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Top 5 Best Trekking in Nepal

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Amir Adhikari
Top 5 Best Trekking in Nepal

For most travelers, trekking in the Himalaya is your main reason to visit Nepal. Definitely the most popular treks in Nepal are the Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp and with great reason.

They are easily accessible, developed to fulfill the requirements of all trekkers, and there are constantly fellow travelers round to befriend. But, crowds are common in peak season, and there's not much opportunity to experience local culture.
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Throughout the past several years I've spent a collective eight months researching the paths of Nepal, from the most well-known tourist tracks to remote and seldom visited corners of the country.

If you're seeking to experience areas of Nepal that have not yet been heavily influenced by the western world or you would like to escape from the crowds even though you're in the Himalaya, have a look at a few of the best treks in Nepal.

Table of Contents
1. The Manaslu Circuit

The Manaslu Circuit makes this list due to the wide range of scenery along the route.

Lower elevations are rich in dense woods, meadows of bud, and golden wheat fields.

Much of the trek follows a narrow valley carved out from the Budi Ghandaki River.

At length, the valley opens up to views of snow-capped peaks then lasts around Larke Pass at 5,200 meters (17,200 ft ).

This could be a good spot to start for first-time trekkers because the slow grade of the trail makes this route easier than many other Nepal treks.

Length of time: two weeks

Camping/ guest house: guest houses

Start/ finish: Soti Khola to Dharapani

Guide/ no guide: As of today, a manual is mandatory for this region.
Manaslu Circuit
2. Makalu Base Camp

Makalu Base Camp is an alternative for hikers who wish to experience landscapes like Everest Base Camp and avoid the crowds.

The trek begins in a sweltering jungle filled with monkeys and mule trains.

Upon reaching higher elevations, there two 4,200 meter (14,000 ft ) passes that must be traversed in one day. Expect to increase over snow for most of the day.

The upper part of Makalu Base Camp trek follows exactly what is argued to be one of Nepal's most beautiful valleys.

The valley is surrounded by sheer cliffs with heaps of waterfalls which cascade hundreds of yards down the walls, not unlike California's Yosemite National Park.

In the springtime, you may see and listen to massive chunks of ice breaking away and tumbling down the slopes around you.

Length of time: two weeks

Camping/ guest home: Guest houses, but bring a tent through the busy fall season because space is limited.

Start/ finish: Num into Num

Guide/ no manual: Not mandatory. I'd recommend that beginners bring a guide to navigate the passes.
Eastern Nepal
3. Eastern Nepal

Eastern Nepal is possibly the most glamorous of all of the treks on this list due to the abundance of different paths and different villages to begin and finish.

This trek is for travelers who wish to experience the rural culture of Nepal and go to a place that's still untouched by western tourism.

The trail winds through multiple villages every day, throughout rice terraces, and up the"foothills" of the Himalaya which could be considered hills in almost any other country.

Expect locals to rush out of their houses to catch a glimpse of you and be ready to greet every curious child with"namaste."

This region of Nepal is different from most of the popular treks. There are no views of white peaks, you will seldom find English speakers, and you'll sleep in your tent as frequently as you do guest homes.

This trek can be achieved almost any time of year, although summer would be uncomfortably hot and humid. Expect to meet lots of locals daily and no other tourists.

Length of period: One to three weeks. This section is customizable.

Camping/ guest house: both

Start/ finish: Taplejung to Tumlingtar is what I recommend, even though there's many different routes to choose from.

Guide/ no manual: Not mandatory. If you are familiar with camping and asking for instructions, a manual is not vital.
Dolpa, Nepal
4. Dolpa

I found Dolpa (sometimes spelled"Dolpo") to be both the most beautiful and challenging section of trekking in Nepal.

It's the hardest because every day you need to increase over a pass that's 5,500 meters (18,200 feet) or even higher.

There are only a few guest houses along the route, which means you will be camping and cooking to yourself most of the time.

The trail is not maintained well in certain sections, and each day there are places where if you fall you will die or get grievously hurt.

Dolpa is an excellent section to increase due to the culture and scenery. It's a barren desert place filled with seemingly endless mountains, limestone hills, and vertigo-inducing views.

I regularly came across tent settlements where little towns lived with herds of hundreds of sheep or yaks.

Dolpa provides many opportunities for wildlife sightings. I had encounters with blue sheep, Tibetan foxes, and spent a morning after snow leopard tracks.

You won't be running into any other trekkers on this route, except for at Phoksundo Lake.

It's also not a very populated region, so you may only pass through one village or payoff per day.

Don't try this without a manual unless you're skilled in backcountry navigation.

Length of time: 2 to three weeks

Camping/ guest house: mostly camping, occasional guest houses

Start/ end: I'd suggest taking the route from Jomsom to Phoksundo Lake through Dho Tarap. The permits for this region are $10 a week, whereas Upper Dolpa is $500 per week.

Guide/ no guide: A guide isn't required, although I'd recommend that only highly experienced trekkers do so self-guided.
Everest's Three Walk Trek
5. The Three Passes -- Everest Region

The Three Passes just might be one of my favorite Nepal treks. Most this trail traverses beneath a number of the world's highest peaks, and each day brings stunning scenery.

It is a popular trail. You have to enjoy a few of the best mountain guest homes in the Himalaya, and fulfilling other trekkers is easy.

The moves are hard and at times snow-covered. Getting acute mountain sickness or grabbing a cold is common among Three Pass hikers.

It intersects with the Everest Base Camp trek for its first few days ahead of veering east toward the first pass. Do not worry though; you will still have the option to visit base camp if you want. Or, You may have the best vire of the everest by Everest View Trekking

After base camp, the road continues on the next pass to Gokyo. Gokyo could be the most scenic village at the Everest area because of its neighboring lakes.

Plan to stay for a couple days to explore the region and hike to viewpoints.

Length of period: three months or less

Camping/ guest home: guest homes

Start/ end: Lukla to Lukla

Guide/ no manual: Not required. Most of the course is not difficult to navigate, but it is a fantastic idea to perform the passes with fellow trekkers.

Whether you want to do a guest homes trek and meet with other travelers or you would prefer to sleep on your tent and find out how locals live, there is a course on this list of finest treks in Nepal for you.

Regardless of which course you decide to do, hiking in Nepal's Himalaya will be an arduous, enthralling, and memorable experience.

Last Updated on January 18th, 2019

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