Why did you select this trip?
I love the outdoors and a challenge and thought the ultimate would be to climb Mt Everest - well that clearly was not going to happen! I then looked at ways of getting to see Mt. Everest without killing myself as well as combining my love of hiking plus the desire to experience a country less fortunate than ours and help out in some way. I started by looking at trekking company websites for the basic itinerary that covered most of the things that I wanted from a trip to the Himalayas then I added things like volunteering, whitewater rafting and a flight over Mt. Everest.
Why open it to all staff?
This is such an amazing opportunity that some may have not considered or thought affordable by doing it yourselves. You also may have noticed I like organising social events (check your spam folder!) and I was running out of ideas for pubs to visit.
Why April 2016?
April because it is best for fine clear skies, warm temperatures and spring flowers are blooming. 2016 because it gives us time to save and get fit!
Why did you choose the company Nepal Vision Treks?
Based on what I wanted to do, I made up an initial itinerary that fit into the April 2016 holidays. I then emailed this itinerary to 12 different trekking companies that I found online plus contacts suggested from staff for a quote. Most quotes came in within $300 of each other. I then googled reviews on Tripadvisor and other sites as well as taking in to account years in business, tourism awards and accreditation. Some quotes were cheaper, but none ticked as many boxes as well as Nepal Vision Treks. They have also been very flexible in their communication and made great recommendations to improve the experience. In addition, they cater well for large groups with the number of staff they have plus transport fleet.
Why so cheap?
Potentially the most expensive component was the international airfare. By using www.kayak.com (highly recommended) I found the cheapest fare available for that time of year. Obviously that price may change between now and when we need to book and pay for the flight (August 2015). The trekking companies have to be very competitive with their quotes, accommodation is cheap and unfortunately wages for staff a very low ($20 a day for porters and $25 a day for the guides - for that reason we should tip generously!) The quote of (now only USD1025) for the Nepal component is still ridiculously cheap for what we get.
What standard is the accommodation?
This is definitely not a luxury holiday. Whilst we have comfortable 3 star hotels in the cities of Kathmandu, and Pokhara , they are nothing special. They are clean, safe, provide breakfast and provide wifi and power (for most of the day! Kathmandu has a terrible power grid and blackouts are common. Hotels have generators to provide backup power). On the trek it is basic style mountain lodges with mostly pit or squat toilets and shared shower facilities. The accommodation in Trishuli River is like a luxury tent village.
See hotels here : Kathmandu Pokhara Trishuli River
How fit do I need to be?
The maximum altitude we will get to is 3200m (which is about 1000m higher than Mt Kosciuszko) You will not get altitude sickness but you will need to be fit. For 7 days straight you will need to hike 3-7 hours and on one day you will climb 3300 steps! I would suggest start working on your fitness NOW - currently I would have no chance of making the trek. I suggest start walking on a regular basis with hills and if you are going to the gym, hit the treadmill (with incline), step machines and cross trainer. We will get some expert advice as how to best prepare. Also we will have some practice day hikes in the lead up to the trip.
Do you know your way around the Himalayas?
I have absolutely no idea. Luckily our 3 trek guides, 10 assistant trek guides and 25 porters do!
I don't think I can hike for 7 days - should I not go?
We are offering an alternate to the 7 day trek with a 5 day sightseeing option + 2 day trek to meet up and hike with the main group. This is an amazing opportunity - there are some couples already splitting between the 2 options. Remember you get to do everything else with the main group such as volunteering, rafting and Mt. Everest flight.
How heavy is my trek pack?
You will only need to take a day pack. Each 2 hikers will share a porter that will carry 25kg in total. You can even pay extra for your own porter to carry ALL of your gear (or your small child)
What if don't want to do the rafting and/or Everest flight?
I will negotiate this with the trekking company who may offer an alternate tour option or price reduction.
When do I need to commit and pay?
Because we are going to have such a large group (around 50) our trekking company will be devoting most of their staff and transport vehicles plus they will have to book out almost entire hotels and mountain lodges. For that reason they will need to secure those resources in Nepal to stop other travellers from booking them.
I have set up a separate central bank account to collect all deposits and progessive payments. ALL interest earned on this account will go directly to the orphanage and school we visit in Kathmandu. Account statements will be emailed to all travellers each 3 months with a summary of each persons one off payments or regular installments.
.
When depositing your one off payments or regular installments , please leave the REMITTER details as your surname followed by your first initial eg. JONESM so we can easily track everyone's payments.
The tour bank account details are
Payee : Peter T Hargraves
ST GEORGE BANK BSB 112879 Acc 439626982
In summary, payments will need to be made by the following dates
PAYMENT #1 Wednesday October 8th 2014 AUD120pp (1st deposit of 10%)
PAYMENT #2 Wednesday April 8th 2015 AUD120pp (2nd deposit of 10%)
PAYMENT #3 sometime in August 2015 Full payment of international airfare currently AUD1031pp. As we get closer I will negotiate a group rate
PAYMENT #4 Tuesday 8th December 2015 - AUD940pp (balance)
Note, excluding the international airfare, these payments total AUD1200pp but our tour cost is USD1025pp
Based on current international bank transfer rates as of 19/8/2014, USD1025=AUD1146.15. Assuming the exchange rate stays the same, each person would have overpaid by an amount of $33.85. If you have overpaid, you will have a choice of being refunded that money or donating it to the Kathmandu school and orphanage that we visit. If the Aussie dollar drops against the USD, you may end up paying slightly more than AUD1180 for the tour. In which case, that will be requested after PAYMENT#4 is made.
