Nepal

The country at the top of the world

By Stuart Butler

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Home to Mount Everest and more than half of the planet’s other 8,000m-plus mountains, Nepal stakes a strong claim as the trekking capital of the world.

Nepal was closed to outsiders and most foreign influences for the first half of the 20th century, and when the first western mountaineers and trekkers arrived in the 1950s they were enchanted by what they discovered. The country was living in a medieval time warp and even the capital, Kathmandu, was little more than a collection of temples, shrines, palaces, markets and red brick townhouses. There were almost no roads in the country and those first mountaineers and trekkers had to walk from Kathmandu’s Durbar Square to Everest and the other big peaks.

Things have come on a long way since then. Kathmandu is now a sprawling mega-city, the ever-expanding road network fans out across much of the lower and flatter parts of the country and the Nepal trekking industry is second to none. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the magnificence of the mountains, the sheer beauty of the countryside, and the unending warmth of welcome displayed by the Nepalese people. These are what continue to make Nepal such an attractive trekking destination.

With the spectacular Himalayas running down its eastern side, it’s no surprise Nepal is known as the roof of the world. Getting out into these vast panoramas with their immense snowy peaks, flower-strewn meadows and sparkling lakes — while also making time to relax at chilled out Pokhara — is reason enough to visit.

But there's far more to Nepal than just mountains and trekking.

Down on the hot lush plains of the Terai, you'll find a brace of magical national parks where rare beasts like one-horned rhino and tiger roam and the trees twitch with birdlife. Your chances of seeing rhino are surprisingly high if you visit in the spring. Then there are the cultural jewels, a scattering of ancient cities stuffed with serene temples, cobbled alleys and hidden squares. In parts of Bhaktapur, Patan and the vibrant capital Kathmandu, it feels like life hasn't changed in generations.

Hidden gems in Nepal

Manaslu region

Rupina La Trek

Stuart Butler

Experience

For those on organised camping treks, a fabulous alternative route for the first half of the Manaslu Circuit is to start trekking from Chanaute or Barpak, both of which are north of the town of Gorkha. Cross over the Rupina La (4,720m; April to November only), and join the Manaslu Circuit at Lokpa. This is a real wilderness trek with around five days away from all human habitation except for the occasional herder with his yaks. The trail skirts the Gorkha and Boudha Himal and has impressive mountain views.

Makalu

Makalu for untouched views

Stuart Butler

Place

One of the great forgotten trekking routes of Nepal, the strenuous two-week march straight to the base camp of the world’s fifth-highest mountain, the daunting Mt Makalu (8,463m) will delight those who revel in tranquil mountain trails, a sense of being off the beaten path and, most importantly, awesome mountain views. The name Makalu is derived from the Sanskrit, Maha Kala, which is a name for the Hindu God Shiva. When you stand at base camp and stare up at Makalu you could feel as if you’re in the presence of the gods. A combination of logistical problems, the difficulty of the trekking and the lack of side routes and connecting trails means that only a few hardy groups come out this way. Most leave with the smug smile of people who’ve just experienced the magic of an older, more dramatic corner of Nepal. This is definitely a trek for the discerning walker. Almost all of the (very few) people who trek Makalu take a simple up and down route along the same path. For those with plenty of time and stamina, and who are very well-equipped with a full, experienced expedition-style support team, there are wildly exciting treks to Kanchenjunga or even Everest.

