Nepal Winter Trip

Research by topic

Open the research page for any area, hike or trip between areas.

Pick a path after Poon Hill

Poon Hill is the altitude test. Ling sleeps at Ghorepani (2,860m). The result decides what you do from 6 Jan.

Where you sleep

Highest sleeping altitude in each block. Select a bar for the area summary and day by day plan.

Town or rest Trek within the 2,900m limit Over the 2,900m limit

Day by day

Tap any block to see what the area is, what the walking is like and what happens each day.

Before you go

Visa: 35 days is over the 30 day visa. Get the 90 day visa on arrival and check the fee.
Insurance must cover trekking to 3,500m. Path A needs cover for remote rescue as well.
Ask a doctor about Diamox before you leave. Do not buy it without advice.
Autumn 2026 floods: Manaslu bridges at Namrung were damaged and officials advised avoiding the route on 23 Sep. The Kathmandu to Mugling highway was also closed for weeks. Fly Kathmandu to Pokhara and recheck routes in November and early December.
Path A: confirm winter lodge status above Samagaon with the agency while you are in Kathmandu on 20 to 23 Dec.
Kathmandu fog delays winter flights. Keep the last 2 days free.
Descend at the first headache, nausea or bad sleep. No pushing on.

Training hikes

Ten weekends from 11 Oct to departure. The plan builds toward the Poon Hill day: 5 to 6 hours, first night at 2,860m. Each hike below includes what Reddit and Perplexity turned up. Tap a hike to open it.

Hikes done0of 6 hikes

Weekends to go10to departure

Biggest climb1,700mFeathertop, Bungalow Spur

Tick the box inside each hike when you finish it. This saves on this device only.

Weekend plan

Distances in km, climb in metres, time in hours. Source figures differ, so confirm each route the week before.

Weekend	Hike	km	Climb m	Hours	Why
Sun 11 Oct	Mt Donna Buang	14 to 18	1,070	4 to 7	Light pack, time the climb
17 to 18 Oct	Mt Buller to Mt Stirling	17	1,075	6	Same load, new terrain
24 to 25 Oct	Cathedral Range (Jawbones loop)	12.7	580	5	Rocky steps and exposure
31 Oct to 1 Nov	Donna Buang repeat, heavier pack	14 to 18	1,070	4 to 6	Build toward your Gear tab carry weight
7 to 8 Nov	Mt Feathertop	22	1,300 to 1,700	8+	Longest steady climb. Check snow first
14 to 15 Nov	Mt Bogong, Staircase Spur	17 to 21	1,400 to 1,540	6 to 10	Hardest climb. Take a PLB
21 to 22 Nov	Mt Kosciuszko, Main Range Walk	22	743	7 to 9.5	Altitude and distance. Snow check
28 to 29 Nov	Back to back: Feathertop or Bogong, then 10km easy	22 then 10	1,500 then 400	8 then 3	Teahouse style consecutive days
5 to 6 Dec	Back to back: Donna Buang, then Jawbones loop	14 then 12.7	1,070 then 580	5 then 5	Full Nepal day pack
12 to 13 Dec	Easy walk only	8 to 10	Under 400	2 to 3	Taper. No new injuries

The six hikes

Mt Donna Buang WarburtonSun 11 Oct

Distance: 14 to 18km return
Climb: About 1,070m
Time: 4 to 7 hrs
Grade: 4
Nepal link: First test of a Poon Hill style climb

Reddit

Reddit has almost no walking detail for this one. The top results are photos and a cyclist's first climb (115km, 1,700m). Not useful for route planning.
Useful hint from the cycling thread: the mountain has other approaches such as Acheron Way if you want to repeat it with a different route.

Perplexity search

Parks Victoria: summit is 1,245m with a 21m lookout tower and views to Melbourne, the Dandenongs and Mt Baw Baw.
Distance depends on where you start. A Garmin log from the top of Martyr Rd shows 14.4km return and 1,083m of gain. The full walk from Warburton is quoted at about 18km. The Google snippet you saw (15.7km) sits between the two.
The same author says to allow 4 to 7 hours if you stop for photos and recovery. Parks Victoria lists Condons Track (6.5km, 3.5 hrs one way) as very steep and for experienced walkers only. Skip it for now.

