Frequently Asked
Questions

Community Action Treks runs guided lodge trekking holidays to Nepal’s most spectacular mountain regions. These are journeys rather than expeditions — fully guided, fully supported, with all accommodation, most meals, porterage and transfers included.

Our current destinations include the Manaslu Circuit, Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit and Langtang Valley. We keep groups small (maximum 12 guests), use expert Sherpa guides throughout, and source food and supplies locally wherever possible.

We also offer tailor-made and private group treks for schools, charities, corporate groups and private parties. If you have a specific route, date or group in mind, get in touch and we’ll build it for you.

Nepal offers some of the most varied and extraordinary terrain on earth. Depending on your trek and the stage, you can expect subtropical river valleys, rice and millet terraces, dense rhododendron forests, high mountain pastures, glacial moraines, and the exposed rocky ridgelines of the high Himalaya.

As you gain altitude the terrain becomes drier and more dramatic. Trails are generally well-defined but can be steep, uneven and slow-going on technical sections. The Larkya La on the Manaslu Circuit (5,160m) involves snowy high-mountain terrain that requires an early start and careful footing.

We always match the pace to the group. No one is left behind and no one is rushed.

Porters typically leave the tea house around 05:00, carrying your main pack ahead to the next overnight stop. After breakfast at around 07:30–08:00, the group sets off with light daypacks. On average you’ll be on your feet for 4–7 hours, covering between 9 and 22km depending on the stage.

We stop regularly to take in the views, drink water, and spend time in the villages and landscapes we pass through. Sit-down lunch at a tea house or on the trail comes around midday. We typically arrive at the next overnight stop between 14:00 and 16:00.

Evenings are for relaxing, socialising over dinner, and an evening briefing from your guide on the following day. An early night is the norm on the trail — your body will be grateful for it, especially at altitude.

In Kathmandu we use comfortable mid-range hotels — well-located, with private rooms and en-suite bathrooms. Hotel Manang and similar properties in the Thamel area are our standard.

On the trail, accommodation is in locally-owned tea houses and lodges. These are simple by Western standards — typically twin-share rooms, communal dining rooms, and basic bathroom facilities. On the most remote sections of the Manaslu Circuit and higher sections of other treks, facilities are very basic indeed. This is the experience: authentic mountain hospitality in communities that rarely see outsiders.

Sleeping bags are essential throughout the trek. We include a full kit list with all bookings so you know exactly what to bring.

CAT has been operating in Nepal since 1989. Our route knowledge comes from 35 years of Sherpa guides who have walked these trails their entire lives — not from a guidebook or a recent research trip.

We choose destinations where the trekking experience is genuinely extraordinary, where we can source accommodation and food locally, and where our presence benefits the communities along the route. In several cases, those communities are directly supported by Community Action Nepal projects — health posts and schools that sit alongside the trails we walk.

Absolutely. The majority of our guests travel solo and most of them say it was the best decision they made. CAT treks are built around small groups of like-minded people — you arrive as a stranger and leave with a new circle of friends who share exactly the same love of extraordinary places.

Shared twin accommodation is the standard in both Kathmandu hotels and trail tea houses. If you would prefer your own room in Kathmandu, a private room upgrade is available. Tea houses on remote routes like the Manaslu Circuit are twin-share only — private rooms are not available on the trail itself.

We’ve welcomed trekkers from their twenties to their seventies. There is no upper or lower age limit — what matters is fitness, attitude and a genuine spirit of adventure. Our oldest guest to date completed the Manaslu Circuit in their late sixties.

Most guests are aged between their thirties and fifties. Despite being a UK-based company, we regularly welcome guests from Australia, North America, Europe and further afield.

It depends on the trek. Our Demanding grade treks — like the Manaslu Circuit and Everest Base Camp — require a solid base of aerobic fitness and comfort with sustained uphill walking over multiple consecutive days. You don’t need to be an athlete, but you do need to have been putting in consistent training in the months beforehand.

As a guide: if you can comfortably walk 6–8 hours on consecutive days in hilly terrain, and recover well enough to do it again the next morning, you are ready. If you’re unsure, book a free call with us and we’ll give you an honest assessment.

Our focus is always on the journey rather than pace. No one is left behind and the group moves together. What matters is the spirit you bring, not your speed.

No previous Himalayan experience is required for most of our treks, including Manaslu and EBC. However, you should have completed multi-day walking or trekking before — experience in the Alps, Pyrenees, Scottish Highlands or similar mountain environments is a good indicator of readiness.

If this is your first experience at high altitude, our guides will walk you through everything you need to know about acclimatisation, altitude sickness, and how to look after yourself on the mountain. First-time Himalayan trekkers are absolutely welcome.

Kathmandu has a brilliant and varied food scene — virtually all dietary requirements can be accommodated in the city.

