Top 10 Best Treks in Nepal

Nepal is home to many breathtaking trekking destinations in the world. That’s why Nepal is also known as the trekker’s paradise. Every year thousands of trekkers come to Nepal to experience the thrill and the beauty Nepal has to offer. Trekking in Nepal gives the adrenaline junkies the element of adventure, thrill, beauty, and joy. Some of the trekking destinations in Nepal are ranked as the best treks in Nepal based on tourist interest and flow.

Nepal offers various trekking suitable for every kind of trekker. There are many challenging treks in Nepal that offers adventure to experienced trekkers and also easy trails with mesmerizing mountain views that boost the spirit of beginner trekkers.

In this article, we will provide you a list of our top 10 best treks in Nepal.

Best Treks in Nepal: Everest Base Camp Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 14 days
• Max. elevation: 5,364 m / 17,598 ft(Everest Base Camp)
• Start/finish: Lukla/Lukla
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Everest Base Camp Trek is the most popular trek in Nepal and as well as in the world. Every year thousands of trekker visit Nepal for the Everest Base Camp Trek and most trekker has it in their bucket list. Being one of the best treks in Nepal, Everest Base Camp Trek is also considered as one of the best treks in the world.

Everest Base Camp Trek takes you to the base camp of the world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest (8848m). Getting to the base camp is better experienced than explained. This Everest Trek takes us through the UNESCO World Heritage Site listed Sagarmatha National Park which is full of diverse flora and fauna and rich wildlife. Along with that, you will witness breathtaking views of some of the world’s highest mountains such as Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, and Makalu.

You will walk through the beautiful Sherpa village where you can experience the culture and tradition of the Sherpa community. You will see colorful prayer flags festooned on suspension bridges, main walls, and spin prayer wheels.

Getting to the trailhead: a 30-minute flight Kathmandu to Lukla.

Best Treks in Nepal: Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 12 days
• Max. elevation: 4130 m / 13,550 ft
• Start/finish point: Nayapul/Nayapul
• Trek difficulty: Moderate
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Annapurna Base Camp Trek is the second most popular trek in Nepal that takes you deep into the foot of Annapurna South. It is one of the best treks in Nepal that takes you through the classical trekking routes in Nepal. Annapurna Base Camp Trek is filled with a diverse landscape, rich flora and fauna, diverse culture, and breathtaking views of the Annapurna range.

Walking through dense jungles filled with rhododendron trees along with the beautiful mountain views is just extraordinary. You will trek to Annapurna Sanctuary which is a glacier bowl located below the Annapurna range. The view of the mountain is quite different from other classical treks in Nepal as the views are less expansive and more vertical. You find yourself looking almost straight up to see the mountains towering above you.

Furthermore, Annapurna Base Camp Trek is rich in culture. The Annapurna Region is mainly inhabited by Magar and Gurung ethnic groups with distinct cultures and traditions. It is also home to the brave Gorkha soldiers. Experience the warm hospitality of the local people and know more about the mountain culture in Nepal with this Annapurna Trek.

Getting to the trailhead: a 25-minute flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, followed by a 2-hour drive; or an 8-hour drive from Kathmandu.

Best Treks in Nepal: Annapurna Circuit Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 12 days
• Max. elevation: 5,416 m / 17,769 ft (Thorong La Pass)
• Start/finish: Bhulbule/Jomsom
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek Style: Teahouse

Overview

Annapurna Circuit trek is considered as one of the best long-distance treks in the world. The Annapurna Circuit trail takes us through some of the most diverse terrains in Nepal. The trek starts from the hillside walking through dense forest and takes you to the arid hills near the majestic mountains.

One of the major highlights of this trek is crossing the Thorong La Pass (5416m) which is one of the highest mountain passes in the world. Along the trail, you will have picturesque views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna Massif, and Manaslu. You will also witness the remote Upper Mustang and Tibetan plateau. Furthermore, you will hike to the Kali Gandaki gorge which is the deepest gorge in the world. Also, hike past the shrine temple of Muktinath which is of religious importance for both Hindus and Buddhists

Annapurna Circuit is a classical Himalayan trek but it has lost the feel of the classical trek due to the increasing popularity and especially due to road construction. Despite all that, the trek remains a great adventure with the crossing of the 5,416m Thorong La pass.

