-Choosing the right trek for you...
The best way to discover Nepal has to be on foot. Trekking in Nepal through one of the mountain regions gives you plenty of time to enjoy the views across the valleys and the high mountain peaks. You will pass through several villages where the friendly locals wave as you pass by and invite you in for a cup of tea in the small tea houses. The villages where you will stay when taking a Nepal trekking holiday will usually only be accessible on foot, so you won't see or hear many cars or other motorised vehicles there.
So which Nepal trek is right for you? The great thing is that there's something for everyone - different levels of difficulty in different areas of the country. You don't need to be the next Edmund Hillary, even as the most novice trekker you'll be able to find a Nepal trek to suit you. One of the most important factors when trekking in Nepal is altitude. It's the big differences in altitude that make a Nepal trek strenuous because your body needs to adapt to the thin air and that costs a considerable amount of energy. The length of the trek also plays a role: the longer you're trekking the tougher it gets.
Our travel specialists will also be happy to give you more advice on Nepal trekking holidays and choosing the right one for you.
Another important factor to take into consideration is the area you would like to visit. Trekking in Nepal will usually take you to the Kathmandu Valley or the Annapurna region. The Kathmandu Valley is close to the ca
pital and rich in culture, making it perfect for a short visit to Nepal. When trekking in Nepal in the area around the royal cities Bhaktapur and Nagarkot you'll see beautiful temples and pine forests against a dramatic backdrop of the white Himalayan peaks. The valley lies at approximately 1000-1500m altitude.
From Pokhara, you can travel to one of the most spectacular trekking regio
ns of Nepal - the Annapurna Range. There's a good choice of routes varying from light to fairly heavy. Trekking in this region you'll pass through small mountain villages and you'll be treated to spectacular views of the high snow-capped mountains of this area. Nepal trekking holidays in the Annapurna Range are generally at the higher altitudes, perhaps between 1500m - 3000m with a steep climb here and there to attain the best views.
Another important factor to take into consideration is the area you would like to visit. Trekking in Nepal will usually take you to the Kathmandu Valley or the Annapurna region. The Kathmandu Valley is close to the capital and rich in culture, making it perfect for a short visit to Nepal. When trekking in Nepal in the area around the royal cities Bhaktapur and Nagarkot you'll see beautiful temples and pine forests against a dramatic backdrop of the white Himalayan peaks. The valley lies at approximately 1000-1500m altitude.
From Pokhara, you can travel to one of the most spectacular trekking regions of Nepal -the Annapurna Range. There's a good choice of routes varying from light to fairly heavy. Trekking in this region you'll pass through small mountain villages and you'll be treated to spectacular views of the high snow-capped mountains of this area. Nepal trekking holidays in the Annapurna Range are generally at the higher altitudes, perhaps between 1500m - 3000m with a steep climb here and there to attain the best views.
Combining Nepal
Trekking holidays with our short tours
Maybe a trek is your whole reason for coming to Nepal, but you could also c
ombine trekking in Nepal with one of our modules. You nearly always start your Nepal trip in Kathmandu, and you could consider travelling on to Chitwan National Park for some rhino-spotting and an elephant safari before ending your trip with one of our Nepal treks.
By combining different modules you can build your own Nepal trip to suit your personal wishes. We have also put together a number of Nepal itineraries. These are selections of modules and trekking in Nepal modules that we have strung together into a comprehensive two to three-week itinerary.
Nepal trekking holidays: Light treks
If you are keen to go trekking in Nepal but you feel you're not quite fit enough for a longer trek, we would suggest one of our lighter treks. You get the experience of trekking in Nepal without too much strenuous activity and as a bonus you get a good taste of Nepalese culture in the ancient royal cities like Bhaktapur and the traditional mountain villages where it seems like time stood still. Accompanied by an English-speaking guide you will walk for about 4 hours a day and the maximum altitude on the treks is between 1500m-2000m. There are no heavy climbs in these light Nepal treks and you will be staying in basic lodges with (usually) running hot water.
