Also called Khopra Ridge Trek, Khopra Danda Trek is a peaceful and off-the-beaten trail in the Annapurna Region. Opened recently, trekkers can have a tranquil trekking experience on the trail. Obviously, the soul of the trek is Khopra Danda or Ridge, which lies at the height of 3640m. You’ll indeed have a great time at the top viewing mountains and hills. But the tour has some other highlights.
As it is on the stretch of the beautiful Annapurna Region, a trekker like you will witness the region’s beauty. The Annapurna Region mountains, admired worldwide like Mt Annapurna I, II, III, South, Mt Fishtail, and Himchuli, are clearly visible throughout the trek. Likewise, the hike inspires you to reach Poonhill(3,210m), the well-loved hill station in Nepal. The Sunrise view and mountain panorama are just astonishing from the place.
Moreover, there will be trekking across the traditional villages of the Annapurna Region. Ghandruk, Tadapani, and Ghorepani are the hamlets mainly inhabited by Tamangs and Gurungs which you will tour. Knowing their lifestyle and wisdom is another highlight of the Khopra Danda Trek.
Similarly, we cannot forget the sight of the region’s rich vegetation; that will also leave us wow. There will be times when you will be in nothing but woods. Last but not least, if you are a lake lover, this trek has that too in its pocket. Khayer Lake(4,600m), a sacred lake in the high hills of Nepal, will also be explored on the journey optionally.
Khopra Ridge Trek by Sabbatical Explore Nepal is a hand-knitted package of 13 days that starts and ends in Kathmandu. Developed for an off-the-beaten trekking experience and an alternative to ever-crowded Poonhill Trekking, the trek is for you if you love trekking in a calm and peaceful environment.
Highlights
Pass via farm fields, terraces, yak pastures, rivers, and more.
An optional visit to the holy and pristine Khayer Lake.
Crystal clear close sights of Mt Annapurna, Mt Dhaulagiri, Fishtail, Nilgiri, Himchuli and more.
Breathtaking mountain panorama and sunrise/sunset views from Khopra Ridge(3,660m) and Poon Hill.
A peaceful walk through the vibrant woods of Oaks, Pines and Rhododendrons.
Trek via Gurung villages and experience their unique culture.
Experience an off-the-beaten trekking option of the Annapurna Region.
A couple of beautiful evenings in Pokhara, the city of lakes.
Scenic drive/flight to Pokhara from Kathmandu.
An excellent excuse to avoid crowded Poonhill Trekking.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara
Day 3: Drive to Nayapul and Trek to Tikhedhunga(1,600m)
Day 4: Trek to Ghorepani(2,874m)
Day 5: Early Morning Hike to Poon Hill and Trek to Swanta
Day 6: Trek to Dhan Kharka(3,020m)
Day 7: Trek to Khopra Danda(3,660m)
Day 8: Trek to Khayer Lake(4,600m)
Day 9: Trek to Bayeli(3,400m)
Day 10: Trek to Tadapani(2,830m)
Day 11: Trek to Ghandruk(2,012m)
Day 12: Trek to Nayapul and Drive back to Pokhara
Day 13: Drive/Flight Back to Kathmandu
Day 14: Departure
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
We will receive you at Kathmandu Airport after your arrival. Then picking you up, we will move to your hotel for checking in. You will take a rest after the long flight. In the evening, we will meet again for a welcome dinner hosted by Sabbatical Explore Nepal. We will also talk you through the Khopra Danda Trek itinerary in detail. After a meeting with the team and dinner, you will return to the hotel for the night.
Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara
The journey of the Khopra Danda Trek begins from here. We will pack our belongings, and take our breakfast to get ready for the bus drive. The next 6 hours will happen on the scenic Prithivi Highway. During the ride, we will come across Nepal’s countryside. Upon reaching Pokhara, we will check into one of the hotels. Following, we will go out on the streets of Lakeside of Pokhara for hangouts. It will be a lovely evening in Pokhara by the Fewa Lake. Overnight in Pokhara’s hotel.
Day 3: Drive to Nayapul and Trek to Tikhedhunga(1,600m)
Now, we set off for the real adventure, the actual start of Khopra Ridge Trek. We will start the day with an hour-long drive to Nayapul. That will be the starting point of the trek. From Nayapul, we head into the greenery of Birethanti. We will see impressive mountains along the tour. The 4-5 hrs of walking across terrace fields, villages, and woods will bring us to our destination, Tikhedhunga. Overnight in a local lodge.
Day 4: Trek to Ghorepani(2,874m)
Eating our breakfast, we’ll leave Tikhedhunga behind by crossing a suspension bridge. It will be a steep uphill climb on a stone-paved trail up to Ulleri. We will stop for a break and lunch in Ulleri before continuing the trek. Today is a tough day as we will gain about 1000m of altitude. We will trek amid the forest of Rhododendrons several times. Passing via a couple of more villages, we will finally reach Ghorepani. Overnight in Ghorepani.
Day 5: Early Morning Hike to Poon Hill and Trek to Swanta
The day will start quite early as we hike up to Poonhill(3,210m) in the morning. We’ll witness an astonishing panorama of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges from the top. Along with that, the sunrise view will leave your mouth wide open. After the glorious views, we will head back to Ghorepani for breakfast. Then we start the second part of the day; the trek to Swanta. It will be a descending and easy trek of 3-4hrs. We will do an uphill hike at the end of the day. Throughout the day, we will pass via green trails, terrace fields, and villages. Ultimately, reaching Swanta, we will have a lovely evening at a hotel.
