Kathmandu, the capital and largest city in Nepal, is like no other city in the world. The decaying buildings in the heart of the city are a contrast to the lively atmosphere that permeates the streets. The smell of incense wafts from the stores while street sellers push their wares, and people go about their daily lives, all against a backdrop of historic temples and carved statues. For several hundred years, Kathmandu was one of three rival royal cities, along with Bhaktapur and Patan. Situated in close proximity to each other, today these three almost run together. The highlight of Kathmandu has long been Durbar Square, the largest of the palace squares in the three royal cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Temples and monuments of varying shapes, sizes, styles, and faiths can be found here.
Top advices : The best views are in the morning (at least when we were there). The clouds roll in quickly and obscure the panoramas, so take your photos early. You can see Everest from a few points on the Everest Base Camp trek. From Namche Bazaar and at Tengboche are two awesome sites. Take your photos early for memories to last forever.
Stay Out of the Sun Whenever Possible. The higher you go up in altitude, the lower the levels of UV Protection you are getting. Some days on the trail, the sun can be brutal, giving you solar radiation from its powerful rays. Staying out of the sun is not only good for minimizing those pesky wrinkles and avoiding skin cancer, but it can also improve your chance of being successful on the trek. When you get sunburned you become dehydrated, and back to the tip of keeping yourself hydrated, being dehydrated can cause all sorts of problems in the mountains and eventually limiting your chance of success. Of course, when you are walking during the day, there may be no cover from those potent rays, but you need to take as much care as possible to minimize those harsh emissions. The first way to protect yourself if by applying a factor 50 sunblock throughout the day. The mountain is not the place to top up that holiday tan you are hoping to bring back to work with you on your return home, when you get back to Kathmandu after the climb, you can do as you please, but while in the mountains, you need to block those harmful rays from your skin. The second way of protecting yourself is to always wear your goofy looking, yet extremely important, sun hat. Get yourself a light weight, brimmed sunhat to wear on days when the sun is shining and you will save yourself from some of the dreaded headaches you so adamantly want to avoid. Read more on Himalaya trekking.
We recommend : Give Yaks and Sherpa’s the right of way at all times. When a yak train comes, move to the mountainside to get out of the way. You don’t want to be nudged off a cliff by a yak. Sherpa’s and porters work hard on Everest, they are constantly taking supplies up and down the mountain. Help make their life easier by staying out of their way.
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/.