Lodge trekking to the Kanchenjunga Base Camp We’ve run our first lodge trek in the Kanchenjunga region (to both the North and South Base Camps) this year. Four trekkers from Washington State completed a 24-day trek using lodges enroute. Tents were provided so they had the option of sleeping outside in tents if the rooms...Read More
Mountain flight in Nepal (Fixed-wing) For those who do not wish to trek to the Everest region, the Everest-experience mountain flight is a great alternative to view the eastern mountain range of Nepal. All four of Nepal’s leading airlines Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Guna Airlines and Simrik Air conduct the 55 minute to 1 hour...Read More
Ask anyone… Climate change is for REAL. October is usually considered the best time to trek in Nepal. However, this year, incessant rains in the first week of October triggered landslides damaging trekking trails. And snowfall in the high regions meant that many mountain passes were un-crossable. The south-western region of Nepal experienced the most...Read More
Flying to Lukla after October 2022 – What you need to Know. Starting October 2022, all flights to and from Lukla will be conducted from Manthali airport in Ramechhap district – not Kathmandu. This airport is 87 miles (140 Kilometers) from Kathmandu. The drive to/from Manthali is around 5-6 hours. The flight duration from Manthali...Read More
Crystal Mountain Trek’s Trip Rating System Our trips are rated on a scale from 1 to 5: 1 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult. 1 Easy: Hotel nights, non-camping journeys, optional hikes, little elevation gain or loss. 2 Moderate: Hotel nights and/or deluxe, safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on...Read More
Ideal number of days to spend in Nepal: Although a small country, Nepal has much to offer. Yes, Nepal is famous for towering mountains. But we also have a diverse culture, numerous historical and religious sites, jungles with wildlife and other natural beauty. It is the perfect destinations for extreme mountaineers, casual hikers and non-hikers...Read More
According to Dr. Jim Duff and Dr. Peter Gormly, the following should be included in a first aid kit depending on group size for major mountain expeditions of more than 4 weeks (Dr Jim Duff is a mountaineer and worked as Doctor on Chris Bonnington’s 1975 expedition on Everest). This is a very comprehensive list...Read More
Bhutan will start welcoming tourists again after September 23. After remaining shut for two years during the pandemic, travelers will now be allowed to travel to Bhutan with a test at the Paro airport. They will be under observation for 24 hours until their test results are available. But the opening will come with a...Read More
August Newsletter – Monsoon edition We recently celebrated Janai Purnima which falls on the full moon day in the Nepali month of Shrawan. (This is the year 2079 BS in the Nepali Calendar). On this day, Holy thread is tied around the wrist to help purify the soul and protect the individual from evil. And...Read More
Things to know before heading for a trek in Nepal. Advance Planning – What to do in the months before the trip Passport You will need a passport that is current and valid for at least 6 months after your return. You must have a blank page for each country you will visit. If you...Read More
