Snow Leopard Ang Rita Sherpa passed away at the age of 72

Ang Rita Sherpa, popularly known as the ‘snow leopard’ in the mountaineering community, has passed away this morning, according to family sources.

Ang Rita Sherpa (Snow Leopard) He was 72. “The legendary climber breathed his last at around 10:40am at his residence in Jorpati,” his neighbor Mingma Sherpa, who is also chairman at Yambu Thamichho Kydug, confirmed. Ang Rita is survived by two sons and a daughter. The reason behind his death is not known yet. Sherpa was awarded a Guinness World Record certificate for making the most number of successful ascents on Mt Everest without using the supplemental oxygen. Sherpa made it to the top of the world for the 10th time in 1996 without using bottled oxygen. Ang Rita reached the summit of Mt Everest eight times via the Southeast Ridge route, according to a record maintained by the Department of Tourism. Ang Rita has received two Guinness World Records for the most climbs of Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen i.e 10 times and the ”His first winter climb of Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen was in 1987.”

Lonely Planet ranks Nepal’s Everest base camp as 4th best trek in the world

  Lonely Planet ranks Nepal’s Everest base camp as 4th best trek in the world

The trail passes through Sherpa villages, glaciers, and finally to the lap of Mt Everest, the world's highest mountain.

The Everest base camp trek that passes through Sherpa villages, glaciers, and finally to the lap of the world's highest mountain–Mt Everest–has been ranked 4th best treks in the world by Lonely Planet, the leading travel guide book publisher in the world.

‘The 10 best treks in the world’ updated in June 2020 by the guidebook says everybody wants a glimpse of the world’s highest mountain and that’s the reason why the Everest base camp trek has become so popular.

“Reaching a height of 5,545m (18,193ft) at Kala Pattar, this two-three-week trek is extremely popular, thanks to its spectacular scenery but also romanticism; successful trekkers are able to proudly say they've stood at the base of the world's highest mountain,” the guidebook said.

The trail threads between small, characterful mountain villages en route to the famous campground and are trafficked by Sherpa people of the Solu Khumbu.

“The heights reached during this trek are literally dizzying until you acclimatize to the altitude, and the continuous cutting across valleys certainly has its ups and downs. Be warned: prime trekking season brings serious crowds.”

Most of the trek is through the Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Sagarmatha is the Nepali name for Everest) and a refuge for musk deer, snow leopard, Himalayan tahr, black bear, and many spectacular types of iridescent pheasant.

Among the top 10 lists of the world's best trek, Everest base camp trek trails behind the GR20 trail that goes through Corsica, France diagonally from North to South; Inca Trail in Peru and Pays Dogon in Mali, one of Africa’s most breathtaking regions.

Other best treks are—the Indian Himalayas in India; Routeburn Track in New Zealand; Overland Track in Australia; the Narrows in the US; the Haute Route in France-Switzerland and Baltoro Glacier & K2 in Pakistan.

The travel guidebook says that these 10 classic treks are amongst the best on the planet; all of them require a sturdy pair of lungs, fit legs, and a good amount of preparation. But the reward is an experience that lasts a lifetime.

According to Lonely Planet, Mount Everest has captivated intrepid men and women since the 1920s. The exploits of legends such as George Mallory, Sir Edmund Hillary, and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa put the mighty mountain on the map; thousands have followed, making huge sacrifices – many with their lives – in their own attempts to the summit.

But today, the trek to Everest base camp has become an achievable goal for people from all walks of life who want a glimpse of the world’s highest peak. In 2018, more than 56,000 people trekked in the Everest region.

With no clear plan from the government, Nepal may remain closed for tourists until 2020-end

 With no clear plan from the government, Nepal may remain closed for tourists until 2020-end

With the festival season approaching and a large number of Nepalis, including migrant workers expected to return home, government officials said it will be difficult to manage tourists.

With the coronavirus spikes showing no sign of abating anytime soon, Nepal is likely to remain shut for foreign tourists until the end of this year.

But as the country is bracing for a major festival season, there is a high chance of people’s movement, not just within the country but also internationally.

