Welcome to our library of Nepal Books and Trekking Guides.
Below we have tried to synthesis the best trekking guidebooks and general fiction books on Nepal mountaineering.
We are constantly updating our library so if you think any worthy books are missing, please leave a comment below and we will read and review the book. If we like it we will included it here.
Best Overall Trekking Guide
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[one_half_last]Lonely Planet Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya
By: Bradley Mayhew, Joe Bindloss and Lonely Planet
The best all-round trekking guide for Nepal. Includes 30 detailed itineraries on the most popular routes, including Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit.[/one_half_last]
Best Travel Guide to Nepal
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[one_half_last]Lonely Planet Nepal (Travel Guide)
By: Bradley Mayhew, Lindsay Brown, Trent Holden and Lonely Planet
The 9th edition of Lonely Planet Nepal is by far the best travel guidebook companion for Nepal. Super comprehensive and brilliantly laid out for fast regional and city references.[/one_half_last]
Best Regional Trekking Guides
Everest Region or Khumba
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[one_half_last]A Trekking Guide to Everest
By: Sian Pritchard-Jones, Bob Gibbons and the Himalayan Map House
Gibbons and Pritchard Jone’s new trekking guide for Everest is absolutely brilliant. It’s so good that we would say you can trek in this region solo with this guide, and not have to ask anyone any questions![/one_half_last]
Annapurna Region
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By: Sian Pritchard-Jones and Bob Gibbons
Another reliable and great guide from Gibbons and Pritchard-Jones. Updated with details on New Annapurna Trekking Trails.[/one_half_last]
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By: Prem Rai and Andrées de Ruiter
We also recommend this more up-to-date Annapurna guide that has very accurate information on the NATT-Trails. When we last checked it was only available in the UK.[/one_half_last]
Langtang Region
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A Trekking Guide to Langtang: Gosainkund, Helambu and Tamang Heritage TrailBy: Sian Pritchard-Jones, Bob Gibbons and the Himalayan Map House
Best trekking guide available for the Langtang region and recently updated![/one_half_last]
Manaslu Region
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[one_half_last]A Trekking Guide to Manaslu and Tsum Valley: Lower Manaslu & Ganesh Himal
By: Sian Pritchard-Jones, Bob Gibbons and the Himalayan Map House
Best trekking guide for the Manaslu region and also recently updated.[/one_half_last]
Dolpo Region
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A Trekking Guide to Upper & Lower DolpoBy: Sian Pritchard-Jones, Bob Gibbons and the Himalayan Map House
Best trekking guide for the Dolpo region and also recently updated.[/one_half_last]
Nepal Himalaya Classics
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The Snow Leopard (Penguin Classics)By: Peter Matthiessen
Year: 1978
One of the best travel books on the region. The Snow Leopard won the 1979 National Book Award in the category of Contemporary Thought and the 1980 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Voted in the top 10 travel books by World Huns and the top 80 Around the World books by National Geographic![/one_half_last]
Best Everest Climbing Books
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Everest, the West RidgeBy: Thomas Hornbein
Year: 1965
Hornbein was the first to climb Everest via the treacherous West Route. This, his account of the expedition, is an absolute classic and must-read for anyone interested in Mount Everest.[/one_half_last]
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The Crystal Horizon: Everest-The First Solo AscentBy: Reinhold Messner
Year: 1988
Messner is not the greatest writer, but he is one of the greatest climbers to have ever lived. This book tells of his experience as the first person to ascend Everest solo. Worth the read![/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last] Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
By: Jon Krakuer
Year: 1997
If you can only read one book on Everest, this is it. Krakuer’s first-hand account of what happened on Everest’s most deadly day in May 1996 is harrowing! [/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
By: Anatoli Boukreev
Year: 2002
In response to Krakuer’s book, Anatoli Boukreev wrote his own account, which tells a slightly different story from that of Into Thin Air. Read both and make up your own mind. [/one_half_last]
Best Annapurna Climbing Books
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[one_half_last]Annapurna
By: Maurice Hertzog
Year: 1952
If we had to recommend one book on Annapurna it would be Hertzog’s account of his expedition’s maiden summit on the world’s most dangerous mountain. Voted Top 100 Sports Books of All Time by Sports Illustrated. [/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]Annapurna: A Woman’s Place
By: Arlene Blum
Year: 1980
In 1978 Arlene Blum lead a team of 13 women on an expedition to climb Annapurna. This story tells of the scale and difficulty involved in a Himalayan expedition, and is totally gripping! [/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]The Will to Climb: Obsession and Commitment and the Quest to Climb Annapurna–the World’s Deadliest Peak
By: Ed Viesturs and David Roberts
Year: 2013
Annapurna was the last 8000er that Viesturs climbed to become the 5th person to scale all fourteen 8000m peaks without supplementary oxygen. It took him three goes but he eventually got there. This book tells the story of his nemesis – Annapurna! [/one_half_last]
Best K2 Climbing Books
K2, situated in the Pakistan Karakoram, is the second highest mountain in the world. Many fantastic, yet tragic, books have been written about K2. Here are our favourites.
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[one_half_last]No Way Down: Life and Death on K2
By: Graham Bowley
Year: 2011
No Way Down tells the story of one of the worst mountaineering disasters ever. You will not be able to put this book down. Excellently researched and brilliant story-telling. You won’t put this book down until it is finished. [/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]The Time Has Come: Ger McDonnell – His Life & His Death on K2
By: Damien O’Brien
Year: 2012
Written by the brother-in-law of the late Ger McDonnell who died along with 11 other climbers during the disastrous descent from the summit if K2 in 2008. Fascinating insight into what drives high altitude mountaineers.[/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2’s Deadliest Day
By: Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan
Year: 2013
If you only have enough time for one K2 book then this is it. Incredible story of the loyalty and bravery shown by mountaineering sherpas.[/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain
By: Ed Viesturs and David Roberts
Year: 2010
A brilliant book that focuses on 7 of the mountains most dramatic expeditions, including Viesturs’ iconic climb with the late Scott Fischer in 1992. [/one_half_last]
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[one_half_last]Savage Summit: The Life and Death of the First Women of K2
By: Jennifer Jordan
Year: 2006
Jordan tells the gripping story of the handful of women who have successfully climbed K2. A fascinating read![/one_half_last]