Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet are paradise on earth for many mountain enthusiasts. These countries are mostly covered by the mountain barrier and the steamy jungle of the Indian plains, these places are the land of the Yetis and Yaks, monasteries, Dzongs, snow-capped mountains, temples, and mystery. The Himalayan nations are popular because of their magnificent mountains, historical landmarks, and amazing landscapes. We have below listed the top 11 best treks in the Himalayas including Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan
Annapurna Base Camp
Annapurna region is one of the best destinations in Nepal. Large fractions of tourists hit this region as it offers plenty of stunning mountains and picturesque landscapes. There are several trails for trekking in this region and one of them is the Annapurna Base Camp trek. This trek can be done in 10-12 days. Now, days have been shortening slightly because of the motorable roads in some parts of the routes. The ABC trek goes into the frozen heart of the Annapurna range. This trail starts with rice fields and goes through the gorge of bamboo and forests and ends among glaciers and snow-capped peaks. Moreover, there are several possible trails to the sanctuary as this trail can be combined with Ghorepani –Poonhill reaching Chhomrong via Tadapani. Check out the Annapurna Base Camp trek itinerary to get more details.
Gokyo Ri View
Everyone must have heard of the world’s height mountain and the reason why the Everest Base Camp trek is popular enough. This trek offers a number of surprising attractions and gets you to the high-altitude heart of the high Himalayas, more than any other region in the Himalayas. There are many lovely picturesque villages and the local Sherpa community in the Khumbu region makes trekking through this area a pleasure. The most popular destination is the Gokyo-Ri Everest Base Camp trek via Chola-La Pass which offers spectacular scenery and cultural depth of the Everest Region. Trekking in the Everest region has become insanely busy in recent years. The duration of this trek is about 13-14 days and you trek up to 5545m above sea level. Check out the Gokyo- Ri Everest Base Camp trek via Chola-La Pass for more details of the itinerary and other information.
A man observing a frozen lake in Gosaikunda Photo: @Hemraj
Langtang region is considered the third most popular trekking destination in Nepal but welcomes very limited trekkers every year as a large number of tourists head to Everest or Annapurna regions. However, Langtang regions offer many possible trek combinations and a wide range of scenery. The region is very close to the Kathmandu valley and you can get right into the mountains within a couple of days of trekking from Kathmandu. This region was badly affected by the earthquake in April 2015, many of the trials are destroyed but it has been recovered from all those tragedies and trying to be back to normal situation. The famous attractions of these regions are the mountains seen from Kyanjing Gompa and Gosaikunda Lakes. The combination trip of both destinations can be done in 10-12 days. Check out the Langtang Valley Trek and Gosaikunda trek to have more details about these routes.
Prayer flag in the mountain
Mustang is a place that is similar to the dry Tibet-like region at the northern end of the Kali Gandaki River. Officially, Mustang is the name of the district along the Kali Gandaki from the Tibetan border south to Ghasa. The capital of the Mustang district is Jomsom and the region of Tibetan influence north of Kagbeni is basically referred to as upper Mustang. Upper Mustang Trek is the trek to Lo through the arid treeless landscape. Strong winds generally rock across the area in the afternoon, basically dropping at night. Being in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, Lo has much less rain than the other parts of Nepal. During the monsoon season, the skies are cloudy and there is little rain. In the winter, there is usually snow, and sometimes as much as 30 or 40 accumulate on the ground. The government of Nepal has announced the Upper Mustang needs to be preserved and should be a restricted area. Trekkers are only allowed to visit with a special permit and must be in a group of two foreign trekkers.
Rara Lake trek
Rara National Park is a popular national park in Nepal. The scenic forests of this national park are a relaxed habitat for musk deer, Himalayan Black Bears, and other wildlife species. Danfe, the national bird of Nepal can be seen in this national park. Rara Lake has also a selection of fish and snow turtles. The Rara Lake is the showpiece of the Rara National Park. The Trans Himalayan Valley with forest and alpine pastures is also a part of the national park. The trip to Rara Lake starts with the flight from Kathmandu to Jumla via Nepaljung and from Jumla they proceed to Rara Lake. Rara Lake Trail passes through green countryside which offers strange glances at culture and landscapes really different than elsewhere in Nepal. Sinja Valleys, the highest habitat in the world are the main attractions of this trip. Travel enthusiasts enjoy the views of snow-covered peaks. Rara Lake trek is one of the best trekking trails in Western Nepal. This is an off-the-beaten-path trail with many different natural prospects. The trekkers appear on the banks of the splendid lake after trekking through the Himalayan trails and following several scenic villages. The lake, as well as the nearby forest, is beautiful and calm and it is the desired destination for bird lovers. The lower and upper path of the Great Himalayan trail creates crossroads at Rara Lake. From this lake, the trekker can carry on ahead either to Humla following the ancient salt route or any of the daring paths to nearby Dolpa. This Rara Lake trip offers scenery and culture that is quite different from the other treks in Nepal.