Officials at the Tourism Ministry say given the festive season, which will mean Nepalis in hordes will be arriving, it will be difficult to manage foreign tourists in light of the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

“We expect Nepalis, including migrant workers, to return home soon,” said an official at the ministry, who did not wish to be named. “The situation is that the country is experiencing a rapid spread of the virus.”

According to him, sooner or later, an announcement is likely.

After five months, Nepal opened its skies for international flights starting Tuesday, allowing limited regular passenger and chartered flights. Only Nepalis and diplomats and employees of development partners are allowed to fly into Nepal for now.

The government’s move to continue with restrictions on foreign holidaymakers even after resuming international flights has renewed worries of travel trade entrepreneurs.

In a statement on Sunday, the Nepal Association Tour Operators called on the government to quickly come up with a plan to save the 1.05 million jobs which are in danger of being lost, some permanently, in the tourism industry.

The association said that tourism-related businesses have been operating on negative cash flow since late March and this is not a situation that can be sustained for long.

“Most indicators are that tourism’s road to recovery will be long and drawn out with traveller numbers reaching 2019 levels only in 2024,” said the association. “Travel industry sector companies cannot be expected to sustain themselves for such a long time without active support from the government.”

As of Tuesday, Nepal has reported 40,529 coronavirus cases and 239 deaths. As many as 1,069 new cases were reported across the country on Tuesday, with a record 481 in Kathmandu Valley. Tuesday’s death toll was 11.

Even though the government decided to lift the lockdown on July 21, the health and foreign affairs ministries were not positive about opening the country for foreign tourists, according to Tourism Ministry officials.

“During Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre meetings, the Foreign Affairs Ministry reiterates that it cannot afford to issue on-arrival visas for foreigners at this time of crisis. Health Ministry officials, too, support this view saying that it’s not an appropriate time to host tourists,” a tourism ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media.

At a time when the pandemic has upended daily life across the globe, travel and tourism industries worldwide are struggling, and the situation is no different in Nepal, say industry insiders

However, they have been calling on the government to at least come up with some work plan for the road to recovery.

“Most of the countries are clear regarding the timetable to open up for tourists, and that assures the travel trade industry to be well prepared,” said Ashok Pokhrel, president of Nepal Association Tour Operators, the umbrella organisation representing tour operators. “But in our case, decisions have been made without enough thought.”

The Indonesian island of Bali recently announced that it will not open to foreign tourists this year due to coronavirus concerns.

Similarly, Thailand has announced restricting tourists to many major sights in the country until 2021. However, last week, Thailand announced it hopes to allow limited numbers of international travellers to visit certain parts of the country from October through a programme called ‘Safe and Sealed’.

China had last week announced a temporary ban on all foreign visitors, even if they have visas or residence permits. The northern neighbour is also limiting each Chinese and foreign airline to one flight per week.

“We know how weak our health infrastructure system is. In this scenario, we cannot assure our foreign clients to come but the least the government can do is come up with a precise plan,” said Pokhrel. “And amid this, the government comes up with revised decisions every week, adding to our confusion.”

On July 20, the government said that international and domestic flights will resume from August 17, and asked the travel and tourism industry to take bookings for the autumn tourism season accordingly.

A month later, on August 21, the government decided to resume chartered and regular passenger flights from September 1.

However, only Nepalis and diplomats and employees of development partners would be allowed to fly into Nepal, with restrictions on foreign tourists until further notice, the Cabinet decided.

Then on Sunday, the government decided not to open domestic flights until September 16.

Meanwhile, Tourism Ministry Joint Secretary Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane said they have revised the list of chartered and regular flights scheduled to slightly increase the flight frequencies after criticism from Nepali missions abroad, saying that that would delay the rescue of stranded Nepali workers.

On August 10, the government had capped the daily arrivals at 500 individuals, which prompted airlines to jack up airfares due to limited availability of seats. The Cabinet meeting on Sunday decided to increase this to 800 individuals.

“Flights have been increased keeping in mind particularly foreign companies sending Nepali workers to Nepal at their own expenses,” said Lamichanne. “Such companies have to request Nepal beforehand to operate the flights required to repatriate Nepali migrant workers.”

