Nepal End of Season Round Up

Posted on: December 19th, 2018 by Lost Earth Adventures

Trekking Trail and Trip Updates Autumn/Winter 2018-2019

Between September and December this year, Lost Earth Adventures led 14 expeditions throughout Nepal. We trekked through the Annapurna, trotted along the trails to Everest Base Camp, crossed the remote Kang La, crossed the Larkya La twice, the Thorung La on foot and by bike, completed the entire crossing of Langtang to Helambu via Gosainkund Lakes, climbed Pikey Peak, rode the World’s Longest Descent and paddled along the wild rapids of the Marsyangdi river… as well as some others!

Autumn 2018 in Numbers

14 successful expeditions
Over 1665km trekked
682km biked
75km paddled on rafts and kayaks
6 Guides Trained
A whopping 63,452m gained in elevation (that’s 7 times higher than Everest itself)
More Dhal Bhats than we can count
No Yetis yet but, we live in hope…

The Treks

Each expedition is unique and made up of lots of extraordinary and memorable moments from start to finish and we aim to make our expeditions leave you with a sense of achievement by the time you return home. We do this by helping you tackle any challenges the trails throw at you, whether they’re physical or mental. This season we even managed to help one of our trekkers finish his bike route of the Annapurna Circuit, despite a rather painful dislocated finger.

‘The trek was physically and mentally challenging. However, at no point did we feel unable to complete the trek due to the support given by our guide.’ -Chris, Langtang Valley Trek

Our open group treks bring together people from a diverse range of backgrounds, from all over the world. By the time our trekkers leave Nepal, they’ve formed lifelong friendships, created unique memories that will last a lifetime, and gained an infinity with the magic and hospitality that makes Nepal such an incredible country. Clients trekked with us from across the UK, Europe, North America and even Australia this season and we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped to make each of our group treks an adventure to remember.

While our open group treks allow us to bring people together to share in the spirit of adventure, our private treks allow us to work our magic and make dreams come true.

Everest by Chopper and Hoofs

Carolyn fulfilled a lifelong dream of trekking to Everest Base Camp, and she did it in style. She took to the trails on our very first Himalayan horse trek, staying in luxury mountain lodges en-route. Along with trotting her way to Everest Base Camp, visiting serene temples and monasteries, and exploring the Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar, Carolyn took in the best of the Himalayan scenery from the sky with helicopter flights through the Khumbu region and a brief stop at the summit of Kala Patthar to see the vista from one of the best viewpoints in the entire region.

During a scenic Everest flight in a light aircraft, she also got the chance to see the iconic Mount Everest and Lhotse from a different perspective.

Monks celebrating the Mani Rimdu festival at the Tengboche Monastery

Stopping at the Tengboche Monastery, Carolyn was lucky enough to witness the Mani Rimdu festival. Lasting 19 days, the festival involves a mix of dance, masks and fire rites as well as blessings that are bestowed on those who witness the sacred ceremonies. After taking in the best that the Everest region has to offer, Carolyn headed to the Chitwan National Park to see the majestic Nepalese wildlife. After a busy day of safaris and animal tracking, a jungle lodge was the perfect setting to relax in luxury and watch the sun set on the animals that make the forests of Chitwan their home. Carolyn’s dream trip allowed us to tailor make her ideal trek and help her tick some incredible experiences off her list.

Nepal to the Extreme

The season also gave us the chance to create a package full of the best adrenaline rushes that Nepal can offer. Melanie and Derek joined us for a jam-packed itinerary including canyoning, the third highest bungee jump in the world, mountain biking, rafting and paragliding along with some sightseeing and cultural experiences. Not for the faint of heart by any means but the dream trip for thrill seekers the world over.

Despite all the highlights and happy trekkers, the season wasn’t without its hitches. From delayed flights to dislocated fingers, the season highlighted that despite meticulous planning and organisation, adventure travel doesn’t always go quite as smoothly as we’d hope. Nevertheless, our teams did everything possible to smooth out any bumps and our trekkers carried on, had a great time, and went home with even better tales of adventures to regale their friends with.

The Nepalese Team

Crossing the pass of the Manaslu Circuit

Our Nepal team worked tirelessly throughout the season to make everything go smoothly for our trekkers and we couldn’t possibly do what we do without them. A common theme throughout this season was just how helpful and accommodating our local guides are.

At the start of the season we ran a training session for our Nepali guides putting an emphasis on practical training to enhance the theory based knowledge they gained from the Nepali government’s scheme. This focused on first aid, leadership skills and mountaineering skills with special attention given to dealing with snowy conditions, avalanches, glaciers and rock and ice climbing techniques.

One consistent shining star in our feedback from this season was our guide Dipak. Dipak was a firm favourite with our trekkers due to his immense knowledge of the local area and the diverse animals and plant life that reside within the region as well as his highly patient and conscientious attitude in looking out for everyone’s wellbeing on the trails.

‘Dipak really looked after us! With his immense knowledge of the area, flora and fauna to making sure health and food wise we were ok every step of the way, along with the support of the Porters they were a great team and he’s an asset to your company! Not only is he a great Guide, but also a great guy.’ – Daniel, Annapurna Circuit Trek

Another popular addition to our guiding team this season is Usha. Usha is one of Nepal’s first female mountain biking guides and has been a huge hit with our bikers this season as well as paving the way for women in adventure sports in Nepal.

‘Usha and Dipak were both excellent guides and I can’t find a fault with your service, or the trip package itself. The advantages of a quality guide and tour company were definitely apparent throughout the trip.’ – Dom, Hike & Bike the Annapurna Circuit

Looking to the Future

We’ve also got good news for the seasons ahead! Nepal has brought an end to its load- shedding electricity system and now has a regular electricity supply. This means people are relying less on diesel generators which is not only a great move for the environment but also means that the haze that used to fill the air in Kathmandu has cleared significantly and that mountain views from Kathmandu are now becoming a regular occurrence. This means future trekkers will be treated to a sneak preview of the legendary Nepalese mountains before they even set off on their trek.

All in all, our autumn 2018 season was the perfect way to finish off the year. We’d like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year from the whole team at Lost Earth Adventures and we hope to see you on the trail with us in 2019.