Dolpo region

Dolpo for a challenge

Stuart Butler

Place

A vast and little-known area of western Nepal, Dolpo is a magical region of frozen desert, piercing blue skies and unnamed peaks. There are hidden monasteries stashed with treasures, yak caravans passing along the old salt trade routes to Tibet, high passes where the air is so thin it pierces the lungs, snow leopard tracks and stone walled villages seeming to blend into the mountain slopes. Perhaps no other region in Nepal offers such scope for wild adventure as Dolpo. Few foreigners walk the trails here and in many cases there’s still a sense of blazing your own routes — especially when undertaking the epic month-long walk from Dolpo to Jomsom (or Upper Mustang) along the roof of Nepal. Here, time is measured by the ripening of crops and the arrival of the first snows. You won’t find any trekking lodges, apple pies or crowded passes, but you will find scenery to make you gasp and people welcoming you with open arms. There are, however, a few things to remember. Getting there, nearly always by small twin-prop plane, is difficult, expensive and unreliable. Most of the walks are demanding, long and high with no creature comforts and must be undertaken with an organised camping group. Lastly, permits are complicated and expensive to obtain. But if you have the stamina, patience and finances, Dolpo will leave you enchanted. Among my favourite highlights in the Dolpo region are Phoksundo Lake, Nepal’s most beautiful lake and the valley of Do Tarap where time really seems to have stood still.

Far West Nepal

Off the beaten path in Far Western Nepal

Stuart Butler

Place

In terms of development, the far west of Nepal comes at the bottom of almost every list, but for adventure and wonder, the region is near the top of the class. This is a landscape of deep, dank forests, sparkling sheets of water, lonely ice and snow-covered mountains, narrow canyons and ancient villages. Just entering a village out here is a cue for a memorable cultural exchange. So few trekkers come here that people will fall over themselves to try to talk to you and invite you into their homes for a restoring cup of tea. Accept these invitations with gratitude. They’ll make for some of your fondest trekking memories. On the Rara Lake trek, the focus 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. Note: For a trekker, western Nepal offers many challenges and logistical nightmares, but the payback is a vast swathe of untouched mountainous country waiting to be explored. You need patience and to be on a fully supported camping trek, but if you’re looking for something truly different then the far west of Nepal will probably suit.

Kanchenjunga

Kanchenjunga for remote expeditions

Stuart Butler

Place

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 one of the most exciting treks in Nepal. Over a couple of weeks you pass through pretty farming villages with terraced hillsides, through sub-tropical river valleys and misty, old-growth coniferous forests, and then across Alpine tundra until you come face-to-face with the glaciers and fluted peaks of the Kanchenjunga massif. As a trekking destination, Kanchenjunga is little known and the number of visitors tiny compared to the numbers who pace the Everest and Annapurna trails. It’s this peace and quiet that is perhaps its biggest draw. The distance from Kathmandu and the unrelenting up and down terrain means that very few people trek out here, although it is becoming more popular. Between October and November and March to April, very basic herders’ teahouses and village homestays are available along most of the route. At other times, most tend to be closed and you will need to be fully self-sufficient with camping gear and food.

Upper Mustang

Upper Mustang for cultural discovery

Stuart Butler

Place

North, beyond the highest Himalayan peaks, is Upper Mustang. This is a high-altitude desert of multi-hued gorges, green oases, fairy-tale gompas, prayer flags and blood red fortified monasteries. This is a land so rich in traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture that it can often feel more classically Tibetan than the modern Chinese region of Tibet itself. Mustang doesn’t have the same awe-inspiring close-up views of the mountains as many of the other main Nepalese trek areas, and walking here is as much a cultural experience as a mountain one. With classical Tibetan Buddhist culture severely restricted in Tibet itself, Upper Mustang is now one of the best places to see it flourishing. But take note: Traditional life is changing here too, thanks to increased road construction and development.

Langtang Valley

Langtang for accessible treks

Stuart Butler

Place

Often visible from Kathmandu city centre, the Langtang range offers the most accessible trekking in Nepal. If the city pollution and traffic wasn’t so off-putting, you could start walking from your guesthouse straight to the mountains. This accessibility, easy-to-follow trails and lots of lodges has meant the Langtang Valley has always been, alongside Everest and Annapurna, one of the big three trekking areas. The basic Langtang Valley hike takes eight days including travel time from Kathmandu, but add in another couple of days for side trips from Kanjin Gompa: this small village might be the official end point of the Langtang Valley trek but in truth this is where the fun really starts. Numerous day and overnight trips fan out from the village. You can make the almost obligatory hike up to the Kyanjin Ri viewpoint (4,600m) for sensational views, or have a rollicking day’s adventure to the glaciers and yak pastures of the Lirung Valley.

