Trip Includes
- Trekking permits.
- All ground transportation, as indicated in the itinerary.
- A 2-star hotel in Kathmandu (1 night, pre-trek).
- 10 Nights basic mountain lodge accommodation with shared toilet and shower.
- Three breakfasts (while in Kathmandu) and three meals a day while in trekking
- English speaking local certified trekking leader.
- One porter for every two trekkers.
- Ground transportation from Kathmandu to the trailhead and airport transfer as indicated in the itinerary.
- Airfare Jomsom-Pokhara.
- Trekking crews insurance.
- 1 Duffel bag to use during trekking or for you to keep.
- Primary first aid kit.
Trip Does Not Include
- International arrival and departure transfers (You can book it for $10 per person).
- Nepal visa fee.
- Drinks, tip, and other personal expenses.
- Personal travel insurance. (Travel health and personal accident insurance including emergency medical rescue and transportation).
- Meals in the hotel portions.
- Extra expenses caused due to nature and unforeseen events such as illness, accident, inclement weather, flight cancellation, road blockade, civil unrest, etc.
- International airfare to Kathmandu and return.
- Emergency evacuation and medical transportation expenses.
- Nepal Visa fee.
Pre-trip preparation
Physical Consideration
It's a challenging trip. So, you are recommended to begin preparing for the trip several months before the trip. We advise you to start some jogging, cycling, swimming, and other cardio exercises that help build stamina in your body. It will also increase your confidence level, and help minimizes the chances of getting sick in the mountain. Set up an appointment with your physician for a physical, update the routine vaccinations, and take suggested additional vaccinations by your physician. If you use prescription drugs, make sure the supplies are enough during the tour. Maybe you have to refill the prescription.
Travel Arrangement
Book your international airfare to Kathmandu about 5-6 months ahead of the trip. The longer you wait, the higher the fare may go up. Our office in Minneapolis, Kathmandu can help you book the international airfare as we have access to the consolidator's fare and usually they are competitive. Request your preferred seat assignment in advance. If you have any dietary restriction or special meal requirement, please request that in advance, too. If you are a frequent flyer member of the airline, ask your travel agent to add that in your reservation so that you can earn miles when you fly.
At least two weeks before and again a few days before your departure, double check your flight itinerary to make sure there are no schedule changes. Sometimes, airline suspends or cancels the flight and rebooks you on a different plane that may not work for you. If you become aware of these changes in time, you can work with the airline to rebook the reservation that works for you.
Passport: Make sure your passport is not going to expire soon, or you are running out of blank visa pages. Remaining validity on your passport when you return from the trip must be a minimum of 6 months. Nepal visa needs one entirely blank visa page. They also stamp on space when you arrive and again when you depart. If you are traveling to other countries before or after this trip, make sure you have enough blank visa pages and check out the visa requirement for these countries.
Passport Pictures: Bring three passport pictures. Size specification for the image in Nepal is different, but they are not strict about the size.
Note on the Itinerary/Trip dossier.
The information and trip details are given in good faith and are correct to the best of our knowledge, but information keep changing all the time. The road and trail conditions can change, and planned overnight stop places can change. We try our best to update the changes, but it may not always be 100% accurate.
We continue to make improvements in our trips based on the feedback of past travelers and our field staff. Itinerary also changes in the practical ground due to weather, trail conditions, and other local factors that are beyond our control.
You will be sent the final trip dossier about 8-10 weeks before the trip date, and we try to adhere to it, there may be still chances of changes. Please, note that the day to day details are brief and generic as the travel can be unpredictable. The mentioned trail can disappear, a concrete bridge may replace suspension bridge, etc.
It's a group adventure
As it's a group trip, you will have the opportunity to meet other amazing people. But sometime, you may come across some frustrations as everyone is different and behave differently. There can be travelers from different countries or geography, race, sexual orientation, and follow a different religion, culture, and political belief. We request you to be respectful to the others.
