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Khopra Ridge and Dhaulagiri © Georgina Ayre
Gandruk Tea house © Mohan Duwal
Dhaulagiri from Muldai © Mohan Duwal
On the trail to Chistibang © Mohan Duwal
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HomeShort Treks Khopra Danda Trek
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Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Khopra Danda Trek

Your trek takes you well off the beaten path on a community-managed trail – with the support of international and Nepali organisations, community lodges have been built and local villagers trained to help you enjoy this special route, in a little-visited area. The proceeds are invested in increasing local access to education and health through Himanchal Education Foundation.

The mountain are really ‘in your face’ on this trip are, feeling like they’re so close you could almost touch them. Mount Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Tukuche, Fang and Annapurna South feature, with an increible beauty and majesty that you rediscover each and every time they appear from behind the hills.

  • Starts In: Pokhara
  • Ends In: Pokhara
  • Duration: 9 Days
  • Difficulty Grade: Demanding

Highlights

  • Be so close to the mountains it feels like you can reach out and touch them
  • Beautiful forests of rhododendron, pine and oak
  • Community-run tea houses that benefit whole villages
  • Trek your way: longer and more strenuous or take it easy and enjoy a rest day

Itinerary

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Day 01: Drive from Pokhara to Shyauli Bazaar, Trek from Shyauli Bazaar to Ghandruk [1950m]

This morning after breakfast you have a scenic 1 ½ hour drive to Nayapul and then off-road for an hour to Shyauli Bazaar where we leave the jeep. Here we will hit the trail, commencing our trek with a steep climb (on the first of the many, many steps on this trek) up to Kimche and then a gentler ascent up to Ghandruk, with great views of the Machapuchhre and Hiunchuli mountains. We stay here in a charming little family-owned lodge and can enjoy an organic coffee and great views.

Walking time: Approx. 5 hours

Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Local Gurung © Mohan Duwal

Day 02: Trek from Ghandruk to Tadapani [2650m]

This morning we wind our way up through the beautiful old houses of Ghandruk and climb on an undulating trail to a tea house in the forest with an amazing view to the Annapurnas. From here we continue through the rhododendron forest, which just keeps on getting more and more stunning throughout the day.

We begin to hear the roar of waterfalls and then, for a time, we follow a stream which is literally hurtling down the hill we are climbing up. We cross a bridge and the real climbing starts with a very steep section up to the tea houses at Bhaisi Kharka, where we are quite likely to see Langur monkeys playing in the trees while we rest our legs and wait for lunch.

Continuing up after lunch and reach a stunning, undulating trail through magnificent rhododendron forest, with gigantic old growth trees keeping out the light and with orchids and mushrooms growing everywhere. After enjoying this stunning section of the trail for about half an hour we have a short, steep climb up into Tadapani.

Walking time: Approx. 4-5 hours

Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tadapani view © Mohan Duwal

Day 03: Trek from Tadapani to Dobato [3420m]

As soon as we leave Tadapani this morning we are in incredible rhododendron forest. The ancient trees tower above us and block out the light and this is a magical trail which feels like something straight out of a Tolke in a book.

After a short climb and descent into a dell, we start a more serious climb which continues all the way up to the lodges at Dobato. There are a few undulations and some contouring, but it’s mainly steep climbing on a small trail, through this stunning forest. After about half an hour you emerge on the northern side of the ridgeline and have a stunning view of the Annapurna South Massif towering above you and hear the roar of many waterfalls as the river races away into the dramatic steep-sided valley far, far below. Here the forest starts to change and you see oak trees and conifers come into the mix. From here you have a steep half hour up to the tea house at Meshar Danda, perched on the ridgeline with truly incredible views. After a cup of tea here and a short rest, we have about an hour more of this type of forested trail until we reach the open hillside at Isharu where shepherds graze their sheep and where we will have lunch.

All fueled up, we start out with a gentle ascent as the trail contours around the hillside and then up to a small but beautiful pass, where the path goes through a fascinating Gurung temple. From here you drop down a little way to a beautiful open valley and follow the dry creekbed up, into the trees again and then you climb steeply to a ridgeline. Along the way you can see incredible purple barked rhododendron trees – much smaller now than the ones earlier today, but absolutely striking because of the color (and the mountain backdrop if the weather is clear). From the ridge, you contour down to a creekbed and follow this to a small pass, from where you contour around to the lodges at Dobato.

