Si vous avez déjà élaboré votre (vos) propre(s) randonnée(s)
ou alors acheté celle(s)-ci auprès d’une agence népalaise, j’aimerais vous poser quelques questions. Gardez à l’esprit que je ne veux pas expérimenter la formule bivouac.
Comment faire pour concevoir un trek népalais? Assurément, on débute par déterminer le trajet désiré, mais ensuite? Un trek en montagne doit-il nécessairement compter un ou des guides et un porteur ou alors des porteurs seulement? Comment trouver des listes de guides et porteurs? Doit-on attendre d’être sur place ou commencer les recherches bien avant son arrivée? Doit-on nécessairement tout planifier seul? (itinéraire, logement= doit-on absolument réserver ses places en lodge?, et surtout comment savoir où ceux-ci sont localisées?, comment contacter leurs propriétaires? Comment mettre la main sur une liste de choses à faire/à acheter/à proscrire, etc…)
Si vous avez opté pour l’organisation par vous-même, l’avez-vous pas du tout, un peu, très regretté? Si oui, pourquoi? Qu’est- ce qui a particulièrement bien marché ou lamentablement échoué dans l’exécution de votre trek? Le facteur humain? (problèmes de communication avec les guides et porteurs) ou matériel (équipement désuet/défectueux/manquant/manquements au niveau planification, ect…
Les agences sont incroyablement nombreuses, et selon mon expérience de voyageur: le nombre n’est pas une garantie de saine compétition ou d’honnêteté… Je ne veux pas exploiter personne, mais les agences locales ont-elles les mêmes intentions? Quelles questions justes, et peut-être embarrassantes dois-je poser aux responsables?
Si vous avez remis entre les mains d’agences, toutes vos sorties au Népal, êtes-vous satisfait des résultats? Qu’est-ce qui fait « une bonne agence » par rapport à celles qui organisent des treks mal fagotés?
Peut-on raisonnablement croire que les agences népalaises dites «humanitaires» (elles ont même des sites Internet) font les choses autrement? Il n’y a sans doute pas de super économie à réaliser, mais s’il s’agit vraiment d’une cause humanitaire réelle, pourquoi pas?
Si un trajet particulier, disons le trek A, est offert par 32 agences différentes, comment le voyageur étranger aux mœurs locales, et somme toute néophyte dans le domaine des randonnées au long cours, peut-il se baser pour prendre une décision la moindrement éclairée? La publicité?, le bouche à oreille? Existe-il des listes noires d’agences népalaises?
N’ayant pas l’intention de réinventer la roue, si vous connaissez des pages perso, des récits publiés papier ou des sites sur le Net qui traitent de ces sujets, j’apprécierais volontiers recevoir ces liens
Le moindre microscopique commentaire sera lu… et surtout apprécié à sa juste valeur !
Marc Lamarre, Montréal
La vie étant particulièrement imprévisible, vaut mieux manger son dessert en premier, et garder les navets pour la fin...
pour tes questions, fais un tour avec la formule magique "recherche" et tu aurra quelques infos.
pour répondre précisément à tes questions, il manque sacrément d'infos genre : sais-tu marcher, porter un sac, quelles sont tes compétences en rando/montagne.... donc le plus simple est que tu achète un guide genre "tekking in nepal" de la marque que tu souhaites et tu aurra plein d'infos.
En ce qui me concerne, je suis allé au camp de base de l'Everest avec passage sur Gokyo par le cho-la sans guide depuis le village de Jiri (accessible par KTM en bus) et retour par avion de Lukla (durée 22 jours) mais avec un porteur entre jiri et Namche. porteur recruté sur Ktm via une agence trouvée sur place et ce en 2 jours. hébergement en lodges tout au long du parcours (car c'est possible sur l'EBC).
... un seul conseil : organiser soi-même un trek dans un pays d'une autre culture que l'on ne connaît pas du tout nécessite une sacrée quantité de connaissances que la lecture seule des multiples sources d'information ne sauraient te prodiguer ...
... aller au Népal une première fois avec une agence locale te permettra une première découverte à un prix correct qui t'apprendra beaucoup pour l'organisation par toi-même du second trek au Népal dont tu auras envie avant même la fin du premier ...
Pour ma part, j'ai fait un trek de 25 jours dans le massif des Annapurnas (le tour + quelques variantes comme le lac Tilicho, magifique au passage) en avril 2007.
Je ne suis pas passé par une agence. J'avais en fait trouvé sur ce site le message d'un internaute vantant les mérites d'un guide indépendant (possédant une licence bien sûr).
Je l'ai contacté à l'avance et rencontré à Katmandou.
Il m'a donc accompagné pendant 3 semaines. Il y avait une autre française avec moi et encore un autre guide indépendant (son cousin).