Day 6: Trek to Dhan Kharka(3,020m)
We will bid farewell to Swanta after breakfast. The trek will take part through the farmlands of the village to the woods. Continuing the walking on a narrow trail and side by side of a sounding stream, we will reach Aal Kharka. We will eat our lunch before joining an uphill hike to Dhan Kharka in Kali Gandaki Valley. We will watch Mt Nigiri, Annapurna South, I, Fishtail from the hills along the trek. The day’s hike will end at Dhan Kharka’s teahouse.
Day 7: Trek to Khopra Danda(3,660m)
Here comes the vital day of Khopra Danda Trek when we will reach Khopra Danda(Hill). We will leave Dhan Kharka following breakfast for a short trekking day. It will be a 4 hrs trek on a steep slope. The scenery along the day will be lovely, with mountains and hills all around us. We will trek on a bit of a rough uphill track to reach the Khopra Danda. Following a 3-4 hours trek, we will finally reach the spot to enjoy a mind-blowing mountain panorama. Overnight in Khopra Danda.
Day 8: Trek to Khayer Lake(4,600m)
The trek to Khayer Lake is an optional hike for those who have no problems with high altitudes. Those who do not want to challenge will take a journey back to Kathmandu from here. If you’re going to reach Khayer Lake anyway, let’s move forward. It will be a trek of around 7-8 hours to the lake. The trail is steep and rough as well. We will trek calmly along the day, enjoying beautiful sceneries. Khayer Lake(4,600m) is a holy lake of Hindu Pilgrimages. We’ll explore the gorgeous lake upon reaching the lake before calling it a day in a nearby teahouse.
Day 9: Trek to Bayeli(3,400m)
Now, we leave the shores of Khayer Lake after breakfast. The trek will move into a dense forest of alpine trees. We will walk a couple of uphills before descending to Sumphul Danda. En route, we will come across an open pasture to see the snow-clad mountains once again. In total, we will walk for 5-6 hrs, mainly descending, to reach Bayeli in the evening. Bayeli is a traditional village of Gurungs with several homestays. We will end up in one of them for the night.
Day 10: Trek to Tadapani(2,830m)
We will start the day with mountains in the backdrop. As we leave the village, we will be walking in a deep forest of Oak, Magnolia, and Rhododendron. We will reach the prime trekking trail of Poon Hill Trek and Annapurna Circuit Trek out of the woods. Keeping the walk for another 3-4 hours, we will reach Tadapani, a five-star village of Gurungs. We will spend the evening enjoying golden hours of mountains and landscapes. Overnight in Tadapani.
Day 11: Trek to Ghandruk(2,012m)
From Tadapani, taking a descending trail, we will set off for Ghandruk. Shortly, we will trek through another dense forest; the trek will not last more than 4 hours. As a result, we will arrive in Ghandruk early. And we will explore Ghandruk, another traditional village of the Annapurna Region. Not to forget, we will enjoy the glorious mountains from here as well. Overnight in Ghandruk.
Day 12: Trek to Nayapul and Drive back to Pokhara
It will be the final trekking day of the Khopra Danda Trek. We will take a descending trail from Ghandruk, which leads to Syauli Bazar. Trekking comfortably, we will traverse through forests, villages, and their farmlands to reach Nayapool. We will have a short break in Birethanti in between. From Nayapool, we will take a 2.5 hours long ride back to Pokhara. Another evening in Pokhara.
Day 13: Drive/Flight Back to Kathmandu
As per the itinerary, we will take a flight or bus drive to Kathmandu. The bus drive will be 6 hours long on the Prithivi Highway. And the flight will be 20 minutes long. Upon our return to Kathmandu, we will leave you at your hotel for a rest. The rest of the time will be free time in Kathmandu for shopping and hangouts.
Day 14: Departure
It will be the completion of Khopra Ridge Trek. We will transfer you to Kathmandu Airport for your departure. Farewell! We will see you in another adventure with us.
Includes/Excludes
What's included
What's excluded
Reviews
Based on 3 reviews
Magda, Terese and Group
We had a great time with Shiva and his team, from being picked up from the airport to being dropped off there, everything was just perfect! We had "culture tour and a trip to Shaman Village" Hiking. Got to see many cultural sites around Kathmandu and was an incredible experience in monastery visiting monks. The program was great and fantastic as far as we wanted away from the tourist crowds, all accommodations were good. It’s really a great opportunity to explore Nepal as local. The “TeamSabbatical” were very helpful and friendly as well. When we have a questions or a problem can find someone on the spot immediately to find a answer and solve it. We highly recommend the trip Meet the Monks with Boudhanath Stupa tour, and the Kathmandu Cultural tour together.
Philip Hoffmann
Katmandu, Bhaktapur Patan, and another locals city I forgot the name ( Themi) are the most interesting cultural cities for sightseeing in Katmandu valley. It's a very very vibrant and tremendous and much rich culture in Nepal. I went to Pokhara and on the way rafting in the river was great fun. 8 days of trekking to Khopra's dada was awesome and amazing with the fabulous horizontal mountain view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna series. After the trek, I went to Chitwan for 3 days Jungle Safari and back to Kathmandu via a flight. I am very thankful to my guide and the organizer Sabbatical Explore Nepal for the best trip arrangement even for a short time. As we have discussed at the farewell dinner together I am sure to be back with my other working colleague. I already miss the beautiful mountains and caring people of Nepal. Specially Shiva my guide Shesh. Namaste ! and see you asap !!
Harish Gupta
We have just finished the Annapurna Base Camp trek with Sabbatical Explore Nepal. Our guide Shiva and Samir were excellent, very friendly young men with good English. The looked after us very well, staying with us and supporting us as we trekked, and making sure our meals and accommodation were sorted each day. Shiva and Samir were very knowledgeable about the mountains, the areas we visited and Nepal in general. It was lovely to share stories with them, and I’m sure they will make excellent guides as well.
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