The route follows the same trail to Ghorepani but then dips down into the valley before climbing back up again to a ridge (Khopra Danda) north of Poon Hill. This takes about a day unless you want to break it up into two days and stay at a teahouse in the village Swanta. Atop the ridge, you'll find a single teahouse run by a caretaker that comes up each day from the villages below.
Govt. Regd. No: 271230
- Duration12 Days
- Max. Altitude3640 m
- Best SeasonSpring and Autumn
Overview
Itinerary & Map
It is probably going to be a tiring but amazing day for you to land in Kathmandu. One of our airport representatives will welcome you to the airport and guide you to the hotel. You can enjoy the rest of the day as per your wish and explore the surroundings. In the evening, we have organized a welcome dinner for you, during that you will meet with the rest of the team members.
An extra day in Kathmandu to introduce you to the Nepali lifestyle and culture and also give you time to do final preparation for the trek. The day begins early, and you will go on a guided tour of Swayambhunath, the famous Monkey Temple.
From here, the tour guide will take you to the holy Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhnath Stupa. Both of these temples hold significant religious values for Hindus and Buddhists. You will end the tour at Kathmandu Durbar Square, visiting the palace and courtyards.
Later in the afternoon, we will introduce you to the trek guide, who will give you a short briefing about the trek and help you with the final preparation for the trek
Kathmandu Pokhara drive is long. You will be following a well-made road that goes along the rushing Trishuli river, offering stunning views of rolling lush green hills and cascading waterfalls. On a clear day, you may also get to see a glimpse of snow-capped mountains at a far distance. Upon reaching Pokhara, the City of Lakes, we will help you in check-in. Enjoy the remaining day exploring the Lakeside market
The following morning after breakfast in Pokhara, we drive to Nayapul, and drive off-road to Syauli Bazar and then to Kimche.
From Kimche, we start trekking to the beautiful Gurung village of Ghandruk. Ghandruk is renowned for Buddhist monasteries and houses made of slates and stones. This day's trek is short, and we will be spending the night at Ghandruk.
We leave the terraced hillsides and Ghandruk village behind and trek through rhododendron, primula, and oak forests to Bayeli Kharka via Tadapani. Before reaching Tadapani, you will not find any villages, but there are teahouses at Bhainsi Kharka.
We will continue trekking through the open countryside to reach a small pass. From this pass, the trail descends through rhododendron trees to a clearing known as Bayli Kharka- where we will be spending the night. From Bayli Kharka village, you can enjoy superb views of Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167m), the seventh highest mountain in the world.
From Bayli Kharka, we descend through forests to reach Chistibang pastures and trek for around 2 hours- ascending above the timberlines to reach Khopra Danda. On the way, you might be able to get glimpses of Himalayan Tahr (goat) and Danfe (pheasant). If you look above the horizon, you will see amazing views of Dhaulagiri, Damphus Peak, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Annapurna 1, Annapurna South, and deep down Sikha. The Khopra ridge also provides views of Kaligandaki Gorge - the deepest gorge in the world.
From Khopra Ridge, we have the option to walk to Khayar Lake (4665m), which will take around 5 hours. Hindus consider this lake holy and believe that you can attain Nirvana by taking a dip into it. After visiting the lake we will return to Khopra and trek down to reach Swanta village. Swanta village is known for its community cheese factory. You can explore Swanta village and taste their cheese.
This day we will leave the beautiful village of Swanta and head to Ghorepani - our destination for the day. At first, we will descend through the village fields and reach a small river that we will cross on a suspension bridge and head upwards to Chittre village, from where we will join the classic Annapurna Circuit trekking trail. We will be ascending for a while to reach the Ghorepani.
We ascend to Poon Hill (3,210m) early morning to view sunrise over the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs - including Mt Machhapuchhre (Fishtail). Poon Hill is also a favorite spot for photographers looking to capture the best views of the Himalayas. We will not leave Poon Hill without clicking pictures to our heart's content.
After catching sight of heavenly sunrise views on humongous mountains, and rice terraces, we will return to Ghorepani and trek to Birethanti. From Birethanti, we will catch a bus to return to Pokhara via Nayapul. Your trek ends in Pokhara.
Today, you will explore Pokhara. Drive to Pumdikot to catch the gorgeous sunrise and visit tourist sites like Davis Falls, Bat Cave, Gupteshwor Cave, etc. Pokhara is the city of outdoor adventure. You can do paragliding, bungee jumping, cycling, ultra-light flight rides, and many others. If you want to do any of these adventurous activities, do let us know. We will arrange it for you (not included in the package cost).
After breakfast, you can choose to drive or fly to Kathmandu. Both ways offer excellent landscape. Upon reaching Kathmandu, we will drop you at the hotel. Take your time to rest and unpack from the trip. Later, visit the local market and explore more. Window shopping is very famous. In the late evening, meet with the team members for the last time over a farewell dinner.
Today, you will leave for your home. Our airport representative will drop you at the airport with our last good wishes. See you next time
Cost Details
Includes
- Welcome and farewell dinners
- Airport pickups and drops in a private vehicle
- 3-star hotel accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara with breakfast
- Teahouse accommodation during the trek
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek
- All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary
- An experienced, English-speaking, and government-licensed trek leader and assistant trek leader (4 trekkers: 1 assistant guide)
- Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter)
- Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, food, and accommodation
- Down jacket and sleeping bag (to be returned after trip completion)
- Mystic Adventure Holidays trekking bag/duffel bag, t-shirt, and trekking map are yours to take
- All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (ACAP, TIMS)
- Medical kit (carried by your trek leader)
- All government and local taxes
- An achievement certificate and company souvenir
Excludes
- Nepalese visa fee
- International airfare to and from Kathmandu
- Domestic flight (Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu)
- Excess baggage charges
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and/or Pokhara
- Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara in case of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
- Travel and rescue insurance
- Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
- Tips for guide(s), porter(s) 10% of You Pay and driver(s)
Departure Dates
You can tailor-make the Ghorepani Poon Hill with Khopra danda Trek itinerary or add it as an add-on to your other venture in the Annapurna region. We also organize a private Poon Hill trek for travelers who want to trek alone. Contact us anytime for more information contacts us.
Additional Info
- Properly check all the clothing and gear before the beginning of the trek.
- Pack a few warm pieces too to keep yourself warm at night and morning.
- Withdraw extra cash in Kathmandu or Pokhara to use while trekking. You may want to buy additional beverages and snacks while trekking, which is not covered in the package cost. There's no ATM on the trekking route.
- Electricity is available in all the lodges to charge your devices. You may have to pay a few extra bucks to use the service. Extra batteries or a solar charger will be useful.
- You can get WiFi service in lodges along the route. Likewise, if you want to use the internet while walking, then carry a Nepali SIM with data. We will help you get a SIM if you want. Extra charge applies.
- Do not buy plastic water bottles while trekking, it will cost you a ridiculous amount of money. Get a reusable water bottle and refill along the way.
- Drink plenty of water and other fluids to keep yourself away from altitude sickness while trekking.
- The locals are friendly. Interact with them and get to know their unique lifestyle.
- Respect the culture and practices of locals.
- If you get confused about tipping, then follow this advice- USD 100 to guide & porter, USD 5 to tour guide, and USD 2 to driver (by each member of the group).