On the trail, the staple is Dhal Bhat — a hearty plate of rice, lentils, vegetables and chilli that is both delicious and exactly what your body needs at altitude. Tea house menus also typically include pasta, noodle soup, fried rice, omelettes and pancakes.

Vegetarians are well catered for. Gluten and lactose intolerances can usually be managed with advance notice. Strict vegans may find the options more limited on remote sections — please let us know when you book and we will brief the tea house teams in advance. The more notice we have, the better we can prepare.

Once you’ve booked, we send a detailed kit list covering everything you need for the trek — from base layers and down jacket to trekking poles, sleeping bag and altitude medication. Read it carefully and don’t underpack for the cold.

The key principle: your main bag is carried by porters on the trail, so you only carry a light daypack. That means you can bring what you need without the pack being punishing. A quality sleeping bag rated to at least −10°C is essential for high-altitude sections.

For specific kit questions before booking, just email us and we’ll advise.

We include everything you need so that you can focus entirely on the experience. This means: all accommodation (Kathmandu hotel and trail tea houses), full board on the trail (all meals from arrival in the mountains to return to Kathmandu), expert Sherpa guides throughout, all porterage (your main pack is carried daily), all private transfers including the 4WD drive to and from the trailhead, and all conservation and national park permit fees.

The trip price is a land-only price. International flights are not included and are booked independently.

Additional costs on the trek are typically limited to drinks, snacks beyond what’s provided, personal souvenirs, and tips for the local team.

No. International flights to and from Kathmandu (KTM) are booked independently. We don’t sell air tickets, but we’re happy to advise on routes and airline options if helpful.

Once you’ve booked your flight, share your arrival and departure details with us and we will arrange your airport transfer from the moment you land. Everything from that point is included and taken care of.

Yes. To confirm your place we ask for a deposit at the time of booking. The balance can be paid in instalments leading up to the departure date. Full details of the payment schedule are provided at the time of booking. There are no additional fees for paying in instalments.

If you would like to discuss payment arrangements before booking, just email us.

Any notice of cancellation must be provided in writing to hello@catreks.com. Our cancellation policy is as follows:

Due to commitments made to our Sherpa team, tea house owners and permit authorities, exceptions cannot be made for any reason. We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation cover. Full details are in our Terms & Conditions.

If CAT cancels a departure: You are entitled to transfer all sums paid to another CAT trek within two years, or request a full refund.

Most of our set departures require a minimum of 4 guests to operate, with a maximum of 12. If a departure is at risk of not reaching minimum numbers, we will contact all booked guests as early as possible and offer either transfer to another departure or a full refund.

Private and tailor-made treks can be arranged for any group size from 2 upwards. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

All CAT guides are first-aid trained and carry a group first-aid kit and emergency oxygen. If something isn’t right, tell a guide immediately — early communication is always the right call.

Depending on the situation, we will prepare an alternative plan. This might mean a reduced pace and lighter days, being transported by vehicle on accessible sections, or in serious cases, arranging helicopter evacuation with your insurance provider. This is precisely why comprehensive travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover is non-negotiable on our treks.

In our experience it is rare for a guest to need to withdraw entirely from a trek. But we take every situation seriously and your safety is always the priority.

We take altitude sickness seriously. Our itineraries are designed with acclimatisation built in at every stage — we never rush the ascent. Guides monitor every guest daily with pulse oximeters and are trained in the recognition and management of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), HAPE and HACE.

The single most important rule: if you feel unwell, tell your guide immediately. Descending even a short distance is often enough to resolve early symptoms. Never try to push through altitude sickness.

Some guests choose to take Acetazolamide (Diamox) as a preventative measure — this is a prescription medication and should be discussed with your GP before departure. We can provide further guidance in your pre-departure briefing.

In Kathmandu, Wi-Fi and mobile data are reliable and widely available. On the trail it varies significantly by route and altitude.

On the lower sections of most treks, intermittent 4G signal is available. As you gain altitude and move into more remote areas, signal becomes increasingly patchy and eventually absent. On the higher sections of the Manaslu Circuit (above Samagaon), connectivity is very limited.

Some tea houses offer paid Wi-Fi via satellite or local SIM cards. We recommend purchasing a local Nepali SIM card in Kathmandu for basic connectivity on the lower sections. Come prepared to be off-grid for significant stretches — it’s one of the best parts.

Facilities on the trail are basic and vary by location. Most tea houses have squat toilets, with Western-style toilets more common in lower valleys and on busier routes. On the Manaslu Circuit in particular, facilities become increasingly simple the higher and more remote you go.

Hot showers are available at most tea houses for a small additional charge, though water pressure and temperature are highly variable. Wet wipes, hand sanitiser and a small dry bag for toiletries are essential kit.

