Plan my trek
Plan my trek
Oct–Nov, Mar–May
4–25 days
3,200–5,550 m
From NPR 3,000
Required (most areas)
US$80–150 a day
Nepal holds eight of the world’s fourteen 8,000-metre peaks, and it is the only country where you can walk for two weeks through roadless valleys to the foot of Everest, sleeping in a warm lodge every night. That combination of the highest mountains on earth, living mountain cultures and a dense network of family-run teahouses is what makes Nepal the world’s great trekking destination.
You do not need to be a mountaineer. The classic routes are walking trails, used daily by villagers, porters and yak trains, with no ropes or technical climbing. What they demand is stamina, sensible acclimatisation and good preparation. Thousands of first-time trekkers reach Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Sanctuary every season; many more walk shorter routes such as Poon Hill that top out around 3,200 m.
It is also a cultural journey as much as a physical one. You pass Buddhist monasteries and mani walls in Sherpa and Tibetan-influenced villages, Hindu shrines and terraced Gurung and Magar farmland lower down, and in places such as Mustang and Dolpo, communities whose way of life has more in common with Tibet than with Kathmandu.
Think of Nepal as a long strip of hills and mountains running west to east. Kathmandu (about 1,400 m) sits in the middle and is where almost every trek is organised.
This guide helps you choose a trek, understand permits and the guide rule, pick a season, budget properly and prepare safely. When you are ready to turn it into a plan, our trek pages and the trip planning form take it from there.
The right trek depends on three things: how many days you have on the trail, how high you are comfortable going, and how remote you want it to be. The table compares the major routes. Days are walking days from the trailhead and back, not counting time in Kathmandu or Pokhara; altitudes are rounded, and sources differ by a few metres for several passes and viewpoints.
| Trek | Region | Days | Max altitude | Difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poon Hill (Ghorepani) | Annapurna | 4–5 | 3,210 m | Easy–moderate | First trek, short trips, families |
| Mardi Himal | Annapurna | 5–7 | about 4,500 m (viewpoint) | Moderate | Big views in a week, quieter trail |
| Annapurna Base Camp | Annapurna | 7–12 | 4,130 m | Moderate | Mountain amphitheatre without extreme altitude |
| Langtang Valley | Langtang | 7–10 | 4,773 m (Kyanjin Ri) | Moderate | Close to Kathmandu, no flight needed |
| Everest Base Camp | Everest | 12–14 | about 5,545 m (Kala Patthar) | Moderate–challenging | The classic bucket-list trek |
| Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri | Everest | 11–13 | 5,357 m | Moderate–challenging | Everest views with fewer crowds |
| Annapurna Circuit | Annapurna | 12–18 | 5,416 m (Thorong La) | Challenging | Varied landscapes and a high pass |
| Manaslu Circuit | Manaslu | 13–17 | about 5,106 m (Larkya La) | Challenging | A wilder alternative to the Annapurna Circuit |
| Upper Mustang | Mustang | 10–14 | about 4,200 m (passes) | Moderate | Tibetan culture, desert canyons, monsoon trekking |
| Tsum Valley | Manaslu | 12–16 | about 3,700 m (Mu Gompa) | Moderate | Monasteries and village life |
| Everest Three Passes | Everest | 17–21 | 5,535 m (Kongma La) | Strenuous | Fit, experienced trekkers |
| Makalu Base Camp | Makalu | 16–20 | about 4,870 m | Strenuous | Wild, little-visited valleys |
| Kanchenjunga (North/South Base Camps) | Kanchenjunga | 20–26 | about 5,140 m (Pangpema) | Strenuous | Remote expedition-style trekking |
| Upper Dolpo | Dolpo | 20–25 | about 5,350 m (passes) | Strenuous | Very remote, camping-style trek |
Difficulty grades are relative. “Easy” in Nepal still means several hours of steep stone steps a day; “challenging” usually refers to altitude and length rather than technical terrain. If you are unsure where you sit, our guide to trekking for beginners is a good starting point.
