Short Treks in Nepal: 9 Treks of 5 to 8 Days

Short treks in Nepal take 5 to 8 days door to door, and we run nine of them in the Annapurna, Langtang and Everest regions and on the rim of the Kathmandu valley, topping out between 2,175 m and 4,984 m. Two people pay from USD 380 each on the 5 Days Mardi Himal Trek, which starts in Pokhara, to USD 845 each on the Poon Hill Ghandruk Yoga Trek, and larger groups pay less.

Each one fits a first taste of trekking in the Himalayas into a short holiday, with permits included. Three drive north from Kathmandu on the road the 26 August 2026 flood destroyed, so read Is Nepal Safe to Trek After the 2026 Flood? before you book one of those.

Best Short Treks in Nepal Compared

Our nine short treks in Nepal compare like this on walking days, highest point, grade and price; all start and end in Kathmandu except the 5 Days Mardi Himal Trek, which runs from Pokhara. The best short trek for a first trekking experience is the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek: 3 days on foot, a top of 3,210 m and an easy grade.

Price per person for two, from each trip's group pricing. Gosaikunda, Chisapani Nagarkot and Dudh Kunda have no price for two yet.

For longer treks, see Best Treks in Nepal.

Pikey Peak Trek, Khopra Danda Trek and Other Short Treks

Lists of popular short treks also name the Pikey Peak trek, Khopra Danda trek, Mohare Danda trek, Everest View trek, Everest Panorama trek, Balthali Village trek, Helambu trek and Kalinchowk trek. We do not run fixed departures on those trekking routes; send your dates through the Trip Planner for a quote. A Ghandruk trek is covered by our Poon Hill loop, which passes through the village.

Short Trek from Pokhara: Mardi Himal or Poon Hill

The 5 Days Mardi Himal Trek is our only short trek that starts and ends in Pokhara, so it needs no drive from Kathmandu. Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna Region of Nepal, and three more of our treks drive out of Pokhara to their trailheads on day 2.

5 Days Mardi Himal Trek

Mardi Himal is a relatively new trek in the Annapurna region, opened to trekkers in 2012. The trek starts at Kande, a short drive from Pokhara, climbs for two days through rhododendron forest to High Camp and reaches the Mardi Himal View Point (4,200 m) at sunrise on day 4. The trek offers close views of Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) and Hiunchuli in the Annapurna range. Expect 3 to 7 hours of walking a day on steep ground. USD 380 each for two, USD 294 in a group of 11 to 20.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is one of the most popular trekking routes in the Annapurna region, and a popular trek for families and first time trekkers. A jeep takes you to Ulleri on day 2 and you walk up to Ghorepani (2,860 m). On day 3 you climb to the Poon Hill viewpoint (3,210 m), and sunrise at Poon Hill gives mountain views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, then the trek passes Tadapani and the Gurung village of Ghandruk. Walking days run 5 to 6 hours. USD 610 each for two, USD 488 in a group of 11 to 20.

Short Treks Near Kathmandu: Kathmandu Valley and Langtang

Four short treks start in Kathmandu and need no flight: the Chisapani Nagarkot Hike, Tamang Heritage Trek, Gosaikunda Short Trek and Langtang Valley Trek. Only the Chisapani Nagarkot Hike avoids the road to Dhunche and Syabrubesi that the flood destroyed. For a short and easy trek or a 1 day hike from Thamel, see Easy Treks in Nepal.

Chisapani Nagarkot Hike

A trekking trail along the valley rim: Sundarijal to Chisapani, Chisapani to Nagarkot (2,175 m), then down to Changunarayan and back by road, with nights in hotels and lodges along the trek. Price on request.

Tamang Heritage Trek

A cultural experience more than a mountain one: six days through the Tamang villages of Gatlang, Tatopani, Thuman and Briddhim, up to the Nagthali viewpoint (3,165 m), walking about 6 hours a day. Our status board of 9 September 2026 lists it as closed, because it starts and ends at Syabrubesi.

Gosaikunda Short Trek

The bus goes to Dhunche (2,023 m), day 2 climbs to Chandanwari (3,311 m) and on day 3 you reach the sacred Gosaikunda lake and sleep at 4,380 m. Treat it as an altitude trek and ask us about acclimatisation before booking.

Langtang Valley Trek

The Langtang trek runs eight days via Lama Hotel and Langtang Village to Kyanjin Gompa (3,870 m), with an optional climb of Tserko Ri (4,984 m) or Kyanjin Ri (4,600 m). The trail is intact, but with the Syabrubesi road gone the walk in starts at Sundarijal, which is longer and harder than the 8 day version.

5 Day Trek in Nepal

Four of our short treks take 5 days: Poon Hill, the 5 day Mardi, Chisapani Nagarkot and Gosaikunda. The difference is time on foot. Mardi walks all 5 days, while the other three walk for 3 and spend the rest on the road. If you are short on time, Poon Hill is the answer to a 3 day trek or 4 day trek in Nepal.

7 Days Trek in Nepal

With 7 days you can reach 4,500 m: the 7 Days Mardi Himal Trek climbs to its base camp for USD 691 each for two. Other options of 6 to 8 days:

• Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek: 7 days, our only trek in the Everest region under a week, to the Dudh Kunda lake (4,560 m). From USD 750.
• Poon Hill Ghandruk Yoga Trek: 6 days with a yoga teacher and sessions twice a day, USD 845 each for two.

Highest point of each short trek, from the trip files. Five of the nine go above 4,000 m.

Short Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Ours takes 9 days: the Annapurna Base Camp Trek reaches 4,130 m for USD 820 each for two. We have no short ABC trek of 5 to 8 days.

Short Everest Base Camp Trek

No walking route reaches Everest Base Camp in 5 to 8 days; our shortest takes 11. The Everest Base Camp Trek With Helicopter Return walks to Kala Patthar (5,545 m) and flies you back, at USD 2,315 each for 2 or 3 people, and the standard trek takes 14 days. Inside a week, the Everest region of Nepal has two options with us:

• Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek: 7 days to 4,560 m, flying to Phaplu.
• Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour: 1 day from Kathmandu, flying over the base camp with stops at Lukla and the Everest View Hotel at Syangboche. USD 1,350 each for two, USD 1,070 each for five.

Poon Hill vs Mardi Himal: Which Short Trek?

Choose Poon Hill for the lowest altitude and an easy grade; choose Mardi Himal to stand under Machhapuchhre at 4,200 m or 4,500 m inside a week.

Poon Hill has the busier sunrise; the Mardi ridge sees fewer trekkers but needs fitness for steep ground. Our Mardi Himal Trek Guide: Itinerary, Cost and Difficulty covers the route day by day.

Best Time for Short Treks in Nepal

March to May and September to November are the best months for short treks in Nepal, and most of the nine list exactly those months. October and November bring the clearest views on the Mardi trail, and in spring the Poon Hill forests bloom red, pink and white with rhododendron. If you travel to Nepal in the monsoon, expect slippery trails and a risk of landslides; from December to February the Gosaikunda lake freezes.