Travel style · Light, height and the right hour
Photography in Nepal
Autumn's clear air, spring rhododendrons, festival chariots, the walled city of Lo Manthang and the mountain views at Poon Hill, Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri, timed for the light.
Nepal's best mountain light usually comes in October and November, when the monsoon has washed the air. Spring brings haze but also rhododendron forests in flower.
We plan photo routes around sunrise and sunset times and festival processions, and we brief you on where photography is not welcome, such as some shrines and cremation ghats.
Trips
Kathmandu Valleymax 2,175 mEverest by air, Kathmandu and Nagarkot
Three nights to see Everest without walking to it. A one-hour dawn mountain flight runs along the Himalaya to the Everest massif …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,420 mKathmandu stopover in two nights
Two nights in Kathmandu for travellers between flights or before a trek. See Swayambhu at sunset, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath and the …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,540 mThe seven heritage zones of the Kathmandu Valley
Four nights, five days and all seven monument zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site: the Durbar squares of …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 4,130 mAnnapurna Base Camp Trek
Eleven nights from Kathmandu to the Annapurna Sanctuary and back: a flight to Pokhara, a road to the Gurung village of Ghandruk, …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 5,416 mAnnapurna Circuit over Thorong La
Fifteen nights from Kathmandu around the north side of the Annapurnas: up the Marsyangdi valley on the quieter trails above the road, …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 1,600 mAnnapurna Honeymoon in Pokhara
Six nights for two in the hills around Pokhara, split between Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge on a ridge facing the Annapurnas and …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 1,600 mGorkha, Bandipur and Pokhara Heritage
Six nights on the old road west: the Manakamana cable car, a night at Gorkha below the palace where Prithvi Narayan Shah …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 2,060 mDhampus and Australian Camp Easy Trek
Three nights from Pokhara on the gentlest trek in the Annapurnas: a short drive to Kande, an easy climb to the meadow …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 3,660 mKhopra Ridge Community Trek
Eight nights from Pokhara that start on the Poon Hill trail and then leave the crowds: through high rhododendron forest to Dobato, …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 4,500 mMardi Himal Ridge Trek
Six nights from Pokhara up a single grass ridge that points straight at Machhapuchhre. We start at Australian Camp, climb through cloud …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 1,600 mPokhara Lakes Slow Week
Five slow nights on the water: three at Fish Tail Lodge on its own peninsula in Phewa Lake, with boats to Tal …
Pokhara & the Annapurnasmax 3,210 mPoon Hill and Ghandruk Trek
Five nights from Pokhara on the most walked short trek in Nepal: up the Ulleri staircase to Ghorepani, a dawn climb to …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 mGokyo Lakes, Cho La and Everest Base Camp
A loop that sees the Khumbu from two valleys. You walk up to the turquoise Gokyo lakes and climb Gokyo Ri, cross …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 mEverest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return
Walk up to Everest Base Camp the proper way, with the same acclimatisation as the classic trek, then fly back to Kathmandu …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 mEverest 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 …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 4,570 mEverest Comfort Lodge Trek
The Khumbu in comfort. Eleven nights pairing Dwarika's in Kathmandu with the best lodges on the trail: Yeti Mountain Home in Namche …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,550 mEverest Three Passes Trek
The full circuit of the Khumbu: three passes above 5,300 m, Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La, linking the Imja, Khumbu, …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 3,880 mEverest View Trek: Namche and Khumjung
