Pokhara

Things to do in Nepal

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Nepal, nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, is a dream destination for adventurers, culture seekers, and nature lovers. From trekking to Everest Base Camp to exploring ancient temples, Nepal offers unforgettable experiences. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the best things to do in Nepal to help you plan an epic trip.

About Everest

Why Visit Nepal?

Nepal is famous for:

  • World’s highest peaks (Mount Everest, Annapurna)
  • Rich cultural heritage (UNESCO World Heritage Sites)
  • Wildlife safaris (Chitwan & Bardia National Parks)
  • Spiritual retreats (Lumbini – Birthplace of Buddha)
  • Adventure sports (Trekking, paragliding, rafting)

Best Things to Do in Nepal

Explore Kathmandu’s UNESCO Heritage Sites

Kathmandu Valley has 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including:

Cultural Exchange Tours

During the main festivals in Nepal, travelers have the opportunity to go on ‘cultural exchange tours’, in which they will learn about the rich religious and historical backgrounds of these holidays, and participate in the festivities with the local people. Festivals such as Dashain, the festival of the goddess Durga, and Tihar, the festival of lights, are wonderful times to show tourists some of Nepal’s most beautiful traditions. If you are interested in learning about how these holidays are celebrated, cultural exchange tours are the ideal way to gain a true understanding of how Nepalese people celebrate their religions.

Mountaineering

Well, most of the activities of adventure holidays revolve around the mountains, with Mount Everest easily striking in the limelight. It’s mandatory for the companies that are providing adventure holidays in Nepal, to have mountaineering permits. The mountaineering regulations are very strict in order to adopt safe routes and prevent dangers while peak climbing. Some of the peaks where mountaineering is permitted are Mt. Yala, Mt. Nirekha, Mt. Machmermo and Mt. Bhokta.

Trekking in the Himalayas

Nepal is a trekker’s paradise, offering some of the world’s best trails:

Climb top of the world

The trekking in the Mount Everest region presents tourists with the attractive prospect of visiting Sagarmatha National Park full of the rich variety of flora and fauna across its rugged and steep terrain.

Experience Wildlife in Chitwan National Park

  • Jungle safaris (spot rhinos, tigers, elephants, and crocodiles).
  • Elephant bathing in the Rapti River.
  • Tharu cultural dance performances.

Visit Lumbini – Birthplace of Buddha

A pilgrimage site for Buddhists, featuring:

  • Maya Devi Temple (exact birthplace of Lord Buddha).
  • Peace Pagoda and monasteries built by different countries.

Visit the birthplace of the symbol of peace, Buddha

Lumbini is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, the Shakya prince who became a Buddhist monk and gained enlightenment. The birthplace of Buddha Lumbini has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Adventure Holidays in Nepal

Among the many Adventure holidays in Nepal, trekking is the most popular one. The diversified nature and exotic culture make Nepal the ideal destination for adventure tours focusing on trekking activities. Trekking in Nepal offers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature and to observe the local culture of the inhabitants.

There are a number of adventure opportunities in Nepal, the small country being home to the most daunting of Himalayan ranges. Not only Nepal offer you to explore the highest peak Mount Everest and the third highest peak of Kanchenjunga (8598 meters), but also invites trekking aficionados to enjoy strenuous to moderate and easy forms of sports. Among the other popular trekking areas in Nepal are Annapurna, Langtang, Manastu, Dhaulagiri circuit, Dolpo Phoksundo Lake, Rara Lake, Ganesh Himal and Rolwaling.

If you crave to gear up for the trekking expedition during your adventure holidays, you can choose either independent trekking or organized trekking. Fixed or organized trekking has a chalked-out plan of action with a fixed itinerary. Independent trekking, on the other hand, is more useful for small groups of people, who have basically planned to visit popular places and have a native guide.

The two main types of trekking are:

Tea house trekking

Being the most popular part of adventure tours, this kind of trekking functions through local arrangements of food and accommodation while trekking. The pace and schedule are not fixed. Hence, it helps a lot in meeting and experiencing the real life of the rural natives.

Camping trekking

It might not be the popular feature of adventure holidays in Nepal, but definitely the most luxurious one.

Adventure Sports in Pokhara

Pokhara is Nepal’s adventure capital, offering:

  • Paragliding over Phewa Lake with Himalayan views.
  • Zip-lining (one of the world’s steepest).
  • White-water rafting on the Seti River.
  • Boating on Phewa Lake with reflections of Machapuchare (Fishtail Mountain).

