Trekking in Nepal - Comfort Redefined

Question from Judith: Having read Pomegranates at 4800 Metres, I wonder what motivates you to keep returning to Nepal because the places you stay while trekking sound so cold and uncomfortable.

Response written on 6 January 2022.

I’ve pondered this question during a few weeks of unusually chilly weather here in the Comox Valley, while being thankful for a wood stove supplementing my humming heat pump. Shivering while hauling in wood from the barn here at home or while shoving cold feet into colder boots on a high-elevation morning in Nepal, I sometimes think sipping umbrella drinks at a tropical, all-inclusive resort might be a pleasant alternative.

I try telling myself that I’m enjoying rare snowbound weeks in the Comox Valley, but the piles of snow and repeated power failures are becoming tedious. I haven’t driven my Smart car since 22 December and am getting a bit low on groceries. Now, a propane leak because snow fell off my roof onto the regulator in the night has provided too much excitement before six this morning. With all the doors and windows open to air out the house – it’s getting chilly in here.

Despite horrendous driving conditions and 29 cms of fresh snow on my driveway, the fire department arrived with their propane detectors and declared situation to be under control. The residual smell is unpleasant, but here is not an explosive level of propane. They assure me that I will be able to close my doors, flip on the heat pump and light the fire soon.

One of the things I like about this community is how small it is – “Are you Fly’s mum?” asked two of the fire fighters as they checked out my propane-stinky house. No secrets in this Valley.

As I wrote that sentence, the power went out. So, here I am, in the dark as the sun has yet to rise, in a house almost as cold as outside, with no fire lit, and no propane stove to heat water for coffee. The vision of that tropical resort has jumped back into my head. Just as well there is so much snow, or I might be tempted to drive to the airport.

Now, the question. Ah yes, the discomforts encountered when trekking in Nepal. Having pulled on my fleece pants, down jacket and wool toque, I’m equipped to continue the response.

I adventure travel to satisfy my curiosity and to gain an understanding of unfamiliar ways of being. That kind of trip can be uncomfortable in more profound ways than just a lack of basic amenities, but wondering where we’ll sleep, is a preoccupation shared by many travellers. Teahouse trekking in Nepal is easier than tenting, but neither option offers luxurious lodging. That said, Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan National Park provide accommodations ranging from deluxe to basic.

Depending on time of year, hot days and warm nights prevail at the lower elevations of some trekking routes. A person can sleep comfortably under a light sheet in a woven bamboo hut. I find trekking in sweltering, low-elevation humidity tougher than in the thin, cold air at altitude.

At higher elevations, a four-season sleeping bag, yak-wool blanket and sometimes wearing a down jacket and wool tuque to bed usually keep me cozy enough. I pack thick bed socks which stay in my sleeping bag when not on my feet. Some teahouses are more rustic than others. Although they may exist, I’ve never stayed in one with heated bedrooms. A typical room offers two small beds and a dim light bulb. Sometimes a table sits between the beds and on occasion a handy nail will offer a hanging place. In a rustic teahouse, gaps in the thin walls between rooms provide an “imperfect” level of privacy.

Ensuite bathrooms are a rare luxury, especially after visiting a frosty outhouse for several nights. Most teahouses have a clean squat toilet down the hall. I find using a squat toilet more pleasant than hovering over a dysfunctional Western toilet, especially one with no seat. For an added fee, some teahouses offer hot showers, but solar-heated water is often limited, not as hot as I like and only available on sunny days. Considering deforestation, it is environmentally inappropriate to shower with wood-heated hot water. Dank cinderblock shower huts with no place to hang clothes or towel don’t appeal, so I carry a small tin bowl and ask at the kitchen for about 300 ml of hot water which I take to my room for a birdbath. If the weather is warm, I’ll sometimes risk an ice-cream headache and wash my hair under an outside tap or hose if one is available.

Guests gather in dining rooms that often have a stove – sometimes fuelled with wood, but at higher elevations the fuel is often dried yak dung. Stoves are seldom lit before dark, and trekkers are encouraged not to ask for stoves to be lit “early.” Occupying a seat near the stove can require strategic maneuvering, but on a cold evening I’m always grateful to absorb the sometimes-feeble, smoky warmth.

Trekkers don’t go to Nepal to luxuriate. We go to tramp around beneath towering Himalayan peaks. The generous spirit of the Nepali people and the glorious mountains they inhabit make up for lack of Western-style comforts. The joy of vigorous activity, stunning scenery and getting to know welcoming and resilient people more than makes up for spartan accommodation.

The slideshow photos were taken over the past ten years in the regions of Annapurna,

Langtang, Upper Mustang, Gokyo Lakes, Solo Khumbu, Arun Valley, and Kathmandu.

P.S. Over the past ten years, I’ve trekked most of the popular routes, always with HikeNepal.com providing guide, porter and other trek services. Hiring guides and porters through a reputable, licenced Nepali company is generally less expensive than booking through offshore companies and promises fair employment for locals.

Questions and comments welcome. But first, I’m closing the windows and lighting the wood stove because I’m as cold and uncomfortable in this house – home – as I’ve ever been in Nepal.

Still no power. Canadian winters can be so much fun.