FAQ

What are the trip leaders like?
Leaders are carefully selected for their personality, general travel experience and enthusiasm for our style of travel. They facilitate the smooth running of your trip and are there to help you get the most out of your adventure. They are recruited on the basis of their resourcefulness and people skills, rather than for expert knowledge of a destination.

Can I get Nepal visa on arrival?
The easiest way to obtain a visa is in the Kathmandu airport. Upon arrival in the KTM airport fill out the necessary forms and proceed to the visa line. Only US$30.00 will be charge for 60 days visa. Please bring 2 passport photos (one for the visa and 1 extra).

What is the best air route to my destination?
Nepal is a popular tourist destination in south Asia. Several airlines have direct and non-stop flights from Middle east and Asia to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu, and the only international airport in Nepal. Click here for details:

What type of insurance should I have before come to Nepal? Can I get there?
Check your insurance whether you have both medical and evacuation insurance. If you need that just for the trip tell us we help you. That mean you can get here as well. Our encouragement to have it before you come and make it in your country.

When should I travel to Nepal?
The Nepal Himalaya is governed by the Southerly Monsoon which brings heavy precipitation between the months of June and August, i.e. it rains a lot. There are great treks available in the rain shadow during these months but if you are planning a more popular trek it is best to avoid the monsoon months. Autumn through to Spring is the best time to fully experience Nepal. Click here for details:

What kinds of Banking facilities in Nepal?
Nepal has modern banking facilities and some international banks even have offices in Kathmandu. Almost all foreign currencies along with credit cards such as American Express, Visa, and Master card are accepted in Nepal. Nepal has also ATM facilities as well.

When should I book my trip?
Because our trips book up months in advance, we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. We will of course make every effort to accommodate last minute bookings.

Is someone going to meet me at the airport? Are transfers included?
Yes, our Airport Representative will come to the airport to pick you up. Outside of Terminal Hall. We will be displaying a play card of Unique Path trekking company with your name on it. Airport transfer is included.

How much spending money should I bring?
This will depend on the destination and you're spending habits. However our trip dossiers will give you an idea of how to budget for additional meals, optional excursions, and extra expenses you might incur on any specific trip.

Does Mystical Mountain Trek accept credit cards?
We accept American Express, Visa and Master cards. If you are paying in person in Nepal, we request that you pay in cash or Travelers cheques as the bank charges for credit cards are quite high.

Does your company help to arrange domestic flight, international flight, hotel bookings and other services?
We are Nepal based company. So we suggest you to arrange your destination International flight from your hometown. Domestic flight ticket is included in our packages tour.

Additional help will be provided for you different activities like river rafting, city guided tour, Mountain flight, jungle safari etc according to your requirements.

Is trekking for me?
If you are reasonably fit and enjoy walking you will find a trek in the brochure to suit you. Normally the shorter treks tend to be easier whilst the longer ones often require a better standard of fitness. All treks in the brochure have been graded. It is also worth remembering if we are tailoring your tour, you can choose the pace and direction of your experience.

What is the physical conditioning level needed for trekking?
As long as you are in good physical shape, you do not require any hiking experience for short treks. If you are planning a trek longer than two weeks, you should work out or do long day hikes at home.

How safe? Traveling alone women with your company?
We ensure all safety and security for individual woman traveler while with us, we are more confidence for this issues, believe us. We have train our guides, the way our clients want. We give you personal room on lodge trek and personal tent for camping( tented camp) trek.

Is a Trekking permit required?
The government of Nepal no longer requires a trekking permit for Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, and some other regions. However, conservation permit or National park permits are required for these regions. There are few restricted trekking areas in Nepal, where trekking permits are required. Please click here to know where trekking permit is applicable.

Where to stay on trek?
There are two basic types of accommodation in trekking; Teahouse and Camping. All the treks are lead by our professional guides, who all are well trained and licensed by the Government.

