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Home to the world’s highest mountains, most visitors to Nepal head straight for the Himalayas. While it’s undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest trekking destinations, it would be ridiculous to assume that all Nepal has to offer is the Himalayas. It’s a country with an incredibly diverse and rich history; a lavish tapestry of interwoven cultures, vibrant colors and experiences. Here the opportunities for adventure abound, safari through tropical forests in search of rhinos and tigers, visit the world’s holiest pilgrimage sites, or paraglide over turquoise lakes. The possibilities are endless.
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Nepal’s festivals are based in ancient, fascinating Hindu and Buddhist mythology going back centuries. It’s no surprise that in a country so rich in culture, customs and colors, the festivals are breathtaking and intricate. Mask dances are frequently performed retelling the epic sagas of demons versus deities, enshrouding all the festivals in a sense of mysticality. It has been said there’s not a day in Nepal that goes by without a festival being celebrated. Here are some of the most fantastic festivals this ethnically diverse country celebrates!
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The trek to Everest Base Camp is nothing less than a playground for photographers. From start to finish, there are visually interesting elements ranging from stupas to vibrant monasteries all painted against the arresting backdrop of our planet’s tallest mountains. For those who are vying for the best photos the trek has to offer we’ve put together a photo guide of the best locations for shots along the trail!
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Adventure: “An enterprise of hazard; a bold undertaking, in which hazards are to be encountered, and the issue is staked upon unforeseen events.”
Webster’s American Dictionary.
Welcome bold adventurers to Nepal! Now, we are sure that everyone on our Base Camp Treks knows exactly what they are getting into when they travel to a remote part of the world to ascend to the base camp of the World’s tallest mountain, but just in case your biggest adventure in the last year was walking around London without Google Maps, then here are the top 10 things that may surprise you while trekking. A little bit of mental preparedness goes a long way.
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Ready to take your trekking to the next level? The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) has designated 28 trekking peaks that can be tackled without an expedition permit. All of the trekking peaks are less than 7000m (22965 Feet) and most can be climbed by anyone with a moderate experience level in mountaineering for a relatively small fee. Want to go above 7000m? You will need to pay quite a bit more as these peaks qualify as expedition peaks.
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Are you preparing to trek Everest Base Camp or another tea house trek in Nepal? If so, you may be looking for a comprehensive packing checklist. Packing the proper clothing, equipment, and supplies for your Everest Base Camp trek will go a long way in ensuring you have a great trekking experience. As you pack for Everest Base Camp, remember that your gear will be divided into two packs: your daypack that you will carry each day as you trek, and your duffle bag which will be carried between tea houses by porters. All extra luggage can be left at the hotel before you begin your trek. At the start of every morning, your porters will take your duffle and carry it up to the next tea house. It will be difficult or impossible to access your gear from your duffle bag until the evening when you arrive at your tea house. This means you should pack anything you may need each day during your hike in your daypack. However, to make trekking easier, you should keep your daypack as light as possible—so only carry the essentials. This includes water, snacks, camera, headlamp, poncho, extra layers, and sun protection. Everest […]
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Are you dreaming of trekking to Everest Base Camp? The trip through the Himalayas to stand at the base of Everest in person is breathtaking. There’s a reason this majestic peak is one of the 7 Natural World Wonders—standing at 5,354m with Mt. Everest towering above you is surreal. While we believe almost anyone can enjoy trekking to Everest Base Camp, there are some things to make the trip go more smoothly and enjoyably. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the best tips, tricks, and travel hacks for trekking Everest Base Camp.
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The Three Passes Trek is a 20 Day long adventure and is equally one of the most challenging and the most rewarding treks offered in the Himalayas. It gives adventurers the chance to visit the ever popular Everest Base Camp, while also taking them off the beaten path to some of the most astonishing (and too often missed) sights that Nepal has to offer. As the name would indicate, this trek takes you through three different passes: the Cho La (5400 m), Kongma La (5535 m), and Renjo La (5360 m) as you traverse across the rich landscape. You’ll take in the glistening Gokyo Lakes, traditional villages, the large Ngozumpa Glacier, and, of course, unbelievable views of 4 of the 10 of the world’s tallest mountains: Cho Oyu (8,201m), Makalu (8,463m), Lhotse (8,516 m) and Everest (8,850m).