We also request you to be punctual on the tour programs. If the trekking leader asks you to be at a place at a specific time, please be there on time. Nobody likes waiting for you as you don't like waiting for others. Smoking, drinking, or using drugs in shared transport or group activities is not accepted. Please, refrain from arguing, verbally, or physically abusing other fellow travelers. It's unlikely to happen, but your trip leader reserves the right to remove a participant from the trip if he or she is found involved in such misconducts. In case of removal from the tour, you are responsible for your onward travel arrangements. And you also lose the right of claiming for any kings of refund or reimbursement in whatsoever form.
Nepal Visa
You can obtain Nepal visa from any Nepali embassies or consulates abroad or wait until you arrive at Kathmandu airport or any other port of entry to Nepal. You will need to complete the visa application form and attach a passport picture (No fuss about the picture size, bring whatever is in use in your country). Make sure remaining validity on your passport is a minimum of six months when you depart Nepal. And that you have at least one blank visa page for the visa sticker and some empty spaces for arrival and departure seals.
If you plan to apply for a visa on arrival, we can email you visa form in advance. You can read it before you arrive at the port of entry and save your time. Beside visa application, you also need to complete the "arrival card" that is usually distributed by the crews of the airline or these forms are readily available in the immigration hall.
If you arrive at Kathmandu International Airport, that most travelers will do, you will need to line up first to pay the visa fee. Then move on to the next line that says, "tourist without a visa." Sometime, there will be significant delays in visa fee counter if several flights land about the same time.
You need to pay the visa fee in cash US$ or other convertible foreign currency.
- Multi entry visa valid for 15 days - US$30.
- Multi entry visa valid for 30 days - US$50.
- Multi entry visa valid for 90 days - US$100.
How to get to the hotel
After you clear immigration and custom, you follow the exit sign. If you have booked the "meet and greet service," you will find our representative displaying the poster of your name at the arrival gate. You follow him or her. If you haven't booked the transfer service, the only way to get to the hotel is by taxi. Prepaid taxi counter is just outside the arrival gate. Currently, the taxi fee is Nepali Rupee 600 during the day time (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Nepali Rupees 800 at night time (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.). If you have time and you don't mind haggling, you may find a cheaper deal outside. Be aware of the airport touts who offer you the baggage help and ask you for a change! One really may be helping with your baggage and others are simply following for the share of what you pay.
Hotel Address (Hotel is subject to change. We will advise you if we have booked a different hotel for you).
Hotel Holy Himalaya
Bramhakumari Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu
Tel: +977 (0)1-4258648
Your trekking leader meets you in the hotel lobby at 5 p.m. on day 1 of the itinerary. It's an important meeting, and so, please be on time. If the hotel changes, you will be notified in time.
Solo Travelers
If you agree to share the room with another participant, you save the single room supplement. We try to room you with the same gender participant in a twin or multi-share accommodation. If we could not find another suitable participant to room you with, you will need to pay the private single room supplement.
Money Matters
There is money changing counter right outside the baggage claim. You can change a small amount of $10-20 at the beginning for taxi and the baggage help. The rate here is terrible. Once you are in the town, you will see lots of money changing outlets with competitive prices. Always ask for a receipt when you exchange money. US$ and other foreign currencies such as British Pound, Australian Dollars, New Zealand Dollars, Japanese Yen, Chinese RMB, Canadian Dollars, etc. are excepted. If you are coming from India, Indian currencies can be used here except the large bills of Rs 500 and 1000. If you bring cash, please bring new crispy notes only as dirty, old, wrinkled or ripped bills may not be accepted.
There are ATMs in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and they dispense money in local currency. You can use credit cards for major purchases but sundry items such as water, snacks, etc.; you are expected to pay in local currency. Some travelers reported that they couldn't use their credit cards in Nepal for some reason. Do not forget to notify your bank of your travel. Cash withdrawal by Debit card or credit card purchases may attract international transaction fee by your bank, which is usually 2 to 3%. Please, check your bank before you leave.
