Trekking in Nepal
The Low-down on the High Life
By Karen Berger
"Buddha eyes" and fluttering prayer flags adorn a temple
The rice paddies are so green they glisten neon in the morning dew. The snow-capped peaks are so big they won't fit into your camera's wide-angle lens. Multi-hued prayer flags flutter over Kathmandu and stone prayer walls line the trekking paths with the wishes of millenia. Nepal's Himalayas offer some of the world's most stunning mountain scenery and a journey into another culture and sometimes, you might think, another century.
Trekking in Nepal is one of the highlights of a hiking life. But if you go halfway around the world, you can expect everything, including the hiking life, to be different from the way it is back at home. To help you plan a trip or to ignite your dreams here's the lowdown on some of the most popular treks in Nepal: Mt. Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna Circuit, the Annapurna Sanctuary, and the Helambu hills and Langtang Himal. You can also read about different trekking styles, porters and guides, and other practical concerns like climate, gear, food, altitude sickness, regulations, and maps and guidebooks.