Off the beaten track in Nepal

Annapurna Region

Nar-Phu trek

By Stuart Butler

• Best trek for: Getting well off the beaten path
• Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
• Trek duration: Seven to nine days
• Max. elevation: 5,320m
• Accommodation: Camping and basic trekking lodges
• Start/end point: Koto/Ngawal

Most Annapurna Circuit trekkers heading through the village of Koto won’t know that a trail off to the east leads to a magical, hidden world. The Nar and Phu valleys were closed to tourism until 2002 and when they finally opened up the first trekkers discovered a landscape of narrow gorges, 7km high mountains, timeless stone villages festooned with prayer flags, and a distinct local culture based on yak herding and trade with neighbouring Tibet.

Still rarely trekked (a restricted area permit and camping gear is required), the route follows a dark, deep and shady gorge up to the mediaeval village of Phu, which consists of around 40 or 50 mud and stone houses and red painted monasteries huddled together on the top of a hill. Entry to the village is via a spectacular old gateway.

It’s worth allowing a couple of nights in Phu to explore the upper valley. To leave, you have to retrace your steps halfway back down the valley before veering west up the Nar valley, over yak pastures to the large traditional village of Nar where there are four gompas (Buddhist monasteries) worth visiting. Independent trekkers relying on lodges will probably have to turn back here and retrace their steps to Koto, but camping groups and acclimatised trekkers can make the exciting crossing of the Kang La (5,320m) down to Ngawal back on the Annapurna Circuit.

This trek works well either as an add-on to the Annapurna Circuit or as a short, stand-alone trek in its own right. For adventurous trekkers with all the correct permits on fully-organised camping treks, it’s possible to take a wild, difficult and very rarely walked route from the village of Nar into Upper Mustang via the taxing Teri La Pass (5,595m).

Annapurna Region

Annapurna North Base Camp

By Bradley Mayhew

• Best trek for: Expedition style camping

• Difficulty: Moderate

• Duration: Five to six days

• Max elevation: 4,050m

• Accommodation: camping

• Start/end point: Tatopani/Sandhi Kharka

New trek routes always get my pulse racing, especially when they follow in the footsteps of a famous old expedition route. This particular trek follows the expedition route of Maurice Herzog’s epic 1950 ascent of Annapurna I (8,091m), the first ever ascent of an 8,000m peak, and it takes you up to an amazing mountain amphitheatre ringed with 7,000m peaks.

Unlike the busy base camps of the popular Annapurna Sanctuary trek, this ‘alternative’ Annapurna Base Camp trek is a true hidden gem that sees only a trickle of well-informed trekkers, largely because you need to camp and be self-sufficient. There are no lodges here and definitely no apple pie.

The trek starts at Tatopani, veering off the Annapurna Circuit to make a dramatic, sphincter-tightening jeep ride up the wild, sheer-sided gorge of the Mristi Khola. The walking starts at the hydroelectric plant at Hum Khola Dovan (2,880m), with overnights at Sandhi Kharka and Bhusket Mela (3,550m), until you finally set up camp in the astounding glacial basin of Narchang Lake (4,050m). This secret spot, surrounded by Annapurna I, Fang, Tilicho and Nilgiri peaks and walled off by the Great Barrier of the Annapurnas, is a classic mountain cul-de-sac, surrounded by glaciers, waterfalls and vertical rock walls.

The opportunities for day hikes here are fabulous, with faint trails leading to Annapurna North Base Camp, Advanced Base Camp and Nilgiri Base Camp via some epic glacier viewpoints. Bring a copy of Maurice Herzog’s classic 1951 Annapurna, and spend the evenings reading his account of the groundbreaking ascent and even more harrowing descent. It’s a day’s walk back to Sandhi Kharka and then half a day to meet your jeep and make the wild ride back.

Far West Nepal

Rara Lake trek

By Stuart Butler

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trek duration: nine to 11 days
• Max. elevation: 3,480m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Start/end point: Jumla

The focus on the trek to Rara Lake isn’t so much on the high mountains (though these are always the backdrop), but rather on unhurried village life and the variety of ethnic groups found along the way. The thick forests that surround the lake provide a home to musk deer, black bears and other wildlife. The area around the lake is a national park with few signs of human habitation and there are some delightful wild camping spots. This is a genuine wilderness trek.

Annapurna Region

Khopra Ridge trek

By Bradley Mayhew

• Best trek for: Quieter, less-crowded route
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trek duration: Five to six days
• Max. elevation: 3,660m
• Accommodation: Camping and limited trekking lodges
• Start/end point: Ghorepani/Tadapani

Also known as the Khopra Danda trek, this is well off the standard Annapurna trekking routes and offers a low-key, peaceful trek to lofty viewpoints on the flanks of Annapurna South. There are a number of different route variations but my favourite branches off the Poon Hill trek at Tadopani and climbs to lodges at Bayeli (with its amazing Mulde viewpoint), Chistibang and then Khopra Danda, before descending to Swanta and Ghorepani

The trails pass through charming villages with simple private and community lodges and lots of pretty forests. Khopra Ridge itself is an impressive dome with an exposed trail running along it that feels much higher than it really is (especially when covered in snow). The views across to Dhaulagiri I (8,167m) are unforgettable. From the ridge it’s possible to make a very long and challenging 10-hour day trip to the high altitude Khayer Lake (4,600m). Given the 1,000-metre height gain in a day, plus the beauty of the lake, it’s much more advisable to go on an organised camping trek and sleep on the lake shore.

