Image: thegreathimalayatrail.org
Trekking in the Himalayas does not have to be very expensive. Without compromising your safety and still have a great trekking experience, cheap trekking in Himalaya is a great way to save money on your holiday and still have a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! You can easily do cheap trekking in Himalaya by following the simple tips mentioned here.
1. Use Cheap Trekking Gear
You don’t necessarily need a lot of gear to go trekking. Some clothes, boots and a backpack is all that’s really needed. If you just want to go on a single cheap trekking trip in the Himalayas, renting your trekking gear is a good option. Specially in Nepal it is easy to rent cheap trekking gear for the duration of your trek. Sleeping bags, down jackets, trekking poles etc. can all be rented in Kathmandu.
There is also the option of buying second hand trekking gear or buying the “fake stuff”, no-brand clothing etc. It won’t last you for many years like good trekking gear, but it might be enough for the 1, 2 or 3 weeks duration of your trek. If you are into trekking and want to do it more than just this once, I’ll recommend you to buy the good gear though. It will save you money in the long run.
2. Bring Cheap Trekking Food
Instead of buying breakfast, lunch and dinner on the trekking trail, you can bring some of it yourself. Food is a lot cheaper to buy in the cities where there are supermarkets all around. You will have to carry it yourself of course, but a couple of pounds or kilos can go a long way to help you get a cheap Himalayan trek. Chocolate bars, cereals, muesli, instant noodles, biscuits, dried fruits and perhaps instant coffee and powder milk are easy to carry with you without adding too much weight to your backpack. And you don’t need to cook it either. Just unpack it and eat it!
Canned food is another option, but it generally weighs a lot more than the typical trail foods just mentioned.
You can also bring your own little stove. You can get very simple ones that burn fuel tablets, fits in your pocket and cost next to nothing. Together with a little lightweight cooking pot, it will allow you to cook your own complete meals.
3. Do Independent Trekking in Himalaya
Another good way of trekking cheaply in the Himalayas is to avoid hiring guides and porters. You don’t always need them, just stick to the trails and get a trekking guide book instead, complete with maps and route descriptions.
4. Find Cheap Air Tickets
One of the biggest costs is typically air tickets to and from your trekking destination. Try to find the cheapest flight, for instance by finding a last-minute air ticket online.
5. Choose Cheap Trekking Destinations in Himalaya
Nepal and India are generally considered to be offering the cheapest trekking in Himalaya. Many treks in India require some camping gear, so if you already have your own tent etc., the Indian Himalayas are a good and cheap trekking option. If you don’t have all the gear, a tea-house trek in the Nepal Himalayas is probably the cheapest trekking option for you.
The 3 famous Nepalese tea-house treks are the Everest trek, Annapurna trek and Langtang trek. Just note that the Everest trek is in a very remote area and requires a domestic flight in and out. But both the Annapurna and Langtang trekking areas can be reached by local bus, so they are probably the best for cheap trekking in Himalaya.
0 comments