Nepal houses the highest peak in the world, and this is one of the reasons Nepal is always crowded with trekkers. Nepal opened its gate to the outside world in 1949 when a British climber, Bill Tilman got permission from the king to trek in regions like Kali Gandaki, Helambu, and Everest. Colonel Jimmy Roberts was the first person to introduce trekking, the way we know it today, to the world. And within 8 years, 10 of the 14 peaks had been climbed. The first peak to be climbed was Annapurna in 1950, followed by Everest in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary, and the third was Nanga Parbat. Traditionally, Sherpas believed that some mountains were God’s abode and must not be intruded upon. And so for generations they never attempted to climb Mount Everest, until a steady stream of climbers from West made mountaineering a profitable enterprise. By now Sherpas had already established a reputation as an important part of trekking in the Nepal Himalayas.

With many peaks to climb, some of them get the reputation of being exceptionally beautiful and mystical. Everest and Annapurna Peaks have been on the top of the list of the most popular treks for many years but some other treks in Nepal are worth the effort! Not only will they mesmerise with their beauty, but also get you closer to the unique culture of Nepal. After the earthquake in April 2015, Nepal has opened its gate again for trekkers, and it has regained its tourism and now it is safe to go for a trek in the region.

It’s hard to choose a trekking destination in Nepal when you have so many to pick from. We have listed some of the most popular treks in Nepal which define the beauty of the Himalayas!

A friend of mine used to say that the entire point of a week is the “’weekend”. This was back when we were in school and I used to hate being held up at home on Sundays. I mean, which teenager has ever liked their nosy siblings and their company for half the Saturday and the entire Sunday! So yeah, back then, I failed to appreciate the value of this best relationship ever created by the human civilisation.

But things have changed now, like total recall! After having worked five days a week, behind a desk, all I wait for is the Friday night. From detesting weekends, I have grown to love them. But honestly, what do we even do on weekends? The truth, at least in my regard is, not much, apart from minimal physical activity, gorging on junk food and binge watching American sitcoms. Well, not the most exciting and healthy idea to spend your time, is it? And that is the reason my weekend plans are going to undergo a complete change this June. Apart from getting rid of a boring and unhealthy lifestyle, what’s special about this June is that the month also calls for an escapade to somewhere cool and pleasant. After much research and asking around, I have stumbled upon the best idea to make my weekends worthwhile, and yours too. Since you are reading my blog, I can safely assume that you love the prospect of spending weekends in a fun and stirring way than just lazing around in your home.

Another thing I can surely say is that 95 per cent of you (exclude the rest 5 per cent as these include people like my sister, who are just too phobic of high altitudes and cold climate) always fall for mountains and related activities. Well, among all the adventurous things to do in mountainous terrains, my personal favourite is trekking. That is why here I share my golden idea of blowing off the steam in June with trekking in the Himalayas. Further below you will find a compilation of the best weekend treks that have the potential to refresh you in such a way that the next few Mondays won’t appear as dreary as they really are.

Whether you are solo, or a group of friends or a family, it doesn’t matter, Spiti Valley is one landscape you must travel to, and if you don’t, you really are missing witnessing a lot in a lifetime. Why so? Well, you’ll know as you read through this.

Many of us might not know that Tibet is known as the roof of the world, as it is the highest inhabited land in the whole world, home to the mightiest Himalayas, the home of his holiness Dalai Lama, the land of mystic people and culture. If you have watched the movie Seven Years in Tibet starring Brad Pitt, you will know what I am talking about. And if you haven’t, then go watch it now.

The first time I traveled to Spiti Valley was in the year 2009 which was on a motor bike. Back then no one, including myself, had any idea about this valley and the history behind it. It was gruesome and rough, and I was just 21 years old. We started our ride from Manali and crossed through the rough plateaus of the valley over a period of 7 days including Gramphu, Chhatru, Batal, Chandratal, Kaza, Tabo, Nako and finally Rekong Peo. Back then there were very few Indian travelers on the highway; more of foreigners, and it did come to me as a shock that a hidden valley existed in such close proximity to us and yet most were not aware of this magical land.  I knew that I was going to go back there soon again, didn’t know when, but I felt a deep connection with the land.