Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu
Check in to your Hotel (Yak and Yeti) right in the centre of the town, just off Thamel. It’s an easy location giving you easy access to all the important sights in Kathmandu valley.
Overnight Exclusive 5 Star Hotel, Included meal: Breakfast
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu (1,350m),
Today there is a half day guided tour to visit the old part of Kathmandu Durbar Square, in the heart of the old city. Here is the old Royal palace, with its intricate woodcarving and four fine towers. There are several Hindu temples to house for different Hindu deities and images including the resident for Kumari, the young girl who is revered as a living Goddess from mid 18th century. We will see magnificent examples of Nepali medieval architecture around this Durbar Square. Leading away from the square, in all directions, are narrow alleys. These are full of the most amazing variety of shops and stalls.
In the afternoon you will be free to visit the most important Hindu temple in the valley at Pashupatinath, or one of the largest Buddhist Stupas in the world at Bodnath. Alternatively you may wish to visit the monkey temple at Swayambunath.
Overnight Exclusive 5 Star Hotel, included meal: Breakfast
Day 03. Drive via Pokhara to Kande and trek to Australian Camp (1,950m)-
2 hours trekking.
After breakfast, we will drive westwards over the Chandra pass. This is where the Chinese have built the Prithivi highway which snakes to Naubise. We will continue follow the Trisuli river to Mugling. From there we will take a right turn to Pokhara. This is set in a beautiful valley and is overlooked by Machhapuchhare, one of the most distinctive mountains of the western Nepal Himalaya. From here on a clear day we will get good view of Dhaulagiri 1, plus other different peaks of the Annapurna range. We continue driving through town northwards to the road head at Kande and start our trek, climbing steeply, sometimes through forest, to Australian camp. Here we will stay in a teahouse lodge for the first night with great views of Annapurna massif and Manaslu range in the distance.
Overnight Teahouse, Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 04. Trek to Forest Camp at Kokar (2,600m)-
4 hours walking.
From the camp we will walk downhill, then up through forest to Pothana continuing on to Pitam Deurali. Here we will turn off the main Annapurna Sanctuary trekking route and continue along a quiet trail through a dense forest of oak, maple, hemlock and rhododendron. Tonight we will stay at one of the lodges in a clearing of the forest at Forest Camp, also known by the locals as Kokar. The lodges at Kokar are quite basic and there is no dining room. We will probably have meals in the kitchen along with the owner. Therefore, in some ways, this is more like a home stay and is a good opportunity to get to know this friendly family from Siding village.
Overnight Teahouse, Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 05. Trek to Low Camp (3,150m)-
5 hours walking.
Today’s walk, from Kokar to Low Camp, continues through the forest, however as we ascend, the vegetation starts to change with more rhododendron and the trees are covered with moss, lichen and tree ferns. At Low Camp there are two basic lodges, one with a dining room with open fire. The view from Low Camp is superb with the holy peak of Mount Machhapuchhre visible up the valley.
Overnight Teahouse, Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 06. Trek to High Camp (3,600m)-
4 hours walking.
After walking for an hour, or so, above Low Camp the trail breaks out above the tree line; towards the west there is a good view to Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. The trail continues along the Mardi Himal ridge, mainly on grass, with some isolated rhododendron bushes along the way. Look out for the colourful Danphe pheasant on this section of the trail. The lodge at High Camp is larger than lodges at Low Camp and Forest Camp. The one that we use has eight rooms and a separate dining room with heater. The view from the lodge is superb to Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre (also known as Fishtail).
Overnight Teahouse, Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 07. Day walk to Upper viewpoint (4,200m)-
4 hours walking.
We will wake you up early today, so that we can see the sun rise from behind the mountains. Then, after an early breakfast, we will walk up the ridge towards Mardi Himal. Here there is a well established trail through the grass with a couple of steeper sections, however, overall, these are not too challenging. Look out for the dzos (yak/cow crossbreds) grazing up here as well as Danphe pheasant – the national bird of Nepal. In the summer months the sheep and goats, from lower villages, are brought up to graze in this area. We will pass a number of herders’ huts along the way.
After three hours walking we should reach Upper View point at 4,200m this is where one can look into the Annapurna Sanctuary. This is a spectacular panoramic view. We will see the south face of Annapurna and all of the peaks in the Sanctuary as well as Hiunchuli and mount Machhapuchhre (Fishtail).
Overnight Teahouse, Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 08. Trek to Siding village (1,750m)-
6 hours walking.
On the way back we will take a different route, completing a circuit, from Low Camp. We will use a trail that goes down to Siding village - rather than going back down Mardi Himal back to Kokar. Siding is a traditional Nepali village and still very much away from the busier tourist route. It is likely that we will stay at a home stay in Siding owned by the family who run one of the lodges at Low Camp. Experiencing the real village life is a wonderful cultural experience. We will discover more about village life and we will probably eat Dal Bhat in the evening with the family in their traditional kitchen.
Overnight homestay or teahouse, included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 09. Trek to Lumre and drive to Pokhara
3 hours walking and 2 hours driving.
From Siding village we will walk out to the road head at Lumre, passing the villages of Kalimati and Ghale. Kalimati is mainly a Brahmin village with Ghale, and Siding is mixed with Brahmin and Gurung people. These are the different indigenous groups of the country. At Lumre we will meet your jeep, organised in advance by us. This will take us back to Pokhara.
Overnight Simple Hotel, Included meals: Breakfast.
Day 10. Relax in Pokhara.
Today is a free day to rest and relax in Pokhara after the trek, or to go shopping, explore or sight-seeing around the city by yourselves. It is possible to do lots of different things in this beautiful town. For example, you may choose from things like hiring a boat and rowing out to Phewa Tal on the lake, visiting the mountaineering museum, caves and Barahi temple on an island in the lake.
Overnight Simple Hotel, Included meal: Breakfast,
Day 11. Fly to Kathmandu.
Transfer to Pokhara airport for the flight back to Kathmandu. It’s just a half an hour scenic flight to Kathmandu from Pokhara. From the left hand side of the plane you’ll get a good view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal and the Langtang range.
Overnight Exclusive 5 Star Hotel, included meal: Breakfast
Day 12: Depart Kathmandu,
The trip ends after breakfast. You will be transferred to the airport for the flight back home.
Included meal: Breakfast