Khumbu (Everest) Region

Everest for ultimate bragging rights

Stuart Butler

Place

Mt Everest, (8,848m) the highest mountain on Earth, exerts a magnetic pull on trekkers, mountaineers and armchair adventurers alike. The main trekking routes around Mount Everest – most obviously Everest Basecamp (EBC) – can be busy and over commercialised, but for sheer awe nothing comes close to the trails threading through the Khumbu, the area around Everest. Most Nepal trekking first timers will be coming for Everest Base Camp and I wouldn't begrudge them a thing. But for my money, the best trek in this region is the Gokyo Lakes trek: with scenery every bit as spectacular as that on the Everest base camp trek but with far fewer crowds, this trek, which leads to a series of high glacial blue lakes, is arguably one of the best in Nepal.

Annapurna Region

Legendary Annapurna

Stuart Butler

Place

The famed Annapurna range is one of the great trekking regions of the world, and for a very good reason: The mountain scenery here is guaranteed to blow you away. Standing in the heart of the cirque at the end of the Annapurna Sanctuary could move you to tears, and the wilderness around Tilicho Lake will probably be the best mountain scenery you’ll ever lay eyes on. The inevitable downside: it's popular and busy, especially during high season. If crowds and communal teahouse lodges aren't your thing, look elsewhere. Trekking culture is changing fast, too. The end of independent trekking and road construction are changing the face of the region, and not always for the better.

Manaslu region

Manaslu: the new Annapurna

Stuart Butler

Place

The hiking trails around mighty Manaslu (8,156m), the world’s eighth-highest mountain, have it all. Trekking in Manaslu takes you through steamy lowland valleys and fields of rice which give way to ice-coated passes stalked by leopards. When people ask me for my most recommended trek, my usual answer is the Manaslu Circuit. It's arguably one of – if not the – best trek in the country; competing with Annapurna and Everest for the crown of amazing scenery and epic hiking but with a fraction of the crowds. There are trekking lodges all along the standard routes in Manaslu but for now, they are a lot more primitive than those on the Everest and Annapurna treks. Getting to the trailheads in this area is easy and cheap with frequent public transport from Kathmandu and Pokhara. I've hiked through mystical valleys rich in Tibetan culture and seen monasteries stuffed with treasures. There's some exhilarating walking with relatively few other trekkers and exciting day-long side trips to glaciers, base camps and hidden gompas. The Manaslu trekking region didn’t open up to foreign trekkers until the early 1990s ( the neighbouring Tsum Valley opened even later), but it was an instant hit with those wanting a challenging and less developed trekking area. Anyone who has walked in the shadow of Manaslu will probably tell you that overall, this is one of the most rewarding Nepal trekking areas.

Khumbu (Everest) Region

Pikey Peak Trek

Raj Kumar Khadka

Experience

This newly opened route in the Everest (Khumbu) region leads to Pikey Peak, which was regarded by Sir Edmund Hilary to offer the very best view of Mt Everest. Despite this claim to fame, Pikey Peak is hardly-known on the mainstream trekking circuit, drawing a fraction of the visitors who trek out to Everest Base Camp (from which you can't even see the famous mountain!) It's also an easy and relatively short trek for the Everest region, so I often recommend this one to guests who are keen on seeing Everest, but either don't have the time or the confidence to do one of the more challenging Everest treks.

Annapurna Region

Panchase Trek

Dil Gurung

Experience

This is one of my favourite alternative treks in the Annapurna region. Don't worry if you've not heard of it – most visitors haven’t, which means you’ll enjoy largely crowd-free trails while ascending to magnificent viewpoints at a maximum altitude of just 2,500 metres. A highlight of this route is the way it begins: you’ll depart directly from the lakeside in Pokhara, boarding one of the city’s colourful boats to reach the opposite shore of Phewa Lake. Your destination on this four-day route is the hill station of Panchase, and you’ll pass through a number of charming Himalayan villages to get there. All told, this is a great Annapurna trek where you won’t have to worry about a long haul on dusty roads. I often recommend it for an acclimatisation trek before embarking on one of the longer and higher altitude main routes.