Testimonial

I would already done the regular EBC trek, so I wanted something more challenging the second time around. The Three Passes route definitely delivered. Some days were long and there were moments when I wondered why I had decided to do this to myself. The high passes were the obvious challenge, but I actually found the constant ups and downs more tiring than I expected. Our guide was very good at keeping everyone together and not allowing people to get carried away on the easier sections. Crossing the passes felt like a proper achievement. If you have already done EBC and want something more demanding this is a completely different experience.

I chose 14 days because I didn't want to do the fastest possible EBC trek. That turned out to be a good call because I definitely had one bad day. Nothing dramatic, I was just tired, had a headache and didn't feel like walking quickly. Our guide noticed it before I even said much and slowed the group down. The next morning I was fine again. That experience made me appreciate why the itinerary isn't just about covering the distance as quickly as possible. I also liked the fact that we were not constantly arriving at the lodge late in the afternoon. There was usually enough time to shower, have tea and relax before dinner. For me 14 days felt like a sensible amount of time for the trek.

I picked the 16-day itinerary because I was more worried about altitude than the actual walking. That turned out to be the right decision. I had enough time to settle into the pace before things got serious higher up. The acclimatization day in Namche was particularly useful. We did a hike came back for lunch and then had a pretty relaxed afternoon. I remember thinking 'Okay, this is much better than trying to climb higher every single day' Later in the trek I still felt the altitude but I was not panicking about it because we had already taken things slowly. I also liked having days where we weren't constantly thinking about getting to the next village. If you have the time I think the 16 days are worth it.

I expected the mountains to be the main attraction, but the villages were what really stayed with me. We passed through places where daily life felt very different from what I'm used to. I liked stopping at the lodges and talking with people rather than simply walking through. The trek itself became more demanding as we climbed, especially around the higher sections. I was glad our guide didn't treat the itinerary like a race. Fourteen days gave us a good amount of time to experience the route without making it ridiculously long. It felt much more remote than some of the other treks I've done in Nepal.

I chose the Gurung Heritage trek because I wanted something that wasn't just about mountain views. That turned out to be a good decision. We spent time in villages and had opportunities to talk with local people, which made the trek feel different from the standard routes I've done before. One evening we were invited to watch part of a local cultural performance, and I honestly didn't know what was going on half the time, but it was still really enjoyable. The walking was moderate with some proper uphill sections. I liked that the mountains were there without being the only thing we were experiencing.

I was staying in Pokhara for a few days and wanted to do something beyond the usual sightseeing. The Dhampus Sarangkot trek was a good choice because it didn't take up my entire holiday. The walking wasn't too difficult, although there were some uphill sections that made me work more than I expected. I enjoyed staying in the villages rather than returning to the city every evening. Sarangkot was obviously busy around sunrise, but getting there on foot made it feel different from simply driving up for the view. It was short, but it felt like a proper little adventure.