The world’s best-known trek follows the Dudh Koshi valley from Lukla (about 2,860 m) through Namche Bazaar (about 3,440 m) and Tengboche monastery to Gorak Shep and base camp at about 5,364 m, with a dawn climb of Kala Patthar for the classic view of Everest. Expect 12–14 days on foot including two acclimatisation days, busy trails in October and April, and comfortable, well-supplied lodges.
Read our full Everest Base Camp guide, or join our small-group Everest Base Camp Trek.
From the Pokhara foothills the trail climbs through Gurung villages such as Chhomrong, then bamboo and rhododendron forest into the Annapurna Sanctuary, a glacial bowl ringed by Annapurna I, Hiunchuli and the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre. The high point, about 4,130 m, is well below Everest altitudes, which makes it a strong first big trek. The catch is the thousands of stone steps. See our Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
The circuit loops around the Annapurna massif, rising from subtropical rice terraces through Manang to the Thorong La pass at 5,416 m, then dropping to the temple town of Muktinath and the Kali Gandaki valley. Roads now reach much of the route, so most trekkers jeep the lower sections and walk the best of it in 10–14 days. Our Annapurna Circuit guide explains which sections still feel wild.
The best short trek in Nepal: four or five days from the Pokhara area to Ghorepani, a pre-dawn walk up to the Poon Hill viewpoint (3,210 m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas, then back through Tadapani and Ghandruk. Altitude is not a real concern, and it fits in a one- or two-week holiday. Details in our Poon Hill trek guide.
A branch of the Everest region that swaps base camp for a chain of turquoise glacial lakes beside the Ngozumpa Glacier, with a climb of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) for arguably the finest view of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. It is quieter than the main EBC trail and can be linked to it via the Cho La pass. See our Gokyo Lakes trek guide.
A restricted-area trek around the world’s eighth-highest mountain, following the Budhi Gandaki gorge to Tibetan-Buddhist villages such as Samagaon before crossing the Larkya La (about 5,106 m) and descending into the Annapurna region. Lodges are simpler and the trail quieter than on the Annapurna Circuit; a licensed guide and special permit are compulsory. Read our Manaslu Circuit guide.
The nearest big trek to Kathmandu: a day’s drive to Syabrubesi, then up a forested valley to Kyanjin Gompa (about 3,870 m), with yak pastures, a cheese factory and easy viewpoints such as Kyanjin Ri. The valley was devastated by the 2015 earthquake and has been rebuilt; trekking here directly supports recovery. More in our Langtang guide.
A trek, or increasingly a jeep journey, into the former Kingdom of Lo, ending at the walled town of Lo Manthang (about 3,840 m). The landscape is high desert of eroded cliffs, cave dwellings and red-painted monasteries. It lies in the Himalayan rain shadow, so it is one of the few treks that works well in the monsoon. See our Mustang guide for permits and routes.
Each region has its own character, access, permits and lodge standard. Permit fees below are for non-SAARC foreigners at the time of writing; the permits section gives the full picture.
Sherpa country, inside Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Access is by a roughly 30-minute flight to Lukla, or a longer walk-in from Jiri or Salleri. Lodges are the best-equipped in Nepal, with bakeries in Namche, hot showers and wi-fi, but prices rise steeply above about 4,000 m.
Treks: Everest Base Camp, Gokyo Lakes, Three Passes, Everest View short treks. Permits: Sagarmatha National Park (NPR 3,000) and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee (NPR 3,000); no TIMS card. The local municipality has not applied the national guide rule, so independent trekking is still possible here.
Nepal’s most varied and accessible region, in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP), with Pokhara as its base. It ranges from short foothill walks to the high Thorong La, with good lodges throughout and road access to many trailheads, which makes short trips and flexible itineraries easy.