River Rafting

There are a lot of reasons which have established Nepal as a river runner’s paradise. Some of the important ones that have boosted the eminence of river rafting in the adventure tours are the white beaches and warm water, along with the semi-tropical climate. October and November are the peak seasons for rafting. Some of the rivers where rafting is normally done are Seti, Sunkoshi, Trishuli, Kali Gandaki and Arun. These rivers don’t follow straight paths but flow through convoluted courses, adding to the adventure.

Sunrise at Nagarkot or Sarangkot

  • Nagarkot (near Kathmandu) – Stunning Himalayan sunrise views.
  • Sarangkot (Pokhara) – Panoramic Annapurna range vistas.

Discover the Hidden Kingdom of Mustang

  • Upper Mustang Trek – A desert-like landscape
  • Ancient caves & monasteries in Lo Manthang.

Bungee Jumping & Canyoning

  • The Last Resort near Tibet border – One of the world’s highest bungee jumps (160m).
  • Canyoning in waterfalls near Pokhara.

Mountain biking

Biking offers provided by the adventure tours have evolved as environmentally sound ways to explore Nepal. Century-old trails and dirt roads provide a chance to extend one’s trip and visit locales like Kathmandu, Anapurna, Nagarkot and Kirtipur. There are various outlets in Pokhara and Kathmandu which rent cycles on per day basis. The riders can thus, explore the ridges and rims of cities by weaving in and out of them.

Helicopter Tour to Everest

For those short on time, a helicopter ride to Everest Base Camp offers jaw-dropping aerial views of the Himalayas.

Community Hiking and Trekking

Nepal Rural Tourism Community hiking and trekking are wonderful ways to explore some of Nepal’s most majestic landscapes while maintaining the mindset of sustainable tourism. Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts come to Nepal every year to experience hiking and trekking in areas such as the Everest region, Annapurna, Mustang and Langtang region. There are plenty of trekking companies that offer trekking packages to these popular areas. However, there are plenty of areas in Nepal that are not being promoted as they are equally beautiful as popular trekking trails.

Instead of going to popular trekking trails and spending money on hotels and lodges, it is better to travel rural areas of Nepal and stay with a host family. On that way the money you spend helps locals directly; their education, their livelihood, their well-being. Additionally, community treks allow travelers to have a more intimate trekking experience by learning local culture and by taking routes that are less traveled, and therefore less affected by mainstream tourism. Hikers will have the opportunity to observe the local way of living, in a way that is impossible on the more popular trekking routes. During your stay, we would be happy to work with you to find community treks that suit your needs and interests.

Wildlife Tour

The overall landscape of Nepal comprises a mountainous terrain dotted with jungles, meadows and fields sporting exemplary biodiversity. The unique location of the country renders it not only swish with sceneries but also garnished with all kinds of flowering plants, more than 848 species of birds, more than 500 species of butterflies, 600 plant families and 319 kinds of orchids and at least 4 percent of the overall mammal population of the world. No surprise, jungle safaris in Nepal are often taken up by tourists to this small but wondrous country.

The Jungle safari in Nepal predominantly consists of a tour inside the deep jungles on the back of an elephant or in the safe confines of a four-wheeler. Besides, also popular past times are river rafting on the fast-paced rivers flowing across the jungles, walking down the natural trails while watching twittering birds, spotting butterflies and enjoying other beauties of Mother Nature from close quarters. Tourists also engage in camping, tiger tracking, tracking wild elephants, touring adjoining villages and even watching dolphins, while on a wildlife tour.

There are a number of National Parks, Wild Life Reserves and Conservation Areas in Nepal. The prominent names among National Parks include Chitwan, Khaptad, Langtang, Makalu Barun, Rara, Bardia, Sagarmatha and Shivapuri. The Koshi Tappu, Parsa and Shuklaphanta are famous wildlife reserves in Nepal. Annapurna, Kanchenjunga and Manaslu fall under the Conservation Area category. Nepal’s National Parks, conservation areas and wildlife reserves truly provide safe refuge to its flora, fauna and other life forms.

Bird Watching in Community Forests

Wildlife enthusiasts will find their goldmine in Nepal, which holds nearly 10% of the world’s total species of birds thanks to its varied ecology. There are over 856 species living in the country, and most of the villages you will have the opportunity to live in have their own community forests where you can sit and watch many of these species fly by.

Imagine looking over valleys of rhododendrons, oaks, pines, or wetlands, spending the day looking up to the sky as babblers, warblers, tits, thrushes, woodpeckers, and eagles fly by! If this peaks your interest, be sure not to forget your binoculars when you pack your bags for Nepal, and be ready for an amazing bird watching experience!

