My top five treks in Nepal in descending order, ending with my personal favourite

There are many trekking routes in Nepal and I haven’t done them all by a long stretch but a few years ago Kirsty and I lived in Kathmandu for several months and as part of a project I was working on for a local company, I undertook a number of treks in different regions of the country.

5. Gokyo Lake Trek

Trekking route
Kathmandu – Lukla – Phakding – Namche Bazaar – Phortse Tenga – Dole – Machhermo – Gokyo – Phortse Tenga – Namche Bazaar – Lukla – Kathmandu

Minimum duration/Best time to trek
13 days/October to May

Gokyo Lake

What’s to like about the Gokyo Lake trek?

Goyko Lake receives fewer trekkers than Everest Base Camp.
Incredible mountain views from Gokyo Ri (hill) (5483m).
Great coffee and cakes in ‘cosmopolitan’ Namche Bazaar.
The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla: it’s one of the most exhilarating flights in the world.

What’s there to dislike about the Gokyo Lake trek?

The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla: it’s one of the scariest flights in the world.
Being stuck for hours (sometimes days) at Kathmandu airport waiting for your flight to Lukla to take off.
Having to build contingency days into your itinerary because of the uncertainty of the Lukla/Kathmandu flight.
The region (but not necessarily Gokyo Lake) gets extremely busy with trekkers in high season.
There are potential problems with altitude sickness (AMS) on this trek (don’t ignore the importance of building acclimatisation days into your trekking schedule).
Costs are higher here than in any other trekking region of Nepal.
The complacent attitude of some of the teahouse owners, especially the younger ones, can be annoying.

Ngozumpa Glacier

Trekking in the Solukhumbu is generally tougher than in Langtang or the Annapurna region. This is mainly because all treks in this region bar one (*) start at Lukla which is situated at 2860m. This means your fitness levels are already challenged by the relatively high altitude before you even begin to start walking. Once you get into the swing of it however, you will soon see why this is one of the most popular trekking regions in Nepal.

(*) The only trek that doesn’t start in Lukla is the Jiri-Lukla trek. There are no two ways about it, this is a tough trek that is only good for two things – building up fitness and for helping with acclimatisation. Jiri lies at an altitude of 1905m above sea level and as mentioned above, Lukla is situated at 2860m. If you decide to walk this route, be warned: you will spend 5 to 7 days going up, then down and then back up again and so on until you reach Lukla. It’s ‘Nepali flat’ at its worst and you don’t even gain 1000m in elevation!

I like the trek to Goyko Lake because it is not as busy as the Everest Base Camp trek plus there are great views along the entire route. Furthermore, for those with good fitness and plenty of time, there are options for turning this great trek into an incredible one. For example, Gokyo Lake can be linked with Everest Base Camp via the Cho La Pass. Using the Renjo La pass to get back to Namche Bazaar via Chhule and Thami is another interesting diversion.

Read our detailed guide to the Gokyo Lakes Trek

Gokyo Ri

4. Upper Mustang trek

Trekking route
Pokhara – Jomsom – Kagbeni – Chele – Samar – Ghemi – Lo Manthang – Garphu – Drakmar –
Jomsom – Pokhara

Minimum duration/Best time to trek
10 days/September to November and March to May

Dhakmar

What’s to like about the Upper Mustang trek?

The high price tag for the trekking permit keeps the trekking masses away (also see dislikes).
Upper Mustang is well and truly off-the-beaten-track.
The remoteness of the region.
Stark, Tibetan-like scenery.
The ancient walled city of Lo Manthang.
There is no need to take a full trekking crew as there are teahouses along the entire route.
Fantastic photo opportunities.

What’s there to dislike about the Upper Mustang trek?

The cost of the trekking permit: US$500 for the first 10 days and US$50 per day thereafter.
The relentless wind – it stays with you for the entire trek.
The trek is dusty (mainly as a result of the relentless wind).
The precarious ridges between Kagbeni and Chele.
You have to more or less trek up to Lo Manthang and return to Kagbeni along the same route from the start point at Jomsom/Kagbeni.
It is questionable whether the trek is worth the money as there are plenty of other great treks in Nepal that don’t require a hefty fee for the trekking permit.

This is a tough trek that involves a number of hard slogs but the stark beauty of the region and the local population (primarily Lhoba/Tibetan) make it a fascinating place to visit. There is no getting away from the fact that this trek is a ‘ticker’. The more you trek in Nepal, the more you will hear about this ancient kingdom and the more you will want to add it to your ‘to trek’ list. In fact, isn’t US$500 to trek in one of the remotest places on earth a bargain when you think about it from that point of view?

Read our detailed guide to the Upper Mustang Trek

Ghemi

En route from Syangboche to Ghemi

3. Around Annapurna (anti-clockwise as far as Jomson)

Trekking route
Kathmandu – Besi Sahar – Bhulbule – Ghermu – Tal – Thanchok – Pisang – Manang – Letdar – Thorung Phedi – Muktinath – Kagbeni – Jomsom – Pokhara

Minimum duration/Best time to trek
14 days/October & November and April & May

Kagbeni

What’s to like about the Around Annapurna trek?

Crossing the Thorung La Pass (5416m). It’s a great sense of achievement.
Easy access from Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Eating and drinking in Pokhara after the trek.
Rest days in Pisang or Manang (or both), which provide the opportunity to go off and explore nearby peaks and scenic spots.
Exploring medieval Kagbeni.

What’s there to dislike about the Around Annapurna trek?

