FAQ

Important Informations

The Trekking Day
The day usually begins between 6.30 am and 7.30 am, with breakfast. During breakfast, the crew members make up the loads for the porters. You often start hiking by 7:30 am, though we wait for the sun to warm the air at higher altitudes. The pace for the day is set at a lower speed. Instead, you will have time to become aware of everything around you and to enjoy it. Our guides are excellent timekeepers but cannot make you rush over the mountains! The afternoon walk follows a similar pattern to the morning; it is often shorter, and your lodge is usually reached between 4 pm and 5 pm. There is plenty of time to relax or explore the surrounding area until the evening meal is served at about 6.30 pm. After dinner, there is time to chat, read enjoy a game of cards with our crew. Most members are asleep by 9 pm.
Document Information

Member has to provide all the information the company requires to proceed with the booking, reservation and permits. We need below documents:

  • Scanned copy of the main page of the passport
  • Scanned passport-size photograph
  • Confirmed airline ticket
  • Proof of COVID vaccination, both dose one and dose 2
  • A copy of medical insurance
  • For climbing above 7000 meters and Amadablam, we need additional documents such as a fit to join the expedition letter from a personal Doctor for climbing 7000 meters and above, including Amadablam and a completed Bio-data form (the Department of Tourism of Nepal).

We recommend that member keeps one set of photocopies with them, separate from their originals. Members also can take some extra passport photos with them.

Medical preparation/Travel Insurance and Safety Guidelines

Every trekking and expedition participant must have comprehensive travel insurance covering medical costs associated with hospitalization, emergency evacuation and repatriation back to their respective home country. We strongly recommend visiting a doctor to discuss health requirements for your trip and obtain a “fit to join”Expedition letter. Some vaccines, such as COVID, must be administered a few weeks before departure, so allow plenty of time. Obtain a certificate of vaccination and carry this with you on this trip. A dental checkup is also highly recommended before departure.”

Equipment on hire in Kathmandu

We have an extensive fleet of equipment available to hire in Kathmandu. To do so, the client must book at least one month in advance with the size information. Below are the gears and hire prices:

  • Sleeping bag $1.5/day
  • Down jacket $1/day
  • Helmet $1/day
  • Harness pack $5/day
  • Harness, ascender, ATC descender, 4 X carabiner lock, 2 X non-lock carabiner and a safety rope.
  • Climbing boot plastic Rs. $2/day or alpine boot $5/day
  • Crampons $1.5/day
  • Ice axe $1/day
  • Trekking pole (pair) $0.5/day
Baggage Allowance

Your main luggage should be packed in a duffle bag and carried during the trek by porters. Your baggage weight limit should be at most 20kg for trekking, 40 kilograms for peak climbing and up to 90 kg for mountaineering.

Assumption of Risk and Guarantee:

The participants must be aware that the mountaineering expeditions under the arrangements of Imagine Nepal Trek & Expeditions Pvt. Ltd and its subsidiaries, associates or agents carry an inherent risk of injury or death. In particular, climbing in the Himalayas includes risks such as very high altitude and icefall climbing which may be exceptional compared with the participant’s everyday norms. Our objective is to reduce this risk to the lowest possible level; however, the risk of the accident remains triggered by events such as Rockfalls, avalanches, and serac falls as well as earthquake risk, travel by aircraft, car, coach, or any other means of conveyance including accidents or illness in remote regions with little or no medical facilities and without means of speedy communication and evacuation will constitute part of these risks accepted by every participant at all times.

Safety Equipment

The company will provide a first aid emergency kit, emergency oxygen bottle and satellite phone. In addition, the trekking and expedition group leaders are certified emergency medical technicians who can administer basic first aid if needed. We also have radios for communication during the climbing part of the expedition and a hyperbaric chamber at base camp.

Accommodation

As the company pays for the total number of nights mentioned in the specific program, members must pay for any extras such as mini-bar or laundry at check-out to reduce costs. The member would pay directly to the hotel for any additional night to the number specified in the program. Kathmandu’s hotels are good quality, on a bed & breakfast basis. And during the trek, the accommodation is in the basic lodges on a shared room basis (2 people); depending on the situation, a single room can be provided. In exceptional circumstances, a tent can be used as accommodation. The twin-shared rooms or tents are always the same gender unless requested otherwise.

Meals

The company covers the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner while on the trek. The member will choose meals provided in the lodges on the menu. Tea is free of charge for the member. However, any other drinks (including water bottles), snacks, or food outside breakfast, lunch, and dinner is payable directly by the member or the lodge.

Transportation of personal gears
During the trek, the company will arrange transportation of up to 1 or 2 duffle bags from Kathmandu to the base camp. In addition, each member will be responsible for carrying their gear to and from high camps, such as a sleeping bag, mattress, jackets and cameras.
Our Guides and Climbing Sherpa

Our guides are professionals selected from the most loyal, expert and experienced Sherpa. We pay great attention to the guide’s quality of training and their experience. Although our Sherpa may not speak English fluently, they are very friendly and communicate with trekkers in a simple way that is easy to understand.

