When I first heard of Gosainkunda I thought it was just a high altitude lake surrounded by mountains. While this lake is the most well-known, in reality there are over 100 lakes of different shapes and sizes in the area. Most of them don’t even have a name, and some

For mountaineers, being in Nepal feels like being a kid in a candy shop. The only problem is that climbing mountains in Nepal is expensive. The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) classifies peaks into “trekking peaks” and “expedition peaks”. For both categories there is a lot of paperwork to be completed,

A beautiful thing about the Himalaya in Nepal is that you can walk anywhere. There are villages scattered all over the mountains and people just walk from one place to another. Therefore, while there are a few well-established hiking routes that are starting to be saturated with tourists, there are

The area below Lukla and Namche Bazar is fascinating, beautiful, and somewhat neglected. Lukla Airport was built in 1964, offering many travellers the option to catapult themselves directly into the main action, and allowing many hikers the opportunity to tick off the region’s most famous highlights in just a few

If you’re planning on doing the Community Homestay experience while you’re in Nepal, you have a lot to look forward to. But, part of this opportunity to stay with local families means you’re going to get acquainted with how Nepali people live, which may be quite different from what you’re

My muscles were burning, my bag twice as heavy as it should have been, my energy so low I could barely take another step. But I was happy. In my first week in Nepal, I did the Annapurna Base Camp trek (ABC) in six days. This is very challenging. Walking

I have done a fair amount of trekking in Nepal, from the blue waters of Lake Rara to the beauty of the Annapurnas and the heights of the Kumbu region. Once I had been to the obligatory “tourist areas”, I was searching for more remote places. In my research I

When we arrived at our homestay in Patan, our host-mom greeted us with a smile and a gentle handshake as we said “Namaste.” We protested against her helping us with our bags, but she just smiled and said, “Nepali women are strong!” I laughed as she led us through her

Though I have visited Muktinath twice–once crossing from the Thorong La and another walking from Beni–I did not fully grasp the significance of this place until a friend proudly posted photos of himself there: “A life dream,” he had written. I knew I needed to learn more. Muktinath (3,710 meters)

At 2,800 metres above sea level, Kagbeni is a treasure of a village, and the essential gateway to Upper Mustang. Without a special permit, foreign visitors aren’t allowed to venture much beyond this once-fortressed post. Ruins still surround the settlement, and the homes that are packed from mud and stacked

The Langtang region is easily accessible from Kathmandu, and offers an amazing combination of beautiful mountain landscapes and Tamang and Tibetan culture. One great route combines the trek up the Langtang Valley with a trip to the famous pilgrimage site of Gosaikunda Lake. There are teahouses the full length of

Nepal is famous for its many treks that can last for weeks or even months. Naturally, this means that trekkers will spend many nights on the trail and need to prepare ahead for accommodation. On popular trekking routes, teahouses are common and make food and accommodation logistics easy. In the

The Himalayas conjure images of myth and mysticism. If one place were to embody all of this, that place would be Manang. Perched into cliffs rising 3518 metres above sea level, Manang is set north of the Annapurna Range. A winding, treacherous road leads into the settlement, a path once

Bungamati is an historical village in the south of the Kathmandu Valley. It is easily accessible from Patan by bus (from Lagankel bus station), taxi, or even by walking or bicycle. You cross the Ring Road and follow the main road through Nakkhu and Baisepati. For those with more time

“Mum, look, there is a yak!” My daughter comes running back towards me after she had already turned the next corner of the trek that is winding its way through the mountains. She had wanted to see a yak since we started this trek, so this moment is super exciting.

We travel to be surprised and delighted, yet also to find pieces of ourselves we may have lost somewhere along the way. Marpha is one of those places where we can do this, an oasis of magic and history that will allure visitors time and again with tokens of an