Walking Manners and Tips
- Don’t walk too fast to carry the weight (of a rucksack) from one camp to another; you are here to enjoy the scenic beauty of the mountains.
- Create a steady pace while walking by matching the rhythm of your strides with your breathing. To increase walking speed, increase the stride instead of the pace.
- Maintain full contact between your foot and the ground while walking, complete from heel to toe.
- Avoid swinging your arms whilst walking.
- Bending forward on steep hills can help alleviate the weight from your back.
- Be careful while walking on pine needles, wet grass, wet roots, which are slippery. Frozen water on the slopes, rocky patches and stones on the banks of the rivers and streams should be negotiated carefully.
- Avoid loose stones.
- Avoid crossing and overtaking on narrow paths. While resting choose a spot out of the path of others to avoid blocking.
- Optimally utilize your halts by adjusting your load, tying shoe laces, etc. Don’t take halts too frequently as they break the rhythm of your walk and tire you out faster.
- Find shelter such as protruding rocks, a cave, or some structure to protect yourself from a storm. However, do not halt during light rain, as drizzling is common in the mountains.
- If you come across flocks of sheep, other animals, or even vehicles, halt by the side of the mountain instead of the side by the valley to ensure safety.
- Consume water from the springs only after purifying it, and avoid drinking too much to avoid cramps.
- Instead of drinking plain water, consume liquids such as tea, coffee, juice, soup etc. as much as you can.
CAMPING CODE OF CONDUCT
- Remove your shoes before entering the tent.
- Throw waste papers, wrappers, or other rubbish in the waste pits, not around the camp.
- Do not burn candles in the tents.
- Do not create unnecessary sounds or noises at night.
- Wash your mugs and plates immediately after your meals.
- Do not pollute the water of the streams and the rivers as it is used by people downstream for their daily needs.
- Do not walk over crops and fallen trees and spoil new plantations.
- Do not spoil local monuments, temples, and caves. Respect local customs and social systems.
- Do not litter with any wrappers or spoil the trails in any way. In case you find any wrappers, plastic bags, or anything left by trekkers on the way, please carry the same with you for deposit at the base camp.
- Leave the campsite clean for the next team.
