Helambu trekking is a popular trek in the Nepalese mountains. It is a roundabout trip that includes Langtang-Gosainkunda-Melamchi route. Two main villages Melamchighyang and Tarkeyghyang constitute the Helambu outfit. The region starts from the descent from the Lauribina La pass at 4,610 metres and descend all the way to Melamchi valley at about 700 metres. The route is a challenging one with rocky narrow uneven trails above 4,000 meters from Gosainkunda to Thadepati. Then the steep descent across the rhododendron forests till the beautiful Melamchighyang, a scenic rest place. Then a further downhill trail to cross the lovely Melamchi river and again uphill to Tarkeyghyang. The route then slowly descends down to the Melamchi bazaar, a subtropical climate zone. The route lies in the Rasuwa, Nagarkot and Sindhupalchok districts. Helambu is also famous for its sweet apples and artistic Buddha monasteries.

What Type of Trekking is This ?

This is tea house trekking tour therefore you will be sleeping and eating at the tea houses along the trails.

A Day on Trek  

Each morning after packing our bags and a hearty breakfast, we set off on the day’s walk. 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 retiring for a well-earned sleep.

However, on a camping trek, you begin your day with a hot cup of tea which is served to you in the tent at 6 am, followed by a bowl of hot water for washing. Other day activities are the same as mentioned above.

Meals and Accommodation

In Kathmandu we use 2 star  hotel to ensure a comfortable stay and relaxed environment before and after your trip. All breakfasts are included at the hotel in Kathmandu. Rooms are generally twin share - depending on group size and room availability, triple share may be offered to your request.

While on the trek, we provide good quality food in sufficient quantities from Tea Houses/Mt. lodges. We provide all meals on full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and tea & coffee) from the teahouse menu during the trekking period. Whilst trekking on the Everest, the accommodation is in guesthouses which are basic structures, generally with shared facilities but very comfortable. In some guesthouses, showers are available; where there are no showers; there are private facilities in which you can sponge bath.

Luggage while on Trekking

During trek your main luggage will be carried by porters or pack animals (usually yaks or cross breeds). You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket, etc. - a small load that allows full enjoyment of the trek. A trek bag is ideal for your main luggage, plus a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek which you can leave at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu for free of charge. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kgs, excess weight is chargeable at USD 1 or more per Kilo depending on sectors.

Ground Leader and Crew

1) Trained Nepali Trek leader (experienced and knowledgeable)
2) Sherpa Guide (handles the logistics and guides you and your team on the trek)
The Sherpa guide (commonly called Sirdar) will be accompanied by a crew of porters. On camping trek, there will be 2/3 porters for each members while on GAP and on Lodge trek 1 porter for 2 members.

Join a group or private Trip:

Our trips are available on both fixed departure and private basis. If you are looking for a group to join this trip please check our ‘departures’ link for availability, dates and price. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at your convenient timeframe for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time).

If you want to do something that is not included in our trip list we are ready to tailor a trip to suit your exact requirements. In short, we will make every effort to get you on the trip you want, when you want.

Group Size and Fixed Departure Date:

If you opt to join our ‘fixed departure trip’, you are likely to be joining people from different countries of any age group except minors. The size of group varies, minimum no of persons required to operate a trip is 2 the maximum is 15 people.

Personal Expenses

Personal expenses depend largely on the type of trek, duration and the trekking region.

If you are on Camping or Tea house trek all meals will be provided. You only need money for table drinks (alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages), snacks while walking (a few smaller shops are available along the trail in some areas) tips, souvenirs, hot shower (available in some places).

If you are on ‘GAP’ trek style you need to pay for all your meals. NPR 1000-1500 a day should be enough to cover your meals. We pay for your accommodation at mountain hut (tea house) along the trail and bear all the expenses of staff assigned by us.

Tips are appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. As a suggestion, we advise you to allocate 5 - 10% of the total tour cost as tips.

Transport:

in our package we will prvide you tourist bus to and  Syabrubensi  and from Dhunche to kathmandu but if you wish to have  comfortable jeep  to starting point and from ending point to kathmandu let us know we will arrange it as per your interst and there would be sightly different in pricing .

