How many ways are there to explore the Himalayas and Everest?
There are many ways to explore the Himalayas and Everest depending on how technical, and how immersive you would like the experience.
You can explore the region by trekking, mountaineering, viewing by air, immersing in the regions culture or by taking exploring to an extreme.
Trekking includes classic tea house trekking, such as visiting base camp via Lukla and camping with supported treks, high pass trekking and for that bit of luxury even moving between lodges by helicopter.
Exploring by mountaineering includes trekking and climbing to Everest Base Camp, trekking the peaks (Island Peak, Lobuche East) and summiting Everest. There are also the technical Himalayan peaks to conquer.
Aerial Exploration includes mountain flight sightseeing and helicopter tours.
More immersive includes Sherpa culture immersion (monasteries, villages), scientific or environmental expeditions and photography, filmmaking, or spiritual retreats.
If you like a bit more extreme explorations there are ski expeditions, ultra-endurance or speed ascents and cross-border traverses (Nepal–Tibet).
Top Treks in Nepal
Nepal has many trekking routes ranging from easier cultural hikes to remote high-altitude circuits. Some of the most popular are the Everest Base Camp Trek, the Annapurna Circuit Trek, the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, the Manaslu Circuit Trek, the Langtang Valley Trek, the Gokyo Lakes & High Passes and the Upper Mustang Trek.
Well knowtrekking companies operating the region include Sherpa Trekking Company – focuses on Everest, Annapurna and Langtang treks with professional Sherpa guides. Asian Trekking – one of Nepal’s oldest adventure companies with vast Himalayan experience. Seven Summit Treks – major operator known for logistics and guiding across Nepal. Himalayan Guides Nepal – offers trekking and climbing guides across Nepal and surrounding regions and Langtang Treks Nepal – good choice for Langtang, Mardi Himal, and other routes. Adventure Consultants — globally recognised adventure travel company offering guided treks and high-altitude support.
Climbing Everest
There are around 20 distinct Everest climbing routes, but the main two are the South Col (Southeast Ridge) Route from Nepal’s side, first climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and the North Ridge (Northeast Ridge) Route from Tibet, first successfully climbed by a Chinese team in 1960.
Everest Expedition leaders and Guides
Some of the most prominent climbers and guides in Everest history distinguished by summits, leadership roles, and guiding reputations are:
Kami Rita Sherpa who holds the world record for the most Everest summits ever (over 30 ascents). He is widely considered the pinnacle of Everest guiding.
Pema (Pema Chhiring) Sherpa and IFMGA Certified Guide who holds a record as one of the most successful IFMGA-certified guides on Everest with 24 summits.
Kenton Cool, a British guide with 19 Everest summits, the most by a non-Nepali. He’s highly respected for expedition leadership and safety.
Garrett Madison an American expedition leader with 15 Everest summits, founder of Madison Mountaineering, and known for sophisticated high-altitude guiding and media coverage.
Adrian Ballinger lead guide for Alpenglow Expeditions’ Everest programs with extensive Himalayan experience and strong safety record. Alpenglow Expeditions
Mike Hamill and internationally seasoned high-altitude guide with dozens of 8,000 m expeditions, including multiple Everest leads. Climbing the Seven Summits
Phil Crampton, British expedition leader and founder of Altitude Junkies; has led numerous Everest expeditions with over 10 summits. https://www.philcrampton.com
Robert Anderson, British leader associated with Jagged Globe; pioneering routes and extensive Himalayan leadership.
The Adventurers Drinks Company first connected with Kenton Cool in 2025 and this led to the launch of Everest Gin, crafted with botanicals found in the Himalayan foothills. It captures the untamed purity of the world's greatest mountain with every bottle containing a drop of melted snow collected from the summit of Everest by Kenton Cool, binding the soul of the mountain to the spirit in your glass. A proportion of profits from the sale of each bottle are donated to the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
