There are two main trekking seasons in Nepal. Spring season starts in March and carries on to the end of May. Autumn season starts in early October and carries on to the end of November. It is also possible to trek in some places in Nepal during Winter from December to February. The most popular month to trek in Nepal is October followed by November then April.

The main advantage of trekking in Spring is that there will be a lower number of other trekkers on busier trails like Everest Base Camp when compared to Autumn. 

The daily weather pattern in Spring tends to have clear mornings with views of the mountains followed by cumulus clouds build up during the afternoon followed by clear skies at night and into the next morning. However of course one can get a cyclonic system causing stormy weather with precipitation at any time of year….

In Spring you will see flowers in bloom especially rhododendron known as laliguras the national flower of Nepal. One can see rhododendron flowers from mid-March to mid-May depending on altitude and aspect of slope.

The main advantage of Autumn is the higher chance of getting clear skies that is best for mountain photography. The monsoon rains during June to September clears out the dust and pollution from the air. After the monsoon it is normal to get a blocking high pressure sitting over the Himalaya resulting in sunny weather and blue skies however the timing of this depends year to year. For some years the monsoonal influence continues into the first week of October and other years it winds down in early September. In Autumn it is possible to get sunny conditions with blue skies throughout the day whereas this is less likely in spring when cloud normally builds up in afternoon.

Winter is a superb time to visit Nepal as usually sunny and stable weather conditions as well as having far fewer other trekkers and visitors around in December and January. The temperature would be too cold for some trips like climbing peaks or crossing high passes however it can be a good time to visit Everest, Annapurna, Langtang or to trek in the Kathmandu Valley.

For a detailed explanation take a look at our Blog article called When is the best time to go trekking in Nepal Himalaya?

There are Teahouse Lodges located in the more popular trekking regions of Nepal such as Everest, Manaslu, Annapurna, Makalu and Langtang. These lodges will provide your meals in a communal dining room and you will sleep in private rooms with a common or shared bathroom. There is a range in quality, standard and service in teahouse lodges depending on location i.e lodges at higher altitude and places with lower trekker traffic tend to have more basic facilities.

A Teahouse Lodge has a standard menu with a range of dishes such as dal bhat (Nepali dish rice and lentils with vegetable curry), momos (Tibetan dumplings filled with vegetables) and the famous Sherpa stew. It is also possible to get international dishes such as spaghetti and pasta; pizzas; vegetable burgers and chips and fried rice. For breakfast there is porridge, muesli, cornflakes, chapattis (locally made bread) and a choice of egg dishes. We advise against eating fresh meat at Teahouse Lodges for hygiene reasons so most people will have a vegetarian diet however it is also possible to eat canned fish and ham.

Whereas in the remote regions of Nepal there is no network of Teahouse Lodges. For a Camping style trek we have a large trek crew of cooks and kitchen helpers; guides to help with camp duties like setting up and breaking camp in the morning plus we need porters to carry the extra gear such as tents, kitchen gear and food.

We provide personal tents for everyone on a twin share basis however it is possible to have your own tent if you pay the single tent supplement surcharge. We use western branded tents such as Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 and Quechua tents. We supply a mess tent with chairs where you will eat breakfast and dinner and provide a kitchen tent where the meals are prepared. We are also known for providing good coffee on all of our camping treks, this is locally purchased Nepali coffee and brewed up each morning in our Bialetti 18 cupper moka espresso machine. 

We also provide toilet tent(s) for group and crew use. 

For a detailed description of trekking styles take a look at our Blog. The articles are What is a camping trek in Nepal? and What is teahouse lodge trekking in Nepal?

The Luxury Lodges in Everest and Annapurna regions are at a far higher standard than Teahouse Lodges. These properties are professionally managed by Nepalese hotel companies and have a consistent high level of service. The lodges have gardens and are often in superb locations with mountain views; comfortable dining room and bedrooms with attached bathroom including hot shower and western style toilet. The staff are friendly and welcoming, you will be looked after during your stay.

Teahouse Lodges are located in the popular trekking regions of Nepal such as Everest, Manaslu, Annapurna, Makalu and Langtang. These lodges will provide your meals in a communal dining room and you will sleep in a private room with a common or shared bathroom. There is a range in quality, standard and service in teahouse lodges depending on location i.e lodges at higher altitude and places with lower trekker traffic tend to have more basic facilities.