Crossing the Thorung La Pass (5416m) – it’s bloody hard work.
The many false summits on the Thorung La Pass.
The fact that there is now a road that can accommodate vehicles between Jomsom and Pokhara which has effectively killed the second half of the circuit.
In season, this is a very busy trek.

Kalopani

Along with Everest Base Camp, this is your classic Nepalese trek. I have trekked it before and after the development of the road and for sure it was better before the road was there, but don’t let that put you off doing this trek. The views between Pisang and Muktinath, in particular, are outstanding and crossing the Thorung La Pass is an incredible achievement. It is also quite comforting to have in the back of your mind that if you’ve had enough after crossing the Thorung La, transport is not that far away and you can be sitting in a bar in Pokhara by nightfall, drinking cold beer and chomping on spicy chicken wings!

Read our detailed guide to the Around Annapurna Trek

Thorung Phedi

2. Annapurna Base Camp trek (with a side trip to Poon Hill)

Trekking route
Pokhara – Thedi – Dhampus – Landruk – Chhomrong – Himalaya – Machhapuchhare Base Camp (MBC) – Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) – Dovan – Chhomrong – Tadapani – Ghorepani – Tirkedungha – Naya Pul – Pokhara

Minimum duration/Best time to trek
12 days/October to April

En route to Annapurna Base Camp

What’s to like about this Annapurna Base Camp trek?

The incredible mountain views from ABC.
Witnessing the sunrise from ABC.
The ascent from MBC to ABC.
The superb ridge walk from Tadapani to Ghorepani.
The sunrise view from Poon Hill near Ghorepani
Easy access from Pokhara.
Eating and drinking in Pokhara after the trek.
No serious altitude-related issues.
If you have the cash, treating yourself to overnight in the luxurious Ker & Downey lodges at Dhampus and Landruk

What’s there to dislike about this Annapurna Base Camp trek?

The stepped ascent just after leaving Chhomrong.
The bitter cold at ABC (I was there in early January).
Snow on the trails, which is quite common.
The never-ending steps just after leaving Thedi – not a great way to start a trek.

Chhromrong

If you want incredible mountain views in a relatively short space of time, look no further than the Annapurna Base Camp trek. Literally an amphitheatre surrounded by huge peaks, Annapurna Sanctuary (as it is also known) is mind-blowing and it almost made it as my number one trek.

The walk from Chhomrong across to Ghorepani for Poon Hill is a great diversion and the overall easiness of this trek means you can spend your time enjoying the views rather than concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.

If you want to get to the mountains quickly there is no better trek than Annapurna Base Camp.

Read our detailed guide to the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Tadopani

1. Langtang Trek (with a side trip to Gosainkunda)

Trekking route
Kathmandu – Syabru Besi – Lama Hotel – Langtang – Kyangjin Gompa, (day trek to Langsisa) – Bamboo – Sing Gompa – Gosainkunda – Dhunche – Kathmandu

Minimum duration/Best time to trek
10 days/October to May

Kyanjin

What’s to like about the Langtang Valley trek?

Easy access from Kathmandu and no expensive or risky flights necessary.
This trek is perfect for those on a tight schedule.
There is no need to factor in contingency days.
By Nepalese standards, this is a pretty easy trek.
Only minor altitude issues to contend with.
Langtang is cheaper than the Everest or Annapurna regions.
Lots of yaks along the route.
Diverse scenery and culture (Tibetan and Tawang).
Compared to Everest and Annapurna, there are very few trekkers.
The stunning lake at Gosainkunda. It’s well worth the diversion.

What’s there to dislike about the Langtang Valley trek?

The big climb up to Sing Gompo. It never seemed to end.
The teahouses are pretty basic in Langtang and the food menu is limited.
If you don’t include the side trip to Gosainkunda lake, you trek up and down the same route from the start point.

Langtang is Nepal’s best-kept secret when it comes to trekking. Some say the mountain views are not as impressive as on other routes, but I beg to differ. Furthermore, culturally the region is very interesting indeed. Easy walking, huge peaks, friendly locals, yaks and hardly another trekker in sight – what more does anyone need on a trek?

And the best thing of all, it will remain Nepal’s best kept ‘secret’ for a while yet as most trekkers still overlook the region in favour of the more well-known Solukhumbu and Annapurna regions.

UPDATE: Although the Langtang region of Nepal was one of the most severely affected during the April 2015 earthquake, the trails have been repaired and teahouses and lodges are operating and welcoming trekkers. The Langtang Valley trek should once again be on your list of the best treks in Nepal.

Langtang

Gosainkund

Just before I sign off, here are a couple of tips in case you are considering a trek to Nepal

Consider trekking in early December, just after the beginning of the season but before the Christmas/New Year’s rush. The weather is great and the trails are not as busy.
Thamel in Kathmandu is a great place to rent and buy trekking gear but getting a fair price from shop owners is difficult. I got everything I needed from a guy called Bhesh Badhur Rai (Kalapathar Trekking Store tel: 984 126 3414). His shop is tucked away in the middle of Thamel and a little difficult to find but give him a call if you need anything and he will give you directions to his shop (standing outside Kathmandu Guest House – turn left, go past Pilgrim Book shop until you get to the end of the road. Turn left and then left again at the T-junction. Bhesh’s shop is on the left-hand side opposite a small restaurant that specialises in momos (which are very tasty)).
On the popular Everest and Annapurna treks always try and stop short or head beyond the Lonely Planet recommended overnight stopping place. Teahouses in these places get more than their fair share of trekking business and in some cases, the owners have become complacent. Stopping short or heading beyond ensures you share the wealth. The owners are also more grateful for your business and to boot, you will also get a better night’s sleep (less trekkers = less heavy boots = less noise).