Our Pioneering History in the Himalaya

We are proud to be the adventure company that pioneered trekking in the Himalaya. Our first trip ever was a trek in Nepal in 1969 - organized by Leo Le Bon (co-founder of our company) and with Everest summiteer Lute Jerstad as trek leader. The sleeping bags were Nepali cotton quilts and trail breakfast was a "Boris omelet" (a recipe that changed daily apparently depending on yesterday's leftovers), but no discomfort could discourage this group of adventurers from enjoying the majestic splendor of the highest mountains on earth. And when Bhutan opened its door to restricted tourism in 1974, we began offering trips there, and were the first to offer treks when they were allowed two years later.

For more than 35 years, trekking in the Himalaya has been part of our trip offerings and in the late 1980s, we established a local trekking operation in Nepal in partnership with long-time Nepalese resident Stan Armington. Stan was among the first westerners to explore remote areas of Nepal and a member of our very first trek in Nepal (signup number five, we think). He returned to lead treks in Nepal in 1972, and has been a resident there since 1974. A fellow of the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society of London, and a member of the board for the American Himalaya Foundation, Stan is also the author of the definitive Lonely Planet guidebooks to trekking in Nepal and Bhutan.

Our years of experience and well-established contacts throughout the Himalaya guarantee you the most far-reaching and culturally interesting experience available. We work closely with the staff and guides, provide training for cooks and sirdars (chief of Sherpa staff), and encourage professional development of Nepalese guides. And as part owner of our Nepalese ground operation, you can be assured of continuing maintenance of quality control and smoothly operated logistics.


back to top




What to Expect on an MTS Trek

Our Himalayan trekking adventures involve traveling and camping in remote areas and often at high altitude. They take you through mountain villages where you will experience the customs and the culture of the regions. And almost all of our treks start - and end - in larger cities, where you will have time to visit temples, bazaars, and other places of cultural and historical interest. On trek, our camp staff will set up and break down camp, and as you move from camp to camp, porters or pack animals will carry all of the gear and camp supplies. All you have to carry is a light daypack with items such as water, camera, sunscreen, and a windbreaker.

A Typical Day on the Trail

The trekking day typically starts early with the appearance of a smiling Sherpa at the door of your tent bringing you a cup of hot tea to get you started, followed by a large bowl of hot water for washing. Then it's time to pack your bags and sit down to a hearty breakfast. Soon, you're off on the trail.

You will spend your day hiking slowly through scenic landscapes consisting of mountain ranges, villages, forests, and/or valleys. There's plenty of time to stop for a view or a photo, and exchange a smile or greeting with the friendly people with whom you may share the trail. A trailside lunch breaks up the day, giving you time to rest and refuel with a substantial meal prepared by the staff.

You arrive in camp in the late afternoon and have time to wash up and get settled in your tent before enjoying tea and snacks in the dining tent. The next few hours before dinner are free to write in your journal, read a few pages in a novel, play cards, engage in conversation, or simply relax. The day closes with a hot, multi-course dinner and the rest of the evening is yours to recount the events of the day, gaze at the stars and the moonlit peaks, or retire to your tent to read for a while before dozing off to sleep.

Accommodations & Food

We trek to some of the world's most remote, beautiful regions - some of which you can only access via foot. They are far from well-traveled routes and suitable nearby lodgings, but you will be pleasantly surprised how comfortable we can make you feel in these more rustic and remote places.

We provide most of the gear for our trekking trips (tents, commissary gear, etc.). A detailed list of recommended personal clothing and equipment will be sent to you after you sign up. You will sleep in high quality, roomy tents on soft, thick mattresses. The camp will have one or two toilet tents and a tented dining area.

