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Nepal has the world’s tallest mountains, thick jungles, vast grasslands and mighty rivers. The country is equally diverse when it comes to religion, culture and languages. Kathmandu, Everest Base Camp trek, Pokhara and Bandipur are some big-ticket attractions. But away from the tourist hordes, you can discover lesser-known gems like Bardia National Park, Gorkha and Tsum Valley. Enjoy the wilderness of Nepal that is not in many tourist guides and get to know the fascinating culture and traditions of villages that have remained practically unchanged for centuries. Bardia National Park  Home to big cats like tigers and leopards, the beautiful and remote Bardia National Park is a less commercial version of the popular Chitwan National Park. Try rafting in Karnali River that runs through the park, cycle past villages, and go on guided jungle walks. You can also spot rhinoceros, elephants, swamp deer, Gangetic dolphins and endangered birds like Bengal florican and Silver-eared mesia. See crocodiles, gharials and turtles at the Crocodile Breeding Centre. The indigenous nature-worshiping Dangaura Tharu people who live around the park have a distinct culture and language. Another ethnic minority group, the Sonaha, is intimately linked with the riverine delta.  Barun Valley Situated at the base of Mount Makalu, Barun Valley is part of the Makalu Barun National Park. The valley is known for its stunning landscape—difficult-to-navigate rocks, impressive waterfalls, deep gorges, thick forests and snowy peaks. Barun Valley is still not on the trekking map of Nepal, and you’re unlikely to bump into other trekkers for days. The valley is home to rare plants and animals like the snow leopard, gray wolf and red panda. Besides trekking, bird watching and animal spotting are recommended activities here. The main ethnic communities in the valley are the Rai, Sherpa and Bhotia, and you can experience life in their villages.  Guerilla Trail The civil war in Nepal that ended in 2006 killed an estimated 17,000 people. The unusual ‘Guerilla Trail’ is a low-altitude trekking route that passes through the erstwhile heartland of the Maoist insurgency in Myagdi, Rukum and Rolpa. Besides learning about the region’s fraught history, you can interact with locals who were caught in the conflict and discover the indigenous culture of the Thakali, Chhetri, Tibetan and Magar ethnic groups. The trail is scenic at various parts and passes lush rhododendron, fir and pine forests.  Other attractions on the route include waterfalls, caves, lakes such as Kamala Daha and Sun Daha, and farmlands.   Ilam Ilam is a peaceful mountain town in the far east of Nepal known for its tea gardens. Compared to the major trekking routes in Nepal, Ilam and its surrounding hills offer short hikes, gentler trails and pleasant walks through woods. Notice the town’s wooden buildings with their balconies jutting out. Climb up Ilam View Tower for excellent views of the bazaar and valleys. Among the main ethnic groups living in and around Ilam are the Limbus. Their weddings feature a lot of dancing and drinking the traditional millet-based beer called Tongba. The most important Limbu festival is Chasok Tangnam, where the first winter harvest is symbolically offered to Goddess Yuma Sammang. Gorkha Prithvi Narayan Shah, who founded the modern state of Nepal in the 18th century, was born in Gorkha in western Nepal. The Newar community regards the Shahs as living incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, and Gorkha is a pilgrimage site. Gorkha’s top sight is the 16th-century Gorkha Durbar, a fort-palace known for its fine Newari architecture. The festival of Dashain is the most auspicious time of the year in Gorkha. The 15-day festival begins in late September. Also, check out the Gorkha Museum, housed in a 19th-century palace; the miniature temple built in honor of the God Bhimsen; and Manakamana Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Durga. Dolpa The Dolpa district, situated in an isolated corner of Nepal between the Dhaulagiri ranges and the Tibetan plateau, offers a uniquely rewarding trekking experience. Here you’ll find ancient Buddhist sites such as Shey Gompa, an 800-year-old monastery, and remote villages where centuries-old Tibetan culture is preserved. The landscape varies, from arid plateaus and snow-covered peaks to the beautiful blue waters of Phoksundo Lake. Tourism infrastructure is practically non-existent because it’s not frequented by foreign visitors. The area’s national park is home to endangered species like snow leopards and blue sheep. In Upper Dolpo, the mainly Buddhist people also follow animistic beliefs. The population is more mixed in Lower Dolpo. Tsum Valley Tsum Valley in northern Gorkha was out of bounds for travelers till 2008. It is still one of the least visited parts of Nepal. The trek route passes through rhododendron forests and rivers, offering superb views of mountain peaks like Ganesh Himal and Himal Chuli. The local people follow a form of Tibetan Buddhism, and the valley is dotted with sacred caves and ancient Buddhist monasteries like Gompa Lungdang and Mu Gompa. The valley’s main festivals are Lhosar (or the Tibetan New Year) in January or February; the Saka Dawa in May/June, one of the holiest days of the Tibetan calendar; and Dhachyang, a winter festival featuring decorated horses and races.  If you’re willing to experiment and move beyond the tourist circuit, Nepal offers extraordinary trekking opportunities and cultural experiences. Discover the culture and traditions unchanged for centuries in the remotest parts of this amazing country. These offbeat places lack tourist infrastructure but allow you to explore the raw, untamed and magical side of Nepal.

