Difference between Hiking, Trekking, Climbing and Expedition

What’s the difference between hiking, trekking, climbing and expedition? Do you have any idea about any literal and technical differences about these terms? Or have you ever come across such question?

We have faced many travellers with such confusions about the terms and their nature. With our so many years of working experience in the adventure tourism industry in Nepal, we have come through a lot of people who are confused with the terms, if not literally but technically for sure. We have found out that people are especially confused with the term trekking as they take trekking in Nepal means going all the way to the top of a mountain. For example, the term ‘Everest trekking’ means, for many people, reaching the summit of the Mt. Everest. So, we have tried to make the difference about these terms clear.

We will try to make the idea clear in the post today. Hiking, trekking, climbing and expedition are famous adventure activities in the mountains of Nepal. As the home to 8000-meter peaks and several other high soaring mountains in the Himalayas, Nepal has made an identity as an adventure destination among the adventure travellers around the world. Hiking, trekking, climbing and expedition are the main Himalayan adventure activities in Nepal.

A brief description and nature of each of the terms goes as follow.

Hiking

Hiking in Nepal is a pleasant, leisurely day walking activity in the lower foothills of the mountains. Speaking about technical difficulties, hiking is the easiest form of walking in the mountains. Hiking is done being based in a place. You walk somewhere for the day and come back to your base to spend overnight. When you read or hear about hiking in Nepal, it is about the short and pleasant nature day walks around Kathmandu valley, Pokhara valley etc. Hiking in Nepal is a wonderful day break from the crowd of the city.

In Points

• A day trip
• Lower elevation, foothills
• Walk from a base and return back
• Day refreshers

Trekking

Trekking is a multiple days of walking, and in the mountains in Nepal, without requiring any technical climbing skills. You walk from one place to the other and you do it for more than a day. Trekking in Nepal goes higher in the mountains with increasing elevation. You actually do not go atop any mountain in trekking activity. You may walk up to the base camp of a mountain. So, you have to be very clear that trekking is not going to the top of mountain.

In Points

• Multiple days walking in the mountains
• Walk from one place to the other
• High elevation walk
• Long hours of walking every day
• Walk to the base or the foothills of Himalayan peaks

Some Trekking Trips in Nepal

• Everest Base Camp Trek
• Annapurna Base Camp Trek
• Manaslu Circuit Trek
• Langtang Valley Trek

Climbing

Climbing is the adventure activity that takes you up to the top of mountains. This activity in Nepal has been divided into two categories – climbing and expedition. Climbing is the activity of ascending to the top of a mountain that requires less time – normally a day trip to the top from the base camp or high camp. These peaks do not require high skills of mountaineering although you have to have some of them. Climbing peaks are normally called the trekking peaks in Nepal. These peaks are basically below 7,000 meters. This is definitely tougher than trekking alone but not as tough and challenging as expedition peaks.

In Points

• Climbing to the top of peaks
• Trekking peaks that require only less climbing skills
• A day trip from the base camp or the high camp
• Less challenging than expedition
• Peaks below 7,000 meters

Some Climbing Adventures in Nepal

• Mera Peak Climbing
• Island Peak Climbing
• Lobuche Peak Climbing

Expedition

Expedition in Nepal is the activity of climbing tougher and more difficult mountains including 8,000 meter mountains. This activity requires high skills of mountain climbing and you have to spend several days, up to two months, in completing the trip. You take plenty of time to acclimatize at the base camp and other camps above the base camp. These activities are huge time consuming, challenging beyond expectations, and require a good deal of mountain climbing skills.

In Points

• Long and arduous process
• Extremely challenging beyond expectations
• Takes long time up to two months
• Requires high technical skills of mountain climbing

Expeditions in Nepal

• Everest Expedition
• Ama Dablam Expedition
• Dhaulagiri Expedition
• Lhotse Expedition
• Manaslu Expedition

We hope the points and short descriptions on the topic must have given you clear idea of what these activities are. These adventure activities are the main Himalayan attractions in Nepal. Thousands of trekkers and climbers come to Nepal every year for the adventure activities in the mountains.

Different in nature, all adventures have their own requirements to go on. Hiking and trekking are holiday adventures in nature while climbing and expedition are more of real adventures that people take it out of passion.