The Longest Way Home Travel Blog

Nar Phu Valley Trek – Day 2 of 9 There is a non-sensible and dangerous trend in modern online trekking forums and groups of “go free-and worry about nothing”. Koto to Meta is a single, grueling 7-hour push. Gautam and I are well able for this, and we discussed it while we crossed the bridge …

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Nar Phu Valley Trek – Day 1 of 9 So much has changed since my last trip to the Nar Phu trekking region. The Annapurna Circuit has  become a popular “short trek” instead of the long 21-day adventure it once was. Manaslu has largely taken over as its successor. Trekkers are looking for more off …

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While I kept my paperback Nepal guidebook up to date with new editions, a lot has changed in Nepal and the world in recent years leading into 2026. My first paperback book was published back in 2016 in Nepal. I then came out with a second edition in 2018 which hit the number one bestseller …

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A road-free Annapurna Circuit option was there all along – but in 2026 it became easier to organize I still remember the dynamiting in 2008, I stood on a steep trail along the Annapurna Circuit and watched road builders blast apart the mountainside. The dust took a long time to settle. The damage is now …

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The Seductive Promise of Digital Freedom We live in an age of unprecedented convenience. With a few taps on our smartphones, we can access maps of the entire world, navigate remote wilderness areas, and venture into terrain that once required local guides or years of experience to traverse safely. The promise is intoxicating: freedom, independence, …

Continue reading “The Deadly Truth About Free Trekking & Map Apps: A Fatal Tragedy in Nepal”

Nepal Allows Solo Restricted Area Permits with Guide On March 22nd the Ministry of Home Affairs – Department of Immigration – in a significant update for trekkers and adventure travelers, Nepal has revised its rules for visiting restricted areas. The government has removed the long-standing requirement that at least two foreign travelers must apply together …

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The “Balen” Landslide: Is Nepal’s New Majority a Golden Ticket for Tourism? This won’t be too long because I really don’t want nor like writing about politics. However, the events of last September that resulted in the previous government collapsing, the death of 77 people, and the national outcry over long-standing corruption had an immediate …

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