Possible to do Nepal for under $1.5K for around 12-14 days?


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boroangel

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Apr 23, 2005
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Hoping to get advice from seasoned travellers...planning to go in the first 2 weeks of May and have done some research through the forums and other sites. Should be doing the Annapurna trek but also exploring other alternatives and lookign for travel mates at the same time.

I have checked the prices from local agents such as BOAC, Country Holidays but most likely will be booking packages from agents in Nepal itself which I believe should be cheaper. With Thia Airways, the round trip ticket is about $800, wonder if another $700 is enough for the land package? Has anyone used any local agents in Nepal which provide guides, porters, transport, accomodation etc for a reasonable price and is reliable?
 

this is a good thread for me to follow...dream trip
 

Just called Thair airways....if flying out dosn't fall on public holiday, on say 30th April, its $670 + $185 taxes (approximate).
 

Yes it is definitely possible to do it! I've been to Nepal twice before, once on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek and another time on the Langtang Valley trek. The cheapest option is as you have said, to just book the plane ticket there and then arrange directly with a local trekking agency. You can get an even cheaper flight on Royal Nepal Airlines- about $650- but they only fly on certain days of the week so this is an option if you have flexible schedule.

The cheapest kind of trek is the teahouse trek, where you stay in lodges along the way. The Annapurna region is excellent for this as they have many developed lodges. I think it's more fun too cos you get to meet more of the locals and other trekkers. It's also warmer heh.

The cheapest and best way to do it is to just hire a guide and porter from the trekking agency, and then just pay the teahouse accomodation and food charges yourself as you go along. Normal rates for guides and porters are US$8-10 and US$15 per day. You will have to arrange the transport and equipment rental yourself but this is quite easily done as there are plenty of transport operators and equipment shops that do rental in Kathmandu. Trekking agencies also organise "all-inclusive" teahouse trek packages with food, accomodation, equipment, transport, guide and porters etc. but these tend to be a bit more expensive and some of them may limit the choice of food you can have at the lodges.

I would suggest you get a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to trekking in the Nepal Himalaya, they have a whole list of recommended trekking agencies.

Yup, if you have any questions just post them up, be glad to answer what I can. Nepal is truly a beautiful place. The Annapurna area is absolutely stunning. Cheers man!
 

bluemoon said:
Yup, if you have any questions just post them up, be glad to answer what I can. Nepal is truly a beautiful place. The Annapurna area is absolutely stunning. Cheers man!

Thansk bluemoon. Do you have any recommendations for the tour guides which you haev tried yourself? For the Annapurna trek is it purely trekking or is it part walking, part on wheel? I am looking for trekking that is not too strenous and no sharp cliffs as I have a phobia of heights:embrass: ......trekking on flat ground is perfectly ok with me even if its on the mountains....as long as no sharp cliffs right beside where you walk.....

How distance did you walk on the Annapurna trek roughly per day and do you mind sharing your itineary?
 

boroangel said:
Thansk bluemoon. Do you have any recommendations for the tour guides which you haev tried yourself? For the Annapurna trek is it purely trekking or is it part walking, part on wheel? I am looking for trekking that is not too strenous and no sharp cliffs as I have a phobia of heights:embrass: ......trekking on flat ground is perfectly ok with me even if its on the mountains....as long as no sharp cliffs right beside where you walk.....

How distance did you walk on the Annapurna trek roughly per day and do you mind sharing your itineary?


actually it's all walking... it's really just flat ground (sloped upwards haha) or steps most of the time.. usually what you'll get is on one side of the path there won't be any barrier, on the other side it's like high rocks.. the paths are usually pretty wide so you won't fall... of course got some regions where the path is narrow...


and the last time i went was quite a few years back already, i don't know if they still have donkeys and buffalos travelling along the mountain paths as well... all i can say is.. they're animals and they won't give way to you!!! :D
 

seng ar seng...

i see liao also tempted ar...

1.5k is definitely enuff for 2 wks la,just sleep those US$5 room and dun tip pp lor..
 

kex said:
just sleep those US$5 room and dun tip pp lor..

But you might have to pay the Maoist rebels protection money
 

Recommend u the documentary:
Himalaya with Michael Palin (6 parts), by BBC.


