Api Himal Trek-Trekking Api Saipal Base Camp Hike

Api Himal Trek is completely unexplored remote trek in far western of Nepal, and the trek goes through sub-tropical valleys, flowering rhododendron covered hillsides, alpine ridge traverses, high valleys to base camp of Api and Saipal Himal(7300 m), glaciated passes and cultures ranging from the Hindu aligned tribes of the foothills to Tibetan aligned Bhotia in the north.The Api Himal Trek offers all the diversity of the classical Himalayan trek all over ground that has seldom seen by a foreigner.

Api Himal Trek begins from Darchula and trek to the north along the Mahakali River. You will meet Botia people as we pass through rustic villages and pristine forest. Beyond the final settlement of Tinkar, our trek culminates at Api base camp (4,500 m).  Along the trail, you will also see various distinct cultures and you will see a panoramic view of the Indian mountains as well as Api Himal. Kalidhunga is one of the holy lakes of this area. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of Api Himal trek region.Many mixed local communities such as, Magar, Mahara, Bohora, Thekare, Jhakari and Lohar live on this area. 

Day 01: Arrival, transfer to Hotel
Upon your arrival at Kathmandu Airport, we greets you and assists you to transfer in your hotel in Kathmandu, after resting; you will be provided the essential information regarding the trip in Nepal along with our fellow trekking staff for your adventurous trip. Overnight at Hotel
Day 02: Kathmandu: Sightseeing and Trek Preparation
Today, you will be visiting cultural word heritage sites in Kathmandu valley which is rich for its Newari culture and temples; the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the world biggest Stuppa, Boudhanath, Swoyambhunath Stupa (monkey temple) and historical Kathmandu Durbar Square, and incredible Kumari widely known as Living Goddess in Basantapur of central Kathmandu.
Day 03: Fly to Dhangadi and Drive to Gokuleshwar
From Kathmandu you take a wonderful flight with arresting view of Manaslu, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri Mountain will take you to far west Nepal Dhangadi, After Lunch in Dhangadi we will catch public transportation , the narrow road will take you to Gokuleshwar, where we will stay overnight at camp.
Day 04: Gokuleshwor-Karkale (950m.)
We today begin to trek only after lunch we will hike through an area with picturesque peak view and striking landscape. After having lunch, we will start our trek. We will have to make about 2 hours straight walk and reach Karkale, where we will stay overnight at camp.
Day 05: Trek from Karkale to Chiureni (1,100m.)
From Karlkale, we will walk through stunning villages and farmland. On the way, we will cross countless hanging bridges. After walking for six and a half hours, we will reach Chiureni. In Nepali, Chiuri means butter tree. We will see many butter trees around our campsite and stay overnight at camp.
Day 06: Chiureni to Makarighat (1,800m.)
On this day our trekking trail follows the Chamliya Khola moving ahead from Chiureni. The trail goes to straight and some part narrow. 7 hours walk and stay overnight at camp.
Day 07: Makarighat trek to Seti (3,000m.)
Today we have to walk frequently uphill we have to climb 1200m. On the way we will see some villages and observe that settlements are very scattered. We can see pleasant Mountain View when walking for about six hours and stay overnight at camp at local school.
Day 08: Seti trek to Bayaligad (34,00m.)
From Seti the track goes to go up and move down again while we walk 2 hours then we will reached at Lawathi this is the last village of this trek, this place is known as Saheb Bagarâ many years ago trekkers were stay at that place so local people start to call Saheb Bagar. From here trail goes to uphill and walk through dense jungle. 5 hours walk and stay overnight at camp
Day 09: Bayaligad Trek to Simar (3600m.)
Today, we hike through thick jungle, the trail goes to tenderly up hill. During the summer season there is a kind of plant can be seen in this area the name of plant call Yarsagumba this is kind of Viagra 5 hours walk and stay overnight at camp.
Day 10: Simar trek to Dhawaliwadar (3800m.)
From Simar, today the trail is straight walk to Dhaliwadar it means cave as mention above in the past days nomadic people were used to stay at this cave. Today we will walk through greenery forest with Mountain View and need to cross some small stream. About five hours walk and stay overnight at camp
Day 11: Dhawalidwar trek to Base Camp (4,000m.)
Ascending up for about two hours from Dhawalidwar, we will be reached at Api Himal base camp. After having lunch go to holy lake and walking around the base camp and enjoy with stunning mountain views. Stay overnight at camp.
Day 12: Base Camp trek to Saheb Bagar (2,800m.)
After having breakfast we descend down to Saheb Bagar and go behind the same trail. It takes six hours walk and stay overnight at camp.
Day 13: Saheb Bagar trek to Makarighat (1,800m.)
Today, walking for six and half hours, you will reach Makarighat from Saheb Bagarand stay overnight at camp.
Day 14: Makarighat trek to Bitulechaur (1,200m.)
We walk on the same trail way back to Bitulechaur from Makarighat for six hours and stay overnight camp.
Day 15: Bitule trek to Gokuleshwor (8,50m.)
From Bitule, we walk through stunning villages six hours walk and stay overnight at camp.
Day 16: Gokuleshwor to Dhangadi drive by bus about 14 hrs
Travelling after 14 hours from bus we reach at Dhangadi. Here, you will have farewell dinner with porter and others supporting staff.
Day 17: Fly Back To Kathmandu
After valediction with porter you will be checked in at airport for Kathmandu.

