The Swotah Journal
Route guides, permits, packing lists and dispatches from the trail.
269 articles
Nepal AdventuresManaslu Circuit Solo Trekking 2026: Permit Rule, Costs and the Guide Requirement
One trekker can now get the Manaslu permit (22 Mar 2026), but a licensed guide is still required. 2026 permit costs, no TIMS, and October flood status.
NepalTop Buddhist Destinations in Nepal: Lumbini, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and Himalayan Monasteries
The best Buddhist destinations in Nepal: Lumbini, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Namo Buddha, Tengboche, Lo Manthang and Shey Gompa, with 2026 fees and travel tips.
Why NepalPashupatinath Temple: Visitor Guide to Kathmandu's Holiest Shiva Shrine
Visiting Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu: NPR 1,000 entry, 4 am to 9 pm, who can enter, cremation etiquette, the evening Aarati and Shivaratri on 6 Mar 2027.
Nepal AdventuresThe 1996 Mount Everest Disaster: What Happened and Why Eight Died
What happened on Everest on 10-11 May 1996: a full timeline, who died, why the 2 pm turnaround was missed, Into Thin Air vs The Climb, and what changed.
Nepal AdventuresHillary Step on Mount Everest: Where It Is and Why It Matters
The Hillary Step sits at about 8,790 m on Everest's south-east ridge. What it was in 1953, what changed after the 2015 earthquake, and what climbers face now.
Nepal ExperienceEverest Base Camp Trek During Winter
Everest Base Camp in winter: clear skies and empty trails, but nights of -15 to -25 C at Gorak Shep. Temperatures, lodges, flights and winter kit for Dec-Feb.
Nepal ExperienceHow Difficult Is the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra? Altitude, Kora Days and Fitness (2026)
How hard is the Kailash kora? Day-by-day distances, the 5,630 m Drolma La, altitude risks, age and medical rules, training tips and 2026 route status.
Nepal ExperienceIs Nepal Safe to Travel Right Now? October 2026 Update
Yes. After the 2026 floods every major trekking region is open, Langtang included since 22 October, and the 2025 protests are long over. What is still closed and how to plan.
Nepal ExperienceGreen Boots on Everest: Who He Was and Why He Is Still There
Green Boots died on Everest's north side in 1996. DNA named him Dorje Morup in 2026. Why the body stays, the 2027 recovery plan and a 30-year timeline.
Nepal AdventuresNepal's 97 Free Peaks: Royalty Waiver in Karnali and Sudurpaschim (2026 Status)
Nepal waived climbing royalties on 97 peaks in Karnali and Sudurpaschim until mid-July 2027. See which peaks, what you still pay and the October 2026 status.
Nepal AdventuresWhy Has No One Climbed Mount Kailash? Faith, Permits and the Myths (2026)
Mount Kailash (6,638 m) is unclimbed because four faiths hold it sacred and no permits are issued. The Messner and 2001 episodes, the myths and the kora.
Nepal AdventuresMaurice Herzog and the First Ascent of Annapurna (1950): The Full Story
How Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal made the first ascent of an 8,000 m peak on Annapurna in 1950, the frostbite, the bestselling book and the later controversy.