Must Try Off the Beaten Trekking Routes of Nepal

Nepal has always been a dream destination for travelers who enjoy exploring the nature and walk around the mountains. There are so many walking routes with various choices like hiking, trekking, expedition, climbing or simple day walk where the beauty of nature and culture awaits travelers. Popular routes are often crowded throughout high and low season, and most of the travelers choose to visit popular routes to get the most of their visit to Nepal.

If you want to experience the local authentic culture, unspoiled nature and rugged mountain trails along with the excellent view of snow capped peaks, then skip the popular trails and select off the beaten trekking routes. Every region has popular and not so popular walking routes and off the beaten is sometime simply moving away from regular popular route for a while and later join it before completion.

Nepal is home to eight of fourteen tallest mountains peak of the world, and also filled with gigantic glaciers, lustrous vegetation, tranquil lakes, deep gorges, hidden valleys, centuries old monuments, unmatchable floras & faunas offering endless outdoor adventures or option to relax or rejuvenate. Off the beaten adventures includes walking, climbing, sliding, jumping, flying, shaking, trembling, singing, dancing, learning, awaking and …. so much more… Just keep going!

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Arun Valley to Mera Peak Climbing Adventure – 22 nights 23 days

Min Altitude: 260m (853 ft) | Max Altitude: 6476m (21241 ft) |  Route Style: Teahouse and Camping | Transportation: Fly In Fly Out

Attractions and Experiences of Arun Valley to Mera Peak 

• Combined adventure of off the beaten trekking and peak climbing
• Remote towns, local lifestyle of multiple ethnic groups
• Excellent walk through picturesque villages and hidden valley, lakes and pastures, beautiful forest, variety of landscapes and mountain view points
• Awesome view of 5 Eight Thousanders – Mt. Everest (8848m), Mt. Lhotse (8516m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m), Mt. Makalu (8463m) and Mt. Kanchenjunga (8586m)
• More than 25 different peaks from Mahalangur range including Everest, Makalu and Kanchenjunga range
• Summit of Magnificent Mera Peak (6476m) – Highest Trekking Peak of Nepal

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Rolwaling Gokyo Valley Adventure - 21 nights 22 days

Min Altitude: 1377m (4517 ft) | Max Altitude: 5755m (18881 ft) | Route Style: Teahouse and Camping | Transportation: Drive In Fly Out

Attractions and Experiences of Rolwaling Gokyo Valley

• Off the beaten route adventure walking through beautiful villages and gorgeous valley
• Visit to old monasteries and observe the lifestyle of mixed ethnic groups
• Both teahouse and camping adventure while enjoying thrill crossing highest Tashi Labsta Pass (5755m / 18881 ft) and Renjo La Pass (5360m / 17581 ft)
• Witness the magnificent view of Everest range with more than twenty peaks and Gokyo Lake from Renjo La top (5360m / 17581ft)
• Beautiful Rolwaling Valley with tranquil Tsho Rolpa Lake and alluring Gokyo Valley with gorgeous Gokyo Tsho lake (Third Lake)
• Sunrise climb to Gokyo Peak (5357m) and spend day around Thonak Cho (fourth lake) or/and Ngozumpa Cho (fifth lake)  walking past gigantic Ngozumpa glacier enjoying view of Cho Oyu, Gyachung Kang, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Makalu

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Kanchenjunga to Makalu Base Camp Adventure – 31 nights 32 days

Min Altitude:  405m (2982ft) | Max Altitude: 5177m (16984 ft) | Route Style: Teahouse and Camping | Transportation: Fly in Fly Out

Attractions and Experiences of Kanchenjunga to Makalu Lumbasumba Pass

• One of the best off the beaten trail of eastern Nepal featuring world third and fifth-highest peaks –Mt. Kanchenjunga (8586m) and Mt Makalu (8463m)
• Both teahouse and camping adventure to Kanchenjunga Base Camp, Makalu Base Camp and Lumbasumba Peak
• Unique insights into the remote lifestyle of hilly people, their own cultures & practices and their hospitality
• Rich floras and faunas of both subtropical and alpine zone
• Ever-changing beautiful variation of landscapes, view of low river valley and high mountain lakes
• Feel the solitary trails wandering through remote Nepal covered with alluring snow capped peaks

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Annapurna Two Pass Adventure – 18 nights / 19 days