Cost Included:

• All Transfers including airport pick up/drop and trek start point and ending point.
• 3 times meals -breakfast, lunch & dinner including the coffee and tea during trek.
• Accommodation in tea houses or in tents as per itinerary during the trek.
• Twin Sharing accommodation including breakfast in Kathmandu as per itinerary.
• Licensed Trek guide and necessary porters during the trek.
• Travel Insurance of all staff including porters.
• Government / Local taxes. 
• Trek Permit

Cost Not Included:

• Entrance fee in sightseeing sites of kathmandu valley.
• International airfares
• Trekking Equipment
• Major meals, lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
• Any type of personal expenses such as alcoholic beverages and drinks, phone and laundry.
• Nepal entry visa fees– you may easily obtain the visa upon your arrival at Kathmandu airport.
• Rescue & travel insurance, trip cancellation costs, accident or health emergency, evacuation, loss, theft or damage to baggage and personal effects. We strongly advise you to take out Personal travel insurance.
• Tips for guide and porters.

Equipment and Luggage limit for the trek
Each porter carries between 15 kg and 20 kg on average in the mountain region for trekking. There is up to 30 kg of a camping pack. We usually assign one porter for two trekkers. The 15 kg of luggage is allowed per person on the trek. The health of our porter crew is strictly guaranteed.
Clothing
Trekking boots
Short-sleeved Trekking shirts
Trekking pants and jackets
Thermals underwear
Long-sleeved Trekking shirts
Insulating down jackets
Woolen cap
Trekking Gloves
Raincoats

First Aid
Diamox tablets
Sanitary pads / Tampons
Anti-nausea Medicines
Band-aids
Mosquito and insect repellents

Toiletries
Soap
Toilet Paper
Shampoo
Sunscreen
Moisturizer
Hand sanitizer

Accessories
Sunglasses
Sleeping bag
Cameras
Batteries
Water Bottle
Solar Chargers
Hot water Thermos
Important Documents
Passport
Travel Permits

Best Time Trek to Api Himal Trek
The Api Himal Trek is best for Spring (February, March, April, May) and Spring (October, November). Spring / monsoon trekking (June, July) is affected by the rain but summer trails can be an advantage for an enthusiastic botanist. The walking trails are crowded in the spring and autumn, but the routes are not packed in moon and winter and you can really enjoy the nature.

Api Himal Trek Difficulty
The Api Himal Trek is a moderate-level trek in Nepal. It requires little or no previous experience in mountaineering. Past trekking experience will be the asset. Physical preparedness at least 2 weeks prior to the trek would be advised. Stairs climbing, jogging, cardio exercises and squats would be best.  Before you start your journey, our travel specialists will provide you with brief training to provide you with information on location and security precautions.

