Our primary goal during your Nepal travel is to have you enjoy the trip and keep you healthy.  This being said, we need your cooperation and effort to make this possible. Please be prepared physically and mentally before arriving Nepal which means exercising regularly, and reading about Nepal and talking with people who has been to Nepal. The average trekking distance in our trek is about 6 to 8 miles per day, however, one day can be 4 miles and the next day can be 7 miles. The trekking in Nepal includes a lot of up hills and down hills with steep ascents and descents which is what makes it so challenging. It is also very important for the entire group to stay together, and ascend slowly with frequent stops for drinks and

 food.  This means being considerate of group members, as well as not wandering around alone, and taking too much time for yourself.  We request that you listen and cooperate with the group leader for the well-being of the group and not for your sole interest.  The group leader will make the final decision on behalf of the group and or individuals for the sake of their health, safety and well being which needs to be honored.  

The distance traveled each day depends on various factors such as the elevation of each camp site, lodging options, how the group is feeling and the current weather conditions.  Generally, when we descend, it is a longer distance and we always take precautions ascending which means hiking slowly, taking frequent rests, staying hydrated, and eating food.  High Altitude Sickness can be common over 8000 ft if a person does not take precautions to avoid it.  We recommend that you take altitude sickness pills at least 24 hours in advance if you are ascending over 2000 ft in one day and if you have never been at that high altitude before.  The dosage taken can be different for each person so please consult with your physician about dosage or follow the directions on the label. 

Things to Consider & Tips to Know:

• Please conserve your energy by not ascending too fast in the beginning of the trek.  Save your energy for the tough trekking days and in general, conserve water, electricity, other source of energy, and do not waste your food.
• All of the US Sherpa organized treks and expeditions have fixed food menus each trekking day, prepared and supervised by our talented sherpa staff along with village lodge operators for tea house, camping treks, and expeditions. 
• In the past, we offered menu options on our tea house trek but that option is not effective or eco-friendly. 
• If 5 members of the group order 5 different items, it takes longer to prepare and affects the trekking schedule since we have limited time for meals.
• It is not cost effective or eco-friendly for the lodge owners to cook so many different items which mean more fuel to cook, more water to clean, dishes and too much time that it takes to prepare.
• The food we serve is prepared by skilled sherpa staff with a strong focus on cleanliness, safety and nutrition and you will not need to wait for a long time to get your food when you are tired and hungry.
• While trekking, please be polite, considerate, respect the local culture, people, food, temples/monasteries, the way of their daily life, so just smile and have fun.  Please keep in mind that most of the temples, monasteries, museums have a small entrance fee which is paid on your own and most trekking village temples and monasteries have a donation box.  Please look out for signs or ask your guide before taking photos at temples and monasteries. 
• Please bring your own small personal lock and key for the trek as the ones that trek lodge owners provide may not be as good.  During trek, always lock your room when you leave your room
• Whenever you come upon a temple, stupa, stone chorten/prayer stone, go around it to the left while you are in Kathmandu or during the trek
• While trekking if you come upon group of porters, yaks, or other animals, always move to the high side of trails and not to the edge of trail.  Do not stand around streams, landslides, or other danger areas and always watch out your surroundings. 
• It is common to bargain in Nepal whenever you buy something however please pay fairly. 
• While we have provided a packing list for you, it is not necessary to get all the items for your Nepal travel.  It is best to travel light with essential and good quality trekking gear.  We recommend that you bring a few useful items to give away while trekking such as pens/pencils, hats, sunglasses, water bottles, light windproof or rain jacket, socks, medicines for headache, cold, diarrhea, cough, sore throat, upset stomach, bandaid, medicine/plastic gloves.  Our porters will also appreciate when your trekking pack is not too heavy.  Please buy a minimal amount while you are trekking at village shops if you plan to pack it in the porter’s backpack, however, if you plan to carry it in your personal backpack, go ahead and buy those cool handicrafts. 
• You can pay for the Trek through a number of options, however if you decide to pay with a credit card there is a 3% processing fee that will be charged. You can find out more about payment for treks here.

Suggested Minimum Tips

KATHMANDU LAUNDRY TIPS PER SERVICE - $3.00 

KATHMANDU LODGING TIPS-10% OF THE TOTAL LODGING COST

TREKKING TIPS FOR GROUP LEADER $16 TIMES # OF TREK DAYS

TREKKING TIPS FOR SIRDAR/HEAD SHERPA $14 TIMES # OF TREK DAYS

TREKKING TIPS FOR COOK $11 TIMES # OF TREK DAYS

TREKKING TIPS FOR SHERPA GUIDE $11 TIMES # OF TREK DAYS

TREKKING TIPS FOR PORTER $9 TIMES # OF TREK DAYS

TREKKING TIPS FOR KITCHEN $9 TIMES # OF TREK DAYS