Trail Knowledge
Practical planning advice, trail conditions, seasonal guides, and cultural context — written by the guides who walk these routes every season.
PlanningTipping in Nepal is a lump sum on your last evening on the trail, not a daily payment. Here's how much to budget for your guide and porter by trek length, when to hand it over, and why it matters more to crew income than a typical tip back home.
SafetyTwo separate floods hit Nepal in 2026: a Langtang Lirung glacier collapse on 26 August and a Gorkha flood near Namrung on 6 September. More than 1,450 people are confirmed dead and over 6,000 remain missing. Langtang is disrupted, Manaslu has reopened on a temporary bridge, and Annapurna and Everest are running normally.
Trail GuidesClimbing Everest costs from about USD 33,000 up to USD 160,000 or more, a world away from the trek to Base Camp. Here is where every dollar goes.
CultureOn 10 to 11 May 1996, a sudden storm killed 8 climbers high on Everest, among them guiding leaders Rob Hall and Scott Fischer. Here is who died, the season toll, and the books and debate that followed.
CulturePasang Lhamu Sherpa became the first Nepali woman to summit Everest on 22 April 1993, then died on the descent. Her courage, her honours, and the peak, highway, and schools that carry her name across Nepal.
CultureNirmal "Nims" Purja climbed all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in 6 months and 6 days in 2019, a project he called Project Possible. His record, his military past, and the first winter ascent of K2, told simply.
CultureEdmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Everest on 29 May 1953, the first confirmed ascent. Here is how the South Col climb unfolded, from Bourdillon and Evans's turnaround to the news arriving on coronation day.
CultureOn Everest, Sherpas fix the ropes, carry the loads, and build the Khumbu Icefall route that every expedition depends on. Here is the work they do, the danger they carry, and what the 2014 avalanche changed.
CultureAbout 339 people have died on Everest through December 2025, set against nearly 13,737 successful climbs. Here are the real numbers, the deadliest days, and why the base camp trek is a far safer thing.
Trail GuidesWho climbed Everest most, youngest, oldest and fastest, plus the historic firsts. The big Everest records explained with the real names, dates and numbers.
Trail GuidesEverest leads the ten highest mountains on Earth, and eight of the top ten stand in or on the border of Nepal. Here is the full list with heights, locations and the peaks you can walk up close to.
CultureFor decades the body known as Green Boots on Everest's north side was thought to be Tsewang Paljor. In 2026, DNA testing reported by the ITBP pointed instead to Dorje Morup, and both men died in the same 1996 disaster, far above any trekking route.
CultureKami Rita Sherpa reached his 32nd Everest summit on 17 May 2026, extending his own record. Born in Thame in 1970, the guide known as the Everest Man also holds the record for the most 8,000-metre peak summits.
CultureTenzing Norgay Sherpa reached the summit of Everest with Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953, the first confirmed ascent. Born around 1914, he later led training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute until 1976 and died in Darjeeling in 1986.
CultureThe Sherpa are a Tibetan-Buddhist people from the high valleys around Everest. Here is who they really are, and what the name does and does not mean.
CultureSherpas are strong at altitude because of genes shared with Tibetans, plus a lifetime lived high. Here is the science, explained simply and with respect.
SafetyThe death zone above 8,000 metres is where the body cannot survive for long. Here is why it is so deadly, and why trekkers never go near it.
Trail GuidesA height-ordered guide to Nepal's big trekking passes, from the Everest Three Passes down to Gosaikunda, and what makes crossing them serious.
Trail GuidesWhich Himalayan summits a fit trekker can climb with a guide, how high each one really is, and what the NMA permit costs in 2026.
Trail GuidesA plain guide to the eight 8,000m peaks in Nepal, their exact heights and shared borders, and which trekking routes bring you to their base.
CultureNepal's festivals overlap with its trekking seasons, so timing a trek around one can make the trip. Dashain and Tihar fall in the autumn peak, while Tiji in Upper Mustang and Mani Rimdu at Tengboche sit right on the trails.