As each deposit is made to the trekking company you will get a break down of exactly how much of your AUD was used.
If you are thinking of making regular installments towards the entire trip, choose one of these schedules.
To pay for the entire trip based on current costings of AUD2211 (International airfare AUD1031 + Tour AUD1180)
Make initial deposit of $120 on 8/10/2o14 then fortnightly payments of
We must have our passports by 8th December 2015 so we can forward our travellers details to them.
What if I change my mind or something prevents me from going?
Our 20% deposit is non-refundable but it is transferrable to another person or can be used by you as credit for future treks.
Also, as long as passports and entry visas can be organised in time, someone can buy out your trip and go instead of you.
Why go to the trouble of making up a website?
To put all of the necessary info in one spot so our group or potential travellers know everything related to the trip.
..................plus Julianne thinks I have some kind of disorder!
Why are you so wonderful Pete?
I don't know...I often stay awake at night wondering the same thing :)
I know some people who have been to Nepal and may have some tips or suggestions - is that OK?
That's awesome - let me know what they are or get them to contact me. I am always looking at ways of making the most of our time there and appreciate anything that will make our trip more enjoyable!
I would prefer my own room - is that possible?
Yes! You will have your own ensuite hotel room plus your own room on trek.
USD240 extra for 7 day trek option
USD310 extra for 6 day sightseeing/2 day trek option
If I want to start saving now, how much per pay will I need to put aside?
Based on the current international airfare and exchange rates, the total cost is AUD2211. After you make your initial deposit of AUD120 you can make regular payments of $70 per fortnight or $35 per week either into your own holiday savings account or to our group tour account. Remember any payments that go into our group tour account (see above) will accrue interest that will 100% go towards donations at the Kathmandu school and orphanage. Just remember if you are making payments into your own account, transfer the necessary payments to the group account by the due date.
Find a breakdown of the fortnightly savings/payment plan below. (SINGLE SUPPLEMENT IS USD240/310 EXTRA - SEE ABOVE)
I love the outdoors and a challenge and thought the ultimate would be to climb Mt Everest - well that clearly was not going to happen! I then looked at ways of getting to see Mt. Everest without killing myself as well as combining my love of hiking plus the desire to experience a country less fortunate than ours and help out in some way. I started by looking at trekking company websites for the basic itinerary that covered most of the things that I wanted from a trip to the Himalayas then I added things like volunteering, whitewater rafting and a flight over Mt. Everest.
Why open it to all staff?
This is such an amazing opportunity that some may have not considered or thought affordable by doing it yourselves. You also may have noticed I like organising social events (check your spam folder!) and I was running out of ideas for pubs to visit.
Why April 2016?
April because it is best for fine clear skies, warm temperatures and spring flowers are blooming. 2016 because it gives us time to save and get fit!
Why did you choose the company Nepal Vision Treks?
Based on what I wanted to do, I made up an initial itinerary that fit into the April 2016 holidays. I then emailed this itinerary to 12 different trekking companies that I found online plus contacts suggested from staff for a quote. Most quotes came in within $300 of each other. I then googled reviews on Tripadvisor and other sites as well as taking in to account years in business, tourism awards and accreditation. Some quotes were cheaper, but none ticked as many boxes as well as Nepal Vision Treks. They have also been very flexible in their communication and made great recommendations to improve the experience. In addition, they cater well for large groups with the number of staff they have plus transport fleet.
Why so cheap?
Potentially the most expensive component was the international airfare. By using www.kayak.com (highly recommended) I found the cheapest fare available for that time of year. Obviously that price may change between now and when we need to book and pay for the flight (August 2015). The trekking companies have to be very competitive with their quotes, accommodation is cheap and unfortunately wages for staff a very low ($20 a day for porters and $25 a day for the guides - for that reason we should tip generously!) The quote of (now only USD1025) for the Nepal component is still ridiculously cheap for what we get.
What standard is the accommodation?
This is definitely not a luxury holiday. Whilst we have comfortable 3 star hotels in the cities of Kathmandu, and Pokhara , they are nothing special. They are clean, safe, provide breakfast and provide wifi and power (for most of the day! Kathmandu has a terrible power grid and blackouts are common. Hotels have generators to provide backup power). On the trek it is basic style mountain lodges with mostly pit or squat toilets and shared shower facilities. The accommodation in Trishuli River is like a luxury tent village.
See hotels here : Kathmandu Pokhara Trishuli River
How fit do I need to be?
