Nepal

In a place where ‘choice’ for many women is defined as either marrying young or being sold to a man in India, this Nepali social enterprise is helping young women demand more.

We’re unpacking Lonely Planet’s top ultimate travel experiences, so when it’s safe to hit the road again we can help you have these experiences yourself. 

Just in time for International Women’s Day, we’re bringing you some brand new Women’s Expeditions.

Seeing female porters in Nepal isn’t really the norm; the trekking industry here is very much male-dominated. Women are generally considered to be not strong enough, not fast enough. But these women look pretty strong to me.

There’s not much to see out here. Rice paddies, villages, a few roadside stands selling fruit and eggs. You certainly wouldn’t expect a tourism project; a village-run community of homestays and activities for international travellers. But that’s exactly what you’ll find at Madi Valley.

“Please don’t walk around after dark,” Mohan, the village chief, tells us as he shows us around in the late afternoon sun. “We had an elephant come through last night.”

As the most important group of people in Nepal’s trekking industry, porters tend to be treated the worst. Meet the NGO working to fix it.

On family holidays, it can sometimes be tricky finding fun things to do that everyone will enjoy. But not with these awesome adventures!

Nepal’s Annapurna Base Camp trek is one you definitely want to be prepared for. Sure, there’s training for a high-altitude trek and readying yourself for dal bhat at every meal, but you also need to make sure you’re kitted out with the right gear. Here’s everything you’re likely to need.