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So many people dream of trekking in Nepal–of hiking up through the clouds to the base of the world’s tallest mountain: Everest. The Everest Base Camp trek has become the most popular route for those seeking adventure in the Nepalese mountains. But there are so many more hidden paths and gems waiting to be explored beyond Everest Base Camp, one of which being the Gokyo Lakes. Adding the trip to these spectacular lakes onto the Everest Base Camp itinerary is easily done, and if you’re willing to add on the three extra days and make the difficult hike over Cho La Pass it can be extremely rewarding. So, is the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek for you?
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Crossing over Thorong La Pass is both the highlight and the biggest challenge of completing the Annapurna Circuit. Trekking the Annapurna Circuit has changed a lot over the last twenty years as roads have replaced trails along a significant portion of the traditional trek. The stretch of the trek from Manang to Mulktinath over the pass is the last stretch of the circuit that remains completely roadless.
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The Langtang trek is a relatively short trek (from 6 to 9 days) that combines fantastic mountain views and excellent tea house accommodation. What’s more is that Syabrubesi (1400m) the jumping off point for the trek is just a six hour drive from Kathmandu. Compared to the Everest Base Camp or Annapurna this trek receives just a handful of visitors.
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If you are thinking of the Langtang Trek make sure that you save at least a few days for some of the great day hikes in the upper part of the valley or better yet arrange for some camping equipment and arrange an extra night beyond all the tea houses. Here is a look at four of the best options for day hikes from Kyanjin Gompa.
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Kyanjin Ri (4773m / 15655 ft), like Kala Patthar on the Everest Base Camp Trek, is the highest point most trekkers reach on the Langtang Trek. Kyanjin Ri is a small hill by Himalayan standards that sits just to the north east of Kyanjin Gumba (3830m). Its well worth the 3 to 5 hours it will take to get to the summit to see the fantastic views of the upper Langtang Valley and surrounding peaks and glaciers. Here is a quick summary of how to reach the top and what you will see.
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Almost everyone headed to Everest Base Camp spends at least a day acclimatizing in Namche Bazaar the largest village in the entire Khumbu Region. We typically organize our Everest Base Camp Trek so that you can take a rest/acclimatization day in Namche and our guests usually hike up to the Everest View Hotel for a great panorama of the Himalayas which includes Everest, Ama Dablam and Lhotse. While this is a great excursion, it’s good to know what the options are. If you’re trekking with us to Base Camp and one of these sounds more appealing than the Everest View Hotel hike, just let us know and we can arrange it for you. Here’s a look at what we think are the four best day hikes from Namche:
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Last Update May 25,2015: We have been getting lots of questions about the upcoming trekking season and the condition of the trail and teahouses along the Everest Base Camp Trek after the earthquake. That good news is that all the treks scheduled for next season September to November 2015 are going. The region did experience damage from both earthquakes (the 7.8 on April 24th and the 7.3 on May 12th), but the trail is in good shape and most the teahouses will be operational for the upcoming season. I got a firsthand look at the region after the first earthquake and several of our clients were trekking at the time of the second quake. This report is based on my observations, that of our guides living in the Khumbu and those of several clients who were on the trek after the second quake.
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The Langtang trek is a good option if you are looking for a relatively short trek with easy access from Kathmandu. The trek has a number of good quality tea houses that are spaced every few hours along the trek making it easy to find a comfortable place to sleep and a good meal. Here are some quick facts about Langtang Tea Houses and a village by village run down.