Uses of traveler checks have almost disappeared now.
Emergency Fund
Do not always rely on plastic cards. Bring enough cash in case of emergency use.
Departure Taxes
Airports in Nepal no longer collect departure taxes. The ticket price usually includes it.
Tipping Suggestions
Although they act shy, your guide, porter, and driver do expect to tip at the end of the trip, although it's not compulsory. Tipping is a form of appreciation and shows how much you are satisfied with their job. There is no standard tipping structure in practice in Nepal, and you can tip with your best judgment, but our general recommendation is as below.
Trekking Guide: $3-4 per person per day.
Trekking Porter : $1-2 per person per day.
Driver: $1-2 per person per day.
Luggage help at your hotel: Nepali rupees 50-100 (Less than a US Dollar).
Room Service: Nepali rupees 50-100 (Less than a US Dollar).
Servers: In a tourist class restaurant, usually there is a 10% service tax already added in the bill, and you are not obliged to tip. If there is no service tax added, then you can generally tip 10% of the bill. On highway inns or local Nepali restaurants, you can leave some lose changes.
House Keeping: You can slide some loose changes under the pillow when you check out. Or usually, there is a tip box at the reception area where you can drop some loose changes.
Annapurna Circuit is a challenging trek
Annapurna Circuit is strenuous trekking, and a prior trekking experience will be an advantage but not required. Of course, participants must be physically fit, have a positive attitude, and well acclimatized to attempt the trekking. The fitter you are, the better you can enjoy and complete the trip. Travelers with hearts and lungs issues consult with their physician before they decide to go on this trip.
The Annapurna Circuit Trek demands in average 6-7 hours of daily uphill and downhill walking. Some days can be longer, particularly the crossing of Thorung pass which can take up to 8 hours. The passing of Thorung pass (5416m/17769ft) is the biggest challenge of this trip due to its high elevation as well as chances of snow condition. We have to start climbing early in the morning, before the day breaks. It usually snows up here in late December and January, but snow also can block the pass at any time of the year if there is any storm.
The first day of the trip is a long day drive. The road condition is generally good up to Dumre that's where you leave the main highway, and the remainder of the road to the trailhead has varied conditions. There are sometimes unexpected traffic delays due to strike for political reasons or the blockade due to the monsoon slide, and your patience is essential.
Altitude Sickness and other Health Concerns
As the trek involves high altitude, trekkers might experience mild symptoms of altitude sickness. But with preparation and proper acclimatization, the chances of getting sick can be minimized. Headache, disorientation, dizziness, breathlessness are the common symptoms of altitude sickness that you are likely to experience at the altitude 3000 m or 9840 ft and above. The trip itineraries are carefully designed and tested by our experienced guides, and so they allow you proper acclimatization.
Here are some resources to learn about altitude sickness, also called acute mountain sickness.
http://www.altitude.org/altitude_sickness.php
http://www.healthline.com/health/acute-mountain-sickness
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/altitude-sickness-topic-overview
https://montemlife.com/common-hiking-injuries-and-how-to-treat-them/
Vaccines: There are no mandatory vaccinations for travel to Nepal, but generally recommended are Hep A, typhoid, Manengitis, etc., apart from the routine vaccines. Travelers also consider Japanese encephalitis, rabies, Hep B, and Yellow fever.
Please, check out the website of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination suggestions for travelers to Nepal.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/nepal?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001
You need to pay attention to what you eat and drink. Please, eat cooked food only and make sure you drink boiled water, filtered and medicated.
Please, consult your physician for proper medical advice and suggestions for vaccinations. Recommendations listed above are for general use only and is no substitute for formal medical consultation.
Accommodation In The Cities
Except for the first night, accommodation Kathmandu and Pokhara are not included. However, we can book a hotel for you at an additional cost.
