Top 10 Highlights of Nepal

1. Trek in the Everest and Annapurna regions

If you go to Nepal and don’t go backpacking from teahouse to teahouse, you will miss out what makes Nepal one of the most extraordinary hiking destinations in the world. You get up close and personal with the most famous mountains in the world. You spend your days in the wilderness, around waterfalls and wildlife and glaciers and hidden hot springs, and you spend your nights with steaming cups of hot chocolate and chai and you exchange stories with travelers from around the globe. Stay at teahouses where your bed will cost anywhere from $.50 cents to $5 a night, and eat at small houses where locals will boast menus featuring anything from fried noodles to apple pie. It’s a quirky and beautiful backcountry experience unlike anywhere else in the world that I've ever been. Some of the top treks in these regions are the Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Circuit, and Poon Hill Trek. (Any of those last three can be combined for a mega-trek, too).

2. Indulge in the local cuisine

Stuff yourself with momos (dumplings filled with anything from meat to cheese to veggies to chocolate), dal bhat (a meal consisting of steamed rice, lentil soup, vegetables, pickles, and a small yogurt or curry sauce), tongba (warm millet beer), apple pie in a teahouse (well, an attempt at apple pie), spicy chai (my favorite chai in all of Nepal is at David's Restaurant in Lakeside, Pokhara; find it on the street that the North Face Inn is on), fruit sold from the street-side vendors, mango and banana lassi, heaps fried noodles and black tea at chaat houses, and a massive post-trekking celebratory breakfast of croissants and donuts at any bakery in Kathmandu.

3. Go paragliding over Pokhara

Enjoy unmatched views of the Himalayas from high above. Paragliding is a popular activity in Pokhara, and it allows for extraordinary perspectives on the Annapurna range. Most guesthouses and hostels in Pokhara will be able to arrange a morning of paragliding for you; just speak to the front desk.

4. Go camping on a whitewater rafting/kayaking trip

I recommend at least three nights to really enjoy the more remote campsites, as well as to get into a bit of a camping-paddling rhythm. The rivers are surprisingly warm year round, and nothing beats how good freshly popped popcorn tastes when cooked over a campfire on a sandy shore of a glacial river. I recommend the outfitter Paddle Nepal.

5. Visit Boudhanath, the world’s largest Buddhist stupa

Located in Kathmandu, monks continue to make their walk around the spectacular holy site as they spin the prayer wheels underneath a canopy of prayer flags. The site in and of itself is overwhelming moving, and your senses will be delighted with the mix of incense smoke, flocks of pigeons. and the chanting and humming of drums and the monks.

6. See the sunrise from Sarangkot, the highest point in Pokhara

Leave your accommodation in Pokhara well before sunrise to head to the base of the Sarangkot hill. There’s a viewing platform at the top, but because it is often packed with tourists (especially during the high season), I recommend making a detour on any small trail from the main path to go sit by yourself on a flower terrace away from the crowds. When I did this, it was dead quiet; just me, a thermos of black tea I carried from my hostel, two other travelers who had the same idea, and the sun’s light reflecting off the glacier massifs of Macchapucchre and the staggering peaks of Annapurna range. (Plus, Sarangkot is dotted with charming villages with spectacular mountain backdrops that you can only see if you make the climb up).

7. Rent a motorcycle or motor-scooter in Pokhara

Use your two-wheels to explore; just carry a map with you. Drive around the fields of wildflowers, hidden lakes, bat caves, and Tibetan refugee camps. It’s something like $7 per day. Just be warned that Nepal is notorious for its awful road conditions and reckless drivers; while I didn't have a problem and neither did any of my friends who did the same, just be extremely careful and vigilant and avoid steep roads with switchbacks.

8. Spend a day or two in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu’s ancient city

Let yourself get lost in the medieval town of Bhaktapur (it’s pretty easy to, actually, thanks to its winding streets and curved alleyways). The village squares are breathtaking, and every ancient brick street is alive with buffalo and markets and shaded by towering monasteries and temples, slowly being rebuilt to their splendor post-earthquake. Nearby, there’s Nagarkot, a small village which is famous for its sweeping vistas of the Himalayas, including Mount Everest.

9. Explore Chitwan, and go searching for rhinos, leopards, and tigers

Buses arrive and depart daily for Chitwan from Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Lumbini. Go on a safari in Chitwan National Park, where you can search for leopards, one-horned rhinos, and the elusive Bengal tiger. End your day with an ice cold beer at sunset on the banks of the hazy Chitwan river.

10. Look out for festivals, and align your trip to coincide with them

Holi (the festival of color) is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so if you can aim to be in Nepal during that time, it's an opportunity you should jump on. I will never forget how special of an experience it was to participate in such a beautiful holiday with so much history, joy, and, of course, color.