The trekking period within the Nepal Himalayas begins early spring and last until end of May. Thereafter as the monsoonal rains near from Bay of Bengal the skys are cloudy and peaks hidden in the haze. October to early December is the principal season for trekking high elevations of the Annapurnas, Manaslu and Khumbu, as far east as Kanchenjunga.
Although during early spring it may be cloudy, it is a perfect time for scaling Everest and other Himalayan peaks, however, fall usually provides clearer skies for trekkers.
Most foreign trekkers in Nepal book tours from a recognized Nepal tour and Himalaya trekking operator in their home countries well prior to departing for their trip. Numerous trekkers, nevertheless, come to Nepal completely by themselves looking to organize trek support in Kathmandu. So what are the expenses associated with employing a Sherpa in the Nepal Himalayas?
There is no minimum price of a Sherpa per day but as the saying goes, you'll get what you pay for. Even among Sherpas are those that just start calling themselves "guides." In India and Nepal, everyone and his sister may be a guide. Even a barefooted village boy may offer his services to guide you, for a price.
It's essential to remember that any rate you be quoted may be applicable for a service but what does it really entail? Has the self-professed guide been to the peaks he claims he will guide you to? What will be his duties? Just show you the way? Or will he be in charge of all the other team members he will have to hire?
Remember, a guide alone will not suffice. Additional Sherpa staff will need to be hired, a camp hand, porter, a cook and what about pack animals? You will surely need those too, and they do not come on their own, they have to be handled by their caretaker, a yak or pony driver.
Do keep in mind that a Sherpa does not automatically mean he is a skilled mountain guide. Nor does Sherpa imply more than that he belongs to a ethnic group, the Sherpas. There are Thamang guides, Limbu and Rai porters, Gurung guides and possibly other Nepalese that can guide you, down to the Chetris and Brahmans.
So how can you tell them apart and which is which? The key is do they know what they are talking about? It is important he who approaches you has a track record, an expertise having been a guide for trekkers on an expedition in the past. If he will want to charge you any less than $30 per day for his service, question it. Note that his rate will not include his accommodations and food, especially if your trek will call for staying in hotels and lodges. Those expenses will need to be covered by the trekkers in addition to the Sherpa's base rate.
You will need to also pay for your Sherpa's health insurance and if he is any good he will ask you to cover same for all his staff.
On high altitude treks you will also need to provide for all essential personal equipment for the rest of the staff, including porters, from boots to down jackets, particularly if they'll be working in extremely high altitudes. It makes only sense everyone will be covered.
Your head Sherpa guide will coordinate the whole expedition support team, hires and pays the porters, pack animals and their caretakers and makes all of the essential judgments concerning routes and camp sites. He has to have an upper hand on the porters especially if he hires them at trail heads or else they will threaten to run away in the middle of your trek.
Porter rates begin at about $10 per day but established Sherpa porters that can work in elevations over 15,000 feet will earn considerable much more and so they should. The said rate is determined by carrying 40 Kg load, approximately 88 pounds. In 2010 rates have increased, starting at about $15 per day, much like the rates for the pack animals driver. Remember, you, on the other hand, will walk hands free, only with your daypack carrying your camera and water bottle!
Over and above trekkers need to see what type of equipment the Sherpa will provide, whether high quality sleeping tents and mats, dining tent, toilet tent, and all of the essential camp gear, kitchen gear, cooking fuel, or whether he actually has any gear at all and will only then start looking for them? Sherpa professional will have a gear, including chairs and tables, and his support team has been one and the same for many an expedition.
What kind of food do you want to be eating on the trek? Discuss the details with your Sherpa guide, calculate the costs, it is not impossible, and you will arrive at a number that will help you assess the price quoted to you for all by your head Sherpa.
Author Resource:
All in all, embarking into the realms of snows and barren passes of the likes of Gokyo Ri, Cho La Kala Pattar and Chukung Ri, trekking in Nepal Himalaya without problems truly depends on the expertise and management abilities of your Head Sherpa guide.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")