Meals on Api Himal Trek
This is a camping Trek. Food will be prepared in a camp kitchen, while guides and porters ensure that necessary provisions are carried to prepare high-energy, nutritious and tasty food.All the breakfast during your trip is included but the lunches and dinners are not unless we offer farewell and welcome dinner at the local restaurant. Meals during Kathmandu stay and trekking days cost from $8 to $10 per item depending on what you choose to eat.

Telephone and Internet
Since, this is a camping trek, it is unlikely that you would have access to Wi-fi and internet connection from data pack may not be efficient unless you are in city areas or villages.There are telephones in some villages along the trekking routes from which you can make international calls. All our guides carry local sim cards both Nepal Telecom and N-cell in order to update the whereabouts and situation of our every client. You may pass the number of our guide to your family for the callback or you can make a call from the guide’s mobile and pay him directly for the international call too. During the tour there will be easy access for International call through cyber and communication Center. You will get Wi-Fi connection too in some of the places in the mountains for the extra cost. 

Charging of your devices
It is unlikely that you would have access to the electricity to charge your most gadgets unless you are in city areas or villages. It would be advisable for you to carry a power bank. 

Drinking Water on the trek
The sufficient amount of water need to carry all the way. Filling up water is quick. Taps in, out or in guesthouses mean that there are plenty of places to fill your bottles and/or your water bladder where you stay, a lunch stop, or a shared public tap used by locals wherever possible. Use an efficient sterilization method to make sure your water is safe and not contaminated in anyway.

You have to manage yourself for the drinking water. There are two good options for having proper drinking water during the trek. You can bring water purification tablets or fill your bottle for a nominal fee from the recognized and regulated "pure water" stations along the trek. As the alternative, you can also easily purchase bottled water at the lodges. The bottled water costs USD 2$ - 4$ per litre. It is very important that you drink at least 3 litres of pure water daily during the trek.

Api Himal Trek Permit
You will need permits and TIMS Card for this trek. We will arrange these permit for you. Please do not forget to bring 4 passport size photos for them. 

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for this trip. Your insurance should cover at least medical and emergency evacuation. In emergency situations, helicopter evacuation is provided but you must ensure that the evacuation cost is covered by your travel insurance. Of course, you also want cover for personal losses or damages, cancellation of flight or trip, etc.

Nepal Visa
You can get Nepal visa upon arrival at Kathmandu Airport at USD 30 (or equivalent in other major currencies) for a 15 days visa, USD 50 for a 30 days visa and USD 125 for a 90 days Multiple visas, and you can also extend it later on if you wish. They have newly installed technology (visa machine) which makes it no longer necessary to have a passport photo. Important! Please bring 3 photos for your trekking permit, TIMS and for others.

Money Matter
Some major currencies (USD, AUD, Pound and EURO) are accepted for both visas and in general. There are plenty of ATM's in both Kathmandu, Pokhara and Namche and credit cards are accepted in limited shops and many restaurants. Please note that only Nepali rupees are accepted on the trek.

It’s difficult to give an exact amount of money that you should bring. Costs will vary according to how much you want to spend for shopping and meals (lunch and dinner) you want to eat. Trekkers find that around $30 (for lunch & dinner) a day is reasonable for the trekking days. You may have to pay for Wi-Fi, electricity and hot showers too (up in the mountains during the trek). Hence allocating the allowance for each day accordingly would suffice.

Group size
For each tour date, there will be several separate groups. Each group will have a maximum of 14 people with its own experienced English speaking guide. During the trek, there will be a suitable number of porters to carry your luggage.

Trip cost
The cost of our trip is based on a twin-sharing basis so there will be two people accommodated in each room during the tour. If you prefer private accommodation or you are a solo traveler, you'll find the option for "single supplement". Additional cost will be applicable as a Single Supplementary Charge for the single room during the trip.

Trip Extension
If you would like to book extra activities such as Paragliding (110 pp), Bungy jump (80 pp), Mountain flight (USD 230 pp), Heli Tour (USD 900 pp –based on 5 pax) Bhaktapur Sightseeing many more programs. You can book by contacting us at missionecotreknepal@gmail.com. For longer excursions such as Bhutan, Tibet, India, and any other treks also, we can help but please call or message on WhatsApp at +977 9851023742.

