©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Trekking Routes

Includes  Why Go? Trekking Easily the best way to see is on foot, following a Safety Tips ...... 289 network of trails trodden for centries by porters, traders, Choosing a Trek. . . . 290 ­pilgrims, mountaineers and locals travelling from village to Life on the Trail. . . . . 291 village, plains to hills, Nepal to Tibet. Nothing beats strolling from teahouse to teahouse under crystal-clear Himalayan Everest Base Camp Trek...... 292 skies as 8000m peaks tower above you. Although trekking routes close to Kathmandu were badly damaged in the Annapurna 2015 earthquake, most trails around the country escaped Circuit Trek ...... 299 with only minor damage, including in the Annapurna and Annapurna ­Everest regions. Sanctuary Trek. . . . 306 The following treks are ideal for travellers who want to turn Other up and trek without too much forward planning – permits Annapurna Treks . . . 307 are easy to organise and trekking lodges line the trails every Restricted Area hour or so offering meals and accommodation. En route, you’ll & Other Treks. . . . . 309 meet Sherpas, Gurungs, Rai and Thakali people and hike through villages, monasteries and sacred lakes. These cultural interactions are what give these treks much of their charm. Our best advice is not to rush your walk. Adding on a few days to your itinerary allows you to take in side trips, Best Everest detours and monasteries, or just take a day off every now Detours and then. These just might end up being the highlights of ¨¨ Lakes (p299) your trip. ¨¨Chhukung (p297) ¨¨Kunde & (p296) Trekking Safety Tips ¨¨Never trek alone. ¨¨Always carry an emergency supply of food, water Best Annapurna purification, warm clothes, a whistle and a detailed map. Detours ¨¨Take care of altitude sickness and don’t skip the acclimatisation days. ¨¨Milarepa’s Cave (p301) ¨¨Register with your embassy before setting off and make ¨¨Upper Pisang (p301) sure someone knows your itinerary. ¨¨Jhong & Purang (p305) ¨¨Tell your lodge if attempting a day trip detour. ¨¨Praken Gompa (p301) ¨¨Make sure you have comprehensive health and evacuation insurance. - - - u a km ga s g le 00 Kabr njun mi rbhitt #\ ar R R he R plejun 00 ng Ta Kaka tnag lu #\ Kanc ra Ta Bi . # \ #] erest Mt ) Ev 1 T R R NA o u se Camp Trek Map (p294) se Camp BE ur R R li HI Oy Ch Ba TI rna Treks Map (p302) rna Treks hu (C pu nakp est er 02 01 Ja Sind ng #\ #\ ru ngtang U 1. Ev 2. Anna # Li e La R R l sh anj #_#_ ma ne rg R Hi Bi Ga a #\ u THMAND If that’s not enough for you, it is also not enough for you, If that’s on these routes, as full information For a hang R ipur es, while trips to Ghachok or Panchase offer offer es, while trips to Ghachok or Panchase from the main Annapur quieter away trails na routes. All are excellent low-altitude or winter choices. king in the Nepal Himalaya Shorter Treks several time for a big trek, don’t have If you in the southern shorter treks from Pokhara a you foothills of the Annapurnas can give The trails. delightful taste of life on Nepal’s and GhorepaniGhandruk Loop (three days) fine both offer and Ghandruk loop (six days) mountain views, trekking lodg and villages Everest is an out-and-back trek, returning is an out-and-back toEverest onadd you unless route, same the via Lukla Lakesthe excellent Gokyo side trips to the a requires Everest the Threeor over Passes. walk), which approach flight (or week-long it a slightly more expensive optionmakes than Annapurna. possible to combine treks. The Annapurna pinned onto the is easily Sanctuary Trek end of the Annapurna Circuit a full to create month of superb trekking. treks in more as camping and teahouse well Trekremote regions, see Lonely Planet’s KA nt nasl khar #\ nd Ma Ma - - - - Po Ba #\ Lo # ^ ni Annapurn #\ R Be #\ 2 #] rawa Jomsom #\ a n i n mj a Bhai ta j a R ml Na t Pa Thar an ml R R Sa orpata Ju # \ Dh ot palg Simiko i #\ #\ ra Ne ju Dillik #] s opan R R r A Ba g is #\ #\ Ch naga INDI Saipal Khun i ra dh ra nd #\ # \

ga hu he an

Ma deld # \ Dh Over the past few years Everest has be the past few Everest Over years Treks closer to Kathmandu, such as thesuch Kathmandu, closer to Treks Da

Nepal Trek Nepal CHOOSING A TREK come very in high season, while the busy by roadAnnapurna region has been affected construction. The Annapurna Circuit has whileroute, loop a being of advantage the king regions of Manaslu and Tsum were also were and Tsum king regions of Manaslu with sectionsbadly damaged, swept of trail trails Until damaged. and some lodges away and infrastructure in are rebuilt, most trails limits to trekkers. these areas will remain off self was completely Immediately destroyed. north of the earthquake the trek epicentre, tions are the Annapurna Circuit trek and (EBC) trek, which saw Base Camp Everest earthquake but in the 2015 some damage treks Both remains fully open to trekkers. cultural depth and spectacularoffer scenery, of scope for detours, as plentyplenty as well of crowds. trek, Gosainkund trek and Langtang Valley a popular choice were Trail, Heritage Tamang but the before the disaster, for travellers earthquakedestruction.widespread caused in every damaged Buildings were in village it and Langtang village the Langtang Valley The popular teahouse treks described in this chapter account for the bulk of trekking Easily the most popular op trips in Nepal.

outes Choosing a Trek

Trekking R 290