10 Health, Mental and Physical benefits of outdoor adventure travel

10 HEALTH, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE TRAVEL

Photo by- Jamie Mc Guiness / Flickr

Seeing the beauty of Nepal is enough to keep you alive, your soul resuscitates and vibrates to the theme of the beauty of Nepal, think about trekking the Himalayan terrains to Paragliding in Pokhara, Yoga rafting in the Sunkoshi river, or how about enduro motocross or mountain biking in Upper Mustang. This is one of the best things that can ever happen to anyone. Life is beautiful when we know how to enjoy it. Recent studies have shown that a merry heart does more good than medicine. In the puzzle of this age, young people are finding it difficult to enjoy the true beauty of living, they are so engrossed in making a lot of money which is not bad in itself but living truly is examining the true beauty of your world.

What is outdoor adventure travel?

This is making the best moment of time by exploring new places, checking for what is not missing, and having a wonderful time digging out the true beauty of nature. For reference, we want to use Nepal as an outdoor adventure destination. I might sound bias but if you have done outdoor adventure travel somewhere else except Nepal or Peru, am sorry to say you are missing out on some of the world's greatest adventures. If you haven't visited Nepal and maybe while growing up you never had enough resources to visit astonishing places like Nepal, now that you're a young adult you should visit these amazing places. If you are around age 45 - 54, you would still have enough strength to explore.

Remember in as much as adventure travel is quite fun, it would require you to leave your comfort zone and might exercise you a little bit, but if you're fun-loving, you'd be happy you went for one. Before I go into the benefits of outdoor adventure travel, let me quickly take you by hand into the beauty of Nepal, if you stay outside Nepal and you're ever looking for a place to have your outdoor adventure travel, after reading this, I bet you'd be convinced to try Nepal.

1) Trekking in Nepal

Have you ever thought of walking on the toughest terrain before, the true beauty of Nature is seen when you walk and climb the terrains and you flex muscles like never before, feel the mild intensity of the weather and the cool breeze flowing? There is no beauty as such anywhere in the world. What better exercise can keep the brain and muscles alive, to keep them functioning in their best form.

2) Go for Paramotoring

Have you ever thought of flying like a bird, it takes away your fears and allows you to feel what it is to conquer the sky, it broadens your horizon and gives you one of the most beautiful sights of Pokhara and nearby hills.

3) Mountain Biking in Nepal

Mountain biking in Nepal will provide the golden opportunity to the visitors to enjoy the great natural view of the high hills along with the local settlements of the different places of Nepal. The mountain biking in Nepal will take the visitors to the local settlements of the Nepalese people where you learn their local culture and tradition and daily life. The cultural heritage and the traditional lifestyle of the Nepalese and Tibetan people can be observed through the microscopic view. The famous and usual mountain biking routes are Dhulikhel, Nagarkot, Chisapani or for longer rides, you can join our tours into Annapurna Circuit, Upper Mustang, and other different places of Nepal.

4) White Water Rafting in Trishuli river

There are places you go that boost your self-confidence, by default they allow you to face bold life challenges especially if you're between age 30-40 one of those places is the Trishuli river. The strength of the gushing white water, the terrific flow is enough to make you forget your fears and pains, life is truly beautiful when we know how to enjoy it.

5)  Enduro Motocross in Nepal

Enduro motocross is fairly a new form of adventure service in Nepal. Although Nepal has more numbers of bikes than cars, local operators are tapping into new ways of adventure activities and motocross tours being one. Why not adventure travel and feel the thrill of off-road riding in Nepal with us.

6) Kayaking in Seti River

You would be wrong if you think kayaking is the same as canoeing, here the sitting position of the paddler is different, and also the number of blades on the paddle. Kayaking is interesting and makes the mind active and alert. Doing it in Nepal is uniquely different when as you are kayaking in one of the biggest tidal rivers of Nepal.

7) Go for Mountain Expeditions in Nepal

Are you ready for some real physical exercise, get your bag packs and ropes ready for some alpine climbing and let's get lost together climbing the great Himalayas and seeing Nature that will leave us mesmerized? And a lot more.

By now you should want to visit Nepal and have some outdoor travel adventure. You should know for certain these activities come with A lot of benefits which I will discuss now.

