Nepal’s Iconic Trails: How to Choose Between Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Mardi, and Manaslu

Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, and Mardi: Signature Routes, Scenery, Difficulty, and Seasonality

The majesty of Nepal’s Himalaya is distilled into a handful of world-class trails, each offering a distinct blend of culture, scenery, and challenge. Four of the most sought-after itineraries are the Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Langtang Valley Trek, and Mardi Himal Trek. While they share tea-house hospitality and mountain grandeur, their terrain, altitude profiles, and logistics differ in ways that matter when planning dates, budgets, and training. Understanding these nuances helps align ambitions with the right route and season, ensuring both safety and enjoyment.

The Everest Base Camp Trek is the headliner for good reason: the trail threads through the Khumbu Valley past Namche Bazaar, Tengboche Monastery, and Dingboche to the glacial world of Gorak Shep, with a sunrise ascent of Kala Patthar (5,545 m) as the high point for many. Expect 12–14 walking days and roughly 130 km round-trip from Lukla. Altitude is the principal challenge—EBC sits at about 5,364 m—so itineraries add acclimatization days in Namche and Dingboche. Spring (March–May) brings rhododendron bloom and stable mornings, while autumn (late September–November) offers crisp visibility. Winter is quieter and crystal clear but frigid; monsoon can be misty yet lush, with fewer crowds.

The Annapurna Base Camp Trek carries trekkers into a vast amphitheater surrounded by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail). With a high point around 4,130 m, it is lower than Everest but still demands steady pacing. Most itineraries run 7–11 days depending on the starting point (Nayapul or Kande) and whether Ghorepani–Poon Hill is included. Expect stone steps through Gurung villages like Ghandruk and Chhomrong, and dense rhododendron forests that explode with color in spring. Autumn is the classic season for clarity, and thanks to lower altitude, shoulder seasons can be forgiving for trekkers who prefer fewer people.

The Langtang Valley Trek offers a condensed high-mountain experience with easier access by road from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi. Over 6–8 days, the trail climbs through oak and pine forests to yak pastures and Kyanjin Gompa, with optional summits of Kyanjin Ri (4,773 m) or Tserko Ri (4,984 m) for sweeping views of Langtang Lirung and surrounding peaks. Cultural immersion is a highlight here, with Tamang heritage, cheese dairies, and monasteries punctuating the route. For those wary of flight delays or who want a shorter adventure without sacrificing alpine drama, Langtang is an elegant choice.

The Mardi Himal Trek is a rising star—a short, ridge-top journey culminating in surreal proximity to Machhapuchhre’s serrated face. Typically 4–6 days, Mardi builds from forested trails to alpine meadows and a viewpoint around 4,200–4,500 m near High Camp (~3,580 m). Tea houses are simpler than on the busier circuits, adding a backcountry feel without camping. Clear autumn skies showcase the Annapurna range at its best, while spring wildflowers transform the hillsides. For photographers and trekkers with limited vacation time, Mardi delivers big-mountain impact on a compact schedule.

Budget and Logistics: Cost, Permits, Transport, and the Value of a Local Trekking Agency

For most travelers, thoughtful budgeting begins with the Cost for Everest Base Camp Trek. A typical 12–14 day guided package that includes permits, domestic flights, accommodation, most meals, and a licensed guide/porter team generally ranges from about US$1,200–US$2,000, depending on group size and inclusions. Line items include the Sagarmatha National Park fee (approximately NPR 3,000 for foreigners) and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry fee (about NPR 2,000). Return flights to Lukla often run US$180–US$230 each way per person and can vary by season and airport (Kathmandu or Ramechhap). On the ground, tea-house meals and lodging together usually average US$35–US$50 per person per day if purchased à la carte.

Other routes price differently. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek avoids domestic flights and uses the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP, ~NPR 3,000) plus a TIMS card in many cases. Guided packages for ABC commonly land around US$600–US$1,000 depending on days and detours (e.g., Poon Hill). The Langtang Valley Trek requires a Langtang National Park permit (~NPR 3,000) and usually a TIMS card, with packages commonly US$500–US$900 since overland transport replaces flights. The Mardi Himal Trek shares ACAP and TIMS requirements, with streamlined itineraries starting roughly in the US$400–US$800 range. The most complex is Manaslu, where restricted-area permits apply seasonally (about US$100 for the first week in peak season and US$75 off-peak, plus a per-day extension), along with MCAP and ACAP. Fully supported Manaslu packages typically run US$1,200–US$1,800 due to added logistics and mandatory guiding.