Training & Scheduling
Before climbing above Base Camp, the group leader will organize a training session to review the climbing techniques required. In addition, the Group Leader will provide a periodic brief of information to the members (as group information) related to the organization of the climb and the schedule for the following days. Some of this information may include the route and approximate times, potential hazards along the way and other such topics as weather and altitude sickness.
Tipping

It is customary to tip all trekking crew at the end of the trip for their excellent service to make your trip successful. The tips are given at the end of the trek, and this is best done as a group. Were commend that each group member contributes around $100 (in rupees) for the trekking crew and part of the collection to the group leader on the last trek day or during dinner in Kathmandu. In addition, you are welcome to give away some of the equipment or clothing you will not take back home; you can donate to the local staff; for this, your group leader will make arrangements for a fair distribution among the crew.”

Emergency contact

In case any emergency occurs or you need any assistance, please contact our emergencynumber +977-9801333616 (Dawa Sherpa).

Responsible Travel

Responsible Travel to us means trying to minimize the negative aspects of tourism on the cultures and environments we visit and highlighting the positive aspects. Responsible Travel is not about perfection; it’s about doing our best to make sure we are making a positive impact wherever we go.

Government Travel Advice

Our itineraries are based on the best information available. We’re dedicated to alerting our customers of changes to government travel advisories, which can happen frequently and without notice. Visit the websites listed below for the most up-to-date information on this issue.

U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and InternationalTrade
https://travel.gc.ca/

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

FAQ

A 15% deposit is required to secure your booking. The balance (full payment) of the total cost of the package is to be paid 45 days before the departure date of the first service we offer. For EverestExpedition, you can pay the remaining balance in two instalments: 40% in advance and the remaining 50% 30 days before the expedition start date. The booking Deposit is non-refundable except being cancelled by Imagine Nepal Trek & Expeditions, in which case the deposit will be fully refunded.

After you have paid the total trip cost and want to cancel due to personal regions, the cancellation charge applies. If you cancel less than 20 days before the program date, a 15% cancellation charge applies; for less than 14 days before the program date, a 25% cancellation charge applies; if less than nine days, 50% of the total cost. If cancelled within five days of the program date, we consider it a”no-show”, for which a 75% cancellation fee applies.

Obtaining an ‘On Arrival’ visa could be quick and straightforward. However, the queue in peak tourist season can be pretty long; however, if you choose to obtain a visa before arrival, you will avoid the lines. Please select the option that best suits your needs.
Procedure:
Step 1: Fill in the Arrival Card and Online Tourist Visa forms. Then, print out the Submission Receipt with the barcode. Bring it along to acquire a visa. For further details, you may visit the official website of the Department of Immigration / fill it up using Kiosk machines upon your arrival at the airport.
Step 2: Pay the bank according to your visa requirement (15/30/90 Days) visa fee is $30, $50, and$125, respectively, and get the receipt. Cash is the easiest way to pay the visa fee to avoid the extra charge using a debit/credit card. We advise you to carry the exact change.
Step 3: The 3rd step is to proceed to the Immigration Desk with your online form, payment receipt and passport. Hand in your documents to an immigration officer for processing. He/she issues your visa on arrival to you upon their satisfaction.

The official currency of Nepal is the rupee. There are various money exchangers in the city where you can exchange your currency for Nepalese rupees. The exchange rate differs slightly between hotels, tourist agencies, money changers and banks. Exchange rates will also vary between different bank branches. Check out www.nrb.org.np for current rates before your trip, and bring new crisp notes with you, as old ones may be difficult to exchange.

Acclimatization to high altitudes is mandatory for any trip above 3500 meters. We take this very seriously, so we have one of the best safety records in the Himalayas. Our itineraries allow for a safe approach to high altitudes, following the high altitude safety guidelines. We even carry Oxygen, a mask, a regulator and an altitude chamber for your safety and peace of mind on all treks above 4000 meters.

Most people who go trekking in the high Himalayas can ascend and descend mountain passes without needing any additional medication. However, if you are taking any medications to aid acclimatization, Diamox is commonly recommended.-Then it is vital to advise your leader in Kathmandu before leaving for the start of the trek. He will then discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking this medication, particularly when you should consider starting it and the duration for which it should be taken. Be aware that many trekkers do not need such medicines.

It is all about the weather window and summit route fixing. The Basecamp remains open until the summit push is made that can extend. All our mountaineering expedition dates published are the predicted date, so we will not charge an additional cost for that. It is vice versa, which means if you make the summit before the mentioned dates, we do not refund you for the unused service at the base camp. So climbers are suggested to book Flexi flights.

We cannot guarantee that you will walk in the snow during trekking, but snow levels vary primarily with altitude. Other weather conditions and terrain also play a role. Lower-altitude treks rarely encounter snow, even in the winter. But higher altitude treks can occur any time of the year, although less during the warmer months. The most likely time for snow is in January and February, after which danger decreases as it often melts. Climbing trips will encounter snow, and all expeditions above 4000 meters will experience considerable snowfall-making sunglasses, gaiters and crampons essential gear.

Yes, you can drop off your extra luggage at the hotel before you check out from the hotel and then pick it up later while leaving Nepal. You can ask for help at the hotel reception. They typically ask for your ID and provide you with a luggage tag. Ensure your bags are securely closed, and you have removed any valuable items.
Optional: deposit your luggage at our office store and collect it later. Again, your guide can help with it.