Treks: Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Khopra Ridge, Tilicho Lake. Permits: ACAP (NPR 3,000) and TIMS; a licensed guide is required under the 2023 rule.
The closest trekking region to Kathmandu, inside Langtang National Park, home to Tamang communities and red pandas in its forests. You can drive to the trailhead in a day, and the treks link up: Langtang Valley, the sacred lakes at Gosaikunda (about 4,380 m), and the Helambu villages leading back towards the Kathmandu Valley.
Permits: Langtang National Park (NPR 3,000) and TIMS, plus a licensed guide. Roads in from Kathmandu are prone to monsoon landslides.
A restricted area since it reopened to tourism in the early 1990s, so it stays far quieter than Annapurna. Lodges now run the whole circuit, though they are simpler and more spaced out. Tsum Valley, a side valley near the Tibetan border, is known for its monasteries and nunneries and a strong Buddhist tradition.
Permits: a Manaslu restricted area permit (priced in US dollars, higher in autumn), the Manaslu Conservation Area Project permit and ACAP for the exit, through a registered agency with a licensed guide.
Lower Mustang (Jomsom, Marpha, Kagbeni, Muktinath) is reachable by road and open on a standard ACAP permit. Upper Mustang, north of Kagbeni, is a restricted area of canyons, cave monasteries and medieval walled villages, with a strong Tibetan culture. It is very dry, windy and works well from spring to autumn, including the monsoon.
Permits: ACAP for Lower Mustang; for Upper Mustang, a restricted area permit reported at US$50 per person per day since late 2025, plus ACAP.
In the far east, around the world’s third-highest mountain. Treks to the north base camp at Pangpema and the south base camp at Oktang take three weeks or more through Limbu and Rai villages, forest and glaciers. Teahouses now exist along much of the route but are basic, and some groups still camp.
Permits: a Kanchenjunga restricted area permit (charged per week) and the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area permit, with a licensed guide through an agency.
The Makalu Barun National Park protects one of Nepal’s most biodiverse valleys, rising from low forest to the base of the world’s fifth-highest peak. The base camp trek is long, steep and remote, with simple lodges and some high crossings. Access is usually via a flight to Tumlingtar then a jeep.
Permits: Makalu Barun National Park entry plus a local municipality fee; no restricted area permit for the standard base camp route.
The setting of the film Himalaya and Peter Matthiessen’s The Snow Leopard: a high, remote land of Bon and Buddhist villages around Shey Phoksundo National Park. Lower Dolpo, with the turquoise Phoksundo Lake (about 3,600 m), can be trekked in around two weeks; Upper Dolpo is a three-week, largely camping expedition over passes above 5,000 m.
Permits: Shey Phoksundo National Park, plus a restricted area permit: weekly fees for Lower Dolpo, much higher fees for Upper Dolpo.
Rolwaling, between Langtang and Everest, is a narrow, glaciated valley under Gauri Shankar; its crossing of the Tashi Lapcha pass into Khumbu is a technical mountaineering route, not a teahouse trek. Humla in the far north-west is best known as the trekking route towards Mount Kailash in Tibet. Both need restricted area permits and an agency. Nar Phu, a side valley off the Annapurna Circuit, is another rewarding restricted-area option.
Almost every trek in Nepal needs at least one permit, and the rules have changed several times since 2023. Fees are set by different bodies (national parks, the conservation trust, local municipalities and the Department of Immigration), which is why online sources often disagree. Treat the figures below as a guide at the time of writing, and expect your agency to confirm the exact total.
From 1 April 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board required foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to trek with a government-licensed guide, booked through a registered trekking agency. The FCDO repeats that independent foreign trekkers must use a local guide or porter in these areas. In practice:
The Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) card is a registration card, now issued electronically through registered agencies. It is required in the Annapurna and Langtang regions and most others, and is often bundled into restricted-area paperwork. It is not used in the Everest region, where the municipality fee replaced it. Agencies typically quote around NPR 2,000 per trekker, although some list a lower group rate.
