Some people are probably meant for solo trekking. Others are meant for finding trekking partners. Regardless, in this article we’ll dwell upon the advantages of finding trekking partners, and also comment on the scenarios where trekking buddies are not “nice to have” but “must have”.
Let’s start with confirming that solo trekking in Nepal is allowed and legal. There were talks about banning solo trekking in Nepal during 2012 and 2013, within the Nepali ‘Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation’. Solo trekking is, however, still 100% permitted in Nepal as the law to ban it was put on hold for an unknown period of time.
Irrespective of whether solo trekking is banned or not, finding trekking partners for trekking in Nepal is good due to various reasons:
- You will be much safer if you have a trekking partner. Of course, if it’s a very popular trek where you meet lots of other trekkers every day you’ll still be safe, even without a trekking partner.
- Sharing the whole trekking adventure with a hiking partner is likely to be more fun. Also, afterwards you will be able to share the entire trekking adventure with each other. The aftermath of a great trekking tour in Nepal should not be underestimated.
- Should you want to be solo trekking in Nepal, but still in need of a guide, it’s worth considering that sharing the guide costs (guiding service, food and accommodation etc) with other fellow trekkers will make the trekking tour much cheaper.
- For all trekking destinations in Nepal where “Restricted Trekking Permits” are required, solo trekking is not allowed. Such treks include but are not limited to the following:
Also, on remote treks in Nepal it is always recommended to bring a trekking partner. Anything can happen when out in the Himalayas on your own. A twisted angle, sudden altitude sickness or another hazard, are inherent risks when trekking in Nepal. In such cases, having a hiking partner who can help out is of utmost importance, and may be life saving!
It should be noted that many trekking agencies also arrange group trekking tours where solo trekkers can join. Normally each trekking agency have fixed departure dates so simply go to the various trekking agencies’ websites and identify which dates their group trekking tours start. It is not always that each trekking agency find enough people to join the arranged group trekking tour. The risk of cancellation is therefore present.
While some people may prefer solo trekking in Nepal, we don’t recommend it. Why not share you adventure of a lifetime with a trekking partner? It is likely to be more fun and in all cases, more safe.
We wish you a wonderful trekking experience in Nepal, and welcome any comments you may have to this article.