A trekking guide refers to a licensed trainer who will help you guide throughout your trekking. The scope of Trekking guides in Nepal is considered good because Trekking is Nepal’s major source of building the economy.
Besides the fact that Nepal is a safe place for tourism and a very beautiful one, hiring a trekking Guide in Nepal would never be wrong. The necessity of the Trekking Guide in Nepal is as important as packing good gear.
Nobody can promise what your journey has to offer you but think about the worst situation. It will always be better to have a friend who can guide you through.
If you have made up your plans and packed up your bags, let me make you worry about not hiring a trekking guide in Nepal. And if you always wanted one, here’s a short article answering most of your queries.
Is hiring a trekking Guide in Nepal Compulsory?
This is a most asked question by people who think of trekking in Nepal. The direct answer to this question is No. No, you don’t need to hire a trekking guide if you don’t want to. Also, this might save up some of your money as well.
Nepal is a free country, and the trekking regions will always let you make new friends even when the journey you started was alone. Nepalese people’s kind and hospitable nature are one of the positive points of not hiring a guide.
The Everest region, Annapurna region, and Langtang regions can be conquered alone, but some trails are prohibited for solo traveling. Kanchanungam Upper Mustang, Dolpo, and Manaslu Circuit are tough traveling without a guide.
Other trails like Dhaulagiri Circuit are not suggested for solo rides. Sometimes, there may be chances of going missing, but nothing is tough, focusing on the good things. We are in the modern age, and mobile networks are almost everywhere. Further government has also made several policies to protect tourists for their safety.
With proper planning, better route knowledge, and avoiding carelessness, prioritizing your safety, there is no need to hire a trekking guide; however, if always in doubt, make sure you do hire one.
Hiring Guide? What are the options?
If you have thought of traveling with a guide, you can have many options. Many trekking agencies like Alpine Club of Himalaya will also let you hire guides. The options of guides in Nepal can be;
Guides
A guide is a person who is licensed and well trained to take care of you during the whole journey. They can help you pass your trail easily. The mode of communication will mostly be English. However, you can even hire guides in the language you know.
Guides are not only for showing you the trail but also help you through your ups and downs. Guides are the walking encyclopedia who are very well trained and know everything about the trekking destination.
He can be a person who can explain everything you need to know. But to be safe make sure to hire a licensed one.
Porter
Porters usually help you carry your heavy packages that weigh between 20- 30 kg or sometimes more. These are the local people who make a living via such activities. They mostly speak English.
Hiring a porter may sometimes not offer you what a guide can but hiring a porter can help you know more about the place and its cultural, social, and socioeconomic features as they are the locals living there for a long period.
Porter- Guide
If you think hiring a porter with a guide crew is too much for you, a Porter- guide be the best in your case. Porter-guide is a person who can perform the works of both porter and a guide.
While a guide may not carry your bags unless necessary and a porter may not always help you with path tracking, the guide can be both in a cheaper package. They perform both activities, but they are not as specialized as licensed guides.
How can you hire a Trekking Guide in Nepal?
Hiring a guide can have options. If you have booked your trekking through trekking agencies like Alpine Club of Himalaya, they will automatically provide you with a guide, but you can always hire it on the trail when you feel the necessity of it.
But hiring a trekking guide through packages will be cheaper and safer because you can always complain to your trekking agency about the demerits.
On the other hand, booking your trips through the Alpine Club of Himalayas would be best if you don’t want any hassle. This trekking agency has been serving in Nepal for so long and has the best and most highly experienced guides. The travel packages Alpine Club of Himalaya provides are the best thing they are most loved for.
However, booking your guide via Kathmandu, the transportation charge will add up.
Benefits of Hiring a Local Guide?
Even though hiring guides via trekking agencies like Alpine Club of Himalaya is a good idea and more secure but hiring a local guide has its goods.
You are supporting people
In the Himalayan area, most people earn a living by working as a guide. So when you book a local guide, you are not only saving some money but also supporting some people’s way of earning food.
Know the trials in a detailed manner
Hiring a local guide may not always be an expert, but they will surely know more. Local people know the best trekking routes compared to those who occasionally walk through the area.
Local Culture connectivity
Hiring a local guide will not only help you know the routes you are walking through. These people may help you connect with the local people. Nepal is a diverse country, and you can know more about its culture, language, food, and tradition while exploring it.
Value for Money
While you book guides in Kathmandu from expensive trekking agencies, the company may charge you money but pay the guideless. You should hire a local guide because they value your money. This will even save up so much of your money, and you are, on the other hand, helping someone directly who needs it.