Some border regions are classed as restricted and need a special permit from the Department of Immigration, issued only through a registered agency, in addition to the relevant park or conservation fee. These fees are charged in US dollars, usually per week or per day, and are the main reason treks such as Upper Mustang, Manaslu and Upper Dolpo cost more.
| Permit | Where | Fee (non-SAARC foreigner) |
|---|---|---|
| Sagarmatha National Park | Everest region | NPR 3,000 (about £17) |
| Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee | Everest region (collected at Lukla or Monjo) | NPR 3,000 (about £17) |
| Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) | Annapurna, Lower Mustang, Manaslu exit | NPR 3,000 (about £17) |
| Langtang National Park | Langtang, Gosaikunda, Helambu | NPR 3,000 (about £17) |
| Manaslu Conservation Area (MCAP) | Manaslu, Tsum | NPR 3,000 (about £17) |
| TIMS card | Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu and most other regions; not Khumbu | around NPR 2,000 (about £11), via an agency |
| Manaslu restricted area permit | Manaslu Circuit | around US$100 for the first 7 days in Sep–Nov, then US$15 a day; around US$75 for 7 days Dec–Aug |
| Tsum Valley restricted area permit | Tsum Valley | around US$40 for the first week in Sep–Nov, US$30 other months, then about US$7 a day |
| Upper Mustang restricted area permit | North of Kagbeni | reported at US$50 per day (previously US$500 for 10 days) |
| Nar Phu restricted area permit | Nar and Phu valleys | around US$100 for the first week in Sep–Nov, US$75 other months, then a daily fee |
| Kanchenjunga restricted area permit | Kanchenjunga | around US$20 per week for the first four weeks, then more per week |
| Upper Dolpo restricted area permit | Upper Dolpo | historically US$500 for 10 days, then US$50 a day; check current rate |
SAARC nationals pay lower rates for most park and conservation permits, and children under 10 are usually exempt from ACAP. Buy the ACAP permit in advance in Kathmandu or Pokhara (or through your agency); bought at a checkpoint it costs double. Carry your passport and permits on the trail, as they are checked several times.
Nepal has two main trekking seasons. Autumn (late September to November) brings the clearest skies and most stable weather after the monsoon washes the air clean. Spring (March to May) is warmer, with rhododendron forests in flower, though views are often hazier and clouds build in the afternoons. Both seasons are busy on the classic routes.
The monsoon (June to September, sometimes into early October) brings heavy rain on the southern slopes, leeches in the forests, frequent landslides on roads and cancelled mountain flights. The FCDO notes that floods and landslides can cut off roads for days. Winter (December to February) is clear but cold, with snow sometimes closing Thorong La and Larkya La and some high lodges shutting.
| Month | Conditions | Crowds | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Clear, very cold at altitude; snow can close high passes | Very low | Good for low treks (Poon Hill, Ghandruk); hard above 4,000 m |
| February | Cold, often clear; warming late in the month | Low | Low and mid-altitude treks; EBC possible with good gear |
| March | Warming, some haze, rhododendrons begin flowering | Rising | Very good; spring season starts |
| April | Mild, rhododendrons in bloom, afternoon cloud and haze | High | Excellent; busy in Everest and Annapurna |
| May | Warm low down, pre-monsoon cloud and showers later | Medium–high | Good early, wetter late; Everest climbing season |
| June–August | Monsoon: rain, leeches, cloud, landslides, flight delays | Very low | Best only for rain-shadow treks such as Upper Mustang |
| September | Monsoon ending, lush and green, rain still possible | Rising | Good late in the month; check road and trail conditions |
| October | Clear, stable, sharp views; cold nights high up | Peak | The classic month; book flights and lodges early |
| November | Clear and dry, colder, very settled | High | Excellent, slightly quieter than October |
| December | Cold, mostly clear, shorter days | Low | Good for quieter trails if you are equipped for cold |
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and move each year, so check them when you book. Our trek pages explain the best months for each route.