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If you have a limited time for trekking but still want to see some of the Himalayas here are what we think are the 5 best short treks in Nepal. Note: Some of our itineraries on the website for these treks are longer as they include extra days in either Kathmandu or Pokhara. The times given here are the minimum requirements. Please ask us for more details ( click to inquire ). 1) Poon Hill Trek : Starting Point: Pokhara and one hour taxi to Nayapul. Minimum Day Required: 4 or 5 This trek starts from Pokhara and if you want to see some of Nepal’s big peaks up close it’s the best option for a short trek. The view from Poon Hill (3210m/10531ft) takes in Annapurna South, Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri. The first few days the trail makes a steady climb between the small Sherpa villages. The second night can be spent in Tadapani which offers great views of Annapurna II, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, and Machapuchare which is also known as “Fish Tail.” If you bring some swimwear you can make the short hike down to the river to enjoy the hot springs in Tadapani. It’s another days climb […]
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Most trekkers heading out to Everest or Annapurna save at least one day on the end of their treks for Kathmandu. If you are wondering what are the best sightseeing options here are 6 great ideas to get you started. 1. Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple The Monkey Temple lies on a hill top about 20 minutes walk from Thamel. Walk-up the 365 steps to the stupa at the top which is a important pilgrimage place for Buddhist and enjoy the birds-eye views of Kathmandu. The stairs are home to numerous monkeys that are said to be holy and are quite used to humans. Make sure to keep a safe distant as monkey bites are serious, but you can certainly get some great pictures. It takes no more than a few hours to enjoy the Monkey Temple. When you reach the top of the stairs you need to pay an entrance fee of 200 Rs. If you are coming from Thamel in a taxi the charge should be no more than a few hundred Rupees. 2. Kathmandu Durbar Square and Freak Street The Durbar Square of Kathmandu is one of the easiest places to visit in Thamel and one of the […]
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If you are looking for something to do in Kathmandu before heading out trekking the Monkey Temple is a good way to spend a few hours. Laying just to the west of Kathmandu it’s only a 30 minute walk from Thamel. To reach the Monkey Temple it’s a steep climb up a series of 365 stairs. It’s one of the highest points in Kathmandu and offers expansive views across the city. The site itself is situated on a small hill top and consists of a large central stupa surrounded by a myriad of shrines, temples and small shops that specializes in paintings, singing bowls and a variety of religious artifacts. Also known as Swayambhunath the site is a popular pilgrimage spot for Buddhists. If you get up before dawn you might catch a glimpse of the many Buddhists and Hindus alike who climb to the top to make homage.
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If you have a few extra days in Kathmandu before your trek to Everest or Annapurna you are probably wondering how to best spend your time. A great option is a day trip to the ancient city of Bhaktapur which lies only about 20km east of Kathmandu and can be reached in 40mins from Thamel by car. Visiting Bhaktapur reminds me of visiting one of Europe’s medieval cities as it’s actually a place of “living history.” Over 200,000 people still inhabit its narrow streets and ancient brick buildings decorated with elaborate carvings. A number of both Hindu and Buddhist shrines can be found in Bhaktapur although the population is 90% Hindu. In practice most of the inhabitants practice both religions with equal intensity. Bhaktapur is the most Hindu of the three main cities of Kathmandu Valley (Patan is more Buddhist and Kathmandu a mixture of both). Bhaktapur was the capital of the Malla Kingdom from the 12th to 15th centuries and after the 15th century became an independent kingdom alongside Kathmandu and Patan. As the capital of the Malla Kingdom it was clearly an important and wealthy city judging by the architectural richness of the many buildings, temples and […]
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If you want to experience one of Nepal’s most lively and colorful festivals you can think of planning your trek to Everest Base Camp at the same time as the spring festival of Holi. One of the most important festivals celebrated during the year by Hindus in both Nepal and India. The festival marks the start of spring and the triumph of good will. Nepal is dominantly a Hindu country so this is one of the most important festivals of the year as well as an official holiday. The night before Holi starts with bonfires which are lit right on the city streets. If you are in Nepal you won’t see this so much but if you happen to be in Mumbai or some cities in India these are quite common and quite impressive and some estimates that over 30,000 fires burn across India lighting up the night sky in anticipation of this event. I remember one time taking off on an airplane from Mumbai and seeing the impressive site of all the fires in the streets below and smoke rising from the city. The fire is lit to celebrate the death of Holika a demoness who is said to […]
