Why Nepal belongs on your 2026 walking bucket list. 

If 2026 is the year you step up the adventure, reconnect with the earth, and walk somewhere truly life-changing, then Nepal—and particularly the Annapurna region—should be calling you. At Guided by Nature, our newest Annapurna Hiking Journey is exactly that: a deeply immersive, beautifully curated trek that combines culture, challenge, comfort, and alpine majesty. Here’s why this should be top of your walking bucket list. 

1. Authentic Connection + Local Culture 

Trekking Nepal with Guided by Nature, you’ll experience authentic mountain culture. You won’t just see villages and rice terraces - you’ll walk through them, stay in them, eat the food, meet the people. From honey hunters scaling cliffs near Landruk, to rug-weaving women in Ghandruk, each day is a chance to step off the beaten tourist track and into real life. Day 3 in Ghandruk, for example, is all about immersion: weaving workshops, plus local cuisine and conversations.  

2. Scenery That Grounds You + Elevation Without Extremes 

You’ll traverse approximately 65 km across 10 days / 9 nights in the Annapurna region. What that gives you: dramatic mountain vistas, the Himalaya’s scale, forests, rivers, suspension bridges, terraced rice fields. You get moments of big altitude, but we structure the journey, so you acclimatise, rest in lodges, and experience comfort.  

3. Balance of Adventure + Comfort 

For many people, trekking means rugged, cold, remote camps. For others, thoughtful comforts matter. At Guided by Nature, we aim to deliver both. Think mountain lodges with warm rooms, plentiful meals, relaxed evenings; hills and steps through forests by day, massage, fine food, and restful lodge stays by night. You carry just a daypack, and your guide handles the route and logistics, meaning you’re free to soak up the unbelievable sensory experience that this journey offers.  

4. Designed for 2026 Travellers 

Why this is the right time: 

• The Annapurna Hiking Journey has guaranteed departure dates so you can plan.
• Moderate activity level: challenging enough to feel accomplished, but accessible enough for people with good fitness who’ve done some walking before.
• Small group size (max 14 + 2 guides) ensures intimacy, safety, and flexibility.  

5. Diverse Experiences in One Journey 

What makes this walk more than just trekking: 

• Flying into Pokhara with Himalayan views, starting the walk from lower altitudes among forests and villages.
• Days of walking through rice terraces, across suspension bridges, through trading villages and past beekeepers.
• Nights spent in mountains, lodges with views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre (also called Fishtail).
• Cultural interludes: Kathmandu’s temples and bazaars, local meals, storytelling, and traditions. 

6. Why It Stays with You 

Walking in Nepal shifts perspective. The scale of the mountains, the kindness of people, the rhythm of trekking days with sunrise and high-views, fresh evenings, star-filled skies. Travel done at walking pace forces you to see more, feel more, know more. By the time you return to Kathmandu on the last day, exploring Bhaktapur, Durbar Square, Boudhanath - you’re not the same person who left. 

7. What Makes Guided by Nature’s Nepal journey exceptional  

• Fully guided, small groups — we bring expert local guides, helpers, porters.
• Hand-picked lodges and comfort — mountain lodges that are warm, welcoming, scenic.
• Balanced itinerary — enough challenge to be exciting, enough rest to be restorative.
• Authentic cultural immersion & local interaction
• Safety, support & planning — all transport, accommodation, most meals, travel care, are handled so that you can truly enjoy this unforgettable journey through one of the world’s most exceptional hiking destinations.  

Final Thoughts

For 2026, this is a walk that will feed your soul, stretch your legs, open your eyes, and give you stories for a lifetime.  

If you are putting together your bucket list, make Nepal - and this Annapurna Hiking Journey with Guided by Nature - one of the top spots.