Trekking in Nepal
To us, trekking is a very personal experience, personal because it needs to match our own ability and exceptions for it to be enjoyable. Trekking too far is soul destroying and leg crushing; too short can be underwhelming and frustrating. We trek, and what we mean by that is that many of the team here at SA like to step out into the wild. Founder Nick sees it as his annual detox. But we all like to set our own pace, and we each crave something unique, albeit more often with common ground.
Whilst small group and expedition trekking are a great (at times even far superior) fit for certain regions, routes, and levels of difficulty, tailor-made trekking also has its place, and offers advantages on some of the shorter and mid-length routes.
We design the route, daily distance, standard of lodge and hotel around you and you alone (well - you and yours). The tailor-made approach also allows us to build in plenty of flexibility. For example, if the third hard day in a row becomes too much, then distances can often be shortened, and if the weather turns sour then adjustments can, more often than not, be made.
The focus of our trekking remains firmly on you, your experience, and the benefits you desire. It’s about creating enough structure to allow you to unclutter your mind and feel the enormity of this planet that is our home. While we take care of the details, you get to release the stress and forget about irrelevant distractions. This is your opportunity to immerse yourself in far (far) away cultures and meet people with a wholly different understanding of life compared to your own. There is something genuinely remarkable about meeting folk that live in such remote places, and it can leave you reflecting on your own lifestyle from an entirely new vantagepoint.
Benefits of trekking
On recent trips, many of the Selective Asia team have been rolling back the years and rediscovering their adventurous inner selves. There’s no better way to do this than on a trek, be it 1, 5 or 15 days (that last one's just Nick showing off!).
We think you should try it too. Trekking allows your mind to clear effortlessly: thoughts come in with clarity, straight lines to solutions you didn’t even know you needed appear ready made. It's also the only mode of travel we know of that has an impact on your life ahead of departure, through any necessary training & goal-setting of goals, as well as the open-mindedness that will stay with you on your return. These days we’re all searching for experiential travel; trekking provides this in a non-manufactured way. It lacks pretence, and removes questions over authenticity.
Recommended routes?
We don’t include pre-set routes, because trekking is a very personal thing, and the right region and route for you will depend on many factors - fitness, required comfort, duration, and of course budget. We work with all manner of accommodation options, from basic tea houses through to luxury lodges and fully staffed tented expeditions! However, to help you narrow down your ideal trek, we the following are a few of our favourites:
Modi Valley: Deluxe Lodges, 1-5 nights, medium
Pikey Peak: basic lodges, 4-5 nights, hard
Bandipur: hotel, half or 1 day, Purano Kot and Ramkot trek
Pokhara: hotel, a number of half and 1 day options. Our favourites are the Begnas Lake scenic hike (easy) and Sarangkot Hill trek (medium/hard)