Khopra Danda Trek From Pokhara

The trek opens with a drive of around an hour and a half from Pokhara to Nayapul (1,070 m), the traditional roadhead for the southern Annapurna trails.

From Nayapul the trail follows the Modi Khola upstream through Birethanti, a pleasant riverside village with a checkpoint where permits are registered. The walking begins gently along the river before turning uphill.

The climb to Ghandruk is a steady ascent on stone staircases through terraced farmland — rice and millet in the lower fields, worked by hand — with scattered houses and small teashops along the way.

Ghandruk (1,940 m) is one of the largest and best-preserved Gurung villages in Nepal: slate-roofed stone houses stacked in tiers, paved lanes and stone staircases, and a strong Gurkha soldiering tradition. From the upper village, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre stand directly above. Around 4–5 hours of walking. Overnight in Ghandruk.

A climb of around 690 m through some of the finest forest in the Annapurna foothills.

The trail leaves Ghandruk by stone staircase through the upper village and climbs steadily into thick rhododendron and oak forest. This is classic middle-hill woodland — moss-hung, damp and shaded, with the trees closing overhead for much of the way.

In spring, from roughly late March through April, this section is the reason many people come: the rhododendrons flower red, pink and white right across the hillside, and the forest floor is carpeted with fallen blooms. In autumn the appeal is clearer air and better mountain visibility.

The forest is good for wildlife — langur monkeys are common in the canopy, and the birdlife includes pheasants and the Himalayan monal, Nepal's national bird.

Tadapani (2,630 m) means "far water", and sits in a clearing with an open view of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. Around 4–5 hours. Overnight in Tadapani.

The day the trek leaves the busy trails behind and turns onto the quiet Khopra route.

Most trekkers at Tadapani head west to Ghorepani or south to Ghandruk. You instead climb north on a far less frequented path, and the change in traffic is immediate — from a busy circuit to a trail where you may see only a handful of other people all day.

The route climbs steadily through rhododendron forest, which thins as you gain height, opening onto grassy clearings and meadows. Above around 3,000 m the trees become stunted and gnarled, and the views begin to open in earnest across the valleys toward the Annapurna wall.

This is a substantial climb of around 720 m, and the first day on which altitude begins to be a consideration. Keep the pace steady.

Dobato (3,350 m) is a small, basic collection of lodges on a ridge, positioned for the Muldai sunrise hike. Around 5–6 hours. Overnight in Dobato.

An early start for one of the best viewpoints in the region, followed by a descent into the next valley.

You leave Dobato in the dark for the climb of around 290 m to Muldai Viewpoint (3,637 m), roughly an hour uphill. It is cold and steep, but the payoff is exceptional and — unlike Poon Hill — you are likely to have it almost to yourself.

The panorama from the top is a full sweep of the Himalaya: Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) to the west, then Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre and the Manaslu range far to the east. The light comes up behind the peaks and works west along the range.

After returning to Dobato for breakfast, the trail descends north-west through rhododendron forest and open hillside into a quieter valley.

Chistibung (3,000 m) is a small herders' settlement in a meadow. Around 5–6 hours in total. Overnight in Chistibung.

A serious climbing day of over 1,000 m onto the ridge that gives the trek its name.

The trail leaves Chistibung and climbs steadily, leaving the last of the forest behind within the first couple of hours. Above the treeline the landscape becomes open alpine pasture — grass, low scrub and rock, grazed by sheep and goats in summer — with the views expanding continuously as you gain height.

The final section follows the ridge itself, exposed and often windy, with the ground falling away steeply on both sides.

Khopra Danda (4,020 m) is one of the great viewpoints of the Annapurna region and the reason for the whole route. The Kali Gandaki gorge drops away directly below the ridge, and across it Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) rises in a single uninterrupted sweep. To the east are Annapurna South, Fang, Annapurna I and Nilgiri.

The community-run lodge sits right on the ridge. Around 5–6 hours. Overnight at Khopra Danda.

The highest and hardest day of the trek: a long return hike to the sacred lake at 4,827 m.

You start before dawn with a light pack. The trail climbs from the ridge into a high alpine basin, gaining more than 800 m over rough ground — grass at first, then scree, boulder fields and, often, snow. There is no shelter and no water on the route, and at this altitude the pace is necessarily slow. It typically takes four to five hours up.

Khayer Lake (Khayer Barah) sits in a bowl directly beneath Annapurna South, with the mountain wall rising immediately behind it. It is a sacred site: Hindu pilgrims come here during the Janai Purnima festival in August, and there is a small shrine on the shore.

The lake is frozen for much of the year and the surroundings are entirely barren.

Return by the same route. A long day of 8–9 hours. Overnight at Khopra Danda.

A long descent of around 1,750 m off the ridge and back into farmed, inhabited country.

The trail drops steeply from Khopra Danda, losing the alpine terrain quickly. Within a couple of hours you are back among rhododendron and juniper, and below that the forest thickens into oak and mixed broadleaf. The descent is sustained and hard on the knees — poles are worth using.

As you lose height the temperature climbs noticeably, and after two nights above 4,000 m the thicker air is a distinct relief.

Swanta (2,270 m) is a small farming village of stone houses set among terraced fields, and it is one of the highlights of the trek for reasons that have nothing to do with mountains. It is a genuine working village with very few visitors, known locally for its cheese factory and its apple and vegetable production, and the community-run lodges here channel income directly back into the village.

Around 6 hours. Overnight in Swanta.

A moderate day climbing around 590 m to rejoin the main Poon Hill circuit.

The trail leaves Swanta and descends briefly to cross a river before beginning the climb toward Ghorepani. The route passes through terraced fields, small settlements and patches of forest, following paths used daily by local people between villages.

Partway along you reach Chitre, where the trail joins the main Ghorepani–Poon Hill route. The contrast is immediate: after four days on trails where you met almost nobody, you are back on one of the busiest circuits in Nepal, with lodges, shops and a steady flow of trekkers.

The final section climbs through rhododendron forest to Ghorepani (2,860 m), a substantial village of lodges strung along a ridge at the head of the valley. The name means "horse water" — it was a watering stop on the old trading route to Tibet.

Around 5 hours. Overnight in Ghorepani.

A final sunrise, a long descent, and the drive back to Pokhara.

You leave Ghorepani around 4:30 a.m. for the climb of roughly 350 m to Poon Hill (3,210 m), about an hour on a well-made staircase trail. It is the most popular viewpoint in Nepal and you will not be alone, but the panorama justifies it: Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre and Nilgiri lit in sequence as the sun rises.

After returning to Ghorepani for breakfast, the trail descends the long stone staircase through Ulleri — several thousand steps, and famously punishing on the way down — into warmer, greener country of terraced fields and villages.

From Birethanti (1,025 m) on the Modi Khola, a vehicle takes you back to Pokhara (822 m), arriving in the afternoon. Around 6 hours of walking. Overnight in Pokhara.