This is genuinely remote mountain trekking. Adjusting your expectations on comfort is part of the experience — and most guests find it remarkably liberating after day two.

Most tea houses offer charging facilities, either via mains electricity or solar power. A small charge per device per session is typical. On the most remote sections of the Manaslu Circuit, solar charging may be the only option and can be unreliable in cloudy weather.

We strongly recommend bringing a high-capacity power bank (20,000mAh+) and a universal travel adaptor. Nepal uses both Type C and Type D plugs. Charge everything fully in Kathmandu before you leave.

Yes. Most nationalities require a tourist visa for Nepal. Visas can be obtained online in advance via the Nepal Department of Immigration website, or on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

We recommend the 30-day tourist visa (approximately US$50) for our longer treks. Bring the fee in cash if obtaining on arrival, plus two passport-sized photographs — these are also required for national park permits, so bring a few spares. Your passport must have at least six months’ validity beyond your return date.

Comprehensive travel insurance with emergency helicopter evacuation cover to at least 5,500m is non-negotiable on all CAT treks. This is not optional. The Himalaya is genuinely remote and helicopter evacuation is the only realistic option in a serious high-altitude medical emergency.

Your policy must explicitly cover trekking at altitude and include helicopter rescue and medical evacuation. Many standard policies exclude this — check your policy wording carefully. Providers such as Battleface, True Traveller and World Nomads are known to offer suitable adventure travel policies.

We ask you to confirm your insurance details on the booking form before departure. If you are unsure whether your existing policy is adequate, email us and we will advise.

We recommend consulting a travel health clinic or your GP at least 6–8 weeks before departure. Commonly recommended vaccinations for Nepal include Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Rabies, Tetanus, and Meningitis. Malaria prophylaxis is not generally required for the high-altitude trekking regions we operate in, but check with your doctor.

Diamox (Acetazolamide) for altitude sickness prevention is a prescription medication — discuss this with your doctor if you’re considering it for higher-altitude treks like Manaslu or EBC.

The Nepali Rupee (NPR) is the local currency. USD is widely accepted for visa fees, larger purchases and tipping. ATMs are available in Kathmandu but are not accessible on the trail — withdraw sufficient cash in Kathmandu before the drive to the trailhead, as there are no banking facilities on remote trekking routes.

Budget approximately US$15–25 per day for additional drinks, snacks and incidentals on the trail. Kathmandu is very affordable by Western standards — a good meal typically costs US$5–15 and a local beer around US$2–4.

The two main trekking seasons in Nepal are Spring (March–May) and Autumn (October–December). Both offer stable weather, clear skies and excellent trail conditions.

Spring brings rhododendron forests in full bloom and warming temperatures. Autumn delivers the famous Himalayan clarity that follows the monsoon — crisp air, exceptional visibility and the best summit views. October and November are considered by many to be the finest months to trek in Nepal.

We avoid the monsoon months of June through September, when heavy rainfall makes most high routes dangerous or inaccessible. All CAT departures are scheduled within the optimal trekking windows.

Community Action Nepal (CAN) is a registered UK charity founded by Doug Scott CBE in 1994 — five years after he founded Community Action Treks. Its purpose is to improve the lives of people in rural Nepal through sustainable community development: schools, health posts, clean water, porter welfare schemes, and emergency relief.

CAN operates independently of CAT, but the two organisations are inseparable in spirit. Surplus funds from CAT operations are directed to CAN projects. When you book a CAT trek, your booking contributes to this work.

In several direct ways. First, all CAT Sherpa guides and porters are paid fair wages — a principle that has been at the core of this company since Doug Scott founded it in 1989, at a time when the trekking industry routinely underpaid the people who made it possible.

Second, we source food and supplies locally wherever possible, directing the economic benefit of tourism toward the villages along the route rather than back to Kathmandu operators.

Third, surplus funds from CAT operations are channelled directly to Community Action Nepal projects — the 40+ health posts, schools and water infrastructure projects across the Himalaya that CAN has built and sustained for over 30 years.

This is not a charitable bolt-on. It is the reason this company was built.

Yes — depending on your route, you will walk directly past CAN health posts and, in some cases, schools. On the Manaslu Circuit, you pass CAN health posts in Bihi, Lihi, Lho, Samagaon and Samdo — five separate facilities serving communities that would otherwise have almost no access to basic healthcare.

Your Sherpa guide will be able to tell you about the history of each project and the community it serves. Many of our guides have personal connections to these projects and the families they support. It is one of the most moving aspects of the trek — and something no other UK operator can offer with the same depth and authenticity.

Yes. Community Action Nepal is a registered UK charity and welcomes direct donations. You can donate via their website at canepal.org.uk/donate.

Many CAT guests choose to make a donation in addition to their trek booking — particularly after seeing the health posts on the trail. There is no obligation, but it is always deeply appreciated by the communities that benefit.