Kathmandu: we stay at the 5-star Hyatt Regency on a sharing basis, including breakfasts and dinners to optimize the preparation of your Manaslu Expedition. All dinners are served in excellent restaurants in town where you can enjoy various types of cuisine, from the typical Nepali, Thai, and even steaks and Italian meals. Each restaurant has been screened by WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS representatives to ensure that it is of suitable quality for our guests.
During our Trekking: we stay in the lodges (small traditional mountain guesthouses) that are recommended by WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS as per defined itinerary destination. Please be aware that single rooms are not available. Though there are mostly blankets available at the lodges, we recommend taking your own sleeping bag. Please note also that in the majority of the lodges the toilets are common. Showers are available in some of the lodges.
Many lodges serve a variety of cuisines such as continental, Indian, Tibetan, and local cooking. Please note that the beverages are on each participant’s own charge, except coffee and the selection of teas that are served for breakfast and in the afternoons upon your arrival, as well as some special snacks provided by WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS.
Base Camp: WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS’ Base Camp is comfortable, warm, and well organized. Each participant has an individual extra double large tent (about 165cm high). Light, insulation from the ground, and an extra-large thick mattress with a soft pillow are provided for each individual tent.
Our triple skin base Primaloft dining tent is heated in the evening and the ground is insulated and topped up with a Tibetan carpet. Our kitchen is hygienic, clean, and equipped with modern utensils and stoves. Likewise, the shower tent is facilitated with a hot gas system, shampoo, shower gel, body lotion, and mirror are at the guests' disposal. The toilet tent is big enough to render a high altitude toilet comfortable, equipped with toilet paper and fresh Odinel. A water bucket with soap and hand sanitizer is at your disposal besides the dining tent. Similarly, a store tent and communication tent will be set up, depending on the number of participants. Communication radios, Internet, phone, and batteries charging facilities are part of the Base Camp.
During the Expedition, you can enjoy various kinds of food, from the typical Nepali food to all types of international cuisine (Tibetan, Continental, European, Indian, Japanese, etc.). Fresh bread, cakes, and cookies along with varieties of drinks, among others, hot chocolate, coffee, and fruit juice. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat are supplied as regularly as possible from our Kitchen Team. On request, for higher camps, a freshly cooked hygienic food or a packed food (as per condition) can be provided from our Kitchen Team as well as drinks and snacks.
Lights and Generator: Our Base Camp is equipped with a solar charging system and a powerful generator for high altitude (less noise but more power in the altitude :-)).
SAFETY FEATURES
Your safety is of supreme concern while traveling with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS. We focus thus on the following major safety aspects:
- 1 Climbing Sherpa for 2 participants (precious assistance for the Summit days)
- WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS' Team of Climbing Sherpas consists of new generation climbing Sherpas who are highly trained and skilled in mountaineering, educated, with numerous experiences of high altitude climbing, are fluent in various languages and last but not least, friendly and supportive
- Full-time Base Camp Manager for the logistic
- We are flexible and supportive being a small group of Climbers compared to other big outfitters which consist of more than 10 climbers in the team
- First Aid medical box, including 2 oxygen bottles and mask regulator for emergency
- 24/24 hours high altitude consultant in case of emergency
- 1 radio set for 2 participants during the ascents
- Satellite phone (personal communications on each participant's own charge
- A 24-hour service based radio station at Base Camp
- Weather forecast
- Fixing lines by our Sherpa Team, where necessary
- 1-day workshop at Base Camp (the practice of gear technique, radio use, high altitude tricks, mental preparation guidance)
- 1-day workshop before going to the final Summit push which consists mainly of giving advice for the appropriate handling of the personal things which may be effective during the climbing phase
- We are associated with the local Helicopter Rescue and Himalayan Rescue Association
- Last but not least, a pre-expedition meeting in Switzerland and specific advice on how to prepare for an 8000-meter Expedition
WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS TEAM
The success of this Manaslu Expedition depends on both the personal condition of each participant and the experience of our Team. WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS’ Team has been carefully selected according to their experience in the specific environment and personal aptitudes. Our Team is thus highly experienced, skilled, trained, courteous, and helpful.
WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS’ is proud to support our local staff by providing them with a fair salary, encouraging them to take mountaineering workshops, wilderness first aid training, environmental preservation courses, garbage management, team leadership, and language refreshers on a regular basis.
Our Climbing Sherpa Team: the number of Climbing Sherpas is depending on the size of the group of participants to this Expedition. Our Climbing Sherpa Team is a professional qualified Team with great experience in guiding at high altitudes in the Himalaya, in particular on numerous high mountains of the Himalaya and deep knowledge about the culture and traditions of this part of the Himalaya. It is the Sherpa's role to fix the tents, the rope, where necessary, and assist you all the way to the Summit.
Our Kitchen Team: it plays a vital role during the entire Expedition. WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS' Cooks are specialized, experienced, and trained in outdoor cooking at high altitudes, respecting the fundamental principles of hygiene and proper management of the Base Camp and its surroundings. The role of our Cook is also to manage the Base Camp in the absence of the Leader/Sherpa Team. Different types of cuisine and bakeries are served during the climbing period. Our Kitchen Team ensures also that the garbage is properly managed and the campsite is kept clean after its use.
Our Porters: WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS has it, own reliable porters. It is their responsibility to carry your luggage during the trekking with proper handling standards.
WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS is very concerned about the porters. We support and respect the porters’ rights and have high standards to make sure that they are treated well. We pay them a fair salary, including a bonus and providing them with good food allowances, clothes, shoes, sunglasses, rescue, and medical insurances.
In some places where the porters are usually replaced by mules, it is the responsibility of the mule driver to ensure that the transportation of your material is done in an appropriate manner.
Note: For the present Expedition, the transport until Sama Gaon is mainly done by mules, whereas the collective material and luggage are then carried up to the Base Camp by the local porters from Sama Gaon.