Tour Guide, Kathmandu, Nepal
| 5 mins read
Nepal is recognized as a paradise destination for backpacking by several world-class travel sites. The Himalayas are considered by many as the best place to trek in the world. As one of the most popular backpacking destinations, it is not unusual at all to receive some budget-conscious travellers. Of course, money is valuable to everyone, but some trekkers would prefer to hike solo and even without a guide which may be for the sake of freedom and privacy. However, trekkers are permitted to walk without a guide. But, trekking without a guide in the Himalayas entails several disadvantages and risks as well.
Risks Involved with Trekking
It’s a fact that on average about 15 trekkers go missing in Nepal Himalayas, annually and the death toll counts the same number as missing trekkers. That number of casualty doesn’t even count anyone climbing a mountain peak. A lot of time, when a tourist dies in the mountain, they don’t also make it to the public news. It is a sad truth that the government doesn’t want to unveil a heartbreaking report not to scare people who have been planning to visit Nepal in the future.
Majority of independent trekkers go missing primarily due to the bad weather, or they lost the trail, or they slipped off from the path and fell into the deep valley. The chances of surviving for those who go missing while trekking in the Himalayas is scanty.
However, a Taiwanese trekker survived for 47 days in Nepal Himalayas and was rescued alive. Nepal is quite high in terms of elevation. Anyone hiking in the high altitude should at least reach 3,000-4,000m. At this altitude, the weather is extremely unpredictable. If something goes wrong trekkers lose their way easily.
A report from MissingTrekrs.com says that high altitude sickness caused the majority of deaths. For example, a rough estimate from news shows that about 3-5 people die every year on the Everest Base Camp region out of a total of about 30,000 people. The death rate comes out to be about 0.01%, mainly due to the high altitude sickness. If your itinerary includes enough amount of acclimatization day, even if you are not an expert trekker, you can do steep altitude trek.
Why Trek with a Guide?
A lot of recognized hiking paths of the Himalayas are accessible to navigate through your phone or maps. You can even find a street view of some trekking routes on Google. The importance of a guide is not merely to tell you directions. There are several crucial scenarios where you require the aid of a guide. In case of an extreme weather condition, when the trail wholly covered with snow, a local guide will direct you to camp safe and sound. This cannot be guaranteed while you go trekking without a guide in the Himalayas.
Similarly, expert hiking guides have gone through some advanced training regarding first aid, emergency evacuation, Itinerary management, etc. which will surely be helpful. Mountain guides are practically the ambassadors of the Himalayas.
Moreover, they could be a bridge between you and the local people and their culture. Guides can help you get to know with the local people and culture of the country with the help of the guides. Trek guides have acquaintance with all kinds and categories of treks in Nepal, and so you will be able to be more familiar with various trekking routes of Nepal. Language barrier will be another limitation that you will suffer while you decide to trek in Nepal without a guide. You will be able to solve this barrier with guides.
Added Benefits of Guides
There are various cultural norms and discernments that you need to know while trekking in Nepal. And only an experienced and trained trek guide can guide you about those matters. It puts you in ease during village sightseeing and visiting monasteries. Additionally, a majority of the camps have limited tea houses, which means they get overly occupied during the busy season. You can book your place in advance with the help of a local guide. This will make sure that you don’t have to spend the night in discomfort in the extremes of the mountains which could happen when you go trekking without a guide in Himalaya. Or sometimes even in the tent outside during freezing weather.
Another reason for taking the aid of guides is because of the issues regarding trek permit. However, individuals can get permits through the Nepal Tourism Board. But the office hours are unreliable and require preparation and sufficient nuisance in Kathmandu. They can help you quickly tackle these troublesome situations if you hire experienced and trained trekking guides.
Our Recommendation
We recommend that, if you plan for a single-day hike, you can do trekking without a guide in Himalaya. However, if you’re planning a trek that lasts more than a day, we strongly advise you to get the aid of a guide. For all the reasons mentioned above, it is wise and a lot safer to hire a local guide during your trek.
Safety Tips:
In addition to our recommendation of guides, we would also suggest you follow several tips to make your trekking even safer:
Properly research your trek before you go.
Avoid making decisions in haste.
Never put yourself in danger, hoping to save some money.
Inform where you’re going early on to your friends and family.
Do not leave your guide.
Don’t wander off too far.
Hire a porter if you carry a heavy bag.