Light treks Jomson Airport Muktinath Temple
Jomsom Fly and Hike
Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
Price: $580 per person based on 2 people
Area: Annapurna Sanctuary
Route: Jomsom - Marpha
Level of trek: light
Best time to travel: all year round
If you want to go trekking in Nepal the Jomsom Fly and Hike is the shortest and easiest trek in the famous Annapurna Range. On this module when trekking in Nepal you will have great views of the surrounding mountains and pass through villages filled with donkeys, yaks and smiling children. If you're interested in nature and local culture and you're looking for a relaxed trekking experience then this light trek is for you. This trek doesn't climb any higher than 2000m which means you can do it all year round.
Nepal trekking holidays: Medium treks
If you're reasonably fit (you don't need to be a top athlete) or if you've done a trek or hiking holiday before and would like to try trekking in Nepal, then our medium category treks are probably right for you. What we like most about these medium treks is that you won't be spending every minute trekking up and down the mountain trails, there's also time to experience the local culture in the mountain villages you pass on the way. White-capped peaks and small villages dominate the area and you will get a taste of the traditional mountain life of the local people. There are a couple of serious climbs on these treks. When trekking in Nepal you don't necessarily need experience but you'll need to be in good shape. You'll be trekking for about 6 hours a day, climbing and descending every day. The altitudes vary considerably from 1500m-3000m and the treks usually include at least one heavy climb. You'll be staying in basic lodges, but not always with hot water.
Medium treks
Sunrise at Poon Hill
Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
Price: $325 per person (based on 2 people sharing)
Area: Annapurna Range
Route: Pokhara - Tirkhedhungga - Ghorepani - Poon Hill - Ghandruk - Pokhara
Highest point: 3210 m
Level of trek: light to medium
Best time to travel: Spring (March - May) and Autumn (October - November)
If you don't really fancy something hugely strenuous exercise but you do want to experience trekking in Nepal, then Sunrise at Poon Hill offers an interesting challenge. Hiking from 1500-3190m through historic mountain villages surrounded by green fields and high mountain peaks, this short trek culminates in an absolute high point: sunrise at Poon Hill.
Medium treks
Annapurna peaks and mountain villages
Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
Price: $350 per person (based on 2 people sharing)
Area: Annapurna Range
Route: Pokhara - Tirkhedhungga - Ghorepani - Poon Hill - Ghandruk - Dhampus - Pokhara
Highest point: 3190 m.
Level of trek: Medium
Best time to travel: Spring (March - May) and Autumn (October - November)
Annapurna is great for active travellers who want to get that real trekking experience. This medium category trek is almost the same as Sunrise at Poon Hill, but lasts a day longer. In five days, you will trek through green fields and typical Nepali villages with views of the snowy mountain peaks. There are two highlights of this Nepal trek - sunrise at Poon Hill and the spectacular view of the 6000m giant Dhampus.
Medium treks
Trekking across the edge of the valley
Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
Price: $300 per person (based on 2 people sharing)
Area: Kathmandu Valley
Route: Dhulikel - Nagarkot - Bhaktapur
Highest point: 1500 m.
Level of trek: Medium
Best time to travel: all year round
This Nepal trekking holiday is perfect for travellers looking to breathe fresh mountain air and get a taste of local culture. You will visit local villages that seem to have remained untouched since the middle Ages. Wandering through the narrow streets you get a glimpse of traditional Nepali life and your guide will tell you all about the local history and religion. During the trek, you'll have the view across the valley and the majestic peaks of the Himalayas.
Trekking Across the edge of the valley
Trekking near Kathmandu: Dhulikel - Nagarkot – Bhaktapur
Trekking near Kathmandu city will take you across the edge of the Kathmandu Valley and will give you a good impression of local mountain life and the history, culture and religion of this country. The trek leads through terraced farmland with breathtaking views of the mountain ranges and through a couple of historic towns and villages where you feel like you've stepped back in time. The stone temples and traditional Nepalese architecture add to the magical atmosphere, especially when the sun creeps over the mountain peaks the buildings turn a beautiful golden red hue. When trekking near Kathmandu you'll be staying in small, basic centrally located hotels 2 with great mountain views and one right in the heart of old Bhaktapur city.
