A spiritual hotspot of culture, unique art and friendly people, Nepal has it all; add in the majesty of natural beauty and the towering high Himalayas, and you have got yourself a country that is an absolute pleasure to visit. From the fertile plains of Terai to the south and the sky-piercing Himalayas to the north, Nepal serves a myriad of travelers with varying interests. The country is popular for treks, hikes, and conquering mighty mountains, but there are tons of other things to do as well. There's bungee jumping, paragliding, and white water rafting for people looking for a rush of adrenalin. It is also a destination comprising of diverse cultures and unique traditions, people and food as well. Kathmandu- its capital is chaotic and is a pandemonium of sound, busy streets and bustling people. The official language is Nepali; however, English is also widely spoken in the capital and the tourist-heavy areas.
Another thing good to know about visiting Nepal is the local travel agencies. Getting around the country becomes a lot easier when you are under the guidance of the travel agency, especially if it’s the first time visiting Nepal. It can become bothersome to have to do all the chores by yourself and it takes away time from you that you could be using to enjoy the country's features. From the arrangement of travel permits to transportation and accommodation and meals, travel agencies take care of the basic necessities to make your trip all the more enjoyable. So, it is strongly recommended to hire a local travel agency when visiting the country. Here are some reasons why you should hire a local company for your holiday trip to Nepal-
1. You Are in Safe Hands
Going with a local travel agency gives you an added sense of safety and security. It can be difficult and intimidating to some degree, to visit a new place. When you travel to Nepal in the company of a local travel agency, you will be in the company of a local guide to help you throughout your journey. More often than not, the guides are fluent in English and are eager to help you whenever necessary. The local guides know the routes and trails like the back of their hand which is pretty handy when it comes to Himalayan traversals or cultural exploration. Similarly, the years of their experience also speak for themselves. Additionally, many of the travel agencies also do your work for you. Making proper preparations for the trips and procuring necessary permits are also an integral part of the trip. These situations are expertly handled by the companies allowing you to have the ease of an exciting journey. Even when you need to handle stuff like hotel booking and transportation mediums, they will help you do so at a reasonable rate.
2. Local Office and Local Team
Local travel agencies are run by people who were involved with their communities. The revenues that are generated directly goes to the local people and this, in turn, helps in the development of the tourism sector from a base level. Being so involved with the social manifestations, it is always nice to be involved with the community's people on some basic-level projects. Some companies even allow you to be involved in social development activities like teaching in local schools or participating in building houses to the needy. The involvement of the agency on such a raw scale with the community is certainly a contrast against the foreign-run agency. What's more admirable about the agencies are that they are available at all times, with services available 24/7.
3. Responsive and Personal
Having a good sense of responsibility is perhaps the best quality anyone can have. The agencies are prompt with their services and do everything on time with no wasting. Whether be it to fulfill the requests you make or require any assistance, these companies are ever-present. After all, the type of people one is surrounded by and working with can make or break the trip. Moreover, on top of your holiday in Nepal, you will also be complemented beautifully with the personal feel of hospitality. As mentioned earlier, your travel and trips can accommodate community services including teaching or other volunteering activities. As heart-warming as the feeling you get, it will also be a means of building a personal touch with the country.
4. Your Money Directly goes to the Nepali Communities
Another great feature to boot about why choosing a local travel agency for a visit to Nepal is that the money that you invest directly goes to the local communities, as opposed to booking your trip with an international company. Instead, booking trips with a local company cut off that middle man and that way, you can save some amount that otherwise is likely to become profitable for an international company. These local agencies, in turn, support the local communities based on their origin and trip routes. They are associated with various activities like health campaigns, rebuilding houses, and women empowerment which are organized with a certain percentage of the money that you provide them.
5. Intimacy with the Land, Culture, and People
While on your trips, you can acquaint with the local culture of the regions of your travel. It can be a new experience for you. The culture and language of the people can also be interesting apart from the engaging trails and destinations you travel to. In the Himalayas, the local people dress, going about their way selling goods as vendors on open markets and tending to the cattle while simultaneously running tea shops and taking care of their little ones is inspiring. Similarly, the cities and urban areas showcase the daily life of the inhabitants in quite surreal fashion. With every individual in a hurry to get from one place to another, these areas are the prime examples of modern-day hassle. Terai and hills have people who primarily depend on trade and agriculture. What is remarkable is that they never fail to justify their faith in their culture and religion. Exploring these places, you will surely find growing affinity towards the magical land of Nepal and its people.
6. Get the Best Deals
The local agencies have good deals and well-rounded trip packages with destinations all over the country. Before you book your trip, usually, you will be presented with many choices and options. The prices are reasonable, the length and duration varied and there are various options available for each of your preferences. The best thing about a local company is that they offer best and fair prices as the operation and the staff cost in Nepal is cheap compared to other developing countries with the standard of service quality just as high as big international companies, if not better. Without a third party involved, it makes things much cheaper and takes less amount of time.
7. Experienced Team and Authentic information
What better way to experience Nepal than being guided around by the locals themselves! After all, the local guides and the Sherpas are masters of their mountain domains and getting to enjoy their culture and their terrain directly from the main source beats out any other forms available. The team is experienced and every aspect of tourism is masterfully handled. It is authentic and without pretense. Similarly, they also offer authentic information regarding the current status of the country, the locals, and their prevailing customs. All the information that they put forward is thoroughly revised to make sure that the information does not pose any unnecessary hassle to the travelers.
8. High-Quality Services
It goes without question that when it comes to services, we all want the best and services that are equal to what we are paying for. The Nepalese teams of the local companies are trained, experienced and helpful, holding training certificates. There are no subpar services and the aspects of transportation, guidance, meals, and even accommodation are the best available according to your budget. With the ability to provide standard services at a reasonable price and that with a degree of personal affection, why not choose a local company for your holiday trip?
9. Firsthand Information
Where local travel agencies are concerned, the information is first-hand. The local company is aware of the local situations and has information before any incidents occur. As such, the client's safety is prepared accordingly. This can save you a lot of hassle and troubles of any incidents like the cancellation of flights or changing your accommodation if the need arises. Having the luxury to know about such information pre-hand can be pretty helpful to your trips.
10. Multiple Options and Authority to Customize
As the local companies are based upon providing genuine experience to their clients, they also offer a plethora of travel options to the enthusiasts. Whatever be your interest or expectation out of a trip, they provide interesting packages and also allow you to customize your trip as you see fit. The authority to choose and tweak the trips is entirely up to you which is the perfect choice when you need to prepare a holiday trip under time or budget constraint as well.
It is always better to be safe than sorry, and it is always better to be prepared than be regretful later. Hiring a local travel agency when visiting Nepal has far more merits than otherwise, and it is definitely better to go with a local company as the advantages are many. Nepal is a beautiful country, and getting to enjoy it to the fullest is certainly worth everything, and it is all possible and made easy with a local agency.