Passport, visa and travel documents
Remaining validity on your passport must be 6 months or more on the last day of your trip in Nepal. Make sure there are enough blank visa pages for visa stickers, arrival and departure seals. You can obtain Nepali visa from Nepali Embassies or consulates at your country or you can wait until you arrive at Kathmandu airport. A 15 day valid visa costs US$ 25 and 30 day costs US$ 40 and needs to be paid in exact US$ cash. You need to also provide a passport size picture with the application form.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend that you take out an adequate insurance policy that covers the risks of traveling in remote mountainous areas including helicopter rescue expenses in case of accident or illness where road transport is not available. Highland Asia Travel recommends Travel Guard Travel Protection Plan. Please, call us to purchase the policy or purchase it online.
Training/Exercises
Although you don't need to be an athlete to trek in the Nepal Himalaya, some degree of fitness level is required. The more physically active you are, the more you will enjoy the trek. Trekking is about taking your time, setting your own pace and enjoying the experience to its fullest. Its common that most first-time trekkers are concerned that they won't keep up, but soon discover that a steady pace will have them in camp well before they would have expected. Trekking in Nepal Himalaya is not like a race or walking contest but a walking holidays for people of all ages. Trekking hours can be as short as 2 hours and as long as 7-8 hours in an uneven terrain. The trail can be steel uphill or downhill and at times crosses rivers and springs by suspension or wooden bridges. Enthusiasm for walking and mental preparedness play the vital role.
You may be at the best shape but if you have no interest in walking, trekking is not for you. With a little training exercise and enthusiasm, you can participate on any trekking trips in Nepal Himalaya. There is no one size fits all kind of training program. Everyone is different. There is no better training than trekking itself. Get a day pack on and get out there as often as you can. But if, like most people are, you are limited with free time, you can do short power exercises like jogging, swimming, cycling, aerobics etc which you need to start 2-3 months prior to the trip date. The exercises strengthen your muscles and builds stamina and confidence for the trekking. If you can manage a couple of valley floor to ridge line ascents per bushwalk, you will cope with a moderate graded trek. Speed is not the essence; stamina, confidence and continuity are.
However, if you are planning to join a commercial trekking or mountaineering expedition you will need to develop a high level of fitness so that you can comfortably and safely endure several weeks on the trail.
Confirmation
An advance payment of 50% of the total cost is required to secure confirmed booking of your program and the rest of the payment is to be made up on arrival in Kathmandu.
Cancellation
A 25 % of the total cost will be levied for cancellation within 15 days of the date of tour commencement and 50 % of total cost will be levied for cancellation within 24 hours of confirmed date of tour commencement. No refunds can be made after tour commences.