The easiest treks in Nepal for beginners are the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek, the Ghandruk loop, the Mardi Himal trek and the Langtang Valley trek, all of which take three to eight days and stay well below the extreme altitudes of Everest Base Camp. Most beginner routes sit inside conservation areas or national parks, so you need an entry permit (for example the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) and, since April 2023, a licensed guide. With a guide, good boots and an October or April start, a first-time trekker with normal fitness can enjoy the Himalaya without serious risk.
This guide compares the best easy treks, explains permits and the guide rule, and covers seasons, altitude and what to pack. For general trip planning, see our Nepal travel guide.
What "easy" means in Nepal
An easy trek in Nepal is still a mountain walk. Trails are often stone steps, and you may climb hundreds of metres in a morning. What makes a route beginner-friendly is a combination of moderate altitude (generally under about 4,000 m), short daily walking times (four to six hours), regular teahouses for food and beds, and road access at the start and end so you can shorten the trip if needed.
You do not need climbing skills or previous experience at altitude. You do need to be able to walk for several hours on consecutive days. Training with long walks and stairs for a few weeks before you go makes a big difference.
Permits and the licensed-guide rule
Since 1 April 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board has required foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to trek with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency, which covers the Annapurna and Langtang routes. The Everest region's local municipality disputed the rule, so confirm with your agency, and budget for each area's own permit.
The guide requirement
The Nepal Tourism Board announced that from 1 April 2023, foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas must be accompanied by a licensed guide, booked through a registered trekking agency. This covers most popular routes, including the Annapurna and Langtang areas. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality in the Everest region said at the time that a guide was not mandatory there, and the dispute with the board was not settled in public, so plan to trek with a licensed guide and confirm the current position with your agency.
Conservation area and national park permits
Each protected area charges its own entry fee, with lower rates for SAARC nationals. The Annapurna routes in this guide need the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), Langtang needs a Langtang National Park entry permit, and the Everest region needs a Sagarmatha National Park permit plus a separate fee collected by the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality. Fees are revised from time to time, so check the current amounts with the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or with your agency, before you travel.
The TIMS card
The Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS) card has changed status several times. Recent reports conflict on whether it is still required for the Annapurna region. Your trekking agency will know the current rule and will arrange any card needed along with your permits.
Editor's Note: Permit fees and rules in Nepal change often. Ask your agency for the current list before departure and keep printed copies of every permit; checkpoints along the trail will ask to see them.
The best easy treks in Nepal
The best easy treks in Nepal are Ghorepani Poon Hill (4 to 5 days, 3,210 m) for first-timers, the Ghandruk loop (2 to 3 days, below 2,500 m) for families, Mardi Himal (5 to 7 days) for a quieter trail, Langtang Valley (6 to 8 days, reached by road from Kathmandu) and the Everest View loop from Lukla.
| Trek | Region | Typical length | Highest point (approx.) | Start point | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghorepani Poon Hill | Annapurna | 4–5 days | 3,210 m | Pokhara | First-timers, sunrise views |
| Ghandruk loop | Annapurna | 2–3 days | Below 2,500 m | Pokhara | Families, very short trips |
| Mardi Himal | Annapurna | 5–7 days | About 4,100–4,500 m (base camp viewpoints; figures vary) | Pokhara | Quieter trail, close mountain views |
| Langtang Valley | Langtang | 6–8 days | Kyanjin Gompa and Kyanjin Ri | Syabrubesi, by road from Kathmandu | No flight needed, Tamang culture |
| Everest View (Namche loop) | Khumbu | 5–7 days | Above 3,440 m (Namche Bazaar) | Lukla, by flight | Seeing Everest without the full base camp trek |
| Australian Camp and Dhampus | Annapurna | 1–2 days | Below 2,500 m | Pokhara | A taste of trekking on a short visit |
Ghorepani Poon Hill
Poon Hill is Nepal's classic first trek. From Pokhara, you drive to the trailhead and climb through rhododendron forest and Magar villages to Ghorepani. The highlight is an early-morning walk up Poon Hill (3,210 m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range. Many itineraries continue to Tadapani and Ghandruk to make a loop. Spring brings rhododendron flowers; autumn brings the clearest skies.
Be ready for long stone staircases, especially between Tikhedhunga and Ulleri. They are tiring but not technical.
Ghandruk loop
Ghandruk is a large Gurung village with stone houses, a small museum and good views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. Since a road now reaches near the village, you can walk in and drive out, making it easy to turn into a two- or three-day trip. It is a good choice for families or travellers short on time.
