Chitwan National Park is the place to come to experience a different side of Nepal, apart from the hiking and the intrigue of Kathmandu. This is the place for wildlife viewing and a safari-type atmosphere. At an altitude of only 100 meters in some areas, much lower than Kathmandu at 1400 meters, this area has a tropical monsoon climate, usually quite different than what most people expect to find in Nepal. Visitors come here primarily to see wildlife. Tours from the lodges take visitors out into the park, either on foot, or more often, on elephants for close-up views of the animals. The park is home to rhinos, Bengal tigers, leopards, sloth bears, gaur (buffalo) deer, and many other critters. Freshwater dolphins (gangetic) and crocodiles inhabit the rivers and streams but are rarely seen. More than 500 species of birds make Chitwan a paradise for ornithologists.
Tips : Help save the environment and your pocket book. Just fill water as you go for free anywhere and purify it yourself. Steripens work great using ultraviolet light to purify water in 30 seconds.
Mentally Prepare. Depending on your level of comfort with the outdoors, you may need to prepare yourself for life in the mountains. Luckily, I am a lover of the outdoors and very comfortable with the mountain life, including camping, bugs, dirt, baby wipe showers, and going to the toilet outdoors! However, for some who are more comfortable with the four seasons than a campsite, you may need to prepare yourself for what is to come. All accommodation on our trek to Everest Base Camp is in small tea houses, run by the local Sherpa people. You will have a bed to sleep in (albeit not the most comfortable bed in the world, but a bed to say the least), in a twin-shared room. There are options for showers lower down on the trail, if you decide to use them, however, many people keep clean by using baby wipes and a bowl of warm water each day. The toilet situations can be difficult at times, as in the tea houses they are generally not Western-style toilets, rather just a hole in the ground instead of a toilet bowl. You will also need to be prepared to use the great outdoors at times when you are on the trail with no tea house nearby. You do need to prepare yourself for these things, as you do not want to arrive on the mountain and have higher expectations and be disappointed. More details on Himalaya trekking.
Top tips : Take your time. It is not a race and nobody is judging how quickly you get up the hill. Acclimatize properly, drink plenty of water and if you need to take an extra rest day. Nobody is going to ask you how long it took you to get to Everest Base Camp, they are just going to be amazed that you did it. Your guide and porter will not mind if you hire them for an extra day or two. They will be glad for the work. Treks are flexible on Everest if you book in Kathmandu or when you arrive in Lukla.
Don’t Carry too Much – When you arrive in Kathmandu we will provide you with a duffel bag that porters will carry for you on the mountain. You just need to carry a day pack with the things you need during the day as you won’t have access to your duffel until you reach the tea house in the evening. Make sure to carry your valuables, prescriptions, extra layers, rain gear, water, camera, snacks and sunblock as well as mole skin or duct tape in case of blisters. Don’t overpack your day pack and your trekking will be easier. If you’re feeling bad about having someone carry your stuff consider that your porter probably travelled several days from his village just to get to Lukla so he could get some work and take care of his family. The money you spend on salaries and the tips are an important part of the local economy.
At Adventure Great Himalaya Treks & Expeditions, we believe in responsible tourism and giving back to the community. Adventure Great Himalaya Treks & Expeditions has always taken a pro-active stance to combat some of society’s issues, which is why we also run various charity programs to help and support poor rural villages that are deprived of proper healthcare facilities, including sanitation, hygiene, and safe drinking water. Adventure Great Himalaya Treks & Expeditions has also played an active part in providing schools with educational materials along with raising awareness on the need to protect the environment and the beautiful, thick forests of Nepal from deforestation. This commitment has become an integral part of our company’s philosophy and the way we do business. More info on https://www.adventuregreathimalaya.com/.