Trekking in Nepal might not be what you think

When you tell the uninitiated about trekking in Nepal I think a lot of people get the wrong idea about what this is all about. People whose only exposure to the Himalayas comes from movies probably have this idea about locals carrying your gear on donkeys and setting up tents and needing oxygen in order to make it to the top. Perhaps mix in a few falling injuries and the fact that you are constantly in danger of freezing to death... right?

Well, while those things are actually possible, that isn't what most of it is all about.

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Everest climbs are actually a tourist nightmare since it is the most popular mountain in the world and is on the bucket list for many folks in the world. Often you aren't really even climbing and there is no danger as there are hundreds of people going all at once and stopping briefly at the top to get a photo to put on instagram or something.

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There is also an airport that takes you to Everest base camp and that it kind of cheating now isn't it?

There are ways that you can climb and follow trails that involve staying in tents and being a survivalist and cooking your own food and risking starving / freezing to death but I don't recommend these for newbies. There is a much better baby step way of getting involved in trekking in Nepal.

Tea Trekking

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Tea house trekking or simply tea trekking is a far better way to being your journey into Nepal's mountainous wonderland because the paths are clearly marked and there are actual buildings to stay in every so often. These places to stay are actually quite perfectly spaced apart from one another so that you do a reasonable amount of hiking / climbing in a day and then you can take a load off, have a shower, rest, and go to a restaurant.

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Often these are just retrofitted homes that have been turned into multiple rooms with beds that are comfortable enough to get you through the night. They also tend to not have a great deal of electricity since the only way to get electric up here is with solar panels and this will power a few lights here and there but don't expect this to go on all night because it will not. Food is cooked using fire and a makeshift stove and the heating is provided in the same manner. It is like stepping back in time and can actually be a wonderful experience.

I have never had any of our hosts be anything other than just unbelievably welcoming and here is another kicker. If you go during the off season you don't even have to pay to stay, just promise to eat at least 2 meals (dinner and breakfast) at the hostel and the stay is free. In our 7 day trek we never paid to stay in any of the mountain lodges we were at.

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Do not come up here expecting luxury because you are definitively not going to find it, not matter how much you are willing to pay for it. That is all over at Everest base camp where world class chefs, luxury hotels and accommodation exist for the rich and famous. Tea trekking is a mecca for backpackers the world over. You can stay for next to nothing, hike for 5 to 7 hours a day, get some amazing views and photos and some memories that will last a lifetime. You can do all of this in relative safety too.

Just another reason to not be afraid of traveling to the wonderful country of Nepal and it puts people's minds at ease knowing that this is done by many people and is safe, cheap, and easy to follow. Why not give it a try? Well, once we are allowed to travel anywhere again that is.