General
Information
Travelers are ever-searching for the untrained path, for
places and peoples unspoiled and exotic. But, tourism can no
longer afford to spoil new discoveries. Litter and cultural
pollution soon erode visitor appeal and more important, indigenous
lifestyles dependent upon a delicate natural balance vanish
forever. Responsible tourism is a more sound investment where
everybody wins.
In Nepal, tourism contributes to children's dental problems
in mountain villages where sweets and cavities were once unknown.
Garbage left by mountaineering expeditions piles up higher and
higher and international media reports of toilet paper-strewn
trekking trails grossly exaggerate a real concern. Forest suffers
enough from local demands. Trekkers' food and lodging needs
further fuel the problem. Art theft not only depletes a reach
cultural heritage but is undermining the Nepalese people's trust
of outsiders.
Raven Tours heartily welcomes you, the visitor. But, whether
you are trekking in the mountains or touring the Kathmandu Valley,
we ask that you treat the land and its peoples with care and
respect. Below are some tips on how you can keep the environment
clean and show appreciation for age-old culture and traditional
religious beliefs.
Green Trekking
In Nepal, eco-tourism is more than a catch phrase to mean outdoor
adventure travel. Green or eco-trekking practices are sound
measures such as carrying out or disposable of garbage and burning
no wood on the trail. Ask your trekking agent and lodge operator
about their conservation policies. Green trekking may cost a
little more but is much better for the environment.
You can also help out by following these guidelines:
- Litter Free: Carry
all your trash (including toilet paper, unless you thoroughly
burn it on the spot) to your campsite, lodge or hotel for
proper disposal. If trekking with an agency, ask the staff
to designate separate places for biodegradable and others
(i.e., bottles, tins, plastics, foil, batteries etc.) which
should be packed out to Kathmandu or the next refuse pit.
As fires are considered sacred, don't put trash in the flames
until the cooking is done and always inquire first.
- Lady Details: Sanitary
napkins and tampons should be wrapped well and packed out.
Take batteries back to your home country for safe disposal.
- Toilet Sites: Make
sure your trek operator provides a toilet tent, set up at
least 50 meters (150 feet) away from any water source. If
you are tea-house trekking, select lodges with well-sited
latrines. Otherwise, pick a spot away from water and religious
sites. Bury all excreta. In the cities and en route, public
toilets are hard to find so be discreet and keep away from
holy sites.
- Biodegradable Washing:
When bathing or washing clothes near streams, use biodegradable
soaps and a pan for rinsing. Toss soapy water away from
the stream.
- Use Established Campsites:
Encourage your trekking staff to camp in established campsites
and to leave no trace: no trash, no tent trenches, no fire
pit, and a toilet pit filled in to look as it did before
digging.
- Cook with Kerosene:
If you are camping, request that cooking be done on kerosene
or gas, not wood. If you're stuck using wood, reduce the
amount by using iodine to treat water rather than boiling
it. Choose lodges that use kerosene or fuel efficient stoves,
such as the back-boiler which heats water while food cooks.
You can also reduce firewood consumption by ordering the
same food at the same time as others.
- Solar Heated Showers:
Limit your hot showers to those heated by solar energy,
by hydroelectricity or by the back-boiler method.
- Warm Clothes: Bring
adequate clothes rather than relying on lodge hearths for
heat and never ask your trekking staff for a bonfire. See
that porters will be provided shelter, clothing and shoes
for high altitude treks, saving wood otherwise burned to
keep warm.
- Do Not Disturb: Avoid
creating new trails across switchbacks, meadows and in high
fragile areas. Make sketches or take photos rather than
collect flower, plants and seeds. Do not purchase items
made from wild animals' skins or furs. Take care while walking
through farmland and always stay to the uphill side of livestock
on trails.
Dress and Attire
Baggy pants or calf-length skirts with a loose top are appropriate
trekking and touring wear for women. Men should wear a shirt
at all times. Men's knee-length hiking shorts are fine for trekking
but not when visiting temples, monasteries or homes.
Nudity is particularly offensive. Whether bathing in a stream
or at a village tap, men should wear shorts or underwear, women
can wrap in a loongi (sarong) and douse themselves as the village
women do. Only sport a swimsuit if well secluded from village
eyes. Public affection is likewise frowned upon.
Artifacts and Antiques
It is illegal to export anything older than 100 years. Please
do not take any religious objects (prayer stones, statues, temple
ritual objects, prayer flags, etc.) away from sacred sites and
discourage others from doing so.
Taking Photos
Most Nepalese don't mind being photographed, but some do. Ask
first, especially if photographing ceremonies or older people.
Paying for a picture reinforces a hand-out mentality. Try instead
to establish a friendly rapport with a few words or gestures.
Beggars
Do not give candy, pens, trinkets or money to children but instead
donate to a school, monastery or hospital. Nepalese give a few
rupees to the handicapped and religious mendicants; you can
do the same.
Bargaining
Bargain for souvenirs and trekking services but respect posted
prices in restaurants and lodges. Ask around to establish a
fair price: paying too much adds to inflation and paying too
little denies the merchant of a fair return.
Offensive Gestures
- To show appreciation and respect, use two hands rather
than one when giving or receiving something, even money.
- Remember not to point with a single finger but use a flat
extended hand especially to indicate a sacred object or
place.
- Among Hindus, avoid touching women and holy men the traditional
palms-together "Namaste" greeting is preferable.
- Don't eat with your left hand and nor eat beef among
Hindus.
- Try not to step over or point your feet at another person,
a sacred place or a hearth.
- Remove your shoes when entering a home, temple or monastery
(and leather items in Hindu temples) and avoid smoking and
wearing scant dress in religious settings.
- Do not offer food from your plate, nor eat from a common
pot, and avoid touching your lips to a shared drinking vessel.
Giving Tips
Tipping is a newly accepted custom in Nepal. Hotel, restaurant,
touring and trekking organization staff members often make up
for relatively meager wages with tips. But, it should only reward
good work. Don't tip for short taxi rides in town or any service
person you've bargain with. Groups might give a reasonable amount
per day to a tip pool to be divided among the staff, generally
relative to rank, for good service.
Medical Attention
Even if you are an experienced medical practitioner, it is not
wise to give medicine to a sick Nepali on the trek unless you
can watch his or her reaction. Most Nepalese have never been
exposed to Western medicine and may react unpredictably. Encourage
villagers to wash cuts with soap and boiled water, and to see
their closest clinic for medical treatment.
Safety Cautions
- Trek with Others: Never trek alone; if you run
into trouble or take a tumble no one will know. Trekking
with an agency assures the greatest security.
- Security: Watch your gear carefully in lodges
and on the trail. Don't be showy with expensive items, and
always lock your room or baggage.
- High Altitude Sickness: Find out more from your
agent or the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) about this
sickness and helicopter rescue options. Always register
your trekking plans with your embassy, consulate or HRA.
Beware of other trail hazards, watch where you are going
and don't over-extend yourself.
- Eating and Drinking: Never eat unpeeled fruit
or vegetables unless you know they've been adequately soaked
in solution. Drink only after water is boiled or iodized.
Always wash your hands before eating.
| “Raven Tours
and Treks” is a member of the following organizations:
|
 |
|
Time in Nepal:
