Description
ITINERARY:
DAY 1 – KATHMANDU (1360m)
Namaste, and welcome to Kathmandu. You will be met at the airport (Please read your pre-departure information for the airport formalities) by your leader, who will take you through the hectic traffic to the Fuji Hotel in Thamel, the popular tourist hub of the city. Kathmandu is an exotic mixture of ancient temples, colourful markets and friendly people. Interestingly, Kathmandu has more World Heritage sites than any other city in the world. Your trek briefing is scheduled for the afternoon.
Meals Included: None
DAY 2 – KATHMANDU (1360m)
Sightseeing for approximately: 4 hours. Drive: 5 hours
In the morning, you explore Kathmandu on an organized sightseeing tour, visiting Boudhanath Stupa, one of the biggest Buddhist shrines in the world. Here you may observe Buddhist monks in prayer in the monasteries surrounding the Stupa. In addition, you also visit Pashupatinath, the most famous Hindu temple in the country, located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here you will see Hindu holy men (or Sadhus), pilgrims performing ritual bathing, and occasionally funeral pyres burning on the ghats. In the late afternoon, your trek leader will be handing over your trek pack and also talk about the following day’s flights and program. Followed by your leader taking you out to enjoy a traditional Nepali dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast and Welcome dinner.
DAY 3 – UPPER GHANDRUK (1950m) Flight: 25 minutes Driving: 3 hours Trekking: 1 hour
There is an early departure for the flight to Pokhara. With a flight time of about 30 minutes, there are spectacular views of the main mid Himalayan chain to the north. After arriving in Pokhara you are transferred by private vehicle to Nayapul and then by reserved local jeeps to ascend through the terraced hillsides high above the Modi Khola (River) valley to Kimche just below the village of Ghandruk. Your walk begins here, and you follow a well-defined stone path that contours its way through the woods of alder as it climbs to the Gurung village Ghandruk. Your lodge is located in the main village, and once you have settled in you can go for an exploration of this beautiful village. From the top end of the village, you can enjoy fine mountain views, in particular Annapurna South (7219m), Machhapuchhre (6993m) and Gangapurna (7455m).
Accommodation: Trekking Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 4 – TADAPANI (2450m)
Trekking: 4-5 hours
You have a more leisurely walk today, and you leave the terraced hillsides and the village of Ghandruk behind to enter the oak and rhododendron forest. A little further into the walk, you reach a lone teahouse at Sitkyu. From here onwards your trail crosses over streams and small waterfalls under the forest’s canopy. There are no villages on the trail, but only a few teahouses at Baisi Kharkha, providing welcome drinks and a place to rest. You then walk through a beautiful rhododendron forest till you reach your overnight stop at Tadapani in time for a late lunch.
Tadapani is at a perfect setting for sunset and sunrise views. There are fine views of Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna III (7555m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Annapurna South (7237m), Machhapuchhare (6993m) and Lamjung Himal (6931m).
Accommodation: Trekking Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 5 – BAYELI KHARKHA (3450m)
Trekking: 6 hours
Today you leave the main trail that leads to Ghorepani and instead follows a less used trail through dense rhododendron forest. The trail leads to open ground and small pastures used by the local herdsmen during summer. The climb gradually becomes steeper as you reach a single teahouse at Meshrom. From here, the trail climbs up through the forest to reach another small settlement of Meshar, which has a few teahouses. In the afternoon, you continue to climb gradually through the open countryside to reach a small pass and then climb up a little to reach the settlement of Dobato. From here, the trail descends through shrub rhododendron and then climbs up and skirts around a ridge to reach an open clearing known as Bayeli Kharka. There are great views of Dhaulagiri (8167m) Himal from the lodge located at this peaceful and tranquil location.
Accommodation: Trekking Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 6 – POWARE (3740m)
Trekking: 4 hours
Today you leave the main trail that leads to Kopra Ridge and instead follows a rarely used trail on the skyline ridge with great views of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range. You pass through shrub rhododendron and onto open ground used by local villagers for grazing pastures. The climb is gradual, and you soon emerge above the tree line to follow a small track below the cliffs to emerge on a remote pass with superb views of the Machhapuchhre range to the east. The descent from the crest leads to an open pasture before contouring through alpine terrain to your camp at the summer pastures of Poware.