Travel and tourism operators say they are hoping that the government will come up with something, given how the economy has taken a beating.

The tourism sector contributes around 8 per cent to the economy and provides jobs to around a million of people.

A study entitled Rapid Assessment of the Social and Economic Impacts of Covid-19, commissioned by the UN Development Programme in Nepal and conducted by the Institute for Integrated Development Studies, said with international travel restrictions and fall in discretionary disposable incomes worldwide, tourism receipts in Nepal are projected to fall by 60 per cent in 2020, resulting in a loss of foreign currency earnings worth $400 million.

Similarly, Nepal’s central bank’s survey shows that the four-month-long lockdown imposed by the government has forced the hotel and restaurant industry, which saw almost zero visitors since the lockdown, to lay off 40 per cent of employees. According to the survey, hotels and restaurants cut employees’ salaries by 36.4 per cent.

Arrivals during the months of April, May, June and July numbered 13, 30, 100 and 195 individuals respectively, almost all of the diplomatic personnel. Nepal welcomed more than 70,000 visitors during each of these four months last year.

The tourism industry has never seen such a catastrophe since the first foreign sightseers began arriving in the 1950s after Nepal opened its doors to the world establishing direct air links with several Indian cities.

Tourism entrepreneurs say things weren't this bad even during the Maoist insurgency from 1996 to 2006 and the aftermath of the 2015 earthquakes.

The virus has dealt a knockout blow, and the once-booming tourism sector is unlikely to get back on its feet any time soon, travel trade entrepreneurs say.

Pokhrel, the tour operator, said that the government should say clearly how long the country would have to restrict the foreign tourists.

“The announcement, at least, will clear doubt that the tourism industry will open or not.”

India to Honor Mountaineer Who Faked Everest Summit?

India to Honor Mountaineer Who Faked Everest Summit?

Here’s an interesting story brought to my attention courtesy of the Adventure Mountain blog. The site, which is run by longtime adventure sports journalists Stephen Nestler, says that on Sunday, India will hand out its annual National Sports Awards for 2020. Among those being honored is a young man by the name of Narender Singh Yadav, who claims to have climbed Mt. Everest back in 2016 at the age of 21. That would make him the youngest Indian summiteer ever, granting him celebrity status and great opportunities I his home country. The problem is, it seems that Singh Yadav never reached the top at all and even went so far as to photoshop his alleged summit photo.

According to the Indian mountaineer—who says he has climbed five of the Seven Summits—he reached the highest point on the planet on the morning of May 2o, 2016. But, his expedition Sherpa was none other than Lhakpa Sherpa, who adamantly denies that Singh Yadav summited with him that day. In fact, there are reports that he never reached higher than The Balcony on the South Col route, which would put him at roughly 8400 meters (27,559 ft). It takes a big effort to reach that point on the mountain, but it also well below the summit.

If that wasn’t enough, several other Sherpas—including Nims Purja—say that they assisted Singh Yadav on the decent, providing him with emergency oxygen bottles to help him reach Camp 4. Despite the fact that a number of people have spoken out about this, Singh Yadav’s claims have largely gone unchallenged back home, thanks to what Lhakpa Sherpa calls “dirty politics.”

As further proof of the Indian’s false claims, Nepalese newspaper Ekantipur recently took a look at Singh Yadav’s summit photo. What they found was something akin to one of those “spot the things that are wrong” puzzles. The obvious highlights were the fact that the young man was wearing a climate helmet on the summit, fake shadows pointing in the wrong direction, and an oxygen mask that doesn’t have a tube attached, amongst other issues. Clearly the photo was forged, casting further doubts on the young man’s summit claims. Check it out above to have a good laugh.

Despite all of this evidence however, Singh Yadav is still set to receive his award from the Indian government. The irony of it is, that award is called the “Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Adventure Award,” obviously named after the Sherpa who was the first to climb Everest alongside Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953. As you can imagine, that hasn’t sat well with Nepali climbers. Whether or not that really matters remains to be seen.

Nepal’s battered mountaineering tourism’s autumn hopes are fading fast amid a rise in Covid-19 cases

 Nepal’s battered mountaineering tourism’s autumn hopes are fading fast amid a rise in Covid-19 cases

Industry insiders say the fate of the upcoming climbing season rests on what approach the government takes to welcome tourists.

