Richard Goodey, from our supplier Lost Earth Adventures shares his Nepal travel advice on reducing rubbish: “The problem with rubbish is Nepal isn’t monumental, but it is an issue. What we advice tourists to do is eat as the locals do: eat the rice, the lentils, the fresh fruit and vegetables. Tourists tend to bring with them plastic water bottles, packets of crisps and chocolate bars for energy, so without thinking, they are adding to the rubbish problem and the Nepalese are picking up on this - if they can sell you a Mars Bar for 50p, to them that’s massive money. It’s fine to eat foods like that, but take your rubbish with you back to Kathmandu and throw in the bin there because up in the Himalaya, they bury it in the ground, or they burn it and that’s no good.”

Brendan Phelan, from our supplier Exodus shares his Nepal travel advice on surviving power cuts: “Power cuts are a regular thing in Nepal and occur daily for up to 14 hours. Some of the bigger hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara have generator back up, but that’s not the case in homestays along the trekking routes where only candles are provided. Pack extra flashlights and spare batteries for any electronic equipment, but always remember to keep dead batteries with you and dispose of them back at home where they’ll be disposed of properly.” 

Richard Goodey, from our supplier Lost Earth Adventures shares his Nepal travel advice on mountain sports: “The reasons behind why 90% of people visit Nepal are its lakes, mountains and rivers. For mountain sports, it’s a playground and it’s cheap: if you’re trekking take decent waterproofs and some hiking boots, everything else you can buy; if you’re going for kayaking, go to the Sun Kosi, which is great for beginners and intermediates. There’s also a big paragliding scene and mountain biking is huge. If you mountain bike, Nepal is a phenomenal destination because you can access incredible places easily - you can hire a local taxi driver to take you right to the top of a dirt road, get out at the top, and ride down the side of a mountain using the footpaths. Labour is cheap in Nepal, in the Alps you’d have to pay an extortionate daily lift pass, in Nepal you can get to the top of a mountain for £5.”

Brendan Phelan, from our supplier Exodus shares his Nepal travel advice on what to pack: “Most trekking clothes and equipment are available to buy in Nepal, but beware of poor quality fakes. It is always better to pack light wherever possible though and it’s advisable to buy sleeping bags and simple clothing in Nepal, which you can then give away at the end of your trip. If you’re not trekking, Nepal is warmer than most people expect, so you won’t need much heavy clothing during the day.”

Richard Goodey, from our supplier Lost Earth Adventures on how to travel safely in Nepal: “In terms of travelling in Nepal, a lot of the danger lies with the driver of the bus driving unsafely – there’s no such thing as speed limits and they will overtake on blind bends. We only use private transport on all of our trips; we don’t use any public transport and all of our drivers are trained to drive to a safe standard. There are also lots of mopeds on the roads carrying families, none of which will be wearing a crash helmet, so if you plan to hire a car, do so from a reputable company and only drive during the day. Be aware that pedestrians account for 40% of road fatalities because pavements, especially in rural areas, are practically non-existent and pedestrians do not have priority. This is a place where travel is definitely not for the faint hearted; keep your wits about you and stick to organised, private transport if you’re ever in doubt.”