Everything was packed — four-season sleeping bag, down jacket, torch, candles and the entire pharmacy I’d been talked into buying. I was prepared for every eventuality. I just wasn’t prepared to carry it all.

Call me lazy, but for independent trekkers there are a lot of compelling reasons for hiring a porter. The pack that felt light in Pokhara can feel like it’s full of rocks by the time you’re halfway to Annapurna Base Camp. The paths are uneven and having a weight on your back just about doubles the already considerable time spent looking at your feet. You may feel like a wimp hiring a porter, but at least you get to look at the mountains.

There’s also that sneaking feeling that there’s something vaguely “colonial” about employing someone to carry your luggage. The Nepalese disagree. Portering is a vital part of the economy and the employment is badly needed. There’s no shortage of guys ready to shoulder the responsibility, but it’s worthwhile being a bit particular about the company you keep on remote mountain passes, especially if you are travelling alone.

Nepal is a relatively hassle-free country and the vast majority of its citizens are law abiding and helpful. But, as in many tourist areas, there is minority out to take advantage of the inexperienced. Bad stories abound — the porter who got so drunk he could hardly walk, let alone carry anything, the guide who refused to get up before 10am and the one who ran off with the bags — at that altitude forget trying to catch him. On the other hand, many people develop good relationships with them, although this can sometimes be taken to extremes — one poor guy awoke to find his girlfriend had run off with the porter.

How do you find someone you’d be happy to have as your constant companion for the duration of your trek? It isn’t foolproof, but the easiest way is through a trekking agency. Some less established agencies don’t have regular employees and as soon as they get your busines they just grab someone off the street. If possible it’s better to get recommendations from travellers who have just returned from a trek.

It is possible to cut out the middle man and hire someone directly. Depending on your bargaining skills this can work out a bit cheaper. Hiring someone who importunes you in Durbar Square, Kathmandu’s main tourist attraction, is generally not a good idea and a large proportion of bad experiences originate here. If you are planning a trek in the Annapurna region it’s senseless to hire a guide in Kathmandu because you have to pay for the days spent travelling to and from Pokhara plus transport costs. It’s much better to organise your trek when you get to Pokhara.

If you strike up a deal with someone independently make sure they have recommendations from other travellers they have worked for. The Kathmandu Environmental Education Project, off Tridevi Marg, has a good noticeboard and is a mine of information.

There is a distinction between guides and porters, but it’s not uncommon for agencies to convince people they need both. On the well worn teahouse treks a guide is not necessary — you’d have to be blind to lose your way. But, someone who is hired as a porter, can’t be expected to talk about plate tectonics or even put a name to the lesser peaks. A porter’s job is to carry things. Often porters don’t speak much English so you may find you run out of conversation on the bus to the trailhead. However an increasing number of young men speak reasonable English, are knowledgeable about the area and are willing to assume both roles.

A guide-porter should cost around £5 per day. If you’re on a tight budget you can share him with another trekker. Most porters will make light work of two, or sometimes three, packs carried in their dokar — a large basket hung from a strap resting on their forehead. It’s usual to pay half the total up front and the rest at the end of the trek plus a tip if you are happy with the service. You should establish before setting off that the daily rate covers accommodation and food, otherwise your porter is free to run up a huge bill at your expense. On trekking routes the price of beer, and its potency, is commensurate with the altitude at which it is drank.

Many female trekkers feel uncomfortable about setting off alone with a man they don’t know. Nepalese women are equally up to the job but it’s difficult to find one to act as a guide-porter due to their lack of English. Pushkar Travel, in Pokhara Lakeside, is run by Nicky Chetri and her two sisters. They hope to address this problem in the future and cater for women travellers. Lucky, the elder sister, guides group treks and is one of the few women qualified to lead climbing expeditions.

Pushkar Travel introduced me to Naryan who taught me some of the language, helped me communicate with the local people and explained about the culture. The fact that I was with a local gave me access to teahouse kitchens where we toasted ourselves over the cooking fire and chatted with the owners while porterless trekkers sat in the chilly restaurant. He turned what could have just been a very scenic walk into a cultural experience.