Trekking Destinations
Pokhara is the gate way for several trekking destinations of Annapurna, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri region. There are many popular treks all over these regions lasting from a few days to several weeks. The most popular trails have tea house accommodation along the route while camping is the only possibility on remote areas.
Annapurna Basecamp
The Department of Immigration has an office at Sahid Chowk in south Lakeside where you can extend your visa. You can stay in Nepal on a tourist visa for 150 days per calendar year. All applications must be started on line first, which you then print out and take to the Immigration office to complete the process. If you extend the visa, it must be a minimum of 15 days (US$30.00) and for more than 15 days it cost US$ 2.00 per day. For the visa application, take your passport, printed application, photocopy of your passport with last visa and visa fee in Nepali currency. The office opens Sunday to Friday from 10 am to 2 pm except public holidays.
Duration: 7 to 11 days
Difficulty: Moderate
Max. Elevation: 4130 m.
Start: Nayapul / Phedi / / Kande
Annapurna Circuit
The Annapurna circuit is considered by many to be the best trek in Nepal with a wonderful mixture of incredible mountain scenery of stunning views of Annapurna range and the culture. This trek passes through diverse Nepali villages and crosses the Thorung-La pass which touches the border of the Tibetan plateau. This trek can also combine together with the Tilicho lake (4919 m.) one of the highest lakes in the world, with extra trekking days.
Duration: 17 to 21 days
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Max. Elevation: 5416 m.
Start: Besisahar
Jomsom Muktinath
This trek is also known as pilgrims trek because of famous Muktinath temple and the holy place Kagbeni. This trek offers opportunity to explore old monasteries, ancient caves and scenic beauties. The route is combined with an incredible altitude, climate and cultural contrasts. This mainly covers the deepest gorge in-between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains which leads the trekkers from the well vegetated and fertile southern slop of Himalaya to the barren zone.
Duration: 5 – 12 days
Difficulty: Moderate
Max. Elevation: 3,800 m.
Start: Nayapul/ Jomsom
Poon Hill
The Poon Hill trek is the most popular trek for those wanting a short introduction to trekking. Passing through scenic Gurung village and large rhododendron forest this trek offers spectacular views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.
Duration: 4 to 7 days
Difficulty: Moderate
Max. Elevation: 3,190 m.
Start: Nayapul / Phedi / Kande
Mardi Himal Base Camp
As a relatively new trek, the route to Mardi Himal Base Camp is not only quiet and empty of trekkers but also adventurous and close to nature as the small path winds through huge forests. Though there is tea house accommodation until high camp, camping trek is most preferable. The trek to Mardi Himal Base Camp is best done as a day trip starting early in the morning for a stunning sunrise.
Duration: 5 to 7 days
Difficulty: Moderate to hard
Max. Elevation: 4,500 m.
Start: Kande
Upper Mustang
Mustang is the quite fascinating destination for all. It is surrounded by northern snowy mountains, dotted with ancient forts, walled medieval villages and monasteries rich in Buddhist art, offers a fascinating glimpse into this remote enclave of Tibetan Culture. A deliberate policy of cultural and environmental preservation has meant that Mustang remains one of the world’s most special trekking destinations. Entry is limited and special trekking permits are required. 12 to 15 days should be allowed for Upper Mustang and it may also be combined with the Jomsom trek. Best time to visit this place is late March to November. A reasonable fitness level is required.
Although it was open for the tourists in 1990, the tourist arrival started only in 1992. Speedily blowing gushy air, barren desert, mound, and settlement inside the rocky cave, celestial houses made of local design & Buddhist Stupas and houses fluttering with its religious standards are the special peculiarities of Mustang.
Duration : 12 to 15 days
Difficulty : Moderate
Max. Elevation : 3,800 m.
Start :Jomsom
Nar Phu Valley Trek
Nar Phu is a combination of two remote villages. This trek traverses narrow canyons, lovely forests, ridiculous rock formations, yaks, monasteries and unique Himalayan cultures. This region was first explored by Tillman in the 1950s and Closed to trekkers until late 2002. The remoteness of the Nar Phu valley and its proximity to Tibet made that the people and their culture have remained more akin to Tibet than Nepal. The snow leopards and blue sheep are often seen in the area. The Phu is the most beautiful medieval village where you can learn the real life styles of Bhote communities enjoying and having a joyous typical lifestyle in the valley.
Duration: 15 -21 days
Difficulty: challenging
Max. Elevation: 4080 m.
