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My teenage daughter’s trek in Nepal

My 16 year old daughter has just returned from a school trip to Nepal where she spent two weeks trekking, doing community work in a local school and finally visiting a nature reserve where she rode on elephants to spot rhino and other wildlife. Here she gives her impressions of the trek through the foothills of the Annapurna Range braving leeches and monsoon rain.

Trekking in Nepal
Trekking in Nepal

Where it started

The town of Pokhara in Nepal is famed as a starting point for many brave adventurous hikers, so some may have been surprised to find a group of 20 teenage girls clad in newly bought hiking gear, with no mobiles in sight, ready to start the day.

Although some faces were slightly worried looking around at the impressive scenery the Himalayas has to offer I would say there was a general appetite for adventure among the group.  As the day went on the sun crawled out behind its cloud and everyone soon felt the heat; refuge was found in the scarcest bits of shade from towering greenery and in cool clear mountain streams.

What to wear in Nepal

In times of intense heat everyone, even the most vain of teenagers turned desperate; the khaki hats made an appearance and the hair was scraped back. We soon discovered what leeches looked like and even though they were a lot smaller than we had imagined, we all remained tense and quiet as we waited for the first victim.

Despite the heat and temptation to literally bathe in the paddy fields, everyone admired the amazing landscape. All of the locals we met passing through villages were heartwarmingly friendly and all quick to spread a smile. All along the trek there are lodges that are tourist friendly, and at the end of each trekking day we stayed in one of these lodges. The lodges are all quite similar in style, all being basic and comfortable with a similar menu and helpful staff.

Rice paddies in Nepal
Rice paddies in Nepal

Weather at Nepal

After a peaceful night in one of these lodges we woke to pouring rain, we went in Monsoon season and I had expected this decision would haunt us sooner or later. It was the worst rain I have ever seen and I live in England! Everyone was tired but being surrounded by friends and a group made an unbeatable support system, during the day each individual had to adapt to cope with the situations. I can tell you that walking uphill through monsoon rain being completely soaked to the skin is a world away from the normal daily life we all had at home.

Trekking lodge in Nepal
Trekking lodge in Nepal

However, we did manage to bring some of home to Nepal by all singing in unison popular chart songs. We all decided that ‘man I feel like a woman’ by Shania Twain (let’s go girls) was the theme tune for the whole trip.  There were many relieved faces when at the end of the day the lodge was in sight, and although there was no way to post the thought on Facebook, we all felt like we had achieved something.

Treking in Nepal
Treking in Nepal

Appreciating the views

On our third day, the weather finally calmed down after we had experienced both extremes of weather. We were really able to stop and appreciate the view, the nature, the waterfalls and all the mesmerizing things there were to see.

Team trek in Nepal
Team trek in Nepal

A highlight and a most extraordinary sight was when we saw a small Nepalese man carrying his wife in a basket that was being supported solely by his head. The phrase we had recently discovered to explain all the strange things we saw was used again ‘only in Nepal.’

Other adventures in India and Nepal

My daughter’s community project in the mountains of Nepal

My Indian Sponsor Child

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Himalaya

Monday 12th of July 2021

Awesome, teaching your children to stick to nature is a great way of parenting them. You are a wonderful mother.

visitviewnepaltreks

Wednesday 27th of January 2021

Very nice description about Nepal trekking. I hope you will visit Nepal again. Thanks for sharing!

Pravakar Basnet

Sunday 24th of January 2021

It was really adventurous trekking in Nepal for your 16 year old daughter because the geographical structure of Nepal is very challenging for trekkers but your daughter did it. I am happy for that and at the same time I am wondering how years old she is now at this time that I commenting on her post? Lastly, nice blog, thanks for sharing!!!

watto

Sunday 29th of September 2019

The blog is really nice and informative, it helps for visitors. Trekking in Nepal | Tour in Nepal-High Venture Plus

Kara Bui

Friday 27th of July 2018

Your daughter had an amazing trek to Nepal! Cool girl!