Sailung Valley trekking holiday, Nepal
Highlights
Kathmandu | Dhulikhel | Solambu | Teksingh | Pasiban | KholaKharaka | Taar |Description of Sailung Valley trekking holiday, Nepal
A bucket-list trekking destination for many, Nepal has in recent years seen its most popular routes become overcrowded, and something has been lost. This tailormade trekking holiday out of Kathmandu seeks to recapture that spirit of discovery with a route that takes you on lesser-known trails, through peaceful hill communities where you’ll enjoy a genuine welcome in locally owned guesthouses.The Sailung region, northeast of the capital, is framed with majestic Himalayan peaks. The scenery here is, need it be said, dramatic and unfailingly beautiful. And best of all... no crowds. Led by a friendly private guide, you’ll walk through open pastures, forests of rhododendron, terraced fields, persimmon orchards and coffee plantations. Many of the remote farming communities you will visit rarely see any travellers, so you can expect authentic Nepalese life at every turn.
You’ll be walking between four and five hours every day, with steep sections in places but at a steady pace, allowing for plenty of challenge and a real sense of achievement in the evenings. Some experience of trekking will be necessary, and you need to be aware that on some days you’ll be walking at high elevations. You will cross rope suspension bridges, see barking deer flit between the trees, climb to ancient hillside monasteries, and enjoy what are likely to be some of the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets of your life.
In essence then, you’re going to have a fine old time.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.comDeparture information
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
We work with our partner communities in many ways to promote sustainable environmental practices, providing training and, where necessary, funding to help them. We have a network of regional coordinators who help local communities and ensure that training is relevant and fulfilling. We encourage all guesthouses to use green energy supplies, by installing solar panels for water heating and using solar lamps inside. We ask guests to use water filtered by their hosts to avoid bringing in unnecessary plastic bottles. We train local guides to identify local birds and animals, and encourage communities to see wildlife as a precious asset rather than a nuisance. We have also encouraged communities to dispose of household rubbish in sustainable ways, and guides go into local schools to promote this. We encourage communities to look after the landscapes, which can be seen by them as an asset for guests who come to walk and appreciate the environment.
The Impacts of this Trip
Our style of community tourism is a true partnership with the host communities, and led to our winning Best for the Local Economy in the 2013 World Responsible Tourism Awards. Together with the communities, we build the guesthouses and the necessary infrastructure to provide memorable guest experiences. We train local people to be guides or cooks, and ensure that a village committee is formed to administer the enterprise and to ensure equitable distribution of income. We have brought over voluntary language teachers to teach English and, more recently, French. We encourage villages to give financial assistance throughout the communities according to need, and we make sure that anyone working for the enterprises is paid a fair wage. We are also instituting a system of independent audit to monitor the enterprises and the benefits they bring. Guests are seen as bringing real benefits, and so are welcomed warmly. We provide our guests with comprehensive background information that helps them to understand the communities and appreciate their cultures. Our local guides are encouraged to take guests to local artisans and markets, something which is much appreciated.
We also have a Charitable Trust, which has worked with the communities on projects such as bag and soap making; this has brought in vital extra income, and helped stem outward migration from villages to cities.
We work with our partner communities in many ways to promote sustainable environmental practices, providing training and, where necessary, funding to help them. We have a network of regional coordinators who help local communities and ensure that training is relevant and fulfilling. We encourage all guesthouses to use green energy supplies, by installing solar panels for water heating and using solar lamps inside. We ask guests to use water filtered by their hosts to avoid bringing in unnecessary plastic bottles. We train local guides to identify local birds and animals, and encourage communities to see wildlife as a precious asset rather than a nuisance. We have also encouraged communities to dispose of household rubbish in sustainable ways, and guides go into local schools to promote this. We encourage communities to look after the landscapes, which can be seen by them as an asset for guests who come to walk and appreciate the environment.
The Impacts of this Trip
Our style of community tourism is a true partnership with the host communities, and led to our winning Best for the Local Economy in the 2013 World Responsible Tourism Awards. Together with the communities, we build the guesthouses and the necessary infrastructure to provide memorable guest experiences. We train local people to be guides or cooks, and ensure that a village committee is formed to administer the enterprise and to ensure equitable distribution of income. We have brought over voluntary language teachers to teach English and, more recently, French. We encourage villages to give financial assistance throughout the communities according to need, and we make sure that anyone working for the enterprises is paid a fair wage. We are also instituting a system of independent audit to monitor the enterprises and the benefits they bring. Guests are seen as bringing real benefits, and so are welcomed warmly. We provide our guests with comprehensive background information that helps them to understand the communities and appreciate their cultures. Our local guides are encouraged to take guests to local artisans and markets, something which is much appreciated.
We also have a Charitable Trust, which has worked with the communities on projects such as bag and soap making; this has brought in vital extra income, and helped stem outward migration from villages to cities.
2 Reviews of Sailung Valley trekking holiday, Nepal
Reviewed on 05 Nov 2018 by Maggie Medhurst
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole trip was amazing from start to finish, a truly unique experience.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't pack too much! Take a few snacks i.e cereal bars. Get visa for Nepal from London before going.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, it was lovely to stay in the villages and meet the people who were all so friendly and kind.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Ten out of ten. We felt very well looked after at all times, the walking was a challenge but there was no rush. Nepal is such a beautiful country and the people have very little but are so very happy and friendly.
Reviewed on 07 Nov 2018 by Anna Smith
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting the local villagers who were maintaining the guest houses and finding out about their daily lives. Walking between the villages so that we could see
the different landscapes in the mid hills of Nepal, from rice and millet terraces to the high peaks that can be seen from Pasiban and Sailing.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
There is one day where you ascend 950m. It is a good idea to practice hill walking so that you can concentrate on the surroundings, not on your heart rate.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The trip definitely supports local people... this is the concept behind this tour company. We used this company last October in the Himalayas in India where the villagers were well trained in looking after the visitors. Nepal is a few years behind in experience looking after guests, but there is constant feedback from
guests passed on to the 'manager' in Nepal and he is constantly working to improve any aspect of the provision that is needed.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very good. A great way to be introduced to trekking in Nepal whilst supporting the people of Nepal. Travelling around Nepal by road is rather tortuous, so that the 3-5 hour road trip to the start of the walks/treks is quick by Nepali standards!
The hotels at the start (Dhulikhel) and end (Kathmandu) of the trip have been chosen well. I would definitely recommend the trip with this company to those who want to trek in Nepal but also wish to get involved with the villages. (The typical treks in Nepal like the Langtang, Annapurna and Everest Base camp generally are busy and not necessarily geared to learning about the local culture.)
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