How to run it

Start with a light pack and keep the pace you could hold for a full day. Time the climb and the descent separately.
Note how your knees feel on the descent. Nepal teahouse days end with long downhills.

Blog angle

First post in the series. Title idea: Our first Nepal training hike. Record the real distance and time so the post beats the conflicting figures online.

Sources: Parks Victoria summit page , Weekend Notes Garmin log , Trail Hiking route , Reddit cycling thread

Done

Mt Buller to Mt Stirling High Country17 to 18 Oct

Distance: 17km return
Climb: About 1,075m
Time: About 6 hrs
Grade: 3
Nepal link: Same load as Donna Buang, new terrain

Reddit

Reddit search is mostly ski chatter. One useful trip report is the r/Ultralight write-up of the Buller Huts Trail in October, which covers the same country.
r/melbourne threads about Buller are mostly ski trips, and the common line is that it is superb in good weather and miserable in bad. Check the forecast before you drive.

Perplexity search

Trail Hiking: starts at the Mt Buller Resort clock tower, forest and ridgeline, steady climb with steeper bits near the Stirling summit (1,747m).
A club trip that returned via Howqua Gap logged 19km with 784m of gain. That is a lower climb option if the first weekend leaves you sore.
A December 2025 High Country trip blog warns not to rely on water at Cotter Gap, as the creek was a soak. Carry all your own water.
The Buller Huts Trail site notes the trailhead is fine for 2WD in summer, chains are needed in winter, and Mt Buller has limited food supplies.

How to run it

Drive up the day before or leave early. About 3 hrs from Melbourne.
Carry 2 to 3 litres and do not count on creeks.

Blog angle

Post idea: Mt Buller to Mt Stirling as a spring day walk, with the drive, parking and water plan.

Sources: Trail Hiking route , Buller Huts Trail info , Cotter Gap water warning , Reddit Buller Huts report

Done

Cathedral Range Taggerty24 to 25 Oct

Distance: 13 to 21km
Climb: 580 to 1,130m
Time: 5 to 12 hrs
Grade: 4 to 5
Nepal link: Rocky steps and exposure

Reddit

Reddit search found nothing useful for this range. Treat the park and trail sources below as the main guide.

Perplexity search

Parks Victoria rangers recommend the North and South Jawbone day hike as the best introduction. They say it avoids the harder trails that have needed many rescues.
The full Cathedral Ranges Peaks Trail (CRaPT) is a 21.4km day from Cooks Mill Camping Area. One guide says 10 to 12 hrs and 1,133m of gain. Go clockwise because the Wells Cave ascent is one way only.
Cathedral Peak Track is Grade 4 and rocky, for fit walkers with some bushwalking experience. The Cerberus Road access is unsealed and rough after rain.

How to run it

Do the Jawbones loop first (12.7km, about 580m). Only attempt the full CRaPT if Donna Buang and Buller felt easy.
No dogs. Check park alerts before leaving.

Blog angle

Photo-heavy post. The rocky ridges give the best images of the whole series.

Sources: Parks Victoria Jawbone hike , CRaPT guide , Cathedral Range visitor guide

Done

Mt Feathertop Harrietville7 to 8 Nov

Distance: About 22km return
Climb: 1,300 to 1,700m
Time: 8+ hrs
Grade: 4
Nepal link: Closest match to a long steady Nepal climb

Reddit

Reddit search returned only auto-posted route listings and unrelated threads. Nothing from people who walked it.

Perplexity search

Bungalow Spur starts in Harrietville at about 480m and climbs steadily for around 9km to Federation Hut at the tree line. Source figures for the full day range from 1,300m to 1,727m of gain.
The Razorback route from Diamantina Hut near Mt Hotham is also about 22km return. It starts high, so it is a better choice when you want distance without the big climb.
One route guide says the best window is late spring to early autumn to avoid snow and ice. Early November is the edge of that window, so check snow reports first.

How to run it

Make it your biggest climb day of the first half. Eat and drink on a schedule from the start.
If snow is reported on the upper track, swap with Bogong or repeat Buller to Stirling.

