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Nepal trekking holidays

Discover our Nepal small-group trekking tours, from challenging treks including the Annapurna Circuit to moderate hikes in the foothills of the Himalaya. Breathtaking mountain views guaranteed.

 

About our Nepal trekking tours

The best way to discover the stunning mountain scenery of Nepal is on foot. Head to the Himalaya on one of our Nepal trekking tours and you'll be surrounded with snow-capped peaks and immersed in the colourful culture. 

We offer Nepal trekking tours on the Annapurna routes. Whilst challenging, this area offers diverse landscapes, from thick bamboo forest to prayer flag-lined mountain passes. We offer walking tours for different walking abilities, from our Moderate grade Annapurna Foothills trip to the Challenging grade high-altitude Annapurna Sanctuary or Annapurna Circuit treks which go to Annapurna Base Camp. And whichever trip you choose, you'll have an experienced mountain guide with you to help you along the hike. 

But that's not all - we also offer an iconic trek to Everest Base Camp. Enjoy a warm Nepali welcome in cosy mountain teahouses, ascend towards bucket-list worthy Everest Base Camp (without internal flights) and reach the summit of Kala Patthar which is 5645 metres above sea level. This 22-day trip sees you walk through forested foothills, cross bridges across glacial rivers and pass through remote communities.

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What to expect on a Nepal trekking tour

What Nepal trekking routes do we offer on our trips?

We offer trips that hike the following routes: 

  • Annapurna Sanctuary - A 9-day trek starting in the foothills and climbing up to the Annapurna Sanctuary, a high glacial basin surrounded by the Annapurna range. The trek leads to Machhapucchre Base Camp and then Annapurna Base Camp before descending again. 
  • Annapurna Circuit - A 17-day classic trek that does a circuit of the Annapurna massif. This challenging high-altitude trek peaks at Thorong La Pass that sits 5416m above sea level and gives breathtaking views over the Himalaya.  
  • Everest Base Camp - A 22-day trek that starts and ends in Kathmandu. The trek leads to Everest Base Camp, and onto the highest point of this tour, the summit of Kala Patthar (5645m). We choose not to fly within Nepal, meaning there are some longer driving days. 

If you don't want to do a challenging trek you can opt for a lower, Moderate grade hike in the Annapurna foothills. Or if you're short on time and prefer a little more comfort you can swap the simple teahouses commonly used on our Nepal treks for the luxury of Ker and Downey's famous mountain lodges on our Annapurna Luxury Trek.

When is the best time to go trekking in Nepal?Female trekker looking over rhododendron forest to Annapurna

The most popular time to trek in Nepal is between mid-September to mid-December, when the monsoon rains have ended, temperatures are moderate and the skies are clear, giving great views of the mountains.

The second most popular season is March to May, which is when the rhododendrons are in full bloom. This period is still dry with moderate temperatures, although you may experience a few hazier days. 

What distance do you walk on the Annapurna Circuit? (or similar Nepal trekking tour)

The distance depends on the Nepal trekking trip you choose. See the 'Walking and trekking information' section on the trip page to see a breakdown of the distance walked per day. However, in mountainous terrain distances on paper can be deceptive which is why we always include an indication of the approximate number of hours you'll be walking and the total ascent and descent each day.

How difficult is the trekking in Nepal?

We offer either Moderate or Challenging to Tough grade trekking trips so you can choose which best suits your fitness level and ability.

How safe is the trekking in Nepal?

As with any high-altitude trek there are some risks, but we have several factors in place to reduce the risks: 

  • Our trekking ascent rates are carefully planned to fall within Wilderness Medicine Society (WMS) guidelines
  • All our trek leaders are qualified in first aid and specially trained to recognise and deal with Altitude Sickness
  • We carry a Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC) to help relieve altitude mountain sickness (AMS) on treks above 3000 metres
  • On treks into extremely remote areas we carry a satellite phone for emergency use

Is trekking in Nepal suitable for solo travellers?

Our trekking tours in Nepal are definitely suitable for solo travellers - in fact 60% of our customers travel solo. You'll be travelling with a like-minded group of trekkers and our expert leader or mountain guide, so you'll never need to worry about being alone. 

On our group trips you'll typically share a room or tent with someone of the same sex, although sometimes you may share with more people, for example in some of the tea houses on our Annapurna treks. The trip notes will list the sort of accommodation to expect for each night. If you'd prefer a room to yourself, this may be possible for some or all nights at an extra cost. Again, the trip notes list where single rooms are available. 

Why we don’t fly in Nepal

At Explore, we want our holidays to deliver memorable and amazing experiences. When planning our trips, there is just one element that we consider with higher importance than creating an amazing holiday experience: your safety. This is a short explanation about why we choose not to use domestic flights on our holidays to Nepal.
 

In the UK, the Department of Transport compiles and regularly reviews a document called the UK Air Safety List (ASL), based on advice from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. This list comprises several international and domestic airlines around the world that do not meet international safety standards and are therefore banned from operating flights to and from the UK.
 

All Nepali airlines have been placed on the UK Air Safety List since 2013. Whilst most of these airlines do not fly into UK airspace, the ban reflects the fact that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal doesn't operate to accepted UK and international standards. Several independent safety audits have been completed over the past decade on behalf of the tourism industry, and whilst there have been improvements in processes, accidents and incidents occur every year. Some of these are, sadly, fatal. Since 2013, the UK’s Department of Transport has not removed any Nepali airline from their aviation blacklist.
 

As safety is paramount at Explore, it is our view that there is still some way to go to ensure that these flights are safe for our passengers. We have therefore chosen not to use any internal flights within Nepal. As a result, we travel everywhere in Nepal either by vehicle, or in most cases, on foot. This has the added benefit of reducing our carbon footprint, whilst also taking us closer to the breathtaking mountain scenery and the nature that Nepal is so famous for.
 

This results in some long but scenic driving days on some of our trips (around eight hours between Kathmandu and Pokhara, and around nine between Kathmandu and Salleri, for Everest Base Camp, for example), but we are confident that this is the right choice for you, our customers. Although the roads can be bumpy and the going can sometimes be slow, there will be frequent breaks on the journey. And of course, the stunning mountain scenery that rolls by the window provides plenty to take in along the way.

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