A short Everest trek for people with one week. You fly to Lukla, walk to Namche Bazaar, explore the Sherpa villages of …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,360 mGokyo Lakes and Renjo La Trek
A quieter Everest trek that trades base camp for lakes. You walk up the Gokyo valley to the turquoise lakes beside the …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 5,545 mKathmandu and Everest Helicopter Day
See Everest without trekking. Three nights at Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu with a shared helicopter morning to the Khumbu: a short landing …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 4,065 mPikey Peak and Junbesi Trek in Solu
A short, quiet trek in Solu, the lower half of Solukhumbu. Drive to Phaplu, walk to the Sherpa village of Junbesi and …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 3,867 mSolu to Khumbu Walk-in: Phaplu to Tengboche
Walk into the Everest region the way expeditions did before the Lukla airstrip. Sixteen nights from Phaplu across the ridges of Solu, …
Everest & Solukhumbumax 3,867 mTengboche Mani Rimdu Festival Trek
Time your Everest trek to the Mani Rimdu festival at Tengboche Monastery, held each October or November by the Tibetan calendar. Eleven …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mChitwan and Bardia Tiger Journey
Eight nights across Nepal's two great tiger parks. Three nights at Meghauli in western Chitwan for rhino and big grassland, a night …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mChitwan Luxury Safari at Meghauli
Four nights in Meghauli, on the quiet western side of Chitwan, at Meghauli Serai or Barahi Jungle Lodge. Private jeep safaris with …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,600 mKathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan Classic
The first-timer's Nepal in eight nights: two in Kathmandu for the durbar squares, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath; three in Pokhara for Phewa Lake …
Chitwan & the Teraimax 1,400 mBirding the Terai: Chitwan and Koshi Tappu
Seven nights for birders in Nepal's two richest lowland sites. Three nights in Chitwan for grassland and forest birds, with a day …
Lumbini & the Buddha's Countrymax 1,400 mBuddha's Nepal: Kathmandu Stupas to Lumbini
Seven nights tracing Buddhism in Nepal from the hill stupa of Swayambhunath and the great dome of Boudhanath to the caves of …
Lumbini & the Buddha's Countrymax 1,400 mKapilavastu Circuit: Tilaurakot, Kudan and Pillars
Three nights in Lumbini with two full days west and east of it: the walled ruins of Tilaurakot, where Nepal places the …
Lumbini & the Buddha's Countrymax 1,600 mLumbini to Pokhara via Tansen
Six nights that climb from the plains to the mountains. Two nights at the Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini, one in the old …
Lumbini & the Buddha's Countrymax 1,750 mNepal Buddhist Grand Tour
Twelve nights through every layer of Buddhism in Nepal: the Newar courtyards of Patan, Swayambhunath, two nights beside Boudhanath, the hilltop monastery …
Mustang & Dolpomax 4,010 mLo Manthang and Ghar Gompa loop
An 11-night loop that walks into Lo Manthang the old way, by the red cliffs of Dhakmar and the monastery of Ghar …
Mustang & Dolpomax 3,950 mMustang 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 …
Mustang & Dolpomax 4,010 mTiji festival trek in Upper Mustang
A 14-night journey timed to Tiji, the three-day masked dance festival of Lo Manthang, held each spring on dates set by the …
Mustang & Dolpomax 3,950 mUpper Mustang by jeep to Lo Manthang
Nine nights by private jeep into the old Kingdom of Lo for travellers who want Lo Manthang without two weeks of walking. …
Langtang & Manaslumax 2,438 mChisapani to Nagarkot valley rim trek
Three nights walking the northern and eastern rim of the Kathmandu valley: up from Sundarijal to Chisapani, along Tamang ridges to Nagarkot, …
Langtang & Manaslumax 4,773 mLangtang Valley trek to Kyanjin Gompa
Eight nights from Kathmandu up the Langtang Khola to Kyanjin Gompa at 3,870 m, the closest big-mountain valley to the capital. You …
Langtang & Manaslumax 5,106 mManaslu Circuit trek over the Larkya La
Fifteen nights around Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest mountain at 8,163 m: up the Budhi Gandaki gorge from Machha Khola, into the Tibetan …
