Please give me some good news!

[howfartothetop?]

As the weeks quickly count down to my departure to Nepal, I'm having some anxiety attacks about not having a good time.

I've read some reports of severe exploitation on the EBC route, especially above Namche. Is this true? How much am I looking at for a nights' stay with dahl baht and a treat or two? I'm not on a tight budget, but being blatantly ripped off would surely leave a nasty taste in my mouth after such a long awaited trip.

After much deliberation I decided to employ a guide; has anyone got any good tales of their guide getting a reduced or fair price for their client for accommodation?

I'll be trekking in March, hopefully not too much traffic on the trails and with a bit of luck no nightmare stories trying to fly back to KTM.

Has anyone got any advice or good tales from a recent trip in the area?

[James]

Relax, you'll have a great time. Yes the prices go up as you go up, but the comforts of the lodges and treats are all the better. You won't mind paying a little extra after you see the porters and yaks carrying every bit of food, drink, fuel, building supplies, etc... for days to reach those higher villages. The Everest region is no different than any other tourist destination, actually it is - its better!

If you are trying to cut costs a guide isn't necessary, but some help carrying your stuff is a blessing as the air gets thinner.

[Escher]

I've read some reports of severe exploitation on the EBC route, especially above Namche. Is this true? How much am I looking at for a nights' stay with dahl baht and a treat or two? I'm not on a tight budget, but being blatantly ripped off would surely leave a nasty taste in my mouth after such a long awaited trip.



Really? Where? Any links? "Severe exploitation" "blatant ripoffs? Do you think you are being a bit over dramatic? I normally budget 1000nrps (that's about USD$15) per day for food and board with a percentage of that as a backup. Some places it will be more (higher up) some places less. So I'd take $20-25 per day and expect some change. It is unlikely a guide will get anything any cheaper, the prices are mostly fixed. I am very happy to pay that for such easy room and board in such an amazing place. My international flight would be two or three times that much.

Prices have risen some but for a three week trek the costs are still much less thanthe flight into the country. What is almost universal is that most people have a great time, many absolutely fall head over heels in love with the place and go back time after time. There are many of us who have done that who regularly post here. Just relax, you'll have a ball!

[Escher]

Or to put it another way!

"Please give me some good news!"

You are going to the Nepal Himalaya you lucky thing! It is an absolutely incredible place and I miss it terribly, I wish I was going myself this coming March, it has been too long!

How about that?

[Petrus]

In Khumbu all lodges are serviced by porters, carrying the merchandice for over 10 days from the nearest roadhead. Still the cost of food and bed is about 20% of what is costs for example in the Alps or Dolomites, where the same are serviced by car, cable lifts or helicopters. Severe exploitation? It is true that locals get food cheaper, but is that really a valid complaint, when you are also getting it cheap (compared to all other tourist places)?

Take a porter-guide, not a guide. It looks kind of funny when a paid guide with a small pack leads a western porter (you...).

[howfartothetop?]

I just read a very negative post on another forum and I felt some concerns, that's all. I'm not personally saying it's severe exploitation, just asking for another point of view on what to expect above NB.

I realize Nepal is a very cheap country, hell, I was spending over $100 per day hiking in Japan but that that was expected. I don't like being treated as a cash cow though, being charged many times what the locals are, that's taking the piss.

As far as how I look, well I don't give a damn if I'm carrying more than my guide, if people think it looks funny that I'm working for him, well, I feel sorry for those people, that's just sad.; didn't realize there was snobbery out on the trails. I'd rather not get into the morals of taking/not taking a guide, but this guy was recommended to me from a friend and from frequent emails, he seems like a nice guy to have as a companion for nearly 4 weeks. His English is brilliant.


Cheers.

[Escher]

It isn't trail snobbery, it's the caste system and Subcontinent culture and the conventions of employing people there. I imagine other trekkers wouldn't give a stuff what you do, I think Petrus is referring to the locals. Not that they'll be particularly bothered in the Khumbu as they see all sorts there. Anyway, it is not something I would worry about either, just pointing out the source of Petrus' comment.

As for being charged more than locals, well yes you will be. That is just how it is. There is a particular forum poster who has a real problem with it and moans on and on about it like a stuck record. But they also regularly cause a lot of trouble, so that is why I asked for links. If it was them I would take no stock in their opinion.

To be frank, I would suggest you lower your expectations. You pay more than the locals, it has always been so and is so in many, many tourist destinations. If you kick up and whinge about it constantly you will make yourself very unpopular and ruin your own holiday. It is still very cheap. A half full attitude rather than half empty attitude well serve you well.

[howfartothetop?]

I don't have a real problem with being charged a little more than the locals, but in some places like Vietnam where I've had people laughing in my face that they charged me 15 dong for a coffee while the VN person sitting next to me paid 10 was a little annoying to say the least; but I digress.

I couldn't find the link I was looking for; it was on LP's TT which seems to have a lot of people with nothing else to do than live their lives online, whinging how things were better back in '91 when it was a paradise but you always get those folks I suppose.