Blog angle

Strong post for the series. Photos of the Razorback ridge are the draw.

Sources: Trail Hiking Bungalow Spur , Razorback walk guide , Bushwalking Victoria listing

Done

Mt Bogong, Staircase Spur Mt Beauty14 to 15 Nov

Distance: 17 to 21km
Climb: 1,400 to 1,540m
Time: 6 to 10 hrs
Grade: 4
Nepal link: Hardest sustained climb in Victoria

Reddit

r/HikingAustralia: huts with water tanks sit about halfway along both Staircase and Eskdale spurs. Water should be there after recent rain but is not certain. The bottom of Eskdale is mostly a 4WD track with many creek crossings.
r/melbourne (2016): a group planned a winter trip with a 12km road walk before the climb and was told bluntly it was under-prepared. The advice repeated across the thread: carry a personal locator beacon and treat 1,500m of climbing in about 10km as serious.
r/CampingandHiking (2025): a first snow summit trip report with photos, confirming it is done in winter by prepared groups.

Perplexity search

Parks Victoria says the walking season runs from early November, so mid November is the first sensible window.
A circuit option goes up Staircase and down Eskdale (20km), which gives a different descent.

How to run it

Carry plenty of water anyway, since the tanks are a backup.
Take a PLB. Check Parks Victoria for closures and fire advice first.
Pick a clear forecast. This route is exposed above the tree line.

Blog angle

The headline post: Victoria's highest peak as Nepal training, with honest numbers and the water plan.

Sources: Reddit water thread , Reddit winter gear thread , Reddit snow hike report , Parks Victoria Mt Bogong , Better Hiking circuit

Done

Mt Kosciuszko, Main Range Walk Charlotte Pass21 to 22 Nov

Distance: 22km loop
Climb: About 743m
Time: 7 to 9.5 hrs
Grade: 4
Nepal link: Altitude to 2,228m and a long day

Reddit

r/AustraliaSnow (Mar 2026): two walkers who did the loop say go anti-clockwise. You take the big climb first and save the flat return from Seaman's Hut for the end. One did it in 9.5 hrs including breaks and a Blue Lake detour.
Both say the track is easy to follow and well signposted. There were patches of snow to cross on 29 Dec. They advise starting from Charlotte Pass and not Guthega, and carrying a PLB, which can be rented free from tourist info centres.
r/AustraliaSnow (May 2025): a group found too much snow on the ground for the Main Range track and walked the Summit trail out and back instead.

Perplexity search

NSW National Parks alert (updated 16 Sep 2026): many areas above about 1,800m are still snow covered and hazardous. Check this again the week before.
NSW says the walk is 22km, 7 to 9 hrs, Grade 4, and crosses the Snowy River twice. Fill in the trip intention form before you go.
Wildwalks says the track is covered in snow part of the year and recommends being ready for snow and ice.

How to run it

Plan a two-day trip and drive the day before. About 6 to 7 hrs from Melbourne.
Backup plan if snow blocks the loop: Summit trail out and back (18.6km, 6 to 8 hrs).

Blog angle

Capstone post: the highest point on the mainland as the last big training day before Nepal.

Sources: Reddit Main Range thread , Reddit conditions thread , NSW Main Range walk , NSW local alerts , Wildwalks

Done

Training rules

Start the pack at 6 to 8kg and build toward the carry weight shown in the Gear tab. Add weight before distance.
Back to back days matter most. Nepal is consecutive trekking days, so the two-day weekends in December are the key sessions.
Carry a personal locator beacon on Bogong and Kosciuszko. Tell someone your route and return time.
Snow can cancel Feathertop, Bogong and Kosciuszko in early season. Each has a fallback in its notes.
Reddit had little walker detail for Donna Buang, Cathedral Range and Feathertop. Those notes lean on Parks Victoria and route sites. Treat them as planning figures, not guarantees.
Each hike is a Travel Dayz post. Write it the same day while the numbers are fresh.

Gear and weight

Weights are rough, per person, from typical gear. Tick what you are taking. Items marked shared are split between you and Ling. Weigh your own gear and adjust.

