Category Archives: blog

We get a lot of questions about altitude here at OneSeed. We do play in the mountains a lot after all!

Altitude can effect people differently, but some we’ll cover some of the details here:

What altitudes each trip reaches
How altitude sickness can effect you
How to prevent altitude sickness and monitor for it
The signs of altitude sickness
How OneSeed handles altitude sickness preparation before hitting the trail
What happens on the trail if you are hit with a bout of altitude sickness.

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), can be very...

Tagsaccute mountain sickness altitude altitude sickness Chile Kathmandu Mt. Everest Nepal Patagonia Santiago trekking Comments closed

I arrived early in Kathmandu. Oh no, oh no, what will I do?

Nov 17

2012

blog FAQ Nepal By cathryn

Nepal is a great place, so if you forgot about those pesky time zones and arrive early or want more time to explore we’ve gathered some information that will be helpful to you.

While we are excited for you to join us, we are only able to pick you up from the airport and provide your accommodation on the arrival date of your expedition. If you have further questions beyond our recommendations below, don’t hesitate to call us.

Nepal is the land of Mt. Everest and the other ginormous Himalayan Mountains....

Tagsacclimatization Bhaktapur Denver Durbar Square elevation Garden of Dreams Himalya Kathmandu Nepal Pashupatinath Temple travel trekking UNESCO World Heritage Site Comments closed

“You don’t eat no meat? That’s ok. I make lamb.”

Nov 2

2012

Trying local food while traveling is one of my favorite things about being abroad, but as a vegetarian it can sometimes be difficult. I used to be a strict vegetarian so I know the hassle it can be, but I spent five months in China and survived!

Some countries are extremely vegetarian friendly, as they themselves don’t have a lot of meat in their diet (Nepal), but in others the term ‘vegetarian’ is as foreign to them as you are (Chile). While vegetarian foods are easily found in Nepal, if...

TagsChile Nepal travel trekking vegetarian vegetarian traveler Comments closed

Guide Profile: Sabine Barrios

Oct 10

2012

blog Chile By cathryn

One of our newest Chilean guides, Sabine is well traveled and has five years experience guiding treks in Patagonia. Born in Venezuela, she grew up in Santiago before traveling through Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, France and England where she really mastered her English. In addition to leading trekking trips through Patagonia, she has also led extended horseback riding trips through the region as well! Learn a bit more about what makes Sabine tick in our interview with her.

What inspires you/do you love about the outdoors and adventure?

It is what I...

TagsBolivia Camino del Choro Chile England France horses Patagonia travel trekking Venezuela wilderness Comments closed

From the Whites to the Rockies: Why I Love the Mountains

Oct 10

2012

OneSeed loves the mountains! Hopefully you do too. OneSeed staffer Cat shares the reasons for her love of the mountains, how they have influenced her life, and why she feels at home among them.

The beach or the mountains? It’s a question that seems to be asked in nearly every awkward social situation, ice breakers at new jobs, school orientations, first dates, etc…, as if the answer tells you everything you need to know about a person. They can make you feel insignificantly small, they could be your life’s calling,...

TagsAppalachian Mountains hiking mountains Rocky Mountains trekking White Mountains Comments closed

Water, Water Everywhere…

Oct 8

2012

blog Nepal By cathryn

We are all cautious about what we consume while traveling (remember our chat from the Everybody Poops post!), and if you drink as much water as I do, you want to make sure it’s clean! I’m sure your first thought is bottled water, and you may have heard of iodine tablets and boiling water to sterilize it. While their can be benefits to these options, at OneSeed Expeditions, we take a different approach. We use SteriPEN.

What is SteriPEN and how does it work?

SteriPEN is water sanitization system that...

TagsChile Nepal sterilization SteriPEN travel Water Comments closed

The Flight to Nepal is Long, Bring a Book!

Oct 4

2012

blog Nepal By cathryn

Are you about to take a trip to Nepal? Curious about Nepal? Here are some reading recommendations from our staff that you may not have heard of. Grab a cup of cocoa, tea or coffee and settle into your favorite reading spot to delve into the wonders of Nepal!

Touching My Father’s Soul: A Sherpa’s Journey to the Top of Everest
Jamling T. Norgay

Click to read more

“In a story of Everest unlike...

