A few more Q's

[Polle]

Can I get the AC permit on fridays in KTM ? Not sure when they open, but if I were to get my permit straight away would there be any transportation to BesiSahar? Do those small tourist vans do this route all day or is it always early morning departures?

Is it possible to get a guide to cross the Tilicho route in Jomson or Manang?

Will want to end up in Besisahar again, so also need to cross Thorung La but doesn't matter which way I go. (I know it's longer from Muuuuhktina)

[yakshaver]

The ACAP office should be open on Fridays. The direct bus to Besisahar leaves very early in the morning, so you'll miss that. There are other buses to Dumre, and then changing to Besi, but I don't know the time table. You can organise your own transport in a taxi or minivan, but it would be more expensive... A taxi would be around 100 USD I think.
Is it your first trip to Nepal? If so, remember that Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Valley are really worh spending at least a couple of days visiting. If you come all the way to Nepal, and it's your first trip - you would not want to miss on that. To me they were just as exciting as the mighty Himal.

You should be able to pick up a guide in Jomsom, I don't know about Manang... It's a big place, but I have no idea about Manangis and their attitude to guiding. Still you should be able to do that I suppose.

Why do you want to end up in Besi again? You really want to do the full circle?

[thirdpole]

Dear Polle,

I shall help you out in arranging your permit before you arrive KTM so that you can go to Beshisashar the next day by regular bus. Yakshaver is wright, taxt is expensive to go to Beshisashar.

Please send me email at thirdpole@wlink.com.np

Rajendra M. Dongol
Adventure Thirdpole Treks & Expeditions
P. O. Box 5503, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: +977-1-4410834, Phone: +977-1-4423459
Email to: thirdpole@wlink.com.np

[Hendrik]

Hello! My question is kind of off-topic:

Me and my baby-brother will be traveling from Paris to Kathmandu with a transit at the Abu Dhabi airport. I did read in the Net (http://www.sharjah-welcome.com/html/sh_visa.htm) that a transit visa is required for it and it is sponsored by the air company.

Well, I did call the Gulf Air office in the CDG-Paris and they never heared about such visa. I 've call the agency where I buy our tickets and they also never heared about such thing.

So here come my question: did some of you guys who did fly to Nepal with a transit in Abu Dhabi needed a transit visa for it? if yes, how was it supllied?

Thanks

Hendrik

[S-Q]

It could be wrong but I was told by my travel agency that a visa is only needed in transit if you're "ground time" is more than 24 hrs. Ask another travel agency. Most are willing to answer questions.

[yakshaver]

Transited through Abu Dhabi and never needed a transit visa. I guess you don't need one unless you might want to get out of the airport to visit the city. Maybe the rule with the 24 hours is a valid one. I would contact the relevant consulate, not travel agencies. Airlines should know the rules pretty well these days, as they get fined very heavily if people don't have the relevant visas.

[yakshaver]

Hendrik,

I read the statement on the link about the transit visa. It does not apply to you as you just pass through. The airline would have advised you if there was anything to know. Just have a valid passport with you and forget about asking any consulate about anything.

Have a great trip in Nepal.

[Hendrik]

Thanks a lot for all the kind atention, everybody. It would be horrid to have our year-and-half-planned-dream-trek blowed to shi* because a lame transit visa in a lost airport in the middle of a no-man-land desert.

But since a friend of mine got me all paranoic about it again, I'm been busy in the last hours writing e-mails to UAE consulates (here and in Brazil), to Gulf Air and today to the Abu Dhabi Int. Airport. Till now I got to "not possible delivery" e-mails.

I did call the Gulf Air in the CDG, but they had no ideia what I was talking about. I'm just concerned about my brother, because he has the brazilian passport.

Well, thanks again and I will wait for answers...

20 days before Nepal!!!

[]'s

Hendrik

[MikeyH]

Sorry to interject this thread, but I've also got an question for those who've trekked before. I'm trekking to Gokyo and maybe EBC if time, and was wondering what sort of a daily budget people use for trekking. How much a day is needed for accom and food etc. whilst on the trail? I have guidebooks, but I find that 'real people' budgets are often more accurate...

[Hendrik]

Hoi, hoi, I did receive answer from the Gulf Air:

"Good afternoon,
Kindly contact our agency in Brussels because Brazilian passengers can stay with a maximum of 12 hours.

NATIONAL BRAZIL /BR/
TRANSIT UNITED ARAB EMIRATES /AE/
DESTINATION NEPAL /NP/
ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW
VISA TRANSIT UNITED ARAB EMIRATES /AE/
...... NORMAL PASSPORTS ONLY ......
VISA NOT REQUIRED IF:
- CONTINUING WITHIN 12 HOURS BY SAME OR FIRST CONNECTING
AIRCRAFT TO A THIRD COUNTRY AND
- HOLDING CONFIRMED ONWARD TICKET AND
- HOLDING DOCUMENTS FOR NEXT DESTINATION.
IF STAYING LONGER THAN 12 HOURS, A 24 HOUR VISA IS REQUIRED
WHICH CAN BE OBTAINED ON ARRIVAL."

[]'s

Hendrik

[Hendrik]

Mickey, I may not be what you are looking for as info provider, but I did the following budget:

(USD) - Objetivo

600 - Gear
800 - Lodges and food
60 - Visas
60 - Fees
400 - Internal Fligths
10 - Internal bus
30 - Airport taxes
500 - Mix

Total 2460 USD

This is for two persons, the international fligth is not included and the gear money is not for everything, since we already have basic stuff, only needing down jackets and gas. We also will be taking only Lukla-Kathmandu plane, so the 400 USD for Internal Fligths may be in the end only 200USD.

Even so I'm hopping to take at last 3000 USD total for 2 persons.

[]'s

Hendrik

[yakshaver]

Hendrik,
this makes sense. It's good you found it, and now have peace of mind.

MikeyH,
I usually spend about 20 US per day on food and accomodation. On average. In Namche, for example, I spend a bit more, as I stay at one of the better hotels there - if they have a room. You can live on 15 US if you want, or even less, provided you don't buy to many cans of beer or soft drinks, alcohol etc. Guide or porters will cost you extra, of course.

[Hendrik]

There will be mugs (mosquitoes) in Kathmandu? or in the Jiri-EBC trek?

[]'s

Hendrik

[yakshaver]

I remember no mosquitos in KTD or the hills. Only at lower elevations such as Chitwan, but even there, they are more of a worry during the monsoon.

[hendrik]

Well, thanks a lot everybody, specialy yakshaver. I think I will try do calm myself down now a little. I still have to finish a book before the trip, so I can start a new one on the trek.

[]'s

Hendrik

[yakshaver]

Have a great trip Hendrik and send us some news and pics. Make sure you go and have a beer (or some non alcoholic variety) at Rum Doodle, near hotel Vaishali, in Thamel.