Nepal's biggest adventure activities outside trekking are the Everest Skydive over the Khumbu, the 228 m bungee at Kushma, the 160 m bungee at the Bhote Koshi, tandem paragliding and the ZipFlyer in Pokhara, white-water rafting, Everest mountain flights, heli-skiing, waterfall ice climbing and mountain biking. Most of them can be done in a day from Kathmandu or Pokhara. The Everest Skydive runs once a year in November and costs from USD 25,000. Parahawking, which made Pokhara famous, stopped in 2017.
- Highest bungeeKushma, 228 m over the Kali Gandaki (open since Nov 2020)
- Classic bungeeThe Last Resort, 160 m over the Bhote Koshi, about 3 h from Kathmandu
- ParaglidingPokhara, about USD 80 to 120 for a 20 to 30 minute tandem
- Everest SkydiveSyangboche and Ama Dablam drop zones, once a year in November
- Best seasonOctober to April for air sports, autumn and spring for rafting
- No longer offeredParahawking (Pokhara), stopped in 2017
Looking for adventure activities in Nepal? Be it skydiving or rock climbing. This tiny landlocked country has it all.
Nepal caters to every type of adventure seeker, whether you want a hardcore adrenaline-pumping adventure or just enjoy some thrilling activities, it is all available. It is truly the country for thrill-seekers. The majestic mountains, swift-flowing rivers, and narrow trails leading into dense forest show what Nepal truly is: a paradise for adventure.
From conquering the highest of summits to covering the deep rivers and gorges, these activities in Nepal test your physical and mental limits. They lighten up your mental burdens, freshen up your senses, and develop a sense of adventure and achievement. The adventure activities below are perfect for the wild soul looking for a real thrill. If you want gentler options, see our list of things to do in the Himalaya other than trekking.
So get up, check these adventure activities below, and book your trips with nepal trekking agency right away to experience all these adventures in Nepal.
1. Everest Skydive
What is more thrilling than flying above the top of the world just to jump midair over Everest? Everest skydiving is the most extreme, courageous, and thrilling experience one could ever attain.
The first Everest Skydive in 2008 jumped from 29,500 ft, higher than the summit of Mount Everest, and exit heights have varied from year to year since. You get the view of Everest, a bone-chilling height and a long freefall before landing at one of the highest drop zones on Earth.
First-timers jump tandem, strapped to an experienced instructor, and licensed skydivers can jump solo. It is an expedition more than a day out: you fly to Lukla, walk up to Namche to acclimatise and jump over several days. The event runs once a year, usually in November. The 18th edition ran from 10 to 13 November 2025.
Where you can do it: The Everest region. The drop zones are Syangboche (about 3,780 m, 12,400 ft) above Namche Bazaar and Ama Dablam Base Camp (about 4,570 m, 15,000 ft).
Package: Everest Skydive in Nepal, from USD 25,000 per person (group departure). Read more in our guide to the cost of skydiving in Nepal.
2. Heli-Skiing in the Himalaya
Astounding as it sounds. Heli-skiing in Nepal is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which provides you with an opportunity to ski on the world’s biggest, highest & most outrageous Mountain-range of the World.
A helicopter drops you high on the slopes, and operators quote runs from about 5,300 m down to 3,300 m. On a lucky day you may start at 5,500 m and finish as low as 2,200 m. Only a few specialist operators run it, in week-long packages from Kathmandu between late February and early April, so book many months ahead. The adventure begins as you make your own tracks through lush forests on your way down.
Where you can do it: Everest region, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kangchenjunga, and the Dolpo region.
3. Waterfall Ice Climbing
Waterfall Ice climbing in Nepal- an experience like no other. Amazing mountain views, spectacular climbing conditions, and frozen waterfalls. Push your limits by battling extreme altitudes and conquering the toughest ice falls.
From December to February the waterfalls in the high valleys freeze solid, and that is the season to climb them. You need ice-climbing experience or a course with a qualified instructor first.
Where you can do it: The main areas to ice climb are Langtang Valley, the Annapurna Sanctuary, and the frozen falls near the Thame hydropower station in the Khumbu.
Related trips: Rock Climbing in Kathmandu, Adventure sports, Bungee
4. White-Water Rafting
If freefalling and climbing do not give you the adrenaline rush, maybe you should look for some extreme water splashing, twisting and turning rafting sport.