Nepal’s battered mountaineering tourism’s autumn hopes are fading fast amid rise in Covid-19 cases

The pandemic has wiped out jobs in Nepal’s mountaineering industry. 

On February 20, when Pasang Tendi Sherpa landed in Nepal, he had just wrapped up a two-month-long climbing expedition on Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. The next mountain on his list was Everest.

Tendi, a certified guide of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, works as a mountain guide for TAG Nepal, a Kathmandu-based outdoor outfitter. Internationally certified mountain guides like Tendi are in high demand during Nepal’s spring and autumn climbing seasons, and most of them spend months in the mountains, away from their families.

For Tendi, this year was not going to be any different. Then came Covid-19.

“I have been out of work since returning from Argentina,” said Tendi.

The spring climbing season, which begins in March, this year coincided with the beginning of lockdown. On March 20, the government banned all passengers, including Nepalis, from entering the country from the European Union territories, including the United Kingdom, West Asia, Gulf countries and countries like Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. Four days later, on March 24, the government imposed a complete lockdown.

The lockdown forced dozens of companies to cancel their expeditions booked months ago. The cancellation of mountaineering expeditions left around 20,000 tours, trekking and mountain guides out of job, according to industry insiders.

But expedition companies were hopeful for autumn, which begins in September and lasts until November. The country’s peak tourism season, which attracts a third of the total 1.2 million tourists visiting Nepal, does not generally draw tourists for Mount Everest, but hordes of adventure seekers come to trek. Many small peaks see heavy traffic during the autumn season.

In addition to treks to the Everest Base Camp, thousands of tourists travel across the country to various remote valleys and peaks, giving a much-needed boost to the local economies while employing nearly half a million Nepalis, mostly as trekking and mountaineering guides.

On July 21, the government decided to lift the lockdown allowing hotels and restaurants, trekking and mountaineering companies to prepare for the autumn season. They were reopened on July 30. The scheduled domestic and international flights, however, were planned to open by August 17. Hope was growing strong.

But since lifting the lockdown, there has been a steady rise in coronavirus cases.

On Monday, the government said that international and domestic flights will remain suspended until August 31.

Industry stakeholders–from high-altitude workers to guides and porters to lodging and fooding companies–are now deeply worried about the future.

When Tendi returned from Argentina, his plan was to rest for two weeks before getting ready for Everest. For the spiring’s Everest expedition, his employer TAG Nepal had 32 climbers from all over the world.

“To support them, we had a team of 200 people, which included mountain guides, high-altitude sherpas, cooks, kitchen boys, porters” Tendi told the Post. “From our company’s Everest expedition alone, the lockdown meant 200 people losing their source of livelihood.”

At big expedition agencies, the number of people who have lost their jobs is much bigger.

Seven Summit Treks, one of the leading expedition agencies in Nepal, had 250 climbers for the spring climbing season.

“We had 100 clients alone for Everest. The rest were for Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri and Lhotse—all more than 8,000-metre peaks, including the 6,812-metre high Ama Dablam,” said Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks. “Had the expeditions gone ahead, we would have been able to employ 1,000 people.”

Every year, young people are eager to have a crack at a high-paying job in the Everest region.

Thirty-eight-year-old Janga Bahadur Tamang was 14 when he fled from his home in Okhaldhunga and arrived in Lukla hoping to find a job in trekking expeditions.

During his first two years in Lukla, Janga worked as a porter.

“When I was 16, I found work as a kitchen helper for a mountaineering expedition, and I have been doing this job since,” said Janga, who now works as a second cook for an expedition agency. He has the experience of working with expeditions on Everest, Mera Peak, Ama Lapcha and Makalu. When the autumn climbing season ends, Janga works as a trekking guide.

“The money I make from these two seasons is usually enough to sustain my family for a year and a half,” said Janga.

This March, he was supposed to join an Everest expedition as a cook, a job that would have employed him until the end of May.

