Nepal is home to some of the most spectacular treks in the world. Ranging from classics like Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, and Langtang to up and coming treks such as the Manaslu Circuit Trek and the Nar Phu Valley Trek, Nepal's best treks are listed below. If you plan on going trekking in Nepal, read on to decide which trek is best for you.
Nepal offers a wide variety of trekking trails. For travelers who are short on time, here are some of the best short treks Nepal has to offer ranging from 3 to 10 days. Each of these treks can be extended; the number of days listed here represents the minimum number of days you need to complete these trails.
Visiting Nepal in December, January or February? Winter is a great season for shorter treks at lower elevations. The temperatures are colder, but if you’re well prepared you can enjoy clear skies and fewer crowds.
With snow-capped peaks and fabled Sherpa culture, the Everest region is famous for some of the best trekking in Nepal. If you don’t have the minimum 12 days it takes to do the Everest Base Camp trek, however, here are a few great shorter treks to choose from.
You don't need extreme altitudes or serious mileage to trek in the Himalaya. Nepal also offers a variety of beginner treks with beautiful views and glimpses of the local culture, all taking a week or less to complete. Read on for the best beginner treks in Nepal.
When you think of Nepal, the first thing that probably springs to mind is Mt. Everest, the Himalaya, and trekking. Well, have you ever thought about it as a rafting destination?
Sagarmatha National Park in the Everest region offers up some of the highest treks in the world. To help decide which trek is best for you, here's a list of the main trekking routes with the duration and highlights for each route. Each route has great views, so which one you choose largely depends on your time frame, budget, and appetite for adventure.
While the fall season may have the clearest skies, trekking during the monsoon (from mid-June, through July, August, to early September) has its own advantages. Some treks should be avoided, but for certain regions, it's a great time to visit Nepal: the trails are less crowded, the villages are full of life and the valleys are in bloom.
Camping under the stars after a day trekking through dramatic Himalayan landscapes is one of the most memorable experiences you can have in Nepal. Learn what to expect from a camping trek, and take your pick from six of the best routes.
Tucked between eight of the world’s highest mountains, Nepal is a mecca for extreme adventure. You can climb up, zip down, trek across and soar by some of the world’s most stunning landscapes.
Lower Mustang is a dry, wind-swept region of Nepal that lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. If you want to experience some of the most incredible landscapes in Nepal and enjoy challenging, scenic hikes without the strain of a multi-day trek, then several days spent around Jomsom and Kagbeni are an ideal choice.
The lower Annapurna region is perfect for short treks. With just a few days in the mountains, you’ll experience what makes this part of Nepal special: accessible views of snow-capped peaks, rhododendron forests, and easy trails lined with a selection of cozy teahouses. Here’s a guide to the best short treks in the Annapurna region.
While Kathmandu holds Nepal's main cultural highlights, Pokhara is Nepal's base for adventure. The city lies on the doorstep of the Annapurna Himalaya and borders Phewa Lake and other smaller foothills, making it a great spot for a variety of outdoor activities. It also offers a number of ways to relax, whether you're interested in yoga or pleasant walks around Phewa Lake.
The Kathmandu Valley is the cultural melting pot of Nepal, with countless hidden gems and ancient sites to explore. It holds seven UNESCO world heritage sites along with some great vantage points from which to see the Himalaya from a distance. If you have a day or a few days to spend in Kathmandu, here are a few popular and unique things to do.
Chitwan showcases another side of Nepal, where the landscape and culture are completely different from what you'll find in the Himalaya. Spending two or three days in Chitwan is a great way to complement your trek, and here are a few of the best things to do during your time there.
Nepal is beautiful from every angle, but there's something special about seeing it from the air. Helicopter tours are a unique way to combine transport with sightseeing among the world's tallest mountains and deepest valleys—and it's the perfect solution if you're short on time. Here are some of the best helicopter excursions to incorporate into your trip.
Mads Mathiasen has been trekking through Nepal for 20 years. These days, he does everything from short, child-friendly treks with his young son to rugged wilderness adventures with friends. And he is an expert who plans treks for visitors to Nepal, from first-timers to regular returners.