Taste Nepali Cuisine

Don’t miss:

  • Dal Bhat (lentil soup with rice) – Nepal’s staple food.
  • Momo (dumplings) – A must-try street food.
  • Newari Food (Bara, Chatamari, Yomari).

Cooking

What better way to share special moments with your host family than to learn to cook local dishes? The main diet in Nepal consists of a hefty portion of rice and lentil soup, called ‘Dal Bhat’. Dal Bhat is often served with pickled vegetables. This simple dish is healthy and filling, and tasty! Another famous dish is ‘choila’, buff meat, chatamari (Newari pizza), bara, shel roti etc.

There are also many specialties that vary by region. Nepal’s geographic diversity allows for gastronomic diversity based on what types of food grow in each area. Near the Tibetan border, for example, you can find Thukpa, a Tibetan vegetable and noodle soup, and Gurung bread, fried Tibetan bread.

Homestays are a wonderful way to watch the local people cook and learn how authentic Nepalese food is made. Make sure you take the time to create some fond memories with your host family in the kitchen!

Agritourism

Agritourism is ideal for those who want hands-on learning experience while still having a very direct impact on their host community. The term ‘agritourism’ is gaining in popularity, and is broadly defined as involving activities that bring visitors to farms for various activities.

Nepal Rural Tourism Agriculture In Nepal, these activities can include rice farming, feeding animals, picking fruit, and other activities that involve the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of local Nepalese produce. More than 50% of the population of Nepal is engaged in agriculture, and 65% of the population is dependent on it.

The production of rice, corn, wheat, millet, barley, sugarcane all play an important role in Nepalese life and lifestyle and well as the production of milk, meat, and fruit. Nepal also has a longstanding tradition of natural healing and Ayurveda, a system of Hindu alternative medicine that uses plants such as roots, cinnamon, cardamom, and so on to cure many health problems. Through Agritourism, travelers will have the opportunity to learn in-depth about the Nepalese diet and the journey of the food from the farm to the plate.

Photography Tours

Guided Photography Tours allow visitors to see Nepal through their own lenses. Through your pictures, you can capture, as best as possible, the essence of your personal experience in the country. Your guide will be a professional photographer, who will help you in your creative process and show you the tips and tricks of taking beautiful photographs.

No matter where you are in Nepal, it is truly a place that engulfs the senses. From the chaos of the city to the peaceful mountain breezes, from majestic monasteries to farming villages, from country-wide holidays to tamed yaks and wild horses, the photographic potential in Nepal is absolutely endless. Through traveling, learning, and being inspired by this beautiful country, photographic tours explore the very soul of Nepal.

Philanthropic Tourism

Philanthropic Tourism is the perfect opportunity to visit Nepal through compassionate eyes. Through visiting local institutions such as schools, impoverished communities, and health centers, philanthropic visitors will merge being a tourist with continuously deepening their understanding of Nepalese life and how it can be improved through humanitarian action.

The purpose of Philanthropic Tourism is to expose visitors to all aspects of the country. Not only will you have the opportunity in Nepal to do many exciting tourist activities, but you will also have the opportunity to visit the communities that are left in the background. You will also have the opportunity to engage in helping those communities.

During your Philanthropic tourism experience, you will be exposed to the various communities that our organization supports. It is our hope that visitors who opt to be Philanthropic tourists will be inspired by the people they meet, and will not forget their experiences and the time spent playing with children in local schools. When you go back to your home country, we hope that you will keep in touch with these communities, and do your best to continue to support them. Philanthropic tourism is a way to engage first hand with communities in desperate need of humanitarian action and to make international friendships that you will never forget.

Everest Base Camp Wedding

An Everest Base Camp wedding isn’t just a ceremony; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. It is a dream for adventurous couples.

Best Time to Visit Nepal

  • Spring (March-May) – Best for trekking & rhododendron blooms.
  • Autumn (September-November) – Clear skies, ideal for outdoor activities.
  • Winter (December-February) – Great for lowland tours & fewer crowds.
  • Monsoon (June-August) – Lush greenery but trekking can be challenging.

Final Travel Tips for Nepal

  • Visa: Available on arrival for most nationalities.
  • Currency: Nepalese Rupee (NPR).
  • Transport: Domestic flights, buses, and private taxis.
  • Altitude Sickness: Acclimatize properly during treks.

Conclusion

Nepal is a land of adventure, spirituality, and natural beauty. Whether you’re trekking to Everest, exploring ancient temples, or spotting wildlife, Nepal promises an unforgettable experience.

Ready to explore Nepal? Book your trip today and discover the magic of the Himalayas!

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