On all the popular routes you sleep and eat in teahouses: family-run lodges with simple bedrooms and a warm communal dining room. You do not need to carry a tent, stove or food, which is why Nepal is so accessible for non-mountaineers.
Wake around 6am, pack, and eat breakfast at 7am (porridge, eggs, Tibetan bread or chapati). Walk from about 7.30 or 8am, stopping for tea and a lunch break at a lodge on the way. Most days involve 5–7 hours on the trail. You usually arrive by mid-afternoon, which leaves time to wash, rest, read and acclimatise before dinner around 6.30pm. Most trekkers are in bed by 8.30pm: the dining room stove is the only warm place, and rooms get cold.
Expect a twin room with two thin mattresses, a pillow and a blanket, plywood or stone walls and little insulation. Shared squat or Western toilets are normal; en-suite rooms exist in Namche, Lukla, Ghandruk and other larger villages, at a premium. Higher up, water in toilets and pipes can freeze overnight. Bring your own sleeping bag: lodge bedding is not enough on a cold night, and is not always fresh.
Menus are surprisingly long, from dal bhat (rice, lentils and curry, usually with a free refill) to noodles, momos, fried rice, pasta, pizza and apple pie. Dal bhat is the best value and the most reliable choice. Meat is carried up from below and is best avoided at higher altitudes. Lodges set menu prices, which rise with altitude, and expect you to eat where you sleep; room prices are kept low on that basis.
Prices are approximate and vary by lodge, season and village.
Hot showers (solar or gas) are common on the main routes, usually for a fee of a few hundred rupees, and become unreliable or unavailable at the highest stops. Charging phones and batteries costs extra above the lower villages, often charged per device or per hour; a power bank saves money. Many lodges sell wi-fi; in Khumbu, a prepaid network card covers several villages. Mobile data works in much of the Everest and Annapurna regions but is patchy or absent in Manaslu, Dolpo and other remote areas.
Do not drink untreated tap or stream water. Bottled water is sold everywhere but gets expensive and creates a waste problem on the trails. Carry a filter bottle, purification tablets or a UV purifier, or buy boiled water from lodges. Aim for three to four litres a day at altitude.
Teahouses work in cash, in Nepali rupees. ATMs exist in a few hubs such as Lukla, Namche and Jomsom but can run out of cash or fail, so draw what you need in Kathmandu or Pokhara and carry small notes. Budget a margin for flight delays, extra nights and tips.
Outside the Everest region, the rules now settle this for most people: you need a licensed guide. But even where independent trekking is possible, the choice is worth thinking through honestly.
| With guide (and porter) | Independent | |
|---|---|---|
| Legality | Meets the 2023 rule everywhere | Realistic only in Khumbu |
| Cost | Higher: guide wages, food and lodging, agency margin | Lowest: lodging, food and permits only |
| Safety | Someone who knows altitude symptoms, routes and evacuation contacts | Depends entirely on your own experience |
| Logistics | Permits, flights, lodge bookings handled, important in peak season | You book flights, find rooms and handle delays |
| Culture | A guide translates, explains monasteries and village life | More effort to connect beyond the lodge |
| Flexibility | Agreed itinerary; changes need discussion | Total freedom over pace and route |
At the time of writing, a licensed guide typically costs around US$25–35 a day (about £19–27) and a porter around US$18–25 (about £14–19), with their food and lodging usually included by the agency. A combined porter-guide is a middle option for small groups. One porter usually carries for two trekkers. If a quote looks far below these levels, the savings usually come from wages, insurance or equipment for the staff.
