Trek Highlights:
This trek will take you to some of the wild glacial areas below Annapurna South where few trekkers have gone before. After exploring Gurung and Magar villages in rural Nepal, the lofty mountains, lakes, glaciers and gigantic moraines that awaits you. You will have ample opportunity to experience and observe the local lifestyles that have changed little over centuries. This is an adventure for those who are truly looking for something exciting.
Arrival in Kathmandu, where you are welcomed by our staff outside the terminal and transfer to your hotel. Late afternoon, enjoy a guided walking tour through the narrow lanes of the old city. Discover the colorful and bustling local bazars and durbar square, the site of the ancient royal palace, full of temples and monuments.
Overnight in hotel
You are guided by a well experienced local tour guide. The day where you will visit Boudhanath, one of the greatest Buddhist shrines of Nepal. The stupa is the oldest and the largest of Nepal. You will enjoy the activity here where Tibetans, sherpas come to turn around this monument, reciting prayers and turning the prayers wheels. Then, drive to Patan, which is the ancient royal capital also known as Lalitpur “city of fine arts “ and famous for its ancient Newari architecture. It is an open museum which is full of palaces, pagodas, monasteries, temples and shrines.
Overnight in hotel
Drive to Nayapul through the green field terraces. It is the starting point of our trek. After walking through the village of Birethanti, you’ll arrive at your lodge, located nearby the Modi Khola river in a picturesque setting. Overnight in Lodge.
The day we will climb up to the famous stone steps of Nepal, giving us some superb views of the Himalayan range. We’ll follow the path around terraced wheat and millet fields to reach the largest Gurung village in the area. This village faces towards Annapurna. South (7,237 m), Macchapuchare (6,993 m) and Ghandrung (7,455 m). Overnight stay in lodge.
You’ll leave behind the terraced fields of Ghandruk to enter the famous oak and rhododendron forest, which blooms fully in springtime. As you walk, you’ll hear the soothing sound of singing birds and tumbling waterfalls. You’ll also admire the view over the Himalayan peaks. Your lodge provides a perfect setting to watch the magnificent sunset and sunrise. Overnight stay in the lodge or in a quieter place at Chule.
We will leave the main trail to follow a path leading to the local buffalo pastures. We will walk up through the dense rhododendron forest and cross a small pass. From your lodge, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the Dhaulagiri range. Overnight stay in community lodge (built by the locals to reap the benefits of tourism).
The day where we will descend through open spaces towards the pastures of lower Chistibung. After lunch, gradually make our way up to the pastures. The vegetation here is sub-alpine with short trees and shrubs. Overnight stay in a community lodge.
Today, the trek is little tough where we make a steady climb to reach Kopra ridge. We will arrive at our community lodge for lunch where we can relax while capturing the magnificent views of the mountains and the world’s deepest valley “The Kali Gandaki”. This extraordinary panorama includes Annapurna South, towering directly above and only six kilometres away, and Fang and Nilgiri mountains prominent to the north, whilst across the depths of the Kali Gandakhi Valley, the Dhaulagiri Himal dominates the entire western skyline. Keep your eyes open to spot the Himalayan Thar and “Danphe” (Nepali pheasant). Overnight stay in a community lodge next to a Yak farm.
Today we ascend gradually to the stone huts built to shelter pilgrims who attend religious ceremonies at the holy lake. In the monsoon months shepherds move large flocks of sheep into this area to graze on the grassy hillsides. This is a hauntingly beautiful region with the huge peaks of Annapurna South and Fang towering above our campsite. Overnight stay in tented camp.
The day where we remain in the same campsite. We take packed lunches and follow a well-defined trail up to a stone staircase to a lake known as “Pautarko Kaire”. This lake is the site of the Badau Purnima Festival. Villagers from the surrounding area converge here to pray to Lord Shiva, bathe in the icy-cold waters of the lake and offer sacrifices of sheep. After reaching the lake, we will ascent the hill behind the lake for superb views of Annapurna I. After lunch, we retrace our steps back. Overnight in tented camp.
From the campsite we trek into a region only occasionally visited by local shepherds. Only few other trekkers will have visited this region. We climb on a well-defined trail, marked by stone cairns and prayer flags, winds its way implausibly to the top, where a majestic panorama greets us. We get great views of the fishtail peak of Macchapuchare and Annapurna South. Overnight in tented camp.
Today will be a highlight of our trek, as we 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 hunters. We set a camp to a very short distance from the lake itself and enjoy a full day exploring this remote place where you will undoubtedly find some of the most magnificent scenery in all of Nepal.
Overnight in tented camp.
Today we gradually climb up to a small pass that leads to a steep descent to Annapurna South Base Camp. The scene is here breathtaking, with tumbling glaciers and huge moraine walls. We have a chance to head up to the main glacier of this magnificent peak. Today it is our last camping night. Overnight saty in the tented camp.
Full day to explore Annapurna South Base Camp filled with glacier. Overnight in tented camp.
We follow the Kymrong Khola down a narrow gorge. We climb out of the valley to the rim. A steep, but short, descent that leads us to Baisi. We then follow a contouring trail that then gradually descends to Chhomrong. We now join the main trail to Annapurna Sanctuary and spend the night in one of the fine lodges in the village. Overnight in Lodge.
From Chhomrong, we have a steep descent to Jhinu. We have a short stop to enjoy the hot springs. We stop for lunch at Landrung, a traditionnal Gurung village. we have to walk little ups and downs in the forest where we see the great views of the cultivated terraced fields before reaching to the village where we stay .
Overnight in Lodge
Today is the last day for the trek. We enjoy the great views of the Himalayan range until Dhampus. We descend via stone steps to Phedi, where our final day of treks ends. We have a short transfer to Pokhara by bus. We stay near lake side and you have the rest of the day free to wander nearby Fewa lake. Overnight stay in the hotel.
Drive to airport to fly back to Kathmandu. You will get stunning views of the Annapurna range while flying. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to wander. Overnight stay in hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your international flight.