TagsAnnapurna books Everest Mt. Everest Nepal trekking Comments closed

Staff Profile: Chris Baker, OneSeed Founder and Pizza Maker

Sep 12

2012

Meet Chris, the founder of OneSeed Expeditions. Over the past seven years, Chris has split his time between Nepal and the US. While in Nepal, he conducted research in Kathmandu and throughout the Khumbu region surrounding Mt. Everest. As a Fellow with Kiva.org, Chris worked closely with local microfinance institutions. Chris founded OneSeed in 2010 with friends Bishnu Thapa and Tek Bahadur Dong. He loves milk and makes a delicious pizza.

What was your first adventure?

When I was 12 years old, I was going to the airport with my dad....

TagsChile expeditions Khumbu kiva.org microfinance Mt. Everest Nepal OneSeed Expeditions trekking Comments closed

Cat’s Criticals: Suggested Items for a More Efficient Trip

Aug 30

2012

blog By cathryn

As a follow up to my post Hiking Boots and Heels: A Woman’s Strategy to Packing for an Expedition, I’ve created a list of items that I find particularly useful while on the road. Make sure to check our packing lists (Nepal or Chile) for the items you will need on your trek (this blog is not inclusive of all items you need, but suggestions for items on the packing list). The numbers may seem sparse, but you will quickly learn that you...

TagsChile Nepal packing packing for a trek women's packing women's travel Comments closed

Staff Profile: Sergio Nuñez, Chile Country Director

Aug 30

2012

blog Chile By cathryn

Meet Sergio, OneSeed’s Country Director in Chile. Originally from Chile’s far south, Sergio grew up playing in the outdoors and exploring Patagonia. He studied business in school and has experience running his own trekking companies. He loves climbing and trekking with his daughter who is a budding adventurer herself. As an amateur photographer, he captures the beauty of Patagonia and his work has been published in National Geographic. This rugged outdoorsman owns a pink espresso maker which makes a darn good cup of coffee!

1. How did...

TagsChile expedition guide OneSeed Expeditions Patagonia Patagonia trekking Comments closed

Heels and Hiking Boots: A Woman’s Strategy to Packing for the Trail

Aug 29

2012

blog FAQ By cathryn

As adventurous, traveling women, we can be finicky creatures, and we can go to extremes. Determined to not stand out as the woman that brought along a hairdryer, sometimes we may pack so little that we remove from our packs the ever important toilet paper or tampons we think we can find along the way only to regret it later. Or there is the other extreme of wanting every comfort of home while in a foreign and remote spot that...

TagsChile how to pack for a trek Nepal packing packing tips women's travel Comments closed

Staff Profile: Cat Wile – Operations Manager, World Traveler, Mayo Hater

Aug 27

2012

blog Chile Nepal By lauren

One of OneSeed’s newest additions to the team, Cat Wile, is our operations guru. Born and raised in a small town in chilly Massachusetts, she set her sights on migrating south, finding herself down in North Carolina. Graduating from Elon University with an International Business degree, she then took up employment with a large firm in Charlotte. Between her studies and demanding career, she still managed to explore the world, spending five months in China learning Mandarin and visiting Mexico, Peru, Turkey, Greece, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Most...

TagsAngkor Thom Cambodia China Elon University OneSeed Expeditions operations Southeast Asia Thailand travel Trek and Sip Vietnam Comments closed

7 Tips to Prepare for Your Trek

Aug 27

2012

blog FAQ By cathryn

Always be prepared! The scout’s motto is simple, but true. Being well prepared for your trek will make your time much more enjoyable, and you can focus on the wonders around you rather than your blistered feet! Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your trek. Starting on them sooner rather than later and doing them in small steps will make them much more manageable and less intimidating.

1. Buy appropriate footwear and break your boots in.

Visit an outdoor retailer and do research to...

Tagsadventure travel Chile how to prepare for a trek Nepal trekking training Comments closed

Staff Profile: Lauren Linzer – Slayer of Sales and Customer Service Guru

Aug 21

2012

blog By cathryn

Meet Lauren, OneSeed’s head of sales and customer service.

Lauren comes to us from North Carolina though she has spent the past few years traveling abroad. She earned a marketing degree from Appalachian State in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina. She learned Spanish by immersing herself in the language while teaching English in Madrid, Spain and then living in Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands off the African coast. After floating between nearly 15 apartments in several countries over the past two and a half years, she is excited...

TagsAppalachian State University Canary Islands Lanzarote North Carolina OneSeed Expeditions sales travel trekking Comments closed

Everybody Poops. Now Let’s Talk About It.

