Destinations

Annapurna Region

A dramatic amphitheatre at 4,130m ringed by eight peaks above 7,000m, including Annapurna I (8,091m). The 7-10 day trek from Pokhara passes through Modi Khola gorge, bamboo forests, and Gurung villages. More accessible than EBC but equally spectacular at the top.

Spring · Autumn

Kathmandu Valley

The best-preserved of the valley's three medieval royal cities, 12km east of Kathmandu. Durbar Square, the 55-Window Palace, and Pottery Square are still a living town rather than a museum, potters work the wheel in the open square where tourists walk. Traffic-calmed brick lanes make it far easier to explore on foot than the capital.

Spring · Autumn · Winter

Chitwan & Terai

Nepal's first UNESCO World Heritage national park shelters the highest density of one-horned rhinoceros in the world and a recovering tiger population. Jungle safaris, canoe rides on the Rapti river, and Tharu cultural performances fill three to four day itineraries. Best visited in winter when animals gather near the river.

Spring · Winter

Everest Region

At 5,364m, the base camp of the world's highest peak is the definitive Himalayan pilgrimage. The 12-day return trek from Lukla passes through Namche Bazaar, Tengboche Monastery, and Kala Patthar. Only fit, acclimatised trekkers should attempt this route.

Spring · Autumn

Annapurna Region

A stone-roofed Gurung village terraced into the hillside two days' walk, or one long day, from Pokhara, with Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare filling the skyline above the rooftops. It works as a short trek in its own right or the first stop on the way to ABC. The Gurung Heritage Museum and the village's own war-veteran history give it a cultural depth most trailhead villages don't have.

Spring · Autumn · Winter

Kathmandu Valley

Nepal's capital crams centuries of Newari architecture and Hindu-Buddhist temples into a maze of streets that never quite go quiet. Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, and Pashupatinath are all within the valley. The city is noisy and chaotic, and it is the first impression of Nepal most travellers carry home.

Spring · Autumn · Winter

Kathmandu Valley

A ridgeline hill station an hour from Kathmandu, built almost entirely around one thing: a 180-degree Himalayan sunrise, from Dhaulagiri to Everest on a clear morning. Lodges cluster along the viewpoint ridge, and the walk down to Changu Narayan, the valley's oldest temple, makes a genuine half-day hike rather than just a drive-up view.

Spring · Autumn · Winter

Everest Region

The horseshoe-shaped Sherpa trading town that anchors the entire Khumbu region, with the area's best bakeries, gear shops, and a Saturday market still supplied partly by yak caravan. Nearly every Everest-region trekker spends at least one acclimatisation day here.

Spring · Autumn

Pokhara Valley

Nepal's second city sits at 820m on the shore of Phewa Lake with a mirror reflection of the Annapurna massif. The lakeside area is lined with cafes and adventure companies. It is the calm before or after the storm of any Annapurna trek.

Spring · Autumn · Winter