Choosing a trek

The honest starting question is not which trek is best, it is which trek fits the time you have and the altitude you are comfortable reaching. A first Himalayan walk does not have to go above 4,000 m to be worth the flight.

Every route below lists its maximum altitude, its daily walking hours and the acclimatisation built into it. If a route is a stretch for your fitness we will say so before you book rather than after.

What is true of all of them

• Private, not group joining by default. You walk with your own party and your own guide. If you would rather join an existing group, ask, and we will tell you honestly whether one exists on your dates.
• Permits are inside the price. National park and conservation area fees, TIMS where it applies, and restricted-area permits where they apply, are all in the figure you see.
• Insurance is required. It has to cover trekking to the maximum altitude of your route, and helicopter evacuation. We check the policy before departure.
• The mountain decides. Weather, flights and altitude can change a plan. Your guide has the authority to alter the route for safety, and that is not a failure of the trip.