Humla

Humla is the north-western corner of Karnali Province, a district of 5,655 square kilometres, the second-largest in Nepal, that borders Tibet and can only be reached by air or on foot. Its headquarters Simikot, about 2,900 m up, is the gateway to two remote walks: the Humla Karnali valley to Hilsa on the border, a route pilgrims walk to Mount Kailash, and the Limi Valley, three Tibetan-speaking villages (Halji, Jang and Til) at roughly 3,700 to 4,100 m. The standard Limi loop takes 18 days from Kathmandu by air to Simikot, walks up the Karnali to Hilsa, crosses the Nara La (about 4,620 m), visits the three Limi villages, returns over the Nyalu La (about 4,940 m) and walks back to Simikot. Humla is a restricted area: the Nepal Tourism Board lists the permit at USD 50 per person for the first week and USD 10 per day after that, through a registered agency, with a licensed guide.

Overview of the Humla region

Humla has about 55,000 residents, all rural, who live between the subtropical river valleys and the nival peaks. More than half of the district, 58.7 percent, lies in the alpine zone at 4,000 to 5,000 m. Hindus, mostly Chhetri and Thakuri, make up about 87 percent of the population and Buddhists about 12 percent; the Buddhists are Tibetan-speaking people in the north, especially in Limi. The district has seven rural municipalities, and Namkha is the largest rural municipality in Nepal by area. Wild yaks, thought to be regionally extinct, were rediscovered in Humla in 2014.

Simikot and the Karnali gorge

Simikot's airstrip sits on a terrace above the town, at about 2,820 m on OpenStreetMap and 2,900 to 2,950 m in operator itineraries. From there the trail drops to Dharapuri, about 2,300 m, and follows the Humla Karnali upstream through Kermi (hot springs), Yalbang, Tumkot and Yari to Hilsa, the Tibet border post on the river. The traditional Kailash foot route covers Simikot to Hilsa in four to five days over the Nara La. The Great Himalaya Trail's Nepal section ends at Hilsa.

The Limi Valley loop

Past Hilsa the trail follows the upper Karnali to Manepeme, crosses the Lamka La (about 4,300 m) and reaches Til, the first of the three Limi villages. Halji has the Rinchenling monastery, Jang is the highest of the three, and from Jang a long wilderness stage via Talung climbs to the Nyalu La and drops to Shinjungma, with no village until Kermi. The route returns down the Karnali to Simikot. See the Limi Valley day plan for the stage-by-stage plan.

Halji, Rinchenling and Limi culture

Limi's three villages were settled by Tibetan migrants and have been continuously inhabited for at least a thousand years, by the accounts we found. The Rinchenling monastery in Halji follows the Drikung Kagyu school; popular accounts credit the 11th-century translator Rinchen Zangpo, while a 2008 article attributes the foundation to the 13th or 14th century, so treat the date as traditional. A glacial lake outburst flood damaged Halji in 2011, and conservation work continues. Behave as a guest: ask before photographing monks or interiors, circle chortens and mani walls clockwise, and do not touch ritual objects.

Best time to trek, month by month

April to June and September to November are the best months. Operators avoid December to February, when passes are snowed in and the nights are bitter, and the monsoon (June to September) brings landslides on the lower trail and cancels flights. Limi's villages are high enough for frost in October.

• April and May: dry trails, flowers on the lower slopes, cold nights above Hilsa.
• June: warmer, with the first monsoon cloud at the end of the month.
• September: green and clear after rain, but landslide risk lingers.
• October and November: the clearest views; short days and frost at Til.
• December to February: not advised.

Permits and rules

Humla is on the Department of Immigration's restricted-area list. The Nepal Tourism Board gives the fee as USD 50 per person for the first week and USD 10 per day beyond one week. One operator quotes USD 90 for ten days, and other fee tables list different figures, so use the Board's number and ask the agency to confirm. The permit is arranged through a registered trekking agency; you hand over your passport and visa details in Kathmandu. A licensed guide through a registered agency is required. Since 22 March 2026 one trekker can apply, so there is no longer a minimum group of two, but a partner halves the guide cost. Your agency also arranges the TIMS card (NPR 2,000 for foreigners (SAARC nationals NPR 1,000) per the Nepal Tourism Board).

Getting there and away

The route in is by air: Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (45 to 60 minutes), then a flight to Simikot of about 40 to 45 minutes. The Simikot airstrip is weather dependent, and flights are often delayed or cancelled for days, so build at least two spare days in the middle of the trip and at the end. Some operators route through Surkhet, driving three hours from Nepalgunj before the flight. Your agency books the seats, and baggage allowances on the small aircraft are strict.

