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Field notes · written after walking, not after Googling

Nepal trekking guides from the field

Season-by-season route advice from the Kathmandu ops desk — permit changes, conditions and post-walk dispatches. Dated, signed.

43 notesUpdated weekly in season
TopicAllplanningpermitsannapurnaebcseasonalitinerarymardi-himalannapurna-circuit43 notes
Latest · monsoon

Best Monsoon Treks in Nepal (2026): 5 Rain-Shadow Routes for July & August

When the rest of Nepal is under cloud, five trans-Himalayan valleys stay dry. The rain-shadow treks that actually work in the July–August monsoon — and what to expect on empty trails.

Anjana Shrestha · Ops Lead, Kathmandu · 09 Jun 2026 · 9 min

12 Best Day Hikes Around Kathmandu Valley

You can be on a forest ridge with a Himalayan skyline within an hour of Thamel. Twelve day hikes around the Kathmandu Valley rim — how to get to each, how long, and how hard.day-hikes · 9 min08 Jun 2026

Best Autumn Treks in Nepal (Sep–Nov): The Peak-Season Picks

Autumn is the cleanest air and most stable weather of the year in the Nepal Himalaya — and every classic is open. The treks to prioritise from September to November, and why to book early.autumn · 8 min07 Jun 2026

Best Spring Treks in Nepal (Mar–May): Rhododendron & Climbing Season

Spring brings the hills into bloom and the peaks into reach. Nepal's best March–May treks — when the rhododendron forests flower and the trekking-peak season opens.spring · 7 min06 Jun 2026

The 7-day Langtang Valley itinerary we actually walk

Day-by-day plan for the standard 7-day Langtang trek from Kathmandu — drive times, walking hours, altitude gain, where to sleep, and what crossing the 2015 landslide field actually feels like.itinerary · 8 min05 Jun 2026

Best Winter Treks in Nepal (Dec–Feb): Low-Altitude, Clear Skies, No Crowds

Winter trekking in Nepal is underrated: the clearest skies of the year, empty trails, and a handful of low-altitude routes that stay comfortable. The treks to do from December to February.winter · 7 min05 Jun 2026

Best Short Hikes Around Pokhara (1–2 Days)

Pokhara is the easiest place in Nepal to get a big mountain view for little effort. The best short hikes and sunrise viewpoints around the lake — from a pre-breakfast climb to a one-night village walk.pokhara · 7 min04 Jun 2026

5 Best 2-Day Getaways Near Kathmandu

Got a weekend and a need to escape the city? Five overnight getaways within a few hours of Kathmandu — ridge sunrises, Newari old towns, hilltop monasteries and one easy hike-in.getaways · 7 min03 Jun 2026

Mera Peak: How to Climb Nepal’s Highest Trekking Peak (2026 Guide)

Everything you need to plan a Mera Peak expedition — permits, itinerary, difficulty, training and the best season to summit 6,476 m.mera-peak · 2 min02 Jun 2026

Makalu Base Camp: Nepal’s Great Wilderness Trek

A complete guide to the remote Makalu Base Camp trek — route, permits, difficulty and when to go to the foot of the world’s 5th-highest peak.makalu-bc · 8 min30 May 2026

Mardi Himal in 4 days from Pokhara: the weekend itinerary that actually works

Friday-night Pokhara to Sunday-afternoon Pokhara — 4 days, 4,200 m, NPR 12,400 total. The exact plan we walk twice a month with Nepali clients. Day-by-day, lodge by lodge, NPR price by NPR price.mardi-himal · 8 min28 May 2026

Lukla flight from Manthali airport in 2026: why your KTM hotel is 4 hours from the runway

If your EBC trek is Apr 1 – May 15 or Oct 1 – Nov 15, your Lukla flight leaves from Manthali airport, not Kathmandu. The 01:00 wake-up, the 4-hour jeep, the USD 170 flight, and how to plan around it.ebc · 8 min28 May 2026

Annapurna Circuit jeep cheat-sheet 2026: where the road actually ends

How far the road reaches on each end of the Annapurna Circuit in 2026, which jeeps to take, what it costs in NPR, and how the road has cut the classic 21-day trek to 9 days.annapurna-circuit · 7 min28 May 2026