Mardi Himal
Mardi Himal follows a ridge to the east of the Annapurna Sanctuary, with dramatic close views of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail). It is quieter than Poon Hill and has more basic teahouses. The trail climbs higher, up to High Camp at roughly 3,580 m and an optional climb to the base camp viewpoints, given by different sources at between about 4,100 and 4,500 m, so it suits beginners with good fitness who want a little more challenge. Weather on the upper ridge can change quickly.
Langtang Valley
Langtang is the closest major trekking region to Kathmandu. You drive to Syabrubesi, then walk up the valley through forest and Tamang villages to Kyanjin Gompa, where you can visit a monastery, a cheese factory and climb nearby viewpoints. The valley was badly damaged in the 2015 earthquake and has since been rebuilt; trekking here supports local recovery. The road journey is long and rough, but you avoid domestic flights.
Everest View trek
If you want to see Everest but not commit to the two-week base camp trek, you can fly to Lukla and walk to Namche Bazaar and the viewpoints above it, such as the area near the Everest View Hotel. Namche sits at about 3,440 m, so build in an acclimatisation day. Lukla flights depend heavily on weather and are often delayed, so allow spare days at the end of your trip.
Australian Camp and Dhampus
For a single overnight, Australian Camp near Pokhara offers mountain views after a short walk from the road. It is a good test of how you feel about trekking before committing to a longer route.
Short treks near Kathmandu
If you only have a few days, two routes start close to the capital. The Chisapani, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel trek begins at Sundarijal, about an hour's drive from Kathmandu, and crosses Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park to the hill village of Chisapani before following ridges to Nagarkot and down to Dhulikhel. It takes three to four days, needs a national park entry permit, and gives views of the Langtang and Ganesh Himal ranges on clear mornings. Near Pokhara, the Panchase trek is a similar two- to four-day option through forest and villages, with Annapurna views and far fewer trekkers than Poon Hill.
Sample itineraries for the main routes
Poon Hill and Ghandruk fit into five days from Pokhara, Mardi Himal takes about six days and the Langtang Valley about seven. The day-by-day plans below show where each night is spent.
Poon Hill and Ghandruk in five days
Day 1: drive from Pokhara to the trailhead near Nayapul or straight up to Tikhedhunga by jeep, then walk to Ulleri, where the long staircase ends for the day. Day 2: walk through rhododendron forest to Ghorepani, a village of stone and timber lodges at about 2,860 m. Day 3: climb Poon Hill before dawn for sunrise, return for breakfast, then follow the forest ridge to Tadapani. Day 4: descend to Ghandruk, with time to walk around the Gurung village in the afternoon. Day 5: walk down to the road and drive back to Pokhara. Fitter walkers can drop a day by driving higher at the start; slower walkers can add a night in Ghandruk.
Mardi Himal in six days
Most itineraries drive from Pokhara to Kande or Phedi, then climb through Australian Camp and Forest Camp to Low Camp, High Camp and an early-morning walk towards the upper viewpoint before descending to Siding and the road. The upper ridge is exposed, so the guide decides on the morning whether conditions allow the walk beyond High Camp.
Langtang Valley in seven days
The first day is the drive from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, which takes most of the day on a rough road. The walk then follows the Langtang Khola upstream through forest to Lama Hotel, Langtang village and Kyanjin Gompa, where a rest day lets you climb Kyanjin Ri for views of the surrounding peaks. The return retraces the valley to Syabrubesi and the drive back to Kathmandu.
Choosing a trek by interest
Families with children do best on Ghandruk or Australian Camp, where days are short, altitude is low and a road is never far away. Travellers short on time can fit Australian Camp or the Ghandruk loop into a Pokhara stay of three or four days. Photographers should pick Poon Hill in autumn for the classic sunrise or Mardi Himal for close views of Machhapuchhre. Anyone who wants village life will enjoy Langtang's Tamang settlements or the Panchase trail. Those who want to see Everest without the full base camp trek should choose the Namche loop and accept that Lukla flights can upset the schedule.
Guides, porters and choosing an agency
A guide leads the way, books teahouses, handles permit checks and watches for signs of altitude sickness. A porter carries your main bag, so you walk with only a daypack. Many beginners hire both, or a porter-guide who does a lighter version of each job. Two trekkers can share one porter if each keeps their gear light, which keeps costs down without carrying a full pack up stone stairs for a week.