Walking time: Approx. 5-6 hours

Accommodation: Community Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Annapurna South from Muldai © Clare Mathiasen

Day 04: Trek from Dobato to Upper Chistibang [2975m]

In the morning it is highly recommended to get up an hour before sunrise and walk up to the viewpoint above Dobato and return to the lodge for breakfast. This stunning side trip will give you a great view up to Khopra Danda and incredible views of the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri further to the west.

After breakfast, we start out across a gravelly hillside and then have a short climb to a small pass, where we see Dhaulagiri and Tukuche in full view. From here we walk down along the ridgeline through rhododendron trees and then have a short climb before we cross to the western side of the ridgeline, bidding farewell to those huge snowcapped peaks until we see them again at Khopra. From here we contour around with great views down towards Ghorepani, Poon Hill and Swanta, far down in the valley below. We have a short climb and then contour around again to the two tea houses at Bayeli, where we will have an early lunch.

From here we can see Chistibang, far away across the valley, but to get there we must first descend. We trek through sparse rhododendron trees and berberis bushes before crossing some streams and then continue up to the community lodge for a well-earned rest.

Walking time: Approx. 4-5 hours (not including sunrise excursion)

Accommodation: Community Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On the way to Chistibang © Georgina Ayre

Day 05: Trek from Upper Chistibang to Khopra Danda [3660m]

From the Chistibang lodge, we have a steady ascent through alpine meadows and pastures and we should keep on the lookout for yaks and crossbred (called Dzo), as well as possible sightings of Himalayan Tahr and the beautiful Danphe pheasant, the national bird of Nepal.

As we near the end of our climb up to Kopra Ridge we can see the tip of Annapurna South start to emerge. However, it is only on arrival at Khopra Community Lodge that the almost unbelievable panorama is fully revealed: Mount Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Fang and Annapurna South can all be seen, feeling incredibly close and overwhelmingly huge.

After lunch, it is well worth going for a short walk down Kopra Ridge to a viewpoint overlooking Kali Gandaki river far below in this deep valley.

Walking time: Approx. 3 hours

Accommodation: Community Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Kopra Ridge -Dhaulagiri © Robin Boustead

Day 06: At Khopra Danda – Rest or Day trip to Khayer Tal

Today you can rest and enjoy the views, or you can undertake a strenuous day hike to the sacred Khayer Tal (lake) which is surrounded by shrines.

Today’s day hike will take minimum 8 hours and care must be taken with ice in streams and shady places – this is a good test for fit walkers, but well worth the effort! The ascent is gradual at first, allowing you to warm up, then you have steep climbs interspersed with ‘kharkhas’ or grazing areas where you will see some chautaras (Buddhist monuments) and herders huts which are used for summer grazing.

At last, you will see a small temple on a grassy hill and on reaching this you will be able to find the sacred lake ‘hidden’ behind a rock face. This lake is spring fed and is held sacred by the Gurung and Magar people living in the villages below.

If you have the energy to go for it, you can climb for another 30 minutes or so to view the stunning scenery behind the jagged ridge. This is the high point of Khopra Danda where, above all habitation, you can really feel the rugged beauty of this landscape. Annapurna Fang seems so close you can almost touch it, along with the other the towering peaks of Annapurna Range and to the west lies Dhaulagiri. Far below lies the Kali Gandaki River Valley, which is the world’s deepest gorge.

Don’t stay too long as you have a long walk back to the lodge and possible ice on the trail means you want to get back in the daylight.

Walking time: Approx. 8 hours

Accommodation: Community Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Dhaulagiri View © Georgina Ayre

Day 07: Trek from Khopra Danda to Swanta [2200m]

This morning we bid farewell to the incredibly close up views of the Himalayas, knowing we will have plenty more panoramic views on this trek yet, but none quite like this. We descend for about an hour back down to the Chistibung Community Lodge, where we stop for a drink and then carry on down to Swanta village.

From the treeless ridgeline we re-enter the sparse vegetation of berberis and tiny rhododendron trees and then we come into truly amazing oak and pine forest on a steeply descending but incredibly stunning trail through this old growth forest. Finally, we come down to bamboo and wet mossy forest of mixed vegetation, without the towering giants but more species diversity.

As we approach Swanta we see Mount Dhaulagiri re-emerge and it provides a lovely backdrop to the terraced fields and traditional houses of Swanta. In Swanta village there is a primary school where there are two teachers funded by the profits from the community lodges.

