Travel Nepa

The world‘s best trekking trail:
Annapurna region-The Annapurna region lies toward the north of central Nepal. The region has been recognized as one of the world’s best trekking trails according to a survey by Modern Maturity (USA).The highlights of this part of Nepal are Annapurna Peaks, Mt Dhaulagiri, river Kali Gandaki and several other peaks .Gateway to Annapurna trekking region is the famous city of Pokhara. The most prominent ethnic groups of Annapurna region are Gurungs and Thakalis .Animals found here are pika , blue sheep and Himalayan Tahr and vegetation ranges from tropical species to temperate forests of oak, beech and rhododendron.
The popular trekking routes of this region are Jomsom, Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna foothills, Sikles, Lamjung , Dhaulagiri, upper Mustnag and around Pokhara.The best time to visit is during spring and autumn. Unlike other parts of Nepal, even the monsoon months are ideal to visit upper Mustang that falls in the rain shadow area. Most trekking routes in the Annapurna region are well serviced by teahouses. Trekkers should, however, be careful while trekking to the more remote parts of the region.
Getting there – Regardless of the trek chosen, it is most likely that pokhara would be either the starting or ending point of your trek in the Annapurna region. Pokhara is located 200km west to Kathmandu and can be reached by road in about 5 hours or by air in thirty minutes from capital .For road travel there are a number of tourist buses available daily both from Kathmandu and from chitwan .Food, accommodation and other tourist’s facilities of all ranges are available in and around pokhara.
Permits and fees-Entry fee is necessary for Annapurna conservation Area region .The permit must be purchased before starting the trek and can be obtained in Thamel, Kathmandu, or Lakeside, Pokhara .Trekkers are advised to arrange their trek through a government recognized trekking agency only.
Langtang area-It is toward the north of Kathmandu valley .The scenery here is spectacular, and the trek more adventurous as the area is visited by fewer tourists. To the west of Langtang is Ganesh Himal with range of 6000 to 7000 meters. The main ethnic groups living here are sherpas and Tamangs.The forests in the region have temperate and sub-alpine vegetation .Wildlife include migratory birds,deer, monkey, Tahr and Pika. The best time for trekking routes in Helambu and Langtang are well served with teahouse making independent trekking quite possible. But , there are no such facilities in the Ganesh Himal area or Ganja La area.
Getting there –Access to Helambu is particularly easy and quick .Sundarijal, which is one of the most convenient starting points is an hour’s drive from Kathmandu .other possible road heads are at Budhanikantha , Kakani, and four hour drive away at Melamchi Pul. For Langtang and Ganesh Himal the choice is limited –drive to Dhunche is Rasuwa district .The road contined to syabrubesi from where Ganesh Himal and Langtang treks can start. Hindu pilgrimage site and popular tourist place Gosaikunda can be reached from either of the two routes. However, the way via Rasuwa is easier. Busses leave regularly from the Balaju by pass close to the main bus park at Gongabu.
Permits and fees-The northern parts of the area largely fall within the boundaries of Langtang national park .Entry permits should be obtained from Thamel, Kathmandu, before starting the trek. To reach Helambu from Kathmandu, a permit to pass through shivapuri national park is required .This can be obtained at the entry permit counter at the shivapuri national park near Budhanilakantha.
Gorkha and Manaslu
The area to the east of the Annapurna are the peaks of Manaslu group .Few visitors trek to this area, which makes a visit here all the more unique and unspoiled .The area is bordered by River Budhi Gandaki and to the west by River Marshyangdi. This area is marked by two cultural highlights: Gorkha, which is the ancestral seat of the reigning Shah dynasty and the temple of Manakamana. Since the treks in the Manaslu region originates at around 1000 meters and reach as high as 5200 meters, the trekker will see a wide range of flora typical of the middle hills and alpine regions of Nepal .Plants to be seen around here are pine, rhodonendron, Wildlife include barking deer, pika and Himalayan, marmots. Birds to be sighted in the region are pheasant, raven and cough.People of Tibetan origin inhabitant several villages. Other groups found here are Gurungs and Tamangs .The best time to trek here is between September and May. A few teahouse are seen in the Manaslu Conservation Area , however ,teahouse trekking is not a suggested option .Government regulations requires all the group trekking to the Manaslu Circuit to be fully sufficient.