Accommodation In The Annapurna Mountains
Annapurna Circuit trails are abundant with guesthouses run by locals, and so, we will sleep and eat in these guesthouses which are more comfortable than camping. They are also known as tea houses. Forget the luxury of modern hotels of the cities; the mountain lodges are very basic, provided with dorm-style rooms with futon or foam mattress and quilt or blankets. We will also provide you with a down sleeping bag for use during trekking. We will provide one room for every two trekkers.
Please, be prepared for all kinds of toilet facilities. Sometimes, luckily, we have a private western-style flush toilet. And other times, we have to use the shared toilet which is usually in a separate building near the guest house. Although most of the lodges do have running water, they may not always have hot water. There may be somewhat lukewarm, but that is also if we had plenty of sunlight that day. Some lodges have water pipes running through the fire in the dining room or kitchen. If hot shower does exist in the lodge, it will be a luxury, and it may not include in the room rent. Some places provide hot water in the bucket and charges fee about $3-4 per bucket.
Usually, there is no electricity in the rooms. The dining room, which is also a shared lounge or common room, usually has solar lighting, and some of them have electricity and outlets for charging appliances. But they charge some nominal fee for recharging your camera battery or phones! We suggest you bring spare batteries or power banks.
The lodges in the mountain usually are not pre-reserved as there may be chances of not making to the booked lodges at all due to weather and trail conditions. Or even due to the slow pace of the trekkers. But our guide will try to get the best of the available accommodation in each village we stop for overnight.
We try out best to have a room with 2-twin beds, but during the busy season, you may have to adjust in the multi-share accommodation.
Transport
International arrival and departure transfers are not included. You can book that on additional fee $10 per person. All other transports are as per the itinerary. Depending on the final group size, you will have a private or public bus transport from Kathmandu to the trailhead. The trek concludes in Muktinath from where you will transport to your guesthouse in Jomsom and from there you will fly to Pokhara. At Pokhara, both way group transfers to the hotel/airport include a shared vehicle. Airfare Jomsom-Pokhara-Kathmandu is also included, but if the airfare significantly increases since the trip was announced, we reserve the right to collect the difference from the participant. Failure to utilize the group transport and airfare, you are not entitled to the refund or any reimbursement in whatsoever form.
Meals
The hotels in Kathmandu provide buffet style breakfast included in the plan. Breakfast includes toasts, cereals, choices of eggs, fresh fruits, Indian style chapati bread and curry, and sometimes Chinese style noodles. There will also be Tea, and coffee served with breakfast. There is no Lunch and dinner included in Kathmandu. There are good numbers of western style, Asian, Indian and local restaurants in the town and you can expect to spend $7-8 for a decent meal. If you eat local Nepali food, a non-vegetarian meal set should cost about $4.
The trip includes three meals a day during trekking. Although the food is usually plentiful and delicious, you should be aware that the menu is not often extensive. Most teahouses offer a variety of rice and noodle dishes, as well as soup and seasonal vegetables. A variety of cereals, bread and egg dishes are generally available for breakfast.
Trekking Permits
All necessary permits are procured by us for you and will be ready when you arrive at Kathmandu. You need to provide us the scan of your passport and picture so that we can obtain the permits for you in advance.
Drinking-Water in the Annapurna
Please do not drink the water from the tap on the trek or anywhere. Many foreigners are unable to handle the local bacteria and amoeba. The main two options for trekkers is to use the Safe Drinking Water Stations along the trek for a fee (About Rs 50 per liter) or bring your water purifiers. You can buy chlorine in Kathmandu or Pokhara. A small Nepal made a blue bottle of chlorine costs about Nepali Rupees 50 to 70 (less than a US$). For this trip, about two bottles of Chlorine should be enough.
We do not encourage buying bottled water on the trail as there is no proper recycling system. This will help save money as the price goes crazy in higher elevations. A bottle of 650 ml of water bottle that costs Rs 20 in Kathmandu or Pokhara will cost more than ten times up in the mountain!
