Namaste, fellow travellers!

Today we might be talking about misconceptions.
Nepal has an international reputation for being THE place you must go if you’re looking for hiking and adventure. Since I haven’t been in Nepal (yet) I might write here three common misconceptions other travellers had that you should know before you go.

1. FRESH MOUNTAIN AIR ALL THE TIME

Somehow the idea most people have of Nepal (me included) is of this place where you can breath fresh air while enjoying the mountain views. Seems like it is not exactly like that. Kathmandu is suffering from serious air pollution. Tip: you can buy cheap face masks all over the city.

However, you might think…. “that’s only because Katmandhu is a big city, in the mountains I will have my fresh air”. Well, true, but you might also suffer from respiratory problems due to the high altitude. Yet, no worry! if you take steps to acclimatize you might not have any problem.

2. LOCALS CAN’T SPEAK ENGLISH

This is a really common stereotype for many countries (Spain, Grece, etc.). In the case of Nepal, it couldn’t be farther from the truth. EVERYONE SPEAKS ENGLISH! (well maybe not in isolated villages but you get the idea). In schools out of eight subjects, seven are taught in English.

3. SHERPAS ARE JUST MOUNTAIN GUIDES

Lastly, Sherpas became famous for helping the first foreign explorers climb the high mountains of the Himalayas. That’s why we associate it directly to mountain guides. However, Sherpa is an ethnic group. This means that although everyone can be a guide, not everyone can be considered Sherpas.

I hope you learnt a bit more about amazing Nepal with this post. If you want to know more about other stereotypes, here are some blogs I found very interesting and maybe you might too:

• What to Expect When Travelling to Nepal: Expectations vs. Reality
• Trekking in Nepal- Expectations Vs. Reality
• Common Misconceptions About Nepal

By reading other people’s experiences and opinions, you will be less disappointed knowing and undertanding more background information upon arrival.

Cheers!