Eight of the world's fourteen highest peaks
Nepal
Where the Himalaya begins — and where the walking, the temples and the tea houses have never been separate things.
The place
A country stacked vertically
Nepal is smaller than England, and inside it the land climbs from sixty metres above sea level to the summit of Everest. That vertical range does something no other country manages: subtropical jungle with rhinoceros and tiger at the bottom, medieval temple cities in the middle, and the greatest mountain range on earth at the top — all within a day's travel of each other.
It is also the birthplace of the Buddha, home to some of the oldest continuously worshipped Hindu sites anywhere, and a place where Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism have overlapped for so long that the boundary between them stopped mattering. You do not have to trek to get any of this. But the walking is extraordinary, and it is worth being honest about who it suits.
The valley
Three cities that were once three kingdoms
Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur sit within a few kilometres of each other and spent centuries competing to out-build one another. What survives is an extraordinary density of Newari craftsmanship — carved wooden windows, tiered pagoda temples, brick squares where the same families have worked metal and clay for generations.
Bhaktapur is the one to give proper time to. Vehicle-free at its centre, still lived in rather than preserved, and quiet enough by early evening that you can hear the workshops. Patan's Durbar Square and its museum are the finest in the valley.
The valley is not a stopover before the mountains. It is half the reason to come.
Practice
Boudhanath, Swayambhu and the Tibetan quarter
Boudhanath is one of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of Tibetan Buddhism in exile. At dawn and dusk, hundreds of people walk the kora clockwise around it — monks, families, elderly Tibetans with prayer wheels — while butter lamps are lit in the alcoves below.
Joining that circuit is the simplest and most affecting thing you can do in Kathmandu. The monasteries in the streets behind welcome visitors to morning puja, and several offer short meditation instruction for those who want to go further than watching.
The mountains
Pokhara, Annapurna and the walking
Pokhara sits beside a lake with the Annapurnas rising almost vertically behind it — the fastest elevation gain from any settled place on earth. It is the base for most Himalayan walking, and a fine place to do nothing at all.
From here the trails range from two-day village walks in the foothills through to the full Annapurna Circuit. Between those extremes sits the sweet spot most of our guests want: three to five days of walking between tea houses at moderate altitude, with the big peaks in view the whole time and no technical ground anywhere.
Nepal by altitude
Choosing a trip here is really choosing a height. Each band offers something completely different, and the right answer depends on how much walking you actually want to do.
Jungle and grassland
Chitwan and Bardia national parks — greater one-horned rhino, wild elephant, sloth bear and a genuine chance of tiger in Bardia. Hot, flat and humid. Reached by a short flight or a long drive, and worth two or three nights.
Temples, craft and city
The three royal cities, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Swayambhu. Comfortable year-round, no altitude concerns, and enough to fill four days without repeating yourself.
Lakeside, with the Annapurnas behind
Low, warm and relaxed, yet looking directly at 8,000-metre peaks. Paragliding, boats on Phewa Tal, and the trailhead for almost everything. A good place to rest either side of a walk.
Walking without altitude
Ghandruk, Dhampus, Panchase and the Poon Hill route. Rhododendron forest, Gurung villages, tea house nights, and full Himalayan views. Three to five days, no acclimatisation needed, and where we send most first-time trekkers.
Where the air changes
Annapurna Base Camp, the Langtang valley, the lower Everest trails. Real mountain terrain, cold nights, and altitude that must be respected. Seven to twelve days with rest days built in.
Serious undertakings
Everest Base Camp, Thorong La, Gokyo. Two to three weeks, genuine physical demand and real altitude risk. We arrange these, but only with proper acclimatisation schedules and never compressed to fit a holiday.
Do you actually need to trek?
No. A great deal of Nepal's best travel involves no serious walking at all — the valley cities, Boudhanath at dawn, Chitwan's grasslands, a mountain flight along the Himalaya, Pokhara with the Annapurnas reflected in the lake. Plenty of our guests come and never spend a night on a trail.
If you do want to walk, be honest with us about your fitness rather than optimistic. The foothill routes at 1,500 to 2,500 metres suit almost anyone who walks regularly at home, and deliver views that are genuinely equal to the famous high routes. Everest Base Camp is a two-week commitment at altitude, and roughly half the people who start it underestimate what that means.
We would always rather place you on a four-day walk you enjoy completely than a twelve-day one you endure. Tell us what you can comfortably do, and we will build from there.