In the more popular trails (Annapurna Everest and Langtang) there are well-established Mountain lodges providing sleeping accommodation and meals. Gone are the days when trekkers had to share dormitories, almost all lodges nowadays provide private rooms and many also have solar showers and clean toilet facilities. CLick here for details:

What is tea house trekking?
A teahouse or mountain lodge is a locally run guesthouse. In popular areas such as Annapurna, Everest and Lantang Region--there are many nice accommodations and one can trek with a bare minimum of equipment.

Tea house treks are often quite nice, serving excellent food and providing many different services such as hot showers and laundry.

In this arrangement overnight halts with dinner and breakfast will be in Tea-houses (Lodges) and lunches in local restaurants en-route.

Tea-House trek allows you to be more in contact with local people as well as other trekkers from different countries

In our package programs we take our clients to some of the nicer places in the regions--for being in such remote areas, We think most people would be impressed with just how nice some of these places are!

Treks begin from 7 to 8 am. Before we start, we provide hot drinks tea/coffee/hot chocolate and then a nutritious Breakfast. Lunch is provided between 11 to 12 am and the day usually ends around 3 to 4 pm.

These tours can be booked at any time and there is no minimum requirement to the number of people. For a teahouse trek, we provide a guide as well as a sufficient number of porters so that our clients can be relieved of carrying the majority of their possessions and bask in the glory of this majestic environment.

In tea house package trip, meals are included with hot drinks tea and coffee, accommodation, ground transportation, permits, equipments, flight tickets (depend on the area), guide and porter etc.

What is camping trekking?
Camping trek organized in the same style as exploratory or mountaineering expeditions. This trek is also known as fully organized supported trek. In a camping trek, a team of guide, cook, sherpa, sardar and porters will accompany you. Our porters carry all trekking equipments, food, fuel, and personal belongings, and our cooks and assistant prepares hygienic meals. Trekkers should carry only what they need personally during the day. At night, they are provided dining tents, sleeping tents, separately and toilet tents. They are also provided with mattresses and down sleeping bags, all of which are carried for them with the party. Even tables and chairs are carried. A guide supervises the whole operation thoroughly for the success of the traveling.

How Camping trek is operated?
In a typical Camping Trek, day starts around 6 a.m. with a cup of hot tea or coffee followed by a bucked of warm water for their washing and cleaning. After packing up their stuff and daypack, the trekkers are requested to leave their camp and meet at the dinning table for breakfast. The trek started around 7.30 - 8 a.m. and the kitchen staffs go ahead of the group.
Our well trained staff pack all camping equipment and gears and the porters carry them to the next camping site. The trekkers should carry only personal belongings that they may need for the day like water bottle, rain gear, camera, etc.

The Trekkers can decide on their own on time for viewing the beautiful landscape, taking photographs and resting or making a short pause. The walk to the lunch spot normally takes 3 hours. Our cook and assistant serves hot lunch upon arrival. The afternoon walk takes about 3 to 4 hours to reach at the night camp around 4/5 p.m. Tea and snacks are served while our sherpa pitch the camp. The dinner is served around 6/7 p.m. in the dining tent lit with a pressurized lantern and furnished with table and camping tools. We provide high quality tents, foam and mattress, and a simple toilet tent in every camp for once comfort.

Our well - trained and experienced cook, and assistant prepare a variety of healthy, hygienic and clean food which is carried for the entire trek. Fresh Fruit and vegetable may taste on the way to trek.

Is the food / water safe to eat / drink?
Hygiene when trekking generally has improved considerably over the last ten years, Our guides have the local knowledge to choose the lodges which maintain a high standard of hygiene. All meals are prepared to high standards, fruit and vegetables are soaked in iodine before preparation. Most lodges serve boiled and filtered water, which is generally safe, we suggest a drop of iodine to be totally sure. And as well as it is possible to buy of bottled.