A Teahouse Lodge has a standard menu with a range of dishes such as dal bhat (Nepali dish rice and lentils with vegetable curry), momos (Tibetan dumplings filled with vegetables) and the famous Sherpa stew. It is also possible to get international dishes such as spaghetti and pasta; pizzas; vegetable burgers and chips and fried rice. For breakfast there is porridge, muesli, cornflakes, chapattis (locally made bread) and a choice of egg dishes. We advise against eating fresh meat at Teahouse Lodges for hygiene reasons so most people will have a vegetarian diet however it is also possible to eat canned fish and ham. 

Whereas at a Luxury Lodge you get higher quality food with more variety and in addition the meat will be safe to eat. One of the perks of a luxury lodge is often receiving a cup of tea and a cake on arrival at the lodge in the afternoon.

Our Luxury Everest Base Camp trek is a hybrid where we use Luxury Lodges lower down and for five nights above Dingboche where there are no Luxury Lodges we use Teahouse Lodges. 

We developed our own unique Teahouse Lodge Plus+ style as a halfway standard between Teahouse Lodge and Luxury Lodge treks. For our Teahouse Plus+ treks, we include rooms at Teahouse Lodges with an attached bathroom where available. We also include a hot shower for every night of the trek and a hot water bottle for use at nights. 

For a detailed description of trekking styles take a look at our Blog. The articles are What is luxury lodge trekking in Nepal? and What is teahouse lodge trekking in Nepal?

One of the most common questions we get from people enquiring about Himalayan treks is how the different Classic Circuit trails in Nepal compare and the pros & cons of each one.

The Classic Circuit treks in Nepal are good objectives as ascend towards a high pass before descending into the next valley for walk out to road head or mountain airstrip. There is a satisfaction in completing a journey over a pass and connecting two valleys. These types of treks tend to be more popular than an "out and back" trek like Makalu Base Camp.

The main Classic Circuit treks in Nepal are as follows from East to West: Kanchenjunga Circuit, Everest High Passes, Manaslu Circuit, Annapurna Circuit and Dhaulagiri Circuit. All of these treks are very different in terms of scenery, culture, accommodation, grade and number of days on the trail. Our Managing Director, Roland Hunter, has to lead groups on all of these treks so we have first hand experience. We have summarised these differences below based first-hand knowledge and experience of the itineraries:

Kanchenjunga Circuit: this is the longest Circuit trek at 27 days from Kathmandu and the trail visits Kanchenjunga the third highest mountain in the world at 8,586m. This is a camping trek although some lodges have recently been constructed they are still too basic to use for our treks. Kanchenjunga does not get too busy apart from possibly October however there is likely to be more independent trekkers in future as the lodges improve.

The mountain scenery is superb as you see Kanchenjunga from North and South Base Camps. There is one pass to cross called Mirgin La connecting Ghunsa village to Tseram on the North side. This pass is non-technical however we advise our groups to bring micro spike crampons, two trekking poles and gaiters.

Everest High Passes: this is a 22 day trip in the Khumbu region of Nepal incorporating a visit to Everest Base Camp and Kalapatar for Everest view point. If you have the time we would always recommend this trek over the standard Everest Base Camp trek taking 19 days. For the additional three days you cross two passes (Cho La and Renjo La) and ascend another Everest viewpoint at Gokyo Ri. Everest Base Camp is an "out and back" trek whereas Everest High Passes is a circuit and the only section of the trail you walk twice is Namche - Lukla.

This is a lodge based trek as there is a good network of teahouses throughout the Everest region. Descent of Renjo La is quite steep for 40 metres and involves some scrambling, if dry this is reasonably straightforward however can be tricky if icey. This pass is non-technical however we advise our groups to bring micro spike crampons, two trekking poles and gaiters.

Everest region will be much busier than more remote circuit treks like Kanchenjunga Circuit or Dhaulagiri Circuit however once away from the main Everest Base Camp trail you will see far fewer groups.

Manaslu Circuit: this is a shorter trip than Kanchenjunga Circuit and Everest High Passes at only 19 days from Kathmandu. Given the poor safety record of internal flights in Nepal one of advantages of this trek is that there are no flights instead there is a road head at both start and end of the trek.