Don't worry, I'll go to Nepal with an open mind, it seems most things have a fixed price and I don't mind paying a little extra for goods that have been brought in on peoples' backs.

Hope the weather is fine and not too freezing; hope I get some decent stuff in KTM; I'd rather not spend thousands on gear I doubt I'l be using too much living in SE Asia.

[Boulia]

In Novemeber 2010 i didn't pay above 200 NPR for a room. Though rooms are usually your lowest cost anyway. My highest cost day was 2000 NPR with an overnight stay at Dzongla. My main beef is the high cost of battery charging(when electricty to the lodge is at vey low cost usually) so i plan not to charge after Namche when for 200 NPR the common rooms at Hotel Namche (and some others) still have free power points. That way i can leave that bit of excess behind till i return.

some spots that seem very out of line are Phakding/Monjo and Debouche. These are all much more expensive than say Dingbouche.

[yakshaver]

Glad to hear you're going there with an open mind... Else you're not going to enjoy Nepal. For example if you purchase any internal flights, say to Lukla or Jomsom or whatever, you'll pay double or a bit more than double that what the Nepalis, Indians, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and Pakistanis will pay. By law.
Then again, compared to most destinations, Nepal is still cheaper for what you can see and do there.
'Cause Switzerland is a LOT more expensive. Slightly better coffee there though. But you cannot cross passes at over 5000 m altitude.

[nigelpass]

Porters: I was in Everest region last year... Some feedback on this post below:
If you go with a guide and no porter, the guide will be carrying a pack half the size and weight of yours which makes no sense since he is strong and acclimitized. Better to have a porter-guide so he carries the big pack and you carry the "day" pack. This way you can enjoy the scenery and your porter-guide might almost be able to walk naturally since he will not have to slow down so much for you. My porter-guide did not speak perfect textbook English but his personality was far better than most of the pro guides farther up the food chain.
Gear: With regards to gear which is something I know a bit about as a Canadian with some climbing background, you can get good stuff in Namche Bazaar at competitive prices off the local merchants or Tibetan traders. This includes light down jackets (post trekking warmth) and "North Face" summit series soft shell jackets (great for wind and general trekking) at 15-20% of Western prices (Chinese sizing) and Nepali made hats (ear covering soft double layered comfortable yak wool) which where a bargain at a few bucks. The locals are more knowledgeable and had better stuff than what I found in Kathmandu.
Exceptions: Bring your own high quality trekking boots to Nepal unless you plan to pinch some off other trekkers! I am fussy about packs so I would not buy these in Nepal despite general availability.
Cost: It can be annoying to pay more than the locals on treks but it may help to know that times have changed and your porters are paying far more for things than you might imagine (especially as you go higher).
Coffee tip. Pick up instant Nescafe coffee in Namche which you can add to weak coffee you buy or straight to you hot water.
Food tip. Bring some favorite high protein/fat/energy food from home to compensate for lower quality food you will find further up.
:)

[howfartothetop?]

Thanks for the tips.

I'll be trekking with a guide only. He seems very articulate and was passed onto me from a friend; I'm sure he'll be good company and provide a wealth of information. I've seen some of the "guides" out trekking and I really felt sorry for the trekkers, there are some surly, uncommunicative phoneys parading as guides out there. I'm a little worried about carrying my provisions at high altitude, but I have time and money on my side so I don't mind if I go slowly, I'm sure he won't mind either as it's all cash too him.

I'll try to go as light as possible but that still means about 15kgs I should imagine. He said he might take my sleeping bag which would be nice. I'm sure the locals will get a kick out of seeing me supposedly working for him with his small pack but whatever.

Any must do side-trips? I love those Tibetan style villages and monasteries; I'll be walking from Jiri BTW.

Got to say I'm pretty psyched, just came off a 2 week home visit, I'm tanned up and ready to go.

[Petrus]

If you have time there are several (at least 3) fairly sized Gompas near Jumbesi, you could spend several days there. Half a day later the Traksindu Gompa is worth a visit. Another nice walk is to Thame form Namche (spend the acclimatization day and overnight there).

[Landfall38]

just returned from Jiri-->Pheriche-->Lukla (yes, late January with clouds it was just too cold by Pheriche -15 - -20 outside at night; -10 in the rooms).

I agree that the term "extreme exploitation" is an extreme statement. The prices are not that bad; nevertheless, above Lukla (and especially Namche and above) our costs skyrocketted (note: it is all relative) and we spent $40-45/day for a couple (excluding porter etc).


By Namche, we did indeed feel folks were "exploiting" tourists seeking everest.

And getting stuck in frigid Lukla put a "nice" final touch on the trip (planes were cancelled for 7-8 days -- we finally helicoptered out)

For us, our 3rd time (my 4th) in Namche is likely our last time. We will spend our future treks back in other areas (we find little draw in "everest").

But I would say costs are not so crazy that it should stop someone who really wishes to get up high.

PS The Jiri walkin is still a favourite (even though it makes you work hard).