You carry0kg each

Porter carries0kg for two bags

Left at hotel0kg each

Your body weight (kg, optional) Add your weight to check the load

Packing list

Where the main bag goes

Hotel storage is the best place for town clothes and spares. Hotels in Pokhara and Kathmandu usually hold bags for guests who come back. Book the same hotel for your return and ask before you leave.
Teahouses are not set up to store bags. The Poon Hill loop ends in a different village from where it starts, so you never return to the same lodge.
A porter carries a duffel for two. The limit is usually about 20 to 25 kg in total, so about 10 to 12 kg each. Typical cost is USD 20 to 30 a day. Check the price and the porter's insurance and gear with the agency.
Poon Hill: the long stone stairs on days 1 and 2 are the hard part. A shared porter helps Ling most here.
Panchase and Helambu: short trips. Carrying everything is realistic if you keep to the lighter list.
Lower Manaslu: warm gear adds weight and the days are long. A porter is a good choice. The guide you must hire can often arrange one.
Hire the sleeping bag and down jacket in Thamel. Check the weight, zips and smell. Hired bags can be heavy, so compare before you pay.

Route map

A simplified map of Nepal. Treks are drawn larger than real scale so you can see them. Numbers show the order you visit each stop. Tap a stop for the area summary.

Flight, drive or bus Trek within the 2,900m limit Trek over the limit Mountain, for orientation

How each trek climbs

Altitude at each stop, in order. Points over the red line are above the 2,900m sleeping limit for Ling.

Costs

Rough estimates in US dollars per person, from typical 2025 prices. Nepal prices change and rise with altitude, so treat these as a planning range and confirm with the agency. Flights are already booked and are not included.

A$ per US$1 (change to today's rate)

Per person0

For two0

Average per day0per person, 36 days

Midpoint shown in the bar. The range runs from lower to upper estimates. Add a 15% cushion for price rises, tips and extras.

Cost per day

Per person, sharing a room. Shown for the style you picked above.

Cost per hike

Per person for the whole hike, for the support option you picked above.

What to know

Guide and porter: about US$25 to 35 a day for a guide and US$20 to 25 for a porter, shared between two of you. Ask if their food and lodging are included.
Lower Manaslu needs a licensed guide from a registered agency, so a guide is always counted there. Agency quotes often bundle guide, permits and transport, so compare the total.
Teahouse rooms are often cheap if you eat dinner and breakfast there. Food costs rise with altitude. Hot showers, charging and boiled water are extra.
There are no ATMs on the trails. Carry enough Nepali rupees in cash before each trek.
Not included: travel insurance, new gear you buy, alcohol, tips, and the Bangkok part of the trip.

Thailand: food first, then beach

Bangkok for food on the way in and out. Three beach nights after the hiking to rest your legs. 7 nights in total, split around Nepal.

Your plan

Tap a block for the area summary and day by day plan.

Which beach

January is dry season on both coasts, so the sea is calm and the sky is clear. The first option is my pick.

What to eat in Bangkok

Check opening hours before you go. Many street stalls only open in the evening.

Thailand costs

US dollars per person for the 7 nights. Rough estimates, so confirm prices when you book.

Per person0

For two0

Before you go

Check Thailand's entry rules for Australians and fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before you land. Rules change, so check the official site close to your date.
Your Nepal flights leave from Suvarnabhumi (BKK). Budget domestic flights to the beach often use Don Mueang (DMK), which is a separate airport. Check which one before you book.
Sleep in Bangkok the night before your flight home. This protects you from a delayed domestic flight.
For more beach time, stay an extra night and fly back to Bangkok on the morning of your flight home. Pick an early flight and leave 5 hours before departure.
Ask for "mai phet" (not spicy) if you want it milder.

Photography

For a Canon EOS R with a 24-105mm zoom and a fast 28mm prime. The zoom is the day lens and the prime is for stars and low light. One guide for each hike, plus kit and method and the towns. Each day in the Itinerary tab has a short photo note. Light times are calculated for a flat horizon, so check a sun app the night before.

Diary

Saves on this phone first, so it works with no signal. When you are back online it copies each entry to your private GitHub backup.