Traveling for weeks outside "civilization" may lead you to think that you'll be living off dry or canned food the entire trip. But we know that satisfying and healthy meals are very important components of a trip and the "fuel" that keeps you going. You will be surprised how the Nepalese kitchen crew will spoil you with fresh, plentiful, and delicious gourmet meals - including ethnic cuisine as well as American favorites.


back to top




World's Best Trekking Guides

On a trek in the Himalaya it certainly matters who your guide is. We know you would like to be in company with a guide who knows the area by heart, is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the culture, flora, fauna, history and geography of the area, and knows what to do if you get sick, a storm comes in, or a hungry yeti suddenly approaches your camp! (OK, the yeti thing is probably not going to happen…) We are proud to work with the most experienced, knowledgeable, and personable guides in the world – so when you join us in the Himalaya, you'll be in the competent hands of people like:

Cathy Ann Taylor has been a high altitude trekking guide for Mountain Travel Sobek for the last thirteen years. She's trekked all over Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan with nearly 100 trips in the Himalayas (She still considers Nepal her "second home"). A devout hiker and mountain biker, she leaves no trail undiscovered, and her passion for the mountains, caring nature, and boundless energy are renowned. She is one of the most positive people we know (she can find the good in anything!), and her wonderful rapport with the local staff will enhance your experience. She consistently gets rave reviews from members of her groups and has quite a following. Cathy Ann is active in The Breast Cancer Fund and has participated in four expeditions, including Mount McKinley, Cho Oyu, Mount Fuji, and Mount Shasta, which helped increase awareness of breast cancer. She has also reached the summit of Ama Dablam (22,500') in Nepal and Argentina's Aconcagua (22,834'), the highest peak in South America.

Ramesh Gurung lives in Kathmandu and has led Mountain Travel Sobek Nepal trips for many years, from Mustang to the Everest region. His knowledge of the people, languages, and cultures of the area is extensive and your journey will be greatly enriched in his company. Ramesh is very easy to be around, has a great sense of humor (especially helpful on our tougher treks!), and he is always happy to answer every one of your questions (and most of you have a lot of them). Ramesh has spent most of his life in the outdoor industry. He was trained as a naturalist at Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in Chitwan National Park and is an avid fly-fisherman.


back to top





Our Secret Trekking Tips

We've asked our expert trekking leaders to pass on their secret tips and tricks for what you can do to make your trek the most comfortable, fun, and memorable adventure ever. Here it goes:

Bring sandals or down-booties (depending on how cold your feet will get) to wear around camp. It's a nice break for sore feet and they are much easier to slip on when you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Two Nalgene bottles with boiling hot water in your sleeping bag will keep your toes, feet, and hands warm and cozy at night, and you'll have cool water in the morning to drink. (Just make sure the lids are tightly closed!)

Bring a pillowcase from home and stuff it with your down-jacket at night. This makes the softest, comfortable, and warm pillow you could ever imagine having on a camping trip.

Bring a headlamp instead of a flashlight. Then you have BOTH hands free to shuffle around in your tent in the dark trying to find something. It also works great for reading at night.

Pack your clothes and sleeping bag in plastic garbage bags or different colored stuff sacks inside your duffel. Not only will they help keep everything dry, no matter the weather, they'll help keep your gear sorted too. It's also a good ides to bring some Ziploc bags for organizing and keeping smaller items clean and dry.

If you are prone to blisters –or your boots are still not totally broken in, prevent blisters instead of treating them. Before you start hiking, put Compeed (from Band-Aid), Second Skin, or moleskin where needed. You may want to use sportstape to tape the Compeed or Second Skin to your feet to keep it in place.

Bring one or two bandanas or a similar size scarf. They are great to protect your head and/or neck from the sun, can serve as hand towels or handkerchiefs, and when tied so it covers your mount and nose will help keep out dust from the trail or the cold, dry mountain air that gives most people in high altitude a persistent cough.

To boost your energy bring extra munchies for those high-powered days. Energy bars are good, but watch out - frozen Power Bars can be jaw breaking. In Nepal, chocolate bars can be bought in even the most remote places, but bring extra cash—the price goes up with the elevation.

Spoil yourself in Bangkok if you're lucky enough to fly back from your Himalaya trek via this great city. Maybe spend an extra day to explore local markets, the Royal Palace, have dinner by the river at the Oriental Hotel, and pamper yourself with a stay at the luxurious Amari Watergate Hotel in downtown Bangkok, where you can treat yourself with a nutmeg-oil massage and a visit to the spa.

