Annapurna Panorama Trek

After days of planning and decision-making, you are finally on a flight to the incredible Kathmandu city of Nepal where you are destined to create some long-lasting memories. As your flight lands at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA),  the only International Airport in Nepal, you shall meet up with a representative delegate from Icicles Adventure waiting for your arrival nearby the terminal.

We will welcome and greet you in a proper Nepalese manner before escorting you to your hotel rooms via a private tourist vehicle. In your hotel rooms, you can rest and have some relaxing shower. You also have the option for a short stroll around the local markets and streets of Thamel which is profoundly filled with eye-catching Nepalese garments and jewelries along with cafes, bars and restaurants.

One of the best sought after moments for trekker during their visit in Nepal is when they get to go on a very enriching and mind captivating sightseeing tour around the various UNESCO World Heritages located inside the Kathmandu valley. This means after your breakfast, you and your friends will get a scheduled tour to various destinations within Kathmandu Valley.

Our first stop takes us to the ancient religious structure of The Monkey Temple, the Swayambhunath Stupa, which offers clear panoramic views of Kathmandu.

Next on the list is the popular Buddhist site of Boudhanath Stupa which is generally famous for its eccentric antique markets and shops. Boudhanath is also the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal. A tour to this magnificent place can be an enriching experience for anyone who loves historical structures.

The heavenly blessed Hindu site of Pashupatinath Temple is next in order for our today’s visit. Many devotees of Lord Shiva can be seen flocking here and there while “Sadhus” usually populate the vicinity of the temple.

To end our day, we shall have one last tour of Kathmandu Durbar Square, one of the oldest royal palace in Kathmandu. It holds a very great historical significance and is one of the best places to go for learning the traditional Nepalese architecture.

Before returning back to your hotel, we shall have a short pre-trek meeting in order to discuss about the future trek schedules and have a last final look at our planned itinerary for the trek.

Following one of the most beautiful rivers of Nepal, we make our way towards the touristic Lake Side of Pokhara city which serves as a mecca for travelers and trekkers wanting to trek in the heartlands of Annapurna region. Statistically, Pokhara is 204.5 km away from Kathmandu in the northwest direction and can be reached by a 6-hour long drive via Prithvi Highway.

Our drive today takes us through several lovely towns and villages while being surrounded mesmerizing lush green hills and valley floors. Upon reaching Pokhara, trekkers will be relatively transferred and checked in their hotel rooms so that you may take showers and sooth your aching muscles. Here, you can have a walk around the iconic Lake Side area surrounded by the beautiful views of tranquil Phewa Lake and the soaring Himalayan mountains.

Driving Time: 6-7 hrs

A refreshingly fascinating morning awaits you as you wake up to your first morning in Pokhara city and also a day to begin your adventurous trek undoubtedly. With a scenic drive, away from the Pokhara city, you shall now make way towards Nayapul, which can take about 1 to 2 hours to reach by drive.

Nayapul is about 42 km away from Pokhara which is marked as the initial point to begin our trek to the rich lands of Annapurna region. From Nayapul, the trekking experience of walking through several local ethnic villages begins and takes trekkers towards Tikhedhunga village.

Going past Lumle and Birethanti villages, we gradually hike up to arrive at Tikhedhunga village where we shall have our dinner and rest for the remaining time being.

Trekkers need to march ahead to Ghorepani village in the morning after a delightful breakfast. Today, our trek is going to be a challenging one as it demands trekkers to hike up through 3,300 stone stairs. If you are a person, who hates walking up through stairs then this day can be a physically exhausting one.

Nevertheless, rest assured for that alluring natural and cultural sceneries as this serene region is fully chock-full of green lush hills and lovely scenic hill areas.

Going past through the demanding terrains, we go past Ulleri village via a trail filled with blossoming rhododendron forests and cultivated farmlands. Several waterfalls and scenic rivers trails, make way towards a short climb to a place locally known as Nangethanti which is where we stay for a while to have our lunch.

Later ahead, just after passing Nangethanti village, we arrive at our final destination of Ghorepani village. This place is quite popular among tourists for providing clear views of the mountains covered in snow amongst a very welcoming village full of lively local communities to capture your hearts.

We get up early at dawn (one hour before sunrise) today as we have to reach Poon Hill before sunrise so that we do not miss the magical moment. It is a wonderful experience watching first ray of sun over the mountains. This is one of the best mountain vistas and is well worth the effort taken to climb to Poon Hill (45 minutes climb).

Himalayan view from Poon Hill is indescribable when the rising sun’s rays gradually strikes the Himalayan giants including Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Mt. Annapurna I (8,091m), Mt. Nilgiri (7,040m), Annapurna south (7219m),Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna III (7555m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Hunchuli (6441m), fishtail or Machhapuchhre (6,997m), Lamjung Himal (6,986m), Tukuche peak (6,920m), Dhampus peak (6,012m) among others.

We spend some time picturing at Poonhill and return to Ghorepani, have a hot breakfast, and continue our trek to Tadapani through rhododendron forest. Specialty of this forest is that it hosts more than 15 species of rhododendron and if you are trekking in springtime the blooming colorful rhododendrons will fascinate you. We have our lunch at Banthanti and again continue through rhododendron forest.

We have about thirty minutes climb before reaching Tadapani. From here we have great views of Annapurna South (7219m), Huinchuli and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail 6993m).

The trail starts descending steeply off from Tadapani. The first part of the trek today will be through a thick forest of old rhododendron trees. When the rhododendron trees are in bloom, these forests actually turn into gardens of dazzlingly beautiful flowers, mostly red and pink.

By afternoon, depending upon the season of travel, we will be pleasantly surprised by the sight of some cherry blossoms in bloom on the slopes on the other side of the gorge. After trekking some more time, we enter the village of Ghandruk, an undulated settlement with stone houses mostly inhabited by the Gurung people.

Along with enjoying the stunningly close-up towering views of Fishtail, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli mountains, we also walk through the village and also visit the Gurung Museum in Ghandruk to acquaint ourselves with the simple but rich cultural traditions of the Gurung people.

Today, we trek from Ghandruk to Naya Pul then drive back to Pokhara. The trek will be downhill all the way to Birethanti. We walk through a staircase paved with stone slabs, curving in and out of the village and then terraced farms. It keeps on going down without breaks from Ghandruk until Modi Khola river valley.

By the time, we arrive at Birethanti, some of us would feel like having made a downhill marathon; but it is not over yet. From Birethanti, a half-an-hour of walk takes us to Nayapul where the journey on foot comes to an end.

Then, we drive from Nayapul to Pokhara. We can celebrate the end of this trek in Pokhara lakeside at the evening time.

Driving Time: 1 hr. 

Try to get left pane of your vehicle to enjoy the river gorges, greeneries, mountains, villages and terraces during the drive. In the evening, we will have a farewell dinner in a traditional Nepalese restaurant with cultural performance.

Driving Time: 6-7 hrs. 

Note: You have many options to extend your trip with an extra day at Pokhara, Chitwan jungle safari, paragliding, rafting adventure, Bunjee Jumping, Kayaking, Canoeing, Kathmandu valley shopping tour, Bhaktapur and Patan sightseeing, scenic Everest flight, mountain biking and other activities.

Your Annapurna Panorama Trek is complete today. If you have some time left before your departure flight home, you can shop around Thamel for souvenirs for your friends and relatives. Our airport representative will drop you at the international airport in Kathmandu for your departure flight from Nepal.

We hope beautiful Nepal, the awesome Himalayan sceneries, the cultural experience you got along your Annapurna Panorama Trek will stay in your memory lifelong and you will go back home with a sense of conquest.