Where am I gonna travel in 2024?
This year’s holiday might be the most adventurous and exciting one I've ever taken! I will travel to places I’ve never been before..
Like every year, I will leave Norway (where I live) in mid-September and head to the Dolomites (my hometown) for two weeks.
In the Dolomites, I will hike as much as I can because this would be a good exercise for what is about to come next…
Hiking in Nepal has been on my bucket list for ages, but I never felt physically or mentally ready for the challenge. Since I realised that I'm not getting any younger, I decided that this was the year to just do it!
In Nepal, I am going to do the iconic Everest Base Camp Trek from Lukla (the world’s most dangerous airport).
The hike is 12 days long, so in total to EBC and back is 130km – 65km each way – which may sound like a lot of trekking!
THE ORGANISATION
Usually, I’m the one planning the whole travel itinerary, with destinations and dates, but since I’m going to travel through an organised tour, the person responsible will handle everything, which is a bit challenging for a control freak like me.
If you are planning to do a hiking trip to Nepal, the first step is to decide what hike you want to do — that also took me forever.
I was initially undecided between Everest Base Camp, Kanchenjunga Base Camp, or Gokyo Lake, but I opted for EBC eventually.
The cons of EBC are the number of people, since it became such a popular hike, we will certainly find many hikers on the way, especially because I am going during the high season (October-November).
What convinced me about EBC, are the mountain views! Few places in the world can compare to the Everest region, and it’s popular for a reason! Eventually, I can always come back to Nepal in the future and do more hidden hikes.
THE GUIDE
To do the EBC trek, you don’t necessarily need to have a mountain guide with you, however, it is recommended for different reasons:
you are supporting the local economy and the Sherpa community
it’s safer to have someone who knows the place and can guide you if something happens at these altitudes
you don’t have to worry about the accommodations throughout the hike, the guide will be responsible for booking everything in advance. If you go by yourself, it might be difficult to find availably in the mountain houses, especially during the high season
you will have a porter with you so that you don’t need to carry a heavy backpack
you get to know more about the culture and the places
If you want to do the EBC trek, there are many guiding companies to choose from.
I decided to take a different path, to have a more authentic experience..
In November of 2023, I was travelling in the Himalayan region of India, Ladakh.
In a cute Tibetan souvenir shop in Leh, I met a very friendly Tibetan lady, and while mentioning my interest in Nepal, she recommended her brother, who works in Nepal as a mountain guide. That’s why I decided to choose Tenpa as my private guide to Everest Base Camp, also to get a deeper insight into the Tibetan community in Nepal.
After hiking for two weeks in Nepal, I will probably be exhausted, therefore, next, I choose a cultural destination — the neighbouring country of Nepal, also located in the heart of the Himalayas..
Bhutan is special for different reasons.. not many people know about it; it is one of only 3 carbon-negative countries in the world; it has a low-impact tourism policy, and is the only country in the world to officially implement GNH —Gross National Happiness.
Bhutan's emphasis on happiness has led to policies that prioritise the well-being of its people, such as free healthcare and education, sustainable tourism and the conservation of its environment and culture.
Tourism in Bhutan began only in 1974 when the Government, to raise revenue and to promote Bhutanese culture to the outside world, opened its isolated country to visitors. It is still considered to this day the hidden gem of the Himalayas.
The isolated gem of the Himalayas
To preserve the Bhutanese culture and avoid mass tourism, all international visitors are taxed a "sustainable development fee" of $200 a day, to gain entry as part of its "high-value, low-impact" tourism policy. This will be on top of the costs of accommodation, guides and other services. Additionally, visitors must travel with licensed tour operators to preserve the country's cultural heritage and environment.
Foreigners are allowed to travel independently only while visiting the two western valleys of Paro & Thimphu.
TRAVEL ITINERARY
For my journey in Bhutan, I chose the ‘One-week spiritual package’. I will be visiting the country's most characteristic Buddhist temples, I will hike to the iconic Tiger’s Nest, participate in the morning alms, and spend a night in a monastery.
The travel agency I’ve been in touch with is — ‘Firefox Tours’. They will take care of the VISA, accommodations, meals, and daily itinerary.
After my spiritual journey in Bhutan, I will fly back to Europe and relax in a place I’ve never been before..
In Greece I will stay two days in Athens, to visit the most characteristic historical sites, and then move a couple of weeks to the Island of Milos— Greece’s hidden gem.
In Milos, I am planning to relax in a beautiful Airbnb, take in some sunlight, enjoy the beautiful beaches, and eat a lot of Greek food!
I can’t wait for the next holiday to begin!
If you want to be updated with my next adventures, you can follow my Instagram page @boh.land or my YouTube channel @alessiabohland