Getting there-The main hub for treks in Manaslu region is the town of Gorkha, which can be reached form Kathmandu in about four hours by bus or car .The alternative starting point is Dhading Besi ,from where it can be reached by bus is about 5 hours
Permits and fees-The major trekking route in the Manaslu region, the Manaslu Circuit, requires a special trekking permit which can be acquired through registered trekking agencies.
The far east- The Far East region of Nepal provides unique treks along rarely visited trails. One of the main attraction is the spectacular scenery of rhododendron in bloom on the hills and ridges along the way .Deer and wild sheep are often spotted in the area and birds are found in abundance .the region is home to ethnic groups notably the Rais and Limbus. The popular trekking areas in theis region are Kanchenjuga area, Milke Danda and Jaljale Himal. In general, the region has not been developed to cater to independent trekkers, so groups must be fully self sufficient.
Getting there-The starting points for treks in the Far East are at Basantapur, Taplejung and Tumlingtar. Basantapur needs minimum of sixteen- hour drive from Kathmandu .There are no tourist bus service so trekkers must either use schedule bus service or arrange private transport. Another option is flying to Tumlingtar or Taplejung from the Kathmandu. The flights take approximately forty –five minutes from Kathmandu, and about 20 minutes from Biratnagar to Taplejung.
Permit and fees-Much of the trekking area lies within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area and a permit fees is required for entry. Trekkers arriving via Kakarbitta border point must first travel to Kathmandu to obtain trekking permits as the government immigration office at Kakarbitta does not issue the required permit. The best time to trek in the region is between Septembers and may
The west-Trek in the west of Nepal is quite different from treks in other parts of the country. The region is less developed and has fewer facilities available for the visitors. This makes trekking here much more of an exploration type and intending trekkers must be prepared for some delays and other hardships. It is also considerably more expensive to trek in the northern parts of the west. Ethnic groups of people seen in the northern parts of the area, particularly in Dolpa, are of Tibetan origin. Other groups found here are Magar , Gurung ,and the people of Hindu caste origin. Commonly seen animals are leopard, Himalayan Tahr and blue sheep.
Popular Trekking areas in this region are Dolpa, Simikot and Lake Rara .The best time to visit is the traditional trekking seasons of spring and autumn. The northern parts are also suitable for summer treks. The region has not been developed to cater to independent trekkers, so all groups must be self sufficient, in all respect.
Lower Dolpa and upper Dolpa-
Located in the central west of the country, the focal point of the area is the Shey Phoksundo National Park. This remote and rugged protected area is both scenically and culturally attractive. The Lower Dolpa trek circuit can be completed in eight days from Juphal back to Juphal.The circuit can be completed either clockwise, or anticlockwise, depending on preference but in both case the focal points of the trek are Phoksundo Lake and the Tarap valley.
In comparison to lower Dolpa, less number of trekkers enters the restricted upper Dolpa section of Shey Phoksundo National Park. The main attraction of the area is the wild and pristine landscape. Geographically, it is similar to Tibetan Plateau and is generally dry, cold and sparsely vegetated. The trekking season for both upper and lower Dolpa is generally from june to September.
Humla and Jumla
The trek from Simikot, the administrative center of Humla District, to the Tibetan border is usually used to reach western Tibet, where mount Kailash is the major attraction. Tourism related facilities are relatively undeveloped in this area although several organizations are working to promote community based tourism opportunities between Simikot and the Tibet border. The only way to reach Simikot is to fly from Nepalgunj or to trek form Rara Lake- the largest lake in Nepal. The area surrounding the lake is Rara National Park .Schedule flights to Simikot are generally unreliable due to weather conditions but large groups have the option of chartering flight.
The most common way to get to Rara is to take a flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla , form where it is two to three day trek to the park. An alternative way is to combine a trek to lower Dolpa and a visit to Rara National Park .By trekking west from Dolpa it is possible to reach Jumla and the park within a week. It is advisable to consult government registered trekking agencies before trekking to this region. The best way to trek here is in group through a good trekking agency that can meet the requirements and the contingencies that come up.
Permits and fees-Most of the treks described here will require permit or entry fee.