and their business helps pay for medical and personal expenses for orphans, children who are disabled, and preservation projects.

It is our hope that you join us on this blogging adventure, as well as an adventure or two in Nepal as well. Spread the news, Trek Nepal Int'l has entered the world of blogging. Come see the magic in our world!