Budget trekking in Nepal

Does anyone know the best way to go about hiring a guide/porter for the Annapurna circuit? I want to minimize cost and hassle and just do it once I fly into Kathmandu. Are there bulletin boards you can check out somewhere? How do you know a good service from a bad one?

Budget trekking in Nepal

My husband %26amp; I did the A.C. in Oct. %26amp; had the best guide - Kamal %26amp; porter - Narayan.

I went through a company but I would hire them directly - the cost is $12.US for guide and $10.US for porter , plus tip at end.

his email is regmi_kamal@yahoo.com

Budget trekking in Nepal

I concur with previous message. I%26#39;ve always hired directly, local guide and never gone through a service. I want my money to go directly to the local economy and the family of my guide.

I did MBC and then around to Mustang and Muktinah.

my sherpa is Binod

email dbsubedi@mail.com.np

Hi-Last year I just did annapurna circuit trough company and company charged me resonable price.I think that price is suitable for me and service is also good quality.Otherwise you may go directly by guide

here is guide email add:-p.panday@yahoo.com

jhon

You can consider to start your trekking from Pokhara. A great place to relax and it%26#39;s possible to fly directly from KTM . In Pokhara there are a lot of travelagencies who can help you with the trek you plan to do.

But we always go with the same guide from Hotel Fire on the Mountain in Pokhara. The guesthouse is centrally located and very good in my oponion. The guides name is Ram and he can give you all the information you want if you contact him at hotelfireonthe_mountain@yahoo.com

He%26#39;s a very funny guy and speaks good english !

the best way is to hear experiences from other travellers...and I think you are already on the right track...and have some suggestions in here already.

There is always this debate about whether to hire directly or through a service (of course, there is an expense to everything)...If you are sure that the guide is good....(important than being friendly, helpful, funny....does he/she (yeah, you could hire females as well) know about sustainable practices, safety in guiding, high altitude sickness, mountain rescue, wilderness first aid...

Most people who trek do not face any difficulties, but you got to remember that you are trekking in the highest you ever have...so you should be safe...it is very irresponsible of travellers sometimes to take mediocre guides into mountains, who do not follow sustainable practices or safety practices. One traveller dying or getting lost in the mountains can kill this industry...so responsibility is the biggest issue...and if you know that your guide is good in all this.....you should pay direct into the economy and not in the hands of the agents in Kathmandu....

If not, then find a good service, who is responsible and reliable, and pay a bit more and go more responsibly.

Hi the only thing I would say about annapurna at the moment is that there is more risk of maoists, they can stop you and ask for taxes, I have just done the everest base camp trek with no maoist problems.

If you go ahead with annapurna I think that you are probably aware that the maoists do not see tourists as targets but there can be some unscrupulous people using the cover of maoists to get money from you, that is what I have heard in Kathmandu, hopefully you will get replies from people who have completed annapurna.

Good Luck

Marie

In the Annapurna Area, the Khaobadis....as opposed to the Maobadis (which is what we call Maoists in Nepal) are rare...that is because the Maobadis have a clear system of raising the tourism tax...it costs about Rs. 100 per day of trekking....and on an average you will pay about Rs. 1200.- which is about GBP 10.- or USD 16.5 and you will get a receipt for it...

And the risk is not very high....anyways, the amount of money that they take is not life changing...you see what I mean...

The Khaobadis will be very scared as the Maobadis are very strict and will hunt them down if they know that their names were utilised to take money from foreigners...

I did the Annapurna Circuit 2 years ago aged 62. I did NOT want to hire someone in KTM or Pokhara - I decided to get by bus from KTM and walk a couple of easy days into the valley from Besisahar, the start of the trail. I then asked for a porter at the teahouse I stayed in on my second night. The guy was great, a local carpenter but the tourist dollar really means a lot there. I felt I was directly paying to help a local family. There will be no difficulty in finding someone to guide or act as a porter - it took me an hour to find someone and agree a daily rate. If things don%26#39;t work out with you - eg if he tries to go too fast, tries to take control too much - you at least have the chance of changing to someone more suitable. Abve all, you will get a better sense of achievement, will get more fun by trekking at your own pace. The mainthing is to check that he has the right gear - good boots, anorak, warm clothes for cold weather at high altitude.

It cost me about $6 per day, and he paid for his own food and lodging. At that sort of price, it was easy at the end to give him a good tip plus a fair bit of clothing/gloves etc.

hello,im 50 and always dream to go one day to nepal,please write me back i need more info from you hbarbarah@hotmail.com

I am from Thailand. I went back to Nepal for the second time in December 2008 for trekking. My friend in Thailand recommended me to contact Babu, so I had trekked with him. I was really satisfied with this service and his expertise in trekking. Everything was well-organized. If you are thinking to have trekking in Nepal, please go to him for your consideration. Here is his website. http://www.greathimalaya.com

www.nepalmountainguide.com