The International Porter Protection Group (IPPG) sets out five basic standards: adequate clothing and footwear; adequate shelter, food and drink; medical care and life insurance; care on descent if ill; and an appropriately sized load. Porters have died from altitude sickness and exposure when these were ignored. Ask any operator how they meet each one, keep your own bag light (many agencies set about 10–15 kg per trekker), and never send a sick porter down alone.
Tipping guides and porters at the end of a trek is expected and forms a meaningful part of their income. Many trekkers budget roughly 10–15% of the trek cost for the team, handed over personally, with a slightly larger share for the guide. Give in rupees, and thank each person directly.
Nepal is still excellent value compared with trekking in the Alps or Patagonia, but costs have risen in recent years, especially in the Everest region. The biggest variables are flights into the mountains, permits for restricted areas, and whether you pay for a guide and porter.
| Trek | Typical guided price (land only) | Main cost drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Poon Hill (4–5 days) | around £350–800 | Road transfers from Pokhara, group size |
| Annapurna Base Camp (7–12 days) | around £650–1,300 | Length, jeep sections, lodge standard |
| Langtang Valley (7–10 days) | around £600–1,200 | Private jeep or bus from Kathmandu |
| Everest Base Camp (12–14 days) | around £1,100–2,200 | Lukla flights, high-altitude lodge prices |
| Annapurna Circuit (12–16 days) | around £900–1,800 | Jeep sections, Jomsom flight or bus out |
| Manaslu Circuit (13–17 days) | around £1,100–2,200 | Restricted area permit, compulsory guide |
| Upper Mustang (10–14 days) | around £1,600–3,000 | Daily restricted permit, jeep or flight access |
These bands are estimates from current operator pricing for small groups, excluding international flights, visa, insurance, tips and gear. They vary with season, group size and lodge standard.
Usually not included: your Nepal visa (on arrival around US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days or US$125 for 90 days), travel insurance, drinks beyond tea at meals, hot showers, charging and wi-fi, tips, and meals in the cities. Always check whether a quote includes the Lukla flights, which are a major cost at around US$220–240 each way for foreigners.
Do not save money on insurance, guide wages or acclimatisation days: those are the parts that keep you and your team safe.
Trekking in Nepal is safe for well-prepared walkers, but the mountains are remote and help can be days away by foot. Most serious problems come from going up too fast, ignoring symptoms, poor weather or road travel, not from the trails themselves.
Acute mountain sickness (AMS) can affect anyone above about 2,500–3,000 m, regardless of fitness. Early symptoms are headache, nausea, loss of appetite, poor sleep and unusual tiredness. If they worsen, the only reliable treatment is to descend. Severe forms, HAPE (fluid on the lungs) and HACE (swelling of the brain), can kill within hours.
Our altitude sickness guide explains symptoms and prevention in detail.
Helicopter evacuation is the main way out of the high mountains in an emergency, and can cost several thousand US dollars. Make sure your policy covers trekking to the maximum altitude of your route (5,500 m or more for Everest Base Camp and the big passes) and helicopter rescue, and carry your policy number and emergency phone number. Many agencies require proof before departure. Read our guide to travel insurance for trekking.
Weather can change fast above 3,000 m, and snowstorms have caught trekkers on passes in October and November. Never cross a high pass in bad weather. During and after the monsoon, landslides close roads; floods in August 2026 damaged roads in the Trishuli and Bhotekoshi corridors, affecting road access to Langtang and Manaslu trailheads. Mountain flights to Lukla and Jomsom are often delayed by cloud, so build one or two spare days into your trip.
Nepal saw deadly anti-government protests in Kathmandu in September 2025, which led to an interim government and elections in March 2026. The FCDO notes that protests and strikes can still start at short notice and disrupt transport; avoid demonstrations and follow local news. Trekking regions have not been directly affected. The FCDO also notes that no Nepali airline meets international safety standards for the UK Air Safety List and that trekkers must use a guide or porter in national parks. Always check the latest FCDO travel advice for Nepal before you travel.