The rivers of Nepal are known for their rapids and for being the world’s best destination for whitewater rafting. The rivers flowing down from the Snow-capped mountains provides the best rapids with many twists and turns ensuring you a thrilling experience. Surfing across the big boulders and sloppy riversides, you will enjoy brief dips in the cool rivers. Bhote Koshi river, Trisuli River, and Seti River are the most popular for rafting.
Check the river before you book in 2026. In mid-October the Seti was running, while the Trishuli and Kali Gandaki were on hold after this year's floods. The rafting Bhote Koshi is the one in Sindhupalchok, on the road to Kodari, and was not in the path of the August flood in Rasuwa. Our rafting guide has grades and the latest status for each river.
Where you can do it: Bhote Koshi (grade IV to V), Trishuli (III to IV, one day from Kathmandu) and Seti (II to III, easy and warm), plus multi-day trips on the Sun Koshi, Kali Gandaki and Karnali.
5. Bungee Jumping and Canyon Swing at the Bhote Koshi
Imagine the two most thrilling experiences in one day. Bungee, free-falling from a height and diving straight into the cascading waters hundreds of meters below. Truly an endearing adventure activity.
A 160-metre jump from a suspension bridge over one of the wildest rivers, the Bhote Koshi, adds to the adrenaline thrill. You can combine the leap with a hike or the canyon swing from the same bridge to make a full day of it. Couples can read our guide to bungee jumping together in Nepal.
Where you can do it: The Last Resort, near the Tibet border, about three hours' drive from Kathmandu. Most tours pick you up from your hotel in Kathmandu.
6. Mountain Flight
Unable to trek up Mount Everest because you are short on time or simply not interested. If your answer is yes then this particular adventure is for you. An Everest mountain flight takes you level with the summits. The plane cruises at about 7,600 m, turns roughly 5 nautical miles from Everest and never lands. If you want to land in the Khumbu, look at a helicopter tour instead.
Sit back, relax, and comfortably enjoy the miles of snow peaks whilst flying close to the astounding views of pristine mastiffs of rock and ice.
Where you can do it: Flights leave Kathmandu's domestic terminal at dawn and last about an hour. Agents sell seats for about USD 180 to 275, and the mountains are on the left side of the plane on the way out. Swotah's 3-day Mountain Flight package is from USD 475 per person (group departure).
7. Parahawking (No Longer Offered)
Parahawking is essentially paragliding with falconry. Designed to advance the interaction between man and bird, parahawking combines paragliding with flying with actual birds of prey!
Falconry techniques always involve rewards, so during the flight, the passenger continuously place small chunks of meat onto their hand for the bird to refuel. The perfect blend of adventure, eco-tourism, and conservation, this experience helps you interact with birds of prey in their own environment whilst experiencing the journey into the Himalaya from the sky.
Where it ran: Pokhara.
Parahawking is no longer offered in Nepal. The government ordered the raptor centre behind it to close in 2010, and in 2017 it confiscated the project's birds of prey, which ended the flights. The closest thing today is a tandem paragliding flight from the same ridges above Phewa Lake, where wild birds of prey still ride the same thermals.
8. ZipFlyer in Pokhara
Ziplines are popular all over the world, and Pokhara's is billed as one of the steepest and fastest of them. Talking about covering your bases! The ZipFlyer, run by HighGround Adventures, launches from Sarangkot and is 1,800 metres long, with a 600-metre (about 2,000-foot) vertical drop and speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour.
The best part of the zip-flyer is take-off. You sit near the door while seated in your harness, and count down from five begins. As the door swings open, you go flying down a steep hill, so steep you can’t see the ground you’re headed towards. On a clear day, the views of Annapurna are almost as thrilling as the wind on your face.
Where you can do it: Sarangkot, above Pokhara.
9. Mountain Biking
Try mountain riding in Nepal if you want to push your physical limitations further. You may ride bicycling on a smooth graveled road to rocky, rough paths thanks to the varied terrain. Different cities provide a variety of bike paths, from simple to challenging. You can create your own trails or follow the more popular ones.
Cycling through valleys, from rivers to steep hills and rough-dry mountains, mountain biking is a very satisfying activity that blends natural beauty with a test of your physical and mental limits, a tiring yet refreshing adventure.
