Preparation

Three months of preparation is the baseline for most treks. Six months is better. A twelve-month preparation period is ideal for Manaslu Circuit or a full Annapurna Circuit with Thorong La.

3-month baseline (Mardi Himal, Langtang Valley, or a comfortable EBC). Weeks 1–4: two walks per week of 1.5–2 hours on flat or gently hilly terrain. One strength session per week. Weeks 5–8: two walks per week at 2–3 hours on hilly terrain, carrying a 5 kg daypack. One strength session. One cardio session 30–45 minutes. Weeks 9–12: one long walk per week at 4–5 hours on varied terrain with a 5–7 kg daypack, plus strength, cardio, and two shorter walks.

6-month plan for EBC, Annapurna Circuit, or Gokyo Lakes: same structure, extended. The critical addition is practicing multi-day back-to-back walking on weekends two consecutive 4-hour days minimum.

12-month plan for Manaslu Circuit: adds altitude-specific preparation (if you live near any 2,000m+ elevation, train there regularly) and includes one practice multi-day trek in a mountain environment during months 9–10.

If you live at sea level and have never walked on altitude before, the Kathmandu Pre-Trek Altitude Preparation Session is where we introduce you to the altitude-adapted breathing techniques that help you acclimatize faster.

Yes to both. Since April 2023, a licensed guide is required for foreign travellers in the Annapurna region, and every LHJ departure includes one. You also need an ACAP permit (the Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit), which we arrange and include.

A TIMS card is officially required by the Nepal Tourism Board but is currently not enforced at Annapurna trailheads. We treat it as optional and will arrange it on request if you prefer. The standard Manang valley does not need any restricted-area permit.

Footwear: broken-in hiking boots with ankle support (the most important single item bring boots you have already walked 50+ km in). Trekking socks (merino wool, 3–4 pairs). Camp shoes or sandals for the lodge in the evening.

Layers (critical at altitude): base layer top and bottom (merino wool or synthetic cotton is dangerous when wet). Mid layer fleece or light insulated top. Insulated jacket rated to at least -10°C. Waterproof / windproof outer shell jacket and pants. Trekking trousers and shorts.

Head, hands, small gear: sun hat with a brim. Warm hat. Buff or neck gaiter. Glove system (liner gloves plus an insulated outer glove). Sunglasses with UV400 / category 4 at altitude. Trekking poles. Headlamp with spare batteries. Daypack 25–35 liters.

Other: water bottle (we provide one in the Welcome Kit) and a LifeStraw or SteriPen as backup. Personal first aid additions (blister care, ibuprofen, prescription meds, Diamox if your doctor has prescribed it). Sunscreen SPF 50+ and lip balm with SPF.

What we provide: the professionally cleaned -20°C sleeping bag with silk liner, the pulse oximeter, supplemental oxygen, and the comprehensive first aid kit. You do not need to bring a sleeping bag.

Can you rent gear in Kathmandu? Yes. Kathmandu's Thamel district has dozens of gear shops offering rentals for trekking boots, down jackets, sleeping bags (though we provide ours), poles, and more. Quality varies our pre-trek documentation includes a vetted list of shops we recommend and rough rental prices. Boots are the one exception do not rent boots. Bring broken-in boots from home.

Yes, for many people it is, but go in honestly. Arrive in good walking condition, accept that the two acclimatisation days are fixed, and tell your guide the truth about how you feel each day. The trek is forgiving of inexperience if you are fit and patient; it is unforgiving of people who rush the altitude.

Diamox (acetazolamide) is a prescription medication that helps the body acclimatize to altitude faster by accelerating breathing. It is effective for preventing acute mountain sickness (AMS) but is not a substitute for proper acclimatization, and it has side effects.

This is a medical decision between you and your doctor not a decision LHJ makes for you. We cannot prescribe it, we cannot advise whether it is appropriate for your specific medical profile, and we will never pressure you one way or the other.

What we can tell you honestly: Diamox is commonly prescribed for trekkers going above 3,500m, especially for those with no prior altitude experience. Side effects include tingling in hands and feet, increased urination (plan for night bathroom trips), altered taste (carbonated drinks taste flat), and occasional fatigue. Diamox is a sulfa drug if you are allergic to sulfa medications, do not take it. It does not replace descent as the treatment for altitude sickness.

If you decide to take it, your doctor will prescribe a typical regimen: 125mg twice daily starting one day before ascent above 3,500m, continuing through the high-altitude portion of the trek, tapering off during descent. Bring enough for the full duration.

If you choose not to take it, that is equally valid. Proper acclimatization slow ascent, rest days, hydration, the altitude-adapted breathing techniques from our Kathmandu Pre-Trek Session is the foundational strategy.