Communication  and Electricity:

While trekking in the remote parts, you may not have an access to telephone facility for some days or weeks. However, en route there may be few places where telephone facilities may be available and likely to be working.  There is  electricity  facility entire trekking trails in Nepal  thus  there won’t be any problem  to re-charge your battery and  cameras.If it is crucial for you to keep in contact with your family or others, Adventure Magic Treks can provide you a mobile satellite phone (rental charge on request).

How do you find us in Kathmandu ?

You need to pass on your International flight details to us for a “meeting and greeting” service at airport. You just pass on the Customs and come out of the Terminal building where you will see someone standing with a placard with either ‘Adventure Magic Treks’ or your name written on it. Our airport representative or tour officer will greet you and welcome you with a garland.

Climate and Best Time to go .

The best seasons to trek in the Annapurna region are Autumn (from mid-September till November end) and Spring (from the beginning of March until mid-May). Temperatures will drop considerably as you trek higher everyday. The nights are cold (between -20 C to 5C) but the days are sunny and hot (between 10C to 30C). The mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up during the afternoon, disappearing at night. Trekking during the monsoon is not recommended, as the visibility during monsoon is limited. Trekking in the winter is possible; however, it is much colder than Autumn and Spring.

March, April, October and November are the most popular and favored months for traveling. Please choose the date that is convenient for you.

Itinerary Changes

The itineraries for each trip should be taken as a guideline only. Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary.

You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into the remotest region, where many unforeseen events may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original.

Trek Duration  

We ensure liability as per indicated itinerary and list of services. If the holiday is cut short or completed earlier than the projected period upon client’s wish, we shall not be responsible or make refund against unutilized days or services. Clients need to pay extra for Hotels/services incurred in Kathmandu or elsewhere in such cases.

Visa

All visitors except the Indian nationals must hold passport and valid visa. Visa can be obtained at the Nepalese diplomatic missions and consulates abroad. Visa is also issued at the entry points. It can be extended at the Department of Immigration, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. Children under 10 years need not pay any visa fee. People willing to get entry Visa at the air port or any of the land entry points are required to fill a visa form with passport photograph. So, please download form from the link below (visa form) and get ready while you are passing through the immigration Point.

Gratis visa for 30 days available only for tourists of SAARC countries
Multiple entry 15 days - US$ 25 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 30 days - US$ 40 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 90 days - US$ 100 or equivalent convertible currency

Tourist Visa Extension

• Visa extension fee for 15 days or less is US $ 30 or equivalent convertible currency and visa extension fee for more than 15 days is US$ 2 per day
• Tourist visa can be extended for a maximum period of 150 days in a single visa year (January - December).

If you plan to obtain your visa in your country, you can download the application form from the website at: www.immi.gov.np

Vaccinations

As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you to consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the beginning of your trip. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio.

First Aid Kid  

We supply a medical bag with standard medicines prescribed by trekking doctors. Since our staffs/guides are not qualified for suggesting medications to western clients, we would request you to use the medicines upon your own risk. It is safer and more reliable if you have your own medicine kit and not depend on what we have.

Altitude :

Altitude Sickness has the potential to affect all travelers from 2500m and higher our itinerary is planned in such a way that you make very gradual ascend, spending some days at a low elevation to build necessary acclimatization before walking up to Annapurna south base camp at 4130m (the highest point on this trek). When you are at high altitude, your body needs time to adjust to smaller quantities of oxygen in the air at 5500m/18,044ft; the air pressure is approximately half that of sea level, i.e. there is half the amount of oxygen.

Check out "Altitude illness" by Dr Jim Duff

Rescue and   Evacuations

In case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we believe will not happen; we will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital. Since you are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in evacuation please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or be prepared to pay on your own after getting back to Kathmandu.

Insurance

Before joining a tour, we recommend you to take a travel insurance which should cover cancellation, medical expenses, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation.

Responsible Travel

Wonderful environment of the Himalayas is also an extremely fragile one. Increasing population density and numbers of trekkers threaten the very beauty of Nepal. At Adventure Magic Treks , we are extremely conscious about the environment and aim to minimize our impact as much as possible.
As deforestation is one of the greatest environmental threats, we do not have camp fires and use kerosene for cooking as an alternative fuel to wood. We also discourage trekkers from using wood-fuelled hot showers in lodges along the way. Many lodges, however, now provide solar hot showers, a far more eco-friendly alternative.
Garbage disposal is another major problem and some of the busier trails can, at times, appear strew with litter. Our staff members are well motivated towards eco-friendly practices. We carry out all our garbage, apart from that which can be safely and easily burnt at the campsite. Our aim is to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy.