Manaslu Circuit is one of the most attractive treks with transition of scenery from 570m to crossing Larkya La pass at 5,135m. You will walk through many villages and observe Hindus lower down and up to Buddhists higher up in Lho, Samagaon and Samdo villages. There is a trading pass to Tibet above Samdo so there is a strong Tibetan influence higher up on this trail.

Over the last few years a network of lodges has been constructed and we now use these properties for our groups. However we also send along tents so you have the choice to sleep inside the lodge or outside in the tents. This pass is non-technical however we advise our groups to bring micro spike crampons, two trekking poles and gaiters.

Annapurna Circuit: this is the classic and very popular trek in Nepal crossing Thorong La pass from above Manang into the Kali Gandaki valley. The complete Annapurna Circuit via Poon Hill takes 23 days although would be longer if you decide to trek up to Annapurna Base Camp too. It is also possible to do half Annapurna Circuit by finishing at Jomsom and from there flying to Pokhara. Annapurna Circuit is a lodge based trek as there is a good network of teahouses throughout the Annapurna region.

The issue on Annapurna Circuit since 2004 has been construction of roads on both sides of Thorong La. This has impacted the trek as not so enjoyable walking along a dusty road with passing jeeps. However new trails have been recently developed off the roads called Natural Annapurna Trekking Trail ("NATT"). For more information on NATT please take a look at the guidebook Trekking The Annapurna Circuit by Andrees de Ruiter and Prem Rai. We have noticed more interest in Annapurna Circuit over last year. 

Dhaulagiri Circuit: this is one of our most popular treks as it is a difficult trek to organise by oneself due to logistical challenges and it has a well deserved reputation for being tough for both groups and crew. Therefore for safety it is essential to plan this trek to allow suficient time for gradual acclimatisation and bringing the right kit such as porter shelters, PAC or gamow bags, satellite phones and comprehensive medical kit. 

On our kit list we include crampons and ice axe as sometimes the descent of Dhampus Pass is icey and slippery so this equipment is used for safety and security. We always send an International leader for Dhaulagiri Circuit. This trek is a suitable objective for an experienced hill walker as our leaders will provide some training for use of this mountaineering equipment before crossing the passes.

Dhaulagiri Circuit is the most physically demanding of all Circuit treks in Nepal: the trails are less well established, narrow and steep in places, crosses two high passes and sleeps in Hidden Valley at 5,000m for two nights. The views on this trek certainly make this effort well worthwhile as you will see Dhaulagiri from various viewpoints and one of the best views of this mountain is looking back during the ascent of French Pass.

On Dhaulagiri Circuit you get the feeling of really being high in the Himalaya as the trail follows the glacier to Dhaulagiri Base Camp and then crosses two high passes before descending into Kali Gandaki valley. As this is a remote trek there are no teahouse lodges available so this is a full camping trek.

Dhaulagiri Circuit is different to Manaslu Circuit as this trail visits a more remote region with fewer villages up high. On Dhaulagiri Circuit after leaving Boghara on Day 5 one does not see any villages until Marpha in Kali Gandaki after crossing the passes. After Boghara one enters a beautiful sub-tropical forest and then above the tree line into juniper and azalea. Whereas for Manaslu Circuit as one walks through Buddhist villages up to 3,860m as there is a trading pass to Tibet.

If you do not already have the personal gear and equipment included in our Trip Dossier then you could consider renting to save the cost of purchasing. There are several options for renting gear either at home before departure or after arrival in Kathmandu.

It is possible to rent a sleeping bag in Kathmandu and we recommend Shonas Rental based in Thamel. Please bear in mind for your packing purposes these will be Nepalese made sleeping bags so are quite bulky and heavy.. Shonas Rental insist you use a liner bag with their bags for cleanliness, you can bring one with you or purchase from their store. 

For more information about what is available and the cost to rent at Shonas Rental please get in touch with us as we have more details included in our Nepal Pre Trip information document.

You can rent mountaineering equipment from us as we have a store in Kathmandu and will give this gear to you after arrival. For our mountaineering expeditions we have "harness packs" and these includes harness (Black Diamond Alpine BOD), ATC belay device with large carabiner, three screwgate carabiners, Petzl handle ascender (jumar), two slings and prussik cord. We also have crampons for rent, both Grivel G12s and Climbing Technology Nuptse Classic twelve point crampons. 

