How to Hire a Local Nepal Trekking Guide

Last Updated on August 13, 2019 by foxintheforest

You’d be doing yourself a dis-service if you didn’t hire a local Nepal trekking guide for your Himalayan trek. Even experienced hikers and trekkers will enjoy hiring a local treking guide in Nepal. Support Nepal’s biggest economic sector, see some unbelievable mountain scenery, and make a local friend along the way. Here’s how to hire a local Nepal trekking guide.

nepal trekking guide

Do You Need to Hire a Guide to Go Trekking in Nepal?

I’m an independent person. Having traveled via local transportation through Java, solo adventured through Mongolia and backpacked over 100 miles on the Colorado Trail I understand how to dive right into a place unsupported. However, for my visit to Nepal, I hired a guide and a porter. Could I have navigated the trails on my own? Sure. They are well marked. Could I have managed to find myself a place to rest my weary head at night? Absolutely. But should you trek in Nepal without a guide? Unless you have lived here, been here many times, or have close local connections I wouldn’t recommend it.

trekking guide in nepal

About Traveling in Nepal

Nepal is a fascinating country filled with world-class trekking routes in the Himalaya, priceless cultural diversity, tasty food, and abundant wildlife. There’s quite a bit to see and do in Nepal. These related articles will help you plan your trip to Nepal and make the most of your time in this incredible country.

Shop Local: Find a Local and Support Local Economic Growth

Tourism is the number one industry in Nepal. For those not in the know, Nepal boasts eight of the 10 world’s tallest peaks. In essence, this is a mountain mecca and hundreds of thousands flock here each year to tackle her challenges and admire her beauty.

However, don’t be fooled, Nepal still struggles to develop. It is a new democracy lacking a constitution with plenty of hurdles ahead of it. According to the World Bank, the annual household income in this humble land-locked nation is a mere $730. Nepali people are extraordinarily resilient; always looking at the positive and depending on zero help to better their situation.

nepal trekking mount everest

Throughout the trek, I spoke with both solo trekkers and Nepali alike about having a guide and porter. One trekker was shocked that an outdoorsy couple from Colorado would hire a porter to carry their baggage. We explained that we could have carried our own gear, but we chose to provide someone with work for two weeks instead. All around us we got approving nods from the locals. Having a guide and porter isn’t a sign of being a newbie in the mountain world or being weak, it’s a sign of respect. Locals pick up on this. They are more curious about trekkers with guides and much more welcoming.

The single best thing you can do as a tourist is to find a Nepalese trekking agency, hire a Nepalese guide, and utilize a Nepalese porter while trekking in Nepal. By doing so you are not only giving people much-needed work, but you are also giving back directly to the community.

Find a Nepal Trekking Guide Service That Treats You Like Family

Guides offer you a window into the fabulous culture of Nepal. Nepal operates on a community-based culture. It is all about who you know. If you’re traveling solo you’ll know no one. The only successful solo travelers we came across either lived in Nepal or had visited many times and made local friends. If that’s not you a guide can help you engage with the local community on a meaningful level.

Guides, especially good ones who have been doing this for years, are a part of the community surrounding your trekking route. You stay in lodges where the guide is welcomed and by default, you are welcomed too. We stayed in one lodge where our guide said we could do some laundry. So we bought soap in Namche and got some much-needed washing done, for free. Since I was fresh out of even passably clean socks and underwear this was a godsend!

Finding a local trekking guide in Nepal that welcomes you like family can seem a bit like a crapshoot. Before committing to a single agency, email several different agencies. Ask a bunch of questions. Discuss if there is room to personalize a trek just a little, like seeing a particular landmark at a certain time of day or going on local acclimatization hikes. If the response is a resounding yes, chances are the guide service is flexible and wants to welcome you to their country.

best trekking guide in nepal

Doing laundry the good old fashion way, like a local.

Hire a Trekking Guide in Nepal that Allows You a Glimpse into Their World.

The insights our beloved guide Krishna provided were invaluable. You really get to know the people you spend most of your day walking with. We spent hours talking about anything and everything. We learned from each other. Nestled in a stunning backdrop we sat and shared stories about our past, our dreams, our hardships, and successes. We laughed, we sang and carried on with practical jokes. Genuine cultural exchanges are the heart of travel, don’t miss out by going alone.

