Limi Valley Trek

Also known as Humla Limi Valley Trek (Simikot – Hilsa – Til/Halji/Jhang – Nyalu La).

Limi Valley Trek is an advanced 14-18-day teahouse/camping mix trek in the Far West region of Nepal, reaching 4,995 m. It starts at Simikot and ends at Simikot.

Key facts

Region
Far West (Humla)
Duration
14-18 days, 5-8 hours walking per day
Distance
160 km
Maximum altitude
4,995 m
Difficulty
Advanced — Extremely remote restricted border region with two high passes (Nara La 4,560 m, Nyalu La ~4,995 m), long 5-9 hour days, mostly camping with homestays only in the three Limi villages, and double weather-dependent flights to reach the trailhead. No rescue or resupply infrastructure.
Trek type
Teahouse/Camping mix, loop route
Best season
Late spring to autumn (May-Oct); Limi lies in the trans-Himalayan rain shadow so summer trekking works
Guide
Mandatory. Restricted-area rule: minimum 2 trekkers and a licensed guide through a registered agency; RAP applications are agency-only. (A single 2026 blog claims the 2-person minimum was lifted in March 2026 — unverified.)
Restricted area
Yes — special permit required
Budget cost
NPR 350,000–440,000
Comfortable cost
NPR 440,000–520,000
Guided cost
NPR 350,000–522,000
Getting there
Kathmandu → Nepalgunj (flight, 1h) → overnight → Simikot 2,910 m (STOL flight, ~1h) → trek. Return same way. A rough seasonal road now links Hilsa (Tibet border) toward Simikot, used by Kailash pilgrims, but trekkers still fly.
Altitude sickness
Gradual ascent profile from Simikot helps, but Nara La (4,560 m) on day 6-8 and Nyalu La (~4,995 m) late in the trek carry real AMS risk with camps above 4,000 m for several nights.

Weather

Rain-shadow climate north of the main range: little monsoon rain in Limi itself, though Simikot flights suffer monsoon cloud. Nyalu La is snowbound roughly November-April; villages of Limi are cut off in winter. Cold nights year-round above 3,500 m.

Permits

Itinerary

  1. Day 1: Kathmandu to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — Arrival, permit processing (RAP requires a working day)
  2. Day 2: Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, 0 h, 150 m — Transfer to Terai staging town
  3. Day 3: Nepalgunj to Dharapuri, 4-5 h, 2,270 m — Morning STOL flight to Simikot (2,910 m); descend into the Karnali valley
  4. Day 4: Dharapuri to Kermi, 5-6 h, 2,670 m — Karnali gorge, hot springs near Kermi
  5. Day 5: Kermi to Yalbang, 5-6 h, 3,060 m — Namkha Khyung Dzong monastery — largest in Humla
  6. Day 6: Yalbang to Tumkot, 5-6 h, 3,073 m — Dhungkar Choezom monastery (Sakya school)
  7. Day 7: Tumkot to Yari, 6-7 h, 3,663 m — Landscape turns trans-Himalayan and arid
  8. Day 8: Yari to Hilsa, 8-9 h, 3,720 m — Cross Nara La 4,560 m; descend to the Tibet border village on the Karnali
  9. Day 9: Hilsa to Manepeme, 5-6 h, 3,900 m — Traverse above the Karnali into the closed Limi valley
  10. Day 10: Manepeme to Til, 5-6 h, 4,000 m — First Limi village — pure Tibetan culture, Til gompa
  11. Day 11: Til to Halji, 4-5 h, 3,670 m — Rinchenling Gompa (11th century) — cultural highlight of the trek
  12. Day 12: Halji to Jhang, 4-5 h, 3,930 m — Last Limi village; snow-leopard country
  13. Day 13: Jhang to Tumling (Talung), 4-5 h, 4,370 m — Climb toward the Nyalu La; kyang and blue-sheep sightings possible
  14. Day 14: Tumling to Shinjungma, 5-6 h, 3,620 m — Cross Nyalu La ~4,995 m — highest point; views to Saipal, Kailash and the Tibetan plateau; Selma Tso lake
  15. Day 15: Shinjungma to Kermi, 6-7 h, 2,670 m — Long descent through forest to the Karnali; hot springs
  16. Day 16: Kermi to Simikot, 5-6 h, 2,910 m — Final climb back to the district HQ
  17. Day 17: Simikot to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — Double return flight
  18. Day 18: Kathmandu to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — Buffer/departure day

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