1) Get dirty!

In the 21st, too much emphasis has been placed on hygiene, and recent research shows that this might be leading to allergies and some other bowel diseases. Imagine going Rock Climbing on Nagarjuna and getting dirty. It simply means you'd be getting healthier in the real sense of it. Getting dirty improves your physical health.

2) Pack descriptions

Doctors are now handing over park descriptions to patients to help them fight some health problems, at times some doctors in Nepal would advise patients suffering from heart disease to obesity, and all other similar illnesses to have some kayaking and other outdoor travel adventure.

3) Stress reliever

John T.Andrew says a walk in Nature lowers pulse rate and stress levels more than walking in the city. The beauty and silence of nature are enough medicine for stress. In our world where the noise of automobiles and industries machines is on the hike, taking a walk around helps to release the tension on the muscle and make one stressless.

4) Prevention of Virus diseases

Studies are proving again and again that not only does nature give you the social and mental benefits of making you a nicer and happier person, partaking of it is physically good for you, too. A series of recent study results from Japan shows that taking a walk through the woods might protect you from the common cold and other viruses. It’s postulated that being exposed to phytoncides, aromatic oils with infection-fighting properties that certain trees emit, bestows immunity. In yet another Japanese study, it was found that participants had lower pulse rates and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after a short nature walk as opposed to taking a brief jaunt on a city street.

5) What If I told you outdoor travel adventure might give you a bigger brain.

Yes, it is difficult to believe but this is the magic of travel adventure, on a normal day as one grows older especially those around the age of 50, the ability to retain gets smaller due to the fact that the hippocampus gets smaller and thus leading to memory loss. But now, research was done on young adults within the age of 45-54 years, who walked 45 minutes daily for a year and it was discovered that their hippocampi grew on an average of 3%. Walking and hiking keep you mentally alert.

6) Outdoor travel adventure helps you to reflect better.

You can easily recall what you saw and how they look like this even helps your brain to stay active, this attribute is very important when you can reflect on your daily activities, it gives you an edge over others as you can know where to adapt quickly and adjust your life.

7) It dissolves your fear.

Imagine having a mountain climbing where you're are moving up the hill, naturally, your winning instincts comes alive and you would always want to try new things out, people who are happy going and always smiling tends to have a long happy life because they reached out for their dreams and aspirations.

8) Adventure travel feeds your dreams and builds your confidence.

The editor of National Geographic Traveler Magazine once suggested that the “Cycle of Travel” went like this: 1) dream, 2) plan, 3) go, 4) share. But no matter how many steps it takes to get there, the one thing that’s certain about traveling to spectacular nature spots is that it soon becomes addictive. Experiencing one wilderness just doesn’t seem to be enough; your soul quickly calls for more. And each time you go, you find yourself changing. Adventures build your confidence; and with each successive one, you challenge yourself just a little bit more. I would add a fifth step to the Travel Cycle: dream bigger.

9) Physical fitness.

Engaging in outdoor travel adventure like mountain climbing also help stay fit, your muscles rejuvenate and come alive, it is one of the most effective forms of exercise you can ever dream of. People who go for outdoor adventure activities are always physically fit.

10) Long life

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts recently found that going on vacation and doing vigorous outdoor activities while there may help extend your life. They found that vacations actually reduced the risk of untimely death and heart disease in a group of at-risk middle-aged men. What a convenient thing to tell your boss!

Waterfall rappelling, river rafting, world-class mountaineering, enduro motocross and more are waiting for you in Nepal. Now that you know the benefits Of Outdoor adventure travel, you might want to know about some more interesting places to go in Nepal.

Upper Mustang Hike trekking in Nepal. 

