Nepal Trekking FAQs

It depends entirely on the route. Ghorepani Poon Hill, Mohare Danda and Lower Mustang need no previous experience — they stay below 3,900m with four to six hours of walking a day. Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna Circuit and Manaslu need good general fitness and three months of preparation, but no technical skill. The Three Passes, Upper Dolpo and Kanchenjunga treks require previous multi-day high-altitude experience, and we will ask about it before confirming a booking.

Autumn (late September to November) is the most reliable season — clear skies, stable weather and the sharpest mountain views of the year. Spring (March to May) is the second-best window and the finest season below 4,000m, when the rhododendron forests are in bloom. Winter (December to February) is clear, quiet and cold, and excellent for lower routes such as Poon Hill and Mardi Himal, though high passes may close under snow. The monsoon (June to early September) is wet on most routes but is the right season for the rain-shadow trails: Upper Mustang, Nar Phu and Upper Dolpo.

Easy — up to 3,000m, 4–5 hours a day on well-made trails, suitable for anyone in reasonable health. Moderate — up to 4,200m, 5–6 hours a day with sustained ascents and descents. Strenuous — up to 5,000m, 6–7 hours a day including long climbs and high passes, requiring prior multi-day trekking experience and 2–3 months of cardio preparation. Challenging — above 5,000m and/or multiple high passes, remote areas and camping, for experienced trekkers with proven altitude tolerance.

Broken-in trekking boots, a down jacket, a waterproof outer shell, thermal base layers in wool or synthetic, trekking poles, a sleeping bag rated to -15°C, SPF 50+ sunscreen, UV-blocking sunglasses, a headlamp with spare batteries, a reusable water bottle with a filter or purification tablets, and a small personal first aid kit. Keep your daypack under 10kg. We send a full route-specific packing list on booking, and gear can be hired or bought in Thamel at short notice.

Most routes need a TIMS card plus a National Park or Conservation Area permit — ACAP for Annapurna, Sagarmatha National Park and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipal permit for Everest, Langtang National Park for Langtang. Restricted areas — Upper Mustang, Manaslu, Tsum, Nar Phu, Upper Dolpo and Kanchenjunga — require an additional government Restricted Area Permit, issued only through a registered agency, with a legal minimum of two trekkers and a licensed guide. We arrange every permit for you; we just need passport copies and photos.

They vary by region and season. Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpo are USD 500 per person for the first 10 days plus USD 50 per additional day. Manaslu and Nar Phu are around USD 100 per person per week from September to November and USD 75 in other months. Kanchenjunga is around USD 20 per person per week. These figures change from time to time — the permit cost is stated separately in every quote we send so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Since April 2023 the Nepal Tourism Board has required solo foreign trekkers to be accompanied by a licensed guide on most trekking routes. In restricted areas a guide and a minimum of two trekkers have always been mandatory by law, and permits are only issued through registered agencies. Beyond the regulation, a high pass in variable weather is not a place to be making decisions alone.

Mild symptoms — headache, poor sleep, loss of appetite — are common above 3,000m and usually resolve with rest and hydration. Serious altitude illness is largely preventable through conservative pacing and honest symptom reporting. Every itinerary we sell includes proper acclimatisation days, every guide carries a pulse oximeter and first aid kit, and above 4,000m we check the whole group twice daily. Descent is always the first treatment, and your guide's decision to descend or turn a group around is final.

Our guides are wilderness first-aid trained and carry a first aid kit and pulse oximeter. We maintain evacuation protocols with helicopter rescue operators and can arrange a lift within the hour on most routes in the Everest, Annapurna and Langtang regions. In remote regions such as Upper Dolpo and Kanchenjunga, evacuation options are far more limited, which is why we grade those treks Challenging and require prior experience. Comprehensive travel insurance covering helicopter evacuation to 6,000m is mandatory on every trek we run.

Porters carry a maximum of 25kg, are insured for altitude rescue, are issued down jackets and boots on winter and high-altitude routes, and are paid the full agreed wage regardless of whether you choose to tip. Their food, lodging and equipment are included in your trek price, not deducted from their pay. We run one porter per two trekkers as standard.

Airport transfers, all ground transport on the itinerary, teahouse accommodation on trek and hotel nights in Kathmandu or Pokhara, three meals a day on trek with tea and coffee, a government-licensed English-speaking guide, porter service, all staff wages, insurance, equipment, food and lodging, every required permit and the TIMS card, a first aid kit and pulse oximeter carried by your guide, a duffel bag, trekking map and company T-shirt, and all government taxes.

International airfare and Nepal visa fees, travel and medical insurance (mandatory, and it must cover helicopter evacuation to 6,000m), meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara except where stated, personal trekking equipment and clothing, hot showers, Wi-Fi, battery charging and bottled drinks on trek, alcohol and soft drinks, personal expenses, emergency evacuation costs (recoverable from your insurer), and tips for your guide and porters.

Yes — that is how most of our treks run. We do not work from a fixed departure calendar. Tell us your dates, your fitness and your budget and we will build the itinerary around them, whether you are a solo trekker, a couple, a family or a group of twelve. Route modifications mid-trek are also far easier on a private departure. Send us your dates and we will return a full quote within 24 hours.

For autumn (October–November) departures on popular routes, three to six months ahead is sensible, mainly because teahouse space at Namche, Gorak Shep and Khopra is genuinely limited in peak season. Restricted-area treks need at least three weeks for permit processing. The Tiji Festival in Upper Mustang needs six months. Outside peak season we can often arrange a departure at two weeks' notice.

Yes, and it is not optional. Your policy must cover trekking to the maximum altitude on your itinerary and must include helicopter evacuation and medical repatriation — many standard travel policies exclude activity above 4,000m, so read the altitude clause carefully. We ask for a copy of your policy before departure.