Altitude and acclimatisation

The itinerary climbs from Simikot (about 2,950 m) to Yari (about 3,700 m) and the Nara La (about 4,620 m) in four days, which is fast: plan to drink well, keep a steady pace and descend if you feel unwell. The highest night is Talung at about 4,370 m, and the Nyalu La, near 4,940 m, is the highest crossing. Descent from Talung is a long day to Shinjungma, so you cannot easily turn back there. Take a medical kit and read about the signs of altitude sickness.

Lodging, food and costs

Humla has few teahouses. Operators run Limi as a camping or homestay trek with a cook and porters, because facilities are scarce, and the cost is the agency's price rather than lodge bills. The route page lists the sourced permit fees and sample costs, and flags this as a camping trek.

Safety and logistics

Evacuation from Limi takes days: the nearest roads and hospital are far, and a helicopter needs good weather. Carry a satellite messenger or radio through your guide, buy insurance that covers helicopter evacuation above 4,000 m and delays, and keep a reserve of days and cash. Do not rely on phone coverage in Limi.

Wildlife and nature

The valley floors have blue pine and juniper, with birch and barley fields in the villages, and the high slopes are open alpine pasture. Wild yaks were rediscovered in northern Humla in 2014, and Himalayan blue sheep and snow leopards may use the high valleys. The Humla Karnali is a river you hear most of the way.

Responsible trekking

Humla's communities are small, so buy local food and services where you can, ask permission before camping on pasture and carry your litter out. Do not give money or sweets to children. Respect that the Limi villages keep their own customs, and follow your guide's advice on photography.

What to pack

Limi needs the kit of a high-altitude camping trek: broken-in boots, a four-season sleeping bag rated to about minus 10 degrees or lower, a down jacket, a windproof shell, warm hat, gloves, sun hat, sunglasses with side protection, high-factor sun cream, trekking poles, a headlamp and a water filter or purification tablets. Bring a first-aid kit with blister care, rehydration salts and your own prescription medicines. Operators supply tents, kitchen gear and food, but check which items you are expected to bring yourself, including a sleeping mat. Pack in a duffel bag that fits the small-aircraft allowance, and leave surplus luggage in Kathmandu.

Fitness and training

This is a long remote loop with 14 days on foot, several of them 7 to 8 hours, and the two longest stages come after more than a week of walking. Train for stamina with long hikes carrying a loaded daypack, stair or hill repeats for the climbs and a few back-to-back long days. Practise in the boots you will wear. Previous experience at 4,000 m is a real advantage, because the plan has no acclimatisation day, and the route climbs from Simikot to Yari in four days. Get a medical check before you go.

Money, insurance and permits timeline

Book through a registered agency at least a few weeks ahead, because the restricted-area permit is processed in Kathmandu and the agency needs your passport details and photographs. The Nepal Tourism Board publishes the fee; the agency adds its own service charge. Insurance must cover trekking above 4,000 m, helicopter evacuation and flight delays. Carry rupees in small notes for Kermi, Halji and Simikot, and leave tips for the crew until the end of the trek.

Kathmandu before and after

Allow a spare day in Kathmandu before the trip to meet the agency, check your gear and have your permit papers signed, and another after it in case the Simikot flights run late. The flights to Nepalgunj run daily, but the connection to Simikot depends on the weather and is the usual reason for delay. If you have time, add a rest day in Kathmandu or Pokhara to recover before heading home.

How the operators' itineraries differ

Four operator itineraries describe the Limi loop and they match closely from Simikot to Hilsa and from Til to Kermi. Travels with Teri runs 18 days with a rest day at Jang and a Surkhet route to the Simikot flight; Eternal Himalaya and Explore Share run 20 to 21 days with extra days in Kathmandu and a stop at Muchu between Yalbang and Yari; Peregrine Treks runs about 20 days with the same stages. The sources give Nara La as 4,560 or 4,620 m, the Nyalu La as 4,940, 4,949 or 5,001 m, and Til at 4,000 m, so altitudes here are rounded and labelled "about". Wikipedia puts the Nara La at 4,530 m. The plan on this site uses the shared stage structure with the flight days as separate days, and leaves buffer days for you to add.

Who the Limi loop suits

The Limi loop suits experienced walkers who want a remote, cultural trek and can cope with 14 walking days, several of 8 hours, camping and slow evacuation. It is not a trek for beginners, and it is best done with a registered agency that has run Humla before, a guide who knows the route and a plan for flight delays. If you have less time, a shorter walk from Simikot to Hilsa on the Kailash pilgrim route is possible.

Health, food and water

Food in Humla is simple and heavily based on rice, lentils, potatoes and barley, with tsampa, butter tea and dried yak products in Limi. The crew cooks most meals on a camping trek. Boil, filter or treat all water, and avoid raw salads. Carry rehydration salts, diarrhoea tablets, blister care, a pulse oximeter if you wish, and your own prescription medicines, because the pharmacies at Simikot and Hilsa are small and the next hospital is a flight away.