Planning
Getting ready: itineraries, costs, packing, boots, gear and choosing the right trek.
43 guidesHow Much Does a Trip to Nepal Cost?
How much money you need for Nepal: daily budgets for backpackers, mid-range and luxury travellers, costs of hotels, food, transport, permits, guided treks and t...
· 6 min read Read guide 02Kathmandu vs Pokhara: Which Should You Visit?
Kathmandu or Pokhara? Kathmandu is the busy cultural capital with UNESCO temples; Pokhara is a relaxed lakeside town with mountain views and adventure sports. H...
· 6 min read Read guide 03Nepal vs Bhutan: Which Himalayan Country Should You Visit?
Nepal or Bhutan? A comparison of cost, visas, trekking, culture, crowds and travel style, and how to combine both on one trip from Kathmandu.
· 6 min read Read guide 04Best Time to Trek in Nepal: A Month-by-Month Guide
When is the best time to trek in Nepal? A month-by-month guide to weather, views, crowds and festivals, with the best treks for autumn, spring, winter and monso...
· 14 min read Read guide 05Nepal for Digital Nomads: Working Remotely from Kathmandu and Pokhara
Can you work remotely from Nepal? Tourist visa limits (up to 150 days a year), internet, coworking spaces, costs, and why Pokhara and Kathmandu are popular base...
· 5 min read Read guide 06Nepal Trekking Permits: The Complete 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 Guide by Region
Which trekking permits do you need in Nepal? ACAP, Sagarmatha National Park, TIMS, restricted area permits for Upper Mustang, Manaslu and Nar Phu, peak permits...
· 14 min read Read guide 07How Much Does It Cost to Trek in Nepal? A Realistic 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 Budget
How much does trekking in Nepal cost? A realistic 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 breakdown of guide and porter fees, permits, teahouse prices, food, flights, insuran...
· 14 min read Read guide 08Nepal Trekking Packing List: What to Bring (and What to Leave Behind)
The complete Nepal trekking packing list for teahouse treks: clothing layers, boots, sleeping bag, daypack, first aid, documents and what to rent in Kathmandu,...
· 14 min read Read guide 09Solo Trekking in Nepal: The Guide Rule, Safety and How to Trek Alone
Can you trek alone in Nepal? The 2023 mandatory guide rule explained, which areas it covers, how solo travellers can trek safely and affordably, solo female tre...
· 14 min read Read guide 10Nepal Travel Guide for Indian Travellers
Everything Indian travellers need for Nepal: no visa required, accepted ID documents, Indian rupees, getting there by road or air, and the best places, temples...
· 5 min read Read guide 11Everest Mountain Flight vs Helicopter Tour: Which Should You Choose?
Two ways to see Everest without trekking: the one-hour mountain flight from Kathmandu, and a helicopter tour that lands near Everest Base Camp or Kala Patthar....
· 5 min read Read guide 12Accessible Travel in Nepal: Tips for Travellers with Disabilities
Nepal can be challenging for travellers with mobility impairments, but with planning, private transport and adapted itineraries, many experiences are possible....
· 6 min read Read guide 13Can Children Trek to Everest Base Camp?
Children can trek to Everest Base Camp, but altitude makes it a serious undertaking. Age considerations, acclimatisation, warning signs and easier family altern...
· 5 min read Read guide 14Volunteering in Nepal: How to Do It Responsibly
How to volunteer responsibly in Nepal: why to avoid orphanage tourism, how to choose ethical organisations, and other ways to support local communities as a tra...
· 5 min read Read guide 15LGBTQ+ Travel in Nepal
Nepal has some of the most progressive LGBTQ+ protections in Asia: decriminalisation and recognition by the Supreme Court in 2007, constitutional protections in...
· 6 min read Read guide 16Solo Travel in Nepal: A Complete Guide
Nepal is one of the best countries for solo travel: friendly, safe and easy to meet other travellers. Safety tips, solo trekking rules, joining groups and solo...
· 6 min read Read guide 17Hiring a Guide and Porter in Nepal: Costs, Tipping and Ethical Trekking
How to hire a trekking guide and porter in Nepal: licensed guide rules, daily costs, porter-guides, what to ask a trekking company, porter weight limits and wel...
· 14 min read Read guide 18Booking a Trek Yourself vs With an Agency: Pros and Cons
The pros and cons of arranging a Nepal trek yourself with a freelance licensed guide versus booking a local agency, now that licensed guides are required in mos...
· 2 min read Read guide 19What a Two-Week Nepal Trip Costs: Three Budgets Compared
Indicative costs for a two-week trip to Nepal with a guided trek at three comfort levels: hotels, the trek, transport, food, permits and extras, with tips to sa...
· 2 min read Read guide 20Which Nepal Trek Is Right for You? A Quick Quiz
Answer five quick questions about time, fitness, altitude, crowds and culture to find your ideal Nepal trek: Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp, Everest, Langtang,...
· 2 min read Read guide 21Two Weeks in Nepal: The Best 14-Day Itineraries
Three ways to spend two weeks in Nepal: a classic tour with Chitwan, a tour plus the Poon Hill trek, or Everest Base Camp with days in Kathmandu.
· 5 min read Read guide 22One Week in Nepal: The Perfect 7-Day Itinerary
A 7-day Nepal itinerary: two days in the Kathmandu Valley, Nagarkot sunrise, three days in Pokhara and an option for Chitwan or a short trek.
· 5 min read Read guide 23The Nepal Pre-Departure Checklist
A tick-box checklist for the weeks before you fly to Nepal: passport and visa, insurance, health, money, gear, bookings and what to do on arrival.