Book through an agency registered in Nepal, and ask for the guide's licence before you leave. Ask what the price includes: permits, the guide's and porter's wages, their meals and beds, insurance for staff, and transport to the trailhead are the main items. A quote that leaves out staff insurance or meals is cheaper on paper only. Tips for the guide and porter at the end of the trek are customary and not included in most packages.
A typical day on the trail
Most days start early. Breakfast is around 7 am, and you are walking by 8, while the sky is clearest and the mountains are in view. You stop for a long lunch at a teahouse along the way, then reach the night's lodge by mid-afternoon, before cloud builds over the peaks. Afternoons are for washing, resting and drinking tea; dinner is early, and most trekkers are asleep by 9 pm. On a Poon Hill trek, the sunrise morning starts before 5 am with a climb by headtorch.
Walking times of four to six hours sound short, but the climbs and descents make them feel longer. The pace is slow on purpose, especially at altitude.
Training in the weeks before
Start six to eight weeks before departure. Walk for an hour or more several times a week, and add stairs or steep hills, since much of the trekking in Nepal is climbing and descending stone steps. In the last month, do at least two long day hikes of five hours or more, carrying the daypack you will use and wearing the boots you will trek in. That one step finds blisters and boot problems at home, where they are easy to fix.
Common beginner mistakes
The most frequent mistake is new boots. Wear them for weeks before the trip. The second is choosing a trek by its photos without checking the highest point: a route that climbs above 4,000 m needs acclimatisation days, and skipping them is how fit people get altitude sickness.
Many first-timers also plan no spare days. Weather delays roads, flights to Lukla and sometimes whole stages of a trek, so leave one or two free days before your international flight. Others carry too much cash in large notes, which teahouses cannot change, or too little, since there are few ATMs once you leave the trailhead town. Finally, check your travel insurance wording; many standard policies cover trekking only up to a set altitude, and helicopter rescue must be included for the height your route reaches.
Best time to trek
The two main trekking seasons are autumn (October and November) and spring (March to May). Autumn offers the clearest views after the monsoon has washed the air. Spring is slightly hazier but warmer, with rhododendrons in bloom in the Annapurna foothills.
Winter (December to February) is possible on low routes like Poon Hill and Ghandruk, though nights are cold and higher passes can be snowy. The monsoon (June to September) brings rain, leeches, landslides and cloud, and flights to Lukla are frequently cancelled. Beginners should avoid monsoon treks.
Month by month
January and February are cold and clear, with snow possible above about 3,000 m. March warms up and the rhododendrons start to flower in the Annapurna forests by late March and April. May is warm and hazier, with pre-monsoon showers in the afternoons. June to August is the monsoon proper. September is the transition month, with rain easing towards the end. October is the busiest and clearest month, and teahouses on Poon Hill fill up, so book through your agency early. November stays clear and dry with colder nights. December is quiet, cold at night and still clear, a good month for the lower routes.
Altitude: what beginners need to know
Acute mountain sickness can affect anyone above about 2,500 m, so on Mardi Himal, Langtang and the Everest View route, raise your sleeping altitude by no more than roughly 300 to 500 m a day above 3,000 m and tell your guide about any headache or nausea. Poon Hill and Ghandruk stay low enough for most people.
Acute mountain sickness can affect anyone above about 2,500 m, regardless of fitness. Early signs include headache, nausea, loss of appetite and poor sleep. The key rules are:
- Above 3,000 m, avoid raising your sleeping altitude by more than roughly 300–500 m per day.
- Take a rest day every few days at higher altitude.
- Drink water regularly and avoid alcohol.
- Tell your guide immediately if symptoms appear; if they worsen, descend.
Poon Hill and Ghandruk stay low enough that most people have no problems. Mardi Himal, Langtang and the Everest View route reach heights where altitude sickness is a real possibility, so follow your guide's pace.
Getting there and getting around
Most trekkers fly into Kathmandu. Search for flights to Kathmandu, and check Nepal's visa-on-arrival options in our visa section. For Annapurna routes, you travel on to Pokhara by tourist bus or a short domestic flight. For Langtang, you take a jeep or bus to Syabrubesi. For the Everest region, you fly from Kathmandu (or, in peak season, from Ramechhap) to Lukla.
Pokhara is a pleasant base before and after Annapurna treks, with lakeside hotels and cafés. Compare places to stay on our hotel page.