For our treks crossing high passes (Everest High Passes, Kanchenjunga Circuit, Manaslu Circuit, Upper Dolpo to Jomsom and Annapurna Circuit etc) we have included micro crampons as mandatory equipment on our kit lists. Micro crampons provide traction on icy winter trails through their stainless steel spikes. This equipment along with two trekking poles enhances your safety when crossing a high pass in Nepal. Micro crampons are simple to use and are lightweight to carry in one’s day pack in case required. We rent Kahtoola MICROspikes from our store in Kathmandu.

The other option is to rent from your home country before arrival to Kathmandu. If you are UK based you can rent boots and other mountaineering gear from Expedition Kit Hire. For rental clothing and sleeping bags in UK take a look at Trek Hire UK

We offer a wide range of treks and expeditions in Nepal that allow you to challenge yourself whether that be undertaking a ‘Camping rather than a Teahouse Lodge style trek’, or undertaking a trekking peak above 6,000 metres or undertaking a trek to a very remote area which might involve three to five weeks while crossing a number of high mountain passes. In order for us to suggest the best trip for you please call or email us so we can discuss what level of challenge you want.

For those of you who have already trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and looking to undertake a more challenging trip, please take a look at the following:

Saribung Expedition (Grade: Challenging & Mountaineering)

Dhaulagiri Circuit (Grade: Strenuous & Mountaineering)

Upper Dolpo to Jomsom GHT (Grade: Strenuous)

Makalu to Everest GHT (Grade: Challenging & Mountaineering)

Kanchenjunga to Makalu GHT (Grade: Strenuous)

Lunana Snowman trek in Bhutan (Grade: Strenuous)

K2 Base Camp & Gondogoro La in Pakistan (Grade: Challenging & Mountaineering)

Our mountaineering trips require previous experience of using ice axes and crampons as well as winter walking skills. In order for you to prepare for your trip and if you do not already have these technical skills we suggest you join a mountaineering course.

Yes you can purchase trekking clothes and equipment in Kathmandu, we recommend Shonas Store in Thamel on Jyatha Road for locally made gear such as fleeces, trekking trousers, waterproof jackets and trousers, gloves and mitts as well as rucsacs and duffel bags.

It is also possible to purchase western brands in Kathmandu such as The North Face and Mountain Hardwear however please note the only approved distributors are on Tridevi Marg as all of the other shops in Thamel only sell locally made copies commonly known as “The North Fake”.

There are good supermarkets in Kathmandu selling both imported brands and locally made food and toiletry products. If you are staying at Hotel Tibet in Lazimpat then there is a Big Mart supermarket around the corner and only a 10 minute walk from Shangri La hotel.

Yes it is possible to wash on trek in Nepal however this varies on whether you have booked on a Camping, Teahouse Lodge, Teahouse Plus+ or Luxury Lodge style trek. 

On a Luxury Lodge style trek you will stay for each night in a bedroom with an attached bathroom including hot shower.

Whereas on a Teahouse Lodge trek the facilities depend lodge to lodge however these days most places will provide a hot shower on request. There are various shower systems rigged up at lodges; sometimes this is a bucket with hot water inside and placed in a shower room for your privacy. In more established places like Namche Bazaar in Everest region or Manang in Annapurna region the large lodges have proper showers. However these are heated by solar panels so you will only get hot water on sunny days usually later in the day and not in the mornings.

Showers are not included in our package price for our Teahouse Lodge however are included for Teahouse Plus+ and Luxury Lodge style treks. The cost of a hot shower for Teahouse Lodge treks will vary depending on which region you are trekking in plus the altitude of the lodge however expect to pay around US$5.

On a Camping style trek, you will get a bowl of warm water once a day either in the morning or in the afternoon after arrival to camp. This will be provided from our kitchen and you can take the bowl inside the vestibule of your tent for privacy if you wish. On rest days you should have the chance to wash properly as we set up a shower tent for your privacy.

For all treks I suggest you bring wet wipes as these are useful for keeping clean on days when you cannot wash properly. It is also worth bringing a bottle of hand sanitiser to use for cleanliness and hygiene when required during the trip.