Walking time: Approx. 6 hours

Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Swanta Fields © Clare Mathiasen

Day 08: Trek from Swanta to Ulleri [1960m]

From Swanta we descend through terraced fields to the river before climbing up to Ghorepani where we rejoin the main trail and have lunch on one of the big tea houses in this bustling trekking town. From Ghorepani, we can see a lot of our trek route so far and marvel at how far we have come in a few days. We have a hearty lunch, enjoying the more extensive menu, before we bid farewell to the panorama and head south of the ridgeline, down to Ulleri.

The trail starts off contouring down the hillside through a mix of beautiful forest, small villages and open meadows. We come to a fascinating shrine and then we cross the river and enter a spectacular steep gorge. We trek downwards for about an hour with a sound of the river below us roaring in our ears until we finally emerge into the sunlight again and the open vistas of the valley as it opens up to show us the villages on the way to Ulleri. About an hour further and we check into our tea house for the night and enjoy a final sunset on the trail.

Walking time: Approx, 6 hours

Accommodation: Tea House
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Group rest © Clare Mathiasen

Day 09: Trek from Ulleri to Nayapul, Drive from Nayapul to Pokhara [800m]

This morning we have a steep section of seemingly never-ending stairs down to Tikhedhunga (we pity those coming the other way) where we cross a suspension bridge and then enjoy an easier walk for the rest of the trek. The valley opens up more and more and we reap the benefits of the newly built dirt road, our weary legs enjoying the gentler grade and the complete lack of steps.

We meet the river and if it’s warm it’s nice to jump in and cool off in one of the beautiful pools. We continue along the road (taking a short detour off the road through the beautiful but tiny village of Mahathanti) and arrive in Birenthanti for lunch in the charming old guest house there.

We have a half hour walk remaining, initially along the road (busier now) and then on the old trekking trail to Nayapul, where we meet our vehicle for the 1 ½ hour drive back into Pokhara.

Walking time: Approx. 3 hours

Accommodation: None
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Millet Harvest © Clare Mathiasen
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Included In Price

  • Tea house accommodation while on trek
  • Meals as per the itinerary (all meals on trek, with filtered drinking water)
  • Transportation as per the detailed itinerary
  • Your trekking guide, sherpas, and porters, with all their transport, equipment, insurance, meals and accommodation
  • A first aid kit with basic supplies appropriate for the group size and trek route – if you require or are taking specific medications it is critical that you discuss this with us prior to your trip departure
  • Trekking permits and registration fees

Note: The local tea houses are basic but clean and they do not often have attached bathrooms or hot showers. The price is based on twin share and does not include any extra charge that lodge owners may levy for single rooms, attached bathrooms or hot showers (if these facilities are available) or for battery charging. We can’t know in advance what they may charge for such things in the different lodges along the way, so we prefer to leave this cost out, rather than pass along an estimated charge to you.

The meal inclusions on the trek are breakfast (one set breakfast and tea or coffee), lunch (one main meal and tea or coffee) and dinner (soup, main and dessert with tea or coffee)

Not Included In Price

  • Single supplement, please see single supplement charge
  • International flights to and from Kathmandu; Nepal visa fees and international airport taxes; any excess baggage charges
  • Comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and emergency rescue/evacuation that covers all of the activities you will undertake during your trip should this be required for any reason (we require this as the minimum insurance cover)
  • Services and activities not mentioned in the detailed itinerary above (eg additional nights, optional trips and sightseeing tours)
  • Any gear or equipment that you may need to rent/buy – please ask us if you would like any advice about gear to bring/buy/rent
  • Personal expenses (eg mineral water/soft drinks/bar bills, entrance/photography fees at monasteries, laundry, telephone calls, postage, donations, extra snacks, etc)
  • Any extra charge that tea house owners may levy for single rooms, attached bathrooms, or hot showers (if these facilities are available) and charging of batteries
  • Tips for your city guide, drivers, hotels, restaurants, etc (please ask if you would like guidance about appropriate tips)
  • Costs incurred due to unforeseen events (eg caused by natural disasters, adverse road conditions/flight delays, labor strikes, fuel shortages, extreme exchange rate changes, etc)
Adventure travel: Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is Adventure Travel in the mountains, we cannot guarantee it. Weather conditions, road conditions, vehicle breakdowns and the health of fellow travelers can all contribute to changes. We will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but an easy- going nature will be an asset!

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Google reviews

Epic journey off the beaten track with these guys!