Trekking/walking is beautiful and if you do it regularly, chances are you have a sharper memory even at your old age. The Upper Mustang trek brings you into the hidden world of the old Buddhist kingdom of Mustang, also called Lo. Lo used to be part of the Tibetan empire and is therefore closely tied to Tibet in culture, language and geography. The region’s isolation from the outside world has contributed to a highly preserved Tibetan culture and unspoiled nature. Mustang lies in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri massif creating a ruggedly arid land surrounded by rocks in all kinds of colors and impressive formations. This barren landscape is dotted with settlements of whitewashed houses, barley fields, and Chortens festooned with prayer flags which add a splash of color to the landscape. If you are not a native of Nepal, you would instantly wish you were born there. ( Click here for tour info)

Mera Peak Climbing in Nepal

Peak climbing in Nepal is one of the most fun and thrilling adventure activities to try in this paradise of mountains and valleys. In such adventure activities, the participants will be properly tied with the rope for their safety and the destination to the summit will be marked, every participant has to try their best to reach the summit so as to win the competition. ( Click here for Mera peak climbing infos )

Zip Flying in Nepal

If you ever come to Nepal and you didn't do zip flying your outdoor adventure travel is never complete, Nepal has dangle 600 meters in thin air while roaring forward at 140 km per hour 1.8 km long! The world's tallest and longest zipline! The zipline at Nepal now offers the rush of extreme zip lining, the first of its kind in the whole of Asia. Zip flying in Nepal is not just another zipline; it is the world’s longest, steepest and fastest zip-line to give you the ultimate adventure experience. The launchpad is situated at the peak of Sarangkot, Pokhara, offering the most spectacular views of the Annapurna mountain range and the Pokhara Valley. Zip flying has been in operation since June 2, 2012. Safety is the leading criteria, and the system by Zip-flyer TM LLC, USA is designed with the most advanced technologies and has delivered a state-of-the-art zipline. So get ready to experience the ultimate adrenaline rush!

What are you waiting for again, this activity will mentally keep you alive and keep your daring spirit soaring. Experience specialized guided adventure tour in Nepal with Namas Adventure.

Email us at namas@namasadventure.com for any tour info or if you would like us to arrange a bespoke/tailor-made adventure travel itinerary (Click here) to Nepal or Peru we are here to assist and help you achieve your dream adventure.

If you do have any more questions, please ask us below in the comment section or you can email us at bookings@namasadventure.com and our team will get back to you as soon as they can.

Stay well. Challenge yourself. Dare great things and live your story.

Written by - Shirle

Altitude sickness

ALTITUDE SICKNESS

Trekkers in Dhaulagiri Base Camp

As adventure travelers, we naturally have the urge to defy the challenges that we see or want to take head-on so that we can accomplish our sense of adventure. There are also times when your body defies all the expectations, all science and we do have the capacity to prove all the numbers wrong but it is wise to understand the warnings and worst-case scenarios of our daring adventures. Also, another piece of advice is just because you didn't have it on the first run doesn't mean you will not have it on your next high altitude adventure. 'Prevention is better than cure', applies in the mountains.

While trekking or mountaineering adventure you have to be aware of acute mountain sickness going into the high altitude zones. We cannot point out precisely exactly what type of person certainly suffers from this, but the signs and symptoms are there when ascending the great Himalayas peaks, Andes, or any high altitude mountains. In this post, we will cover the science behind it and some of the suggestions that have been developed so far to overcome altitude sickness. In fairness, even mountain climbers who have climbed Everest 10 + times suffer from the symptoms, they are just better at dealing with it. There is no escaping and it is normal to feel its effect but it is very important to follow the precautions and guidelines to be safe, enjoy and complete your adventure.

I met Danuru Sherpa(Senior Mountain Sherpa Leader), who has summited Everest 13+ times. Even he mentioned that headaches are normal in high altitudes. At Lobuche 4940M.

So what is Altitude sickness and its three types?

It is a group of symptoms only experienced when elevating high altitudes too quickly. We say on average people start to feel the effects from 2500M above sea level.

Lukla Airport 2860M. Don’t be surprised or discouraged if you start to feel the altitude (lightness feeling) once you land in Lukla. This will be your very first day when starting your treks or mountain climbing trip in Everest region.

Three types of altitude sickness:

1. Acute mountain sickness (2500 M +) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover-dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea. 

2. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE, 3200 M+) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life-threatening.

3. High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE 4300 M+) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. It’s life-threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

Symptoms of Altitude sickness?

