Guides

Worth knowing
before you come.

Longer notes I have written for people planning a walk in Nepal: permits, seasons, altitude, and how to be a good guest. Rules change, so each one says when I last checked it.

109 guides in 9 topics Free to read, no sign-up For everyone, whether or not you walk with me

Planning & Preparation

Best Time to Trek in Nepal: The 6 Seasons Explained (2026)Best Time to Trek in Nepal: A Local Guide's Guide to the Six Seasons "When should I come?" After "Do I need a guide?",… 12 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Nepal Trekking Packing List: What to Bring (and What Not To)Every season I meet trekkers carrying far too much. Three jackets, five books, a full-size towel, and a bag so heavy that the first… 9 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read How Fit Do You Need to Be to Trek in Nepal?Almost every person who writes to me asks the same question, often a little nervously: "Am I fit enough?" Here is my honest answer,… 8 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read How to Choose Your Trek in Nepal: A Local Guide’s Honest WayNepal has hundreds of trekking routes. Some are famous, some are almost empty; some take three days, some take a month. When people write… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Teahouse Life in Nepal: What a Night on the Trail Is Really LikeAt the end of a long walking day, a teahouse feels like the best place in the world. You take off your boots, sit… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Everest or Annapurna? An Honest Comparison From a Local GuideIt's one of the questions I hear most: "Should I trek to Everest or around Annapurna?" Both are beautiful. Both are among the most… 6 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Short Treks Near Kathmandu and Pokhara: 1 to 5 Days in NepalNot everyone has two weeks for Everest or the Annapurna Circuit. Some people come for business, some for a family visit, some for a… 6 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Is This Walk for You?How to read the honest sections on every walk on this site, and decide before you book whether a walk really suits you. 3 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Off the Beaten Path Treks in Nepal: Quiet Trails Beyond the CrowdsEvery October the trail to Everest Base Camp is busy. So is Poon Hill at sunrise. They are beautiful walks, and I love guiding… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Camera Gear for Trekking in Nepal: What to Carry and How to Care for ItAlmost everyone who walks with me carries a camera of some kind: a phone, a small compact, or a heavy bag of lenses. And… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Altitude Sickness on Nepal Treks: A Local Guide’s Honest AdviceThe warning signs, how slowly to climb, when to rest, when to go down, and the danger signs that mean descend now. 5 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read How to Choose a Trekking Guide in Nepal: Honest Advice from a GuideChecking the licence, the questions to ask, fair pay, guide fee or package, porters, and the red flags to avoid. 6 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Packing List for Trekking in Nepal: What a Local Guide Tells You to BringClothes in layers, sleeping bag, boots, what to rent in Kathmandu, what changes by season, and what to leave at home. 6 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Gokyo Lakes or Everest Base Camp? How to ChooseTwo walks in the Everest region, side by side: the views, the height, the crowds, and which one suits you. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Food on a Tea-House Trek in Nepal: What You Eat and WhyDal bhat, momos, porridge and ginger tea: what tea houses serve, why prices rise with the trail, and how to eat well up high. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Village homestays in Nepal: what a night with a family is likeWhat happens when you stay with a family in a Nepali village: the room, the food, the evening, and how to be a good guest. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Chitwan, Bardiya or Shuklaphanta? Choosing a national park in the lowlandsNepal's lowland parks side by side: which is easiest to reach, which is quietest, and where you are most likely to see what. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read A private guide or a group trek? An honest comparisonWhat really differs between walking with your own guide and joining a group: pace, dates, company, freedom and cost. 2 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read How climate change is changing Nepal’s trekking seasonsLater monsoons, less snow, glacial lakes and sudden storms: what is changing in the Himalaya, and how to plan a trek with it in mind. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Kala Patthar or Everest Base Camp: where you really see EverestWhy Everest itself is hidden from Base Camp, what you see from Kala Patthar instead, and how to plan the two days at the top of the walk. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Annapurna Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit?Two great Annapurna walks side by side: the sanctuary of peaks or the long loop over Thorong La, and who each one suits. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read What a camping trek in Nepal is really likeTents, a cook, cold nights and wild places: what a day on a camping trek looks like, who comes with you, and what it costs compared with lodges. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Reaching the Everest region by road: Jiri, Salleri and PhapluHow to reach the Everest trails without the Lukla flight: the old walking route from Jiri, the jeep road through Salleri and Phaplu, and how many days each adds. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Pokhara to Jomsom: the flight, the road, and walking downThe three ways between Pokhara and Jomsom in the Kali Gandaki valley: the short morning flight, the long road, and the trails that avoid it. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Quieter base camps in Nepal: beyond Everest and AnnapurnaSeven base camps that few people reach, from a meadow under Ama Dablam to the foot of Kanchenjunga, with how high, how long and how hard each one is. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Nepal’s high passes: which one is for you?The passes walkers cross in Nepal, from the busy Thorong La to the glacier passes of the Dhaulagiri Circuit, and what each one asks of you. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Treks in Nepal below 3,500 metres: big views, gentler altitudeFor walkers who worry about altitude: treks and walks that stay below about 3,500 m and still show you the Himalaya. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read How hard is the Everest Base Camp trek? Days, distance and heightThe honest numbers of the classic Everest Base Camp trek: how many days, how far, how high, the hardest days, and who finds it hard. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Ten treks in Nepal, from famous to quiet: a guide’s honest listTen treks I would suggest in Nepal, from the famous ones to the quiet ones, with one honest line on what each is really like. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read The ways to Everest Base Camp: classic, by Gokyo, by road or over three passesFive ways to reach Everest Base Camp, from the classic route from Lukla to the Gokyo lakes and the Cho La, the old road from Jiri, and the Three Passes. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read