· 2 min read Read guide 24Flight, Jeep, Walk-In or Helicopter: Ways to Reach the Everest Region Compared
A side-by-side comparison of the ways to reach the Khumbu: Lukla flight, jeep via Salleri, the classic walk-in from Jiri, and helicopter, with time, comfort, we...
· 2 min read Read guide 25Nepal Trekking Myths, Busted
Common myths about trekking in Nepal checked against the facts: fitness, altitude sickness, solo trekking, the monsoon, oxygen at base camp, water and more.
· 2 min read Read guide 26Lukla Flight Guide: Ramechhap, Delays, Baggage and Safety Explained
Everything about the flight to Lukla for the Everest Base Camp trek: Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Ramechhap (Manthali) departures, prices, 15 kg baggage limit, weat...
· 14 min read Read guide 27Mental Preparation for a Long Himalayan Trek
A long trek tests the mind as much as the body. How to prepare mentally: slow pace, bad nights at altitude, rest days, weather delays, homesickness and keeping...
· 2 min read Read guide 28Baggage Limits for Nepal Treks: Lukla Flights and Porter Loads
Lukla flights allow 15 kg per person (10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand luggage). How to pack a duffel, why porters share loads, the IPPG 30 kg porter limit and wher...
· 2 min read Read guide 29What to Carry in Your Daypack on a Nepal Trek
When a porter carries your duffel, your daypack holds everything you need until evening. What to carry, what size pack to choose and how to keep it light.
· 2 min read Read guide 30Trekking Poles in Nepal: Do You Need Them and How to Use Them
Trekking poles take strain off knees on Nepal's endless stone steps. Do you need them, how to adjust and use them, folding vs telescopic, and buying or renting...
· 2 min read Read guide 31Layering for Himalayan Treks: Base, Mid and Outer Layers Explained
How to dress for a trek in Nepal, where temperatures swing from 25 °C to below freezing in a day: the layering system, which fabrics to choose and when you need...
· 2 min read Read guide 32Sleeping Bags for Nepal Trekking: What Rating Do You Need?
What sleeping bag do you need in Nepal? Teahouse room temperatures, comfort ratings for Everest, Annapurna and winter treks, down vs synthetic, liners and renti...
· 2 min read Read guide 33Trekking Boots for Nepal: How to Choose and Break Them In
How to choose trekking boots for Nepal: mid or high cut, waterproofing, fit, when to buy and how to break them in, plus whether trail runners work and what to w...
· 2 min read Read guide 34How to Prepare for a Trek in Nepal: A 12-Week Timeline
A week-by-week plan to prepare for a trek in Nepal: booking, fitness, gear, boots, insurance, vaccinations, visas and packing, from three months out to the day...
· 2 min read Read guide 35Nepal Itinerary: How to Spend 7, 10, 14 or 21 Days in Nepal
Ready-made Nepal itineraries for 7, 10, 14 and 21 days: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, short treks, Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit, with tra...
· 14 min read Read guide 36Everest Base Camp Trek Cost: A Detailed 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 Price Breakdown
How much does the Everest Base Camp trek cost in 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030? A detailed breakdown of Lukla flights, permits, guide and porter fees, teahouses, fo...
· 13 min read Read guide 3715 Mistakes First-Time Trekkers Make in Nepal (and How to Avoid Them)
Planning your first trek in Nepal? Our guides share the 15 most common mistakes, from rushing altitude and new boots to no buffer days, wrong insurance and too...
· 6 min read Read guide 38Rent or Buy? Trekking Gear in Kathmandu and Pokhara Explained
Should you bring, rent or buy trekking gear in Nepal? What to bring from home, what to rent in Thamel and Pokhara (down jackets, sleeping bags), how to spot fak...
· 6 min read Read guide 39Easy, Moderate, Strenuous or Challenging? How We Grade Treks in Nepal
What do easy, moderate, strenuous and challenging mean for a Nepal trek? How we grade treks by daily walking time, altitude, terrain, passes and remoteness, wit...
· 6 min read Read guide 40Trekking in Nepal over 60: Yes, You Can, and Here's How
Can you trek in Nepal in your 60s or 70s? Absolutely. Our advice on choosing the right trek, medical checks, insurance age limits, slower itineraries, comfortab...
· 6 min read Read guide 41How to Choose a Trekking Company in Nepal: 12 Questions to Ask
How to choose a trekking company in Nepal: registration and licensed guides, porter welfare, safety and rescue policies, honest pricing, group size, insurance,...
· 6 min read Read guide 42A Honeymoon in Nepal: Mountains, Lakes, Jungle and Romance
Planning a honeymoon in Nepal? The most romantic places and experiences: Himalayan sunrises, Pokhara by the lake, heritage hotels in Bhaktapur and Bandipur, Chi...
· 6 min read Read guide 433 Days in Kathmandu: A Perfect Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
A 3-day Kathmandu itinerary: Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath on day one, Patan and Bhaktapur on day two, and a day hike or...
· 5 min read Read guideFrequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we hear most. Can’t find what you need? Our team in Kathmandu is happy to help.
Our articles cover trekking routes, seasons and weather, permits and regulations, altitude and fitness, packing, costs, culture and festivals, and travel in Tibet and Bhutan.
Our articles are written by the Himalayan Hiking team in Kathmandu, including trip planners and guides who work in the mountains every season.
We review our articles regularly, but rules, fees and conditions in Nepal can change. Always check the latest requirements before you travel, or contact us for current advice.
Yes. If there is something you would like us to write about, send us a message through the contact page.