Normal signs

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Nausea or Vomiting

• tiredness

• Shortness of breath

• Loss of appetite

Some of the extreme signs that need immediate attention

• Face, eyes, and lips color turns dark red to blue

• Extreme Stomach ache and constant Vomiting

• Loss in consciousness and fainting

Do not panic, when you have any of these signs. Follow the instruction from the guides and remember your body has the capacity to overcome and adapt to the new environment. Also, do not rush on your itineraries, as longer days itinerary are designed to help your body adapt to the high altitudes and we advise our travelers not to skip their acclimatization day. It is usually placed during the rest days to climb up to 300M - 500M high so that your body adapts to the environment. So that your body adapts and develops extra red blood cells in your bloodstream which in turn helps your body and brain to better utilize the oxygen in your body.

Note - It is very important that you have the right insurance (with Repatriation) and Helicopter rescue. Helicopter rescue is very effective in Nepal. You will need to provide all your insurance details (emergency hotline) to your operators so that when needed rescue is sent immediately. Please check our trusted insurance provides page (click here). Although there has been news of scams, reputable companies/operators won’t risk this, cheap tour prices are one of the main indicators.

Himalayas, Nepal. (Ama Dablam in centre)

Prevention and treatments.

Mountains as beautiful and magnificent they are, comes with hostility and challenges which we are not used to in our daily lives. We have laid down some preventions to overcome them.

• Avoid flying directly to areas above 3000M high

• Avoid alcohol and heavy smoking

• Drink enough water. (3l - 4l) per day.

• Do not overstress your body and avoid heavy exercise.

• Walk at a mild comfortable pace. ( It is not a race, you want to overcome the challenge but understanding your body and mind is important, do not let your ego take over)

• Acclimatization day is important, Stop and rest when you can.

• Energy or Chocolate bars are helpful

• Every night before sleep, drink hot tea or water. Jasmine tea is our favorite.

• If you fall sick allow your body to fall sick and get some rest, there’s natural ease when you allow your body to accept what you are feeling instead of fighting it.

Treatments

• Drop altitude immediately, we recommend anywhere from 500M - 1000M.

• Take bottled oxygen (Normally for mountaineering or in an extreme case)

• Take medication (all our guides will be carrying first aid kits )

• Control your breathing and be mindfully aware of your heartbeat.

Finally, it would also be wise to follow local ways to dealing with altitude sickness. We can share few local tips 

• Garlic soups are the best while trekking the Himalayas. Garlic’s natural properties assist in thinning your blood which helps for better circulation.

• If you can take a spicy taste, potato wedges with spicy Nepalese chutney (local ingredient) help with headache

• Try to avoid sleeping during day, try and resist the pain and sip warm Jasmine tea or water.

• Dal Bhat power 24 hours, it rhymes but definitely has its benefits. The carbs give you the strength and energy needed to ascend the hills of Nepal.

And lastly, check the level of oxygen in your body when you stop for the night. All our local guides will be carrying one set of fingertip oxygen level checkers to make sure your body has the right amount of oxygen needed. Based on that and their experience, they will advise you on how to recover and give their extra needed attention for your care.

Oxygen level chart ( click here )

Note - It is very important that you have the right insurance (with Repatriation) and Helicopter rescue. Helicopter rescue is very effective in Nepal. You will need to provide all your insurance details (emergency hotline) to your operators so that when needed rescue is sent immediately. Please check our trusted insurance provides page (click here). Although there has been news of scams, reputable companies/operators won’t risk this, cheap tour prices are one of the main indicators.

Get set on your adventure into these challenging areas, be safe. Defy the odds but equally, be aware of what could go wrong equally. Happy and healthy adventures.

Live your story. 

The persistence of festivals; Dashain and Tihar

I don't think most of us truly understand what we are celebrating when we participate in festivals. Perhaps our parents generation do, but as for us post war; post globalization; post secular kids (young adults ahum), the meaning escapes us, or rather the desire to familiarize ourselves with the time-old stories; histories and traditions about gods and deities; good and evil, and the myriad sacrifices made by mankind hold less appeal.

Rather, the twenty-first century heralds a time where despite growing economies and vast technological and scientific advancements, the future in which we can envision ourselves securely paying a mortgage, let alone buying a house, is one that is becoming more vulnerable day by day. Therefore, yes Dashain has arrived and Tihar is around the corner, but who has time to appreciate the challenges faced by Ram and Sita, when we have our own challenges to face? Nor acknowledge the sacrifices they made and the demons they vanquished, when again, we have our own sacrifices to make and our own demons to vanquish?