Tipping
A general rule of thumb for tipping is USD 90-150 for porter and guide if you are fully satisfied with their service. So we suggest you allocate a minimum of USD 70 for tipping. This is just a guideline and you may tip whatever /how much you think is appropriate for the services rendered which made your trek a memorable one.

Porter's Luggage Limit 
For the trek, we'll have one porter for two people as per group size. The porter will carry 12 kg-15 kg per person luggage during the trek. You need to carry your day pack to keep your personal belongings such as wallet, camera, water bottle, dry snack, headlight, gadgets, etc. The safety and concerns of our porters is our collective responsibility. We take our responsibilities towards them and their safety concerns strictly. On your part, please carry only things that are of absolute necessities.

Buying Gear and Equipment
If you are considering to donate, School supplies (pens, notebooks, colored pencils, etc). These gifts can be directly turned over to our company when you arrive in Kathmandu. And we will manage them to distribute through our proper channels. As for your the need of much of your trekking clothes and tour supplies and gears, they can be easily purchased in Kathmandu at good prices. Bring hiking boots/shoes from your country. The Nepali ones are not recommended. Your guide will assist you to get anything you may need here.

The Risk and Liabilities
We are committed to providing the best services which will give you a once in a lifetime journey. We perform our duties honestly and seriously to make your journey very smooth and pleasant. However, the entire programs in Nepal are conducted strictly under the rules and regulation of their policies. So in this case, we will give options to choose a different itinerary for an enjoyable holiday. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us.

Sleeping Bag
You will need a good quality sleeping bag for this trip. It helps you sustain the colder climate in Nepali mountains up to -25 degree Celsius of temperature. However if you need the one of your own, you can buy one here. Your guide shall assist you to get it here. Keep the track of the weather forecast of the area and pack your clothes accordingly. This would help you be prepared for the type of weather Nepali Mountains are accustomed to. It is also possible to rent sleeping bag here in Kathmandu too.

Electricity Device
Remember to bring TWO and THREE pin travel adapters! You can also buy the adapters in the supermarkets or electronic shops in the Kathmandu. Our guide can help you with it.

Luggage Storage Facility
The hotel in Kathmandu does provide free storage services. So you can store your luggage and clothing that are not required for trekking and you can collect it after your Trek and Tour.

Weather and Temperature 
The width of Nepal is only about 200 km on an average, but within this short distance, the altitude of the land rises from 60 m up to 8,848 m. Hence the weather depends upon the altitude of the place in Nepal. However, in general, Nepal has four climatic seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.Spring starts from March to May. The temperature of this season fluctuates between 20 C to 30 C (68 F to 86 F). Summer starts from June last to August. These are also the monsoon months with occasional evening-thunderstorms and hot temperature. Autumn starts from late September and ends by November. During this period, the climate is generally dry and mild with temperature fluctuating between 20 C to 30 C (68 F to 86 F). Winter starts from December until February. The mornings and evenings are very cold while the afternoon is pretty sunny. The temperature during these months rises from 10 C to 20 C (59 F to 68 F). At higher altitudes, it is cold during the winter months.

Vegan Meals
There will not be any problem for vegetarian, most of the lodges serve vegetarian meals. We always recommend our clients to eat vegetarian meals to avoid food poisoning, eating heavy meals and non-vegetarian meals at a high altitude is not really safe for the stomach.

Refund Policy in case of not completing the trip.
Sometimes travellers are unable to finish the scheduled trek due to the various reasons or they ended up not completing the trek/tour for health or personal reasons. In this case please realize that we cannot offer you any refunds for unused days on the trek/tour. You have to understand that our costs are the same as we have an obligation to pay our guides and porters for the time they have committed.

Cancellation Policy of Trip
No refund will be made for 20% deposit amount in case of cancellation of trip for any other else reason. Having paid the full amount of any trip, you will get your money back but still, cancellation charge (20%) is invoiced to you. And for the voucher holders, since you have purchased the voucher from the deal companies, we have to follow their cancellation policy. But for both the conditions, we are flexible to postpone your trip in any later days. Written notification of your cancellation should be made to cancel any trip.