Annapurna Base Camp permits in 2026: ACAP, TIMS, and the numbers that actually matter

What you'll pay for ACAP + TIMS in 2026 (NPR + USD), where to get them in Pokhara and Kathmandu, what happens at the check-post, and the one fee you can avoid.permits · 6 min28 May 2026

The Dhaulagiri Circuit: Two High Passes and a Hidden Valley

A planning guide to the expedition-style Dhaulagiri Circuit — French Col, Dhampus Pass, camping logistics, permits and the best window to go.dhaulagiri-circuit · 8 min27 May 2026

Tsum Valley permits in 2026: TVRAP + MCAP + the two cash fees at Jagat

What you'll pay for the TVRAP + MCAP + the new 2024 Chumnubri + USD 10 trail-development fee. Agency timeline, the March 2026 solo update, and the 5-permits-quoted scam.tsum-valley · 8 min27 May 2026

Manaslu Circuit permits in 2026: RAP + MCAP + ACAP — the honest cost breakdown

Three permits, season-priced RAP, no solo trekkers allowed. What you'll pay in 2026 (USD + NPR), where each is issued, and the four mistakes that cost trekkers their entire booking.permits · 8 min27 May 2026

Mardi Himal Upper Viewpoint sunrise (4,200 m): hour-by-hour from 04:30 at High Camp

The 2.5 h dawn climb from High Camp to the Annapurna South sunrise — failure modes, kit list, and the Base Camp vs Viewpoint decision that saves you 90 minutes.mardi-himal · 9 min25 May 2026

Kala Patthar at sunrise (5,545 m): hour-by-hour from 03:30 at Gorakshep

The full Kala Patthar morning, minute by minute — 03:30 wake at Gorakshep, summit by 06:30 for the Everest sunrise photo. Why headtorch batteries die, why most trekkers fail at 5,400 m, and the acclim decisions that decide whether you make it.ebc · 10 min25 May 2026

The 9-day Annapurna Base Camp itinerary we actually walk

Day-by-day plan for the standard 9-day ABC trek from Pokhara — walking hours, altitude gain, where to sleep, and the one acclimatisation cue we wish more trekkers heard.itinerary · 4 min25 May 2026

Rolwaling & the Tashi Lapcha: A Hidden Valley Traverse to the Khumbu

How to plan the semi-technical Rolwaling–Tashi Lapcha traverse — Tso Rolpa, the 5,755 m pass, permits, gear and the right season.rolwaling · 8 min24 May 2026

Sleeping at Mu Gompa monastery (3,700 m): the trek's defining cultural night

What it's like to sleep at an active Tibetan-Buddhist monastery 4 days walk from the nearest road. The 05:30 morning puja, the dining-hall yak-dung stove, the Dhephyudonma acclim hike, the donation protocol.tsum-valley · 6 min24 May 2026

Crossing Thorong La (5,416 m): hour-by-hour from a guide who's done it 70 times

The full Thorong La day, minute by minute — 03:30 wake at Phedi, summit by 10:30, Muktinath by 16:00. AMS, hypothermia, scree falls — the four failure modes and the acclim decision that decides whether you make it.annapurna-circuit · 7 min24 May 2026

Crossing Larkya La (5,160 m): hour-by-hour from a guide who's done it 50 times

The full pass day, minute by minute — 03:30 wake at Dharmasala, summit by 10:00, Bimthang by 16:00. Failure modes, kit list, and the single acclimatisation decision that decides whether you make it.manaslu · 7 min23 May 2026

Mardi Himal lodge directory 2026: every camp, every verified phone number

The most-comprehensive Mardi Himal lodge phone directory online — 22 lodges, 9 camps, 70+ field-verified numbers from Pokhara to Base Camp. Save offline before your trek.mardi-himal · 6 min22 May 2026

EBC cost breakdown 2026: the real numbers from 100+ expeditions

Honest line-item EBC budget for 2026 — USD 1,200 to USD 5,000 explained. What's in the package, what's the hidden USD 1,000 you didn't budget for, and which corners are safe to cut.ebc · 5 min22 May 2026