Where you can do it: the Kathmandu Valley rim for day rides, the hills around Pokhara, and Mustang for multi-day trips. Swotah runs Mountain Biking in Mustang from USD 3,250 and the Easy Upper Mustang Mountain Biking trip from USD 2,650 per person (group departure).
10. Paragliding in Pokhara
Pokhara is one of the world's great paragliding venues. Tandem flights launch from Sarangkot (1,592 m) or nearby Toripani and ride the thermals above Phewa Lake with the full Annapurna and Machhapuchhre panorama as a backdrop. No experience is needed. A standard 20-to-30-minute tandem costs roughly USD 80 to 120, with photos and video often extra. The flying season runs strongest from October to April, when the skies above the lake fill with dozens of bright wings. Since the new Pokhara International Airport opened, the take-off sites have moved more than once. In May 2025 the authorities allowed flights from Sarangkot and Toripani again, landing at Khapaudi by the lake, between 11 am and 4:30 pm. Confirm the current site with your operator.
11. The Cliff Bungee and Swing at Kushma (228 m)
Nepal now hosts the world's second-highest bungee jump: The Cliff at Kushma, a 228-metre plunge from a suspension bridge over the Kali Gandaki gorge. It opened in November 2020 and is about 60 km west of Pokhara, roughly a two-hour drive. The same platform runs a giant canyon swing for those who prefer their terror seated. It joins the classic 160-metre Bhote Koshi bungee near the Tibet border to give Nepal two of Asia's biggest jumps.
Nepal's Big Drops Compared
How far do you actually fall? Here are the vertical drops of the main thrill rides, all measured from the launch to the river or valley floor below.
| Activity | Where | Vertical drop |
|---|---|---|
| ZipFlyer | Sarangkot, Pokhara | 600 m (over 1.8 km) |
| The Cliff bungee | Kushma, Parbat | 228 m |
| The Last Resort bungee | Bhote Koshi, Sindhupalchok | 160 m |
| Tower bungee | Pokhara | about 80 m |
Adventure Activities in Nepal at a Glance
| Activity | Where | Best months | Time needed | Status, Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everest Skydive | Syangboche, Ama Dablam BC | November | 11 days with Swotah | Annual event |
| Heli-skiing | Annapurna, Everest | Late Feb to early Apr | 1 week | Specialist operators only |
| Waterfall ice climbing | Thame, Langtang, Annapurna Sanctuary | Dec to Feb | Several days | Experience needed |
| White-water rafting | Bhote Koshi, Trishuli, Seti | Oct to Nov, Mar to May | 1 to 10 days | Seti open, Trishuli on hold |
| Bungee and canyon swing | Bhote Koshi, Kushma | All year except heavy monsoon | 1 day | Running |
| Mountain flight | From Kathmandu | Oct to May | 1 hour | Daily, weather permitting |
| Paragliding | Pokhara | Oct to Apr | Half a day | Running, 11 am to 4:30 pm |
| ZipFlyer | Sarangkot, Pokhara | Most of the year | 2 to 3 hours | Running |
| Mountain biking | Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Mustang | Oct to May | 1 day to 2 weeks | Running |
| Parahawking | Pokhara | n/a | n/a | Stopped in 2017 |
Take on these adventure activities and make your journey awesome. Swotah can arrange any of them as a private trip, or add a day of bungee, rafting or paragliding to a trek.
Adventure Activities in Nepal: FAQ
What is the most extreme adventure activity in Nepal?
The Everest Skydive. You jump from a helicopter over the Khumbu and land at Syangboche or Ama Dablam Base Camp, among the highest drop zones in the world. It runs once a year in November and Swotah's package starts at USD 25,000 per person.
Where is the highest bungee jump in Nepal?
At Kushma in Parbat district, about 60 km west of Pokhara. The Cliff's bungee drops 228 m from a suspension bridge over the Kali Gandaki and is billed as the second-highest bungee in the world. The older Last Resort jump on the Bhote Koshi is 160 m.
Can I still go parahawking in Pokhara?
No. The Pokhara parahawking flights stopped in 2017 after the government confiscated the project's birds of prey. Tandem paragliding from the same area is the closest alternative and costs about USD 80 to 120.
Which adventure activities can I do in one day from Kathmandu?
A bungee jump or canyon swing at the Last Resort (about three hours each way), a day of rafting on the Bhote Koshi, an Everest mountain flight, a rock-climbing day near Kathmandu, or a mountain bike ride on the valley rim.
