From the rolling country of the Himalayan foothills to seriously high-altitude treks on rock and ice, many of these lesser-known routes have been united under the banner of the Great Himalayan Trail, which officially opened in September 2011 in a bid to encourage tourists to explore more of the country.

(TRAVPR.COM) NEPAL - August 28th, 2015 - The Nepalese Himalayas is one of the world's greatest trekking destinations. It is a land of snow peaks and fluttering prayer flags, yak caravans and epic mountain adventures.

Many of the trekkers that flock to Nepal test themselves on two classic walking expeditions: the Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit treks. But many excellent hikes hide in the shadows of these two treks, promising fewer crowds and greater solitude and also the chance to make a positive difference in the poorest areas of the country.

From the rolling country of the Himalayan foothills to seriously high-altitude treks on rock and ice, many of these lesser-known routes have been united under the banner of the Great Himalayan Trail, which officially opened in September 2011 in a bid to encourage tourists to explore more of the country. In the Nepal section alone there is a mind-blowing 1700km of tracks, divided into 10 different sections. Below, ordered from west to east, is a selection of the best of them.

Rara Lake

Rara Lake has been a popular destination with a very rough route in Western Nepal for Trekkers. The glimpses of culture and scenery on the way is quite different from the rest of Nepal. Situated in high altitude, you can find the lake surrounded by Rara National Park with pine, spruce and juniper forest. The view of snow capped Himalayan Peaks enhances the attraction of trekkers. The trek begins with flight to Jumla. Going along the mountain path and some village one can reach the bank of Rara Lake.

Dolpo Jomsom Trek

Dolpo is a far-flung and mystique gem of Nepal. Bound to the east and south by the towering Dhaulagiri and Churey ranges respectively, this secluded corner of Nepal was derestricted for international tourist access only in 1989. It’s only since then that the flavor and fragrance of modernity and development gradually began to smear up on this region, albeit trekking along some of the places in this region, you might just feel that time has been stagnant for centuries as you see the inhabitants (mainly Gurungs and Magars) still indulged in the orthodox way of life. “Ba-yul”, is the local nomenclature for Dolpo, which literally means “the hidden land”. Dolpo is fortressed by the Shey Phoksundo National Park (3555 sq km), Nepal’s largest. The Tibetan style villages in Tarap, the big mountains and monasteries perched at unlikely places, the high passes (Kagmara La, Numa La, Baga La) and people’s inclination towards the “pre-Buddhist Bon Po” religion, make this place even more special. Watch out for the extensive range of floras and faunas. Carry your lucky charm with you…you might just stumble upon the legendary snow leopards!!

Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek

This trek approaches the South Face Base Camp of the world's third highest peak, Kanchenjunga (8598m) which lies in the eastern frontier of Nepal. Mt. Kanchenjunga, one of the world's most challenging peaks to climb, geographically lies on the Nepal-Sikkim (India) border.

The trek begins right after landing at a STOL airstrip in Taplejung and goes through fascinating green, crop growing villages and pristine forests to the awe-inspiring South Face Base Camp at Ramche at (4580m), before crossing to the north side of Kanchenjunga via the Mirgin La, the highest pass at (4663m).

The glacial excursion around Ramche is truly an unforgettable experience. The return trek via Ghunsa is easier as most of the path passes along the river valley.

http://www.marrontreks.com

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