If the Everest region ignores Dashain, the Annapurna region embraces it. The villages on the way to Poon Hill and Annapurna Base Camp are Gurung and Magar, communities that keep the festival with enthusiasm, and Pokhara, the gateway to all of them, is the favourite holiday destination of half the country.
The result is the most festive trekking in Nepal and, on the short routes, the most crowded. This guide covers what to expect on each trek and how to find space. General advice is in trekking in Nepal during Dashain.
Dashain in the Annapurna Foothills
Walk through Ghandruk, Ulleri, Dhampus or Landruk in the first week of the festival and you will see it being prepared: houses freshly coated in red and white clay, a goat tethered by the door, and on the nearest flat ground a bamboo linge ping with a queue of children. Men home on leave from the army and from work abroad sit in the sun. On the tenth day the lodge owner is quite likely to put a tika on you at breakfast.
It is the best scenery for the festival anywhere on a trekking route, and it comes with the Annapurna range behind it. See Dashain swings and kites for what you are looking at.
Route by Route
| Trek | Days | At Dashain | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poon Hill | 3 – 5 | Very busy after the tika; Ghorepani's lodges fill and the dawn viewpoint is crowded | Go before the tika, or add Ghandruk and take the quieter return |
| Mardi Himal | 4 – 6 | The favourite of Nepali holiday trekkers; High Camp has few beds | Book lodges ahead and start before Phulpati if you can |
| Annapurna Base Camp | 7 – 10 | Busy; beds at Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp and base camp are limited | A guided booking matters most here |
| Khopra Danda | 6 – 8 | Quiet; community lodges with space | The best alternative to Poon Hill for the view |
| Mohare Danda | 4 – 6 | Quiet; passes through villages that celebrate fully | The best trek for seeing Dashain itself |
| Annapurna Circuit | 12 – 16 | Normal October traffic; Manang is Buddhist and unaffected | Start before the holiday so the road to the trailhead is passable |
| Jomsom and Muktinath | 5 – 8 | Hindu pilgrims add to trekkers at Muktinath; Jomsom flights full | Book the flight early or drive in |
If you are choosing between the first three, Mardi Himal vs Poon Hill vs Annapurna Base Camp compares them in detail.
When the Trails Fill
The rush has a clear shape. The days before the tika are relatively quiet, because Nepali families are at home preparing. On the tika day itself the trails are close to empty. From the next morning until the full moon, groups of friends and colleagues who have done their family duty head for the hills, and Pokhara's jeep stands are busy from dawn.
| Period | 2026 dates | Trail traffic on short Annapurna treks |
|---|---|---|
| Before Phulpati | Up to 16 October | Normal October: busy with international trekkers |
| Phulpati to the tika | 17 – 21 October | Quieter than usual; a good window |
| After the tika | 22 – 26 October | The busiest days of the year |
| After the full moon | From 27 October | Back to normal October levels |
The practical conclusion: on a short trek, walk during the main festival days rather than after them, and reserve the rooms.
Getting to Pokhara and the Trailheads
Pokhara is twenty-five minutes from Kathmandu by air and six to eight hours by road on a normal day. In festival traffic the road can take ten or more. Fly if you can, and book early — see getting around Nepal during Dashain.
From Pokhara the trailheads are one to three hours away by jeep: Nayapul and Ulleri for Poon Hill, Kimche or Ghandruk for Annapurna Base Camp, Kande or Sidhing for Mardi Himal. Shared jeeps thin out on the tika day and the day before. A private jeep booked with the trek is the reliable answer, and starting from Pokhara rather than Kathmandu saves a day either way — our Poon Hill, Mardi Himal and Annapurna Base Camp treks are all offered from Pokhara.
Permits for the Annapurna Region
Every trek here needs the Annapurna Conservation Area permit. Buy it before the holiday: the permit counters in Kathmandu and Pokhara keep reduced hours or close on the main days, and the fee is doubled if you are found without one at a checkpost inside the area. A registered agency arranges it with your booking. The rules are in our Annapurna permits guide, and the festival timetable in permits during Dashain.
A Dashain Week from Pokhara
This pairs the festival with a short trek, using the quiet window before the rush. Dates are for 2026.
| Date | Plan |
|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | Fly Kathmandu to Pokhara; permits already in hand |
| Sat 17 Oct | Phulpati. Jeep to the trailhead and walk to Ulleri or Ghandruk |
| Sun 18 – Mon 19 Oct | To Ghorepani; Poon Hill at dawn |
| Tue 20 Oct | Maha Navami. Walk to Ghandruk through rhododendron forest |
| Wed 21 Oct | The tika, in Ghandruk — a rest day with the lodge family and the village swing |
| Thu 22 Oct | Walk out against the incoming tide; jeep to Pokhara |
| Fri 23 Oct | Pokhara: the lake, the Peace Pagoda — Pokhara day tour |
The same shape works for Mardi Himal. For what to do in the town, see Pokhara during Dashain, and for the routes in general, short treks from Pokhara.
Quieter Alternatives
If full lodges are not your idea of a holiday, three options keep the Annapurna views and lose the crowd. Khopra Danda and Mohare Danda are community-lodge ridges west of Poon Hill, each with a panorama that includes Dhaulagiri. And a village stay — Ghalegaun in Lamjung or Sirubari in Syangja — puts you in a Gurung household for the tika itself, with a short walk each day and no altitude at all. See our guides to Khopra Danda and Mohare Danda.