Signature experiences
What a Nepal journey can include
Mix altitude bands, or stay in one. Both make good trips.
Walking the kora at Boudhanath
Join the clockwise circuit at dusk as the butter lamps are lit. No ticket, no guide required — just walk with everyone else and let it take an hour.
The mountain flight
An hour along the Himalaya at dawn, level with the peaks. Everyone gets a window seat, and the plane turns so both sides see Everest. The best hour in Nepal for those not walking.
Bhaktapur with a Newari craftsman
Wood carving, pottery and metalwork with families who have done it for generations, in a city centre closed to traffic. Best in the late afternoon.
Tea house walking in the foothills
Three to five days between Gurung villages, sleeping in family-run lodges, dal bhat every evening. Full mountain views without any altitude concerns.
Chitwan on foot and by canoe
Dugout canoe down the Rapti at dawn, then a guided walk in the grassland. Rhino are close to guaranteed. Elephant-back safaris we no longer offer, and will explain why.
Meditation at Kopan or Namo Buddha
Hillside monasteries above the valley offering short structured retreats — a day, or several. Instruction in English, and no expectation that you continue afterwards.
Practical
Know before you go
Nepal is straightforward to travel and easy to misjudge on timing. The honest version.
When to come
October and November are the finest months — clear skies, stable weather, the best mountain views of the year. March to May is warmer with rhododendrons in bloom and more haze. Winter is cold at altitude but crisp and quiet in the valley. Avoid the monsoon from June to September, when the mountains simply are not visible.
Altitude is the real risk
Above 3,000 metres, sickness is a genuine danger and it does not correlate with fitness. Every itinerary we build includes proper acclimatisation days, and our guides carry oximeters and know when to turn people around. Any operator selling Everest Base Camp in under twelve days is cutting the wrong corner.
Flights inside Nepal are weather-dependent
Mountain airstrips like Lukla and Jomsom close without warning in cloud, sometimes for days. If you have a trek involving one, always build spare days before your international flight home. We plan buffers in as standard.
Tea houses are simple
On the trails you will sleep in family-run lodges — a plain room, twin beds, blankets, shared bathrooms, and a common dining room heated by a single stove. Hot showers cost extra and are not always available. It is comfortable in its own way, but it is not a hotel.
Visas and permits
Most nationalities get a visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport, or online in advance. Trekking areas require TIMS registration and a national park or conservation area permit. We handle all of it before you land.
Guides and porters matter
We work only with guides paid above the standard rate and porters carrying within agreed weight limits with proper equipment. This is a real issue in Nepal's industry, and it is worth asking any operator about before you book.
Nepal in pictures
The look of the place
Questions
Planning a Nepal journey
Can I visit Nepal without trekking?
Absolutely, and many do. The Kathmandu valley alone justifies four days, Chitwan adds wildlife, Pokhara gives you the mountains without walking, and a dawn mountain flight puts you level with Everest. A ten-day trip with no trail nights at all is a perfectly good Nepal trip.
How fit do I need to be for a foothill trek?
If you can walk for four to five hours on hilly ground at home and repeat it the following day, you will manage the foothill routes comfortably. There is no technical ground and no altitude concern below 2,500 metres. Trails are stone-stepped in places, so knees matter more than lungs.
Is Everest Base Camp realistic for me?
It requires twelve to fourteen days minimum, sustained walking at altitude, and nights above 4,000 metres in cold conditions. Fitness helps but does not prevent altitude sickness. We are happy to arrange it, and equally happy to say honestly if your dates or fitness make it unwise.
When is the mountain visibility best?
October and November, without much competition. Post-monsoon air is at its clearest and the peaks are visible almost daily. Spring is beautiful for flowers but hazier. During the monsoon you can spend a week in Pokhara and never see the Annapurnas at all.
Is Nepal safe after the earthquake?
Yes. The 2015 earthquake caused serious damage in the Kathmandu valley, and the major heritage sites have since been restored — some now better documented than before. Trekking infrastructure was largely repaired within a year or two. Standard travel precautions are all that is needed.
Can Nepal be combined with India or Bhutan?
Easily. Kathmandu connects to Delhi, Varanasi and Paro in under two hours. Varanasi and Kathmandu pair particularly well, and Nepal with Bhutan makes an outstanding Himalayan pairing if the budget allows for Bhutan's daily fee.
Plan your Nepal journey
Tell us how much walking you want — from none at all to a fortnight on the trail — and we'll build the rest around it.