Un monde à entreprendre

A small post relating to the necessity of hiring a guide while trekking in Nepal: just don’t.

This may sound like a sharp statement, but we have been quite disgusted by how we have sold a guide on solid arguments, and how few we got from him. We have been told that hiring a guide would lead to greater safety (and has none of us had ever been above 4.000 m, that was our primary reason for allowing ourselves this extra expense. We had also been told that it would help us to have greater knowledge on the mountains (who does not want that on an Himalayan trek?), the nature (sure, why not?!) and would help us to talk to cross the language barrier with the locals. We had even be given the right to make him carry 10 Kgs from our backpack.

As it turned out, the guide forgot his medical kit (so much for the safety!), spoke a pretty basic (not to say far below expected level) English, would answer most our questions by a rather disappointing “I don’t” or “I forgot about that”. He would mix a cow and a yak, as well as got shit and rabbit shit, not to mention he could not even get the name of the mountains right (as we figured out later with a map). As for the conversation with the locals, he would indeed talk to them, and as we asked what they discussed, he would simply disclose the topic of the conversation and stop there. I could go on like this for hours but I think you got the point (did I mention WE had to carry the 10 extra Kgs?).

Looking back at this experience, and having met other guides and some of them seemed rather excellent guides, I would rather give the following advice: do not take a guide if you do not have a guarantee that he is competent, otherwise it is not worth the money as finding your way in the Annapurnas is rather easy, and you will always find someone more experienced than you to talk to in the evening as you reach a lodge or a tea house. Speaking to people and listening to their kind advices should get you where you want safely. You may otherwise want to consider hiring a porter. H would know the way for sure, is likely to speak a little bit of English, and at least well… you do not have to carry your luggage! How could he screw this up?

One last piece of advice, if you still want a guide, hire him directly (cheaper, and HE gets all of the money), ask for his license, plan maybe one hour over a cup of tea to discuss with him before the trek to see if you feel comfortable having him around, and do it in Pokhara rather than in Kathmandu.

Benoit