Duration 4 days, 3 nights
Departure daily Accommodation A small, basic mountain guesthouse in Dhulikel and Nagarkot and a centrally located guesthouse in Old Bhaktapur.
Price per person $200 per person based on 2 people
Includes 3 nights accommodation (Inc breakfast), transport, English-speaking guide and 1 porter between 2.
Transport Private Car transfer Excludes.
All other meals, local bus fare, admission fees for temples and squares (approx US $15)
Day 1: Trekking near Kathmandu - Kathmandu to Dhulikel
Travel time: approx 1-2 hour by car and 6-7 hours trekking
When trekking in the Kathmandu area, you'll be picked up at your hotel in the morning by our driver to transport you to the starting point of the trek. Weaving through the heavy traffic, you'll head out of the city to the quiet village of Panauti. The journey will take just over an hour depending ont he traffic. From here, you'll continue on foot to the holy Namobuddha, which means 'Hail to the Buddha'. The name of the stupa is linked to one of the 'Jataka' legends recounting the previous lives of Buddha and it's one of the most important pilgrim sites in the valley, particularly for Tibetan buddhists. The many flags and pilgrims dressed in colourful robes form a vibrant display around the bright white dome of the stupa. Today is the longest days trekking on this route.
After lunch (not included) in one of the small restaurants you will set off on a hike through the countryside to Dhulikel. When trekking near Kathmandu you leave the urban landscape behind and pass through fields, small villages and forest. So, you'll get a good feel for rural life in Nepal. Dhulikel is a beautifully preserved Newari town made up of traditional stone houses reaching 4-5 storeys high. Traditionally, they're home to large families with often as many as 50 relatives all living under one roof. You'll stay in a small hotel on the outskirts of town with great views of the surrounding mountains. When trekking from kathmandu the views are particularly beautiful at sunrise. The accommodation is small, comfortable hotels rather than the very basic lodges on the other trek routes. It's great to have a hot shower and some good food after a hard days trekking!
Day 2: Trekking from Dhulikel to Nagarkot
Travel time: approx 5-6 hours trekking
After a night in Dhulikel, the trek continues to the village of Nagarkot, the highest point in the Kathmandu Valley. It's a scenic walk of about 4-5 hours through green terraced fields and, if the weather is clears enough, fantastic views of the mountains. If you are tired your guide might suggest, on one short leg of the journey that you can jump on a local bus for a few kms. Nagarkot, which lies to the north-east of Bhaktapur and approx 30km to the east of Kathmandu, was once a military post but is now a popular destination for walkers and cyclists. The village has a great panoramic vista of the Himalayas. The view is particularly memorable at the end of the day, when the sun slowly sets beyond the horizon and the mountains glow in the evening light or at dawn.
Day 3: Trekking from Nagarkot - Bhaktapur
Travel time: approx 3-4 hours trekking
Today is the easiest day of this trek and is mostly downhill to Bhaktapur, again passing through fields and farmland. After about four hours trekking or so you will reach Bhaktapur. Your guide may suggest you take a local bus ride from Changunarayan to Bhaktapur to avoid walking along a section of road. Then you'll get to Bhaktapur sooner. Here, you can have a drink and rest your feet on one of the many rooftop terraces the look out across Durbar Square before setting out to explore the town. Durbar Square is the central town square which is also where you'll find museums, temples and galleries selling traditional thankas (colorful paintings depicting the life of Buddha and other religious scenes). In the middle of the square you'll find the Nyatapola Temple. Reaching a height of over 30 meters, this is the highest temple in Nepal.
After lunch you can head out to explore the area. Bhaktapur is quite remarkable as it has hardly changed since the middle Ages. Throughout the town you'll find medieval buildings with beautiful wood carvings and, as the town is largely pedestrians, it feels almost like a huge open air museum. We've deliberately planned an overnight stay in Bhaktapur in this itinerary so that you can explore the town outside of peak hours. With most of the tourists gone, the town suddenly becomes quiet and peaceful you get a feel of what the place was like hundreds of years ago. Wandering through the narrow alleyways, you pass local women spinning wool behind their spinning wheel and threshing rice by hand. You'll stay in a small cosy hotel on right on Durbar Square.