Accommodation: Tent
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAYS 7 & 8 – HIDDEN LAKE (4250m)
Trekking: 4 hours
Today will be a highlight of the trek, as you reach a rarely visited lake set among jagged, rocky spires. The scenery is truly awe-inspiring and is known only to a handful of shepherds and locals. When researching this area, it took many days to locate the exact position of this lake. Some villagers knew of the area, but had never visited it, and this led to many conflicting stories as to where we should look for it. You will camp a short distance from the lake itself and enjoy the rest of the day exploring this remote place, where you will undoubtedly find some of the most magnificent scenery in all of Nepal. This high altitude plateau affords beautiful views of the Fishtail peak or Machhapuchhre (6993m) and Annapurna South (7237m).
Accommodation: Tent
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAYS 9 & 10- ANNAPURNA SOUTH B.C. (3400m)
Trekking: 4-5 hours
From the lake you will gradually climb up to a small pass that leads to a steep descent to Annapurna South Base Camp. The scene is breathtaking, with tumbling glaciers and huge moraine walls.
You will set up camp close to Annapurna South Base Camp in time for lunch, and in the afternoon you will have a chance to head up towards the main glacier of this magnificent peak. You have another day allotted to explore the beautiful and pristine area.
Accommodation: Tent
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 11- BAISI KHARKHA (3120m)
Trekking: 4 – 5 hours
In the morning, there is a last chance for spectacular photographs before you follow the Kymrong Khola down a narrow gorge and out of this small sanctuary. The climb out of the valley is fairly steep, but once you get to the edge of the ridge that extends from Chomrong, your return route to Pokhara comes into view. A steep but short descent then leads to camp at Baisi Kharkha where you enjoy spectacular views of Annapurna South and the Fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre.
Accommodation: Tent
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 12 – CHHOMRONG (2170m)
Trekking: 5 hours
In the morning, you will head east and follow a contouring trail that then gradually descends to Chhomrong through a beautiful forest of rhododendron, oak and bamboo. After spending nearly a week in the wilderness, where you are unlikely to see any other trekkers, you will now join the main trail to Annapurna Sanctuary and spend the night in one of the lodges in the village.
Accommodation: Trekking Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 13 – POKHARA (850m)
Trekking: 5 hours Driving 3 hours
This morning you will descend towards the Modi Khola Valley and to the hot springs at Jhinudanda. The return route follows the river above a small cluster of lodges at New Bridge before you follow the dirt road to Mudqui where you board the jeeps back to Pokhara. The drive meanders along the banks of the Modi Khola River to Birethanti and along the highway from Nayapul back to Pokhara. In the evening there is the option to dine at one of the many lakeside restaurants or explore the beautiful lakeside.
Accommodation: Hotel Portland or similar on BB
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 14 – POKHARA (850m)
This is a leisure day in Pokhara to visit various sites of interest or go shopping, surf the net and upload photos of an amazing trek in the mountains! Find a restaurant that suits your taste, or alternatively, if you’re up for it, go paragliding, bungy jumping, ziplining, among a host of other activities available in the valley.
Accommodation: Hotel Portland or similar on BB
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 15 – KATHMANDU (1360m)
Flight: 25 minutes
After breakfast, you are transferred to Pokhara airport for the short flight to Kathmandu. The rest of the day is free for shopping or further sightseeing.
Accommodation: Hotel Fuji on BB
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 16 – DEPARTURE
After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for your onward flight. Room checkout time is 11.00 a.m. If you wish or need to stay longer, we can arrange an extra night’s accommodation at the time of booking.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Itinerary disclaimer
Occasionally our itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements deriving from past traveller’s and local partners’ feedback. The information given in this itinerary may differ slightly due un-foreseen situations or force majeure. Please note that while we operate successful trips in this region, some of the changes that may occur in our itineraries could be due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transportation. This can happen with little notice, so please be prepared for possible modifications to the trip en route.
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