Getting to the trailhead: a 25-minute flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, followed by a 2-hour drive; or an 8-hour drive from Kathmandu.

Best Treks in Nepal: Manaslu Circuit Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 13 days
• Max. elevation: 5,106 m / 16,752 ft (Larkya La pass)
• Start/finish: Soti Khola/Besisahar
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Manaslu Circuit Trek is one of the best off-the-beaten-trail treks in Nepal, located in one of the most isolated and remote areas of Nepal. As the Manaslu region falls under the restricted area of Nepal, you require a special permit to trek in the region, and solo trekking is not allowed.

Manaslu Circuit trail takes you around the Manaslu conservation area and leads to a breathtaking view of the eighth highest mountain in the world. With the remarkable landscapes and rich biodiversity, Manaslu Trekking is one of the best trekking destinations in the untouched and unexplored part of Nepal. Along with the majestic views of the Himalayas, the trek is full of cultural diversity, ethnicity, beautiful natural scenery with high altitude glacier lakes, and enthralling flora and faunas.

The Manaslu Circuit trek is gaining popularity in the recent year as the trek has all the features you’d expect from a classic Himalayan trek—deep lush valleys at lower elevations, amazing views of 8,000m peaks, and a 5,000m+ pass crossing—all the while remaining largely unspoiled by visitors.

Although the trek is getting popular by the day, the Manaslu Circuit still exhibits very remote and has fewer trekkers than the more established classic treks of Nepal.

Getting to the trailhead: an 8-hour drive from Kathmandu.

Best Treks in Nepal: Langtang Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 7 days
• Max. elevation: 3800m (Kyanjin Gompa) / 4773m (Kyanjin Ri)
• Start/finish: Syabru Besi
• Trek difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Langtang Valley Trek is the best short trek in Nepal that lies very close to Kathmandu. Located just 68Km north of Kathmandu, Langtang trek is the fastest way to get to the lap of the Himalayas from Kathmandu. Langtang Valley is also known as the valley of glaciers as it consists of more than 70 glaciers of different sizes.

You will trek through Langtang national park which is the first Himalayan national park in Nepal. The trail is filled with diverse flora and fauna and rich wildlife. Along with that, the trek offers the breathtaking view of the majestic mountain peaks including Langtang Lirung, Langtang Ri, Dorje Lakpa, and Tserko Ri.

Along with the mountain views, the Langtang Valley trek offers great adventure in the Nepalese Himalaya with a unique cultural experience. The area is mostly inhabited by the Tamang community. Tamangs are the descendants of Tibetans who moved to Nepal ages ago. Thus, you will witness Tibetan culture and tradition and observe their daily lifestyles.

After having been devoid of travelers for a couple of years after the 2015 earthquake, the trails and guesthouses have been rebuilt, and trekkers are back.

The trek takes you through magnificent forests to the high alpine meadows and yak pastures around Kyangjin Gompa (a Buddhist monastery), with an optional day hike up to the top of Kyangjin Ri (peak).

Getting to the trailhead: a 7-hour drive from Kathmandu

Best Treks in Nepal: Upper Mustang Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 12 days
• Max. elevation: 3810 m / 12,500 ft
• Start/finish: Jomsom/Jomsom
• Trek difficulty: Moderate
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

The arid valley of the Upper Mustang Trek offers a unique landscape compared to almost all other treks in Nepal. Upper Mustang is an exotic trekking destination of Nepal that lies in the rainshadow area with an arid desert-like landscape. Thus, it resembles the Tibetan plateau. The best time to trek to Upper Mustang is during Summer/Monsoon. The Upper Mustang trek offers mesmerizing views of mountains like Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, and Annapurna which I’m sure will leave you speechless.

Upper Mustang wasn’t open for tourists until 1992 and you need special permits to enter. The remote terrain and isolation for decades helped the region to retain its ancient culture and tradition. Immerse in the spiritual vibe of Upper Mustang. You will find the dominance of Tibetan Buddhism and can observe one of the best-preserved Tibetan Buddhism here. Visit the ancient caves, monasteries, chortens, and see rock paintings. Also, spin the prayer wheels, watch the prayer flag flutter in the wind, and hike past ancient Mani walls.

