The trekking season is generally from September to May, but the best periods are October to December and March to April. The countryside is mostly rugged and the trails are loose, but trekking is by far the best way to enjoy Nepal’s spectacular landscape. Different types of trips with varying degrees of difficulty can be arranged. Some foreign travel agencies can book trekking packages in advance in collaboration with the Nepalese trekking agencies. In Kathmandu, there are many local officially registered trekking agencies that can provide a fully organised trek, complete with porters, guide, cook, food tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, transport to and from the starting and finishing points, flight arrangements, permits and insurance. They also provide participants with a choice of itineraries.

As of July 1999, trekking permits are no longer required for the general trekking areas designated by the Department of Immigration (such as the Annapurna, the Everest, the Langtang and Rara). Permits are required for the Baihang District, Dolpa, Gorkha District, Humla District, Kanchanjunga, Makalu, Mugu District and Rasuwa District and Upper Mustang and they can be obtained from the Department of Immigration located at New Baneshwar, Kathmandu (see Passport/Visa section for further details) or trekking agencies and tour operators. Trekking to Dolpa, Kanchanjunga, Makalu and Upper Mustang can only be undertaken through a registered trekking agency. Entrance fees are levied for the national park areas and wildlife reserves; these range up to NRs2000 per person per day. Children under 10 are exempt. Higher fees are payable for filming and helicopter landing permits. Further information can be obtained from the Nepal Tourism Board (see Top Things To Do).

The Nepal Tourism Board gives the following advice to trekkers: use authorised guides and porters only; be careful with matches around wooded or grassy areas as forest fires can cause serious damage; be economical with all fuel, especially local firewood (campfires are not recommended); prioritise tour companies and lodges which do not use firewood; trekkers are strictly forbidden to cut any green forest reserve or kill any wildlife; use washing and toilet facilities provided or, if none are available, make sure to be at least 30 metres away from any water source; use biodegradable items as much as possible; when visiting temples or Buddhist shrines, respect local religious customs (see Social Conventions in Social Profile section); take necessary precautions when suffering from altitude sickness (for details, see the Health section).

In the past, the authorities have discouraged women from trekking on their own. Some Nepalese trekking agencies, however, are now keen to provide a service for female trekkers who can also hire female guides and porters.

Ponies have been a means of transport for people and materials for centuries in Nepal and are today used extensively for trekking. Pony treks follow nearly the same routes as normal treks and are offered mostly in the western region around Pokhara, as well as in the hinterlands of Dolpo and Lo Manthang.

Most of the domestic airlines arrange flights in light aircraft over Mount Everest. Flights are also available from Pokhara and other locations west of the capital, flying over the spectacular Annapurna range. Flights do not operate during the monsoon season (June to September).

To scale any of the mountain peaks in Nepal, climbing permits are required. They can be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (tel: (1) 425 6232/31/28) or the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) (tel: (1) 434 525; website: www.nma.com.np). Further information can also be obtained from the Nepal Tourism Board (see Top Things To Do).

Rafting permits are not required for the general areas; however, to raft the Himalayan rivers, a permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (tel: (1) 425 6232/31/28).

The popularity of golf is on the increase in Nepal, which has seven golf courses including the Gokarna Forest Golf Course, the Royal Nepal Golf Club, the Yeti Golf Club and the Himalayan Golf Course. For further information, contact the Nepal Tourism Board (see Top Things To Do).

The tourist potential of adventure sports has not escaped the Nepalese authorities, and the Nepal Tourism Board is now promoting a range of high-adrenalin activities that can be pursued in the country’s spectacular landscapes. Ballooning and hang-gliding are among the newest additions, as Kathmandu has just opened its skies for commercial ballooning, which does provide the opportunity to get excellent aerial views of the city and its panoramic surroundings. Trips over Mount Everest are rare, but also possible. Hang-gliding, which uses an ultra-light, one-person glider system, is popular in Pokhara and in the Langtang region. Bungee jumping and canyoning are also popular. Paragliding and power paragliding are available in Pokhara.

The existence of the famous Nepal Yeti, a giant, gorilla-sized hairy snowman that eats yaks and sheep, remains strongly questionable. Only a few people, including the father of Tenzing Norgay (the first Sherpa to conquer Mount Everest), claim to have seen it. Popular myth recounts that those who did spot the creature got sick and died within a few days. For Yeti enthusiasts wishing to try their luck, the abominable snowman is said to make random appearances around the Khumbu region (in the foothills of Mount Everest).