Annapurna Panorama Trek - 9 Days

Early in the morning, we will take a wonderful scenic drive to Pokhara as we cruise through colorful rural settings and after about 6 hours, we reach the lake city. On reaching Pokhara, we will check into our Hotel, refresh and stroll around the lakeside and visit the Phewa Lake and Barahi temple. Overnight in a hotel.

We will hit the road and reach Nayapool in an hour, from where the actual trekking trail begins. We will walk on an easy trail across many little villages and have lunch on the way. We will follow Bhurungdi Khola and its canyon towards Hile. The trail is remarkably populated by people of different ethnicities and castes. We will spend our first night in a lodge which has a natural vibe being surrounded by paddy fields.

The early morning climb is a tough one over the stony staircases, through the village of Ulleri along with the herds of mules and donkeys transporting provisions for upper regions. In the afternoon, the trail goes through different fields and lush green forests with a number of bird species and flowers, the most common species of plants here are the world’s highest rhododendron trees. We will finally reach Ghorepani which is situated on a ridge overlooking the mountain ranges and is a well-developed tourist destination in the region. A great view of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri can be seen from the famous view point called Poonhill, which is only 30 minutes walk from Ghorepani. As one of the main attractions of the trek, Poonhill is a spot that no one skips. Overnight at trekking lodge.

Early in the morning a 45 minute hike will take us to Poon Hill (3200m) to enjoy the sunrise view over Mt. Dhaulagiri (8167m.), Tukuche Peak (6920m.), Nilgiri (6940m.), Varaha Shikhar (7847m.), Mt. Annapurna I (8091m.), Annapurna South (7219m.), Annapurna III (7855m.), Machchhapuchhre (6993m.), Annapurna IV (7525m.), Annapurna II (7937m.), Lamjung Himal (6931m.) and other numerous snowcapped mountains. After a refreshing detour in the morning, the hike goes down to Ghorepani where we will have a hot breakfast at the lodge. From here we will continue our trek to Ghandruk (2650 m). The walk begins by ascending up through the rhododendron forest, towards a hill top called Deurali. Then we go downhill (moderate trail-not always downhill) to Banthati. For most part of the trail we will trek through rhododendron forests, the beautiful flowers adorning the jungle with colors in spring when they bloom. Once we reach Banthati, we will stop to have lunch and then start on a steep trail until we reach Tadapani, a small village with some tea houses. Overnight in a lodge.

After breakfast at Tadapani, we will descend gently all the way through rhododendron, oak and other kinds of dense forests with different kinds of birds chirping on the way. This is one of the most popular destinations for the bird watchers. Ghandruk is a traditional Gurung village with friendly, welcoming people who will entertain us with their heartwarming hospitality. There is a handicraft centre and Gurung museum where we can learn more about these incredible people and their history. From this village we can watch sunset and sunrise setting mountains like Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna (7455m.), Annapurna III (7755m.) and Fishtail ablaze with golden light. Overnight in trekking lodge.

After breakfast, the trail climbs up through Ghandruk village for a while and continues downhill through the farming villages to a river, where we will cross a suspension bridge at the bottom, and then follow a steep short climb to Jhinudanda. We’ll take some rest in the lodge and walk down to the riverside to enjoy the natural hot spring. After relaxing in the hot water, we will walk back up to the lodge and stay the night.

We can go to the hot spring again in the morning for a dip, and later hop back onto the trail which leads down through a valley to cross another bridge. After that, there is a short climb that will take us to Landruk. There are a few more suspension bridges to cross and many waterfalls to enjoy on the way. Landruk is a big Magar village with inhabitants and their traditional attires and culture. After lunch at Landruk the trek continues with few ups and downs leading to the bottom of a hill at Bhaisekharka. After that, the trail takes a steep uphill climb to a ridge at Deurali and through a forest. Deurali is located on the top of a ridge from where we can enjoy splendid views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, the Annapurna range and many more. Overnight at trekking Lodge.

Last day of the trek is an easy and short hike to Dhampus village. After Dhampus, the trail drops down to Phedi, the end point of our hike. After a 30 minute drive, we will reach Pokhara and spend the night there.

We will take an early morning tourist bus to Kathmandu through the Prithvi highway, which is the same route we took on our way to Pokhara. We can once again enjoy the natural beauty of this interesting drive. In the afternoon, we will reach Kathmandu and say goodbye there.