Off the Beaten track of Nepal

Nar and Phu Valley

Off the beaten trekking in Nepal is a challenge that any enthusiastic traveler would love to opt for! The rocky and unparallel paths, low population, quaint and seclude environment, wild landscape and unexplored natural ecstasy are some of the basic features that anyone traveling in off the beaten trekking trail in Nepal can expect. Off the beaten trekking in Nepal takes you to some unexplored regions of Nepal and lets you relish the glory that the Mother Nature possesses. The journey is not so easy as you will have to give up on the luxurious lifestyle that includes comfortable guesthouses, choices of food, transportation and adopt a journey where you might have to stay under the clear blue sky with basic food just to sustain yourselves from hunger. However, the picturesque view of Mother Nature as you walk through off the beaten trail is beyond any mere imagination. You will get thrilled and nerve shaken but the outstanding views of mountains and other forms of nature will boost you for your journey throughout.

Nepal being a country of geographical variation offers a wide range of options for off the beaten trekking in Nepal. Owning to difficult topographical location, many locations in Nepal are yet to be discovered and explored. Many hidden valleys in between the mountains are in phase of discovery and many are still unknown. The culture, lifestyle and religion of people living in those remote and seclude areas are another aspect that will awe you in the journey to off the beaten trekking routes in Nepal. Himal Eco Treks offers various attractive trekking packages to off beaten routes in Nepal. Some of the packages are described below:

           Dhaulagiri Trek 

Dhaulagiri Trek is an excellent journey along the off the beaten route to the sixth highest mountain of the world i.e. Mt. Dhaulagiri. The trek initiates from the beautiful town of Beni and goes along the Kaligandaki gorge to some remote and secluded regions of Nepal. The trek is challenging as you will have to cross two high passes namely French pass and Dhampus pass. But the challenge offers a beautiful reward. You will be blessed with some outstanding views of mountains that include Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Manaslu, Mt. Annapurna and other 23 neighboring peaks including the peaks in Annapurna range.

2      Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek is an opportunity to walk amidst the beautiful and remote terrain of Nepal and admire the fantastic views of world’s third highest mountain – Mt. Kanchenjunga. The peak is located in the Nepal’s border with Tibet and Sikkim and offers some fantastic views of mountain peaks in three different regions i.e. Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet. The trekking journey starts from Taplejung and goes all the way through lush landscapes. We pass various villages of Rai and Limbu community, farmlands and tropical jungles of rhododendron, oak and chestnuts to the high altitude alpine forests on the way to Kanchenjunga Base Camp. The views of Yulung glacier and Mt. Kanchenjunga are a reward of this off beaten trekking journey.

        Lower Dolpo Trek

Lower Dolpo Trek is an adventurous journey that lets you experience the wilderness of off the beaten trail to Lower Dolpo region of Nepal. It takes you to Shey Phoksundo National Park which is a center for various species of plants, birds and wild animals. It lets you dissolve in to the divine beauty of wild landscape, mountains and cultural richness. The ancient Buddhist monasteries, yak caravans and Shey Phoksundo Lake are the major attraction of this journey. It takes you to Trans Himalayas where you can experience the raw appeal of mountains, glaciers and get some insights on people, their culture, custom, lifestyle and Tibetan Buddhist religion.

      Upper Dolpo Trek

Upper Dolpo Trek is an exquisite journey that takes you to one of the remote areas of Nepal and lets you experience the wilderness in nature and culture. Upper Dolpo is a secluded region placed in between the Trans Himalayas and Dhaulagiri ranges. The undisturbed farmlands, forests and vegetation are the unique features of Upper Dolpo Trek. Besides, the people, their culture and their custom are an appeal. People are far from any kind of modernization in the world therefore you can get some insights on the most traditional and simple life of people whose livelihood is based on farming and animal rearing. Upper Dolpo region is a center for some rare species of birds and mammals that includes Musk Deer, Himalayan Blue Sheep and rare Snow Leopard. You can also get a glimpse of Phoksundo lake and Shey gompa. Shey Gompa is a beautiful and ancient monastery placed on the base of the crystal mountain. Besides lake and gompa, Pre Buddhist Bon Po religion is a unique aspect of Upper Dolpo Trek. Bon Po religion is a unique religion of its own kind. This religion is still practiced amongst the people in Upper Dolpo region.

