One can also trek on ponies in some remote places, which is equally enthralling for visitors. Pony treks follow nearly the same routes and are offered mostly in western region of Pokhara, Dolpo and Lo Manthang (Mustang).

The most frequented part of the region is located in Solukhumbu district, the home of the legendary Sherpas. The northern part of the district (Khumbu) is encompassed in the Everest National Park , which was established to protect the fragile environment of the alpine region. To the east of the Everest National Park is the Makalu-Barun National Park , a remote and wild stretch of mountain peaks and deep densely forested valleys. To the west is the Rolwaling valley, a well protected microcosm of cultures and ecology. The southern part of the district, Solu is much less frequented by tourist and be a very rewarding destination in its own right.

Beside Mount Everest there are other 8,000 meter peaks in the region. Lhotse , Cho Oyu and Makalu and in addition numerous other peaks lesser altitude but no less stunning. Add to this glacial lakes rhododendron forest, native flora and fauna, traditional villages and ancient Buddhist monasteries, all go to make this region a spectacular destination.

Permits and Fees

No special trekking permits are required to visit this area provided that the trekker's do not climb any of the peaks. An entry fee is charged for access to Everest National Park . This is payable at the national park desk in Thamel. For treks to the east of main Everest trail an addition permit is required to enter Makalu-Barun National Park obtainable from the same location.

Getting There

Access to the Everest region can only be made by air or on foot. By road, the only practical road ahead at this time is Jiri, a seven to ten hour bus ride from Kathmandu. A new road is under construction to Salleri, the district headquarters, but this will probably be complete for another five years at least. It is also possible to trek to the Everest region via the Arun valley where roads head is at Hille, a twenty ride from the capital. These times are all by local bus as there is no tourist bus service available at this time. Private cars and taxis could be used and would reduce the traveling time considerably but obviously at extra cost. Buses to Jiri currently leave from the old bus park in central Kathmandu.

By air there are three options. The most convenient for Everest treks is Lukla, which is serviced by many daily flights from Kathmandu. Three days walk to south, near the district headquarters, is Phaplu air strip, which is service by daily flights. This is useful for treks in southern parts of the region or for Everest trekkers who want to gain extra acclimatization and see some of less developed part of the district.

The last choice is the small air strip at Syangboche, which is located above Namche Bazar. While this is an option, its altitude (3760 meters) makes it an impractical and unwise choice as an arrival destination for acclimatization reasons.

People and Culture

The main ethnic group that visitors will encounter in the Everest region is the Sherpas . This is their heartland and their influence is to be seen everywhere from their traditional dress to their distinctive houses and village monasteries. There are also minorities of various other groups, notably Rai/Limbu and Tamang in the lower hills and the ubiquitous Bhramin and Chhetri farmers of the valleys.

Flora and Fauna

The flora and fauna to be seen are quiet diverse since the region ranges in altitude from less than 2000 meters above sea level at Jiri to the high peaks of the Himalaya at over 8000 meters. Up to 4000 meters you will find dense stands of forest including pine, oak and the spectacular flowering rhododendrons . The latter are one reason to make a trip in Nepal in the spring when the hills between 2000 and 3500 meters are a riot of colors.

The crop under cultivation will depend on the season that you visit but expect to see wheat, barley, corn and potatoes at some stage. Domesticated animals will range from cattle, buffalo, goats and pigs to the all-purpose beast of mountains-the yak

There is a good chance of seeing wildlife, mostly birds including the national bird of Nepal-the Impeyan Pheasant, or danfe, which is quite common around Namche Bazar. Other notable birds will include the ravens and crows of the middle hills and the coughs which soar to seemingly impossible heights in the mountains. Also in the mountain look for flocks of snow pigeons wheeling around the hillsides.

Land animals can be most elusive but look out mountain goats (most commonly the Himalayan tahr) and, if you are lucky, musk deer or barking deer in the forest.

How and When

How to trek in Everest region depend entirely on the route that you choose. On the main trail to Everest base camp or the route to Gokyo valley then teahouse trekking is perfectly possible. The trail in from Jiri is also endowed with many continently located teahouses although generally not of such a high standard as those to the north. Other trekking routes will almost certainly require the use of camping and organization of trekking staff and equipment. See the following individual route description for detail.

When to Visit?

The peak season of October/November and March/May are obviously the most popular. At these times the weather is mild and generally dry, making the walking conditions good. The spring season is good for wild flowers, particularly the rhododendrons, while the autumn season generally gives the best mountain views, as the air at this time is crystal clear.

Winter is possible but the chances of snow are higher and passes may be closed, particularly during late winter. Also during this time many of the teahouses will close. The summer/monsoon period is generally unsuitable for trekking period, as the trails are slippery, leeches abundant and the mountain views are unpredictable. It can be rewarding time, however, if you are prepared to tolerate these drawbacks, as the wild flowers are at their best at this time and there are fewer tourists on the trails making interaction with the locals easier.

The fact that the main Himalayan range runs south of the border with Tibet means that that the northern parts of the area are in the rain shadow and are considerably drier than the southern slopes of the mountains. This leads to unusually diverse landscapes.

Permits and Fees

For most of the Annapurna trekking area, no trekking permits are required. The exception is upper Mustang where a fee of US$700 per person is levied for a ten-day visit. Additional restrictions relating to Mustang will be outlined later.