Langtang & Manaslumax 3,165 mTamang Heritage Trail and village homestays
Seven nights on the Tamang Heritage Trail west of the Langtang valley: stone villages, hot springs, a high meadow with views to …
Eastern Nepalmax 2,100 mEastern Hills Overland: Ilam to the Arun
Nine nights across the eastern hills by private car, from the tea gardens of Kanyam and Ilam to the Arun valley at …
Eastern Nepalmax 3,636 mIlam, Sandakpur and Kanyam
Five nights that climb from the tea gardens of Ilam to the Singalila ridge at Sandakpur, 3,636 m, where four of the …
Eastern Nepalmax 2,100 mIlam Tea Country
Four slow nights in the tea hills of Ilam, Nepal's oldest tea district. A night at Kanyam among clipped green slopes, then …
Eastern Nepalmax 5,140 mKanchenjunga Circuit: North and South Base Camps
Twenty-four nights around the Nepal side of Kanchenjunga: up the Tamor and Ghunsa valleys to Pang Pema at 5,140 m, back to …
Eastern Nepalmax 5,140 mKanchenjunga North Base Camp Trek
Twenty nights from Kathmandu to Pang Pema, the north base camp of Kanchenjunga at 5,140 m. A jeep up the Tamor valley, …
Eastern Nepalmax 1,850 mKirat Culture Trail: Bhedetar, Dhankuta, Hile
Four nights in the Kirat heartland of the eastern hills, where Rai and Limbu culture is part of daily life. Visit Budha …
Eastern Nepalmax 2,100 mKoshi 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 …
Eastern Nepalmax 4,870 mMakalu Base Camp Trek
Eighteen nights from Kathmandu to the foot of Makalu, the fifth-highest mountain on earth. Fly to Tumlingtar in the Arun valley, walk …
Eastern Nepalmax 3,794 mPathibhara Devi Pilgrimage
Five nights to Pathibhara Devi, the hilltop shrine above Taplejung at 3,794 m that Limbu people call Mukkumlung. Drive the Mechi Highway …
Far West & Karnalimax 1,400 mBardia and Shuklaphanta Safari
Seven nights across the two national parks of Nepal's far western plain. Four nights at Bardia for tigers, the Karnali and Tharu …
Far West & Karnalimax 1,400 mBardia Tiger Safari
Four nights at Thakurdwara on the edge of Bardia National Park, Nepal's largest lowland park. Full-day jeep safari, a guided walk on …
Far West & Karnalimax 3,700 mFar West Grand Overland
Fourteen nights by private jeep from the grasslands of the far western Terai to Nepal's largest lake. Swamp deer at Shuklaphanta, the …
Far West & Karnalimax 3,300 mKhaptad Meadows Trek
Seven nights to the Khaptad plateau, a rolling upland of meadows and fir forest at about 3,000 m in the far west. …
Far West & Karnalimax 2,500 mRamaroshan Lakes and Dullu
Six nights by jeep and on foot across the hills of the far west. Through Doti to Ramaroshan in Achham, an upland …
Far West & Karnalimax 3,700 mRara Lake by Air
The shortest way to Rara. Fly from Nepalgunj to Talcha airstrip in Mugu, walk about three hours to the lake, and spend …
Far West & Karnalimax 3,700 mRara Lake Trek from Jumla
Nine nights on foot from Jumla to Rara, Nepal's largest lake. The route crosses the Jaljala pass at 3,580 m, drops into …
Places
Kathmandu Valley1,401 mBhaktapur
Khwopa, the city of potters, drums and the five-roofed Nyatapola
Kathmandu Valley1,370 mBoudhanath
The great white stupa where Tibet meets the Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu Valley1,541 mChangunarayan
A hilltop Vishnu temple with Nepal's oldest dated inscription
Kathmandu Valley1,550 mDhulikhel
A Newar hill town facing the Himalaya, on the road to Namobuddha
Kathmandu Valley1,400 mKathmandu
Yen of the Newars: a capital built round one wooden pavilion
Kathmandu Valley1,400 mKirtipur
Kipu, the ridge town that held off the Gorkha army three times
Kathmandu Valley2,175 mNagarkot
The valley's eastern rim, for Himalayan sunrise and pine ridge walks
Kathmandu Valley1,330 mPashupatinath
Shiva's temple on the Bagmati, where Nepal comes to pray and to part
Kathmandu Valley1,450 mPharping
Guru Rinpoche's caves and the gorge of Dakshinkali on the southern rim
Kathmandu Valley1,420 mSwayambhunath
The self-born stupa on the hill where the valley's story begins
Pokhara & the Annapurnas4,130 mAnnapurna Base Camp
A glacial bowl ringed by Annapurna, sacred to the Gurung
Pokhara & the Annapurnas1,030 mBandipur
A car-free Newar trading bazaar on a ridge saddle
Pokhara & the Annapurnas1,650 mDhampus
A Gurung ridge village and the gentle start of Annapurna treks
