Choosing a perfect campsite is most important part of everyday backcountry routine. Dream Heaven Adventure have been exploring the off-beat areas and the most important part of setting the new trekking routes is to find the suitable campsites.
Here are some interesting facts on how we choose the campsite in Nepal. There are basically 5 aspects that come together to make a good campsite:
A good water source
A good water resource comes first and foremost. And this water has to be drinkable. It is very hard to boil water at high altitude for group of people; so we make it lukewarm water.
Stream, river and glacial lake are some good source of water for campsite. We can also use water of a pine that has been put in a place by local communities.
Good Water Sources Campsites
On a trek like Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Circuit Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek, Manaslu Circuit and Langtang Gosainkunda Trek, where you are trekking alongside the streams and rivers, there are plenty of water source and we can camp anywhere.
Bad Water Sources Campsites
The wilderness trekking region like Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek, Upper Dolpo Trek and Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek have beautiful setting but limited water sources. Water resources usually freeze in winter, making it difficult to camp there.
Level and Open Space
It is another important requirement. Everyone wants a good sleep after a long and tedious walk and sleeping on an uneven surface is torturing. We tent usually on a space that accommodates 6 – 7 tents.
We also make sure that our camping site is on an open ground and not under trees. We don’t like being hit by the branches coming off due to strong winds. So we look out for an open place even in forest to camp in.
Good Campsites for Space and level ground
There are many trekking routes that have great camping spaces and level ground. The campsite at EBC, Annapurna, Manaslu and Langtang trekking route are usually spacious and leveled.
Bad Campsites for space and level ground
But there are some campsites that have unavoidable space issues – You have to camp on a little or somehow uneven space during Makalu Three Cols Trek, Everest Three Pass Trek and Dhaulagiri Trek.
The right altitude break
The most challenging aspect camping trek is to find the right altitude intervals – not less that you do not gain some height and not more that you are susceptible to AMS. Our body cannot sustain an altitude gain of more than 2,000 – 2,500 ft.
Good altitude gain trek
Almost every part of trekking routes in Himalayas offers you the good altitude break. As it is directly associated with your life.
Bad altitude gain trek
We doubt if there’s any
The right distance
With altitude, another important aspect to consider is distance. We believe that the ideal distance to cover every day is within 8 – 10km. Just imagine how difficult is it to find the good water source and level, open ground with they comes under altitude and within 10 – 15 km distance.
Good Distance Campsite
You will cover about 12 – 15 km distance during popular EBC Trek, Annapurna circuit trek and ABC Trek, Langtang Trek. So we don’t need to worry when we are on popular mountain trail of Nepal.
Bad Distance Campsite
When you are out for long treks like Upper Dolpo Trek, Everest Three Passes Trek, Manaslu Circuit Trek, Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek, you might have to cover 15 – 20km distance per day.
Scenic Beauty
Apart from above requirements, you also need to camp on a beautiful setting to make the trip memorable and pleasant. As trekkers ourselves, we know well what it is like to camp and wake up in a spectacular campsite. So we always camp on place that affords brilliant views.
Our prettiest campsites
All our trekking routes offer beautiful campsites. However Everest and Langtang trekking routes are the best among them.
Not so pretty campsites
Well this is a hard one. We don’t camp at not-beautiful sites. But Annapurna Base Camp and Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek are two such examples, it is usually crowded.
