prices for guides and porters

[kmcboogie]

I've been making inquiries with some companies in Nepal to hire a guide and porter or porter-guide. I'm getting responses of $30 or $35 per day for the guide and $20 or $25 for a porter.

After reading various forums I was expecting $25 per day for a guide and $15 for a porter.

Did prices go up or am I expected to bargain? Or is this the cost if I hire via an agency?

Thanks,

Kay

p.s because I'll be traveling as a solo woman and because I'm planning on doing the 3 passes trek, I want to travel with a guide. And I definitely want a porter. Perhaps a porter guide is the way to go, but no one's mentioning that.

[GoNepal]

Guide is guide. You have to provide porter for him. Some of them are trained, experience, informative and expect higher pay. Porter is the one who carry your bag, may or may not know the route and english. Guide-porter is hybrid (between two). Nobody wants to carry load and receive less pay. So you have to tell what you want (guide, guide-porter, porter).

Bargain, Bargain & Bargain as mucho as you can. Do not feel guilty. You can always buy tea/dinner or give cash reward to guide(s) for excelent service. Write apprecitation letter for agency if your trip is well organized.

Any agency or middle person tries to keep as mucho money as possible. If possible, take your guide for coffee or lunch and chichat before departing Kathmandu to make sure paid well, happy, well equiped, helpful and loyal.

You are ready for three passes you might be fit and experience trekker. Find good topo map and collect informations from different sources. If you think you can navigate your way over three passes (3 days), just hire guide-porter or just porter, another way of saving.

KhongmaLa and Renjo pass are two rarely trekked passes of three. So it is harder to find a guide who has done all three passes. Advance reservation through reputable agency or recommended by good friends will make your trip enjoyable. But, Experience guides and big name agency will ask more than normal rate if you are planning to be there in the middle of busy season.

Have a nice trip

[Boulia]

The prices you have been quoted are high in my view. I came back from Nepal in Dec 2010 and hired a porter guide for a trek in that area via my normal KTM agency at a very reasonable price (admittedly at the tail end of the season). I also asked my agency boss where he thought prices were going, as i have seen steep rises in recent years, demand for guides in tourism year etc, and his thoughts weren't near these levels. More in line with your original expectations or a touch under.

[redders]

Hi Folks
On our two previous trips to Annapurna and EBC we hired porters from villages on the trail, Just ask at any lodge if there is a porter and believe me there will be one waiting in the morning !
As with Independent Trekking we get satisfaction by knowing that every rupee we spend goes to the locals and not into an agency in KMD
This is just our preference ,I also feel but I cant be sure that the fees for porters guides would be probably be better ,but anyway if they werent as I said before the money goes ALL into the Porters pocket
Cheers Mike

[Sujoy]

It should be around $15 for a porter and around $20 for a guide if you need a reference send me a message.

[kmcboogie]

Thanks for your replies. I'll keep the info in mind!

Kay