Travel Guides & Tips

Can I trek in Nepal on my own?Not officially in most main regions since 2023. The Khumbu and walks outside the listed regions are the main exceptions. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read How does a private tea-house trek with a guide work?You walk at your own pace, sleep in family-run lodges, pay lodges directly for room and food, and pay the guide a separate day fee. 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Upper Mustang Trek Guide: Tibet Without Leaving NepalThe old Kingdom of Lo behind the Himalaya: the permit, the road, the best months, Lo Manthang, and who this walk is for. 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Walking Through Nepal’s Photographic Past: A Photo-History Walk in Kathmandu and PatanA slow walk through the squares and courtyards where Nepal's photographic history was made and is still kept: the court photographers, the archives and the city then and now. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read A Photographer’s Year in Nepal: Light, Haze and Festivals, Month by MonthWhen the air is clearest, when the haze comes, when the rhododendrons flower, and which festivals fall in which month: a calendar for people who walk with a camera. 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Monastery Walks and Sacred Trails in Nepal: Walking with Quiet RespectWalks for people who look for stillness: the hidden valley of Tsum, the holy lakes of Gosainkunda, Namobuddha near Kathmandu, and how to behave in a monastery. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read The Famous Treks, Walked Slowly: Everest, Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp at a Peaceful PaceYou can walk the famous trails without the rush: extra nights, quieter villages, shorter days and the months when the lodges are calm. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal in the monsoon (June to September)What the rain season is really like on the trails, which walks stay dry behind the mountains, and how to prepare. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal in winter (December to February)Clear skies, cold nights and quiet trails: which treks are good in winter, which high passes can close, and what to bring. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read How to visit a monastery respectfully in NepalShoes, clothes, photos, which way to walk round a stupa or a mani wall, and the small things that show respect in a Buddhist monastery. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Pokhara in one day: lake, sunrise and the Peace PagodaA calm plan for one day in Pokhara: Sarangkot at sunrise, a boat on Phewa Lake, the Peace Pagoda, and a quiet evening by the water. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Patan: a slow walk through the city of fine artsPatan Durbar Square, the Patan Museum, the Golden Temple and the quiet courtyards around them: what to see and how to walk it in half a day. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Dashain, Tihar and the festivals that change travel plans in NepalNepal's biggest festivals fall in the best trekking months. The 2026 dates, what closes, what fills up, and how to plan around them. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read A Day in Bhaktapur: A Slow Walk Through the City of DevoteesHow to spend a calm day in Bhaktapur from Kathmandu: the squares, Nyatapola, the potters, the curd, and when to go. 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Kathmandu in one day: a calm plan for the old cityIf you have only one day in Kathmandu: the four great sites in an order that works, how to move between them, and how to visit with respect. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read A day in Bhaktapur: the old Newar cityHow to spend a day in Bhaktapur: the squares, the temples, the potters, the famous curd, the ticket and how to get there from Kathmandu. 2 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Lumbini: a quiet visit to the birthplace of the BuddhaHow to visit Lumbini slowly: the Maya Devi Temple and the Ashoka pillar, the monasteries of many countries, and when to go. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal in autumn (September to November)The clearest skies of the year and the busiest trails: how to enjoy autumn in the mountains, and how to find quiet in it. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal in spring (March to May)Rhododendrons, long warm days and the Everest climbing season: what spring is really like on the trails, haze included. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Nepal’s highest mountains, and where you can see each oneThe eight mountains above 8,000 m in Nepal, and the walks and viewpoints where each one stands in front of you. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Namche Bazaar: your acclimatisation day, done slowlyWhat to do on the rest day in Namche Bazaar: the walk up for the first view of Everest, Khumjung, the market and the museum. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read The rest day at Samagaun on the Manaslu CircuitHow to spend the acclimatisation day at Samagaun: Birendra Lake, Pungyen Gompa, or the long climb towards Manaslu Base Camp. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read The Everest mountain flight from Kathmandu: is it worth it?An honest answer about the one-hour flight along the Himalaya from Kathmandu: what you see, when it is cancelled, and who it suits. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Langtang after the 2015 earthquake: walking there todayWhat happened to Langtang village in April 2015, how the valley has rebuilt, and why walking there today helps the people who stayed. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Nepali food beyond dal bhatMomo, thukpa, Thakali sets, sel roti, dhido and yak cheese: what to try in Nepal, where, and what is wise to skip on the trail. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Nepal in two weeks: a calm first visit, with or without a trekTwo ways to spend two weeks in Nepal at a slow pace: one with a short trek, one without, and what to leave for next time. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read