Regulations evolve, but restricted regions like Manaslu have long required licensed guides, and many areas now route TIMS and permit issuance through registered agencies. Working with a Local Trekking Agency streamlines bureaucracy, secures prime accommodations during high season, and optimizes acclimatization pacing. Equally important, reputable operators support fair wages and ethical porter loads, arrange rescue-ready insurance for staff, and implement safety protocols such as daily oxygen saturation checks at higher camps. When weather disrupts flights or trails, an experienced team shifts itineraries, books alternative lodging, or replans rest days—changes that can be stressful and costly to manage solo.

Transport is another planning lever. EBC relies on Lukla flights, which can be delayed by wind or visibility. Annapurna and Mardi are reachable by road from Pokhara; Langtang by road from Kathmandu; Manaslu via jeep to trailheads like Soti Khola or Machha Khola. Return transfers, flexible buffers in Kathmandu or Pokhara, and contingency funds (US$200–US$300) are smart safeguards. Gear rental in Kathmandu helps cut luggage costs, while pre-trek fitness focused on stair climbing and carrying a daypack yields the best value of all: safer, more enjoyable hiking days.

Route Scenarios, Acclimatization Blueprints, and the Pull of Manaslu’s Wild Side

While glossy summit photos inspire, real success comes from grounded planning. Consider a classic EBC blueprint: Day 1–2 Lukla to Namche, Day 3 acclimatization in Namche (hike to Everest View Hotel), Days 4–5 to Dingboche, Day 6 acclimatization (hike Nangkartshang Peak), Days 7–8 Lobuche then Gorak Shep with afternoon EBC, Day 9 dawn ascent of Kala Patthar, and a 3–4 day descent. That structure respects altitude rules—climb high, sleep low, and limit net sleeping elevation gains to 300–500 m per night above 3,000 m. A similar philosophy guides the Langtang Valley Trek, where a rest or light day at Kyanjin helps the body adapt before tagging Kyanjin Ri or Tserko Ri.

For those drawn to remoter landscapes and cultural texture, the Manaslu Circuit Trek arcs around the eighth-highest mountain on earth via terraced hillsides, Tibetan-influenced villages, and the high pass of Larke La (5,106 m). A well-paced 14–16 day plan might include acclimatization pauses at Namrung and Samagaon, with side trips to Pungyen Gompa or Manaslu Base Camp weather permitting. Tea houses here are welcoming yet sparse compared to Annapurna or Everest, and daily stage lengths are dictated by limited settlements, requiring thoughtful energy management. The reward is palpable solitude, Himalayan wildlife sightings, and an intimate look at borderland cultures that have preserved traditions across centuries.

Combo itineraries unlock even more depth without adding extreme difficulty. In the Annapurna region, many trekkers weave the Annapurna Base Camp Trek with Ghorepani–Poon Hill for dawn panoramas or add the Mardi Himal Trek as a short ridge extension for close-up Machhapuchhre photography. In Langtang, a natural add-on is the sacred lakes of Gosaikunda, linking valleys over Laurebina Pass for a satisfying, moderately challenging traverse that maintains reasonable sleeping elevations. Whichever path you choose, pacing remains the decisive factor: insert strategic acclimatization days, keep hydration and nutrition steady, and treat early warning signs of AMS—headache, nausea, unusual fatigue—as a directive to descend and recover.

A final real-world principle ties these threads together: align trip length with your altitude goals, then tailor the logistics to your comfort with complexity. If flights and big elevations excite you, Everest Base Camp Trek is an unforgettable benchmark. If you want dramatic cirques without 5,000 m sleeping altitudes, the sanctuary of Annapurna Base Camp Trek is ideal. If you prefer road access and tamang culture, Langtang Valley Trek excels; for a swift, scenic ridge, Mardi Himal Trek shines. And if your mountain heart seeks wilder horizons, the cultural arc and high pass of Manaslu may be the most rewarding chapter you write in Nepal.