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General Climbing Discussion

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Nepal 06

serenity

22-Jan-2006
8:01:00 AM

Has anyone just returned from Nepal ? I will be heading there late March and am starting to wonder about the situation politically. Will be travelling to Everest region so I figure it will be Ok , but Kathmandu may be dodgy. Any info would be much appreciated.

cheers

James

22-Jan-2006
8:31:19 PM

some friends of mine were there October/November last year & apparently it was all ok (they were in the
Khumbu region)

brat

23-Jan-2006
9:27:44 AM

Same, friends did have the occasional situation of guys with guns sitting in trees watching them, but tourists are pretty invisible, they're more interested in shooting each other!

Just act loud and obnoxious like most Aussie's overseas and they'll ignore you!

Andrew_M

23-Jan-2006
12:42:34 PM

Some friends just got back a few weeks ago but didn't mention feeling uncomfortable. I'm afraid I can't actually remember what region they went to...possibly near Everest...it was one of the 'new' trekking peaks. In fact, they mentioned (half seriously I think) that they were disappointed that they didn't get waylaid by the guerillas. Some other friends spent about 3 months there in the Dolpo a couple of years ago and weren't worried (could have changed by now though).

PM me if you want contact details to quiz them yourself.

Andrew

SOH

23-Jan-2006
12:53:19 PM

On a similar note, I am heading to Nepal around the same time and doing a trek in the Everest region which includes 'climbing' Island Peak. It is only classified as a trekking peak, but I am having some trouble finding travel insurance that will cover it as all the companies classify it as 'mountaineering'. Has anyone else had any experience with getting insurance cover for this type of thing?

Andrew_M

23-Jan-2006
12:57:14 PM

There've been several threads on insurance on the "Aussimountaineers" group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aussiemountaineers/

A check through the back files should give you some ideas on what's available.

Andrew

vwills

23-Jan-2006
3:45:44 PM

I was in Nepal in Oct- Nov 2005. I did the Annapurna circuit initially and the Maoists are active around the Beni area and Poon Hill area as well as Western Nepal. I contributed a "voluntary" donation of 1200 rupees after doing the usual tourist thing of heading up Poon Hill to watch the sunrise over the Annapurna massif and Dhaliguiri. The friendly terrorists were waiting on the way down where the ridge narrows to collect the fee, for which I was given a receipt. There were lots of military checkpoints around Pokhara and on the way back to Kathmandu.
There was no sign of the Maoists in the Khumbu. There is a heavy military presence around Lukla and a curfew. There were far more trekkers in this region than the Annapurna region.
There was a unilateral cease fire in Nepal for most of my time there so there was no problem with transport strikes etc. Generally I felt quite safe.

Just a point on 'trekking peaks"- this is a category based on altitude, and how much you pay for a permit, not ease of ascent. While Island Peak is relatively straightforward especially if your team uses fixed ropes, it is still a 6000m peak and a lot of people dont summit due to the usual mountaineering problems of hypoxia and weather. Other "trekking " peaks provide some of the hardest climbs in Nepal.

For insurance, if you dont belong to the German mountaineering club or the American alpine association, IHI is the most straightforward. Just pay for the 3 or 4 day window you have for the ascent from base camp. The trek to base camp is no different to what you would experience if you trek to Kala Pattar, though much nicer and should be covered by most comprehensive travel policies..

climbingjac

23-Jan-2006
3:49:20 PM

On 23/01/2006 SOH wrote:
>On a similar note, I am heading to Nepal around the same time and doing
>a trek in the Everest region which includes 'climbing' Island Peak. It
>is only classified as a trekking peak, but I am having some trouble finding
>travel insurance that will cover it as all the companies classify it as
>'mountaineering'. Has anyone else had any experience with getting insurance
>cover for this type of thing?

There is a whole separate thread on Chockstone about insurance. Search. I believe I made reference to the Australian Alpine Club. This is the one you want.

neats

23-Jan-2006
4:22:35 PM

On 23/01/2006 vwills wrote:
I contributed a "voluntary" donation of 1200 rupees

A couple of my friends that was in Nepal in December 05 said the same thing, a donation mean 'no trouble'.

DaCrux

23-Jan-2006
4:36:47 PM

Make sure you have all your shots before you go – and don’t eat dodgy food. My sis got Hep E in Nepal – no permanent damage but she was really sick, itchy and yellow for a few weeks :P

DaCrux

23-Jan-2006
4:55:48 PM

Hmmmm....
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17909686%255E1702,00.html

James

23-Jan-2006
10:48:22 PM

I'm not choosing sides here, but just remember that throughout the whole Maoist campaign, the Maoists
have been making particular effort not to target/harm tourists. the 'donation' thing has been going on for
years & years (its nothing new), often you will get a cup of tea with your receipt!!

Robb

25-Jan-2006
8:33:08 AM

i was there in october and november 05 to climb island peak and ama dablam. had a great trip and no trouble whatsoever. the maoists are active in one town between jiri and lukla butmost fly into lukla and the army presence is so high that you wont get any trouble there. on the annapurna circuit there are maoist near poon hill. no chance of any harm to tourists. they just ask for donations. you should be able to get discount with student cards or if you have a guide with you.
island peak is cruisy and can be climbed from BC without stopping at high camp. happy to give you any beta when i get back from patagonia in about 10 days
check out the american alpine club for insurance

cheers
Rob

There are 13 messages in this topic.