What equipment should I bring?
Often this is about getting the balance right, you need to have enough gear to be warm and comfortable but without overloading. Usually you will experience warm days and cold nights depending on altitude and the time of year. Most treks to around 3000 m. are really quite comfortable especially in springtime. Please refer to our web site for a suggested list of items to bring or e-mail us for our equipment list. It is worth remembering you can buy or hire a lot of what you will need in Kathmandu before your trek at very reasonable prices. Footwear is best purchased at home before your arrival to ensure they are comfortable and worn in. We provide you down jacket, four season sleeping bag, if you do not have. Click here for more info

What is altitude sickness?
Altitude sickness often known as acute mountain sickness (A.M.S.) in general may occur when people ascend too quickly normally in altitudes of over 3000 m. We ensure minimal risk by building in rest days into our trekking itineraries. Most people will feel some affect of altitude, shortness of breath and possibly light headed, this is fairly common. Acute mountain sickness is very different and normally involves a severe headache, sickness and loss of awareness. In almost every potential case there are enough warning signs to take appropriate action. Descending to a lower altitude will generally be enough to prevent any further problems.
Click here for more info:

What happens if there is an emergency?
All of our guides are trained in basic first aid and can deal with the basic ailments that may occur on trek. In the event of an emergency Mystical Mountain Treks Pvt. Ltd will cover initial expenses of any rescue operation. It is a condition of booking that you are adequately insured for such an event as these expenses will need to be recovered from your insurance company. In the more frequented regions there are health posts, which have been established by foreign doctors and many are staffed by overseas personnel. Unique Path trekking is associated members of The Himalayan Rescue Association.

What happens if I need to leave the trip early?
Communication is sometimes difficult in the mountains. However our guides and local staff will make the necessary efforts to obtain the necessary transportation and reservations to get you home as quickly as possible if for any reason you need to depart early.

What if I arrive early or depart late? Can you arrange extra night lodging? Is there a single room option?
We are happy to make arrangements such as personalized tours, extra hotels rooms, airport pick ups and arrange for private rooms. Please indicate that you would like a private room on your application and we will contact you with information on single room supplement costs.

What are your payment terms?
We prefer 25 % advance deposit of total price of a tour in order to conform your reservation before you arrive in Nepal. And rest of the payment can be made after your arrival.

Can I bring some food from home?
You may bring power bars, Gu, Power Gel, cereal bars or similar high energy foods, powder Gatorade is also recommended to fight dehydration.

Is there any communication while we are on trekking?
There are telephones in many villages along the popular trekking routes from which you can make international calls.

Are the Mystical Mountain trek's staffs insured?
Our company insures all our trekking staff, including guide, cook, sherpa and porters are insured. Please, click here (We take pride in the fact that every single porter and guide employed by us is not only well paid but also protected by a life insurance policy. They are provided with warm clothing and proper shelter on all high altitude treks. All our treks benefit the village economics by using local services (manpower, produce, lodges and other services). We ensure that all our staff is well paid, insured and properly equipped).

What is the weather & temperature like?
Weather in the mountains is notoriously difficult to predict. Of course, at night it is generally cold, and in winter the days can be quite beautiful if the sun is out. There can be snow or rain storms any time of the year. Trekking in spring (March – April) is particularly lovely as the rhododendrons are in full bloom, and the mountains still have plenty of high snow to enhance your photos.

You need to be aware that it can get pretty hot and sunstroke can be a risk. Good polarizing sunglasses or glacier glasses (not trendy fashion ones) for high altitudes/winter treks, and a large brimmed hat are a necessity. It is also important to make sure that you can stay warm and dry in just about any conditions. Expect the unexpected!

Between 1000m and 3500m the temperature could be as high as 20 deg C to 5 deg C low. At higher altitude, the temperature ranges from 20 deg C to -10 deg C. During winter it is around 10 deg colder.

Is it necessary to take precautions against Malaria?
It is not necessary to take Malaria prevention medicine unless you will be visiting a Jungle Lodge.