Guide and Porter
You will have local English speaking certified Guide, accompanying you as from Kathmandu. All Far & High Guides are trained by KEEP (Kathmandu Environmental Education Project) on first aid, environment, conservation, and biodiversity. As required by law, all our trekking guides are licensed by the Tourism Department’s academy. Most importantly, they are professional, helpful, and always willing to provide you with personalized care and services.
Your guide leads you along the trail, selects the lodge for accommodation and help you choose your meal, and deals with local bureaucracy whenever required. As you pay all trekking charges in advance, the guide will take care of the bills. We provide one porter for every two trekkers, and he carries 15 kilograms (33 lb.) which is the standard set by International Porters Progress Group (http://ippg.net/). We firmly stand on porters' rights and discourage any forms of exploitation.
A Typical Trekking Day In The Annapurna Circuit
Each morning after packing our bags and having a good breakfast, we set off on the day's walk. All we need to carry is a small day pack containing a water bottle, camera, sun cream, hat, rain jacket, and warm jumper, just in case. The porters will carry the rest of our gear for us.
After walking for 3-4 hours, we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon's walk is generally shorter, and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free.
After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day's adventures, before heading off to bed for a well-earned sleep.
Best Time To Trek The Annapurna Circuit
The best time for Annapurna Circuit Trekking is from October through the end of November and from the beginning of March through the end of May. Although the lower parts of the trails receive monsoon rain, the upper part lies in the rain shadow zones, and so you can trek in the Annapurna Circuit even during summer. We recommend avoiding the winter months of December-February due to snow on the Thorungla pass, which can be impassable.
Clothing and Equipment List for Annapurna Circuit
Clothing and equipment for trekking Annapurna Circuit will not be much different than that when you hike in the Alps or Colorado mountains in the winter.
Our local office in Kathmandu provides a bag to carry your trekking gear. As there is one porter provided for every two trekkers and they take maximum 15kg (33lb), so your pack should weigh less than 7.5 kg (16.5lb). Please bring clothes and gears of lightweight material. So, bring enough for two or three changes only. You can carry a piece of regular luggage (Suitcase or Duffel). Once you are in Kathmandu, your trek leader gives you Far & High bag for your trekking gears and clothes. You can leave your main luggage at your hotel in Kathmandu while you are going for a trek.
It's advisable that you first pack your clothes in a plastic bag to avoid getting wet in case of rain. Bring a medium-size comfortable waterproof day-pack for your camera, wallet, phone, sunscreen, water bottle, snacks, etc. While your porter carries your trekking bag, you will take only your day pack.
Equipment Rental: Sleeping bags, down jackets and other equipment such as water bottle, walking sticks, etc. are available to rent in Kathmandu, and they cost $2 or less per day in average. With advance notice, we can already read them before you arrive in Kathmandu or you can pick your choice on your own once you are in Kathmandu. Our trekking leader will be more than happy to help you with find the rental stores. We do not recommend renting trekking boots, though.
General packing suggestions are listed below.
Clothing
- Socks x3 – Wool, not cotton.
- Trekking Boots x1 – With ankle support that is well broken-in.
- Walking Shoes x 1 Broken in.
- Flip flops x1 – Great for wearing in the evening, and good to have for the shower as well.
- Pants x2 – Nylon hiking pants will do you fine.
- Short sleeve shirt x2 – Capilene.
- Long sleeve shirt x2 – Capilene.
- Underwear x2 – Patagonia or similar.
- Compression shorts x2 – Minimize chafing.
- Fleece/down jacket x1 – You can rent them in Kathmandu for $1-2 per day. With advance notice, we can have it ready one for you.
- Shell jacket x1.
- Shell pants x1 – Optional.
- Sun hat x1 – baseball cap style is g, but the floppy hats are nice too.
- Warm hat x1 – woolen or with fleece.
- Gloves x1 –Thermal lined.