You should be careful when washing to avoid getting a chill especially if you are washing long hair as this can be difficult to dry. At high altitudes the air temperature is cold even on a sunny day so you have to be careful to warm up quickly afterwards, either by sitting outside in the sun or in front of a heater in the dining room.

If you are reading this and still feel like you would prefer to trek while enjoying the comforts of a hotel then please take a look at our Luxury Kathmandu Valley and Kathmandu Valley trek. For these treks you walk from hotel to hotel located on the rim of the Kathmandu valley. The other option would be to take a look at our Cultural Tours of Nepal where you stay in a hotel for every night and during the day we organise activities including both sightseeing and day walks.

It is important you are aware of what toilet facilities will be available on our treks in Nepal so you have the right expectations and know what items to pack for your health and hygiene.

The toilet facilities will depend on the trek style that you are joining. For a Teahouse Lodge trek you use the toilets in the lodges however the type, condition and cleanliness will vary depending on the region of Nepal you are walking in and also the altitude of the lodge.

At lower altitudes most lodges have Asian (also known as squat toilets) and these days many lodges also have western style toilets available. Once you have mastered the squat position most people find Asian toilets hygienic as your body will not touch the toilet seat like on Western toilets. For more information and instructions on how to use an Asian toilet, please take a look at Wikihow article

There will be no toilet paper available in Nepali toilets instead there will be a small bucket for washing oneself therefore if you like to use toilet paper you should bring it with you (or purchase at the lodge). We recommend you keep a roll of toilet paper in your day pack in case required. It is also a good idea to have hand sanitiser in your day pack as there is not always soap available in the lodges. You should not put used toilet paper into the toilet instead place it in a bin provided.

If you need to go to the toilet during the day then on a Teahouse Lodge style trek there will be a number of lodges along the trail that you can use if required. If you are not stopping at this lodge for lunch or a drink it is always best to ask the owner of the lodge for permission (or speak to your guide who can ask for you). If there are no lodges nearby you can look for secluded place in the woods or behind a rock for a quick pee.

At higher altitudes on a Teahouse Lodge lodge trek the flush toilets (both Asian and Western style) will freeze overnight so it will not be possible to flush until the sun warms the lodge by mid-morning. Therefore these lodges will often have a long drop type toilet located outside the lodge and this is a wooden hut with a hole in the floor above a deep pit. If you have to visit the long drop at night then of course bring your head torch as well as toilet paper and hand sanitiser.

On a Camping style trek, after arriving to camp one of our Nepali crew will dig a hole in the ground then erect a toilet tent around it for privacy. We also bring a toilet seat that helps if you are not used to squatting. We brief our guides to locate the toilet tent away from water sources and on departure the next morning the hole will be filled and covered with earth. For our larger groups we bring two toilet tents as otherwise there will be a long queue after breakfast! It is worth pointing out we provide toilet paper for our Camping treks. Like for Teahouse Lodge treks we recommend you carry a roll of toilet paper in your day pack in case you get the call of nature along the trail. 

If you are joining one of our Luxury Lodge style treks then your room will have an attached bathroom and toilet. All of these lodges have western style toilets.

For Teahouse Lodge style treks based treks it will be possible to recharge batteries at the lodges. In larger places like Namche Bazaar and Lukla in the Everest region there is a reliable supply of electricity due to hydro power schemes on nearby rivers. Lodges at higher altitudes use solar power so this relies on having sunny weather therefore it is less reliable.

For Camping style treks you need to be self-sufficient for power as there are fewer opportunities although over the last few years in Nepal more lodges have been built in more remote areas so there are now better chances of recharging batteries at some of these places. Our recommendation is not to rely on recharging batteries at lodges as the power supply can be unreliable and also works out to be quite expensive instead the best way is to bring with you several fully charged spare batteries.

If you have a compact digital camera then the best way of retaining your battery power is to keep the camera warm by putting in your pocket before switching it on. Otherwise if you turn your camera on at sub-zero temperatures the battery will be depleted in minutes. Bring three or four pre charged batteries and this should last for even the longer treks while taking lots of photos along the way.

