Information and advices

Money

• Do not exchange all your money at the money change office in the airport; the exchange rate is not advantageous. You will find better downtown. We will give you the current rate on request. The Nepalese banks limit their exchanges, 500 € or $ at once by people (passport asked). No limit in the private money exchange offices. To have an idea about the change: http://fr.finance.yahoo.com/convertisseur (to know the change on place, take away 4 to 6 rupees/€ or $ traded. There is no commission on, but the money changers have to live)
• Even if the predilection currency remains the $, don't multiply the transactions. Foreign currencies are accepted in all the money exchange offices and banks (Nepal or India). Possibility to get money with a Visa card in some banks (ATM) in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Delhi. A commission is directly perceived for this type of transaction.

How to join us?

• Some airline companies regularly serve Nepal from the European capitals. They are: Qatar Airlines, Gulf Air, Thai, PIA ( Pakistan ), Biman ( Bangladesh ), Lauda Air (Austria, in season), Korean Airline, Japan Airline. Possibilities also to transit by Delhi, served by practically all the international companies. Afterward, you have to take a local company (Sahara, Jet Airway, NAC, Air India ...) flying from Delhi to Kathmandu in connection with. Be careful, however, for those which wish to come by Delhi, the transit with different companies can cause delay in the luggage's routing. Be vigilant in the time of transfer.
• For Ladakh, practically all the international companies serve Delhi. To book and to get a flight to Leh can be long in season.

Accommodation

• In Kathmandu, Pokhara, Delhi, Leh, see "General conditions ".
• In trek, 2 possibilities according to the program: in lodge (Nepal, Tibet) or with tents (Nepal, Ladakh, Zanskar, Nubra, Rupsu, Tibet).

• In lodge: The accomodations look like alpine huts with warden. Not to be surprise, hot shower (solar) is not guaranteed in all the lodges. It depends on the trek, the seasons, the altitude, the hours. It could be sometime not free. Meals are prepared and taken in (with menu). You can get blanket for sleeping. Following the altitude and the season, the common room can be heated. Information given by X X X X X X on the technical files (Conveniences) for each trek.
• With tents: Organization is heavier because we need to carry tents (1 tent for 2 people, kitchen tent, toilet tent), everything for cooking and food. We provide hot water on demand for shower.

Seasons

• Nepal has a tropical climate. Kathmandu, 1300 meters, is located at the same latitude as Cairo. It does not freeze there and snow is rare. Springtime comes in end of February until the mid-June, it is ideal for the trekking and other mountain and cultural activities. The days are beautiful. Sun is warm but air remains still fresh; the mountain is flowered. However, even if the most part of the treks are open, the high pass can be snow-covered. Short and extremely violent storms, at the beginning of June, announce the coming monsoon. The average temperatures in Kathmandu are around 15/26°. The Nepalese summer, from mid-June till end of September, is under monsoon rains. Contrary to what is commonly believed, it does not rain everyday. If this season is not very pleasant to trek, the Kathmandu valley exploration can be done with raincoat or umbrella in the backpack. Only the High Dolpo and Mustang areas, protected by the Himalayan range, are dry. These summer months remain the ideal season to explore these areas. The average temperatures are about 25/29°. The autumn, beginning mid-September till the end of November is the ideal season to trek or climb the mountains at all the altitudes. The days are normally very beautiful and warm. The average temperatures are about 20/25°. The winter, beginning of December till end of February, is relatively dry but rather cold and very cold above 3000 meters. The activities in mountain are also possible but the high pass can be snow-covered and even insuperable. The average temperature in Kathmandu is around 8/12° and very minus temperatures above 3000m.
• For Ladakh, Zanskar, Rupsu or Tibet, two factors: the Himalayan range blockings the rains coming from the south (monsoon...) and altitude subjected to the semi-desert climate. The 3 pass which interest us on the Himalayas Range - Rotang La (connection with Manali via Rupsu and Lahaul) - Sinkun La (connection with Manali via Zanskar and Lahaul) - Zoji La (Connection with Shrinagar) in limit of these 2 factors, are very snow-covered and remain impracticable until mid-May. The climate of the High Plateau breaks up into a long and very rigorous winter (-20/-30 degrees), 2 short inter seasons (springtime, autumn) are characterized by storms and wind. Summer is very dry and sunny with sometimes short and violent storms. The rains resulting from disturbances are rare there. During the summer, the best trekking and climbing season, the temperatures are around 20/25 degrees during the day; the nights remain fresh (2/8°) at 3500 m.
• For Nubra, the climate is more pleasant because the altitude is less high but the valley remains subjected to the snowing up of the road pass (Khardung La 5550m) which serve it.
• Be careful however, in mountains, here like everywhere, the weather conditions can change very fast and often in a very unforeseeable way.

Diseases

• In the areas we propose to you, it is not necessary to have particular vaccinations. It is recommended, without being an obligation, to have those of the diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A & B, typhoid. The Teraï area, during hot and rainy season, can be favourable for paludism. The hygienic conditions are also far from being optimal. For your first-aid kit and the most current diseases, consult the heading "Equipment" ; for the aptitude criteria on the activities suggested, consult the heading " General Conditions".
  

Insurances

• Be careful not to confuse insurance guaranteeing repatriation and insurance guaranteeing research. In the same way, the insurers make a difference between research and rescue. Check well all the clauses of your contract to avoid nasty surprises.
• Consult the page "General Conditions".

Jet lag

• The time between Nepal and France is of 4h45 the winter and 3h45 the summer.
• The time between India and France is of 4h30 the winter and 3h30 the summer.
• To reduce the effects of the jet lag, consult "bodyclock" .

Communication with outside

• The handyphones work in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Teraï areas and in Leh by the international operators.
• You can also phone by Internet from some web offices in Thamel. Possibility to phone with the ordinary lines (more expensive). The communications are (normaly) with good quality.
• For your emails and SMS, you will find many web offices on Kathmandu , Pokhara, some in mountain area (Manang, Namche Bazar, Marpha, Lukla and Khumbu area, Jomson...), for Ladakh, you will find only in Leh.
• For mails, at the post office, insist on stamping your letters or post cards in front on you. Don't send your letters or cards from the letters boxes or post office during trekking, except you can see people stamping it. Your letters or cards with a soaked off stamp will not take your good way home but the wastepaper basket.