It’s no secret that global warming is having a huge impact on our world, especially in our wild and natural spaces. Given Nepal’s reliance on the Himalayan mountains for tourism and the spiritual importance that they hold, the impact that global warming is having on these mighty giants is alarming. With glaciers melting and retreating, the mountains are becoming increasingly dangerous and unstable. In fact, a warning has been issued that if action is not taken, there may be no snow on the Himalayas as soon as 2035. That’s how critical the situation is. In recent years, the tourism industry in Nepal has taken a hit. Between poor Everest seasons, natural disasters and the pandemic, tourist arrival has been low. And what little tourism activity the country is seeing right now primarily revolves around Everest Base Camp treks and mountaineering, which account for around 75 percent of all Nepal tourism. Certainly, we’ve begun to see a considerable surge in tourist numbers post pandemic. But more tourists and travel costs also mean an increase in emissions from flights, impact on mountainous zones, and waste heaps left behind by visitors in wild spaces.   While travel and tourism is good for the economy, it also harms the environment. So how can we continue to explore and stimulate the Nepali tourist economy at the same time? One way of finding this delicate balance is opting for eco-travel and carbon offsetting practices, which are already being adopted by some Nepali tour companies.   With combined efforts from the expedition companies that rely on Everest for income and the Nepali government setting ambitious climate goals, there is a positive light on the horizon when it comes to ensuring sustainable travel policy in Nepal. Currently, Nepal’s climate goal is to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, alongside a range of specific goals including ensuring that 90 percent of private and 60 percent of public vehicle sales are electric by 2030. The majority of the country’s climate goals are focused on domestic policies and on citizen-level, rather than tourism. However, there have been deliberations about moving the Everest Base Camp to mitigate the impact of climate change on the Khumbu Glacier. The melting glacier poses sizable risks not just for the environment, but for the tourist industry that relies on Everest treks and expeditions. Individually, there are many things that travelers can do to reduce their carbon footprint when traveling. One of the easiest ways to do this is to offset their carbon usage by adopting the plans set up by airlines and tour companies. Many airlines these days offer such plans at the point of flight purchase. You can also use third-party offsetting companies if your chosen airline does not offer the service. Also, a lot of tour companies provide carbon offsetting plans, or sustainable travel models that give back to the local community, environmental organizations, or social campaigns. This way, individuals can help mitigate their impact on the mountains and keep the economy going in a safe way. They can also participate in actions that leave no trace of pollution. This is a familiar concept to many outdoor adventurers but is often ignored by wider tourists. It’s the idea that if you’re hiking or exploring, you take all your wastes home with you or dispose them of safely. You leave nothing on the mountains, trails, or anywhere else that may be harmful to locals or the environment. Furthermore, online travel agencies, like Bookmundi, recognize that traveling is often at odds with environmental policy. Bookmundi calculates carbon emissions during a tour on the basis of four parameters: transport, accommodation, meals and activities. In addition, to ensure that every tour booked through the company, Nepal tours included, is 100 percent carbon neutral, they also offset carbon emissions that come from operating their website, servers and even using the website. Like Bookmundi, different tour operators can offer carbon offsetting services as a part of their overall tour prices, absorbing the cost in order to give travelers peace of mind. Another way to contribute towards preserving the environments of Nepal is to donate to Nepali charities and organizations while you’re traveling in the country. This way you know exactly where your money is going and the impact it can have. For example, if you’re climbing Everest or another mountain with Sherpa guides or porters, consider giving money to a charity or fund that supports Sherpas and their families. Although not directly an environmental impact, the increasingly melting glaciers are making Everest more dangerous to climb, with more treks being canceled every year, causing a lack of income. Sustainable travel is the only viable option that will allow travelers to keep exploring Nepal, while maintaining its beautiful and pure landscapes for the posterity.