Over the last few years the mobile/ cell phone network has improved significantly in the remote areas of Nepal. There are now cell phone masts installed at Gorakshep so it is possible to get 4G connectivity throughout the entire Everest Base Camp trek.  The best network for coverage above Lukla on Everest Base Camp trek is NCell and below Lukla in Solu Khumbu is Nepal Telecom (NTC). In other places such as east Nepal towards Tumlimgtar and west in Annapurna region Nepal Telecom is generally better than NCell.

It is an easy process to buy a local SIM card in Nepal and this will save you a lot of money compared to using your own SIM card with associated high costs of international roaming. The best place to buy is in a cell phone kiosk in Thamel as there are several shops with owners who speak English to help explain how to install and load up credit. Please note in order to get a Nepal SIM card you will need to provide a photocopy of details page of your passport and Nepal visa plus one passport photo.

In very remote regions of Nepal on our Camping style treks there is often no mobile/ cell phone coverage. It is for this reason that we send a satellite phone for communications and our clients are welcome to use for personal calls and SMS texts if they like to do so.

Please also note that it is important to consider fellow travellers when trekking in the Himalayas, it may well be important for you to keep in touch with friends and family back home however hearing phones ringing and messages coming through all day whilst walking can be rather annoying and upsetting for others as they can spoil the solitude.

Technology is taking over our lives, for sure please keep in touch with those back home but do you really need to email/facebook all day every day? We recommend you take the time to appreciate your surroundings while you travelling in the majestic Himalayan mountains. These trips always whizz by and in no time you will be back home. All we ask from you is to be considerate to your team mates with your use of technology when trekking in the mountains.

There is always a level of risk when travelling in a developing country like Nepal and only you can make the decision whether this is at an acceptable level. Nepal is a popular travel destination and the overall level of crime is very low, the vast majority of the travellers will not experience any issues or problems regarding their safety or security.

For many years there has been on-going uncertainty within Nepalese politics and it is quite common to see demonstrations and strikes in Kathmandu. These gatherings never directly target foreigners although it is of course wise to avoid demonstrations. 

The capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu, is an amazing place and there is really no other place like it. Kathmandu is full of life and culture although on first impressions it can be seen as a noisy, dirty, busy, unorganised and chaotic place but you will soon discover its richness and its character and thriving place of activity. Like anywhere you have to exercise caution and not leave valuables on show or unattended. If you show respect then you will receive respect. We recommend you leave most of your valuables and passports in the safe at your hotel in Kathmandu.

We strongly suggest anyone thinking of visiting Nepal to carefully read UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth (“FCO”) travel advice to find out information on the current situation in this country.

There is always a risk of getting sick when travelling in a developing country like Nepal and even more so when trekking at high altitude when personal hygiene is less easily manage. Having said this on the vast majority of our trips there are no issues with sickness as we allow sufficient time for acclimatisation to the high altitude and most people follow our guidelines regarding health and hygiene.

If you are in Kathmandu there are a number of international standard clinics and hospitals where you can go for treatment. However when trekking in remote areas there will be only very basic medical facilities available (or none at all) so it is for that reason we bring along a comprehensive expedition medical kit with each group. In most cases we can treat in the field with our medical kit, the most common are mild altitude sickness or traveller’s diarrhea.

For more serious illness or accidents then we would arrange a helicopter evacuation back to Kathmandu for treatment therefore it is essential you have trekking insurance that covers rescue and evacuation.

In Everest and Annapurna regions there are western trained doctors at Himalayan Rescue Association ("HRA") health posts at Pheriche and Manang. You can visit HRA for a consultation with one of their doctors if required.

Malarial protozoa generally do not survive over an altitude of 1,400m so once you have arrived in Kathmandu and when you have started a trek in Everest region malaria poses a low risk (Lukla is at 2,800m and Kathmandu is at 1,450m).

When visiting the lowland regions of Nepal you should seek advice from your doctor about whether to take malarial medicine as a prophylactic. For example the altitude of Chitwan National Park varies from 100m to 800m and Pokhara is at an altitude of 850m. When visiting these places the chances of contracting malaria can be reduced by precautions such as sleeping under mosquito nets, applying insect repellent and wearing long sleeve shirts and trousers.

We strongly recommend you visit your doctor or travel clinic before departure to get their latest advice.

Yes and we can organise an extension to your holiday before or after your trek. Take a look at Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park and Cultural Tour of Nepal. You could also consider flying to Bhutan for a tour around this fascinating country visiting Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and Bumthang.