“When the climbing season got cancelled, I was a bit worried but I had some savings to fall back on, and I thought when the autumn season resumes, I can get back to earning money and things will be better,” said Janga.

But with less than a month to begin the season, Janga says his hope of getting back to work is sinking. Like Janga, hundreds of people in the Everest region are hopeful that after a painful spring, autumn would salvage their losses.

“Lukla, the gateway to Everest, where almost everyone is dependent on tourism income, the mood is still deeply worrying,” said Janga. “My savings will probably support me for another few months only.”

Santa Bir Lama, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association, said every year, the association issues 1,200 to 1,500 climbing permits.

While the government itself issues permits to mountaineering expeditions for Himalayan peaks more than 7,000 metres high, the association has been allowed to manage 27 small peaks known as ‘trekking peaks’ which range in height from 5,587 to 6,654 metres.

“Each permit can have anywhere between 1 and 15 climbers, and each climber employs three to five people,” said Santa. “Many who depend on mountaineering have been hit hard by the cancellation of the spring climbing season, and if the autumn climbing season gets cancelled, many people will be in financial ruin.”

The mountaineering community is eagerly waiting for the government to develop health safety protocols, including quarantine measures if the autumn climbing is to happen.

Meera Acharya, director of the Department of Tourism, said they are drafting health safety protocols for the mountaineering activities.

“We are expected to unveil the safety protocols soon,” she said, without elaborating further.

Besides health safety protocols for mountaineering activities, other guidelines for foreign tourists are still awaited.

“Everything now depends on what kind of quarantine rules the government comes up with. If it declares that travellers will have to stay in quarantine for a week or more after arriving in Nepal, there’s no way we can attract climbers,” said Mingma.

While the Tourism Ministry plans to allow tourists to visit Nepal with less hassle, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not interested in providing on-arrival visas.

“The Health Ministry is also for regulating tourist movements,” said an official at the Tourism Ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The guidelines for tourists, which are yet to be finalised, have set a few requirements for tourists—negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results no older than 72 hours on arrival; another PCR test in Nepal from government-designated hospitals and clinics; 14 days of quarantine in hotels; and Covid-19 travel insurance.

“All these documents, except for the PCR test in Nepal, should be submitted while boarding a plane,” said the official. “As per the preliminary discussions, tourists can spend seven days in quarantine in Kathmandu hotels, and another seven days in hotels outside Kathmandu.”

Travel agencies are required to take all the responsibilities of the tourists, starting from picking them up at the airport.

Many tourism stakeholders have suggested that the government set up dedicated Covid-19 testing at the airport and provide results in a few hours so that incoming travellers won’t face the hassle of staying in quarantine for days.

Mingma said that many climbers are still interested to come to Nepal for the autumn climbing season.

“We still have around 200 climbing enthusiasts who want to climb Manaslu and Lhotse during the autumn season,” said Mingma. “Even though that number is just 20 percent of what we normally have for the season, during such a difficult time, even if we could run expeditions for these climbers, it will provide the much-needed income for many who haven’t had any work for months.”

Eagerly waiting for tourists, Janga and his family are counting on the authorities in Kathmandu to decide.

“Spring is gone, and if the autumn doesn’t happen, I’ll be in no position to pay my rent,” he said. “I have made up my mind to build a temporary shed on a plot of land not far from where I live and move my family there.”

Restrictions on international and domestic flights to continue until August 31

Restrictions on international and domestic flights to continue until August 31

Long-distance transport services also to remain suspended, as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.

Restrictions on international and domestic flights to continue until August 31

The government has decided to restrict domestic and international passenger flights as well as long-distance transport services until August 31, citing a steady rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country and fear of community transmission.

Monday’s Cabinet meeting took the decision to this effect.

Earlier on July 20, the government had decided to allow international and domestic airlines to operate from August 17.

The government then a day later on July 21 decided to lift the four-month-long lockdown. Since then, Covid-19 cases have been rising at an alarming rate, with hospitals overwhelmed and authorities scrambling to expand and expedite testing and tracing.

As of Monday, 23,310 persons have been infected with coronavirus across the country of which 1,178 have been infected in Kathmandu Valley. On Monday 338 were found to be infected, 44 of them in the Valley. The death toll stands at 79, with eight in Kathmandu Valley, according to the Health Ministry.

