Bonjour, ayant mon mois de mars à poser en congés (environ 3 semaines) j'aimerais faire un trek au népal.
Je n'arrive pas à me décider, annapurnas ou manaslu ?
Qui de vous pourrait me conseiller ? les paysages sont ils plus sauvages et grandioses autour du manaslu ? ya t'il moins de routes ?
En mars ne fait il pas trop froid ?
Merçi de vos réponses.
Poir avoir fait le tour des Annapurnas en septembre-octobre 2001, et le tour du Manaslu en mars-avril 2006 :météo : au printemps plus de risque de grosses neiges aux Thorung La ou Larkya La je pense (mais neige possible à l'automne quand même !) ; les 2 cols sont à la même altitude sinonfréquentation touristique : boulevard à touristes côté Annapurnas, personne côté Manaslu ...quelques routes sur les Annapurnas (début et fin), aucune côté Manaslulodges partout sur les Annapurnas, rien côté Manaslu (camping quasi obligatoire à l'époque, même si qques possibilités chez l'habitant ou dans des écoles)paysages aussi variés des deux côtés (des rizières aux cols et sommets à hautes altitudes)au niveau sommets, je trouve qu'on en prend plein la vue côté Annapurnas, et un peu moins côté Manaslupour finir, un sentiment d'authenticité sur le tour du Manaslu, qu'on a bcp moins sur le Tour des Annapurnas ...Bref ... Je ne peux conseiller l'un ou l'autre, tout dépend de ce que l'on recherche.
Ce qui est sûr, c'est le Manaslu est bcp plus sauvage et proche du vrai Népal.
Le seul conseil : si tu dois faire les deux tours, commence par les Annapurnas, puis le Manaslu qques mois ou années après !
On peut faire le tour du Manaslu entierement en lodges maintenant.
Il y a toutefois une grosse difference, pour le Manaslu on est oblige de passer par une agence et engager au moins un guide ou un porteur, plus le cout du permis. Donc nettement plus cher que si on fait le tour des Annapurnas par soi meme.
Je vous remercie pour vos commentaires, donc c'est bien vrai que maintenant ya trop de monde du coté des annapurnas mais qu'en contre-partie c'est un peu plus grandiose que le manaslu, qui peut surement se rattraper avec plus de sérénité et solitude.
En fait je ne compte pas faire les deux, si je reviens une prochaine fois je réfléchirais surement à qq chose de plus sauvage.
En ce mois de mars je compterais le faire avec nomade-aventure (je sais je ne suis pas un grand aventurier 😕 ) qui propose soit le grand tour des annapurnas en 24 jours ou le manaslu en 19 jours. Ils enlèvent surement qq jours au manaslu si le prix du permis est plus cher....
Il n'y a pas de raison vraiment valable pour cela, mais Manaslu demeure un trek 'Restricted'. Je ne vais pas faire de commentaires sur la possibilite ou pas de le faire sans permis de maniere clandestine. Il y a des tas d'autres treks au Nepal sans ces restrictions.
Concernant le Manaslu je n'ai pas assez d'infos par contre j'ai fait le trek des Annapurnas cette année, avec personne sur les chemins car les touristes ne sont pas légion au nepal suite au tremblements de terre et tensions avec l'Inde... très égoïstement cela me convenait car j'en ai profité pour faire ce trek normalement très courru, on était très peu (c'était en mars 2016). Je suis partie avec un guide, mais je portais mon matos perso. J'ai apprécié d'avoir un guide pour la gestion de la haute altitude et le passage du col Thorung (d'ailleurs 5 trekeurs voyageant seuls ont fait ce passage avec moi pour profiter des connaissances de mon guide). Il est possible de faire ce trek sans guide car quasi impossible de se tromper de chemin mais il faut avoir l'habitude de la haute montagne (gestion de l'altitude, du mal des montagnes qui peut arriver à n'importe qui, même un montagnard aguerri) et être bien renseigné concernant le passage du Thorung, qui est quand même à 5400m d'altitude.
J'étais heureuse aussi de permettre à ce guide de bosser car suite au séisme, sans touristes, cela faisait 8 mois qu'il était sans travail...
En 2008, nous étions partis en famille (avec nos enfants d'alors 7 et 9 ans) et avions fait le trek du 1/2 tour des Annapurnas (Pokhara-Poon Hill-Muktinath/retour de Jomosom à Pokhara en avion) avec un guide, Lok (conseillé en 2008 par un membre belge de voyage forum) et 2 porteurs. C'était une fantastique expérience en famille! En 2009, mon mari est parti seul au Népal pour le Langtang / Gosainkund / Helambu de nouveau avec Lok comme guide et un des porteurs de 2008, Moité.