Pokhara & the Annapurnas2,012 mGhandruk
Nepal's best-known Gurung village, facing Annapurna South
Pokhara & the Annapurnas2,874 mGhorepani & Poon Hill
The old horse-water stop below Nepal's most loved sunrise hill
Pokhara & the Annapurnas1,097 mGorkha
Hilltop palace where Prithvi Narayan Shah was born
Stays
heritage hotel1,400 mDwarika's Hotel
A heritage hotel at Battisputali, near Pashupatinath, built around brick courtyards and fitted with carved Newar windows, doors and struts …
city hotel1,400 mHotel Yak & Yeti
A large city hotel on Durbar Marg, built around part of a 19th-century Rana palace, with gardens, a pool and …
heritage hotel1,400 mHotel Shanker
A Rana-era palace in Lazimpat converted into a hotel, with a white neoclassical facade, high-ceilinged halls and a large garden …
city hotel1,400 mKathmandu Guest House
One of the first guesthouses in Thamel, opened in the late 1960s, and the place many say started the area's …
resort1,400 mGokarna Forest Resort
A resort inside the Gokarna forest, a former royal hunting reserve on the north-eastern edge of Kathmandu, with an 18-hole …
resort2,175 mClub Himalaya
The first resort hotel on the Nagarkot ridge, opened in 1996 on Windy Hill at about 2,175 m. Rooms open …
resort1,550 mDwarika's Resort Dhulikhel
A wellness-focused resort from the family behind Dwarika's Hotel, set on terraced hillside outside Dhulikhel with views of the Himalaya. …
resort822 mFish Tail Lodge
A long-established lakeside hotel on the far shore of Phewa Lake near its southern end, reached by a short raft …
boutique hotel822 mTemple Tree Resort & Spa
A garden resort of stone and timber buildings in Lakeside, Pokhara, a short walk from Phewa Lake, with a spa …
eco-lodge822 mThe Pavilions Himalayas
A villa resort in a forested valley outside Pokhara, also known as The Farm, built around sustainability: renewable energy, rainwater …
mountain lodge822 mTiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge
A small hilltop lodge on a ridge above the Pokhara valley, about 30 minutes from the city, with stone cottages, …
city hotel822 mHotel Barahi
A long-running hotel on Lakeside in Pokhara, named after the lake goddess of Tal Barahi, close to Phewa's main boat …
heritage hotel1,030 mThe Old Inn
A heritage inn in two carefully restored Newar townhouses on Bandipur's car-free main street, keeping original wooden doorways and red …
mountain lodge3,440 mYeti Mountain Home Namche
A lodge in Namche Bazaar at about 3,440 m with attached bathrooms and a warm dining room, run by the …
jungle lodge165 mMeghauli Serai, A Taj Safari
A high-end safari lodge run by Taj on the Rapti riverbank at Meghauli, facing Chitwan National Park. Rooms and villas …
jungle lodge165 mBarahi Jungle Lodge
A comfortable riverside lodge at Meghauli on the edge of Chitwan National Park, with its own naturalists, jeep safaris, canoe …
resort165 mKasara Resort
A villa resort at Patihani on the edge of Chitwan National Park, close to the park headquarters at Kasara. It …
resort175 mGreen Park Chitwan
A well-run, comfortable hotel in Sauraha, a short walk from the Rapti and the park entrance, with an outdoor pool, …
resort100 mBuddha Maya Gardens
A garden hotel on the edge of the Lumbini master plan area, a short walk from the Sacred Garden and …
city hotel100 mLumbini Hokke Hotel
A long-running hotel inside the Lumbini master plan area, near the Cultural Zone at its northern end, first built to …
mountain lodge1,350 mHotel Srinagar
A family-run hotel on the slope of Srinagar Danda above Tansen, at about 1,400 m, open for around five decades …
resort2,700 mShinta Mani Mustang
The first high-end resort in Mustang, opened in Jomsom in August 2023 with 29 suites. Designed by Nepali architect Prabal …
mountain lodge2,700 mOm's Home
A long-running, family-feel hotel in the centre of Jomsom, a two- or three-minute walk from the airport. Om's Home is …
heritage hotel2,810 mRed House Lodge
A lodge in an old Kagbeni building, restored with care and painted the deep red that gave it its name, …
farm stay900 mThe Famous Farm
A restored Newar farmhouse on the ridge at Nuwakot, a short walk from the seven-storey palace. Rooms keep the low …
jungle lodge152 mTiger Tops Karnali Lodge
A small safari lodge at Thakurdwara on the edge of Bardia National Park, about two hours by road from Nepalgunj …