Day 4: Transfer from Bhaktapur back to Kathmandu.
Travel time: approx 1-2 hours by car
After a quiet night, you can enjoy a relaxed breakfast on the rooftop terrace with views across the square, where old men shuffle by with wooden carts while little old women knit and chat on the temple steps. After breakfast, the trekking near Kathmandu tour ends, and your driver will take you back to Kathmandu. Here you can pick up an onward flight or, perhaps head to Pokhara and do the Sunrise at Poon Hill trek or even head on to Chitwan for our Rafts and Rhinos module
Trekking near Kathmandu
Accommodation images
Medium treks
Helambu homestay trek
Duration: 7 days, 6 nights
Price: $600 per person (based on 2 people sharing)
Area: Helambu Valley
Route: Kathmandu - Sundarijal - Chisapani - Gulbhanjyang - Tharepati - Melamchigaon - Tarke Gyang - Sermathang - Melamchi - Kathmandu
Highest point: 3150m.
Level of trek: Medium to heavy
Best time to travel: Spring (March - May) or Autumn (October - November)
The starting point for this medium/heavy trek is in the east of the Kathmandu Valley. This is one of our favourite longer treks as you won't only be staying in trekking lodges but also in the homes of the local Nepalis. These homestays are unforgettable experiences, as well as a great way to help the local people make a living. This trek isn't too difficult, due to the relatively small altitude gain and loss, although the many steep ascents and descents will prove quite a tough challenge to the less experienced trekker, so ideally you'll need to be fit and used to mountain walking.
Trekking in Nepal: Heavy treks
Trekking in Nepal can pose a tough but rewarding challenge for the experienced and very fit trekker. High up in the mountains the air is thin and the temperature drops, making these heavy Nepal treks a lot more demanding than those at lower altitudes. Trekking in Nepal on the tougher treks include everything you could expect from a real trekking experience: spectacular mountain views, friendly locals in the tea houses, colourful yaks on the way but also long days, a lot of cold and not forgetting aching joints and muscles.
You'll be walking between 4-8 hours every day and the differences in altitude are considerable; between 2000m-5000m. Ascending and descending every day the trail includes some strenuous climbs. During these heavier treks you'll stay in simple, cozy lodges with running water, just don't always expect a hot shower.
Heavy treks
Annapurna Circuit
Duration: 17 days, 16 nights
Price: $790 per person (based on 2 people sharing)
Area: Annapurna Range
Route: Pokhara - Besi Shahar - Bahun Danda - Chamje - Pisang - Manang - Ledar - Throng Phedi - Throng La- Muktinath - Jomsom - Tukche - Ghasa - Tatopani - Ghorepani - Pokhara
Highest point: 5416m
Level of trek: Relatively tough
Best time to travel: Spring (March - May) and autumn (October - November)
Trekking in Nepal on the Annapurna Circuit is the ultimate Nepal trek for real mountain goats; those who love trekking in a pristine mountain region. This longer trek is relatively tough and takes 17 days, following stony trails through Nepali villages and green valleys with spectacular vistas of the mountains of the Annapurna Sanctuary. From the valley you will climb to the Thorung La Pass at 5000m altitude, the highest point of the trek.
Trekking in Nepal: Other treks
Besides the treks already mentioned above, we offer a number of other treks along popular routes. Although we haven't included them in the overview as yet, we feel they are certainly worthwhile if you want to experience some challenging trekking in Nepal.
We can arrange the following Nepal treks for you on request:
- Annapurna Sanctuary Trek/Base Camp trek
- Everest Base Camp Trek
- Everest View Trek
Nepal trekking holidays: General information
Best time to travel
The best time of year to go trekking in Nepal is spring (March - May) or autumn (October-November). Summer (June - September) is monsoon season and the rain can make travel difficult with landslides blocking the road. Taking Nepal trekking holidays in the rainy season isn't much fun, especially above 1000m. Paths are muddy and slippery and treks are often cancelled due to poor weather conditions and there might be leeches along the way! The winter months (December - February) can be pretty cold and many of the higher mountain passes are blocked because of the snow.
