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| Nepal Sports |
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Trekking
and Hiking
The trekking and hiking season is normally during September
and May, but the ideal times to visit are from
October to December and from March to April. The area
outside cities and towns is rugged and the trails are loose, but
trekking is one of the best ways to enjoy Nepal’s incredible
landscape.
Various types of trips with different levels of difficulty can be
organised. Some travel operators can reserve trekking packages ahead
in collaboration with the Nepalese trekking companies. In Kathmandu,
a good range of authorised trekking companies operate well organized
treks. They come complete with guide, porters, cook, food, tents,
sleeping bags, mattresses, transportation to and from the starting
and finishing points, flight arrangements, permits and insurance.
They also supply their clients with a selection of itineraries.
Trekking formalities
Trekkers do not need permits for the treks in the common areas which
include the Everest, the Annapurna, the Langtang
and Rara (assigned by the Department of Immigration).
However, a permit is still needed for all other areas and it can
be secured from the Department of Immigration, located at
New Baneshwar, Kathmandu (see Passport/Visa section for additional
information) or from trekking operators and tour companies.
Trekking to Kanchanjunga, Dolpa, Makalu and Upper Mustang
can only be done through an authorised trekking company. Entrance
fees of NRs500 to NRs2,000 per person per day will be charged for
the national park areas and wildlife reserves. Children below ten
are not charged. Higher fees are imposed for filming and helicopter
landing permits. For more details, contact the Nepal Tourism
Board (see Contact section).
Trekking advice
The following advice is offered to trekkers by the Nepal Tourism
Board:
 Use
only authorized guides and porters.
Use
caution with matches around wooded or grassy areas as forest fires
can cause severe damage.
Conserve
all fuel, particularly local firewood (campfires are not advised).
Use
tour operators and lodges that do not use firewood; trekkers are
sternly prohibited to cut any green forest reserve or kill any wildlife.
Use
toilet and washing facilities supplied or, if there are none available,
be sure to stay at least 30 metres away from any water source.
Use
biodegradable products as much as possible; respect the local religious
customs while visiting temples or Buddhist shrines (see Social
Conventions in Social Profile section).
Take
precautions when suffering from altitude sickness (for additional
information, see the Health section).
Note
The authorities have discouraged females from trekking on their
own. Some trekking companies, however, are now eager to provide
service for female trekkers who can also hire female porters and
guides.
Pony treks
In Nepal, ponies have been a mode of transportation for Nepalese
citizens and materials for centuries and nowadays are widely used
for trekking. Pony treks usually follow the same ways as general
treks and are provided mainly in the western region around Pokhara,
including the hinterlands of Lo Manthang and Dolpo.
Scenic flights
Most domestic airlines operate flights in small aircraft over Mount
Everest. Flights are also arranged from Pokhara and other
cities west of Kathmandu, flying over the amazing Annapurna
mountain range.
Mountaineering
Permits for climbing are required when scaling
any mountain peaks in Nepal.
Permits can be acquired from:
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mountaineering
Section (MoCTCA)
(telephone: (1) 247 037 or 256 228; fax: (1) 227 281)
Nepal Mountaineering
Association (NMA)
(telephone: (1) 434 525; fax: (1) 434 578; e-mail: office@nma.com.np).
More information can be acquired from the Nepal Tourism Board
(see Contact section).
River
rafting
Rafting permits are no longer needed for the normal areas; however,
to raft the Himalayan rivers, a permit can be requested
from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
(telephone: (1) 247 041; fax: (1) 434 578).
Golf
There are 4 golf courses in Nepal, 2 of which (the Til Ganga
Golf Course and the Gokarna Golf Course) are in Kathmandu.
The other 2 are both in Pokhara (the Himalayan Golf Course
and the Fulbari Resort Golf Course). More details are available
at the Nepal Tourism Board (see Contact
section).
Adventure sports
The possibility of adventure sports has not got away from the Nepalese
authorities, and the Nepal Tourism Board is currently promoting
many high-adrenaline activities that can be proceeded in the country’s
incredible landscapes.
Hang-gliding and Ballooning
are amongst the newest, since Kathmandu has opened its skies for
commercial ballooning and this does give a chance to travellers
to enjoy great aerial views of the city and its scenic settings.
Journeys to Mount Everest are quite limited but practicable. Hang-gliding,
which uses an ultra-light, one-person glider, is hugely popular
in Pokhara and in the Langtang
regions.
Canyoning and Bungee jumping are
also popular. Power paragliding and paragliding
can be experienced in Pokhara.
The
Nepal Yeti
The existence of the well-known and mysterious Nepal yeti,
an enormous, gorilla-sized hairy snowman that eats sheep and yaks,
is still questionable. Over a dozen of people, as well as the father
of Tenzing Norgay (the 1st Sherpa to conquer the peaks
of Mount Everest), claim to have seen the elusive Yeti.
Popular myth tells that those who had seen the creature got sick
and died a couple of days later. For those wishing to see this abominable
snowman, it is said that Yeti will appear around the Khumbu
region in the foothills of Mount Everest. |
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