Before you go

Getting to Nepal from Europe: Flights, Visa, Time, Money and the First DaysThe practical first questions from European walkers: how to fly, the visa on arrival, the time difference, money and plugs, and how to spend the first days in Kathmandu. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Travelling Alone? Trekking in Nepal with a Private GuideFor people who come to Nepal on their own: single rooms, safety, who to call, women walking alone, and how a private guide fits in. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal for Alpine Hikers: What Is Different, and What Is NotYou know huts, passes and early starts from the Alps. Here is what changes in the Himalaya: altitude, tea-houses, distances and pace. 5 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Tipping your trekking guide and porter in NepalIs a tip expected, how much people usually give, and how to hand it over in a way that feels right in Nepal. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Wi-Fi, hot showers and charging on Nepal treks: what they costThe small costs that add up in the lodges: hot showers, charging your phone and getting online, and how prices change with height. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Helicopter rescue in Nepal: how it works and what it costsWhen a helicopter is the right answer, how a rescue is arranged, what it costs in 2026, what your insurance must say, and the scams to know about. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Altitude day by day: how a trek in Nepal climbs safelyWhy good treks climb slowly, the simple rules behind a safe itinerary, and what the rest days on an Everest or Annapurna trek are for. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking boots for Nepal: choosing them and breaking them inWhat kind of boots suit a trek in Nepal, how they should fit, and how to break them in at home so your feet stay happy on the trail. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal with childrenHow high children should go, which kinds of walks suit a family, and how to keep young walkers safe, warm and happy on the trail. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Trekking in Nepal After 60: An Honest GuideYes, you can: how older walkers trek well in Nepal, which walks suit, how to plan the days, and what to check before you come. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Arriving in Kathmandu: visa, SIM card, money and the ride into townYour first hour in Nepal made simple: the visa on arrival, what to have ready, a local SIM card, cash and getting to your hotel. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Money on a Nepal trek: cash, cash machines and cardsWhy a trek in Nepal runs on cash, where the last cash machines are, what they charge, and how much to carry. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Food and drinking water on a Nepal trekWhat you eat in the tea houses, why dal bhat is the trekker's friend, how to drink safe water without buying plastic, and how to keep your stomach well. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Renting or buying trekking gear in KathmanduWhat you can rent or buy in Thamel before a trek, what is worth bringing from home, and how to tell a good down jacket from a poor one. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Kathmandu to Pokhara: bus, car or flight?The three ways from Kathmandu to Pokhara, side by side: how long each takes, what can go wrong, and which I suggest. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free on a Nepal trekWhat you can eat in the lodges when you do not eat meat, dairy or gluten, the words to say, and what to bring from home. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Porters in Nepal: making sure yours is treated fairlyWhat a fair deal for a porter looks like: the load, warm clothes, a bed, insurance and care if he falls ill, and the questions to ask before you go. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Where to stay in Kathmandu: Thamel, Boudha, Patan or Bhaktapur?Four areas for your nights before and after a trek, each with its own feeling: busy Thamel, peaceful Boudha, calm Patan and old Bhaktapur. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read How to stay warm at night on a tea-house trekPractical ways to sleep warm in cold mountain lodges: the right bag and liner, a hot water bottle, dry layers, the stove, and keeping batteries alive. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read The Nepali calendar: why your dates may say 2083Bikram Sambat, the April New Year, Saturday as the day off, and why festival dates move every year: the Nepali calendar for travellers. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Layers for a Nepal trek: what to wear from the warm valleys to the cold passesHow to dress on a Nepal trek with a few good layers, from warm days in the valleys to frosty mornings and windy passes. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read