Bring the magic back either by taking pictures or video; record sounds and your experiences on the trail in a small pocket-size voice recorder, write a journal, make a few sketches or all of the above – so you can share your trip with others or brighten up any blue Monday you may have!


back to top




High Altitude Trekking

Trekking in the Himalaya provides unmatched beauty with an experience of ultimate wilderness and personal achievement. To join a trek, no technical climbing or other special abilities are required, but you should be equipped with a spirit of adventure, a willingness to undergo the potential hardships of outdoor living and long days on the trail, and last but not least, understand what it means to exercise and spend time at high altitude. On our more strenuous treks in the Himalaya region you will be trekking up to 18,300' and camp as high as at 17,000'.

As you ascend in elevation, your body is exposed to less oxygen, which imposes considerable physiological stress on it. As a result, most people feel physical discomfort of shortness of breath, nausea, insomnia, headaches, and exhaustion while trekking in high altitude. However, if your body is given the appropriate time to acclimatize to the thinner air, it'll greatly improve your chances of doing well and decrease the level of discomfort you'll experience at high altitude.

Since we want you to enjoy your trek and stay well, each of our treks have slow-graded ascents allowing proper time for acclimatization. In addition, our treks are designed to maximize altitude conditioning in the early part of the trek. Once at altitude, elevation gains between camps are limited: you may climb higher during the day but descend to sleep. Extra nights are spent at the same elevation after each 2,000-3,000-foot gain over 12,000 feet. The old climber's saying "climb high, sleep low" is still a most important piece of advice.

Besides a proper acclimatization, the following is important in adjusting to high altitude and staying healthy during your trek:

• Get in the best possible shape you can before the trip!
• Begin your trip in good health and obtain all the recommended immunizations for your trip.
• Drink lots of water - more than you feel you need to.
• Eating is important. Diet should be high in carbohydrates and protein.
• Understand the concept of altitude acclimatization.
• Recognize – and never ignore - the symptoms of altitude illness.
• If you consider using Diamox (a drug that can facilitate acclimatization and treat mild cases of mountain sickness) make sure to discuss its pros and cons in detail with your doctor and with your trip leader once you're on the trek. (Note; most people do not need to use this medication routinely at altitude if their trip allows adequate time for ascent.)

back to top




How to "Get in Shape"

For our strenuous trekking trips, we expect all participants to be strong, experienced hikers in excellent physical condition with some experience with high altitude trekking. Trekking is for people who enjoy hiking five to eight hours a day - for several days in a row - up and down mountain trails that are steep and rocky, and mostly at elevations above 11,000 feet.

We recommend that you start a moderate training program 6-8 months before departure, and then slowly build up to a more strenuous level. The level of fitness needed for a trekking adventure requires regular aerobic exercise for at least one hour 4-5 times a week. This may include aerobic fitness classes, running, cycling on hills, swimming, and cross-country skiing. Additionally, you must be able to sustain exercise for prolonged periods – and for days in a row. Finally, you must have some experience with exercise at altitude.

Here's a recommended program that should get you in good shape, but please remember it's only a guideline. You should always consult your physician before beginning any new fitness program:

Week 1 through Week 4:
Start moderately and work out a minimum of four days per week. Strike a good balance between aerobic workout and muscle strengthening. Outdoors, you can run, hike, cross-country ski, or mountain bike on hilly terrain to best achieve the aerobic fitness component. Indoors at a gym, you can use the Stairmaster and treadmill wearing a backpack with some weight in it to substitute for the outdoor activities and take aerobic fitness classes. Work on muscle strengthening either by lifting weights or by doing pushups, sit-ups, and squats. It is very important include a long hike on the weekend, since there's no better way to train for a trek than... to trek!

Running: 3 to 5 miles is an adequate training run.
Biking: 1- to 2-hour rides. Be sure to include some hills.
Hiking: 5- to 6-hour hikes. Be sure to include some hills.
Treadmill or Stairmaster: 50 to 60-minute sessions.

Week 5 and Onward Until Departure:
Increase your workouts to a minimum of five days per week.

Remember, a trek can be the trip of a lifetime and you really want to enjoy it, so take your training program seriously—it'll be worth it!


back to top