Trekking in Nepal: How to Prepare

Last updated: 30 September 2026

For Bangladeshis, the Himalayas are closer than most people realise. Dhaka to Kathmandu is a short flight, and your first tourist visa of the year is free. The trekking itself is very doable for a reasonably fit person. The trips that go wrong usually go wrong for two reasons: people didn't train, or they climbed too fast.

Choose a trek that matches you

For a first trek, Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp is the sensible choice. Everest Base Camp is a big undertaking, so build up to it.

Go at the right time

October and November give the clearest mountain views, and it's the busiest season for that reason. March to May is the other good window, when the rhododendrons are in bloom. Winter works for lower treks if you don't mind the cold. Avoid June to September: rain, leeches and clouds that hide the mountains you came to see.

Your visa

SAARC nationals, including Bangladeshis, get a free tourist visa on their first visit in a visa year, and you can get it on arrival at Tribhuvan airport in Kathmandu. A second visit in the same year is charged. The Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka lists 30 days multiple entry at Tk 6,050.

Permits and guides

Since April 2023, foreign trekkers in most regions must walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. It's also safer, and a good guide makes the trek more enjoyable.

You'll also need a TIMS card (SAARC nationals pay a reduced rate of around NPR 300–600) and a park or conservation-area permit such as ACAP for Annapurna. SAARC rates are discounted there too. The Everest region uses a local Khumbu municipality permit instead of TIMS. Fees change often, so we confirm them when we book.

Train for six to eight weeks

You don't need to be an athlete, but you do need legs that can climb for five or six hours, day after day.

• Do some cardio four times a week: brisk walking, cycling or jogging, 40–60 minutes.
• Climb stairs with a 5–7 kg backpack. Twenty to thirty floors in a Dhaka building is good practice.
• Add squats, lunges and step-ups two or three times a week.
• Take a 3–4 hour walk every weekend in the boots you'll trek in.

Take the altitude seriously

Above 3,000 m, raise the altitude you sleep at by no more than about 300–500 m a day, and take rest days. Drink 3–4 litres of water a day and skip alcohol. Headache, nausea, dizziness or breathlessness at rest are warning signs. If they get worse, the answer is to go down, not to push on. See your doctor before the trip, and buy travel insurance that covers trekking and helicopter evacuation up to your highest altitude.

What to pack

• Waterproof boots you've already broken in, and 3–4 pairs of wool socks
• Layers: a thermal base, a fleece, a down jacket and a waterproof shell
• A warm hat, a sun hat, gloves, UV sunglasses and SPF 50
• A sleeping bag rated to about −10°C for higher treks (you can rent one in Kathmandu or Pokhara)
• Trekking poles, a head torch, water bottles and purification tablets
• A small medicine kit, blister plasters and snacks from home
• Cash in Nepali rupees, because ATMs disappear once you're on the trail

On money

Tea-house trekking is cheap, but prices rise with altitude. Hot showers, phone charging and Wi-Fi often cost extra up high, so carry more cash than you think you'll need.

How we can help

We book flights from Dhaka, sort out permits, a licensed guide and porters, hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and an itinerary with proper acclimatisation built in. You train and pack. Add a couple of days in Pokhara by the lake, or around Kathmandu's Durbar Square, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath.

Common questions

Do Bangladeshis need a visa for Nepal?

Yes, but the first one each visa year is free and available on arrival in Kathmandu.

Can I trek without a guide?

Not in most regions. Since 2023 a licensed guide has been required for foreign trekkers.

Sources: Embassy of Nepal, Dhaka, Nepal trekking permits and fees 2026. Always check current rules before you travel.