Off The Beaten Track

Every traveler or trekker who visits Nepal for adventure travel or treks returns home with one thing in their mind, once is not enough. The beauty of the terrains, snow-covered mountains, culture, and religion attracts them to return again in the future and many actually do return and keep returning being spellbound by the country’s beauty.

The places start to run out after a couple of visits and hence, the need to go "Off The Beaten Track" rises. Luckily, because of the difficult terrain and landscape of the country, there are more than plenty of places that are wild and pristine, fitting the title off the beaten path trek.

However, almost all these treks demand a higher level of fitness, experience in altitude, and endurance. They are also very rewarding with excellent views, and ancient monasteries, and provide a different experience of trekking that can only be provided by the off-the-beaten-path treks of Nepal. Starting from the lower elevations, in the western part of Nepal, Rara Lake Trek is one of the best lower-elevation treks with the magnificent Rara Lake being the highlight of the trip.

Staying near the west, Upper Dolpo Trek is as wild as a trek that the country has to offer. The majestic Shey Phoksundo Lake and desert-like valleys with villages with appearances of oases make Upper Dolpo Trek a must among the wild treks in Nepal. Moving from west to the east, the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek to the both North and South Base Camp of the world’s third highest mountain is also not a regular trek in the Himalayas of Nepal.

For easier options and more opportunities to explore the social lives in the more central east, Numbur Cheese Circuit Trek is the trek that goes through the lower parts of Khumbu. This trek also visits several cheese factories started with the help of Swiss people more than half a century ago. Slowly moving more to the central part of the country, Rolwaling Tashi Labtsa Ramdung Pharchamo Peak Trek goes into the Rolwaling valley and crosses a high and technical Tashi Labtsa Pass.

Adding to this is one of the most beautiful glacial lakes of the country, Tso Rolpa Lake, and a chance to climb Ramdung and Pharchamo; all in just one trek. Moving on to the main central part of the country, several treks in the Manaslu region like Manaslu Circuit Trek, and Manaslu Tsum Valley Trek offers the wilderness that other treks in the region cannot. Crossing of Larkya La, side trips to Manaslu Base Camp, and the remote Tsum Valley with its ancient monasteries are highlights of the Manaslu Region.

For people who have a shorter period of time can opt for Tsum Valley Trek which explores the area and returns via the same route back. From the central part, the wildest and most remote trek is the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek. The trek starts from the busy settlements and subsequently ends back in the busier town of Jomsom but in between traverses and passes below Dhaulagiri, into the Hidden Valley, and finally exits after crossing French Pass and Dhampus Pass.