Shey Phoksundo Lower Dolpo
Dolpo Region is one of the most remote regions in Nepal. The entire district was closed to foreigners until 1989 when the southern part of Dolpo was opened to organized groups of trekkers. Few anthropologies and geographers had explored Dolpo Regions even before 1989, though. Dolpo Region is located between Dhaulagiri Himalayan Range and Tibetan Plateau and it is also considered the highest inhabited land of Dolpo.
The Caravan or the Himalaya – the English-subtitled movie on Dolpo was a big success and had been nominated for Oscar Award in the best foreign-language film category. Before 1989, the southern region was opened to foreign trekkers and very few trekkers had visited this area. The first mountaineering expedition by Dr. Herbert Tichy in 1953 was based in Kaigon and the other visited was by John Tyson in the early ’60s. Dolpo is one of the most attractive regions for trekking and is very rarely visited because of the remote and lack of access. The Upper Dolpo and Lower Dolpo trek have their own importance and it is a less trekked region in Nepal.
Kanchenjunga is the third highest of the world’s peaks and one of the most remote trekking areas in the Nepal Himalayas. The Kanchenjunga route trek takes you from the southeastern corner of Nepal. This trek is one of the greatest mountains in the world. It is one of Nepal’s hidden trekked areas and certainly one of its most beautiful.
Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world and is considered one of the most trekking areas in Nepal. The route of this trek brings you from the southeastern corner of Nepal and it is one of the hidden trekking areas of Nepal but obviously the stunning one. The trek is about 23-25 days starting from Suketar- Chhirwa – Tamewa – Amjilapsa – Gyabla – Ghunsa – Sela – Phedi – Tortong, Yamphudin – Danda – Kandebhanjyang, and back to Suketar. The maximum altitude of this trail is 4880m and accommodation is mostly intent and homestay.
Chomolhari view from the Chelela pass in Bhutan
The Chomolhari Trek also can be spelled as the Jomolhari trek is one of the finest treks in Bhutan. This amazing 8 Days Chomolhari Trek offers the classic route passing through green forests, hiking into the realm above the treeline, and home of yak herders. You will go around the Bhutanese-Tibetan border close to the foot of the holiest Mt. Chomolhari (7315m), which is the second-highest mountain in Bhutan. The Chomolhari Trek provides a diverse variety of Bhutanese Landscapes. This trek is considered a kind of moderate to demanding trail and the best times to trek this superb 8 days trek are April to May and Sep to Nov. During this trek, you will be camping for 7 nights and resting at the hotel. However, the total number of days you will need to make is about 12 days and it is considered a moderate trekking trail with a maximum altitude of 4950m.
The Druk Path Trek can be concluded in 6 Days which is the most famous trek in Bhutan. The route of this trek passes through scenic landscapes of pine forests, unspoiled lakes, and high passes. At the same time, Druk Path Trek offers an opportunity to explore some of the ancient Lhakhangs, Fortress (Dzongs), and picturesque villages.
The Druk Path Trek takes you through forests of blue pine, dwarf rhododendrons, and a forest of firs that is located at an altitude between 2000m to 4000m. Trekkers will arrive at Crystal clear Jimiling Lake on the day third; the lake is also home to massive trout.
The Druk Path Trek also provides trekkers spectacular views of Mt. Gangkar Puensum, which is said to be the highest un-scaled peak in the world. The best months to visit on the Druk Path Trek are between March to June and September to November.
Mount Everest from the Tibet side
This adventurous trek in the shadow of wonderful Mt. Everest offers a heady mix of solitude, wildlife sighting, and physical challenge. This is about 4 days of trekking starting from Tingri to Everest Base camp, this is considered a moderate to demanding trekking trail up to the elevation of 5250m above sea level. The accommodation must be camping and the nearest town is Shigatse. Alternatively, you can drive up to Rongbuk and hike for a couple of hours to get to the Base Camp. However, trekking for four days offers scenic landscapes and wonderful snow-capped mountains. This is fine alpine trekking in the shadow of iconic Mount Everest. Check out the Lhasa Everest Base Camp Trek for the itinerary and more details.
Ganden Monastery Tibet
Ganden to Samye trek offers several attractions such as lakes, scenic alpine landscapes, herders’ camp, and holy sites including two of Tibet’s greatest centers of religious culture. It is suggested not to underestimate this trek; you should start with an experience of hiking and camping at a higher elevation. The best time for this trek is from May to October. It is about 4-5 days of the complete trek, the distance of this trekking is about 80 KM and is considered as a medium to strenuous trek. The trek starts with a visit to Ganden Monastery and ends at Samye Monastery. The height point of this trek is at Shuga-la (5250m) and the nearest towns are Lhasa and Tsedang. The accommodation for the entire trek should be at camp as there is limited very basic guest house available. This demanding trekking trail goes through two passes over 5000m meters above sea level and connects two of the most important monasteries in Tibet. Now, it has become the most popular trekking in this region. Check Ganden Samye Trek for details itineraries and other information.
It will never be enough to have a complete taste of the Himalayas; however, the above destinations are considered at the most popular ones and one must visit any of those places once in a lifetime. Happy Trekking!
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