Pro Tip: When inquiring about trips, state that you are interested in learning about the local way of life. Engage with your trekking guide. Ask him about his life, family, and childhood. But don’t just ask, respond as well. People love to talk about themselves but by giving back insights on your home you can learn from one another. We often told funny stories from our childhood about how we teased our siblings or got in trouble for silly behavior from our elders.

should i hire a guide in nepal

Krishna and I still chat on the regular a year after returning home.

Ensure You and Your Trekking Guide Have Rooms

People who trek without guides and porters most certainly receive different treatment than those who don’t. We not only witnessed this first hand but spoke to a few lodge owners about it. To put it simply, if you’re traveling solo you will get the lower quality room. You will pay more for it. If you are traveling during the high season and the lodges are busy, even full up, and you’re alone chances are you will be turned away.

trekking in nepal gokyo ri

People sleep in common rooms during the high season because there simply is not enough room in the small villages along trekking routes. Lodge owners informed me that if I were to show up with a guide and the lodge was full he would find my guide, porter and me place to sleep. If the same were to happen with a solo trekker, they would be turned away or given a tent.

Be sure to find a reputable company that includes both the guide and porter’s meals and lodging with the price of your trip. You can ask the company you are looking to trek with or see if the information is on their website. Often times, ultra-cheap prices equate to poor treatment of guides and porters. This means you will not only have a grumpy guide, but you will also be supporting poor treatment of employees.

reasons to hire a guide in Nepal

Additional Tips on How to Hire a Trekking Guide in Nepal

One of the most frequent questions I get asked about Nepal is how to find a guide. There are two methods: one is to wait until you get to Nepal and the other is a good old web search. Regardless of which method you choose make sure your guide is a TAAN member. TAAN or Trekking Agency Association of Nepal sets forth a minimum standard for safety, health, and the environment with a trekking agency. Trekking agencies often display on their websites if they are TAAN, and you can always ask an outfit to show their licenses. For example, the company I trekked with, Trekking Planner Nepal, has all of this information on their web page.

trekking in nepal

Find a Trekking Guide in Nepal on the Web

Most people don’t have the time to head to Nepal, shop for a guide, and hope it works out. Simply google around for the tour you want to do. Find several companies with different itineraries and prices then send out inquiries. Ask questions you do and don’t know the answer to. Next, judge the responses. In the end, I went with Trekking Planner Nepal based on their response time (Dipak was quick to respond) and how honest I felt he answered my questions. You’ll know when you’ve found the right fit. The disadvantage here is that you don’t meet your guide beforehand.

Find a Trekking Guide in Nepal in Person

This method is a bit trickier and I would honestly advise against it unless you’ve done it before or have loads of time. Basically, you show up in Kathmandu and search for a guide there. The reason I wouldn’t recommend this method is that you are much more susceptible to scams. However, the method remains the same. Ask questions that you do and don’t know the answer to and go with your gut.

how to hire a trekking guide in nepal

Trekking isn’t going to break the bank, but it isn’t a budget activity either. The people must work harder than you can imagine to haul building materials, food, and supplies up to villages so you are more comfortable. Going out alone, disrespecting their traditions, and attempting to lowball them will only alienate them. Hiring a guide and porter not only helps the local economy, but it ensures you will have a welcoming Nepali experience. Be a part of the community, not apart from the community.

A comprehensive resource for trekking with a guide in Nepal. Reasons on why you should hire a local guiding service for your Nepal holiday. Tips and tricks for hiring a local trekking guide in Nepal and how to make the most of your Everest Base Camp trekking experience. #everestbasecamp #trekkinginNepal #hiking #trekking #nepaltravel

A comprehensive resource for trekking with a guide in Nepal. Reasons on why you should hire a local guiding service. Tips and tricks for hiring a local trekking guide in Nepal and how to make the most of your trekking experience. #everestbasecamp #trekkinginNepal #nepaltravel

Meg Atteberry
Meg Atteberry

Meg is a long-time Colorado local and outdoor industry professional. She's spent the last 15 years hiking, climbing, mountaineering, and canyoneering all over Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada in search of the best views. She's written for Outside Magazine, REI, Backpacker Magazine, and appeared on the Weather Channel.

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Meg Atteberry standing on a mountain sticking her tongue out

Meg aka Fox is a 30-something who's born to explore. Toddler mom, queer, and neuro-spicy her favorite things to do are climb in the alpine and camp in the desert. Her mission is to get you out on your greatest adventure.