Nepal: Return to Stillness

Your forms will be completed by Satsang Adventures prior to arrival. Nepal then issues the visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Bring your passport and USD cash, and make sure your passport is valid at least six months past your travel date with two blank pages.
You will be reimbursed upon arrival with Satsang Adventures.

Vaccines are not required for entry into Nepal.
Typhoid is a recommended vaccine prior to travel.

Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) located in Kathmandu.

Yes in Kathmandu and Pokhara, usually same day or next day for a small fee. Not in the village or on the trek, so pack enough to get through those four days.

September is the end of monsoon. Days in the valleys run warm, upper 70s to low 80s. Evenings on the trail drop into the 50s. Expect some rain and some mud, and expect the mountains to be clearest right after it clears.

In the hotels and on the trek, yes. In the village, not guaranteed. The homestays are family homes, and what you get is what the family has.

Wifi in all the hotels. Spotty in the village, and mostly absent on the trek. A local SIM is cheap and easy to pick up in Kathmandu if you want data throughout. Most people end up glad to be off their phone for a few days.

The trek is three days and it's the primary physically demanding part of the trip. Everything else is city walking, village exploration, and temple steps. You can skip the kayaking, the spa, or an afternoon entirely. The trek isn't something to opt out of midway, so talk to me before you book if you're unsure.

Stomach trouble is common and usually passes in a day. Satsang Adventures will also be equipped for mild/moderate gastrointestinal discomforts. Kathmandu and Pokhara both have good clinics, and your travel insurance needs to cover medical care abroad and evacuation. We have records of nearby clinics and hospitals nearby every destination that we visit.

Don't drink from the tap. Bottled and filtered water is available throughout, and you'll want purification tablets or a filter for the trail.

Gratuity is included in your overhead price. Small USD bills or Nepalese Rupees are accepted should you wish to provide extra.

Most people come alone. Eight people, two weeks, and a lot of shared meals tends to handle the rest.

You'll be asked, especially around the temples and in Thamel. There's no single right answer, but a few things help. Giving cash to children is generally discouraged, since it tends to keep them out of school and working the street. It is up to you if you wish to give to beggars, I do not encourage nor discourage your choice.
We donate a portion of every trip's proceeds to a local partner, and I'm happy to point you to others.

A warm no is fine. So is not engaging at all. What doesn't help is the long guilty negotiation, which is harder on everyone

Expected in the markets and at souvenir stalls, not in restaurants, hotels, or anywhere with a posted price. Start friendly, name a number, and settle somewhere in the middle. It's a normal exchange and usually a cheerful one. Have fun with it.
Worth keeping in perspective: the gap you're haggling over is often a dollar or two, and it means more to them than to you. Bargain because it's the custom, not to win.

Eight travellers, mixed ages, mostly solo. No experience with trekking or yoga required.

For the majority of the trip, you will have your own space.
Rooms will be shared during our village stay. An intricate survey will be taken to provide you the best roommate option.