Aug 21

2012

Adventure Travel blog Chile Nepal By cathryn

The toilet, commode, W.C., throne room, head, latrine, loo. We’ve got a million names for the bathroom, but it isn’t exactly dinner conversation (unless you happen to be with a bunch of travelers or backcountry enthusiasts). Let’s face it though, when nature calls, it’s nice to know what to expect at the facilities. When you are sneak attacked by a bout of traveler’s diarrhea in a foreign country and are suddenly faced with a hole in the ground and a bucket of water, your uncomfortable experience can become suddenly...

TagsChile travel Nepal travel squat toilets travel travel bathrooms traveler's diarrhea Comments closed

The Air Up There: Weather in Torres Del Paine

Jun 13

2012

blog Chile By OneSeed Expeditions

Climate Overview

Although the park is located in an area that includes a “mild- cool climate, rainy, without dry season”, the weather conditions observed during the year are various, depending on location, altitude, topography, or proximity to glaciers, lagoons or lakes. The characteristic aspect of the area is its thermal homogeneity, which allows tourists to visit this place in every season.

The cooler temperatures are recorded in summer. The month of January records the annual maximum, that fluctuates around the 15 º C, while in winter the minimum temperature does not...

TagsChile Patagonia Torres del Paine trekking weather Leave a comment

Packing 101: You’ve Booked the Trip. Now What to Bring?

Feb 3

2012

Adventure Travel blog Chile FAQ Nepal By OneSeed Expeditions

Packing for a hike in the Himalayas is more involved than throwing things in your carry-on for a getaway weekend, but it does not need to be overwhelming. OneSeed has provided you a packing list with the basics of what you will need for your trek. Some of you – especially those with outdoors experience – will take that list and run with it, needing no further guidance. For trekking novices, hyperplanners, and the rest of you, here are some tips on...

TagsCamelBak hiking boots Himalya Kathmandu Nepal packing trekking Water Leave a comment

Daal Bhat 101

Jan 23

2012

No trip to a foreign land is truly complete without a sampling of the local fare. While this alone can be the most adventurous part of travel (haggis, anyone?), visitors to Nepal are greeted with a simple, vegetarian-friendly, and tasty national dish: dal bhat.

Behold: Dal Bhat.

The core of the meal consists of dal (lentil soup) and bhat (rice). In the farthest reaches of Nepal, this is as fancy as it gets. Basic dal bhat can serve as breakfast,...

Tagsachar dal bhat gundruk Kathmandu Nepal saag trekking vegetarianism Leave a comment

Picking the Right Expedition

Jan 18

2012

Adventure Travel blog Chile FAQ Nepal By OneSeed Expeditions

We break our expeditions into levels of difficulty. We base these ratings on number of hours walking per day, elevation gain, trail quality, etc. Generally, mountain expeditions fall into one of two categories: Intermediate or Difficult.

What’s the difference?

Intermediate

Intermediate adventures require that you are at the least at an average fitness level. Activities will be mandatory and occasionally physically demanding. Experience in this sport is recommended.

These are great first treks and a perfect fit for people looking for a challenge without daily exhaustion. Most of our expeditions fall into this...

Tagsdifficult intermediate Nepal OneSeed Expeditions trekking trip Leave a comment

Meet the Team

Dec 6

2011

blog Starting Up By OneSeed Expeditions

OneSeed Expeditions is excited to announce the OneSeed Expeditions graduating class of 2011 Guides!

3 Ways to Change the World Through Travel

Sep 21

2011

Adventure Travel blog Chile Nepal By OneSeed Expeditions

Racking up those stamp-covered passport pages is satisfying, but what if you could bank a little bit of good karma along the way?

OneSeed tries to keep it simple: you take an amazing trip; a local woman launches or expands her business. Through the OneSeed Fund, local microfinance institutions are able to tap into the revenue stream of adventure travel to fund the creativity of local entrepreneurs.

“Doing a little bit of good doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated,” says OneSeed’s founder, Chris Baker. “It just has to make sense.”

His advice...

TagsNepal OneSeed Expeditions radical transparency social enterprise trekking 1 Comment

Bed, Breakfast, and Daal Bhat?: Teahouse Trekking in Nepal

Sep 19

2011

Adventure Travel blog Nepal By OneSeed Expeditions

What is a Teahouse Lodge?