Most of the area discussed in the trek descriptions is within the area controlled by Annapurna Conservation Area Project. Entry to this area is controlled and an entry permit has to be purchased. The permit must be purchased before starting the trek and can be obtained in Kathmandu or Pokhara . The proceeds of these fees are largely used for the local community development within the project area.

Getting There

Regardless of the trek chosen it is most likely that Pokhara will be either starting or ending point of your trek. Pokhara is located 200 km. west of Kathmandu and can be reached by road in five to six hour or by air in 30 minutes from the capital. For road travel there are a number of tourist buses available daily from Kathmandu and from Chitwan.

There is no shortage of tourist facilities to be found in and around Pokhara. The main center for tourists is at the side of the largest of the three lakes in the area, Phewa Tal. The suburbs of Lakeside and Damside both provide a wide range of accommodation and restaurants along with the usual variety of trekking and traveling agencies and suppliers of souvenirs and trekking equipment. For those trekking in the eastern side of the Annapurna massif the most likely starting point will be Besishahar, the district headquarters of Lamjung district. Buses from Kathmandu, Pokhara and the Terai arrive and depart here on a regular daily basis. The bus trip from Kathmandu to Besishahar takes around four to five hours but, at this time, there are no tourist bus services available.

Most treks starting or ending in Pokhara will require the use of buses or hired cars to reach the trailheads. Specific details appear in the trek descriptions.

Flora and Fauna

As can be imagined, the range of geographical and climatic regions has led to a diverse variety of flora and fauna within the Annapurna region. Both Pokhara and Besishahar are below 1000 meter elevation and their climate is quiet tropical. These parts of area are heavily cultivated and the landscape, therefore, largely consists of terraced paddy fields for most of the year. The area is also famous for its winter crops of oranges, which can be purchased fresh from the trees along the trails in the foothills. As you progress higher up into the hills the natural vegetation changes from the tropical species to more temperate stands of forest trees including oak, beech and rhododendron. These finally give way to coniferous forests of pine and, ultimately, juniper just below the tree line. In the rain shadow, to the north of the mountains, the landscape is quite barren being an extension south of the Tibetan plateau. Here there are only stunted bushes and shrubs except for close to the rivers where irrigated cropping is possible.

Native animals to be seen include many birds the most obvious being the pika, blue sheep and Himalayan Tahr.

Trekking styles

Most of the trekking routes in the Annapurna region are well serviced by teahouses for most of their length. This is particularly true for most popular treks-the Jomsom trek, the Annapurna circuit and Annapurna base camp treks.

Trekkers should be aware, however that there is always the risk of being stranded by bad weather or injury/sickness between teahouses, particularly in the more remote parts of the trek itineraries. a good example is on the Annapurna circuit where there is one very long day when the high pass of Thorong La has to be crossed. There is little or no shelter available for most of this day and some trekkers have been caught unprepared by bad weather and altitude problems.

The treks in less developed areas, particularly the Dhaulagiri circuit and the trek east of Lamjung, definitely require trekkers to be self sufficient in food and shelter.

People and Culture

The most prominent ethnic groups in the Annapurna region are the Gurung, the Thakali and the Manangba. The Gurungs are the most widely distributed being found from the hills of Gorkha district to as far west as Palpa. There heartland, however, is centered on the hills and valleys between the Marsyandi river and the kali Gandaki. The Thakali come from the upper kali Gandaki valley around Jomsom where their traditional farming has being supplemented by trade and, in particular, hotel and restaurant businesses. The Manangba are found in the upper reaches of the Marsyandi River and are in many ways similar to the Gurungs to whom they are possibly related. They are skilled traders and trace their roots back to Tibet. Religiously, the Manangba and the Gurungs of the upper hills is Buddhist with traces of their ancient, shamanistic faith still apparent. The communities live further south are predominantly Hindu.

All of the communities, particularly the Gurungs are famed for their cultural performances, which are easily seen while trekking in the region. Many villages along the trails will arrange performances for trekkers during the main seasons.

When to visit?

As with most of the trekking areas in Nepal, the best time to visit are during spring and autumn. Spring is the time for rhododendrons while the clearest skies are found after the monsoon in October and November. At these times the weather is generally mild and there is little rainfall. Unlike other parts of Nepal, the monsoon, from June to September, is the ideal time to visit pats of the region that falls in the rain shadow. In particular, upper mustang is the perfect destination during the rainy season. The winter months provide good trekking conditions throughout the foothills but some of the higher passes will be closed due to snow.

To the west of Langtang is a virtual wilderness area centered on the Ganesh Himal range, a collection of 6-7000 meter peaks that see very little tourist activity.

Permits and fees

The northern parts of the area largely fall within the boundaries of Langtang national park. Entry permits should be obtained in Kathmandu before starting to trek. Helambu, to the south, and Ganesh Himal, to the west, are the exceptions although to reach Ganesh Himal from Kathmandu an entry permit is required as the motor road is partly within the park. No trekking permits are required in this area. If accessing Helambu from Kathmandu a permit to pass through the Shivapuri watershed area, recently declared a national park ticket counter in Kathmandu.

All visitors intending to trek in any part of the Nepal shall have to obtain a trekking permit from the Department of Immigration, Bhrikuti Mandap, and permits are issued for trekking in any part of the country except in areas restricted for the foreigners by the government regulation.
A trekking permit is a must to visit restricted areas mentioned below. To visit normal trekking areas, no permission is required.