Nepal is home to 8 out of 10 of the world’s tallest mountains, including the mother of all mountains Mt Everest (8848m), so naturally when you think of Nepal, you would associate it with mountain climbing. The best way to discover Nepal is on foot; nothing beats walking from teahouse to teahouse under crystal-clear Himalayan skies as 8000m peaks tower over you. Although trekking routes close to Kathmandu were damaged in the 2015 earthquake, there are still other parts of Nepal which are still safe and escaped the damage, including the Annapurna and Everest regions.
There are so many different regions where you can go for trekking, so this post would help you to decide the area to go to based on your fitness level, the types of scenery you would like to see and the number of days you have for the hike. Everest requires a flight to Lukla which makes it a more expensive option than Annapurna which can be accessed by local bus.
If you don’t have time for a big trek, several shorter treks from Pokhara in the southern foothills of the Annapurna can give you a taste of life on Nepals’s mountains. It is also possible to cobble together a mini-trek of several days around the rim of the Kathmandu valley, linking medieval towns and viewpoints such as Nagarkot.
I shall start off with the Annapurna circuit because this is the trek that I did on my trip. I went up to the highest point Thorung la (5416m) and also had a detour to the world’s highest alpine lake – Lake Tilicho (4920m). It is important to give yourself extra days to acclimatise and not rush through the trek. It does not matter if you are fit or trained hard for the trek, acute mountain sickness (AMS) can affect all kinds of people regardless of fitness standards. It could prove fatal if you do not listen to your body and continue ascending, so please set aside some extra days on your trek to acclimatise in certain villages.
Annapurna Circuit trek
Duration: 12 to 19 days
Maximum elevation: 5416m at Thorung La pass
Best season: Oct to Nov
Route: Besi Sahar – Bhulebule – Ghermu – Tal – Chame – Pisang – Manang – Yak Kharka – Thorung Phedi – Muktinath – Kagbeni – Jomsom (can continue further down to Naya Pul).
Additional detour would be Lake Tilicho from Manang and joining back the circuit at Yak Kharka. (min 2 extra days)
Most people end their trek at Jomsom because of the availability of public buses to take them down.
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Permits: TIMS card, ACAP permit
Summary: The sense of journey, the challenging crossing of a high pass and the possibility of excellent day trips to monasteries and mountain lakes make this a Himalayan classic.
Annapurna Sanctuary trek (also known as ABC)
Duration: 7 to 10 days
Maximum elevation: 4130m at Annapurna Base Camp
Best season: Oct to Nov
Route: Phedi – Tolka- Chhomrong – Bamboo – Himalayan hotel – Machhapuchhare Base Camp – Annapurna Base Camp
Difficulty: Moderate
Permits: TIMS card, ACAP permit
Summary: Classic walk through Gurung villages climbing to an amphitheatre surrounded by 7000m and 8000m peaks.
Annapurna Panorama
Duration: 6 days
Maximum elevation: 3210m at Poon Hill
Route: Naya Pul – Tikhedhunga – Ghorepani – Poon Hill – Tadapani – Ghandruk – Kimche/ Birethanti/ Naya Pul
Difficulty: Easy
Summary: This loop walk features Gurung villages and marvellous views from the popular Poon Hill viewpoint and is a good choice in winter. Fine vista of snowy peaks, including Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare.
Ghandruk Loop
Duration: 3 days
Maximum elevation: 1970m at Ghandruk
Route: Phedi – Tolka – Landruk – Modi Khola – Ghandruk – Kimche/ Naya Pul
Difficulty: Easy
Summary: This is a short but steep trek offering mountain views and Gurung villages, with numerous quality lodges and excellent mountain views at Ghandruk.
Panchase Trek
Duration: 3 to 4 days
Maximum elevation: 2500m at Panchase Danda
Route: Naudanda/ Khare – Panchase Bhanjyang – Panchase Danda – Pokhara
Difficulty: Easy
Summary: Panchase is a region close to Pokhara, which boasts scenic and cultural attributes with added benefits of being easily accessible from Lakeside and no permits required. Simple homestay and teahouse accommodation are available throughout the trail.
Moving on to the other popular region for trekking in Nepal which is Everest. Everyone wants a glimpse of the world’s highest mountain, thus making Everest Base Camp a popular choice. The trek has a number of stunning attractions, not just being able to brag about visiting the highest mountain in the world. The trek brings you right to the heart of the high-altitude Himalayas, more so than any other teahouse trek. There are some lovely villages and gompas (monasteries), and the friendly Sherpa people make trekking through the region a joy.
Everest Base Camp trek
Most Everest trekkers opt to fly to Lukla (US$165) from Kathmandu to maximise their time in the high mountains. The facilities on the Everest trek are excellent. The upper reaches of the trek are through uninhabited areas but lodges operate throughout the trekking season.
Duration: 14 to 20 days
Maximum elevation: 5545m at Kala Pattar
Best season: Oct to Dec
Route: Lukla – Phakding – Namche Bazaar – Tengboche – Pheriche/ Dingboche – Duglha – Lobuche – Gorak Shep – Everest Base Camp – Lobuche – Dingboche – Lukla
Difficulty: Moderate
Permits: TIMS card, Sagarmatha National Park ticket
Summary: Spectacular high mountain scenery, Sherpa culture, excellent lodges and views of beautiful Mt Ama Dablam are the highlights of this busy and popular trek. Walk into the heart of the world’s highest mountains following in the footsteps of mountaineers and Sherpas.
When to trek?
In general the recommended season would be the dry season from October to May; the worst time would be the monsoon period from June to September. However, I went to June and it is still fine. It was raining mainly at night and on the way down there were some road blocks due to landslides. On the whole I still experienced much sunny weather during the day while trekking. Be prepared to trek in snowy conditions when you go around Oct-Jan.