Throughout the Himalaya, “teahouse” lodges are the standard traiside accommodation. Somewhere between a bed and breakfast and a backcountry cabin, these teahouse lodges are among the more unique features of any Himalayan expedition.

Teahouse lodges are usually organized around a central room with a hearth and eating area. These family-run operations serve up hot tea, tasty food, and even cold beer schlepped in several days from the trailhead. While you’re able to find burgers, “Tibetan pizza” (cheese and tomato sauce on flatbread), and even spaghetti on...

TagsKathmandu Nepal sustainability teahouse trekking Leave a comment

The Air Up There: Weather in the Langtang Region

Sep 15

2011

Climate Overview

Temperatures in the Langtang region vary greatly due to the extreme difference in altitude in the region. Most of the annual precipitation occurs from June to September. In fall (October – November) and spring (April – May), days are warm and sunny, and nights cool. In spring, rain at 3000m elevation often turns to snow at higher elevations. In winter from December to March, days are clear and mild but nights cold.

source: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~mnorconk/sayers_ken.pdf

Weather in the Langtang Region

As in all mountain regions, weather...

TagsLangtang mountains Nepal OneSeed Expeditions Syabru Besi trekking weather Leave a comment

The Air Up There: Weather in the Annapurna Region

Sep 15

2011

Climate Overview

May is warmest with an average temperature of 85.46 °F at noon. January is coldest with an average temperature of 45.14 °F at night. Pokhara has temperate cold and warm seasons. Overall, winters are mild in temperature, with the coldest month most often being January. November is on average the month with most sunshine. The wet season has a rainfall peak around July, the dry season is around the month of November.

source: http://www.chinci.com/travel

Weather in the Annapurna Region

As in all mountain regions, weather...

TagsAnnapurna Machhapuchre Nepal Pokhara weather Leave a comment

The Air Up There: Weather in the Khumbu Region

Sep 15

2011

Climate Overview

July is warmest with an average temperature of 58.82 °F at noon. January is coldest with an average temperature of 17.78 °F at night. Temperatures at night are significantly cooler than during daytime. Winter can have some frostdays, with the coldest month most often being January. November is on average the month with most sunshine. The wet season has a rainfall peak around July, and a dry season around November.

source: http://www.chinci.com/travel/pax/w/1283199/Khumbu/NP/Nepal/0/

Weather in the Khumbu Region

As in all mountain regions, weather is most impacted...

TagsKala Pattar Khumbu Khumbu Pilgrimage Khumjung Lobuche Lukla Namche Bazaar Nepal trekking weather Leave a comment

The Air Up There: Weather in Nepal

Sep 13

2011

We get lots of questions about weather.

This makes sense. Our clients fly halfway around the world and they want to know what to expect. In a country with the geographic diversity of Nepal, this isn’t always the easiest question to answer. We decided to break it down by region…

We’ll start with the easy stuff: Kathmandu.

Weather in the capital city is pretty mild with predictably clear fall and spring seasons and a light monsoon season that stretches from May to September. Winters are cool, but snow is extremely rare in...

TagsKathmandu Kathmandu Valley Nepal trekking weather Leave a comment

One–Er, Three–Months Down

Aug 26

2011

blog Chile Nepal Starting Up By OneSeed Expeditions

Chris Baker is the founder of OneSeed Expeditions.

When I first started this draft (on June 27th), I began by reflecting on just how much had happened in only a month since our launch in May.

Time got away from me.

Now, three full months since our launch, I can’t believe how much has come together in such a short time:

1) Redesign and launch of our website. While I’ll always have a soft spot for our iWeb-designed layout with flashing graphics, the new site looks great. Kudos to our 99Designs...

TagsChile microfinance Nepal OneSeed Expeditions social enterprise social start up start up trekking Leave a comment

Microfinance in Nepal

Aug 22

2011

The study of microfinance is truly a study in adaptation and innovation.

Its the micro part of this field that makes it so particular. Financial services implemented on a grand scale–think of your own bank–find their success in replication and consistency. Visiting a bank teller in New York is not that fundamentally different than visiting a bank teller in San Diego. The services, terms, and basic principles remain constant. This makes sense.

But what happens when you’re on the other end of the scale spectrum? What happens when your model is...

Tagskiva.org lending loans microfinance Nepal Patan Business and Professional Women women Leave a comment

Summits and Reflections

Jul 25

2011

blog Starting Up By OneSeed Expeditions

Emily Cunningham is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her final guest blog.

