How difficult is the Pikey Peak Jeep Tour?
Pikey Peak Jeep Tour is not really difficult, as most of the day will be trave via a jeep which is considered easy to moderate, nothing too challenging. The majority of people with decent fitness will manage it quite easily.
The jeep travel handles the part that is considered to be longest and hardest part of the adventure. It means you will drive through difficult roads on the mountain without having to make long walks for days.
There also trekking part where you have to walk up the hills. You have to spend hours on the trek, climbing toward the summit through rough terrain. But none of this require technical climbing skills or fancy equipment.
As far as altitude is concerned, it is not going to pose any real challenge to this Pikey Peak Trek with Jeep. The height of Pikey Peak is 4,065 m, which is quite high but definitely not dangerous.
However, there will be days when weather might create a challenge. Cold morning with and snowfall sometimes make some part of the trek slippery for traveler. Generally, the guides take this into consideration while setting the pace, simply to ensure everyone is safe.
In the end, this tour is perfect for people who walk quite often and have a decent physical condition. The short duration of the tour means fewer problems with tiredness that you would experience on a long trek.
If you have ever been hill-walking or even trekking before, then you should be fine on this Pikey Peak Jeep tour Itinerary tour.
Preparation for the Pikey Peak Jeep Tour
With good preparation, the entire journey becomes a lot smoother and more enjoyable. Just a few preparations make a lot of difference.
First of all, you should so some light physical exercise starting a week or two before your departure. Walking, jogging or stair climbing will increase your endurance needed for this route. No need to have hard gym workouts, just regular activities.
Bring clothe to layer up because temperature changes frequently. Cold morning and evening hours require some extra clothing according to the temperature. A good jacket, some thermal clothing and trekking shoes are the best choice.
Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are essential items to carry. Sun is very strong at high altitudes, even on cloudy days. One should have a bottle of water to drink on the way.
Make sure to sort out all your travel documents ahead of time. Your passport, permit or any other documents should remain with you before starting your Pikey Peak Jeep Tour.
Fully charge the battery of your camera and cell phone for each morning of the trip. Cold weather affects the battery quickly, and you will be able to take plenty of pictures without worries.
It is important not only physically but mentally as well to get prepared. Try to keep yourself open to basic tea house stays and meals. Such attitude will allow you to really appreciate the Pikey Peak Trek with Jeep.
Accommodation and Meals
The accommodation for the Pikey peak jeep tour will be in Tea house and lodges. This accommodation offers comfortable rooms, warm bed, blankets and basic furnitures. It does not offer much but provide enough to spend night comfortably. The majority of rooms have double bed and shared bathroom.
While luxury is not available in the mountain, the comfort level is still quite good. The tea house owner offer guest a warm welcome and offers the room that have the best view of mountain from the window.
For the meals traditional Nepalese food will be on the menus at almost all the teahouse you visit. Dal Bhat is the most favorite food that include rice, lentil, vegetable and some pickles. The meal provides you with necessary energy for trekking and is also served unlimitedly.
Some noodles, momo and soups are also available at most of the tea house along the way. Eggs, toast, porridge and tea/coffee are served for breakfast. Meals are simple but they are usually large portion and satisfying.
Water is easily available on this journey, but it is always better to be prepared ahead of time. Usually, bottled water or boiled water is available in tea houses for small charges, there are people who would rather have water purification tablets or even a filtration botte with them.
Overall, food and accommodation during this journey will not be luxurious but sufficient for you to have a comfortable tour to Pikey Peak Jeep Tour.
Transportation
The drive from Kathmandu to Pikey Peak will be in 4DW jeep which is the backbone of the tour. The journey starts at early morning from Kathmandu to Dhap and then continues from there to Bhadaure.
During the drive, the road condition changes quite a bit from narrow path to steeper toward the hills. The condition of road might sometime be affected because of landslides or rain due to monsoon rain.
The driving time and distance may vary according to the choose route and stop on the way. For Epic Trek Nepal’s Pikey Peak Jeep tour itinerary, the driving distance from Kathmandu to Dhap take about 8 to 10 hours and from Dhap to Bhadaure it takes about 3 to 4 hours. From there the actual summit to the Pikey Peak Base Camp starts. The use of jeep reduces the number of days and only the trekking part is left which can be completed for a few hours.
Stopping along the journey also give you the opportunity to rest, get some food and take photos of the view along the road without being exhaust. The small towns and villages found in the area allow you to see some local scenes even without trekking.
The transport method has made the Pikey Peak Jeep Tour itinerary more efficient. You ascend to greater heights very fast, making ample time available to you to enjoy the mountain scenery and experience the local culture.
Required Permit
The Pikey Peak Jeep Tour required much fewer permit than treks like the famous Everest Base Camp. It helps to make the entire journey smooth and pretty quick.’
The Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit is required on the Dhap route because the Pikey Peak fall within this conservation area. It cost approximately NPR 3,000 per person.
Any of the routes from Dhap to the peak doesn’t require you to acquire the Local Area Permit required in Jiri and Shivalaya trail permits.
The TIMS card is not a mandatory requirement on this particular path. In fact, most hikers who have done the Pikey Peak Jeep Itinerary journey via Dhap and Bhadaure never use this card at all because this card is not necessary for this particular trek. However, just as a precautionary measure, some agencies might use it.
The GCAP permit will be sorted out Epic Trek Nepal even before you start off with your Pikey Peak Trek with Jeep. Having passport photographs and passport details handy can help make the process easier.
Travel Tips
The condition of roads along this route becomes quite terrible after passing the village of Dhap. Traveling by jeep involves experience some bumps, twists, dust which will cover everything around. To avoid that, it is recommended to sit somewhere in the middle for comfort.
It is necessary to prepare well for weather ahead on this route. Early morning and evening become quiet cold, so bring warm jacker, gloves, as well as light clothing for walking.
Although this peak is not as high as Everest Base Camp, altitude acclimatization is necessary as well. Make sure to have sufficient amounts of water and maintain a stable pace throughout the summit section. Sometimes mild headaches and fatigue may occur.
Mobile and internet connectivity will remain quite limited after leaving Kathmandu. Some villages on the route will have basic connectivity, but it will vanish once you start moving higher up. Make sure to download offline maps prior to the journey and inform your family about low connectivity.
It becomes necessary to have money with you once you step out of Kathmandu. There won’t be any ATMs available once you go inside the hills, you must carry enough money in Nepalese rupees to purchase things. Cards won’t be accepted at tea houses and shops, and no currency exchanges will be available in such remote locations.
The preparation for these five factors will make your Pikey Peak Jeep Tour more enjoyable and stress-free.
Travel Insurance
Travel insuance is highly important for Pikey Peak Jeep Tour, even if this area is fairly moderate compared to other high-altitude trek. Things may go wrong is such remote places, so having insurance is always recommended.
Travel insurance that covers emergency medical treatment and helicopter evacuation is particularly important. You might get altitude sickness during the jeep travel but while climbing for final ascent there’s a chance to get altitude sickness or get injured, if that happens you might have to get evacuate and cost will be very expensive without proper insurance.
Cancelling and interrupting the tour may happen due to many reasons such as adverse weather conditions, blocked roads or other emergencies. In case of such cancellations and interruptions, insurance will cover your expenses incurred during the trip.
The travel policy must cover the activities up to 4,500 meters, since Pikey Peak itself stands at 4,065 meters. Many travel policies do not cover high-altitude trekking. Therefore, you should check their cover carefully before purchasing it.