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thumb Georg Winkler
01.06.2020

From the outset Himalayan Trails were nothing but efficient helping us to plan exactly what we wanted from our trip. Amanda was quick to respond to any queries and provided lots of additional useful information to ensure we were well prepared in advance. The accommodation we had was full of character and in traditional Nepali style rather than anonymous chain hotels, every pick up or meeting happened on time, Amanda even managed to find us last minute accommodation when one of our guest houses had overbooked. Our trekking guide, Mindu, kept us safe, fed and watered and motivated when we needed it - his cheerful singing and whistling along with his infectious laugh kept us entertained for 4 days on the Muldai Trek. Our city guide, Subash, was always on hand to answer our endless questions and was great company painting pictures of the sights we visited with lots of stories. He soon joined in our teasing and banter (and gave as good as he got!). We had a fabulous trip but it was the people we met who made it so special.I struggled to say goodbye to both our guides but know we have made some new friends for life. We have fallen in love with Nepal and will definitely be back and will not hesitate to use Himalayan Trails again. Thank you everyone - you did an amazing job!

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thumb Cheryl Robins
01.06.2020

Kripa and her team at Himalayan Trails Treks & Expedition organized our trek of the Manaslu circuit down to the last detail. Everything from the airport pickup to our guide and porters was perfect. Our guide, Gelu, was in contact with Kripa almost every day, keeping her up to date on our progress. We would highly recommend Himalayan Trails and Kripa if you are planning a trek in the Himalayas.

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thumb Rick and Ami Bergstrom
01.05.2022

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We escaped the madness and got into the mountains! We escaped the madness and got into the mountains! Sad that people are missing out this season because of the coronavirus and travel restrictions. It was glorious up there! The autumn months are gonna be magic too... just sayin 😊 ⛰ 🥾 💖 #nepaltrekking
Illuminated snaps from our guest/ friend Corinna a Illuminated snaps from our guest/ friend Corinna and guide Pasang on the Manaslu Circuit trek. They’re having a Great time! Thanks for sharing!! #nepaltrekking #manaslu #manaslucircuit @himalayantrails
Hello from our intrepid trekkers’ early morning Hello from our intrepid trekkers’ early morning jaunt to Thronga La. As you do at the end of an almost outer-worldly trek through Upper Mustang, if you’re as ambitious as Georgina and Claire! 🏔 🇳🇵 #uppermustang #nepaltrekking
They got big air in very thin air! Spectacular sho They got big air in very thin air! Spectacular shots from @bjpartyof3 ! Thanks for posting such gorgeous, and athletic, shots from your trek with Chiring! 😊💥 -check out their feed, it’s inspirational and beautiful! #treknepal #gokyolakestrek #ebc
Happy Birthday Raj! Raj is the powerhouse behind t Happy Birthday Raj! Raj is the powerhouse behind the scenes, making HT Treks and Awesome Expeditions run smoothly. He got about 10 mins to celebrate today, with the rest of the operations staff, because we have a ton of adventurers arriving and on trail. He’s thinking of moving his birthday until July 🤣 Cheers Raj!! #lovethefireworkcandles! #treknepal
These guests weren’t up for trekking but wanted These guests weren’t up for trekking but wanted to see the tallest mountains in the world. The peaks were  so close you could almost touch them. This was our heli ride to Lukla, then a jaw dropping photo stop at Kala Patar, followed by a bit of brekkie with views of the tallest mountain in the world, and then back to the Kathmandu valley. Not bad for a Monday morning. #nepal #everestandfriends #areyoukiddingme! #windyheli 🤣
Awe man, this adventure is happening Now! Our gues Awe man, this adventure is happening Now! Our guests, guide, and porter trekking to Everest Base camp and and Gokyo Ri. Absolutely gorgeous! #nepal #trekking #gokyovalleytrek #ebc
Exploring Phaplu and Junbesi in the summertime wit Exploring Phaplu and Junbesi in the summertime with @delecca and the Puppies!
Well he’s a tad older than the 2 ‘candles’/ Well he’s a tad older than the 2 ‘candles’/ cake-fireworks suggest; he’s 100! Happy Birthday Mads! @himalayantrails #happynepalinewyear #2076!
Out for a little ride.... Out for a little ride....
Who’s the mystery man contemplating the view in Who’s the mystery man contemplating the view in Panchase? Loving the uncrowded short treks in Nepal- let’s keep this amongst ourselves ... 🤫. #nepaltrekking #trekkinginnepal #stopandsmellthemountains ...but if u want to make this happen we will.. discreetly.
Not many other souls in sight while revisiting the Not many other souls in sight while revisiting these trails that haven’t seen much traffic for years. #whereisthis?#nepaltrekking #trekking #camping #sunrise #himalayas #thatsenoughclues.
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