The maximum altitude we will get to is 3200m (which is about 1000m higher than Mt Kosciuszko) You will not get altitude sickness but you will need to be fit. For 7 days straight you will need to hike 3-7 hours and on one day you will climb 3300 steps! I would suggest start working on your fitness NOW - currently I would have no chance of making the trek. I suggest start walking on a regular basis with hills and if you are going to the gym, hit the treadmill (with incline), step machines and cross trainer. We will get some expert advice as how to best prepare. Also we will have some practice day hikes in the lead up to the trip.
Do you know your way around the Himalayas?
I have absolutely no idea. Luckily our 3 trek guides, 10 assistant trek guides and 25 porters do!
I don't think I can hike for 7 days - should I not go?
We are offering an alternate to the 7 day trek with a 5 day sightseeing option + 2 day trek to meet up and hike with the main group. This is an amazing opportunity - there are some couples already splitting between the 2 options. Remember you get to do everything else with the main group such as volunteering, rafting and Mt. Everest flight.
How heavy is my trek pack?
You will only need to take a day pack. Each 2 hikers will share a porter that will carry 25kg in total. You can even pay extra for your own porter to carry ALL of your gear (or your small child)
What if don't want to do the rafting and/or Everest flight?
I will negotiate this with the trekking company who may offer an alternate tour option or price reduction.
When do I need to commit and pay?
Because we are going to have such a large group (around 50) our trekking company will be devoting most of their staff and transport vehicles plus they will have to book out almost entire hotels and mountain lodges. For that reason they will need to secure those resources in Nepal to stop other travellers from booking them.
I have set up a separate central bank account to collect all deposits and progessive payments. ALL interest earned on this account will go directly to the orphanage and school we visit in Kathmandu. Account statements will be emailed to all travellers each 3 months with a summary of each persons one off payments or regular installments.
.
When depositing your one off payments or regular installments , please leave the REMITTER details as your surname followed by your first initial eg. JONESM so we can easily track everyone's payments.
The tour bank account details are
Payee : Peter T Hargraves
ST GEORGE BANK BSB 112879 Acc 439626982
In summary, payments will need to be made by the following dates
PAYMENT #1 Wednesday October 8th 2014 AUD120pp (1st deposit of 10%)
PAYMENT #2 Wednesday April 8th 2015 AUD120pp (2nd deposit of 10%)
PAYMENT #3 sometime in August 2015 Full payment of international airfare currently AUD1031pp. As we get closer I will negotiate a group rate
PAYMENT #4 Tuesday 8th December 2015 - AUD940pp (balance)
Note, excluding the international airfare, these payments total AUD1200pp but our tour cost is USD1025pp
Based on current international bank transfer rates as of 19/8/2014, USD1025=AUD1146.15. Assuming the exchange rate stays the same, each person would have overpaid by an amount of $33.85. If you have overpaid, you will have a choice of being refunded that money or donating it to the Kathmandu school and orphanage that we visit. If the Aussie dollar drops against the USD, you may end up paying slightly more than AUD1180 for the tour. In which case, that will be requested after PAYMENT#4 is made.
As each deposit is made to the trekking company you will get a break down of exactly how much of your AUD was used.
If you are thinking of making regular installments towards the entire trip, choose one of these schedules.
To pay for the entire trip based on current costings of AUD2211 (International airfare AUD1031 + Tour AUD1180)
Make initial deposit of $120 on 8/10/2o14 then fortnightly payments of
We must have our passports by 8th December 2015 so we can forward our travellers details to them.
What if I change my mind or something prevents me from going?
Our 20% deposit is non-refundable but it is transferrable to another person or can be used by you as credit for future treks.
Also, as long as passports and entry visas can be organised in time, someone can buy out your trip and go instead of you.
Why go to the trouble of making up a website?
To put all of the necessary info in one spot so our group or potential travellers know everything related to the trip.
..................plus Julianne thinks I have some kind of disorder!
Why are you so wonderful Pete?
I don't know...I often stay awake at night wondering the same thing :)
I know some people who have been to Nepal and may have some tips or suggestions - is that OK?
That's awesome - let me know what they are or get them to contact me. I am always looking at ways of making the most of our time there and appreciate anything that will make our trip more enjoyable!
I would prefer my own room - is that possible?
Yes! You will have your own ensuite hotel room plus your own room on trek.
USD240 extra for 7 day trek option
USD310 extra for 6 day sightseeing/2 day trek option
If I want to start saving now, how much per pay will I need to put aside?
Based on the current international airfare and exchange rates, the total cost is AUD2211. After you make your initial deposit of AUD120 you can make regular payments of $70 per fortnight or $35 per week either into your own holiday savings account or to our group tour account. Remember any payments that go into our group tour account (see above) will accrue interest that will 100% go towards donations at the Kathmandu school and orphanage. Just remember if you are making payments into your own account, transfer the necessary payments to the group account by the due date.
Find a breakdown of the fortnightly savings/payment plan below. (SINGLE SUPPLEMENT IS USD240/310 EXTRA - SEE ABOVE)
What if I have another question which is not on this page?
Just email me at mailto:[email protected] and I will respond and display your question and answer on this page.
Just email me at mailto:[email protected] and I will respond and display your question and answer on this page.