On March 20, the government had banned all passengers, including Nepalis, from entering the country from the European Union territories, including the United Kingdom, West Asia, Gulf countries and countries like Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.

Four days later, it had imposed a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Foreign tourists arriving in Nepal have to stay in quarantine:

Foreign tourists arriving in Nepal have to stay in quarantine: On-arrival visa to be granted

30th July 2020 | Everest Expeditions Nepal 

KATHMANDU, July 30: Foreign tourists visiting Nepal through regular flights also have to stay in quarantine. Similarly, a certificate of COVID negative must be brought within 72 hours of coming to Nepal. Although tourists do not have to stay in quarantine for 14 days, they will have to stay quarantined in the booked hotel until the PCR report is received.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Dr. Jageshwor Gautam said that the tourist would have to stay at the hotel until the PCR test report is received. He said it would take at least six days for the report to come. "If the test is negative, they can go out. If it is positive, they have to stay in the hospital." The cost of PCR has to be paid by the tourists themselves. The Ministry of Health and Population has stated that this rule will come into force from August 17.

Similarly, Foreign tourists coming to Nepal will be given an on-arrival visa from August 17. Director-General of the Immigration Department Ramesh Kumar KC clarified that an on-arrival visa will be issued. But for that, the tourist has to show a report of corona negative within 72 hours and be ready to stay in

The 10 best treks in the World

A male hiker walks the trail to Key Summit on a sunny day along the Routeburn Track © Giantrabbit / Shutterstock

Ask experienced hikers for the best trek in the world and each will give you a different answer. But among the heated debates, there are a couple of trails that always tend to crop up.

These 10 classic treks are amongst the best on the planet; all of them require a sturdy pair of lungs, fit legs and a good amount of preparation. But the reward is an experience that lasts a lifetime.

France's GR20 trek is legendary for the diversity of landscapes it passes through © Franck Guiziou / Getty Images

1. GR20, France

This demanding 15-day (168km, 104mi) slog through Corsica is legendary for the diversity of landscapes it traverses. There are forests, granite moonscapes, windswept craters, glacial lakes, torrents, peat bogs, maquis, snow-capped peaks, plains and névés (stretches of ice formed from snow). But it doesn’t come easy: the path is rocky and sometimes steep, and includes rickety bridges and slippery rock faces – all part of the fun. Created in 1972, the GR20 links Calenzana, in the Balagne, with Conca, north of Porto Vecchio.

Epic hikes around the world

Hike some of the most epic trails around the world, from steep climbs through Zion National Park to sweeping, scenic vistas along the Hong Kong Trail.

2. Inca Trail, Peru

The 33km (20 mile) ancient trail to the hilltop citadel of Machu Picchu was laid by the Incas and brought to mainstream attention by Hiram Bingham when he 'discovered' it in 1911. In the centuries since, millions of hikers have flocked to catch a glimpse of the (not so) 'lost city', and as a consequence daily hikers on the trail were restricted to just 200 in 2018. The result is a more tranquil experience for those fortunate enough to get permits, and increased protection for the archaeological site, which was suffering under the strain of its popularity (and hikers should still take extra care to make sustainable choices when visiting).

The trail to the 15th-century city starts from the Sacred Valley, winding its way up and down and around the mountains and taking in three high passes en route. Views of white-tipped mountains and high cloud forest combine with the magic of walking from one cliff-hugging ruin to the next, all building up to the grand crescendo of that first sighting of the iconic stone settlement crowning a misty mountaintop.

3. Pays Dogon, Mali

‘The land of the Dogon people’ is one of Africa’s most breathtaking regions. A trek here can last anywhere between 2-10 days, and takes in the soaring cliffs of the Bandiagara escarpment inlaid with old abandoned cliff dwellings. Dogon villages dot the cliffs and are an extraordinary highlight of the journey. The Dogon are known for their masked stilt dancers, intricately carved doors and pueblo-like dwellings built into the side of the escarpment.