Start : Koto via Besishar
Dhaulagiri Circuit
White Mountain, which is separated from the Annapurna region by Kali Gandaki gorge, the deepest gorge in the world, includes some fifteen peaks above 7000 m. This region is considered to be one of the most remote places in the trans-Himalayan region in Nepal. And it has abundance of Himalayan peaks, hidden valleys, high passes and beautiful vistas. The trans-Himalayan journey is quiet, peaceful and full of adventure, gorgeous and excitement. Trekking in this area is relatively strenuous but trekkers willing to spend their holidays amidst true nature and its surroundings with full of peace and tranquility on the trekking attempt.
Duration: 15 to 18 days
Difficulty: challenging
Max. Elevation: 5,200 m.
Start : Beni
Manaslu Circuit
Manaslu is the newly opened region since 1991 for the trekkers. So it has still its own natural extraordinary virginity of beauty that every trekker can have the maximum satisfaction of nature’s paradise here. Trekking aroundManaslu rewards you an excellent opportunity to experience in the exceptionally unvisited region of Nepal. Manaslu has unique ambiences, which is dastardly rich in bio-diversity that has made this region one of the finest eco tourism destinations of Nepal. The majestic Himalayan ranges in this area belonging to cultural diversities and natural sceneries with high altitude’s attractive glacier lakes and fascinating flora and fauna are all the valuable natural assets of this region.
Duration: 17 -19 days
Difficulty: challenging
Max. Elevation: 5,213 m.
Start : Gorkha
Dhorpatan
Dhorpatan is a national park covering 1325 sq. km. which was managed for conservation and the hunting of blue sheep and other game by the royal family and paying foreign parties. Now, of course, with the king deposed, official hunting has ceased and blue sheep, along with the musk deer, wolf, red panda and leopard are strictly protected. The area is important for potato and apple growing, mule breeding and is a distribution centre for salt and other goods brought in from Dolpo and Tibet.
The name comes from the flat meadows above the 4000 m. high tree-line, which are locally known as Patans, and the marshy flat open valley next to which the village called Door is located. This trek offers extremely friendly people, wide well-made trails, pristine forest and meadows, sparkling rivers, and experience of a kind of way-out-there remote feeling. The paths on this trek are good, and altitude sickness is less likely to be a problem (compared with Dhaulagiri) as there is no real need to camp at high altitude.
Duration: 9 – 11 days
Max. Elevation: 4,600 m.
Difficulty: Moderate to hard
Start: Beni
Panchase Trek
Panchase Hill is the highest mountain surrounding Pokhara valley. It offers an interesting variety of terrain from low land village to outstanding high mountain views. From the top, one can have the opportunity to view all the mountain peaks of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges to the north and many cities to the south even to the Indian border. Panchase is also famous in religious point of view.
Duration: 3 days
Difficulty: Moderate
Max. Elevation: 2,509 m.
Start: Pame/Lakeside
Machhapuchhre Model Trek
This new trekking route offers mesmerizing views of snowcapped mountains of Annapurna, Fishtail and Mardi Himal from the close proximity and one can closely observe the indigenous life style and culture of diverse ethnic people. Beside this, the region is rich with unlimited flora and fauna, alpine forest, different species of birds, wild flowers, wild animals, and natural hot spring.
Duration: 5 days
Max. Elevation: 2645 m.
Difficulty: Moderate
Start: Milanchowk
Royal Trek
The Royal Trek is one of the famous and easiest treks in Annapurna region. The trek has got its name after Prince Charles and his 90 person entourage had explored this route in the early eighties. The trek passes through the ridges with magnificent views of snow capped mountains, villages and sub tropical forest. The trek is also reach in different cultures, landscapes, and vegetations and especially suitable for the beginners and elderly people or those who have very limited time but are looking for an opportunity to squeeze in a trekking holiday in the Himalayas.
Duration: 3-5 days
Max. Elevation: 1730 m.
Difficulty: Easy
Start: Kahunkhola Pokhara
Millennium Trek
The Millennium Trek, which is also known as Mid-hill Ridgeline Trek, lies on the South East of Pokhara and North East of Waling Bazaar. The starting altitude of the trek is 420 m. from sea level and the highest point is 1709 m. And it covers more than 30 colorful villages of Tanahun and Syangja district.
Millennium Trek in central Nepal offers diversity in landscapes with beautiful mountain views of Himalayan ranges from Kanjiroba to Ganesh Himal, mesmerizing sunset & sunrise view, cultural aspects of major ethnic groups of Nepal such as Gurung and Magar, the wave of underground water feature of Dhorbarahi temple, Millennium cave – an absolute natural cave with unique underground waterfalls, ancient temples, monasteries and historical forts. Most importantly this trekking route is not as tough as the other major trekking trails of Nepal.
This trekking route also offers exotic sites for flora, fauna and wildlife. However, the route is untouched and still unknown to the foreigners and even to the domestic visitors.
Duration: 3 – 6 days
Difficulty: Moderate
Max. Elevation: 1,709m
Start: Gachhepani, Tanahu
