Hikings in Nepal is different category, shorter route, lower altitude, and it fit nicely into just a long weekend instead of your whole holiday. For 2026, four hiking packages stand out, and each one is good for different kind of traveler.
This guide cover the top hiking destination in Nepal for 2026, best time to go, whether beginner can really do these hikes, what permit you need, and simple comparison so you can choose right one for you.
Top 4 Hiking Destinations In Nepal For 2026
Shivapuri National Park Hike – 1 Day
This is the one I send people on when they only have a single free day in Kathmandu. Shivapuri is Nepal’s youngest national park, established in 2002, spread across 159 square kilometres and four districts: Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchok, and Dhading. You enter through the Budhanilkantha gate and climb toward Shivapuri Peak, around 2,730 metres, then come back down to your own hotel bed that night. No tent, no sleeping bag.
Shivapuri National Park Hike is a leisurely-plus day out rather than a proper trek. September through November and March through May give the clearest weather, though the altitude is low enough that most other months work fine too.
Chisapani Nagarkot Hike – 4 Days
We start the Chisapani Nagarkot Hike with a short drive to Sundarijal, then walk into Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park itself, through forest and small villages until Chisapani, where the first night is spent. The second day crosses briefly with the Helambu trekking route before climbing to Nagarkot at 2,175 metres. On a clear morning you’ll see Annapurna, Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Dorje Lakpa, and Gauri Shankar. Everest is technically visible too, though it looks smaller than the closer ranges simply because it’s further away.
I’ve taken families with young kids and grandparents in their seventies on this one, so the easy rating isn’t just marketing. Thirty-five to forty kilometres over four days, from $350 per person, and it runs year-round. On the last day you can drive straight back or add a four to five hour walk to Changu Narayan Temple, a UNESCO site, before the vehicle picks you up. If the standard schedule doesn’t fit your dates, we’ll adjust it.
Dhulikhel Nagarkot Chagunarayan Hike – 6 Days
Dhulikhel Nagarkot Chagunarayan Hike route sits 32 kilometres northeast of Kathmandu Valley, and honestly it’s the one I recommend when someone tells me they care more about the villages than the summit photo. The trail climbs from Dhulikhel at 1,550 metres to Nagarkot at 2,175 metres, cutting through village paths and the occasional house yard, before continuing on toward Changu Narayan Temple.
At six days, it’s the longest hike on this list, and that extra time goes almost entirely into slowing down: more hours in Newari villages, fewer rushed mornings chasing the next viewpoint.
Dhampus Sarangkot Hike – 6 Days
Move the same idea over to the Pokhara side, and you get Dhampus Sarangkot Hike, which climbs to Australian Camp at 2,060 metres over roughly 30 kilometres, with 5 to 7 hours of walking on the busier days. Hotels, tea houses, and lodges are mixed in depending on where you stop.
Pricing starts at $535 solo, dropping to $365 for groups of 11 or more. Spring and autumn both deliver genuinely excellent views of the Annapurna range from Sarangkot, and this is the route I’d point a first-time trekker toward if Pokhara is their base rather than Kathmandu.
Best Time For Hiking In Nepal
Autumn and spring win out for all four routes, but not for identical reasons everywhere. Higher up, at Nagarkot and Australian Camp, clear autumn and spring skies are what make the mountain views worth the climb. Lower down, at Shivapuri, the weather matters less, since you’re mostly under tree cover anyway. Monsoon, June through August, is the one stretch I’d steer almost anyone away from regardless of route. Trails turn to mud, and the views you came for disappear behind cloud.
Can Beginners Hike In Nepal?
Yes. Chisapani Nagarkot and Dhampus Sarangkot are both built with beginners specifically in mind, not adjusted afterward to sound welcoming. The real distinction between these hikes and something like Everest Base Camp isn’t fitness level, it’s altitude and duration. None of the four climb high enough for altitude sickness to become a real concern, and even the longest, at six days, is shorter than most standard trekking itineraries. If you’re unsure whether you’re ready for a bigger trek, doing one of these first tells you a lot about how your body handles consecutive walking days.
Do Hikes In Nepal Also Require A Permit Like Treks?
Usually, yes, though which permit depends on the park. Chisapani Nagarkot needs a Shivapuri National Park Permit (NPR 1,000 for foreign nationals, NPR 600 for SAARC nationals, free under 10) and a separate Changu Narayan Entry Permit (NPR 400 foreign, NPR 250 SAARC) for the temple visit. Dhampus Sarangkot needs an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals and NPR 3,000 for everyone else, issued through the Nepal Tourism Board.
These are folded into the package price rather than something you pay for separately at a gate, so if you’re booking through a registered operator, this shouldn’t be something you need to think about. Shivapuri National Park Hike, since it passes through the same park Chisapani starts in, likely carries a similar entry fee, worth confirming when you book if it isn’t already spelled out.
Comparing Hikings In Nepal Options To Help Choose The Right Fit
| Hike Name | Duration | Difficulty | Best For | Main Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shivapuri National Park | 1 Day | Leisurely Plus | Beginners, time-strapped travelers | Back to your Kathmandu hotel the same night |
| Chisapani Nagarkot | 4 Days | Easy | Beginners, families, short-trek seekers | Sunrise views over Langtang, Ganesh Himal, and Everest |
| Dhulikhel Nagarkot Chagunarayan | 6 Days | Leisurely Plus | Families, cultural explorers | Newari village life and wide Himalayan views |
| Dhampus Sarangkot | 6 Days | Easy | Beginners, mountain lovers | Some of the best Annapurna views around |
