The Trek to Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Trek In Nepal , and the Trek to Annapurna Base Camp Trek are some of the most famous treks and adventures that every traveller looks forward to when visiting Nepal. These are the most popular treks in the landlocked mountainous country. With stunning views of the snow-capped Himalayas, you get a chance to peek into the diversified culture and rejoice in comfortable tea-houses and trail-routes that cater to a beginner as well as a seasoned trekker.
Nepal attracts trekkers from around the world throughout the year. If you are looking for somewhere more peaceful and less trodden, Nepal is your best bet as it offers numerous unfrequented places and trekking experiences. With the greatest concentration of the world's highest peaks, Nepal packs an extraordinary vibe of the Himalayas that you can experience even if you wander across the trails of the country's lesser-known treks. Finding comfort in solitude or meeting like-minded people is an added bonus.
Without further ado, let us dive deep into the reasons that should attract you to venture into the following lesser-known treks in Nepal.
The Upper Mustang Trek will enable you to set foot in the Buddhist kingdom of Nepal. The Upper Mustang valley has an ancient and vibrant Tibetan culture isolated from the rest of the world. The unique trail is endowed with red, brown, and grey splashes, akin to the barren Martian terrains!
The trail has been long used as an ancient trading route where the people of Mustang valley traded Tibetan salt for grains cultivated in the lowlands. To familiarize yourself with the native culture, you can also participate in the fascinating Tiji festival in Lo-Manthang. The Trek to upper mustang will introduce you to an exceptional landscape where the whitewashed houses, barley fields, and prayer flags add splashes of hues to the indigenous browns and greys.
The Upper Mustang Trek has a standard duration of 12 days. Your starting and ending points both converge at Jomsom. Presently, foreigners need a special permit to enter Mustang, which costs USD 500 for ten days, with each additional day's stay worth USD 50. The difficulty level is moderate, and it is a tea-house trek. During the trek, the maximum elevation that you will reach is 3810 meters at Kyanjin Ri.
Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek
Tagged as the 'Queen of the Viewpoints,' the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is a superb introduction to the Nepalese Himalayas. The trek will allow you an extraordinary panoramic view of the Annapurnas, Dhaulagiri and other ranges- frames that you will cherish throughout your lifetime. The incredible sunrise from the Poon Hill point is a bonus that most trekkers wish to enjoy.
Since the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek takes you across rhododendron forests and spectacular valleys, you can quickly soak in the diversities that nature offers. Suppose you are looking for a beginner-friendly hike that enables you to experience the Himalayas, the local Gorkha culture, the history, etc., without the travails of altitude sickness. In that case, this trek is custom-made to your liking!
The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is an easy tea-house trek that leads you to Poon Hill- at a maximum altitude of 3210 meters. You start the trek from Nayapul and end it at Gandhruk, the second-largest Nepalese village. The average duration is 4 to 5 days.
Mardi Himal Trek
One of the most uncommon and relatively unknown treks in the Nepalese Himalayas is the Mardi Himal Trek. Opened for trekking in 2012, this trail-route, situated to the east of the Annapurna Base Camp, is one of Nepal's least-traveled ones. The Mardi Himal Trek takes you along the winding trails to offer you spectacular views galore of the Annapurna Massif-including Annapurna I, II, III, IV, Mardi Himal, Macchapucchre, etc.
This teahouse trek will require you to trek 5 to 6 hours on an average each day, and you will experience the self-sufficient Gurung village, Lwang, and other facets of the amazing Nepalese countryside. You might have to cover some exhausting long walks and climbs, and the highest altitude gain will occur on the base camp day.
Your starting point of the Mardi Himal Trek is Pokhara, and your finishing point will be Lumre. This moderately-difficult tea-house trek spans for a week, with the Mardi Himal base camp being the highest point at 4500 meters.
If your wanderlust incites you to venture into the unknown, try any of these lesser-known Himalayan treks and enjoy the time of your life!