10 Top Hikes in Nepal That Aren’t Everest

Located in the lower Everest region Solu, this is a trek where you’ll reach the top of a (small) mountain without needing technical equipment to get there. Enjoy sunrise views over a panorama of peaks from Annapurna to Kanchenjunga during the trek. The Pikey Peak trek also passes traditional tea houses, ancient monasteries, and Buddhist temples, as well as offering insight into the Tibetan Sherpa culture.

Trek through the Manaslu Himal range in this impressive two-week trek. Manaslu is the eighth-highest mountain in the world, remote and craggy. Highlights include crossing the Budi Gandaki River by suspension and wooden bridges and visiting the Nubri region to discover more about Tibetan culture and hospitality. You’ll also cross the Larkya La Pass, which has an altitude of nearly 17,000 feet (5,135 meters).

For a physically demanding mountainous adventure, consider the Nar Phu Valley trek. Hike past Buddhist stupas, Tibetan dzongs (forts), tiny Tibetan villages, and the Nar Phedi Monastery, where you can rest and stay the night. Admire views of Tilicho peak, Gangapurna, Himlung Himal, and Annapurna II as you traverse deep gorges and narrow canyons.

Kanchenjunga is the world’s third-highest mountain, located on Nepal’s eastern border with Sikkim, India. In Tibetan, Kanchenjunga means ‘five great treasure houses of snow,’ which offers insight into the snow-capped peaks you’ll spot (and traverse) during this difficult hike. Ascend and descend along Rai and Limbu villages and hike past cascading mountain rivers en route to Pang Pama and South Base Camps. You’ll encounter very few other hikers, a rare treat when trekking in Nepal.

This remote but relatively easy trek is in the Dolpo region. The clear, turquoise waters of Phoksundo Lake are a sacred place for Buddhists and those who follow the Bonpo religion. First head to Nepal Gung near the Indian border, then fly to Juphal to start trekking. On this beautiful, lesser-known route, you’ll pass maize fields, waterfalls, cedar and hemp forests, ridges, and steep cliffs. Keep an eye out for animals like sheep, goats, deer, monkeys, and even snow leopards.

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Feel like you’ve been transported back in time when trekking Upper Mustang through the Kingdom of Lo, a hidden Tibetan Buddhist enclave closed to foreigners until recently. The terrain of this high-altitude desert trek is typical of the Tibetan plateau, intermixed with rivers, valleys, and cliffs dotted with roaming herds of sheep and goats. Lo Manthang features monasteries surrounded by soaring peaks, full of secret ancient history to absorb.

The Everest region, or Khumbu, has excellent treks besides Everest Base Camp that are often overlooked. Khumbu is home to some of the highest mountains in the world, like Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Lhotse. This trek has views of all of these, especially from the summit of Gokyo Ri at 17,000 feet (5,340 meters). You’ll avoid the high passes of the Kumbu on this trek but still have the chance to hike along glaciers to the sacred Gokyo Lakes.

This trek in the Annapurna region from Pokhara ticks lots of boxes. It runs through several villages, so you can relax at tea houses, or push through for longer, more challenging days. Plus, the Annapurna mountains surround you on the Muldai and Poon Hill Trek from day one. View two spectacular sunrises over the white-capped peaks along this trek, first at the popular Poon Hill, then at Muldai.

Start on the Helambu Gosaikunda trek soon after landing in Nepal, as it begins near Kathmandu. This challenging trek goes over steep inclines and high-altitude passes, but it’s worth it when you reach the high-altitude lakes of Surya Kund, Gosaikund, and more. The hike offers insight into Hinduism and Buddhism, as you’ll see cultural elements of both religions, plus mountain vistas, wildflowers, and forests along the way.

For phenomenal mountain views (Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Tukche, and more) and diverse terrain, do the Khopra Danda Community Trek. Keep an eye out for Langur monkeys, yaks, and Danphe pheasants, Nepal’s national bird, when trekking through the rhododendron forests in the area. Visit the gorgeous lake Khayer Tal, and get up for sunrise at Dobato. Money spent in this area goes back to the community, an initiative set up to support local education and medical care.