Yes, the glaciated section near the top of the Cho La needs crampons or microspikes, depending on the season and conditions, and we provide them as part of the trek. We treat this as basic safety kit, not an optional rental you sort out yourself or find you need at the last teahouse. You do not need to be an ice climber to use them; your guide shows you how on the day and sets the line across the ice. You should still bring sturdy, broken-in boots that the crampons or microspikes can fit.

Yes. Our B2B product is called Journey-Plus a fixed logistical chassis with modular programming slots, designed specifically for retreat leaders, studio owners, men's group facilitators, corporate wellness coordinators, and adventure coaching businesses.

The structure: LHJ controls the trek route, lodge sequence, safety protocols, and porter logistics the operational chassis that cannot be negotiated because it is built around altitude acclimatization and client safety. You control morning sessions, evening sessions, rest-day programming, menu preferences, and group framing the modular slots that let you layer your own retreat product on top of the chassis.

Wholesale pricing for The Journey tier starts at $1,600 per participant, and retreat leaders typically sell their retreats at $3,500–$5,000 per participant with their own programming layered in.

We protect your client relationships with a written non-solicitation clause we do not market to your clients, ever, during or after the trek.

The first conversation is a 30-minute Zoom call with the CEO and the CSO. Qualified prospects are invited on a Familiarization (FAM) Trek a subsidized trip where you experience the LHJ product firsthand before committing to a partnership. FAM Trek qualification criteria are published on the /partners page.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are best, with clear skies and stable weather. Because the valley sits in the Himalayan rain-shadow, it stays relatively dry even at the edges of the monsoon. Winter is possible but cold, and some facilities close and flights cancel more often. In every season the mornings are calm and the afternoons windy and dusty.

Two windows. Post-monsoon autumn (late September to late November) is the prime season clearest atmospheric conditions, longest views of the Manaslu massif, stable weather across the pass. October is peak; November shoulder. Pre-monsoon spring (March to early May) is the secondary window rhododendron forests in bloom at lower altitudes, longer daylight, generally clear mornings but increasing afternoon cloud build-up. April is the strongest spring month. Winter (December to February) is possible for experienced mountaineers but the Larkya La pass is frequently closed by snow; LHJ does not operate this trek between mid-December and mid-February. Summer monsoon (June to early September) is strongly discouraged torrential rain, landslide-prone trails in the lower Budhi Gandaki gorge, and leech infestations. We do not offer the trek in monsoon. Book your dates four to six months in advance for October departures; lodge availability in the upper valley is genuinely limited in peak season.

Tiji is a three-day Tibetan-Buddhist festival in Lo Manthang, set by the monastery on the lunar calendar, usually in May. The strongest current indication for 2027 is the 1st to 3rd of June, though the date is confirmed only a few months ahead, so treat it as provisional until then. The Transformation tier can be timed to Tiji as an optional departure. If timing your trek to the festival matters to you, tell us early so we can confirm the dates and secure lodging, which is tight during the festival.

Jomsom is among the windiest inhabited places in Nepal, and this is the one thing most descriptions understate. Mornings are usually calm and clear; by early afternoon the valley funnels strong, predictable gusts carrying fine dust. It is uncomfortable rather than dangerous. We schedule the day around it where we can, and we recommend a buff, sealed sunglasses, and lip balm.

This trek demands a robust baseline of cardiovascular fitness and joint condition. You will walk five to nine hours a day across uneven, often steep terrain totalling 125 kilometres on foot over eleven trekking days, with a cumulative elevation gain of approximately 4,500 metres and the same back down. The pass day alone is sixteen kilometres with 650 metres of ascent and 1,600 metres of descent. Realistic preparation is three to four months of structured training: long aerobic sessions (running, cycling, swimming) two to three times per week, hill-walking or stair-climbing with a 5–8 kg pack once or twice per week, and bodyweight strength work for knees and core. If you can comfortably complete a six-hour day hike with 800 metres of elevation gain at lower altitudes, you are physically ready for the Manaslu Circuit. If you have not done a multi-day trek before, we recommend doing one at lower altitude (Ghorepani–Poon Hill, for example) before this one. Pre-existing knee, back, or cardiac conditions warrant a serious conversation with your doctor and with us before booking.