You do not need to be an athlete, but you should be able to walk 6–7 hours on consecutive days, including long climbs and descents. Start training 8–12 weeks before departure: regular hill walks with a loaded daypack, stair climbing, and cardio such as cycling or running two to four times a week. Break in your boots on long walks. Our guide to training for Everest Base Camp gives a week-by-week plan that suits any multi-day trek.
Stomach upsets are the most common complaint. Purify water, wash hands before meals and favour freshly cooked food. Carry a small first-aid kit with rehydration salts, blister care, painkillers and any prescription medicines. See a travel health clinic for vaccine advice several weeks before you go.
Teahouse trekking means packing light: a porter’s load or your own pack, plus a daypack. The key is layering for warm, sunny days and freezing nights. Our detailed Everest Base Camp packing list works for any high trek.
Thamel in Kathmandu and Lakeside in Pokhara are full of trekking shops. You can rent down jackets and sleeping bags cheaply for a few weeks, and buy fleeces, poles, gloves and hats. Many items are copies of international brands: fine for a hat or poles, less reliable for boots and waterproofs. Bring boots and a good shell from home, and check rental gear for damage and cleanliness before you leave the shop.
We run small-group treks with licensed guides and fairly treated porters, built around sensible acclimatisation and lodges we know.
Fly to Lukla, walk through Namche Bazaar and Tengboche, and stand at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, with time built in to acclimatise properly. See the Everest Base Camp Trek.
From Pokhara through Gurung villages and rhododendron forest into the Annapurna Sanctuary, a superb first Himalayan trek. See the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
Not sure which trek suits your dates, fitness and budget? Tell us when you can travel and what you are hoping for, and we will suggest a route and itinerary. Start planning your Nepal trek.
In most cases, yes. Since 1 April 2023, foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas must use a licensed guide booked through a registered agency, and restricted areas have always required one. The main exception is the Everest (Khumbu) region, where the local municipality has not applied the rule.
Poon Hill (Ghorepani) in the Annapurna region is the easiest well-known trek: four or five days, a high point of 3,210 m and good lodges throughout. Short Everest View treks and the Ghandruk loop are other gentle options.
For a first multi-day trek, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal or Annapurna Base Camp are the best choices. They reach impressive mountain scenery without the extreme altitude of Everest Base Camp, and roads give easier exits if needed.
A guided teahouse trek usually costs around US$80–150 a day per person, all inclusive on the trail. That puts a 12–14 day Everest Base Camp trek at roughly £1,100–2,200 and a 4–5 day Poon Hill trek at roughly £350–800, excluding international flights and insurance.
October and November give the clearest, most stable weather, and March to May is the second peak season, with rhododendrons in flower. The monsoon, June to September, suits only rain-shadow treks such as Upper Mustang.
Yes, in most regions, including Annapurna, Langtang and Manaslu; it is issued electronically through registered agencies. It is not used in the Everest region, where the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee replaced it.
You need to walk 5–7 hours a day for many days in a row, on steep stone steps and uneven trails. No technical skill is needed, but 8–12 weeks of hill walking, stairs and cardio training will make the trek far more enjoyable.
You can, but expect rain, leeches, cloudy views, landslides on roads and delayed flights. Upper Mustang and other rain-shadow areas north of the main Himalaya stay much drier and are good choices in June to August.
Trekking regions are generally safe for well-prepared walkers. The main risks are altitude, weather, landslides and road travel. Protests can still flare up in Kathmandu at short notice, so check the latest FCDO advice before you travel and avoid demonstrations.
Yes. Your policy should cover trekking to the maximum altitude of your route and helicopter evacuation, which can cost several thousand US dollars. Agencies often ask for proof before you start.
Everest Base Camp is harder overall because of its altitude (around 5,364 m at base camp, about 5,545 m on Kala Patthar) and longer duration. Annapurna Base Camp tops out at about 4,130 m but has many steep stone steps.
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