Trip Extensions

In addition to your trek, we can organize extensions both within Nepal and other neighboring countries. You may want to try water rafting or a jungle safari in Nepal or Nepal Cultural Tour. You may as well take a trip to Tibet, India or Bhutan, whichever seems more appealing to you. Since the trek ends in Pokhara, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal, it would be nice and relaxing for you to spend a day or two taking in the sights and sounds of this scenic city.

Social Responsibility

Adventure Magic Treks  works with the motto ‘Development through Tourism’. Keeping in line with this motto, Adventure Magic  Community Service Project  was imagine to authorize deprived, marginalized, poor and minority section of Nepal.

Staff’s Care:

We ensure that all the porters and other staffs going into high altitude conditions are provided with adequate clothing and equipment. We are the first ever company to supply high-altitude porters with crampons. Therefore we are lifetime member of Keep.

Booking conditions:

1. It is fundamental you acknowledge that this is an adventure tour. This requires some flexibility. The day to day itinerary is taken only as a guideline. We can not be held responsible for any delays caused by International or domestic flights, strikes, Government regulations, weather or natural casualties etc. In such cases, Adventure Magic shall provide suitable alternatives which could be decided upon mutual agreement. If an agreement cannot be made, Adventure Magic Trek  shall only be responsible for refunds after deducting the expenses already incurred.
2. Your booking will be confirmed by email once we receive your  20 % advance payment.
   The balance is due no later than two months prior to departure. If you book a tour less than 1 months prior to departure, you must send the full payment..
3. If you cancel, the following scale of charges will apply:
   2 months before departure – Loss of deposit (US$ 10 % )
   15 days  to 2 months before departure – 5% of total trip cost
   Less than 10 days before departure – 100% of total trip cost

Booking Procedure:

If you still have any questions regarding this trip, please feel free to contact us. We answer all enquiries within more or less then 12 hours. If you want to book a trip, you can e-mail us at info@adventuremagictreks.com  or contact us straight by phone: +977-1-4410361

Clothing and Equipment List for Trekking in Himalayas:

Our main paramount is to offer safe and enjoyable trek for your clients.As part of the booking process, we will provide you with a comprehensive clothing and equipment list for proposed trekking .Experienced trekkers will often take only a selection of these items based on what has worked in the past.Please find the equipment list below for your personal use during your traveling period.

Foot wear:Walking boots, Wool and liner socks, sandals

Clothing:

Waterproof jacket and trousers, Trekking trousers, Long sleeve shirts, Micro fleece, Mid to heavyweight fleece, Sleeveless or body warmer type fleece, Thermals or base layer for top & bottom (merino wool or synthetic), Fleece pants, Medium weight down jacket

Hand wear: Fleece gloves, Warms mittens and/or gloves

Head wear: Wool or fleece hat, Sun hat, Scarf, Head torch and extra batteries,Sunglasses

Personal Equipment:

Sleeping bag, Backpack large enough to carry water bottles, camera and extra clothing, Stuff sacks for keeping your gear dry and organized, two water bottles (Nalgene wide mouth bottles are the best), Sunscreen and lip salve with a high SPF, Insect repellent, Water purification tablets (Pristine, Biox Aqua or Aqua Mira), Favorite snack food, Books, iPod and cards etc, Trekking poles, Camera with spare batteries and memory cards, Insurance certificate.

Travelling:

Duffle bag or large backpack for your personal gear on the trek (carried by a porter), Bring a small combination padlock to secure the bag, Travel clothes. You will need casual clothing for air travel days and time spent in Kathmandu, Toiletry bag include toilet paper, soap, towel, toothbrush, etc.

Personal first aid kit:

Any personal medications, Diamox (optional) helps with acclimatization.

Adventure Magic Treks always provide down jackets and down sleeping bags for all our trips.The above list is one 'rough guide' of kit which you'll need to consider before leaving home. Each trekker should carry one backpack for items required during the day.Your day backpack will contain items such as warm clothes, jacket, camera, water bottles, and personal first aid kit and day snacks. The rest of your personal equipment packed in a duffel bag or backpack will be carried by a porter.The maximum weight allowance is 15kgs/33 pounds that we strongly care of porter rights and solely against any exploitation on its operation.