Après le tremblement de terre, nous n'avons pas pu recontacter Lok. Il ne répond plus aux emails. Nous sommes inquiets, mais ne savons pas que faire d'autre pour reprendre contact. Sur les listes des personnes disparues nous ne le trouvons pas non plus. C'est vrai que l'indication "Lok" n'est probablement pas suffisante...
Cet automne, mes beaux-parents aimeraient repartir au Népal pour faire le tour du Manaslu. Et comme il faut un guide, peut-être pourrais-tu nous conseiller ton guide? As-tu une adresse email pour le contacter? Ce serait vraiment génial!
Concernant la discussion autour de l'embauche de guides et porteurs au Népal, voici mon point de vue:
De manière générale, il faut comprendre que guides et porteurs vivent de ce métier. Ces personnes sont adorables, souriants et serviables: ils connaissent leur pays, les treks, les lodges, la culture; même s'il est vrai que les échanges ne sont pas toujours très aisés (leurs connaissances de français/anglais sont modestes). Par contre, c'est un enrichissement considérable par rapport à un voyage seul/entre trekkers touristes. Et ces gens savent se faire discrets une fois arrivé à la fin de l'étappe. En fin de compte, nous voyageurs, nous n'allons tout de même pas en Himalaya juste pour se prouver à soi-même (et raconter au retour combien de kilos pesait le sac à dos) et voir des montagnes, ou bien?
Le Népal et en particulier les porteurs/guides ont terriblement soufferts pendant la longue période du conflit avec les maoïstes - il n'y avait plus de touristes au Népal - et maintenant ce tremblement de terre... J'encourage donc tout trekker à prendre les services de guides et porteurs: c'est un confort non négligeable et qui fait sens: il nourrit des familles entières. Et pour éviter tout soucis, il est vrai que je n'en prendrais que sur recommendation. A mon sens, ce sont des dépenses modestes (si mes souvenirs sont exacts: guide: EUR 15/jour; porteur: EUR 12/jour) bien investies!
Je rejoins tout à fait ton point de vu.
Personnellement, j'étais vraiment contente de faire travailler ce guide, c'était un second souffle pour lui et sa famille... après, je n'ai pas pris de porteur, car j'ai malgré tout du mal avec ce concept, voyageant toujours avec mon sac à dos, ayant l'habitude de toujours porter mes affaires. Néanmoins, je rejoins l'idée, ils ont tellement besoin de travailler...
Concernant mon guide, c'était Gelzen Sherpa, voici son site : http://himalayanworldadventure.com/
Et son mail : gelzen77@gmail.com
Plus exactement, c'est Gelzen qui a organisé mon trek et je suis partie avec un guide ami à lui (Laxman), car lui n'était pas dispo. Laxman travaille très régulièrement avec Gelzen. Cependant je recommande plutôt Gelzen qui a vraiment une longue expérience, un anglais plutôt plus élaboré que la moyenne et d'une immense gentillesse. Laxman était adorable, et très compétent, mais n'a pas sa propre agence, il travaille pour différents guides qui ont leurs agences. 😉
Je souhaite faire un trek en fin d’année au Népal. Ce sera mon premier treck dans cette région, et après avoir pas mal fouillé dans divers documents, post sur…
Nous sommes un groupe de 5 trentenaires intéressés par un 1er trek au Népal pour une durée de 3 semaines, notre choix de départ était le Tour des Annapurnas…
Je n'irai qu'une seule fois au Népal (à moins que...) ; aussi d'emblée, je souhaiterai faire le plus beau circuit. Vous allez me dire, tous sont beaux, mais…
Durant mon voyage de 6mois, je compte passer par le Népal en février, Après quelques jours de repos j'aimerais m'attaquer à faire le tour de l'Annapurna.…
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
hi how can I get internet when I arrive at Haneda? I mean in areas without free wifi. Is it more interesting to buy a SIM card? If so, at the airport? thanks for your help
We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
hi there
I’m heading to Uzbekistan for three weeks from mid-September to mid-October 2026—a country I haven’t visited yet.
I’d love to do a few multi-day hikes in the mountains without going through a tour operator or hiring a guide. Has anyone here done this?
It doesn’t have to be all trekking; day hikes are great too.
I’m open to any tips!
Also, I see there are lots of train options if you book well in advance—does that only apply to the "fast" trains? Are there buses as well?
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
I’m traveling solo by plane to Catania in May and plan to hike the northern side of Etna, starting from Linguaglossa where I’ll arrive by bus. After that, I’d love some info on how to get up to Piano Provenzana (shuttles or hitchhiking), since it seems there’s no public transport except in the summer. Can you sleep there in a free or cheap refuge, or camp? And how far up can you go without having to hire a guide? Thanks in advance. Bernard.