Le trek a été génial.
Les deux guides incroyablement chaleureux, gentils et très doués.
J'ai bcp appris sur la culture népalaise et ils étaient aussi très curieux sur la France.
Ils ont été aussi très très vigilants sur notre santé (mal des montagnes, etc..). Nous n'avons aucun souci.
Je les recommande vivement.
Contactez moi par mail pour avoir plus d'infos : paul.bois@gmail.com
ps : ils palent anglais, et se débrouillent un peu en français
Effectivement vos questions sont tres vastes et un petit guide du style Lonely Planet serait surement tres utile...
Cependant je peux vous faire part de mes petites experiences au Nepal ( j'y suis en ce moment pour la 3 fois).
Vous etes libre de choisir entre l'organisation personnelle ou de passer par une agence. Mais pour un premier sejour, vous vous rendrez compte que les services d'une agence est grandement appreciable, car les non-inities du Nepal peuvent etre surpris par la vie et les moeurs locales...
Pour les treks, un guide est fortement recommande, tandis que pour les porteurs, ce n'est pas obligatoire : Tout depend de vos envies et bien sur aussi, de vos capacites physiques...
Les agences locales sont la pour vous decharger des soucis de preparations et sont habituees a organiser un sejour selon les desirs du trekkeur. Elles s'occupent de tout votre sejour ou d'une partie seulement. Les contacter avant est toujours mieux, mais elles sont tres reactives et peuvent tout preparer avec vous, sur place.
Quant a leur qualite ( vaste mot), il vous appartient de leur poser des questions sur leur fonctionnement, car il y encore certains abus, mais pas de liste noire. Et surtout, il vous faudra verifier avant de partir ( porteurs trop charges, mals equipes...).
Mais le service est rarement mauvais pour le trekkeur grace a l'excellente communication et l'enthousiasme des guides et porteurs
En ce qui concerne, les agences humanitaires : Ca n'existe pas. C'est un terme a la mode pour faire de la pub. Cependant des agences sont simplement plus respectueuses envers leurs collaborateurs ou bien sont impliquees dans des ONG locales.
Le bouche a oreille et les temoignages sur le net peuvent vous donnez beaucoup d'idees. Pour faire confiance a une agence, je pense que le plus important est la qualite de la communication que vous aurez avec celle-ci lors de vos contacts. Et puis a un moment donner, il faut bien se lancer...
Si vous voulez, nous pouvons continuer la conversation, et je peux peut-etre vous aider plus precisemment en me contactant laurenthay@yahoo.fr
Bonjour Marc.
Nous sommes allés au Népal en avril.
Tu peux lire le récit de notre trek en cliquant sur mon profil.
N'hésite pas si tu as des questions...
Marie
Comment ne pas etre d'accord avec toutes ces réponses ??
Nous avons fait le tour des Annapurna en Octobre 2006; avec une agence de Ktm avec guide et porteur ( superbe trek ) et nous repartons cette année pour EBC en organisant nous même notre séjour.
Et ce forts de l'expérience de l'an passé - Mais avec un porteur au départ de Luckla Gokyo Chola Kalapatar.... -
c'est tellement plus agréable de gérer son temps et mieux connaitre le pays et ses habitants . L'inconvéniant avec les agences ( pour nous ) c'est le timing .
Bon séjour et peut etre sur la piste ne pas hésiter à me demander plus de renseignements.
Je pars au Népal en octobre. Il s'agit de notre premier voyage "lointain". Du coup on prefere passer par une agence afin de faciliter la logistique. En comparant les prix des agences francaises et locales, ya pas photos c'est du simple au double (voire triple). Ensuite, on a pu choisir notre agence locale grace au bouche a oreille, aux sites / forums internet.
Je ne peux pas encore dire si on a fait le bon choix (meme s'il y a peu de doute) mais cette formule permet de bien adapter le trek qu'on veut tout en faisant travailler les locaux...
We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
hi there
I’m heading to Uzbekistan for three weeks from mid-September to mid-October 2026—a country I haven’t visited yet.
I’d love to do a few multi-day hikes in the mountains without going through a tour operator or hiring a guide. Has anyone here done this?
It doesn’t have to be all trekking; day hikes are great too.
I’m open to any tips!
Also, I see there are lots of train options if you book well in advance—does that only apply to the "fast" trains? Are there buses as well?
hi how can I get internet when I arrive at Haneda? I mean in areas without free wifi. Is it more interesting to buy a SIM card? If so, at the airport? thanks for your help
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi,
Since I can't take on long treks, I'd love to know if there are any nice hikes around Pokhara—or maybe in another region of Nepal. Day hikes or two-day trips would be perfect.
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