PlanningSince 2023 a licensed agency is required on the Annapurna Circuit, so the question is how to pick a good one. Five checks separate a reliable operator from a cheap quote: registration, guide certification, group size, safety, and price transparency.
PlanningThe Kathmandu to Lukla flight is a 35-minute mountain flight that starts almost every Everest trek. It costs about USD 180 to 240 each way, shifts to Ramechhap in peak season, and is weather-dependent. Here is how to plan around it.
PlanningA guided Manaslu Circuit trek costs from about USD 1,490 in 2026. The restricted-area permit is seasonal, and a guide is mandatory. Here is the full breakdown of permits, package price, transport and daily spending.
PlanningA guided Upper Mustang trek runs from about USD 1,890 in 2026, and the restricted-area permit is now USD 50 per person per day instead of the old flat USD 500. Here is the full cost breakdown and why the permit change matters.
PlanningSince 1 April 2023, foreign trekkers must hire a licensed guide to enter Nepal's national parks, conservation areas, and restricted regions. A March 2026 change lets solo trekkers get permits, but the guide requirement still stands.
Trail GuidesYou don't need altitude experience or technical skills to trek in Nepal. The easiest routes, like the 5-day Poon Hill trek, stay under 3,500m with short walking days and comfortable teahouses. Here are the best beginner treks.
Trail GuidesThe Everest Base Camp trek is rated strenuous, but the difficulty is about altitude and consecutive days, not technical skill. It reaches 5,545m at Kala Patthar over roughly 130km. Here is what makes it hard and how to prepare.
PlanningA guided Everest Base Camp trek runs from about USD 1,350 per person in 2026, with departures between USD 1,490 and 1,690 by season. Here is what that covers, what independent trekking costs, and the extras people forget.
Trail GuidesNepal has hundreds of trekking routes, but a handful cover the range most travellers want, from a 5-day Poon Hill walk to the 18-day Everest Three Passes. Here are the best treks by region, difficulty, and cost.
SafetyAt about 1,400 metres, Kathmandu sits above most world capitals but well below the height where trekkers get sick. Here is what the city's elevation means for your body before you fly out to the mountains.
Trail GuidesA 2026 guide to Nepal's closest major trek to Kathmandu: the 9-day Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa route, current TIMS and park permit costs, the Kyanjin Ri and Tserko Ri viewpoint hikes, and how Langtang Village rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake.
Trail GuidesA route-by-route breakdown of the Everest Base Camp trek: the Lukla flight and the Manthali reroute, the Namche and Dingboche acclimatisation days, what Base Camp actually looks like, and current 2026 permit and cost figures.
Trail GuidesNar Phu Valley is one of the Annapurna region's smallest restricted valleys: walled Tibetan villages, a 5,320m pass, and a permit fee that didn't follow Upper Mustang's December 2025 overhaul. Here is the current itinerary, permit math, and realistic budget for 2026.
PlanningTilicho Lake at 4,919m is reached via a two-day detour from Manang on the Annapurna Circuit. Here is what the side trip actually costs in 2026: guided and independent pricing, permits, tea house prices, and the lodge monopoly at Base Camp that catches most trekkers off guard.
SafetyManang sits at 3,540m on the Annapurna Circuit, and the mandatory rest day here is what makes crossing Thorong La (5,416m) safe five days later. What actually happens on an acclimatisation day, the specific symptoms guides watch for, and why skipping it is the most common trekking mistake.
PlanningKathmandu to Pokhara covers 200km on the Prithvi Highway: a 25-minute flight from USD 70, a 6-9 hour tourist bus from USD 12, or a 5-7 hour private jeep. Full comparison, road safety context, and where each service actually departs from.
Trail GuidesThe 2026 guide to the Upper Mustang Trek to Lo Manthang (3,840m): the new USD 50 per person per day restricted-area permit, no more two-trekker minimum, the 12 to 14 day itinerary, Tiji festival, and monsoon-season timing.
