Trekking in Nepal

This is the book that first opened my eyes to Nepal and its culture. It's much more than a guidebook: it has a sensitivity and compassion for its subject that is almost unique in the field of travel writing. It doesn't coddle you with if-it's-day-three-this-must-be-Namche route descriptions, but lets you find your own adventure and gain profound insights along the way. It also has an extensive medical section.

Stephen Bezruchka has prepared a valuable and complete guide to trekking in the Nepal / Everest region. The book offers practical advise from years of personal experience for anyone thinking about a trip to the area. Bezruchka also creates a much needed ecological awareness and offers substantial insight into the culture of Nepal. The book is much more than a travel guide and just plain interesting. I don't often give books five stars, but this work was beyond my highest expectations - a labor of love. Highly recommended!

This is the most fantastic travel guide I've ever used and the only one you will need in Nepal. Bezruchka's love and respect for the Nepali people is evident in every line and will enhance your journey to Nepal as well. We followed his advice and had a much richer experience for it. We watched other tourists who didn't follow his advice being laughed at and ignored. The language book and tape that you can order were incredibly helpful, way better than any dictionary. We were able to converse competently which made a huge difference in our experience. Don't bother with the Lonely Planet guide, which just tells you how to get through the country as cheaply as possible. There is so much more to experiencing Nepal than saving a buck here and buck there.

This is the ONE BOOK I would tell anyone to buy about Nepal, either for specific travel or a general introduction (since it's hard to understand Nepal except from an outsider's perspective).Although the whole book is superb, Bezruchka's advice I most appreciate is about clothing and modesty. I lived in a Nepal village for two years and always hated to see tourists strutting around in public or trekking in underwear-sized garments (short-shorts, bikini tops, etc) and how it not only shocked and upset the Nepalis but that the (stupid) tourists DIDN'T CARE! Great book.

This book is without a doubt the best travel guide I have ever read. It's incredibly comprehensive (especially the medical section--required reading for anyone travelling anywhere in Asia). Bezruchka writes in much more detail than any other guide about trekking in Nepal, and does so with a social consciousness. His ideas about staying in people's homes, contributing to the local economy, and how to leave Nepal the way you found it, are not the usual fuzzy feel-good travel-guide schlock but concrete, practical suggestions. This book made travelling so much less stressful and problematic. Seriously, even if the closest you ever want to get to Nepal is a Discovery Channel documentary, this book is an excellent introduction to a unique society. When you're ready to graduate from Let's Go and Lonely Planet and truly experience another culture, buy this book.