From the novice to the seasoned trekker, people travel to Nepal from across the world to enjoy the mountains and local culture having a wide range of trekking experience and ability. For many the question of whether to hire the services of a local guide is very easy, but for the more experienced it is less so obvious. The routes are predominately well marked and maintained, the accommodation plentiful, and the local people friendly – so why do I need a guide? In this section we discuss why every person that treks in Nepal should consider taking a guide, including why using an independent guide such as through this website provides additional benefits. The same question goes for a porter – see the paragraph at the end of this page.
Planning and booking a trek
Although there are many Nepal trekking company websites offering fully inclusive services, the independent guides overheads are lower and hence able to provide their services at a lower cost to the customer. In addition and by using the contact form, e-mail and WhatsApp communication you are able to set up a dialogue that draws upon the guide’s detailed local knowledge to design a bespoke trek based upon your own personal criteria such as objectives, duration and date of travel.
Preparing for the trek
Once the itinerary and dates have been agreed, your guide can co-ordinate in arranging the registration and collection of the Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) Blue Group Trekkers (GT) registration card. Note that trekkers planning to walk unguided will require the Green Free Individual Trekker (FIT) card which carries a higher cost than the Blue card. Your guide will also be able to advise on what clothing or equipment should be taken on the trek, or just as importantly, left behind and not become an unnecessary burden to carry. Finally and before setting off, a meeting can be held to discuss any potential modifications to the schedule caused by weather or transport related issues.
Enjoying the trek
This is probably the main value that the guide brings to you on your trek and helps to make your holiday as enjoyable and stress free as possible. First and foremost the guide has your safety and well-being as their top priority. Conditions can change very quickly in the mountains and unseasonal snowfall can make certain areas impassable or even dangerous. Your guide understands the local conditions and is in constant dialogue with other guides on the route to monitor the situation and discuss alternative contingencies. Furthermore your guide has experience in looking out for signs and symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness within the trekkers, and can recommend the best course of remedial action.
For the most part the trekking trails are pretty well marked and obvious, but there may come a time when visibility is poor or the ground covered by snow that a first-hand knowledge of the route is advantageous. In addition and in the more remote or least popular parts where paths are not as well defined and marked, the ability to converse with villagers regarding the optimum route can also avoid unnecessary deviations.
The popularity of the Annapurna region and the relatively short trekking seasons means that at certain times the routes can be busy putting extra pressure on the lodges and accommodation. As well as being knowledgeable in the best lodges to match your personal preferences, your guide is able to call ahead to book, and sometimes call in a favour to make sure that you have a bed with an extra blanket should the temperature drop low that night. Your guide also acts as a pseudo-host while at the lodge helping in the ordering of food and 2017-03-20 09.14.00drinks, arranging breakfast and supplies of water for the following day’s trek.
During the day and while out trekking your guide will bring his knowledge and experience to enrich your understanding of the geography, culture and farming practices of the Himalayan region.
After your trek
In many cases the guides are the sole earner for an extended family, so by employing a guide as opposed to doing the trek on your own brings a vital source of income into these rural communities in Nepal still recovering from the hardships caused by the earthquake of 2015. Furthermore by employing an independent guide through this website you will also ensure that more of your money goes directly to the guide and his family.
Do I need a porter?
A related question to the above is do you need to hire a porter. Unless you are a hardened walker that enjoys carrying their own rucksack, the response should yes as it will definitely be easier for you to walk with just a day pack for immediate supplies such as rain jacket, water etc., plus again you will be providing vital employment and income. For groups of trekkers a porter will often carry two rucksacks lashed together, so it is not necessary to have one porter per person. In this situation, and particularly once you have seen the porters in action, you will wonder how they manage to carry all this weight up and down these steep trails, so please think twice before packing that extra thick hard-backed book or anything else that ‘might just come in handy’!
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