Treks of Hope
/Update on Travel to Nepal 2020
We have always been a small Boutique company that loves immersing ourselves in the cultures in which we travel. Because of this, the communities we visit and stay with are like family. Right now, our family in Nepal is in distress. Due to COVID, their income has been extremely affected. In the beginning, there was hope that tourism could resume in the fall. Here we are, at the end of August and the hope for any sort of mountaineering tourism is fading fast.
On March 20, 2020, Nepal has been on strict lockdown that has compelled several companies and expeditions to cancel all treks that were booked months ago. The Nepalese government lifted the lockdown and was planning to open August 17, 2020. However, the government had recently announced that they are suspending all domestic and international flights until “further notice”.
The streets of Kathmandu are quiet. Lukla, the Gateway to Everest is closed.
Our trekking families and partners are worried about the local guides and porters as well as the tea houses, lodges and restaurants. For many of our guides, tourism is their only source of income. Some of them have been guiding since they were just teenagers. Often, the money they make is enough to sustain their family for a year and a half. “When the trekking season was canceled, I was worried, but I had savings to fall back on until Autumn trekking season, come fall I can get back to earning money.” said Prakesh, one of my many porters.
The general mood in the Khumbu Valley is deeply worrying. People are in the same situation as Prakesh, hoping their savings will support them for at least a few more months. Everything now depends on what kind of quarantine rules the Nepalese government comes up with. The hope is that the government will set up dedicated Covid-19 testing facilities at the airport and provide results within a few hours, so travelers won’t face the hassle of staying in quarantine for days after arrival. Meanwhile, Prakesh is not sure if he can pay rent in Kathamndu and may need to move his family to his home village until the gateway opens again.
I know everyone has been affected by Covid-19 in so many ways. We have all had to have the “courage to let go of the familiar”. But I keep asking myself how I can help the communities in Nepal that have turned out to Driftwood Adventures extended family. How can we safely bring tourism back? Health is a major concern not only in 2020 but in the next few years to come. At the same time, being empathetic is the need of the moment. We should not forget that we could be the carriers of the deadly virus. So, what can we do? Give hope.
Driftwood Adventures travels to Nepal twice a year. Our groups are small and intimate. We stay with family tea houses when we travel. I know it seems like it’s far away, but 2021 promises a new beginning.
Let’s set some treks up! Book a trek with us for 2021-2022, dates TBD and refunds available. Let’s send some hope to those who need it!