Yes, and this is one of the region's genuine advantages. Upper Mustang sits in the rain-shadow north of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs, so it stays largely dry through June, July, and August when most of Nepal is under monsoon rain. It is one of the few Himalayan treks that works well in summer. The trade-off is that the approach through the lower valley can still see rain and the occasional flight delay, which is why we build a buffer day into the schedule.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the two main seasons. Autumn gives the clearest, most stable mountain weather and is the most popular. Spring brings rhododendron blooms lower down and longer days. Winter is possible but the pass can be blocked by snow and the high nights are very cold. The summer monsoon, June to August, brings rain, cloud, landslide risk on the roads, and leeches lower down, so we do not recommend it for this route. The pass itself can hold snow in any shoulder season, which affects timing on the day.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the two main seasons. Autumn gives the clearest, most stable mountain weather and is the most popular. Spring brings rhododendron blooms on the forested sections lower down. Winter is possible but cold, with real avalanche risk on the approach to the Sanctuary after snow. The summer monsoon, June to August, brings rain, cloud, leeches in the forest and landslide risk on the roads, so we do not recommend it. The Dovan to Deurali stretch is the part most affected by snow and rain conditions, which is why timing and guide judgement matter on those days.

Honestly, we would not recommend it as a first time at altitude. This is the hardest trek we run, with a glaciated 5420 m pass and three objectives over 5300 m, and it suits trekkers who already have some multi-day walking and ideally some altitude behind them. If you are set on the Everest region for a first high-altitude trek, the standalone Everest Base Camp or Gokyo Lakes routes are better starting points, and you could come back for the full Khumbu circuit later. If you do have some altitude experience and good fitness, this trek is achievable with honest preparation and respect for the pacing.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the two main seasons. Autumn gives the clearest, most stable mountain weather and is the most popular, with the lake at its deepest turquoise. Spring brings warmer days and rhododendron blooms lower down. Winter is hard on this route: heavy snow often blocks the trail to the lake and closes the upper teahouses, so we do not recommend it for most trekkers. The summer monsoon brings rain and landslide risk on the lower approach, though the upper valley sits partly in a rain shadow. The landslide section near Base Camp is more sensitive to snow and wet, which is another reason the two main seasons are the right windows.

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are best - stable weather and clear mountain views. Monsoon (June to August) brings leeches, slippery trails and landslide risk on the road. Winter is possible but cold, with some snow on the viewpoint climbs.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November. These give the most stable weather for the pass, which is the deciding factor. Manang sits in the Annapurna rain shadow, but the road in is vulnerable to monsoon landslides in summer, and winter can close the pass with snow.

Within those windows, the pass weather and the few high-camp teahouses are the things to plan around. We book the high camps ahead in peak season because they fill quickly.

The trek starts and ends in Pokhara, and getting there from Kathmandu is arranged by you rather than included in the price, so you are not paying us a margin on a ticket you can buy directly. You have two options. The road takes around eight to nine hours by tourist bus or private vehicle, longer than it used to be because of ongoing construction, and it is the cheaper choice. The flight takes about twenty-five minutes and usually costs in the region of 130 US dollars one way, saving you most of a day. Once you are in Pokhara, the transfer to the Kande trailhead is included and you start walking the same morning. We are happy to advise on bookings.

It can, on the right tier and with honest preparation, but go in clear-eyed. The pass at 5416 m is genuinely high and altitude affects everyone, so a first-timer should choose a tier with more acclimatisation built in. The Journey, starting lower with a Manang rest day, or The Transformation with its second acclimatisation night, suit a careful first high-altitude trekker better than the faster Trail. You should be comfortable walking several consecutive long days beforehand. What matters most is not raw fitness but respecting the pacing, telling your guide how you feel, and being willing to slow down or descend if your body asks for it.

It can, on the right tier and with honest preparation. Base Camp at 4130 m is high but well below the big pass treks, the trek is relatively short, and the trail is well supported with teahouses, which makes it a popular first Himalayan trek. The main things to respect are the steep stone staircases, which are hard on legs not used to them, and the fast climb on the Base Camp day. A first-timer is well suited to The Journey, paced properly, or The Transformation with its extra acclimatisation night. Train by walking consecutive days with some hills beforehand, and on the trek itself, pace honestly and tell your guide how you feel.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from late September to November, are the two seasons for this trek. Autumn gives the clearest, most stable mountain weather and is the most reliable for the pass. Spring is warmer lower down with longer days. Winter is possible lower on the route but the Cho La is often blocked by snow and is best avoided then, and the summer monsoon brings cloud, rain and flight delays. The pass can hold snow in any shoulder season, which is part of why crampons or microspikes are provided and why the crossing is timed for an early, firm-snow start.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from late September to November, are the two reliable windows. Autumn tends to give the clearest skies and the most vivid lake colour after the monsoon; spring brings rhododendron lower down and can leave a little ice on the high lakes early on.

Winter is intensely cold at Gokyo's altitude and some teahouses close; the monsoon, from June to August, brings cloud, leeches lower down and a high chance of flight delays. We run the trek in spring and autumn for good reason, and even then we plan around the fact that Lukla flights can be held up by weather in any season.