Khopra Ridge Community Trek  - 13 Days

Upon our arrival in the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will drop us off at our hotel. After checking in, we take a rest or visit Himalayan Glacier’s office. We may also stroll in the streets of Thamel, a tourist hub in Kathmandu for some souvenir shopping. In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier where you will be served excellent Nepalese cuisine which will introduce you to the country’s food culture. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Today after breakfast we enjoy a guided tour to several of the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. We visit the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swayambhunath) and Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath), which is also one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, we get our equipment checked by our climbing leader, get introduced to fellow participants, and discuss our trip at Himalayan Glacier’s office. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We fly to Pokhara early in the morning. We can catch amazing views of the Himalayas from the right side of our airplane. Upon our arrival in Pokhara, the beautiful lake city, we are rewarded with magnificent views of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre, the five peaks of Annapurna and others. Later, we drive to Syauli Bazaar and start the trek to Ghandruk. The village is a major recruitment centre for the famous Gurkha soldiers and is the hub of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, which promotes many varied ecological projects. Overnight in Ghandruk.

In Ghandruk, we get to enjoy astonishing views of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli Mountains. From here we continue upwards through Deurali and into the dense rhododendron forests. The Rhododendron is Nepal’s national flower and when they bloom, the forests turn into gardens of dazzling red flowers when seen from the air or from afar. After trekking over a small pass we reach Tadapani where we get to enjoy excellent views of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna and Hiunchuli mountains. There are many Tibetans in the village who sell things for the tourists to take back home as a souvenirs. Overnight in Tadapani.

After Tadapani we leave the main trail and for the next five days we will walk in a more remote area of the Annapurna region. On our trek today we get to appreciate the diverse flora and fauna of the region and of course the magnificent view of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South. Trekking in a relatively easy trail we reach Dobato which is dominated by the excellent view of the Annapurna South. Overnight in Dobato.

After breakfast, we descend through open ground and beautiful forest to reach the pastures of Lower Chistibung. Next, we ascend gradually through a forest before reaching Upper Chistibung which is a temporary herder’s settlement. If you’re lucky, you might even spot the colorful Lophophorus (Danphe), the national bird of Nepal, as well as Himalayan thar on the grassy ridge high above the trail. Overnight in Upper Chistibung.

We embark on a steady climb above the tree line through alpine meadows and pastures to reach Khopra. As we approach Khopra Ridge, we see the tip of Annapurna South. Upon reaching Khopra we go for a short walk down Khopra Ridge to a viewpoint overlooking Kali Gandaki river far below in this deep valley. From Khopra we also admire the stunning mountain panorama including Mt. Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri and Annapurna South. Overnight in Khopra.

We begin trekking from around six in the morning towards the Kaire Lake from where we attain excellent views of the Fang and surrounding mountains. Considered to be a sacred lake by the Hindus, it is believed that bathing in the lake will help attain Nirvana. As Hinduism and Buddhism are intricately related in Nepal, we can even see a number of Hindu and Buddhist shrines on the lakeside. For those of us who do not want to walk all the way to the lake, a half day walk from Khopra can also be arranged. We have packed lunch today. Overnight in Khopra Ridge.

From Khopra Ridge we descend off the hillside and continue downhill on a steep trail. Along the way we get more views of Mount Dhaulagiri with the mountain providing a lovely backdrop to the terraced fields and traditional houses in the nearby villages. Overnight in Swanta village.

From Swanta we descend through the village fields to a small river and take a quick look at the local water mill. From here we cross the suspension bridge and head upwards to the village of Chittre, where we’ll join the main trekking trail at Ghorepani. After Ghorepani we descend through rhododendron forest to Ulleri where we stay the night.

On our way to Nayapul, we get to enjoy the amazing hill landscape of western Nepal. Our trek will end at Nayapul where we board our vehicle to Pokhara, the beautiful lake city.  Even from the city we are rewarded with magnificent views of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Manaslu (8,156m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m), the five peaks of Annapurna and others. We check-in to our hotel and take a rest. We may also stroll in the streets of Pokhara and just enjoy being in one of the most beautiful cities of Nepal. Overnight in Pokhara.

We leave our hotel early in the morning to visit the Shanti Stupa, a Buddhist Stupa ranked as the top second attraction in Pokhara by TripAdvisor. While here, we enjoy amazing view of the sun as it rises from the mighty Himalayas. We then continue touring the city’s landmarks including Davis Falls, Shiva Cave and  the International Mountain Museum (IMM). We also do some boating in Phewa Lake, the largest lake in Pokhara and visit Bindyabasini Temple located at the center of the lake. We fly to Kathmandu in the late afternoon. To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have a farewell dinner in the evening. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Our journey in Nepal comes to an end today! A Himalayan Glacier representative will escort us to the airport approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight. On our way home, we have plenty of time to plan our next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.