Min Altitude: 840m (2755 ft) | Max Altitude: 5416m (17769 ft) | Route Style: Teahouse Trek | Transportation: Drive In Fly Out

Attractions and Experiences of Annapurna Two Pass Trekking

• Chance to witness 3 eight thousanders – Mt. Dhaulagiri (8167m), Mt. Manaslu (8163m) and Mt. Annapurna (8019m)
• Thrilling experience of crossing high elevation passes – Thorang La Pass (5416m / 17769 ft.) and Naar La, Phu La and Kangla La
• Nar Phu is opened for foreigners in 2003 and until then remained in isolation
• Visit the old authentic preserved Buddhist Monasteries of Naar, Phu, Braga and Manang Valley
• Excursion around Manang Valley – Gangapurna Glacier, Chongkor View Point, Kicho Tal (Ice Lake)
• Enjoy mixed landscapes while taking pictures of small & big waterfall
• Sacred Hindu and Buddhist Shrine – Muktinath Temple and surrounding temple & monasteries Jharkot
• Kagbeni Village – Gateway to Upper Mustang and Windy Jomsom Valley with grand view of Mt. Nilgiri and arid landscapes

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Tsum Valley and Manaslu Larkya La Pass Adventure – 24 nights 25 days

Min Altitude: 608m (1995 ft) | Max Altitude: 5160m (16929 ft) | Route Style: Teahouse Trek | Transportation: Drive In Drive Out

Attractions and Experiences of Tsum Valley and Manaslu Larkya La Pass

• Discover the isolated Tsum Valley for centuries until opened for foreigners in 2008
• Walking through beautiful pine and rhododendron forest observing mixed landscapes and vegetation
• Wonderful valley  and remote settlements with awesome mountains backdrops
• Thrilling experience of crossing high elevation pass – Larkya La (5135m)
• Encounter mixed Nepalese and Tibetan lifestyle, visit old authentic Buddhist monasteries and learn their local customs & practices
• Rather popular than off the beaten trail now, and increasing as an alternative for famous Annapurna Circuit
• Perfect blend of culture, nature and mountains with great variance in the altitude – starting from 600m to 5315m pass and end at 760m

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Dhaulagiri Eco Trail Adventure – 17 nights / 18 days

Min Altitude: 608m (1995 ft) | Max Altitude: 5160m (16929 ft) | Route Style: Teahouse Trek| Transportation: Drive In Drive Out

Attractions and Experiences Dhaulagiri Eco Trail

• Khopra Ridge and Khayer Lake is recently opened for foreigners
• Wonderful walk following long ridge and uneven trails throughout journey enjoying view of paddy fields, magnificent mountains, and forest of flowers (in spring)
• Hospitality of Gurung and Magar tribes, and quick peek into local lifestyle
• Best viewpoints of Annapurna Region –  Poon Hill (3120m), Mohane Danda and Khopra Ridge Hotel
• Still relatively less visited new trail, a good opportunity to find solitary trip to nature 
• Visit to sacred Khayer Lake and Khayer Barahi Temple – enjoying panoramic view of the Annapurnas

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Numbur Cheese to Pikey Peak Circuit – 22 nights/ 23 days

Min Altitude: 1830m (6002 ft) | Max Altitude: 4880m (16006 ft) | Route Style: Teahouse – Camping Trek | Transportation: Drive In Drive Out

Attractions and Experiences of Numbur Cheese to Pikey Peak

• Getaway journey from crowded destinations to remote adventure where the mountains shine upon you from different sight
• Unspoiled beauty of people and their centuries old living practices
• More than 10 different local cheese factories in Numbur Circuit
• Encounter different ethnic groups and communities throughout the journey
• Quick visit to sacred Milky Lake “Dudh Kunda” which is supposed to erase all the sins one have ever did (crazy, right?)
• Visiting sacred Thupten Choling Monastery and several other smaller old gompas
• Awesome view of mountain ranges on the way to Pikey Peak
• Pikey Peak is the best viewpoint in Lower Everest with breathtaking views of world highest mountain range including Everest, Lhotse, Kanchenjunga, Makalu and even Annapurna (in perfect weather)

 

Final Say,

Nepal is open for travelers now. We all have endured a lot in these past two years and seems like we can relax a little. Off the beaten adventures is the best choice for peaceful walk in the nature, by yourself or with small group, and sometimes you find someone on the trail who thought same as you. Listen to the sound of the nature and feel the air, there is serenity there, you will like it.