Getting to the trailhead: you’ll need to take two connecting flights: Kathmandu to Pokhara (25 minutes), and Pokhara to Jomsom (20 minutes).

Best Treks in Nepal: Everest Three Passes Trek

Fast facts

• Min. duration: 18 days
• Max. elevation: 5,535 m / 18,159 ft (Kongma La pass)
• Start/finish: Lukla/Lukla
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

The Everest Three Passes Trek is an excellent chance to witness massive Himalayan ranges over 8,000 m including Mt. Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu, and many more. The trek takes us through three 5,000m+ passes and is the best way to truly experience the Everest Region.

The trek not only takes us to the Everest Base Camp Trek but also offers even more spectacular views of the Himalaya as you cross the Renjo La, Cho La and Kongma La passes. The beautiful view from the passes almost knocks everyone off the knees. However, it is equally challenging.

Getting to the trailhead: a 30-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla.

Best Treks in Nepal: Gokyo Lakes Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 12 days
• Max. elevation: 5357 m / 17,575 ft(Gokyo Ri)
• Start/finish: Lukla/Lukla
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Gokyo Lake trek is another trek in the Everest region that takes us to the beautiful journey to the enticing Gokyo Lakes. Just like the Everest Three Passes Trek, the Gokyo Lakes Trek shares significant sections with the classic Everest Base Camp Trek but takes you into a valley west of Everest. Its main attraction is the beautiful lakes at Gokyo, at around 5,000 meters. From there, trekkers can climb Gokyo Ri (5,357m /17,575 ft), a rocky peak with one of the best expansive views on Mt Everest.

Getting to the trailhead: a 30-minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla.

Best Treks in Nepal: Mardi Himal Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 7 days
• Max. elevation: 4,500 m / 14764 ft (Mardi Base Camp)
• Start/finish: Kande/Sidhing Village
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Mardi Himal Trek is a hidden gem of the Annapurna region that takes you deeper into the Annapurna region. The trek was officially opened for trekkers only in 2012 but yet it has become one of the most visited trekking trails in the Annapurna Region. The Mardi Himal trek provides us with the opportunity to get to the lap of the Himalayas within a short period. The trek offers beautiful views of snowy mountains like Mardi Himal, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Hiunchuli.

The trek begins from the hillside villages and terraced farms and takes us through a dense forest that opens up to a ridge. A thrilling ridgeline walk overlooking majestic Himalayan views wakes up a photographer inside you. You can enjoy the stunning sunrises and sunsets over the Himalayas where the snowy mountains shine like gold.

Mardi Himal Trek is also culturally enriched. You will be passing through villages with different ethnic groups like Gurung, Ghale, and Brahmins. The trekking route is yet to touch by the streak of commercialization so savor the amazing trek when you can!

Getting to the trailhead: a 25-minute flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, followed by a 1-hour drive; or 7 to 8-hour drive from Kathmandu.

Best Treks in Nepal: Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

Trip facts

• Min. duration: 20 days
• Max. elevation: 5,160m / 16,923ft (Pang Pema Base Camp)
• Start/finish: Suketar/Suketar
• Trek difficulty: Challenging
• Trek style: Teahouse

Overview

Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek is an adventurous trekking destination in Nepal for those trekkers seeking thrilling trekking holidays into some of the remote regions of Nepal. The major highlight of the trek, Mt. Kanchenjunga is the world’s third-highest mountain (8,586m) that lay the border between Nepal and Sikkim in India.

This trek is taken as one of the most daredevil destinations where you can explore both northern and southern base camp of massif Mt. Kanchenjunga. The trek is quite technical so there are very few trekkers seemed in the trail. But it is the best destinations to explore the unsoiled alluring villages and scenic views of an amazing landscape of the eastern region of Nepal.

Kanchenjunga base camp trek is one of the fascinating trekking destinations of Nepal which offers us the most beautiful landscape of the Kanchenjunga area. As being one of the most challenging trekking trails of Nepal it provides us an opportunity to observe the unspoiled traditional culture and lifestyle of local inhabitants.

Getting to the trailhead: a 35-minute flight from Kathmandu to Biratnagar, followed by a 20-minute flight from Biratnagar to Suketar;