Limi Valley: Hidden Tibetan Humla and Views of Kailash

A guide to the remote Limi Valley camping trek in Humla — restricted permits, the Simikot–Hilsa route, culture and why it works in the monsoon.limi-valley · 1 min21 May 2026

The 12-day Tsum Valley itinerary: standard pace with Mu Gompa acclim

Day-by-day plan for the standard 12-day Tsum Valley trek — walking hours, altitude gain, lodge names, NPR prices. The Mu Gompa acclim day + Dhephyudonma side hike that makes 12 days the sweet spot.tsum-valley · 6 min21 May 2026

Tilicho Lake side trip on the Annapurna Circuit: should you add the 3 extra days?

The honest answer to "should I add Tilicho Lake?" The 3-day detour profile, the exposed traverse that scares people, the lake-day sunrise routine, and the acclim benefit that improves your Thorong La success rate.annapurna-circuit · 5 min21 May 2026

Annapurna Base Camp packing list: 34 items from people who walked the trail last month

Field-tested packing list for ABC trek (4,130 m peak): layers, sleeping bag rating, glove liners, Diamox dosage, insurance with helicopter evacuation. What you actually need, what you can leave.packing · 4 min21 May 2026

Mardi Himal without a guide in 2026: the lowest-stakes solo trek in Nepal

Legal status, check-post reality, when to solo + when to hire a guide. The 2023 mandatory-guide rule explained, the Pothana enforcement gap, the Nepali/SAARC exception.mardi-himal · 7 min19 May 2026

Api Himal Base Camp: Trekking Nepal’s Untrodden Far West

A planning guide to the Api Himal Base Camp trek — far-west logistics, the Api Nampa permit, wildlife, difficulty and the best time to go.api-himal · 1 min18 May 2026

Tsum Valley solo trekking in 2026: the March rule change explained

TAAN's March 22, 2026 update lets solo foreigners get the TVRAP. What's changed, what hasn't (the guide is still mandatory), check-post enforcement at Lokpa, and the partner-search option.tsum-valley · 5 min18 May 2026

EBC helicopter return in 2026: when USD 1,500 is the smartest spend on the trek

Honest take on the EBC helicopter return upgrade. What you get for USD 1,500–2,200, what 3 days of descent you lose, and the five trekker profiles where the heli return is worth every dollar.ebc · 8 min18 May 2026

Annapurna Circuit solo in 2026: what's actually enforced (and what isn't)

The 2023 guide-mandatory rule, the March 2026 update, and what check-post officers actually do today. Field-reported pass-rates at each check-post, the day-rate guide workaround, and whether solo is the right call for you.annapurna-circuit · 8 min18 May 2026

How we verify a teahouse phone number

Two calls, a WhatsApp probe, and a season tag. The verification stamp on every contact card means this happened.ops · 1 min16 May 2026

Field-tested at 4,540 m — airplane-mode behaviour

Thorong Phedi has no signal. We checked every offline path twice. Heres what works and what doesnt.app · 1 min16 May 2026

Why we dont list Mardi Himal yet

A short answer to the most common feedback we get: the ops team does not walk it four times a year, so the data would go stale.ops · 1 min16 May 2026

Larkya La — the 5,106 m pass nobody warns you about

Manaslu Circuits high point. The climb itself is straightforward — the descent is where ankles go.manaslu · 1 min16 May 2026

Lukla flight cancellations — 14-day rolling pattern

Of the last 14 mornings, 5 had at least one flight cancelled before 09:00. Walking-in via Salleri is the contingency we recommend.ebc · 1 min16 May 2026

Annapurna permits — what actually changed in 2026

ACAP fee tier shifted in March. SAARC and foreigner tiers diverge by NPR 1,000. Practical breakdown from the counter at Besisahar.permits · 1 min16 May 2026

Annapurna in 14 Days: The Practical Guide

Everything you need to know — permits, waypoints, weather, and Diamox dosing.annapurna · 1 min16 May 2026

Ruby Valley: The Offbeat Homestay Trek Below Ganesh Himal

A short, low-altitude alternative to the classics — the Ruby Valley trek’s Pangsang La panorama, homestays, permits and the best time to go.ruby-valley · 7 min15 May 2026

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