Trekking through the Himalayas is Nepal’s key attraction, and is a life-changing experience for many travelers, regardless of whether they are experienced hikers, or novices. This article is a primer to trekking in Nepal and answers frequently asked questions.

What is Trekking?

A typical trail in Nepal at lower elevation
At lower elevations, the trails in Nepal are often stone stairs winding through green scenery

Trekking generally means a multi-day hike in the mountains — in this case, on trails throughout Nepal's Himalayan mountains and foothills. Treks typically take you through areas where hiking is the only means of transport since the mountains are too remote to build roads. Most treks take you through villages that have been around for centuries and the trails you hike on have historically been used by locals. 

Trekking along the mountain trails of Nepal is a special experience. The Himalaya is unlike any other region in the world. The vastness of the Himalayan mountains, the amazing different viewpoints, the friendly people and the slower pace of life when movement happens on foot all contribute to the fact that many travelers who come to Nepal for the first time describe their experience as life-changing. 

Tip: To help you select the trek that is best for you we've compelled a list of the best treks in Nepal, as well as an overview of the best short treks in Nepal.

Popular Trekking Regions

Trekking Map of Nepal
Nepal's most popular treks on a map

There are two main popular regions for trekking in Nepal: The Annapurna region and the Everest region. Additionally, there are many other areas that all have their specific characteristics, including Manaslu, Mustang and the Kathmandu valley. To help decide which trek is best for you, check out our overview of the best short treks and the best classic (2 - 3 week) treks.

Where Do You Stay During Your Trek? 

Most popular treks are along trails with lodges (often referred to as teahouse trekking). Lodges are simple hostels that cater to trekkers. More remote treks that pass through areas where there are no villages or lodges require camping. These treks involve more logistics and are more expensive since food, cooking fuel, tents have to be carried by porters. 

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What to Expect While Trekking

The trails of Nepal take you along villages that can’t be reached by cars. Think of these trails as highways in an era without roads and cars. Therefore, the “trail traffic” has many interesting variations including porters carrying vegetables, timber wood, or even live chickens, kids walking to school, herders and their yaks, just to name a few. Be prepared to be surprised and inspired by the variety of the local trail traffic.

The scenery during your trek varies day-by-day, and valley by valley. Depending on which trek you choose you will hike through dense rhododendron forests, terraced vegetable paddies along steep slopes, open pastures and snowfields and you will cross spectacular suspension bridges.

Village in the Annapurna region of Nepal
The village of Ulleri, a typical Nepalese village where "main street" is a trail

The villages range from a couple of houses to expansive settlements consisting of hundreds of homes strung along hillsides. Many of the villages have lots of character and are often located on spectacular locations.

Your trekking days typically consist of around 3 hours of hiking in the morning, and 3 hours in the afternoon. You will stop for lunch in villages and sometimes pack a lunch in case the villages are spread out too far apart.

Dhal Bat
Dhal Bat with locally grown potatoes and vegetables served in Swanta Guest House

There is a wide variety of food you can choose from in teahouses, especially on the more popular trekking trails. Common items on the menu include fried rice, fried chicken, spaghetti bolognese, and many other dishes. However, it is often best to stick with the local specialty Dal Bhat since it's what locals best know how to make. 

When To Go Trekking

Due to Nepal’s seasonal weather pattern there are 2 seasons that are best for trekking: The spring season, from March to May, and the autumn season, from the end of September to November.

Trekking in summer is challenging due to the Monsoon (rainy season) causing landslides and reduced mountain views. However, the Upper Mustang area is in the monsoon shadow and offers great trekking during summer.

Trekking in winter is getting increasingly popular. It’s colder, and higher passes may be closed due to snow, but the weather tends to be clear with great views.

Weather conditions and temperatures while trekking

Weather conditions vary by season and trek. And even on the same trek, temperatures vary significantly depending on the elevation. For example, it is not unheard of that temperatures at the start of a trek are around 30 Celsius / 85 Fahrenheit while dropping to well below freezing when crossing a high pass on the same trek. 

Hiring a guide

Most trekkers hire a guide and one or more porters to help carry their personal belongings. On some well-documented treks it is possible to trek without a guide, however, we don’t recommend it. Reasons to hire a guide include:

  • Safety: While trekking on the more popular hiking trails is generally safe, it’s safer to have an expert with you who knows what to do in case something goes wrong. Accredited guides are well-trained and typically speak English.
  • A guide knows the way. While most trails are fairly well-marked, situations where the trail is unclear do occur, and a guide will help you not get lost.
  • Cultural: Nepalese guides, often members of the Sherpa people, tend to be incredibly nice people. Many trekkers develop friendships with their guides that often last a lifetime.
  • By hiring a guide you support the Nepalese economy by providing jobs for locals.

Organizing Your Trek

Permits are required for most treks. Rules vary by trek. Some treks require a guide and have minimum group sizes. We recommend working with reputable local trekking companies who can organize your entire trip to Nepal including all local transport, trekking permits, guides, porters, etc. We at kimkim specialize in connecting travelers to reputable local operators.

Trekking after the 2015 earthquake

Nepal is back to normal after the earthquakes of 2015 and trekking is as safe as it was before the earthquakes. Lodges in some areas were damaged or even collapsed but a year after the earthquake the vast majority has been restored to their original state. A few areas still show large landslides, including Manaslu, but the trekking routes are open. The Langtang area is the only major trekking area where trails and lodges are still being rebuilt. Visitor numbers are on the way back up, are expected to be back at usual levels in the autumn of 2016.