It doesn’t matter whether you are trekking in Nepal or any part of the world, there are some major do’s and don’ts during any trek. When we focus on trekking do’s and don’ts there are much more things to be careful of.
Although Nepal isn’t too strict or professional on every aspect of the trekking rule, there is a list of things you can do and a list of things you aren’t allowed to do when you are planning trekking in Nepal.
The Trek Nepal would like to take this opportunity to explain trekking do’s and don’ts in Nepal. But let’s start with the positive do’s first.
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Important Trekking Do’s and Don’ts – Always respect the culture and people
The first thing to focus on when in Nepal is respecting the local culture and also open to the local people in the country. There will be plenty of opportunities to engage with the local community, never leave those.
If there is any invitation to join in the festival, celebration or even the basic event try and be part of it. The experience you gain will be more than what money can buy in your entire life.
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Always allow the slow walker to move ahead
This is a general norm globally when we talk about trekking. The slower walks always should be allowed to lead which will build up the pressure to move quicker. If we leave the slow walkers behind they will be departed from the crowd.
In another sense, reaching a higher altitude at a particular time needs to be directed by a controlled pace. With slow walks the acclimatization is brilliant and you have the least chance of getting altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness.
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Use your hands to eat
This could be new for a lot of tourists from the Western world. In the list of do’s and don’ts in trekking with the country Nepal always use your hands to eat. This is a sign of respect towards the food.
There are only a limited number of individuals who tend to eat with a spoon in Nepal. As soon as you use your hand for eating it will help you to feel more warmly welcomed and accepted by the local community.
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Greet with a Namaste
When we meet someone the first norm used is Hello. Things however change in Nepal. Trekking spots in Nepal are the remote locations of the country. As a result of that it is hard for them to understand English words.
So always use the word Namaste. This means hello and a respectable greeting. Using the help of guides from The Trek Nepal you could learn some basic Nepali phrases and common words which could be very helpful in better communication.
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Do things clockwise
Not a lot of the readers, the locals, or even the tourists would know that you need to do things in a clockwise manner when in Nepal. By this, we mean praying in the temples and monasteries or even spinning a prayer wheel.
The prayer wheel in the Nepalese temple is a sacred thing. So until you spin it anticlockwise and pay your homepage in the same way, it is not termed to be pure and sacred. So learning this fact quicker will help you.
Don’ts for trekking in Nepal
There are plenty of don’ts when we talk about trekking do’s and don’ts in Nepal. A blog won’t be enough to suppress everything that needs to be covered.
But The Trek Nepal would like to cover the most important ones.
- Don’t leave trash behind
The tourism and trekking of Nepal believes in responsible tourism. As a result of that it is very important for you to not throw litter here and there.
Throwing waste on the trekking trails makes the journey look odd and very dirty. Likewise, try and use recyclable water bottles instead of plastic bottles as it saves the environment.
- Dont be of a complaining nature
Let’s be very clear that Nepal is a developing country. The remote areas of Nepal have hardly seen the best of the facilities. There are very basic facilities that tend to meet the eye. Therefore being a tourist don’t start complaining.
Complaining about the poor facilities will end up hurting the sentiments of the local people. Therefore try and research well about the place you want to trek on the website of The Trek Nepal before booking it.
- Don’t wear shoes to the temples or inside the house
A highly followed protocol in Nepal is not wearing shoes or slippers inside the house. Mostly in the Western country, the culture of wearing shoes inside the house is common but it is different in Nepal.
Talking about trekking do’s and don’ts this is the biggest don’t in the country. Wearing shoes inside the temple is termed to be impure and the biggest sin. So always try and be aware of this fact.
- Don’t show off your skin
Nepal is a conservative country with traditional norms and values. All these traditional norms and values do make the country special. As a result of that never wear too explosive clothes when in Nepal.
Showing off your skin too much isn’t termed to be a good sign for females. Be it a festival, celebration or casual sitting try and cover your body fully with clothes as it signifies higher respect towards you.
- Don’t point or touch with your hands and legs
It doesn’t matter whether you are signaling towards a religious place or also a person, it is a wrong decision to point with your fingers. People in Nepal don’t signify it as a good habit. You can’t point toward a person with your fingers.
Along with that touching someone with your legs is termed to be a sin and disrespect. In case you touch them mistakenly you need to ask for forgiveness and promise not to do it again.
Added to that you arent allowed to touch anyone’s head. Head is termed to be the sacred part so touching it without permission or fun is termed to be a bad habit.