Arriving in Kathmandu
International flights land at Tribhuvan International Airport, a short taxi ride from the city centre. Most nationalities can get a tourist visa on arrival, with fees depending on the length of stay; check the current fees and the list of eligible nationalities on the Nepal Department of Immigration website before you fly, and bring cash and a passport photo as a backup to the online form. Allow at least one full day in Kathmandu before any trek to collect permits, meet your agency and buy or rent missing gear.
Kathmandu to Pokhara
Tourist buses leave Kathmandu early each morning and take most of the day on the busy Prithvi Highway, with traffic and road works adding time. Domestic flights take under half an hour and are the better choice if your time is short; morning flights are less likely to be delayed by cloud. Pokhara has had a second, international airport since 2023, though most trekkers still arrive on domestic flights from Kathmandu.
Getting around the towns
Taxis are the easiest way around Kathmandu and Pokhara; agree the fare before you get in, or use a ride-hailing app where available. Your agency usually arranges the jeep or car to the trailhead as part of the package.
Where to stay before and after the trek
In Kathmandu, Thamel is the trekkers' district, packed with guesthouses, gear shops and agency offices, and is the most practical base for a first visit even if it is noisy. Quieter options lie in Lazimpat or around Boudhanath for travellers who prefer calmer evenings. In Pokhara, Lakeside along Phewa Lake has the widest choice of hotels and is a short drive from the Annapurna trailheads. Most agencies will store your spare luggage at your hotel or their office while you trek, so you only carry what you need on the trail.
Money, SIM cards and staying connected
Nepal's currency is the Nepali rupee (NPR). ATMs are common in Kathmandu and Pokhara but rare once you leave the trailhead, and teahouses take cash only, so withdraw enough before you set off and carry small notes. Tourist SIM cards from Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell are sold at the airport and in town with your passport. Mobile data works in many villages on the Annapurna routes and in parts of Langtang, though not everywhere; many teahouses sell Wi-Fi by the hour or day.
Health on the trail
Stomach upsets are the most common problem for beginners. Drink only treated or boiled water, wash hands before meals, and stick to freshly cooked food such as dal bhat. Purification tablets or a filter with a refillable bottle cost less than buying plastic bottles all the way up and leave less rubbish behind. Carry rehydration salts, plasters and any personal medicines; there are few pharmacies once you leave the road.
Local etiquette
Greet people with "namaste" and palms together. Walk to the left of mani walls and chortens so they stay on your right, and turn prayer wheels clockwise. Dress modestly in villages, avoiding very short shorts and vest tops, and ask before photographing people. Remove shoes before entering homes and temples. Displays of affection in public are uncommon outside tourist areas.
Responsible trekking
Carry your rubbish back to town, including wrappers and batteries, since villages on the trail have no way to dispose of them. Use a refill bottle and skip plastic ones. Pay your porter a fair wage through a reputable agency, check that porters have proper clothing and insurance, and keep loads reasonable. Eating dal bhat and sleeping in the teahouse where you eat supports the families who run them, many of whom charge little for the room and earn their living from meals.
Teahouses, food and costs
On all of these routes you sleep in teahouses: simple lodges with twin rooms, shared or basic private bathrooms and a common dining room with a stove. Dal bhat, the national meal of rice, lentils and vegetables, often comes with refills and is the best value on the menu. Prices for food, hot showers, battery charging and Wi-Fi rise as you climb, because supplies are carried up by porters or mules.
Your main costs are your guide (and porter, if you hire one), permits, transport to and from the trailhead, teahouse meals and rooms. Many travellers book a complete package through a registered agency, which simplifies permits and the guide rule. Browse our Nepal tours to compare options.
What to pack for an easy Nepal trek
Easy treks still reach cold villages with steep stone steps and almost no ATMs, so bring broken-in boots, warm layers, trekking poles and enough Nepali rupees in cash.
- Broken-in waterproof hiking boots
- Layers: base layer, fleece and a warm down jacket
- Waterproof shell jacket and trousers
- Sleeping bag rated for cold nights (or rent one in Kathmandu or Pokhara)
- Trekking poles for the stone steps
- Sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen
- Water bottle and purification tablets or filter
- Small first-aid kit with blister plasters
- Headtorch for early sunrise walks
- Cash in Nepali rupees, as ATMs are rare on the trail
- Travel insurance that covers trekking and helicopter evacuation to your planned altitude
Beyond Nepal
If you enjoy your first trek, neighbouring Bhutan offers guided treks in a very different setting, while Sri Lanka and Japan have gentler hill walks for a lower-altitude trip.
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