Accommodation
When trekking in Nepal you will be staying in trekking lodges. These are (very) basic Nepali lodges with just a couple of rooms with two separate beds. The lodges have running water but don't expect a hot shower. Blankets are available but we recommend bringing your own sheet bag. You can rent sleeping bags before you begin your Nepal trek in Pokhara or Kathmandu or if you'd prefer bring your own from home.
Food and drink
The trekking lodges that you rest in when trekking in Nepal offer good value meals, and you can grab a very satisfying bite for less than £4. Typical dishes on the menu include Dahl Bhaat (rice with lentils), steamed momo s (a type of filled roll) and bread. Often you'll find western dishes like tomato soup, pizza or pancakes. During the day, the many tea houses or 'bhatti s are a great place to stop off during your trek for a hot cup of tea or an ice-cold coke.
Luggage
Besides your guide, you will be accompanied by one porter for every two people when taking a Nepal trekking holiday. The porter can carry a maximum of 30kg so it's wise to take only the essentials and perhaps carry some things yourself in a daypack. You can leave the rest of your luggage at the hotel where you were staying before the start of the trek, or at our local agent's office.
Tips
When you are trekking in Nepal tipping your porters and guides is customary, though not at all compulsory, but it is always greatly appreciated. A rough guideline is around £2 per day for the porter and guide.
Altitude sicknessAltitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS) is one of the major concerns when trekking in Nepal, particularly at high altitudes. This condition occurs when you ascend quickly to altitudes above 2000-2500m. Whether you are likely to get altitude sickness varies per person, some suffer from symptoms while others have no problems at all, and you could be feeling fine on one day of your trek but suffer from headaches and nauseas (typical symptoms of altitude sickness) the next.
You can avoid altitude sickness by giving your body plenty of time to acclimatize and drinking plenty of fluids during your trek. Altitude sickness may be mild or severe.
Mild altitude sickness (benign AMS): symptoms usually occur within the first 24 hours at altitude and can include shortness of breath, headache, nausea, lethargy and loss of appetite. Treatment for benign AMS is to stay at the same altitude or even descend from your Nepal trek if the symptoms don't improve within a couple of days. Paracetamol can help for headaches and if necessary additional medication or oxygen can be given.
Severe altitude sickness (malignant AMS): in cases of malignant AMS the headache worsens and shortness of breath increases even when you're resting particularly at night. Other symptoms include severe lethargy and lack of balance and coordination (walking looks like you're drunk) and irrational behavior. This is a very serious condition that if left untreated can lead to pulmonary or cerebral edema and even death. The best treatment for severe altitude sickness when trekking in Nepal is to descend from your trek immediately! Additional medication and oxygen can also be given.
If you're traveling to Tibet you are already at a very high altitude the moment you step off the plane and there's no easy way to descend to a lower altitude. Taking plenty of time to acclimatize is therefore essential if you're planning on traveling to Tibet.
Preventing altitude sickness when trekking in Nepal:
• Ascend slowly to altitudes above 2500m.
• Take 48 hours to acclimatize when ascending above 2500m.
• Avoid alcohol or sleeping pills
• Drink plenty of water or herbal tea (no alcohol or coffee)
• The altitude at which you sleep should be no higher than 300m than your sleeping altitude of the previous night
• Avoid using Diamox, an anti-AMS drug as it has been known to mask symptoms of AMS
In cases of severe altitude sickness a helicopter can be chartered but this is very expensive (approx 1200 euros an hour) and can only be arranged through a trekking agency or your embassy. It will only fly out if a deposit of 400 euros is paid in advance.
Contact Office:
+977-1-4263044, +977-1-4255575, +977-9851055467
For More Information or Booking: Contact Us
Travelers who would like to make an overland journey to Lhasa and afterward would like to make indepenent activities can take the following tours which we have given in this section.