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Everest or Annapurna Base Camp. If it’s your first time in Nepal you might be wondering which is the better trek? Having done both I would right out the gate say Everest Base Camp. However, if your worried about acclimatization, scared of flying small planes or don’t like colder temperatures then Annapurna Base Camp might be a better option. Here is a short review of both treks and the pros and cons of doing each. Keep in mind at the end of the day this is a bit subjective and that they both deserve to be included in a list of the world’s greatest treks. The first thing to consider is the scenery of each trek. The trek to Everest Base Camp I think wins by a good margin. One of my favorite things about the trek to Everest Base Camp is that from you are almost in direct view of some amazing peaks. On the first few days of the trek you can get a view of peaks such as Thyangmoche, Kusum Kanguru and Thamserku. Once you past Namche Bazaar you are in almost always in direct view of Everest or one of the other giant peaks like Ama […]
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Wondering how to get the best deal on a flight to Nepal? Here are some suggestions based on where you might be coming from. You can save a lot if you have some flexibility and are willing to plan in advance. Even if you have some fixed dates you should still find some great tips in this article. If you have any questions about getting a cheap flight don’t hesitate to ask us. Caution! Read This if you are going through India: A Visa is required to enter India so if you have luggage this option will not work since you have to go through immigration to collect bags. However if you have an Indian visa already in hand it’s a good bet. Also remember you can’t leave the transit area of the Delhi airport without a visa so doesn’t plan a layover longer than 8 hours. Some countries are eligible for visa on arrival but they still need to process this at least 4 days in advance online. North America Option 1 Via India to Kathmandu : If you’re coming from North America the cheapest flights you will find are out of New York’s JFK airport to Delhi in […]
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If you have not trekked in the Himalayas you may not be familiar with “Teahouse Trekking.” This is probably the most popular style of trekking and simply involves going from teahouse to teahouse. Teahouses are essentially small hotels found in local villages that offer both a place to sleep as well as home cooked meals. On routes with sufficient number of tea houses you don’t need to worry about brining a tent or carrying your own food. The actual quality of the teahouse varies quite a bit depending on the amount of foot traffic in the region, number of foreigners and competition. Teahouses in the Everest and Annapurna region are exceptionally nice and many boast of western style flush toilets, hot water showers, a selection of beverages including beer and a wide range of menu items. Teahouses along less popular trekking routes are usually more rudimentary and one might expect to sleep in a common room around a toasty stove after enjoying a meal of dhal bhatt (rice and lentils). Teahouses are pretty great! – If your trekking in the Everest and Annapurna region the tea houses are almost like small hotels but with a much more home-stay feeling. Most […]
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The massive and captivating Kanchenjunga 8,586 m (28,169 ft) situated on the border between Nepal and India is the world’s third tallest mountain. The peak lies in a larger portion of the Himalayas known as the The Kangchenjunga Himal that includes 16 peaks over 7,000m (23,000 ft). Most of the region is protected as part of a large national park that spans both India and Nepal and protects the natural beauty of the region and cultural traditions of a diverse range of ethnic groups. The mountain consists of 5 separate peaks and in Tibetan Kanchenjunga means the “Five Treasures of the Snow.” The peak is considered holy by the people of Sikkim and climbers have always stopped just short of the summit out of respect for the mountain. Four giant glaciers cover the bulk of the terrain above 5000m/16000ft and encompass a vast area that measures over 315 km / 125 square miles. The glaciers, Zemu, Talung, Yalung and Kangchen radiate out from the mountain at nearly ninety degree angles while the main ridges of the mountain run almost north to south and east to west forming a giant cross. On the eastern point of this cross one finds […]
