Nestled ever so comfortably between India and China, is Nepal – a landlocked country famous for her diverse culture, stunning weather and numerous trekking sites. Millions of people flock to Nepal on an annual basis to get the thrill trekking up Mount Everest or the Himalaya – some of the highest mountains on earth.
To top off the breathtaking scenery of this once in a lifetime adventure is the fact that the natives are always ready to greet tourists with a warm and friendly smile, making the journey all the more worthwhile.
Where do I start?
The two most popular trekking places in Nepal areas are:
- Khumbu – famous for her stupefying hot red sunrises; and
- Annapurna which scoops the ‘best sunset in the world’ title.
These two mountains make way to the 8848 meter snow peak of Mount Everest. If big names don’t flatter you, there are a tonne of other spectacular mountain areas which could possibly awaken your dormant trekking talent, so here is a list of the top trekking places in Nepal.
The pristine Mount Kangchenjunga Circuit
This part of the mountain certainly holds a unique name, which when placed next to the reality that this is one of the less travelled paths ravels into an interesting coincidence. Mount Kangchenjunga Circuit has got one of the highest peaks which stand at a whopping 8586 meters.
Experts forecast atleast 20 days of trekking in order to reach the top and in these 20 days, mountaineers should not expect any luxurious eating – just the usual rice, dull and vegetables – enough to fill you up and keep you going.
Mount Kangchenjunga Circuit is one of the few places where trekkers can indulge in the rich Buddhist culture of Nepal without intrusion from the hundreds of other tourists who swarm most of the other trekking areas in this region.
Popular Mount Everest
If you do not already know, this is the highest mountain on earth, the locals call it Chomolugma. Not only is it one of the best trekking places in the world, it is home to the people of Khumbu – where you will experience the magical Buddhist culture of the people of Khumbu.
The camp is only 2,680 meters high, so there is absolutely no reason why this should not be an entrée to the world of mountaineers. Trekking in Everest has been reported to be somewhat easier as the base starts at sea level and the altitude remains somewhat similar throughout the climb.
It’s a two way street at Annapurna
A part of the Himalaya, Annapurna translates to ‘Goddess of the harvest’ and her peak stands at 8000 meters; making it the 10th highest peak on earth. There are two sides to this trek, namely, the Annapurna Circuit and the Annapurna Sanctuary – both offering two entirely different scenarios.
Let us start off with the Annapurna Circuit
This journey starts off in Nepal’s third largest city, Biratnaga and trekking there lasts for a good 16 to 20 days. A pleasure because along the way, you come across some of the world’s most beautiful Buddhist buildings as well as the Kaligandaki River Valley – another world spot.
Annapurna Sanctuary
Annapurna Sanctuary can be deemed as one of the historical sites as Antanoli Boukreev, an esteemed mountaineer, saw the last of his days here in 1997. So every once in a while, there will be an unexpected avalanche – scary, we know!
On the other hand, very few make it up to the Annapurna Sanctuary Base as it is the last base before peak – so it clearly not for the faint hearted.
The trek is however surprisingly short – 8 to 10 days, but one of the most difficult treks to undertake. Why you wonder? The higher you go, the colder it gets, so glaziers are nothing out of the ordinary; moreover, this is where trekkers begin feel the effects of altitude alterations. So just imagine horrible weather and a lack of oxygen.
Most convenient way to get to Nepal
In between all the excitement of deciding what clothes to take with you, which by the way you should take clothes than can be layered and are as comfortable as ever – planning a trip from A-Z can mount up the stress.