Permits & Practical Info

Restricted Zones & Non-Restricted Zones in NepalIn Nepal, travel for foreign nationals is divided into Non-Restricted Zones (open regions) and Restricted Zones (highly regulated regions). The Department of Immigration strictly… 2 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Nepal Mandatory Guide Rule: Can You Still Trek Solo in 2026?Since 1 April 2023, trekking without a licensed guide is not allowed in Nepal’s national parks and conservation areas; the Everest region is an exception. 9 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Nepal Trekking Permits 2026: Which Permits You Need for Each TrekA licensed Nepal trekking guide explains which permits you need for each trek in 2026, what they cost, where to get them, and the new Upper Mustang daily fee. 9 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Nepal Visa on Arrival 2026: Fees, Steps & Documents GuideNepal Visa on Arrival 2026: Fees, Steps and Documents for Trekkers Getting into Nepal is one of the easiest parts of your trip. Most… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Money for Trekking in Nepal: ATMs, Cash and TippingMoney for Trekking in Nepal: ATMs, Cash and Tipping One of the most common problems I see on the trail isn't altitude or weather.… 8 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read SIM Cards, WiFi and Charging on Nepal TreksSIM Cards, WiFi and Charging on Nepal Treks "Will I have internet on the trek?" It's one of the first questions trekkers ask me.… 7 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Travel Insurance for Trekking in Nepal: What You Really NeedNobody likes thinking about insurance when they're dreaming about the Himalaya. But in the mountains, far from roads and hospitals, the right insurance is… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Flying a Drone in Nepal: Permits and Rules for VisitorsYou can fly a drone in Nepal, but only with paperwork that takes weeks, so start before you travel, or leave the drone at… 5 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read What permits do I need to trek in Nepal?Most treks need a park or conservation area permit; restricted areas also need a special permit through an agency. 3 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read A day’s real costs on the trailWhat a day on a teahouse trek really costs: the room, three meals, water, a shower and charging, and how prices rise with every day higher. 3 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Lukla flights from Ramechhap (Manthali): what to expectWhy many Lukla flights leave from Ramechhap, the night drive from Kathmandu, luggage limits, weather delays and the way in without a flight. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Manaslu Circuit permits and rules (2026)The permits for the Manaslu Circuit in 2026, what they cost by season, the guide rule, the one-trekker change of March 2026, and what to check before you go. 2 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read National parks and conservation areas in Nepal: what is the difference?Why some trails cross a national park and others a conservation area, what that means for the villages, and what you pay at the gate. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read

