The best way to experience Nepal’s unbeatable combination of natural beauty and cultural riches is to walk through them. The immense contrasts in altitudes and climates found here support an equally spectacular mix of lifestyles, vegetation types and wildlife. You will see Chhetri farmers working in their fields and Tamang herders grazing their animals on the steep slopes. You will meet Gurkha soldiers home on leave and come across Sherpa yak drivers transporting goods over the high mountain passes. And always in the background, the icy pinnacles of the Himalaya loom over the scenery. You don’t need to be a mountaineer with rippling muscles to enjoy trekking. If you are reasonably fit, have a spirit of adventure and are not afraid of walking, you qualify. There are excellent trekking agencies who will take care of all the details. All you have to do on the trail is concentrate on putting one foot before the other. On many popular trekking trails, you can also trek in what is known as "tea house style" - eating and staying in the many lodges and tea houses on the way instead of camping in tents.

Trekking is possible at any time of the year depending on where you are going. The most popular seasons are spring (February-May) and autumn (September-November). Winter is very cold above 4,000 m and high mountain passes may be snowbound but it is good for trekking at lower altitudes. During the monsoon season (June-August), you can trek in the rain-shadow areas north of the Himalaya like Mustang, Upper Manang and Dolpo. These places are out of reach of the rain clouds because of the high mountains and are unaffected by the monsoon.

The entire length and breadth of the Kingdom is a paradise for trekkers. There are easy walks lasting a few days and there are strenuous expeditions that take several weeks. All of them have great scenery. Annapurna is the most popular trekking route in Nepal and takes you through some of the most stunning scenery on earth. You will be walking through rhododendron forests over the foothills of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges and through the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest in the world. Treks to the Annapurna region start from the lake-side resort town of Pokhara. (Maximum elevation covered on the trek is 3,939 m.). Everest, the highest mountain in the world continues to lure adventurers as ever. A hair-raising flight lands you at the airstrip of Lukla (2,850 m) from where you begin walking to the famous Sherpa village of Namche Bazaar and on to Tengboche monastery with the mesmerizing peak of Ama Dablam hovering in the sky. Then it’s over the glaciers to the foot of Everest for the view of a lifetime (maximum elevation 5,546 m). Langtang is the third most popular trekking region in the Kingdom that lies directly to the north of Kathmandu. The Gosaikund lakes situated here are a much-revered Hindu pilgrimage site. Langtang offers baffling extremes in topography and climate conditions. In just one day you can traverse five different vegetation zones trekking from the subtropics to timberline (maximum elevation 4,480 m). For those who want to get off the beaten track, there is the trail to Mustang (maximum elevation 5,400 m) north of the Annapurna range which offers mind-boggling landscapes and mystical cultures. Manaslu in west-central Nepal (maximum elevation 5,213 m) offers a diverse range of pristine eco-systems. Makalu in the eastern part of the country (maximum elevation 5,350 m) takes you through isolated valleys and high mountain passes to the base of the fifth highest peak on earth. Dolpo in northwest Nepal (maximum elevation 4,500 m) captivates visitors with its Phoksundo Lake and unparalleled scenery.

In many of the trekking routes, you can choose between staying in "Tea Houses" or camping. A tea house is a locally run inn/lodge whose standards vary enormously. In the more popular areas such as Annapurna, these lodges are more like hotels with hot water, Western food and private rooms. In the remote areas, however, they are very simple and very Nepali. Tea House trekking is less expensive than camping especially for small group sizes. For large groups, it is more practical to camp irrespective of the area. For them, a team of guides, porters and cooks who can conjure up even international cuisines means that they can trek more "comfortably".

Treks are graded on the scale of 1 to 4. Grade 1 means an easy trek that requires no previous experience. The trek usually lasts no more than a week and is suitable for anyone. Grade 2 is also suitable for all but requires a little amount of physical fitness as these treks range from 10 to 20 days and involve walking and ascends to higher altitudes. Grade 3 should be undertaken only by those with some previous mountain walking experience. These treks, which can be arranged for periods of 7 to 21 days, ascend to altitudes of up to 5,500 m and involve some steep climbs. Grade 4 treks are only for those who are in top physical condition. They involve steep ascents to high altitudes with the possibility of some rope climbing. These treks usually last for 20 to 28 days are require a lot of mental and physical stamina.