5    Nar Phu Valley Trek

Nar Phu Valley trek is a classic way to experience the wilderness that lies within the mighty mountains of Nepal. Nar Phu valley trek is an off beaten trek in Nepal that takes you to two hidden valleys in between the Trans Himalayas. Nar and Phu valley are often regarded as the hidden gems of Nepal owning to its natural wilderness and cultural richness. Nar Phu valley trek starts from Syange and follows the trail of Annapurna circuit trek. It takes you to the Annapurna region of Nepal to relish the glories of Annapurna ranges which is considered to be pursuance of every travel lover. The trail to Nar Phu valley diverges from Annapurna Circuit Trek trail at Koto. From Koto, we traverse from the normal route to the off beaten route that leads us to Nar Phu valley that lies in the north of Manang valley. We pass Kang La pass appreciating the grandeur of Annapurna massif and enter into Nar village. Leaving Nar village, we explore the Phu village. These two places are a glory where one can experience the richness in culture and natural beauty. The wild, dry and rocky terrain is its specialty. The Tibetan Buddhist culture, ancient gompas and traditional lifestyle of people are other aspects not to be missed in Nar Phu valley Trek.

        Rara Lake Trek 

Rara lake trek is a glorifying journey where you can relish the shimmering beauty of a serene lake i.e. Rara Lake. It is an incredible journey that takes you to the remote Karnali region of Nepal and lets you explore the unexplored glory of Mother Nature. Rara lake is a beautiful lake placed in between the forests in the backdrop of beautiful Himalayas. The trail to Rara Lake traverses through Rara National Park which is a home to million species of rare plants, birds and animals. Rara National Park is considered to be the best place to encounter wildlife which includes Musk deer, Leopard, Ghoral, Thar, Himalayan black beer and Red panda. Besides, the national park is a delight for bird watchers. You can find many migrating birds in the park.

       Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha pass trek

If you are seeking for an off beaten trek in Khumbu region of Nepal then Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha pass trek can be an ideal option but the trek is very challenging and physically more demanding. Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha pass trek takes you to the unexplored valley of Rolwaling. Lying beneath the Gaurishankar range, Rolwaling valley is a mystical land where you can taste the classic combination of mountains, mountain passes, isolated villages and absolutely amazing scenery. From the valley, you will be blessed with some outstanding views of Mt. Ghauri Shankar, Dorje Lakpa, Mount Everest and Tso Rolpa Lake with neighboring waterfalls and glaciers. On the way, you can visit some ancient monasteries that reflect the Tibetan Buddhist culture prevalent in this area. Another interesting feature of this place is that many local people have reported about Yeti – the human like wild creatures in that area however no strong evidences has been collected by researches to prove the existence of Yeti.

        Makalu Base Camp Trek

Makalu Base Camp Trek takes you to the eastern region of Nepal to rejoice the grandeur of world’s fifth highest mountain – Mt. Makalu. The journey commences with a flight from Kathmandu airport to Tumlingtar from where we drive to Num and follow a trail to Barun river valley inside the Makalu Barun National Park. In this journey, you will cross high passes like Shipton La and Keke La to Makalu Base Camp. The undulating paths up and down takes you to the base camp of Makalu. The road is not well marked as it is one of the least visited places in Nepal owing to its isolated nature. Though this off beaten trek is challenging, the untouched glory of Mother nature is a blessing. You will pass beautiful forests of rhododendron, cliffs, waterfalls and glaciers on the way to base camp. As you reach the base camp, you will be blessed with the fascinating views of Mt. Makalu along with the neighboring peaks like Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Baruntse and mighty Mt. Everest.

The aforementioned are some of the off the beaten trekking trails in Nepal. Opting for these off beaten trails is a tough decision as you will have to let yourself struggle but it’s a rewarding challenge. You will be blessed with outstanding forms of nature. Ultimately, you will feel like the toughness was worth it!