This excursion from Kathmandu is a six-hour tour to the rustic Newari towns of Bungamati and Khokana. It's a unique opportunity to learn about the traditions of the rural residents whose families have thrived here since antiquity. These are the Newars, people who are indigenous to the Kathmandu...
For those who don't have the inclination to spend months preparing themselves physically to ascend Mt. Everest, there's also the option to enjoy its summit views by air. This comfy private helicopter tour of the world's most famous mountain delivers all the highlights of a trip to Everest in a...
14 km (8.6 miles) east of Kathmandu lies Bhaktapur—the largest of the Kathmandu Valley's three oldest indigenous Newa cities. Founded in the 12th century, this ancient metropolis is also known as Bhadgaun, which means "the city of devotees." Among other things, it's home to some of the valley's...
The Kathmandu Valley is a fertile expanse of land home to ancient cities and towns as well as some of the most beautiful countryside in Nepal. A bicycle tour of this region stops at three indigenous Newar towns: Bungamati, Kirtipur, and Khokana. Dating from the 16th century, these...
During this experience of visiting the elephants in the park, you will follow the elephants into the grasslands beside the river, where the mahouts cut and collect the grass for the elephants to eat during the day. While watching the elephants grazing in the morning mist, you can enjoy a steaming...
Embark on a full-day tour of the Kathmandu Valley with an English-speaking guide, visiting three sacred sites: Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, and Patan Durbar Square. This day fits quite a bit in—helpful for maximizing your time in Kathmandu—but doesn't overload you with too many sites. You can...
This excursion offers visitors the chance to experience the natural beauty and exotic wildlife of Chitwan National Park first-hand on a river safari. The vessel for this particular tour is a traditional long boat that carries passengers to Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge, a rustic jungle hideaway and...
Located on a hilltop about 38 km (23 miles) east of Kathmandu, the Namo Buddha Monastery is regarded as one of the most important holy sites in Nepal. It's also a popular pilgrimage destination for practicing Buddhists in the country. The good news is that it's not necessary to be a holy person...
This sightseeing tour begins west of Kathmandu City and a short distance from the popular tourist district of Thamel, in a place called Swayambhunath, also known as the "monkey temple." Sitting on a hill overlooking the city as well as Kathmandu Valley, Swayambhunath is really a holy place and...
Patan is one of the most culturally distinct and amazingly well-preserved of the ancient cities in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. Believed to have been founded in the eighth century, it was once an independent kingdom. This rich heritage has allowed it to maintain its identity despite being a mere...
In Nepali it's known as Sagarmatha, but to the rest of us, it's Mt. Everest, quite possibly the most famous mountain in the world. Most people will never have the opportunity to summit this 8,848-meter/29,028-foot giant, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy its panoramic vistas from above. All...
This is a full-day sightseeing tour that includes visits to two famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley. First up is Pashupatinath, located in the east of Kathmandu City, and one of the holiest temples in the Hindu religion. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the three main...
Enjoy a full day of safari activities in the Chitwan National Park where you're guaranteed to see some spectacular wildlife. All wildlife activities are escorted by an experienced naturalist who will tell you everything you want to know about the park and its flora and fauna. Wildlife that you...
Patan is one of the three major ancient cities of the Kathmandu Valley (Bhaktapur and Kathmandu being the other two). Located on the banks of the Saraswati River (which is regarded as sacred by Hindus), it was founded all the way back in 745 AD. Not only is it home to ancient architectural...
Located in the Terai region of Nepal, Bardia National Park covers 968 square kilometers of forests, rivers, savannahs, and grasslands. That makes it the largest protected area in the entire country. This day tour allows folks to discover Bardia's vast ecological treasures a couple different ways:...
The difference between Nepal's capital of Kathmandu and the mountain town of Bandipur is night and day. Where the former is a chaotic metropolis with many thoroughfares, the latter is a serene village with a single road and nary a car in sight. The buildings here also stand out, with many...
Bardia National Park is an undiscovered gem of Nepal. This diverse ecosystem in the Terai region of the country features grasslands, river valleys, savannahs, and sal forest, and all this within a 958-square-km space. There's an abundance of exotic birds here, and it's their calls that carry...