Emily is a sophomore studying economics at Harvard University. She is interested in microfinance and social enterprise, and is currently in the process of starting a fair trade jewelry network in Gujarat, India. In her spare time, she enjoys playing guitar and saxophone, surfing, Frisbee, and being outdoors.

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Much to my dismay, my time here in Colorado is drawing to an end, and climbing a fourteener...

Doing Good by Doing Business

Jul 11

2011

Emily Cunningham is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her fifth guest blog.

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Among the many important decisions a social entrepreneur must grapple with when establishing a new business is whether to incorporate as a for-profit or a non-profit; a seemingly...

Tagsmicrofinance social enterprise social start up start up Leave a comment

Debunking the Silver Bullet Solution

Jul 5

2011

Emily Cunningham is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her fourth guest blog.

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Human ingenuity is a puzzling thing. We have the capacity to create vaccines for many of the major diseases that plague the developing world, but we often fail...

1 Comment

Meaningful Travel

Jun 28

2011

Adventure Travel blog Nepal By OneSeed Expeditions

Emily Cunningham is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her third guest blog.

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As a resident of Cambridge, I can safely say that, contrary to popular belief, the best thing about my city is not the Duck...

1 Comment

Challenges and Joys of a Start-Up

Jun 23

2011

blog Social Enterprise Starting Up By OneSeed Expeditions

Suniti is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her final guest blog.

Suniti is an Economics concentrator at Harvard University. She has spent her summers working in a micro-finance organization in Northern India and researching the impact of Maoist Civil War on social and economic well-being of Nepali women. Her experiences have strengthened her passion for economic empowerment through enterprise development. Suniti is also working as the Director of Outreach and Partnership (Nepal)...

Investing in Individuals

Jun 21

2011

Emily Cunningham is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her second guest blog.

I’ve been trying to make the most of my time as an intern here in Colorado, hitting up all of the sites from Denver (which seems...

1 Comment

No Longer Black and White

Jun 14

2011

blog Nepal Social Enterprise By OneSeed Expeditions

Microfinance - No Longer Black and White

Suniti is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her third guest blog.

Re-Branding Capitalism

Jun 9

2011

Emily Cunningham is one of OneSeed’s amazing summer interns. This is her first guest blog.

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Summer means reading for pleasure, an all too elusive experience during the past semester. A few friends and...

Identity, Tourism, and Sustainability

Jun 5

2011

Adventure Travel blog Nepal By OneSeed Expeditions

Tourism, Identity, and Sustainability in Nepal

Suniti Thapa is OneSeed’s amazing summer intern. This is her second guest blog.

Women’s Empowerment – Why?

May 26

2011

blog Nepal Social Enterprise By OneSeed Expeditions

Suniti Thapa is OneSeed’s amazing summer intern. This is her first guest blog.

Why OneSeed?

May 13

2011

blog Nepal Social Enterprise By OneSeed Expeditions

It’s easy to feel like microfinance has lost a bit of its shine.

From the recent travails of Muhummad Yunnus and the Grameen Bank to the “no pay” movements in northern India and Latin America, it hasn’t been a great year for the idea that microfinance can overcome poverty.

And that’s exactly the point.

Microfinance doesn’t break the grip of poverty–people do. People like Ms. Rita, a Kiva borrower I met and interviewed during my time as a Kiva Fellow in...

Cutting Out the (Middle) Man

Apr 18

2011

re blogged from: fellowsblog.kiva.org (07.07.10)

Much has been written about the value of investing in women. The Girl Effect theory says that women are simply better investments when compared to their male counterparts.

With access to capital, women are empowered. They buy the things their families need. They educate their sons and daughters. The investment of initial capital is magnified and extended, right?

But what does the Girl Effect look like on the ground?

What else happens when you invest in women?

Meet Laxmi*. Laxmi makes intricate metal statuettes representing Buddhist and...

Website Goes Live!

Mar 1

2011

blog Starting Up By OneSeed Expeditions

It’s official. OneSeed Expeditions is up and running.

After more than three years of planning and legwork, OneSeed Expeditions is a reality.

With our first trips to Nepal beginning in February 2012, we have a lot to get done in the next twelve months. Our short term goals:

Launch our first capital drive to secure start-up funding that will take us from seed stage to fully operational. Look for our ProFounder.com raise campaign. (Learn more about ProFounder and the amazing work being...