Today most of us partake in popular festivals like Dashain and Tihar simply because we have to. It's a family thing; it's expected; one cannot displease one's parents throughout the entire year (certainly not Nepalese parents). If you are still young, then even better, you simply have to turn up to receive gifts, money and blessings. The array of food is also worth the journey from one relatives' house to another.

But it cannot only be habit and obligation that has kept the spirit of festival and tradition alive to this day. No. Strip festivals down to their barest essence and you will realise that there is only one simple reason for their outstanding longevity: because festivals bring people together. 

In our fast-paced and often far flung existences, sustaining old and new relationships can be challenging. The internet has of course made it extremely easy for families, friends and acquaintances to stay connected. But it is festivals, especially family and community oriented festivals like Dashain and Tihar, that allow people to wholeheartedly indulge in rekindling; reuniting; and rediscovering lost or faded bonds. Festivals recognise the value of family, community and friendship and it is these values that the contemporary individual respects when sitting down to receive Tika from their elders.

Of course there are amongst the myriad, many contemporary Nepalese who are very knowledgeable in their understanding of Dashain and Tihar. There are also many rituals even the less knowledgeable perform almost as second nature: bhai tika is the one that is acted mostly by the children (with a few guidance by the parents). However, what this post is trying to address is the fact that understanding matters little when participating in festivals. Festivals are special and worthy of celebration, not because of their rich contexts and history; gods and dieties and traditional orthodox customs, but rather because they remind us to love and appreciate the people who have all contributed to create the individual we are today – regardless of what the future holds.

So make time. CELEBRATE and APPRECIATE. Dashain has come to an end but Tihar is just around the corner. If you did not have time to reconnect with your loved ones during Dashain, then I hope you do so during Tihar. But festivals are only reminders. Everyday is a good day to tell someone how much you appreciate them!

Therefore, from the entire Namas family “HAPPY DASHAIN AND TIHAR”! Let us today celebrate LIFE!  

Written  by Dina Rai

Take any road today (the world is already yours).

Photo by Rabin Rana

It matters not where you go, what path you take, or how you get there. It matters only that you are going. Every road is a thoroughfare, which connects one to the other; the other to the future. The future to the past. Take one today and you shall be following the footsteps of the millions that went before you, as you too shall be followed soon after by the millions yet to come.

Because, you see, life does not ever really change that much. A thousand years ago, life was trying to survive. And the fact that you are here today, means that it was successful. You are therefore, its success story. But what we do, is not any different. We are still only trying to survive.

Thus, whether you are pragmatic, romantic, or irrational; your approach to life head on, or slightly hesitant – your existence remains an accumulation of everything that has already happened, and everything that has yet to happen. You are the driver inside the vehicle; you are the passenger in the back seat; you are the tarmac that ensures your smooth ride; the trees, and the sun.

Therefore, go! Take off now, and go where you must, but never forget that every thing you are bound to encounter is already a part of you. And the beauty of every sunset that always tends to take your breath away, is only your reflection. And hers. And his. And theirs.

By Dina Rai

Challenging perspectives: The roads of Nepal.

Roads and road ethics differ from nation to nation. Some countries have exceptional roads: even, smooth and tarmacked, alongside an extensive and efficient highway code. Other countries will be lacking drastically in both. Often their roads will be rudimentary and riddled with potholes and cavities. As for road ethics, you might as well tear up the highway code and forget everything that you have been taught so far.

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Bhedetar , eastern Nepal | Photo by - Anand Lepcha

Nepal falls under the latter category. It is not a nation renowned for its even, smooth, tarmacked roads. Rather, the roads in Nepal regularly crop up in articles featuring the world's most dangerous roads; roads that you should think twice about, then thrice more before embarking on. And when it comes to road ethics, well let's just say things are done differently in Nepal.

