Nepal · नेपाल · nine regions · one planner

A country that climbs 8,790 metres

From rhino grass at 59 m to the summit of Sagarmatha at 8,849 m, in a country about 190 km from south to north. We plan private trips, treks and tours across all of it, and we tell you the story of every place you will sleep.

Licensed local guides
Height of every night shown
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South · Terai, 59 mRun a finger or cursor along the ridge: height, belt and a place you can sleep at that heightNorth · Tibetan plateau

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Every night's height shownSee the acclimatisation before you commit

Licensed local guidesGovernment-licensed and briefed on your plan

Itemised, written quotesPermits, flights and stays on separate lines

Nine regions

Each region wears the colours it is known for

Newar brick and temple gilt for the Kathmandu Valley, Phewa teal and alpenglow for Pokhara, glacier night and khata silver for Everest. Choose a colour, and a country follows.

Every region

Newar brick and temple gilt

Kathmandu Valley

Three Newar cities on an old lake bed

1,300 – 2,732 mbest Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Phewa teal and alpenglow

Pokhara & the Annapurnas

Lakes, Gurung villages and the Annapurna wall

650 – 5,416 mbest Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Glacier night and khata silver

Everest & Solukhumbu

Sherpa valleys, sacred peaks and the Everest trail

2,400 – 8,849 mbest Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Sal forest and elephant-grass gold

Chitwan & the Terai

Rhinos, Tharu villages and Sita's Mithila

75 – 950 mbest Oct – Mar

Robe saffron and lotus pink

Lumbini & the Buddha's Country

The Buddha's birthplace, the Shakya capital and Palpa's hills

100 – 2,347 mbest Oct – Feb

Ochre cliffs and Lo slate

Mustang & Dolpo

Walled Lo, Thakali villages and remote Dolpo

2,500 – 5,416 mbest Apr – May · Sep – Oct

Gosaikunda turquoise and Tamang red

Langtang & Manaslu

Tamang, Hyolmo and Nubri country north of Kathmandu

550 – 5,106 mbest Mar – May · Oct – Nov

Rhododendron red and Ilam tea

Eastern Nepal

Tea hills, Kirat villages, Kanchenjunga's quiet side

518 – 5,143 mbest Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Rara sapphire and Khaptad meadow

Far West & Karnali

Tigers, Khasa kings and Nepal's largest lake

150 – 4,995 mbest Feb – Apr · Oct – Nov

In season now

October is Asoj and Kartik in Nepal

Nepal counts its year in Bikram Sambat, and each of our months straddles two of theirs. These places are rated best for October.

Seasons and calendar

Kathmandu Valley1,400 m

cityPahadकाठमाडौं

Kathmandu

Yen of the Newars: a capital built round one wooden pavilion

Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Pokhara & the Annapurnas822 m

cityChure and Inner Teraiपोखरा

Pokhara

A lake city under Machhapuchhre, gateway to the Annapurnas

Feb – Apr · Oct – Nov

Everest & Solukhumbu2,860 m

trek stopLekhलुक्ला

Lukla

The sloping airstrip where nearly every Everest walk begins

Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Lumbini & the Buddha's Country100 m

pilgrimage siteTeraiलुम्बिनी

Lumbini

The garden where the Buddha was born, marked by Ashoka in 249 BCE

Oct – Feb

Everest & Solukhumbu3,440 m

trek stopLekhनाम्चे बजार

Namche Bazaar

Khumbu's trading town, built in a bowl at 3,440 m

Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov

Chitwan & the Terai175 m

villageTeraiसौराहा

Sauraha

The Rapti riverbank where most Chitwan safaris begin

Oct – Mar

Mustang & Dolpo2,700 m

hill townLekhजोमसोम

Jomsom

Mustang's district town, where the wind and the road both arrive

Mar – May · Sep – Nov

Mustang & Dolpo2,810 m

villageLekhकागबेनी

Kagbeni

A medieval village at the door of Upper Mustang

Mar – May · Sep – Nov

Trips we plan often

Every card shows the shape of the trip

The line under each title is the sleeping height of every night. Flat lines are tours; mountains are treks. Prices are from, per person, with a licensed guide.

Every trip

Kathmandu Valleymax 1,750 m

5 nightsEasypilgrimage

Buddhist Kathmandu: Boudha to Namobuddha

Five nights following the Buddhist thread of the Kathmandu Valley: three at Boudhanath for dawn koras and monastery visits, Swayambhu and the …

fromUSD 750See the days

Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 1,600 m

4 nightsEasyfamily

Pokhara Family Adventure

Four nights in Pokhara built for families with children from about eight to sixteen: a boat to the island temple, tandem paragliding …

fromUSD 800See the days

Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 m

14 nightsChallengingtrek

Everest Base Camp Trek

The classic walk from Lukla to the foot of the Khumbu Icefall and up Kala Patthar for sunrise on Everest. Fourteen nights …

fromUSD 1,650See the days

Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 m

6 nightsEasyfamily

Kathmandu and Chitwan Family Wildlife Trip

Six nights for families with children of about six and up. Two nights in Kathmandu for Swayambhunath's monkeys, Bhaktapur's potters and the …

fromUSD 1,050See the days

Lumbini & the Buddha's Countrymax 1,400 m

5 nightsEasypilgrimage

Lumbini Meditation Retreat

Five quiet nights at the birthplace of the Buddha, built around practice rather than sightseeing. Dawn sits in the Sacred Garden, walking …

fromUSD 950See the days

Mustang & Dolpomax 3,950 m

10 nightsEasyoverland

Mustang photography journey by jeep

Ten nights by private jeep, planned around light rather than distance: golden hour in Kagbeni, dawn at Muktinath, three nights in Lo …

fromUSD 3,300See the days

Langtang & Manaslumax 4,300 m

7 nightsModeratefamily

Langtang family trek to Kyanjin Gompa

A seven-night Langtang trek planned around children: a guide experienced with families, an extra porter for snacks and spare layers, short afternoons …

fromUSD 700See the days

Eastern Nepalmax 2,100 m

6 nightsEasywildlife

Koshi Tappu Birds and Ilam Tea

Six nights from the wetlands of Koshi Tappu, home to Nepal's last wild water buffalo and a great gathering of winter water …

fromUSD 1,250See the days

Untold Nepal

Things most travel sites never mention

Every place on this site carries its own story, a legend, the words you will hear and a few true facts few people know. A sample:

Read them all

Rara Lake

The Rara snowtrout (Schizothorax raraensis) is found only in Rara Lake, as is the Rara Lake frog (Nanorana rarica). Both were described from specimens collected at the lake in 1979.

Source · Wikipedia: Rara Lake; Rara National Park

Rara Lake

When Rara National Park was created in 1976, the people of the two lakeshore villages, Rara and Chhapru, were resettled to the Terai. At 106 sq km, Rara remains Nepal's smallest national park.

Source · Wikipedia: Rara Lake; Rara National Park

Shuklaphanta National Park

The barasingha population in Shuklaphanta's grasslands, estimated at 1,674 animals in 2007, is the largest known population of the species in the world. Few people outside Nepal know it is here.

Source · Wikipedia: Shuklaphanta National Park

A legend from Kyanjin Gompa

As it is told

The Langtangpa regard Langtang Lirung, the great mountain above Kyanjin, as their yul-lha, the local god who protects the valley and its herds. Offerings of juniper smoke and prayer flags on the ridges around Kyanjin are made to keep the mountain god content. In Langtang tradition the whole valley is also a beyul, a hidden land blessed by Guru Padmasambhava.

More legends, region by region

Words you will hear