Culture & Respect

Nepal Trekking Etiquette: A Local Guide’s Guide to Culture and Respect on the TrailI have been a licensed trekking guide in Nepal since 2018. I've walked most of the country's trekking routes, across more than 70 districts.… 12 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Useful Nepali Phrases for Trekking: Words That Open Every DoorYou don't need to learn Nepali to trek in Nepal. Many people in the trekking villages speak some English, and your guide will help… 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Festivals in Nepal and Trekking: Dashain, Tihar and the Trekking CalendarIn Nepal, there is a saying that we have more festivals than days in the year. It's almost true. Some are celebrated by the… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Leave No Trace on Nepal’s Trails: Seven Simple HabitsThe seven Leave No Trace principles, made for tea-house trails in Nepal: rubbish, water, toilets, the path, sacred places and other walkers. 4 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Visiting Pashupatinath with respectWhat a visitor can see at Pashupatinath, what is only for Hindus, the evening aarati, and how to behave by the cremation ghats. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read The Sherpa: a people, not a job titleWho the Sherpa people are, where they came from, their monasteries and festivals, and why not every porter or guide is a Sherpa. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Prayer flags, mani walls and stupas: what they meanThe five colours of the prayer flags, the carved mani stones, prayer wheels and stupas you pass on the trail, and how to walk past them with respect. 2 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read

Health & Safety

Altitude Sickness in Nepal: A Trekking Guide’s Guide to Symptoms, Acclimatisation and SafetyOn every high trek I guide, there's a moment when someone says, "I have a small headache, it's nothing." Sometimes it really is nothing.… 8 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Emergencies and Rescue on a Nepal Trek: An Honest PlanNobody likes to think about emergencies before a holiday. But in the mountains, the best way to stay calm is to know what would… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Staying Healthy on a Nepal Trek: Safe Water, Food and Simple HabitsA trek is not only about your legs. It is also about your stomach, your throat, your skin and your sleep. Most of the… 7 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Is Thorong La Dangerous? An Honest Answer from a GuideThe highest day of the Annapurna Circuit: what makes it hard, what makes it risky, and how to cross it safely. 5 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read Is Nepal safe for travellers? An honest answerAn honest look at safety in Nepal: crime, roads, mountains, health, earthquakes and strikes, and the simple habits that keep a trip calm. 3 min readWritten Oct 2026 Read

Other guides

Do I need a guide to trek in Nepal?In most trekking regions, yes: since April 2023 foreign trekkers need a licensed guide. The Khumbu is the main local exception. 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Trekking guide, porter or agency in Nepal: what is the difference?People often use these three words as if they mean the same thing. They do not, and the difference matters for your safety, for… 3 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Do I need travel insurance for trekking in Nepal, and what should it cover?Yes. Choose a policy that covers trekking to your highest altitude, including helicopter rescue and medical evacuation, and read the wording. 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read Your first trek in Nepal: what to expectA first trek is mostly walking, eating and sleeping slowly. Here is how a day goes, how fit you need to be, and the few things that matter most. 4 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read

Photography

Mountain Photography in Nepal: Tips From a Local GuideMountain Photography in Nepal: Tips From a Trekking Guide and Photographer Nepal's mountains are some of the most photographed places on earth, and yet… 9 min readChecked Sep 2026 Read Best Sunrise and Viewpoint Spots in Nepal: A Local Guide’s ChoiceWhere to watch the sun rise over the Himalaya, from Nagarkot and Sarangkot to Poon Hill, Kala Patthar, Gokyo Ri and Kyanjin Ri. 6 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read

Charging on Trek

Charging Your Camera and Phone on a Trek in NepalYou can charge almost everywhere on the main trails, but the higher you go, the more it costs and the less you can count on it, so carry your own power. 5 min readChecked Oct 2026 Read

How I write these

From the trail, and from the rules.

Every guide is written by me, from walking these places and from the government's own rules. Where a figure comes from an official source, the guide names it at the end.

When a rule changes, I update the guide and its date. If you find something out of date, please tell me.

Reading is a good start. A question to me is often quicker.

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