The Everest Base Camp trek is popular for the amazing scenery, but also the bragging rights on offer © Daniel Prudek / Shutterstock

4. Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Reaching a height of 5,545m (18,193ft) at Kala Pattar, this 2-3 week trek is extremely popular, thanks to its spectacular scenery but also romanticism; successful trekkers are able to proudly say they've stood at the base of the world's highest mountain.

The trail threads between small, characterful mountain villages en route to the famous campground and is trafficked by Sherpa people of the Solu Khumbu. The heights reached during this trek are literally dizzying until you acclimatise to the altitude, and the continuous cutting across valleys certainly has its ups and downs. Be warned: prime trekking season brings serious crowds.

Find out more about trekking to Everest Base Camp

Fewer trekkers frequent the trails on the Indian side of the Himalayas © Beerpixs / Getty Images

5. Indian Himalayas, India

Fewer folk trek on the Indian side of the world’s greatest mountain range. So, if isolation’s your thing try trekking in Himachal Pradesh. Hardcore hikers can try teetering along the mountain tops for 24 days from Spiti to Ladakh. This extremely remote and challenging walk follows ancient trade routes. The bleak high-altitude desert terrain inspired Rudyard Kipling to exclaim, "Surely the gods live here; this is no place for men".

6. Routeburn Track, New Zealand

See the stunning subalpine scenery of New Zealand’s South Island surrounding this medium 3-day (32km, 20mi) track. At the base of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, the trail passes through two national parks: Fiordland and Mt Aspiring. Highlights include the views from Harris Saddle and atop Conical Hill – from where you can see waves breaking on the distant beach. The main challenge for this popular hike is securing a place among the limited numbers who are allowed at any time.

Find out more about hiking the Routeburn Track

Australia's Overland Track snakes its way between Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair in Tasmania © G S Griffiths / 500px

7. Overland Track, Australia

Tasmania’s prehistoric-looking wilderness is most accessible on the 80km (50mi, 5-6 days) Overland Track. Snaking its way between Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair (Australia’s deepest natural freshwater lake), the well-defined path (boardwalked in parts) passes craggy mountains, beautiful lakes and tarns, extensive forests and moorlands. Those who want more can take numerous side walks leading to waterfalls, valleys and still more summits including Mount Ossa (1,617m, 5,305ft) – Tasmania's highest.

Hike, wade and swim your way through the Narrows in Zion National Park © beklaus / Getty Images

8. The Narrows, USA

A 26km (16mi) journey through dramatic canyons carved over centuries by the Virgin River, the Narrows in Zion National Park is a hike like no other. The route is the river, with over half of the hike spent wading and sometimes swimming. The hike can be traversed in a day, though some choose to take the hanging gardens and natural springs at a more leisurely pace – spending a night at one of the park’s 12 camp grounds.

Find out more about hiking in the Narrows

The Haute Route traverses some of the most scenic country in the Alps © Thomas Bekker / Getty Images

9. The Haute Route, France-Switzerland

Leading from Chamonix in France through the southern Valais to Zermatt in Switzerland, the Haute Route traverses some of the highest and most scenic country accessible to walkers anywhere in the Alps. The summer Haute Route walk (which takes a different course than the more famous winter skitouring route) takes around two weeks to complete. It mainly involves ‘pass hopping’ and demands a high level of fitness in every section.

The K2 base camp trek is only for real adventurers © Feng Wei / Getty Images

10. Baltoro Glacier & K2, Pakistan

This corridor of ice leads to the colossal peak of K2 (8,611m, 28,251ft), the world’s second-highest mountain. This incomparable trek in Pakistan traverses some of the most humbling scenery on the planet. What starts with a trail following icy rivers into the guts of the Baltoro Glacier transforms into a path to the granite pyramidal mountains, including Paiju (6,610m, 21,686ft), Uli Biaho (6,417m, 21,053ft), Great Trango Tower (6,286m, 20,623ft) and ultimately K2. If the 15 days doesn’t floor you, take amazing side trips to more moraine-covered glaciers. It's worth noting that treks here have to be organised with a registered tour operator. Additionally, the Foreign Office currently advises against travel to many parts of Pakistan. 

This article was first published in November 2010 and updated in June 2020.