Upper Mustang

Upper Mustang loop

By Stuart Butler

• Best trek for: More exciting version of the Upper Mustang 'standard' route
• Difficulty: Moderate-difficult
• Trek duration: 12 days
• Max. elevation: 4,380mm
• Accommodation: Homestays
• Start/end point: Kagbeni/Kagbeni or Muktinath

In my experience the 12-day Upper Mustang loop is far more rewarding (but longer) than the standard Upper Mustang trek. The first part of the trek to Lo Manthang follows the standard way up the western side of the Kali Gandaki. For the return though you follow a much wilder route down the eastern side of the Kali Gandaki. There’s much less development on this side of the river and no road construction. I find the villages tend to be more traditional and there are fewer trekkers. The scenery is also more impressive than the western route, but the walking is tougher, fresh water harder to find, and villages more spaced out with some long days of walking.

Langtang region

Ganesh Himal trek

By Stuart Butler

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trek duration: Two weeks
• Max. elevation: 3,842m
• Accommodation: Camping only
• Start/end point: Syabrubesi/Tripura Sundari

Named after Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god of fortune, Ganesh Himal lies directly between the Manaslu and Langtang ranges, and is one of the great unknowns of Nepalese trekking. With stunning mountain scenery, attractive and welcoming villages, hot springs, waterfalls and a genuine sense of being well off the beaten track, the Ganesh region really has a bit of everything — except crowds of other trekkers.

A handful of homestays and trekking lodges have started to open up, but for now the trails are still largely empty. Because formal accommodation is still so scarce, an organised camping trip is the best way to tackle this trek.

Manaslu region

Tsum Valley trek

By Stuart Butler

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trek Duration: 7-17 Days
• Max. Elevation: 3,709M for main trek; about 4,200M for side trips.
• Accommodation: Homestays, Camping.
• Start/End Point: Lokpa

Tucked up to the northeast off the main Manaslu Circuit, the Tsum Valley has only been open to trekkers for a decade. The views are wonderful but they are not the attraction here (although if you have camping gear then an overnight trip to the Ganesh base camp at about 4,000m rewards with a stunning view of mountains). For me, this is all about venturing off the beaten path and discovering an older pace of life where the farming seasons and Tibetan Buddhism are all-important.

Dolpo region

Dolpo to Jomsom or Upper Mustang

By Stuart Butler

• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Trek duration: 21-30 days
• Max. elevation: 5,550m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Start/end point: Juphal/Jomsom

You want adventure? Here it is: The epic three to four-week long Dolpo to Jomsom or Upper Mustang trek. Starting from the airstrip at Juphal head north to Phoksundo Lake (you can also go via Do Tarap), over the Sehu La (5,160m) to Shey Gompa and then east, up and over several massive 5,000m-plus passes, through desolate high-altitude desert. The only other people you’ll meet will be the occasional herder with his flocks, or a yak caravan and trader returning from Tibet.

Makalu

Makalu Basecamp trek

By Stuart Butler

• Difficulty: Stenuous. Lots of steep up and down and the fast elevation gain means the risk of altitude sickness is high.
• Trek Duration: 14 days
• Max. Elevation: 4,870m
• Accommodation: Camping; very basic herders’ tea houses.
• Start/End Point: Num

There’s only one standard route to Makalu base camp and it’s a simple there and back along the same trail. But this is a real wilderness trek and there are only permanent villages for the first and last couple of days. Most of the time the only other people you’ll meet are herders with their yaks. For me, the highlight of this trek is camping in gorgeous spring flower meadows well away from other people and waking to soaring mountain views.

Kanchenjunga

Kanchenjunga North

By Stuart Butler

• Best trek for: Challenging & remote with spectacular views
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Trek duration: 18 days
• Max. elevation: 5,140m
• Accommodation: Camping or basic herders' lodges
• Start/end point: Taplejung

Way out in the east of Nepal a wall of rock and ice rises up over eight and half kilometres into the sky. This is Kanchenjunga and at 8,586m it’s the third highest mountain on Earth. The hike to the base camp of this daunting peak is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting treks in Nepal.

There are two main Kanchenjunga treks, my vote is for the three-week trek to the Kanchenjunga North base camp, which is the longest, hardest and by far the most spectacular. I can't think of many better views without venturing into the realms of mountaineering, but note the risk of altitude sickness is high.