Nepal has a trekking problem. The peaks are extraordinary, but they’ve become the whole story. Look past them and you’ll find an ancient culture, deep warmth, and a pace of life that’s just as compelling.
When we trek, we trek gently: shorter walks, the culture (not the summit) as the point and somewhere comfortable to come back to. Everyday life unfolds in the temple squares and hillside villages. In Panauti, you’ll meet Shila; the pioneer who launched the region’s first homestay back in 2012. Step into her family kitchen, roll up your sleeves, and make yomari and chatamari with her for a taste of real Newari cooking.
Bhaktapur and Patan are often squeezed in as day trips from Kathmandu. They were once rival kingdoms, each with its own royal square, so rather than driving out and back, we stay in one or the other at the start or end of a trip. Expect a home-cooked breakfast more often than a hotel buffet, and quiet temples like Changu Narayan rather than the monuments everyone else photographs.
Every trip we design includes time with the Community Homestay Network, whether an overnight stay or a shared experience. None of this means roughing it: hotels like Shinta Mani Mustang hold their own against anywhere in Asia.
We design trips you wouldn’t have known to ask us for. Find three of them below.
Our Unique Holidays in Nepal
Relaxing, immersive, life-affirming adventures that show you the best of the destination. Packed with experiences that connect you to the country and are kind to its people and environment.
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In Our Travellers’ Words
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Experience in Nepal
Everything we had hoped for and more
Explore Experiences in Nepal
Immersive experiences sit at the heart of ETG. Each one is specially designed to confound preconceptions and share magical, memorable, and truly exceptional moments.
Meet Our Experts
“If you’d like to go wildlife spotting in Chitwan, ask me about the early-morning canoe ride. It’s magic.”
Sara
Nepal Specialist
Nepal Hotels, Chosen In-House
Plenty of polished, highly rated hotels in Nepal don’t make the cut for our collection. The ones that do have something special: a proper sense of place, a distinct atmosphere, and hosts who are genuinely glad you came. Some are grand, some are simple, but they all have enough character to stick in your memory. Here are the hotels we keep coming back to, alongside a few off-the-beaten-path finds you’d be hard-pressed to find by yourself.
Important FAQs about Nepal
Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the classic trekking seasons, with clear skies and the best mountain views. Winter is cold at altitude but often beautifully clear and very quiet in the cities. The monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain in most of the country, though the rain-shadow regions of the Mustang and Dolpo are drier and draw their own kind of traveller. The best timing depends on what you’re coming for.
Ten days to two weeks gives you real depth without rushing. Kathmandu alone warrants three or four days if you go beyond the main squares. Add Bhaktapur or Patan, time in the valleys, Chitwan, and any walking, and two weeks fills quickly. If you want a serious trek, three weeks is more realistic. We’ll be straightforward about what the time you have can support.
Not particularly. We design trips for a wide range of fitness levels, and most of our itineraries aren’t built around high-altitude trekking. When we include walking, we trek gently: shorter distances, somewhere comfortable to return to, and the culture as the point, not the summit. If you want a more serious trek, we can design around that too. The conversation starts with what you want to get out of the trip, not how many days on a trail you can manage.
No, and we’d push back on that framing. The medieval city squares of Bhaktapur and Patan are extraordinary: rival kingdoms with their own royal squares, temples, and living traditions. Chitwan in the south is one of the best places in Asia to see rhinos and tigers. The valley homestays, the community cooking sessions, the scholars and artists we can introduce you to in Kathmandu: none of this requires a trek. Nepal rewards the traveller who looks past the peaks.
Not in the usual sense. Every Experience Travel Group trip to Nepal is private and designed for the person taking it, but we don’t do “tailor-made”, and that’s deliberate. Because “tailor-made” assembles a trip around what you asked for, from hotels and tours anyone can book. We design around why you’re travelling, using experiences we’ve built ourselves, boutique hotels we’ve scouted out and matched to you, and trusted guides and drivers we’ve worked with for years. That lets us reach parts of the country you wouldn’t have known to ask for.
- All your accommodation in hand-picked, characterful hotels
- Private drivers throughout
- Carefully chosen local guides
- All activities and experiences (some secret!)
- Entrance fees to national parks and cultural sites
- Many meals and snacks throughout
- All regional transport
- International flights on request
- 24/7 in-country support
Nepal offers so much more than trekking. With ETG, you’ll experience sacred temples, charming hill towns, and rich cultural heritage alongside breathtaking valley views. Our expert guides and local partners ensure you discover the country’s hidden corners in comfort.