Trail GuidesThe complete 2026 guide to the 14-day Manaslu Circuit Trek around Manaslu (8,163m): MRAP+MCAP+ACAP permits, now open to solo trekkers since March 2026, Larkya La at 5,106m, real costs from USD 1,490, and a full itinerary.
PlanningThe Annapurna Base Camp itinerary runs 7 to 12 days depending on your pace and whether you include the Poon Hill sunrise diversion. Day-by-day breakdown of the route from Nayapul through the Sanctuary to 4,130m, plus what each stage actually demands.
Trail GuidesA 6-day ridge trek to 4,500m High Camp beneath Machhapuchhre, with real itinerary data, current ACAP/TIMS permit costs, and guided pricing from USD 690.
PlanningAnnapurna Base Camp and Everest Base Camp compared for 2026: altitude, road versus flight access, cost from $890 to $1,350, crowds, and which trek suits first-timers.
Trail GuidesThe Poon Hill trek is a 4-day, beginner-friendly route to a 3,210m sunrise viewpoint over the entire Annapurna range, from USD 390. Everything on the route, the rhododendron season, what to pack, and what the sunrise actually involves.
PlanningAnnapurna Base Camp costs from USD 790 per person in a group of eight, or USD 450 to 700 trekking independently with a mandatory guide. Full 2026 breakdown: permits, tea-house food and lodging, guide and porter wages, tipping, and a worked 7-day budget.
PlanningHow hard is the Annapurna Circuit? Daily distances and hours, why the 5,416 m altitude is the real challenge, a 12-week fitness plan and who should reconsider.
PlanningThe Annapurna Circuit itinerary breaks into three practical lengths in 2026: a 12-day jeep-assisted route, the standard 14-day version, and a 16-day plan with the Tilicho Lake extension. Day-by-day breakdown of all three, plus what each stage actually feels like on foot.
PlanningA guided Annapurna Circuit package runs USD 1,090 to 1,590 per person in 2026 depending on group size, or roughly USD 700-1,000 independently with a mandatory guide. Full breakdown of permits, daily spend, seasonal variation, and what actually changes the total.
PlanningThe two Annapurna permits explained for 2026: ACAP at NPR 3,000, checked at every gate, and TIMS at NPR 2,000, checked far less consistently. Where to buy each, trail checkpoints, penalties, and what a guided trek includes.
PlanningEverest Base Camp (5,364m) vs the Three Passes loop (Kongma La, Cho La, Renjo La): compare duration, difficulty, altitude, scenery and cost to pick the right Everest trek.
PlanningA category-by-category Nepal trekking packing list: what changes between a Poon Hill teahouse trek and a 5,400 m pass, what to rent versus buy in Kathmandu, and the checklist to pack against.
SafetyHow to prevent altitude sickness on Nepal treks: AMS, HACE and HAPE symptoms, altitude risk by route (ABC, Annapurna Circuit, EBC), the 500 m rule, Diamox dosing, and when to call a helicopter.
PlanningEvery Nepal trekking permit for 2026: TIMS from NPR 1,000, ACAP NPR 3,000, Everest's park and municipality fees, and the restricted-area permits for Mustang, Manaslu, and Nar Phu after the December 2025 fee overhaul and March 2026 solo-trekking change, plus the 2023 guide mandate that shapes every application.
PlanningAnnapurna Circuit or Base Camp? Compare duration, 5,416m vs 4,130m altitude, scenery, difficulty, and 2026 cost from USD 890 to pick your trek.
PlanningWhen to trek the Annapurna Circuit: spring vs autumn vs winter vs monsoon, a month-by-month temperature table, Thorong La pass conditions, and crowds.
Trail GuidesComplete Thorong La pass crossing guide: High Camp start timing, the climb and 1,616 m descent profile, weather, gear, safety and the failure points to avoid.
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AJ (Ajay Kumar Shrestha)
Founder & Lead Guide
Bijay Gurung
TAAN-Licensed Guide
Rajan Rai
TAAN-Licensed Guide
Chhakmaya Gajurba
TAAN-Licensed Guide