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But this does not mean that the roads in Nepal are untraversable, nor do the Nepalese disregard road safety and conduct. No the key word here is 'difference'. One cannot apply the same rules that works well in an even, smooth, tarmacked country to a country lacking in the basic fundamentals. Matters have to be addressed accordingly to the geography, the ethnography and the politics of each place. If things deviate from the norm, it is usually due to necessity. Fortunately humans are adept at making the most out of what they have, and it is usually in a country like Nepal, where many things are scarce, this is exemplified at its best. 

 To illustrate this here is an image of two men delivering a FRIDGE in a Rickshaw!

Whereas in countries where moving-vans can be found in abundance, scarcity offers these two men an alternative, no-nonsense solution. 

Here is another example of a practical, no-nonsense solution to a problem caused by shortage.

Shortage Photo by csm

The shortage of fuel in Nepal means that people have to sit on top of buses. Every space, even the most minuscule is used up. It is the conductors' job to squeeze as many human bodies as possible inside, on top and even on the sides of buses. A stoic solution that benefits all: the driver and the conductor gain maximum profit, while for the passengers the fares are cheap and thankfully the stops are not too far apart. And this is not just limited to buses.

Jeeps:

Annapurna region | Photo by - Feing Wei

Micro-vans:

And motorcycles to name a few are all united in concord. 

To a novice traveler visiting Nepal for the first time, these examples might cause a degree of discombobulation. But when you put them into context - lack of fuel - every idiosyncrasy will begin to make sense. Why would you not make the most of every inch, cm, mm when fuel is as scarce?

Of course not all roads in Nepal are underdeveloped. In the major cities of Nepal: Kathmandu, Pokhara and Dharan, there are many adequately constructed dual carriageways, which can provide a sense of form and order.

There are also some exceptionally well built roads outside the city. 

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Highway Nepal | Photo by - lian

But it will not be long, both in the city and the countryside, before you come across a road situation a little like this:

Photo by Aananda S

or this,

Driving in the city is also difficult because of the narrow congested roads. Here driver and pedestrian share the same road and there is no rule stating who should give way first. Drivers beep their horn until they are heard, while the pedestrians make way then return to the middle of the road completely unfazed and undeterred. 

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Thamel, Kathmandu | Photo by : Hassanein

Driving in the countryside is difficult for obvious reasons. The roads are under-developed; many roads are in poor dilapidated conditions, full of potholes, cracks and crevices. You will frequently find yourself being driven literally on the sides of half carved out mountains! (Don't look down). It takes both a strong head and a strong stomach to survive the eight to twelve hour journey from the city to the more rural areas of Nepal, where a lot of people still live. 

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Annapurna region| Photo by -Tantje

In many remote areas of Nepal, roads (for auto-motives) have yet to be built. 

It is not uncommon for a journey to be brought to an abrupt stand-still due to the lack of roads either.

Annapurna circuit

Nevertheless, it is not the sorry state of the roads that is astonishing. But rather the fact that despite the atrocious conditions, nine out of ten times, the driver of the bus; the jeep; the motorbike, will safely deliver their passengers to their sought after destination. 

One has to hand it to the drivers of Nepal. Whilst passengers are being sick in the back of buses; cars; and jeeps, their drivers will hasten across treacherous terrain, under terrible conditions, in vehicles that would probably fail every MOT test if they were ever to be assessed. These drivers are beyond fearless, and yet most of them won't even be aware of how dangerous their jobs are. Nor will they ever get credit for how many people they have helped and families they have reunited by choosing to undertake such formidable journeys daily. (There are unsung heroes in every corner of the world.)

So certainly the roads in Nepal are dangerous and road ethics can be found wanting. But these are an outsider's perception. To the native individual, a road in Nepal is simply a road; and every local driver is highly adept at beeping their mighty horn, whilst accelerating, decelerating and swerving pedestrians, animals and other unsuspecting objects. Therefore, do not see only what is lacking whilst travelling through countries like Nepal (of course a lot of things can benefit with a make-over or two; an investment here, an investment there; or a change in government). But rather marvel at how creatively, efficiently and marvellously the people have made the most out what they have. 

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Photo by - Feng Wei

It is not that any country is lacking, things are just done differently there. But to appreciate the difference, one has to first travel. Travel to Nepal today (I'm sure it is not just me who wishes to ride on top of buses and feel the wind caress my hair - whilst conserving fuel in the process). 

Written by Dina Rai.