.
 

AReality said:
Recommend u the documentary:
Himalaya with Michael Palin (6 parts), by BBC.


.

He met walkers who had to pay Maoist rebels protectionist money
 

boroangel said:
Thansk bluemoon. Do you have any recommendations for the tour guides which you haev tried yourself? For the Annapurna trek is it purely trekking or is it part walking, part on wheel? I am looking for trekking that is not too strenous and no sharp cliffs as I have a phobia of heights:embrass: ......trekking on flat ground is perfectly ok with me even if its on the mountains....as long as no sharp cliffs right beside where you walk.....

How distance did you walk on the Annapurna trek roughly per day and do you mind sharing your itineary?

For any trek in Nepal, it is purely trekking, no wheel. The wheels will bring you only as far as the starting point for the trek, and bring you back from the ending point.

There are 2 treks in the Annapurna area, the Annapurna Circuit (3 weeks) and the Annapurna Base Camp (10-14 days). Both are reasonably strenuous, a lot of ups and downs, some gradual, some steep. But don't be daunted; my 2 companions on the last trek did not exercise regularly but still made it all the way up to the Base Camp. Go for it man! No worries there are no sharp cliffs beside you. If you're trekking in Europe at 3000-4000m you would be pretty high up, might have some cliffs, but in Nepal at 3000-4000m you're at only half the height of the Himalayan giants around you :bsmilie: The most scary experience might be crossing a bridge over a river. :bigeyes: Some of the paths are narrow but don't worry about the animals, you can hear their bells from a mile away, just duck to the side of the path and they will pass by peacefully.

Both times I've gone with an agency called Mountain Adventure, they're not in the guidebooks but they're very reliable. You can google for them. Our trek was 13 days long, each day we would trek about 4-6 hours. Roughly about 10km maybe? Not sure

My itinerary was:

Day 1: Fly into Kathmandu
Day 2: Free day kathmandu
Day 3: Transport to Pokhara
Day 4- 16- Trekking
Day 17- Free day Pokhara
Day 18- Transport to Kathmandu
Day 19- Fly back

You can shorten the trek, just have to walk more each day. I personally prefer not to rush through a trek cos there's so much to see (and shoot!!) along the way

If you happen to run into any Maoists, they will ask for a little tax, usually 1000 Nepalese rupees per person (about S$25), then leave you alone. You can bargain if you're a student heh. I personally didn't run into any.

Hope this helps... and hope you get to go there! ;)
 

Nepal is about trekking, I did the Annapurna trek 8 years ago, I think cost abt $1.5k per person, I went with Country Holidays, myself and my wife and 3 girlfriends. The trekking is all about walking up and down the mountains, u have to be reasonably fit to trek, and yr legs and ankles need to be in good conditions, there are not much wheel transport, not much meat to eat, only few huts have hot water and electricity. But the scenery is beautiful, and the ppl are kind and friendly.
 

Try: flying a budget airline into India (i.e. Kolkata, or New Delhi) and overlanding it to Nepal. :) See more for your money...

I'm doing 3 countries (India, Nepal, Bhutan) next month. Max budget: $2000. :) For approx 2 months.
 

skinnylatte said:
Try: flying a budget airline into India (i.e. Kolkata, or New Delhi) and overlanding it to Nepal. :) See more for your money...

I'm doing 3 countries (India, Nepal, Bhutan) next month. Max budget: $2000. :) For approx 2 months.
Hi Skinnylatte,

Which tour operator organises your upcoming Bhutan trip? Can share the details? I'm planning to go next year.. I'll be very interested in something that's within S$2000.. :)

Thanks! :D
 

Not going with any tour operator.. from airfare to guesthouse to transport, completely DIY. Maybe I can think about setting up an indie tour operator service. Haha.

Bhutan is a bit tricky coz as some of you know they have a very strict tourist quota. Every tourist has to pay USD200/day/person! I'm pulling strings to get myself there. :)

GDSNP said:
Hi Skinnylatte,

Which tour operator organises your upcoming Bhutan trip? Can share the details? I'm planning to go next year.. I'll be very interested in something that's within S$2000.. :)

Thanks! :D
 

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