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Mount Everest Advance Base Camp (EABC) not to be confused with Everest Base Camp is approached from Tibet and is the highest that one can go on Everest without a climbing permit. It’s also the world’s highest trek on an established trail. The same route is typically used by climbers attempting to summit who continue on past Advanced Base Camp and follow the North Col and then the Northeast Ridge to the summit. The route has to Mount Everest Advance Base Camp is a challenging but beautiful trek through a stunning mountain landscape. The journey to EABC starts in Lhasa (11,975ft/ 3,650m) the capital of Tibet where it’s best to spend a few days acclimatizing before heading out towards Everest. Lhasa is amazing destination itself with the majestic Potala Palace, the great three monasteries of Sera, Ganden and Drepung as well as the Barkor Square and Jokhang Temple. It’s 627km by road from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and the Rongbuk Valley that’s best taken over three days both to enjoy the sights but also to assist in the acclimatization process. A possible itinerary is to spend the first day visiting Yamdrock Lake, a beautiful turquoise lake, before crossing the […]
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Are you planning a trek and trying to decide between either Everest Base Camp or Kilimanjaro? I have been to both and wanted to put together a bit of a comparison of the experience on each. This comparison looks specifically at the Kilimanjaro’s Marangu Route which is the quickest and also one of the most popular summit approaches. The other routes to Kilimanjaro’s summit take more time and give trekkers a better chance to acclimatize.
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Mount Everest has captured our imagine and tested the limits of human endurance and capability. Here are just a few of the many firsts and records set on the mountain both by man and nature. If you think we missed some important ones let us know and we will add them to the list! Climbing Facts and Records Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit in 1953 for the first time. A Swiss team failed to reach the summit of Everest in 1952 just 250m short of the summit. Sir Edmund Hillary was also the first man to reach both of earths poles as well as the summit of Everest – aka “The three poles.” Willie Unsoeld and Tom Hornbein summited via Everest’s West Ridge in 1963 one of the most difficult routes possible. The last time that a season went by without anyone reaching the summit was 1974 Reinhold Messner in 1978 became the first to climb Everest without oxygen. Peter Hillary, son of Edmund Hillary, scaled the peak in 1990 making Edmund and Peter the first ever father and son combination to climb the mountain. Yuichiro Miura made the first septuagenarian summit in 2003. The same […]
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One of the major challenges facing trekkers heading to Everest Base Camp or any other high elevation trek in the Himalayas is dealing with the potential threat of High Altitude Sickness. The primary cause of High Altitude Sickness is a decrease in the amount of available oxygen with altitude. To ensure you have a safe trek it’s important to be aware of this potentially life threatening condition and its symptoms. Everyone is susceptible to High Altitude Sickness and it is just as likely in physically fit persons as those who are unfit. This article is worth a read even if you have been to high elevations before without symptoms. Cause of High Altitude Sickness The primary cause of High Altitude Sickness is that amount of available oxygen in the atmosphere decreases with altitude. While the percentage of oxygen (21%) in the atmosphere remains constant the density of the atmosphere decreases so that the available oxygen when you take a breath becomes less. The decrease in density of the atmosphere is not linear and that density decreases more rapidly with increasing altitude so that the impact of going from 10,000 to 20,000 feet is not as significant as going from 20,000 […]
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The trek to Everest Base Camp is the most popular in Nepal drawing upwards of 30,000 visitors a year for its incredible mountain views, excellent trails and comfortable tea house style trekking. Here we present a few options for those wanting to visit Everest Base Camp but at the same time get off the beaten track. These treks offer a sense of the undeveloped side of Nepal and the Himalayas that most travelers miss entirely on the traditional route. Traditional Everest Base Camp Trek This is the traditional trekking route that is travelled 95% of the time and takes about 10 days. It starts with a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and then follows the Dudh Kosi River past Phakding to Namche Bazaar. After taking a rest day at Namche you get the first great views of Everest as the trek continues to Tengboche. The trek then follows the course of the Imja Khola to Dingboche. Climb the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and stay at Lobuche before making the final trek to Gorakshep (5164m) and Everest Base Camp. See More Three Passes and Everest Base Camp This one gets our vote as one of the best treks […]
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