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Category: Start Here

Read these first before booking a Nepal trek.

Best Nepal Treks for Americans: The Complete 2026 Guide

Trekkers on the trail to Everest Base Camp in Nepal

Honest, opinionated 2026 guide to every major Nepal trek from someone who has been seven times. All 8 treks compared with real costs, days, and the catch for each.

First Time in Nepal Alone: An American’s Guide

Traditional Nepalese mountain village

Going to Nepal solo as an American is one of the best solo trips on earth. Here is the honest guide to safety, logistics, and how to do it right.

Everest Base Camp vs Annapurna Base Camp: Which Trek Should You Do?

Snow peaks above the Annapurna Base Camp trek in Nepal

After seven Nepal trips, here’s my honest take on Everest Base Camp vs Annapurna Base Camp, who each trek is for, and how to choose between them.

Common Mistakes I See People Make Planning a Nepal Trek

Traditional Nepalese mountain village

Ten mistakes I see Americans make planning Nepal treks, from cramming too much in to skipping insurance, with the fixes I’d give a friend.

Best Nepal Trek for First-Time Trekkers

Derik, his daughter Callie, and their Third Rock guide Kewal at the Poon Hill summit sign, 3,210 m, on the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek.

After 7 Nepal trips and treks with both my daughters, here’s what I’d actually pick for a first-time trekker, and why Annapurna Base Camp wins.

Get the Nepal Trek Decision Toolkit

A practical guide to choosing the right trek, budgeting realistically, and asking the right operator questions.

Nepal Trekking Insider logo — honest trek advice from Derik Goodman

Independent Nepal trekking guidance for North American travelers.

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About Derik Goodman
  • How I Pick Who to Recommend
  • Why I Recommend Third Rock
  • Planning Guides
  • Ask Derik

Destinations

  • Kathmandu Valley
  • Pokhara
  • Gokyo Lakes
  • Everest Base Camp
  • Langtang Valley
  • Three Passes Trek
  • Annapurna Base Camp
  • Annapurna Circuit

Contact

  • Minneapolis
  • derik@nepaltrekkinginsider.com

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Full disclosure: I recommend one operator, Third Rock Adventures, and I earn a small referral fee when readers book through them, at no extra cost to you. That is how this site stays free. I only recommend them because I have trekked with them seven times across multiple regions and they have never let me down, including the time their owner personally got me on a helicopter out of Lukla when the airport had been closed for days.

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