Know Different Trekking Types in Nepal
Different trekking types in Nepal depend on price you pay, types of accommodation and food you want during trekking. Furthermore, types of permit requirement, transportation availability, altitude, number of days and protected area are some crucial factors. Here, we provide general outline to understand how agencies in Nepal operate trekking.
Some agency prefers to categorize different trekking types in Nepal, based on difficulty level. However, we feel it is the toughest part to categorize from the perspective as a trek organizer. For example, a trekker might find Everest Base Camp easy, while others may find difficult in given circumstances. The other trekking types in Nepal can be short and long. Again, Nepal can deliver trekking itinerary anywhere in between 3 days to months depending upon the demand of clients. For example, some trekking agency proposes a Everest base camp trekking itinerary for 12 days, some proposes for 13 days or some for 14 days.
The best thing a trekker can do is have general knowledge on the National Parks and Conservation Areas of Nepal. This way, they can have a lot of information on the remoteness of the region, transportation options, luxury during the trekking. Farther the National Parks and Conservation area from capital city Kathmandu, more remote and less luxury options. However, here we outline different trekking types in Nepal based on major factors.
1. Different trekking types in Nepal on Price you Pay/Service you want.
Based on cost you pay or service you want, there are three different trekking types in Nepal. In other words, you can decide and choose what service you want and what you don’t want, while booking your trekking trip through an agency.
Package Trekking: During package trekking, you pay most of the cost that incurs during your stay in Nepal, to an agency. Sometimes, it is also known as booking trekking through an agency. It is popular in Nepal as package trekking/ fully organized trekking. Read carefully cost includes and excludes section before booking package trekking.
Service Trekking: In service trekking, you pay the price to hire a local porter and local guide. Generally, it includes permit fee, to ease the situation for trekker. Few trekkers like to add Bed and Breakfast (B/B) in service trekking.
Partial Service Trekking: You simply pay the cost for the service you want. It can be for accommodation, transportation or permit or for any other service, which you find difficult to arrange yourself.
2.Different trekking types in Nepal on Accommodation and Food During Trekking.
Based on accommodation and food during trekking, there are three different trekking types in Nepal. Most of the time it is necessity, rather than whether a trekker wants or not. A decade back, it was necessary to do camping trekking in Manaslu. Now, the availability of tea houses in the region has displaced camping trekking.
Camping Trekking: During camping trekking, you spend night in tents and eat the food prepared by the cook sent from an agency. It is expensive in terms of cost since extra porters and crews are required to carry tents and your trekking foods. Few trekkers book camping trekking only then, if tea house is not available in the trekking region. For Example, trekking to remote region of Dolpo, you still might need to do camping trekking.
Tea House Trekking: In tea house trekking, you spend the night and eat your meals in well-built tea houses available in the region. The most popular type of trekking in Nepal. Generally, popular trekking regions like Annapurna, Everest, Langtang have luxurious tea houses.
Camping plus Tea house Trekking: There are trekking regions in Nepal, where you might need to do partial tea house and partial camping trekking. Kanchenjunga Base Camp trekking is great example. During peak climbing as well, you need to spend a few nights in base camp, staying and eating in tent. However, in trekking part of peak climbing, you spend and eat in tea house.
3. Different trekking types in Nepal based on the Permit Requirement.
Knowing whether the trekking area requires special permit fee or not, is one of the most important task trekker needs to find in first place. This can highly affect your budget and plan. There are two different types of trekking in Nepal based on permit, general and restricted. However, for climbing and mountaineering, you may need another extra permit depending upon the region.
General: Any trekking region, besides restricted areas, are general trekking region. Example Everest Base camp, Annapurna Round where you simply pay for National Park/Conservation Area permit fee including TIMS.
Restricted Area: Beside general permit fee, you need to pay a special permit fee to trek in these regions. For example, in Mustang, Manaslu, Nar Phu, beside paying general permit fees, you need to pay extra, to obtain permit. For Upper Mustang, you need to pay minimum USD 500.00 per person for 10 days besides ACAP fee and TIMS fee. This can spike-up your budget.
4. Different trekking types in Nepal based on Transportation.
Some trekking itineraries/regions in Nepal can have only particular modes of transportation. See our blog modes of transportation during trekking in Nepal.
Flight Only: Anybody starting Everest trek from Lukla, must fly. There is no option of road transportation unless one has a plan to start trek from Jiri.
Road Transportation Only: Some trekking region has only access to road transportation. Manaslu, Langtang region trekking can be started only by driving in off-road until certain point.
Option available for both Flight and Road Transportation: An airport in Jomsom and road access throughout the region means, trekker has both options to use flight and road transportation according to necessity.
5. Different trekking types in Nepal based on Altitude
Trekker can select different types of trekking in Nepal, according to the altitude they want to gain during the trekking. Higher the altitude so does the difficulty level increases. But not always the case.
High Altitude Trekking: Generally high-altitude trekking includes passes and base camps in the itinerary. Everest Base Camp, Larkey-La pass of Manaslu are some examples of high-altitude trekking.
Low Altitude Trekking: Lower trekking region where you reach a certain viewpoint, summarize the landscape and return back. Langtang Tamang Heritage, Ghorepani Ghandruk Circuit, Everest Tengboche trekking are some examples of low altitude trekking.
Moderate Altitude Trekking: In these types of trekking, you gain moderate altitude in trekking. Langtang valley trekking, Gosaikunda Lake trekking, Mardi Himal trekking are some example of Moderate altitude trekking.