Equipment
- Big pack – will be carried by your porter. Bring 110L pack or similar.
- Day pack – Depends on what you want to carry during the day. 35 L bag is fine.
- Sleeping bag (Rating -15°C) and inner liner– You can rent them in Kathmandu for $2 per day. With advance notice, we can have it ready one for you.
- Thermarest pillow – If you wish.
- Headlamp – The power outage is common in Nepal, and there is no electricity in some places at all.
- AA Batteries – Fit my headlamp and camera flash.
- Water purification.
- First Aid Kit
- Knife (Swiss Army style).
- Carabiners – Good for hanging extra items off packs, or heavy bundles together.
- Camelbak.
- 1L water bottle – For water purification.
- A pair of collapsible trekking poles.
Toiletry Items
- Sunblock.
- Chapstick.
- Hand cream.
- Toothbrush.
- Toothpaste.
- Floss.
- Hand sanitizer.
- Bar of soap in a travel case – Can be used for washing clothes also.
- Shampoo.
- Toilet paper – Maybe start with three rolls, and you can buy more along the way.
Miscellaneous
- Watch.
- Cards.
- Book.
- Trek map (Far & High provides one map to each trekker).
- Writing materials.
- Camera.
- Camera batteries – at least two, three is better.
- Camera charger.
- Camera memory cards – lots.
- Snacks – nonperishable items that won’t melt are best.
- Cord – Always useful.
- Clothespins – Not all of the lodges have right places to dry things; can be used with cord for a makeshift line.
- Earplugs – Teahouse walls are thin, and people snore!
First Aid Kit Containing
- Tape.
- Bandages.
- Band-aids.
- Bacitracin.
- Petroleum jelly.
- Liquid band-aids.
- Moleskin.
- Safety pins.
- Tweezers.
- Nail clippers.
- Scissors.
- Ibuprofen.
- Diamox – prescription.
- Cipro – prescription.
- Imodium.
- Suture kit.
- First aid book – added functionality as additional reading material.
Traveler's Safety in Nepal
We recommend that you check your government's travel advice for the latest travel information. US travelers can enroll in STEP and get the safety updates in Nepal or other destinations you are visiting on the trip.
You can get the latest travel warnings from the following site of US government.
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html
We actively monitor and update the travel safety conditions in the destination we go. As most of you are aware, there was a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal on 25th Apr 2015. In Kathmandu and elsewhere, some buildings were collapsed, and some roads were impassable, and there was a total of about 10,000 deaths recorded. But things have gotten much better since then. Recently, there are no significant aftershocks. Rubbles have been cleaned up. You will see some houses or monuments under scaffolding for the restoration. There was no epidemic breakout and no issues of food and water supplies.
For a few months, there were border closures along the Nepal-India border. It was because of the agitation the people of lowland made by demanding more powers and rights in the constitution. This resulted in a shortage of fuels and supplies in Nepal. But now situations have remarkably been in control after they were in dialogue with the government. Border protests are now entirely relaxed with regular supplies of fuels and supplies laden trucks are entering in Nepal. In whatsoever condition, this political issue does not cause any threat to the safety of our travelers.
However, we urge our travelers to exercise general cautions all the time. During the trekking or sightseeing, always walk together with other group members. Do not go too far ahead or left too far behind. We recommend that you be watchful when walking alone and avoid dark thoroughfares. Have your belongings always at your sight. Once in the guest house, you may have some free time, and you may want to explore the areas on your own. Please, do ask your trek leader before you leave and do return to your accommodation before its dark. Far & High will not be responsible for any incident that may occur during the activity that is not part of our itinerary.
You can leave your passport and other valuables in the safety deposit boxes at your hotel in Kathmandu. If you decide to leave your passport, that's fine but bring a photocopy with you.
When traveling, we recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt for your passport and monies. In public transport or crowds, sometimes, there are reports of pick-pocketing. Do not accept food or drinks from strangers on public transport or along the trekking trail.
In general, people are friendly, and they are always eager to talk with foreign travelers. But you also need to be careful if someone is trying to be overly helpful and kind or trying to help you more than necessary.
The hotels and lodges or guesthouses we use on this trip may not comply with western safety standards.
In Nepal, they drive on the left side of the road, and traffic rules are not strictly enforced. There is not much to count on Pedestrian's right. When you are crossing the street, please watch both ways and keep eye contact with the drivers. Most older model vehicles do not carry seat belt. We try our best that we use the car with seat belts.
The hotels we use in the city do have fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms but it's not the same case in the mountains. Mountain guest houses are private houses turned to the guesthouse and may not comply with western standard safety codes.
Some Ethics and Etiquette
Nepali people practice cultural etiquettes that may sometimes appear unusual to visitors. However, a handful of tips could acquaint visitors with these otherwise strange practices.
1. The form of greeting in Nepal is 'namaste' performed by joining palms together.
2. As a mark of respect Nepalese usually take off their shoes before entering someone's home, temple or stupa.
3. Food or material that contains another's saliva is considered 'jutho' or impure. So, never ask a Nepali to taste the food from your plate or give the leftover.
4. While drinking water out of bottle or jug, they pour the water in the mouth from little higher so that they don’t touch the vessel with their mouth.
5. Touching something with feet or using the left hand to give or take is considered offense among Nepalese.
6. Women wearing skimpy outfits are frowned upon, especially in the rural parts of the country.
7. As a part of the tradition, some Hindu temples do not allow non-Hindus to enter.
8. Leather articles are prohi bited inside the temple precinct.
9. Walking around temples or stupas is traditionally done clockwise.
10. Do not take photos without permission or take a long zoom snapshot!!
11. Public displays of affection between man and woman are scandalous. But it's common to see the same sex holding hands in the street, although they are not homosexual.
12. Unlike westerners, Nepalese nod head slightly dangling from left to right to say “Yes” and shake head to say “No.”
Booking and cancellation terms and conditions for Annapurna Circuit Trek
When you are sure you are traveling, please don't delay in booking. The internal flights are the key factor in determining whether your trip can be realized or not. We request a deposit of US$300 along with the complete trip application form and passport copies. Balance payment is due 60 days before your departure. Depending on the number of applicants, we may set an early payment date. Credit card payment attracts an additional fee.
Cancellation Fee
- Ninety days prior departure: Administrative fee US$ 150 per person.
- Sixty-eighty-nine day's prior departure: US$ 250 or 25% of the land cost whichever is higher.
- Forty-five days to Fifty-nine days prior departure: US$ 450 or 50% of the land cost whichever is higher.
- Thirty days to Forty-four days before departure: US$ 600 or 75% of the land cost whichever is higher.
- Less than Thirty days: 100%.
Travel Protection Plan
We plan and do our best to make your trip smooth and seamless. But there still may be chances of unforeseen events and conditions such as illness, accident, inclement weather, and flight cancellation or missed connection or loss of baggage, etc. It may cause interruption or delay or total cancellation of your trip, putting your hard-earned travel investment in jeopardy. It’s also possible that you may need medical assistance, emergency evacuation by helicopter, or medical transportation when you are traveling in remote areas. Far & High's trip cost does not cover any of these expenses or losses. So we strongly recommend you that you should protect yourself and your travel investment against those unfavorable conditions.
Any Issues on your trip?
Our local operator and trekking leader always do their best to ensure a seamless trip and provide you the best holiday experience. However, sometimes, things can and do go wrong. Things planned may not happen for various reasons such as inclement weather, delay of travel, local factors, etc. Maybe at a certain point, you may think, things could have been better or done differently. Please feel free to talk to the trip leader or our local representative straight away. They will do their best to resolve the matter. If your trip leader is not able to address the issue, feel free to contact our manager in the Kathmandu office.